$Rant? Rave Review? I can't decide. PRS SE Zach Meyers 2017 model.

[Telecaster22]

I just bought a New 2017 Zach Meyers SE From a retailer. I was trying out every guitar in the store within the $600 to $1,000 range, looking for a rock solid instrument that stayed in tune and would intonate beautifully. I was about to buy an Ibanez Iron Label (hard tail version) when I saw the PRS ZM SE. It was the first time I ever played a PRS (SE) and I couldn't believe how well the guitar felt and sounded, as well as how great the guitar looked. Just Wow. So i bought it. Here's my experience two three hour gigs later: 1.Clean sound is beautiful
2.Guitar is light and comfortable.
3.Plays like butter.
4.Looks sexy as hell.
5.Intonation is great.
6. Have to tune after nearly every song to maintain proper tuning!!! (with 9 gauge strings and 9.5 gauge strings)

So I either take it back for store credit and get the Ibanez, or i try to fix what PRS should have never let out of the factory. I've seen the You Tube video; supposedly each SE guitar spends about 15 minutes in the hands of someone who sets up the guitar and QC. What the hell happened here? I spend $800 and still have to put time and effort (and more money) in making this guitars most fundamental aspect proper? Have those guys heard of bending strings while playing? I have a $1500 fender tele that i rarely have to tune during a gig. Will a prs core nut fit this SE?

 

[n24re]

My 2 cents is to get the retailer to offer to perform a setup , including fitting the nut. I have used Core and Tusq nuts and they both work great on an SE. I prefer the Tusq nut for the SE line as it fits better. I have had a few issues with used SE in the past and I am happy to say the nut replacement fixed it all up!

Also I just bought an Ibanez a few months ago and I will not repeat that mistake. The fit and finish on my Ibanez Jiva has been abysmal. I am fixing what I can and then it is off to Reverb with it.

My Sweetwater engineered laughed at me for comparing and Ibanez to a Core PRS...lesson learned.

Hope that helps!

Steve

 

[andy474x]

Sounds like a little nut work is all you need. Wierd though, my ‘17 ZM stays in tune great. Actually, the last couple SE’s I’ve bought have been fantastic, they used to be slotted for 9’s, and it has seemed that the newer ones I’ve had take 10’s fine, stock.

I always restring with the string lock method, and give them a GOOD stretch, FWIW.

 

[Telecaster22]

My 2 cents is to get the retailer to offer to perform a setup , including fitting the nut. I have used Core and Tusq nuts and they both work great on an SE. I prefer the Tusq nut for the SE line as it fits better. I have had a few issues with used SE in the past and I am happy to say the nut replacement fixed it all up!

Also I just bought an Ibanez a few months ago and I will not repeat that mistake. The fit and finish on my Ibanez Jiva has been abysmal. I am fixing what I can and then it is off to Reverb with it.

My Sweetwater engineered laughed at me for comparing and Ibanez to a Core PRS...lesson learned.

Hope that helps!

Steve

Thank you Steve for your thoughts, they encourage me to keep this guitar and put a little extra time and money into it. I have to say though that Ibanez Prestige guitars feel incredible and always sound good in my experience. But I bet if those core PRS' play as good as they look, then no doubt they deserve accolades. I'm not sure which ibanez you're referring to, but i encourage you to take it one guitar at a time as i have played many a fine ibanez.

 

[Telecaster22]

Sounds like a little nut work is all you need. Wierd though, my ‘17 ZM stays in tune great. Actually, the last couple SE’s I’ve bought have been fantastic, they used to be slotted for 9’s, and it has seemed that the newer ones I’ve had take 10’s fine, stock.

I always restring with the string lock method, and give them a GOOD stretch, FWIW.

also when i"m tuning this guitar with a tuner it is very hard to get the tuning to stabilize in the center, meaning its in tune. It erratically moves slightly sharp or flat. I had the idea today that maybe the hum buckers are too close to the strings. Thanks for your feedback i appreciate it.

