PRS trem not stable,

[Justin1971]

Hi, as some of you may be aware I won a PRS Custom Shop Artist II - it's from 1994 so 30 years old this year, I love the top and the sound but the floating trem, not so much. I do have a Tremmory (google it) in one of my other guitars (Schecter Reaper Sustainiac with Floyd rose) and that is perfect for a whole gig and more. Should I fit this into my PRS or is there anything else I should be looking for - it is set up very well and the bridge sits flush and flat to the body as it should..
The other option is to deck it so only has a downward movement but I do like the slight warble of up and down.

 

[Birdsofprey]

The bridge should not sit flush or flat to the body. The forward edge sits into the knife edge mounting screws and allows both fwd and rearward movement. I’ve never had an issue with any core PRS bridges, that being said 99% of the time it’s the nut that is the culprit. The bridge when set up properly will always come back to pitch. There are some great set up videos hopefully someone will post.

 

[Justin1971]

The bridge should not sit flush or flat to the body. The forward edge sits into the knife edge mounting screws and allows both fwd and rearward movement. I’ve never had an issue with any core PRS bridges, that being said 99% of the time it’s the nut that is the culprit. The bridge when set up properly will always come back to pitch. There are some great set up videos hopefully someone will post.

Maybe I should rephrase that - it sit's level - I've set up loads of floating Trems in my past so know how they should be set.
I'll try some nut sauce in the nut slots - I have some kicking around somewhere (failing that graphite from a pencil has worked in my Les Paul G string nut slot when that had tuning issues).

 

[László]

Hi, as some of you may be aware I won a PRS Custom Shop Artist II - it's from 1994 so 30 years old this year,

PRS has never had a thing called the custom shop, though they do have a Private Stock department although it wasn't in existence in 1994.

The Artist II is actually a pretty rare and valuable guitar - I had one myself from '93. I wouldn't monkey around modding it. However, you DO need to have the bridge correctly set up.

Yours is NOT properly set up if it is flush to the body. It's got a knife edge that's supposed to tuck into on notches in the screws. The bridge is supposed to float, and that's probably why yours isn't working the way you want.

https://support.prsguitars.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408309706779-PRS-Tremolo

So someone messed it up. It's easy to get it fixed if the screws aren't damaged. If they are damaged, you might want to give John Mann a call and see if he's got the appropriate screws or other parts. He's got a good shop, and manufactures bridges that fit PRS - in fact, he was the original manufacturer of the PRS trem.

 

[Justin1971]

Lazlo, read my last post, it is level, I chose the wrong phrase first. It is floating and the knife edge is seated correctly, I didn't mention modding it, just some lubrication in the nut slots that's all. I wouldn't do anything to de value it as its an investment but also want to play it, not have it as wall art.

 

[Justin1971]

Thanks for the advice though and the contact details.

 

[László]

Thanks fir the advice though and the contact details.

Hopefully you'll get it working, it's a superb instrument.

 

[Justin1971]

Hopefully you'll get it working, it's a superb instrument.

Much better now with a drop of Nut Sauce in the nut slots - I suspect its not designed for Whammy dive bombs - I think I was treating it like my Floyd Rose equipped guitars - I can now do lovely little "warbles" using the Trem and it stays perfectly in tune now.
I took this guitar out last weekend and it got more attention than me - not happy lol. It is beautiful and sounded amazing, I'm using the volume and tone controls more than ever and it really sings. Best guitar I have ever owned and it's not going anywhere.

 

[Gtrbldr]

Nice, congrats!

You should be able to abuse it a little, but it is not a Floyd Rose. There are still slipping, sliding and moving parts involved.

 

[gush]

A prs trem can be incredibly stable when set up correctly.

I have a vintage cu24 that is about as stable as a floyd. Crazy how well it holds tune with aggressive trem use.

 

[Mike J.]

Does anyone of if there is one, definative video for setting up a PRS trem? I've seen some but maybe I haven't found thee one.

I've taken my SE 24 Standard to two different techs to be sure the nut is cut correctly. Both assured me it is but no luck when using the trem.
I'm not doing dive bombs either, just those slight trem movements.

