Re-Shape Back of Neck. SE Wide/Thick

[SamIV]

Have not posted a pic here yet. Too many steps for this old man.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Have not posted a pic here yet. Too many steps for this old man.

It’s easy when you get used to it.

 

[jxe]

i think i read @FunkyFreeman has done this, maybe he can talk you into it.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I would never irreversibly modify a PRS, they’re just too precious!

 

[SamIV]

After playing it last night, I am probably going to pass it on and get another S2 with my favorite pattern regular neck. Still have a couple of other builds waiting in the wings. Bought it cheap and going to sell it cheap to move it quick. It does play well though. Not going to deface the PRS I guess.

 

[bodia]

I would never irreversibly modify a PRS, they’re just too precious!

Who are you? It’s like I don’t even know you

 

[SamIV]

Might be reshaping in the long run. Put it on Facebook market place for $375. Not a nibble. So I raised the price.

 

[Draconomics]

I've never done a neck reshaping myself...suffice to say its not as simple as it sounds, it takes some time to do. I do have a project axe with a chonkytown neck on it that I may experiment with.

As far as neck patterns go...I've never really cared that much about it. I can feel the difference, but its never been a big deal. The only necks I dislike are those super wide Ibanez Wizard type necks. I detest those things.

 

[SamIV]

Still have not done the re-shape. Got a price locally and it was $500. Not going to pay more for this service than I did for the guitar. I really like the guitar even though I am not a fan of the neck carve. I play it as much as my S2’s. Would like a 594, but the neck carve keeps me away.

Might even reshape to the pattern regular carve when I get around to it. That would require a little fretwork though, due to the reduction of the width. PRS says they have done wide thin and pattern regular re-shapes in the past.

 

[JustinKarbel]

Right, so having purchased 2 PRSs w Pattern necks and 1 with a pattern thin it's become increasingly apparent that I prefer the thin one.
I've taken the plunge to have my Hollowbody II neck reshaped, and no not an SE a full US one. I'm not doing it myself. I have a competent luthier doing it. Amazed how much finish thickness there was. Like a car almost. Yikes. The finish is now off and the shaping is completed to my satisfaction. It's like getting a suit made. I was there and we took a bit off, checked it, took more, etc. until it felt right.
Now for the final sanding and finish. The raw mahogany needs a little stain and some light sealer. I'm not going back to the thick poly PRS used. That was awful. Picks when finished in a few weeks. Also doing pickups and new wiring to add splits.

 

[SamIV]

Good for you. My 245 is still sitting in my closet. No nibbles when I tried to sell it. Been working 6-7 days a weeks for the last year. Close to retirement and might give it a go then. What did you use as a guide for yours if you don’t mind me asking? It is a well built guitar.

 

[JustinKarbel]

I have a custom 24 that we used as a guide. Took some measurements at different frets for thickness and of course my hands. When it was close to the same measurements and felt good it was done.

 

[sdcoffeeroaster]

I have a custom 24 that we used as a guide. Took some measurements at different frets for thickness and of course my hands. When it was close to the same measurements and felt good it was done.

I've done two neck carves and happy with both. The first one was a neck from scratch and the 2nd was an oddly shaped (U) Les Paul Epi. In the first case I was taught (it was a guitar building class) the file the neck in about three places the width of the file and the neck thickness you are after. Do not file these are areas again since they are part of the your target or template. In fact I made a sanding form (3D printer) to sand down the rest of the neck profile. Matching colors is really very difficult if it's an existing neck and with poly you should at least repaint the entire neck since the new clear poly won't blend very well to old poly. If you don't care if it won't pass a close inspection you and just avoid doing the headstock and heal and tape it knowing you'll have some discontinuities there, still very functional. But if you're very anal or will resell it someday you need to redo the entire neck with poly. My epi re-carve is not perfect but very fast and much more playable and the horrible U shape it had. Should have sent it back to Sweetwater in retrospect, lol.

 

[sdcoffeeroaster]

I have a custom 24 that we used as a guide. Took some measurements at different frets for thickness and of course my hands. When it was close to the same measurements and felt good it was done.

What did your reshaping cost you if I can ask? My Pauls wide fat is slightly under the spec which is the same spec as my HB ii piezo SE which is about 2 1/2 mm thicker at the 12th fret than the Pauls. I think all the HB are pretty fat and over the nominal spec but have only played 3 of them so far and all "fat". I'm trying to adapt and maybe I can but I have small hands. I was think of going to 9's anyway for easier bending and maybe that will help a bit. I love the guitar and just picked it up today and a great deal so I could afford some neck work. I've done a couple myself but I just don't want to do another, lol. Getting too old I guess!