PRS SE locking tuners help!

[RickF]

Hello,

I gig quite regularly and decided to update my SE Hollowbody 2 with the SE locking tuners. I do not break strings when I play, it almost never happens. Since putting on the locking tuners I have been breaking strings (high E mostly) quite often. I am at my wits end. The thumbscrews will be tight yet the string decides to go loose? Just weird behavior.

The design seems suspect to me. The thumbscrew essentially crushes the string???

Please tell me I am missing something. I have to assume if it is the same design on the higher end guitars I must be doing something wrong?

I could really use some help. Is there a solid alternative? I am ready to take these off.

Thanks,
Rick

 

[TheCraftsman]

How tight are you tightening the screws? I’ve got them in my SE 24-08 and have no issues, not broken a string yet.

 

[RickF]

How tight are you tightening the screws? I’ve got them in my SE 24-08 and have no issues, not broken a string yet.

I watched the PRS video on them and it said to hand (thumb) tighten. Is that what you do?

 

[DISTORT6]

Check the end of the thumbscrew for any burrs.

 

[TheCraftsman]

I watched the PRS video on them and it said to hand (thumb) tighten. Is that what you do?

Yes that’s how I’m doing it

 

[RickF]

Check the end of the thumbscrew for any burrs.

Great idea. I checked it with a magnifying glass and it seems fine. Thanks, good thought.

 

[TheCraftsman]

Maybe also check the holes in the pegs maybe a sharp edge on there

 

[FirasR]

I've got those same locking tuners on my SE HB II Piezo (almost a year since I bought it) and haven't broken any strings yet. I don't gig though, only play it at home. Not sure if that's of any help, but as others have suggested, it might be something specific to the ones you have.

 

[RickF]

I've got those same locking tuners on my SE HB II Piezo (almost a year since I bought it) and haven't broken any strings yet. I don't gig though, only play it at home. Not sure if that's of any help, but as others have suggested, it might be something specific to the ones you have.

Yes, it helps to know they work for others. I have tried tightening them a little more than with just normal thumb pressure to see if it helps. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Phchbr]

In your original post, you've referred to strings breaking, but you've also said that the string decides to go loose. Is the string actually breaking, or is it slipping in the hole in the tuner? If it's breaking so you end up with two pieces of the one string, then the question is where is it breaking? If you end up with a couple of inches of string still attached to the tuner, then it's not breaking at the tuner itself; it's breaking in the nut. The new tuner could still be causing the break by putting pressure or movement on somewhere that didn't get pressure or movement before, but if the break isn't happening at the tuner, then just looking for a burr in the tuner isn't going to help. When you tune the string, do you sometimes hear a ping? If so, the string is probably catching in the nut instead of sliding smoothly through it. That puts a lot of tension on the string between the tuner and the nut and might weaken it so that it breaks when you're playing. With non-locking tuners, you can get a bit of slippage at the tuner as the string finds its place in the winding. With locking tuners, there's no give between the tuner and the nut, so if it's catching at the nut and then pinging as it frees itself, that could weaken the string more than the non-locking tuner did. Lubricating the nut-slot with something like Big Bends Nut Sauce can really help the string travel smoothly in the slot when you tune it, bend it, use a trem etc. Not knowing where the string is breaking, I might be making irrelevant suggestions, so apologies for that.

 

[RickF]

In your original post, you've referred to strings breaking, but you've also said that the string decides to go loose. Is the string actually breaking, or is it slipping in the hole in the tuner? If it's breaking so you end up with two pieces of the one string, then the question is where is it breaking? If you end up with a couple of inches of string still attached to the tuner, then it's not breaking at the tuner itself; it's breaking in the nut. The new tuner could still be causing the break by putting pressure or movement on somewhere that didn't get pressure or movement before, but if the break isn't happening at the tuner, then just looking for a burr in the tuner isn't going to help. When you tune the string, do you sometimes hear a ping? If so, the string is probably catching in the nut instead of sliding smoothly through it. That puts a lot of tension on the string between the tuner and the nut and might weaken it so that it breaks when you're playing. With non-locking tuners, you can get a bit of slippage at the tuner as the string finds its place in the winding. With locking tuners, there's no give between the tuner and the nut, so if it's catching at the nut and then pinging as it frees itself, that could weaken the string more than the non-locking tuner did. Lubricating the nut-slot with something like Big Bends Nut Sauce can really help the string travel smoothly in the slot when you tune it, bend it, use a trem etc. Not knowing where the string is breaking, I might be making irrelevant suggestions, so apologies for that.

