Paul Lewis
New Member
Just checked on the status of the shipment of my guitar which was due in to the dealer today - only to be told it is now expected 20th December!!!!!
Not a happy bunny today
Not a happy bunny today
PRS SE Hollowbody II Piezo bridge issues
- Thread starter Paul Lewis
- Start date
Alnus Rubra
Loving nature’s wonders
bodia
Authorities said.....best leave it.....unsolved
Good things come to those who wait. But yeah, that sucks
Paul Lewis
New Member
Lol yes Bodia but it’s been such a long wait - admittedly not a private stock wait but I’m impatient lol
veinbuster
Zombie Three, DFZ
But...you will eventually get a replacement guitar.
I’d be a bit bummed too, but then convince myself that delays of anything in these times are a relatively high probability.
Paul Lewis
New Member
Still waiting 
latest email from dealer says an early February 21 delivery to them ffs 
latest email from dealer says an early February 21 delivery to them ffs Chris Canavan
New Member
Hi, new to this site myself. Re the SE Hollowbody Piezo bridge buzz, I am having the same buzzing problem too with the bottom three wound strings. Sometimes it is only one string and the problem is not there all of the time.......sometimes a sharp smack on the bodywork clears it but it seems to be occuring more frequently. I've checked the bridge posts and all solid there and the base of the bridge block parallel with the action. Needless to say, I have taken it back to the store but, as is with these things, the problem would not appear to when required! They checked it over but could not find anything obvious. Have owned this instrument for a year.
Nice F Holes
New Member
@Chris Canavan can you post some pics from different angles? I don’t remember if it was this thread or not but someone had similar issues which turned out to be related to the plastic pickup ring rubbing, and maybe the wound strings are low enough frequency to trigger the vibration. . I just mention that because if it goes away with a tap on the body then it’s likely something superficial that moves easily. Either way some pics would help.
Chris Canavan
New Member
Thanks for the response. I would agree that it would indicate something superficial and possibly loose, but I checked out all the obvious things like the pickup rings etc and also removed the battery but to no avail. To me it feels like the seating where the string rests on the piezo element but why that would be I don't know as it's obviously tight down under the string tension pressure.
Not sure if pics would help but how would I send these.....i don't see anything on here that allows that or have I missed something?
Nice F Holes
New Member
Oh, I think the only way to post pics is to have them hosted somewhere else, then put a link to it using the button above that looks like a mountain and a sun. I post pics to my FB account, or a DIY guitar forum I'm a member of. Maybe a video would be better anyway - can you post a short video on YT of the buzzing? I know something like this is hard to diagnose from pics but I just figured it can't hurt to have a few hundred eyes take a look at it, lol.
@Chris Canavan I just remembered, I think what you said about the bridge saddle. There are springs but also that center screw to adjust the intonation. It's possible the spring tension is making the saddle contact the screw and one side of the bridge, and maybe just a slight enough gap at the other side of the saddle that it only contacts sometimes, resulting in the buzz. Just a thought. If you can replicate the buzz, maybe there's a way you can put a finger on the saddle while it's buzzing to see if it stops?
@Chris Canavan I just remembered, I think what you said about the bridge saddle. There are springs but also that center screw to adjust the intonation. It's possible the spring tension is making the saddle contact the screw and one side of the bridge, and maybe just a slight enough gap at the other side of the saddle that it only contacts sometimes, resulting in the buzz. Just a thought. If you can replicate the buzz, maybe there's a way you can put a finger on the saddle while it's buzzing to see if it stops?
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Chris Canavan
New Member
Thanks, I appreciate your response but I am confused about the bridge saddle set up that you describe as there are no springs on the adjustable piezo stoptail that I can see. The intonation adjustment screws pass through each piezo saddle and stop up against the solid metal at the back of the stoptail. (My Custom 24 does, of course, have such springs to adjust the individual saddles.)