 

[Bill SAS 513]

Good call on the magnetic pull of the pickups....especially if they have been adjusted way too close to the PUs. I hope this helps fix the issue.
FWIW, I, too, would really consider 9.5's or more so .10's , and tug them when first installed...a lot. But I would do that on any guitar. Strings stretch a lot in the beginning, as you know.
(Also make sure you have enough windings on the tuning posts, but it sounds like you've done this a time or two, anyway... LOLOL. Good luck. They really are great guitars! Congrats!)

 

[n24re]

Thank you Steve for your thoughts, they encourage me to keep this guitar and put a little extra time and money into it. I have to say though that Ibanez Prestige guitars feel incredible and always sound good in my experience. But I bet if those core PRS' play as good as they look, then no doubt they deserve accolades. I'm not sure which ibanez you're referring to, but i encourage you to take it one guitar at a time as i have played many a fine ibanez.

In my case it is the Jiva that is made in Indonesia. It is a nice guitar but not on par with what I paid for it. I would put it on the same level as an entry SE but at twice the price =(. I have played a Prestige and it was a very nice guitar....hence the reason I felt comfortable buying the Jiva...my mistake.

I will keep the prestige line in mind for the future!

Steve

 

[xjbebop]

SE nuts are notorious for being a bit tight. Try a little nut work and always use lube.
The ZM has 'budget' vintage tuners, which usually work fine. But it's possible your playing style is pushing them past their limit. A tuner upgrade might eliminate your problem, but that's up to you.
Both are inexpensive 'upgrades' if you really like everything else about the guitar.

 

[drdoom8793]

SE nuts are notorious for being a bit tight. Try a little nut work and always use lube.
The ZM has 'budget' vintage tuners, which usually work fine. But it's possible your playing style is pushing them past their limit. A tuner upgrade might eliminate your problem, but that's up to you.
Both are inexpensive 'upgrades' if you really like everything else about the guitar.

Yeah, I agree about the nut, especially if he's bumped up to 9.5s. They are cut in the factory for 9s, and are often a little tight for those. Anything bigger would be very likely to have nut binding.

 

[11top]

Just play Neil Young leads, and it won't matter.

 

[Telecaster22]

Good call on the magnetic pull of the pickups....especially if they have been adjusted way too close to the PUs. I hope this helps fix the issue.
FWIW, I, too, would really consider 9.5's or more so .10's , and tug them when first installed...a lot. But I would do that on any guitar. Strings stretch a lot in the beginning, as you know.
(Also make sure you have enough windings on the tuning posts, but it sounds like you've done this a time or two, anyway... LOLOL. Good luck. They really are great guitars! Congrats!)

Thanks Bill. i do prefer the 9.5's, they are what is on the guitar currently. Yes, i played alot of guitars at the store where i bought this SE. I played the fender player series, Yamaha Revstars, G&L's, Ibanez. All great guitars (too bad for those brands the place from where I bought this does a piss poor job of making sure guitars are playable enough for someone to know how it truly plays, and whether or not they want to buy it) The PRS stood out immediately. Rock on!

 

[Telecaster22]

Just play Neil Young leads, and it won't matter.

true, but there is still 3/4 of a song left to play! lol

 

[Telecaster22]

Yeah, I agree about the nut, especially if he's bumped up to 9.5s. They are cut in the factory for 9s, and are often a little tight for those. Anything bigger would be very likely to have nut binding.

except i experienced this problem with the factory 9's. as well. It's sounding like, feels like, looks like i should just replace the nut and tuners. Everything else about this guitar is Primo.

SE nuts are notorious for being a bit tight. Try a little nut work and always use lube.
The ZM has 'budget' vintage tuners, which usually work fine. But it's possible your playing style is pushing them past their limit. A tuner upgrade might eliminate your problem, but that's up to you.
Both are inexpensive 'upgrades' if you really like everything else about the guitar.

Yeah, budget tuners, budget nut. You would think that those kind of budget decisions would effect something less fundamental about an instrument.

 

[drdoom8793]

except i experienced this problem with the factory 9's. as well. It's sounding like, feels like, looks like i should just replace the nut and tuners. Everything else about this guitar is Primo.