Wow, all good info, I can't answer some of your points because I haven't paid attention to it. I will now. Thanks again, it sounds like my issues are addressable...I appreciate you taking the time to provide all that info. I'll report back with my findings, when / if it happens again.

 

[Phchbr]

Wow, all good info, I can't answer some of your points because I haven't paid attention to it. I will now. Thanks again, it sounds like my issues are addressable...I appreciate you taking the time to provide all that info. I'll report back with my findings, when / if it happens again.

No problem. If you haven't tried using string lubricant before, you'll be amazed at the difference it can make. I've seen some purists say that, if a guitar is set up perfectly with mirror-smooth slots in the nut etc., then you shouldn't need a lubricant, and that lubricant can affect the vibration of the string. I don't know that I'd be able to make sure that my string-path is completely perfect, and I've never felt that the sound was impacted by string lubricant. I first used it when I found that the trem on my most expensive guitar was putting the guitar out of tune, and when I listened carefully I could hear the string pinging in the nut when I used the trem. I got some Big Bends Nut Sauce and put some in the nut slots, and also on the bridge where the string slides back and forth, and the difference was immediately apparent. The trem was smooth and the guitar stayed in tune. Music Nomad also has a product called TUNE-IT, which does the same thing. I'm sure there are others. But I'd definitely recommend giving it a try.

 

[Maertl513]

I recently changed the genuine SE non-locking tuners of my SE Tremonti Custom to SE locking tuners. I discovered that the string holes on the locking tuners are on a lower height than on the non-locking ones. Luckily higher friction on the nut has not been recognized.

 

[Mentalo87]

I don’t know the SE locking tuners in particular but I suspect they work exactly like the US ones. Regarding the slipping string, I used to get that occasionally, too. What helped was to use a coin (like a penny) and carefully tighten them, then check and re-tighten after a couple of hours as there might be some relaxation. But be gentle with it. As for the breaking string, like others mentioned already a tiny edge might be the issue. Sanding the holes carefully might help. The wrap angle on those tuning machines is also very steep. Try to pre tension the strings as much as possible while tightening the locking screw.

 

[deathworlder]

I recently changed the genuine SE non-locking tuners of my SE Tremonti Custom to SE locking tuners. I discovered that the string holes on the locking tuners are on a lower height than on the non-locking ones. Luckily higher friction on the nut has not been recognized.

1/2 wrap vs several wraps...
They end up with the same angle.
Gotohs do this internationally.

 

[Maertl513]

You may be right. To me the benefits of locking tuners are quick re-stringing and (relatively) immediate tight connection.

 

[TheCraftsman]

I saw a video somewhere of the factory someone stringing up new guitars and seemed to leave about two fingers stood up on the 4th fret pull the string through l, lock it and wind it, gives about 1/2 or little more wind on the posts and worked well for me

 

[andy474x]

Maybe try changing the thumb screw, or even the whole tuner, to a different position, and see if the problem moves with it - or it might just go away altogether.

 

[theDeepender]

Maybe also check the holes in the pegs maybe a sharp edge on there

That was my thought.

 

[theDeepender]

I saw a video somewhere of the factory someone stringing up new guitars and seemed to leave about two fingers stood up on the 4th fret pull the string through l, lock it and wind it, gives about 1/2 or little more wind on the posts and worked well for me

This was also a thought I had, a wrap or partial wrap should help prevent slippage and protect the string as it exits the peg hole a bit.