Questions about used SE24

[Hotfuzz]

First post here and first PRS

I recently picked up a 2009 SE24 Custom in vintage yellow for a great price. It’s a beautiful instrument and plays great. The sustain is lacking quite a bit and the overall sound is decent but not quite great yet. My main questions about the guitar are:

The nut would need filing to accommodate my preferred strings so I’m thinking of just having the local luthier swap the nut out for something better. Any recommendations for a good nut that’s a close or direct fitment?

Regarding the lack of sustain, I gather that a better nut might help a bit, but how about pickups? I’m unfamiliar with which pickups are in a 2009 model and they aren’t bad but they aren’t fabulous either. I play mostly heavy blues, classic rock, and metal. Any pickup recommendations?

Lastly, I have no real use for a trem bridge. Any thoughts on swapping it for something else? Ive seen the Mann bridges but they’re pricy and I only paid $400 for the guitar so I’m wondering if there’s maybe a second hand stoptail that would work or something from another third party?

Very happy with my guitar so far. I’m sure once I get it set up to my liking I’ll be in love.

 

[andy474x]

Most people go with either the USA PRS nut, which is cut for 10's, and can obviously be filed for larger by the tech if needed, or the Tusq XL nut for SE's. Both are fine choices. The PRS nut is (surprisingly) not that expensive. I went with the Tusq nut because it will take most string sizes no problem, slots are more shallow bowl shaped, rather than deep "U" slots like the PRS nuts, so bigger strings won't bind to the sides.

As for the trem, you're pretty much stuck with a trem, unless you can find some kind of hardtail plate that can mount to the guitar. You can't just change to a PRS stoptail, for a variety of reasons, the neck is angled differently on trem guitars for one. If a whole new trem is more than you want, I would look into an upgrade block and maybe saddles from John Mann.

 

[AP515]

I agree with Andy. Just block the trem and it may help the sustain.

 

[Hotfuzz]

Thanks, I checked out the block and thats a much more sensible upgrade for this guitar. I don't necessarily want to get into spending a fortune upgrading an SE despite being a great guitar.