I even put a String Butler on the guitar. While I can see the the D and G strings are barely on an angle, I thought maybe it's just enough of an angle to be causing the tuning problems when using the trem. The D and G strings now have total straight string pull. The biggest culprit is the D string. I can do the slightest "trem-like" movement on the bar and the D string always goes a good cent sharp just as it did prior to installing the String Butler. The other strings go either sharp or flat just slightly and it's enough to when you play a chord you can hear how the tuning is out.

I even put a set of Schaller locking tuners on the guitar thinking it would help. It did but not quite enough. I even use Big Bends Sauce.

I play at church and this guitar takes a long time to acclimate itself in either cooler of warmer temperatures within the building. We play 3 services and for the first two I am constanlty retuning to one degree or another. Keep in mind I also have the trem blocked in both directions in an attempt to keep the tuning as stable as possible. I love how the guitar plays and sounds. Just wish the tuning wasn't so tempermental.

 

[Birdsofprey]

Mike j, it’s still the nut. I know you took it to two techs but it’s still not cut right or simply replace. The only real factor that differentiates a PRS trem and a Floyd is the locking nut. Makes Floyd’s very easy to setup in my opinion, never had an issue with them. PRS trems are brilliant and with a little more work than a Floyd there also able to do anything you ask of them within the design parameters. My op here so take it as you like but DON’T use Nut Sauce or any related products ( Let’s throw in De-Ox while I’m at it). All these products do is buy time usually very little and there just putting lipstick on a nut! Did I just say that…anyhow broken parts are broken parts no paint, polish or wishful thinking is going to magically repair them. I would suggest a new US nut and a set-up. Good luck it can be cured.

 

[Bogner]

This Is A Nut Issue. Put The Core Synthetic Nut (I Believe The Part Number Is 6643 But Don't Hold Me To It) And You Will) Be Fine. I Trust Your String Gauge Is Not Super Heavy? If So, Anything Above 50 On The Low E And 11 On The High E Will Likely Need The Nut Slots Widened. If You Are 11-50 Or Lower You Should Be Fine.

 

[Mike J.]

Thanks for the suggestions. The string gage I'm using is 46 to 9.5.

If it is a nut issue I'm wondering how many techs do know how to properly cut it so the mentioned problems don't happen.

Also wonder if I did get the mentioned Core synthetic nut, what if a tech doesn't cut that one right?

EVH said one of the things he use to do was to cut the nut slots wider than called for so the strings wouldn't bind up. But I don't know how much wider he cut them as he didn't say.

 

[Bogner]

Thanks for the suggestions. The string gage I'm using is 46 to 9.5.

If it is a nut issue I'm wondering how many techs do know how to properly cut it so the mentioned problems don't happen.

Also wonder if I did get the mentioned Core synthetic nut, what if a tech doesn't cut that one right?

EVH said one of the things he use to do was to cut the nut slots wider than called for so the strings wouldn't bind up. But I don't know how much wider he cut them as he didn't say.

The Core Nut Is What You Want And It Is Already Cut To Accommodate The String Gauge You Mention Using So No Worries There. Those Nuts Are A Lot Easier To Work With Then Creating A Nut From Scratch.They Are Basically Drop In With Little Work Needed In Comparison. Some Minor Filing Will Likely Be Needed But Nothing As Complicated As It Would Be Making One From Scratch Out Of A Nut Blank.

How Many Tech Know How To Do This? That Is Impossible To Answer But Proper Skilled Techs Should Be Able To Handle It Pretty Easily. The Old Timers Who Work On Acoustics, Mandolins, And Of Course Electric Guitars I Have Found To Be Good. Can Your Local Guitar Center Kid Do It? I Wouldn't Let Them Work On My Stuff. The Key Is Having A Conversation With Them And Asking Them The Right Questions And Making Sure They Have The Right Tools And Know How To Use Them, And Are Comfortable With Such A Repair. Let Them Know You Are Incredibly Picky And It Needs To Be Done Right And A Proper Repair Person Will Understand What You Are Saying.

If I Can Be Of Any Further Help Don't Hesitate To Ask.

 

[Mike J.]

The Core Nut Is What You Want And It Is Already Cut To Accommodate The String Gauge You Mention Using So No Worries There. Those Nuts Are A Lot Easier To Work With Then Creating A Nut From Scratch.They Are Basically Drop In With Little Work Needed In Comparison. Some Minor Filing Will Likely Be Needed But Nothing As Complicated As It Would Be Making One From Scratch Out Of A Nut Blank.