Re the idea of posting video etc, a great idea but, regrettably, beyond my technical capabilities! Blokes of a certain age and all that. I still find using a smartphone part of the dark arts and probably only use 10% of its capability.
Nice F Holes
New Member
You're right, sorry I didn't get much sleep last night. No springs. I just meant there may be 2 or 3 points of contact: the center adjustment screw, the right side, and the left side of the saddle. I feel like the screw shouldn't be a point of contact (should have enough clearance so the saddle sits firmly on the bridge) but if I recall correctly, the screw is too high to allow that to happen in some cases. So my thought was that if the screw is a little high up and the saddle might be resting on it and vibrating against the bridge. Anyway sorry if I'm making it more confusing, just trying to help.
My guitar has been away for service for awhile so unfortunately I can only go by memory.
My guitar has been away for service for awhile so unfortunately I can only go by memory.
Chris Canavan
New Member
No need to apologise, all help gratefully received. I'm not sure but I think that you are maybe confusing the piezo stoptail bridge with the tremolo type bridge found on many PRS models which does indeed have a pair of small hex screw on either side of each saddle for height adjustment and a larger screw/spring arrangement for horizontal tonal adjustment. The stoptail has no such arrangement that I can see and only has the single screw to move the saddle in a horizontal direction to adjust the intonation. The saddle just sits on 'runners' in support. As you will remember, the whole stoptail assembly can be adjusted vertically via the two large end bolts that secure the stoptail onto the body. I appreciate that it is difficult trying to recall details when it's not in front of you but many thanks for trying!
Nice F Holes
New Member
Thanks, that description helps:
Each saddle sits on two runners (right and left), and there's a screw in the middle to adjust intonation. If the screw is too high, the saddle then is resting on the screw, and since the screw is round the saddle will likely lean to one side. If the screw is just high enough that the saddle is barely making contact with the other side, then I could imagine an intermittent buzz. I've seen it happen where the saddle is resting on the screw and not one of the rails, I just don't remember if it was my SE HBII or another guitar.
Each saddle sits on two runners (right and left), and there's a screw in the middle to adjust intonation. If the screw is too high, the saddle then is resting on the screw, and since the screw is round the saddle will likely lean to one side. If the screw is just high enough that the saddle is barely making contact with the other side, then I could imagine an intermittent buzz. I've seen it happen where the saddle is resting on the screw and not one of the rails, I just don't remember if it was my SE HBII or another guitar.
Chris Canavan
New Member
I'm just wondering whether you might be confusing the stoptail bridge arrangement with something else as the screw you mention cannot be high nor low because the only screw there is located in a horizontal position and has nothing to do with the saddle height adjustment.....it only moves the saddle in a horizontal direction and stops up against the back of the wrap over bridge. The saddle just sits on its two 'runners' and that's it and can't be tilted one way or another as there is no vertical screw to create the issue that I think you are describing. Anyway, I think this 'buzz'/'resonance' remains a mystery as I can't replicate it at will.....it just appears now and again. My gut feeling is that it has something to do with how the wound strings seat on to the slotted piezo element. I'm using standard 10-46 string set.
Nice F Holes
New Member
The screw I'm talking about is the saddle adjustment screw, that moves the saddle forward and back. The saddle contacts the guitar in 3 places: both "runners" on the right and left sides of the saddle, and the adjustment screw in the middle. Ideally the adjustment screw should have some clearance around it so it's not taking any load. If that clearance isn't enough, or if the screw hole was drilled a little higher than it was supposed to have been, the screw could be sitting up a little higher and taking some of the load instead of one of the saddles.
Anyway, I just had another thought: the pickups were mounted very loose in my SE HBII (soft or short springs) so I'm wondering if maybe one of your pickups is vibrating at certain notes.
Anyway, I just had another thought: the pickups were mounted very loose in my SE HBII (soft or short springs) so I'm wondering if maybe one of your pickups is vibrating at certain notes.