That's what we're saying. We often see that the nuts on SEs are a little tight for 9s. The 9.5s would have exacerbated the issue. Unless you actually see an issue with the tuners, the SE tuners are just fine, so I wouldn't bother unless you just really wanted to. If it were me, I'd have my tech check the nut slots.

 

[AP515]

...
(Also make sure you have enough windings on the tuning posts, but it sounds like you've done this a time or two, anyway... LOLOL. Good luck. They really are great guitars! Congrats!)

I go the other way. On non-locking tuners I use the wrap around method and make sure to pull most of the slack out of the wire, (less slack than is in the video below), when starting so that there is less than one turn on the post, just like the Phase 2's. With almost no wire on the post, there is nothing to slip. The pinched wire holds the wire on the post and it's just as secure as locking tuners.

https://www.prsguitars.com/index.php/support/article/prs_non_locking_tuners

 

[Mozzi]

except i experienced this problem with the factory 9's. as well. It's sounding like, feels like, looks like i should just replace the nut and tuners. Everything else about this guitar is Primo.

Yeah, budget tuners, budget nut. You would think that those kind of budget decisions would effect something less fundamental about an instrument.

Generally, its just the nut on SE's that affect tuning stability. often a replacement or some lube is all that's needed. The tuners, whilst they are not the 'quality' that a core PRS would use, they are generally decent for the price point. If you haven't got locking tuners, depending on how they are wound could affect the stability but generally, they don't 'slip' or move after 'every' song that would require a retune. Maybe the tuners are 'slipping and perhaps need looking at but if its new, perhaps you have a faulty one?

A lot of the parts of the SE's also get used on the US models - the S2 and CE range have imported parts so if PRS are happy to use them on these, that just shows how 'good' the SE models really are for the money.

I know things like the tuners or PU's are amongst the first 'upgrades' people who mod their guitars would look at with the SE's but generally, that's more for personal preference rather than a 'need' to upgrade.

 

[Telecaster22]

thanks everyone for your feedback. I agree with Mozzi that the parts are quality. I decided to take the guitar back and i pitched a little more money in got an S2 singlecut. It plays great and sounds great and stays in tune perfect. I got lucky!

 

[bodia]

thanks everyone for your feedback. I agree with Mozzi that the parts are quality. I decided to take the guitar back and i pitched a little more money in got an S2 singlecut. It plays great and sounds great and stays in tune perfect. I got lucky!

Sweet! Congrats!

 

[Telecaster22]

This S2 single cut standard feels like a work horse. The coil tap sounds really good! Most of all it is staying in tune. Ships with 10 gauge strings. Its Nut is obviously cut correctly. Overall i would give the Zach Meyers a 10 out of ten, I'm sure i just got a bad apple. And if i fixed it it would be a worthy instrument. I do like the S2 coil tap option and locking tuners. The S2 sounds a little more warm due to the mahogany body, and it can scream and wail.

 

[Antmax]

I have a Zach Myers and the 9's that came with it grabbed a little. Just by loosening the tuners till the strings were slack and pulling them out of the slots you could see the strings grab. 10's were even worse so I put a gibson TusqXL nut in. The PRS has a slightly wider string spacing than the tusq nut most people put in, only about 2mm but still. I bought some of those cheap #3 nut files, I think they are really a set or welding torch cleaners and am thinking of widening the original nuts slots slightly for 9.5's.

Since you say the strings are going out of tune both sharp and flat, that suggests to me it is the nut grabbing. Normally the strings might go sharp if left overnight and need stretching or warming up to settle back to pitch. Or if the tuners are bad they will normally go consistently flat and need to be tuned up to pitch.

When the strings grab in the nut tuning can be all over the place depending on what you were doing beforehand.

I currently have Paradigm 10's on mine and miss the slinky feel of the stock 9's that came on it, they seemed like spagetti at the time lol but bending and legato was effortless. Thinking of trying NYXL 9.5's as a compromise next time but those paradigms are lasting a long time.