How Many Tech Know How To Do This? That Is Impossible To Answer But Proper Skilled Techs Should Be Able To Handle It Pretty Easily. The Old Timers Who Work On Acoustics, Mandolins, And Of Course Electric Guitars I Have Found To Be Good. Can Your Local Guitar Center Kid Do It? I Wouldn't Let Them Work On My Stuff. The Key Is Having A Conversation With Them And Asking Them The Right Questions And Making Sure They Have The Right Tools And Know How To Use Them, And Are Comfortable With Such A Repair. Let Them Know You Are Incredibly Picky And It Needs To Be Done Right And A Proper Repair Person Will Understand What You Are Saying.

If I Can Be Of Any Further Help Don't Hesitate To Ask.

Thanks Bogner! Much appreciated.

The tech I normally go to is very competent with a great number of things. His fret work is superior! But sometimes I question his methods when it comes to nut slots. I also have a 2002 Les Paul. When using gain, the open G string had this horrid "warbling, out of tune sound to itself." That's the only way to describe it. He swore the nut was cut just fine. I wound up taking my guitar to another tech who works further away than what I would have cared to drive, but it turns out the trip was worth it as he got rid of the problem. All I know is that he cut the nut in a manner that's different from how other techs do it. Maybe I should call him, pack a lunch, fill up my tank and take a road trip to him. Fact is, I have another guitar (Gibson SG Special) that's doing the same "wobble" thing on the G string that my current tech couldn't get rid of.

Yeah, I should probably order the sythetic nut, give this guy a call and make the trip along with my SG and get it all done and over with!

 

[bodia]

Much better now with a drop of Nut Sauce in the nut slots - I suspect its not designed for Whammy dive bombs - I think I was treating it like my Floyd Rose equipped guitars - I can now do lovely little "warbles" using the Trem and it stays perfectly in tune now.
I took this guitar out last weekend and it got more attention than me - not happy lol. It is beautiful and sounded amazing, I'm using the volume and tone controls more than ever and it really sings. Best guitar I have ever owned and it's not going anywhere.

I dunno. I know that the guy playing the PRS in this video tuned once, and the other guy tuned all day............ The usual advice is to beat the snot out of the trem to "break it in".

 

[Prs Mods too]

A properly setup PRS trem system is as good as a Floyd. I do all kinds of crazy stuff with mine. They can definitely do more than warble, if not, something is wrong.

 

[DISTORT6]

Thanks Bogner! Much appreciated.

The tech I normally go to is very competent with a great number of things. His fret work is superior! But sometimes I question his methods when it comes to nut slots. I also have a 2002 Les Paul. When using gain, the open G string had this horrid "warbling, out of tune sound to itself." That's the only way to describe it. He swore the nut was cut just fine. I wound up taking my guitar to another tech who works further away than what I would have cared to drive, but it turns out the trip was worth it as he got rid of the problem. All I know is that he cut the nut in a manner that's different from how other techs do it. Maybe I should call him, pack a lunch, fill up my tank and take a road trip to him. Fact is, I have another guitar (Gibson SG Special) that's doing the same "wobble" thing on the G string that my current tech couldn't get rid of.

Yeah, I should probably order the sythetic nut, give this guy a call and make the trip along with my SG and get it all done and over with!

This would make me take that drive every time.

 

[Bogner]

Thanks Bogner! Much appreciated.

The tech I normally go to is very competent with a great number of things. His fret work is superior! But sometimes I question his methods when it comes to nut slots. I also have a 2002 Les Paul. When using gain, the open G string had this horrid "warbling, out of tune sound to itself." That's the only way to describe it. He swore the nut was cut just fine. I wound up taking my guitar to another tech who works further away than what I would have cared to drive, but it turns out the trip was worth it as he got rid of the problem. All I know is that he cut the nut in a manner that's different from how other techs do it. Maybe I should call him, pack a lunch, fill up my tank and take a road trip to him. Fact is, I have another guitar (Gibson SG Special) that's doing the same "wobble" thing on the G string that my current tech couldn't get rid of.

Yeah, I should probably order the sythetic nut, give this guy a call and make the trip along with my SG and get it all done and over with!

I Would Get The Synthetic Nut And Have Your Install It And Fix The Gibson At The Same Time.The Core Nut Is A Better Nut And Having IT Saves You A Trip back If He Can't Fix It. My $.02 Anyway.