SE Mods

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New color scheme, Tone knob, PRS truss rod cover, locking tuners. Original Pickup, because to me...it rocks.
 
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New color scheme, Tone knob, PRS truss rod cover, locking tuners. Original Pickup, because to me...it rocks.

Much better. I definitely liked rocking out with the stock pickup, but it wasn't quite the tone I wanted.

I spent the day auditioning capacitors off and on. I chose the Kent Armstrong Stealth 90 (or HP90) since it's hum canceling, inexpensive, and everyone seems to think it delivers the P-90 goods. I got the neck model since it's lower output. It is a bright pickup in the bridge spot, especially with no tone pot to load it down. I wired in a 470k resistor and it still has an almost Tele-like spank to it. I'm trying to decide if I want a push/pull so I can have a bright/dark option, or if I want to add an on/off/on switch so I can have bright, plus two levels of coloration. Until I make up my mind, I added a 1nF cap, which proved to be just enough to take the edge off and put the tone in 60's Eric Clapton territory. That puts a smile on my face. :D
 
Hi guys I was wondering if anyone can help me? I'm looking to fit my Zach Myers SE with a Bigsby but I will need to replace the wraparound bridge to something compatible with the Bigsby like a roller bridge or something similar.
Has anyone fitted a Bigsby to their ZM SE or a similar model and put in a new bridge?
ive been looking at the tonepros etc website but can't see anything that would do the job

thanks in advance for any help
 
Hi guys I was wondering if anyone can help me? I'm looking to fit my Zach Myers SE with a Bigsby but I will need to replace the wraparound bridge to something compatible with the Bigsby like a roller bridge or something similar.
Has anyone fitted a Bigsby to their ZM SE or a similar model and put in a new bridge?
ive been looking at the tonepros etc website but can't see anything that would do the job

thanks in advance for any help
The Starlas have Bigsbys - maybe you can retrofit a complete Starla setup onto the ZM? Or something from one of the now-discontinued SE Semi-hollows that had a Bigsby?
 
I've got a SE ZM with a Spalted Maple top. One of the elements that doesn't really go with the rest of the guitar is the vintage tuner buttons in that light jade/green color.

I'm going to be putting black pup rings and switch tip on soon, and I think I'd like to swap out the look of the tuner buttons. It is my understanding that just swapping out these plastic buttons is not simple, and can be quite a destructive process if not done well. So swapping out the entire tuner for a locking one seems like an appropriate solution.

has anyone used these tuners on their ZM with success?:

http://www.philadelphialuthiertools...kluson-style-3-x-3-guitar-tuners-cosmo-black/

They appear to be black variants of the tuners here that have been referenced in this forum as drop-in replacements for the stock ones:

http://www.philadelphialuthiertools...king-kluson-style-3-x-3-guitar-tuners-nickel/

However, I'm not sure I can justify spending over $60 just to get that "black tuner button" look, even if the new tuners are locking tuners...
 
I'm fortunate enough to have a few SE's, some of them more heavily modded than others.

SE EG - basically stock, but with Plum Deerskin covering the front.

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SE One - Refinished in metalflake purple, Duncan JB pickup, Schroeder StopTail, Pearl pickguard, Schaller tuners.

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Tremonti SE - PRS #9 neck pickup, PRS Dragon bridge pickup, Tonepros AVT2 Bridge. Unfortunately, I don't have any pics of this one readily available.
 
I've got a SE ZM with a Spalted Maple top. One of the elements that doesn't really go with the rest of the guitar is the vintage tuner buttons in that light jade/green color.

I'm going to be putting black pup rings and switch tip on soon, and I think I'd like to swap out the look of the tuner buttons. It is my understanding that just swapping out these plastic buttons is not simple, and can be quite a destructive process if not done well. So swapping out the entire tuner for a locking one seems like an appropriate solution.

has anyone used these tuners on their ZM with success?:

http://www.philadelphialuthiertools...kluson-style-3-x-3-guitar-tuners-cosmo-black/

They appear to be black variants of the tuners here that have been referenced in this forum as drop-in replacements for the stock ones:

http://www.philadelphialuthiertools...king-kluson-style-3-x-3-guitar-tuners-nickel/

However, I'm not sure I can justify spending over $60 just to get that "black tuner button" look, even if the new tuners are locking tuners...

Go for it dude! It's not a lot of money and will be a nice upgrade in functionality with the locking posts and better gear ratio. Chuck the originals on eBay to make a few bucks back.
 
Go for it dude! It's not a lot of money and will be a nice upgrade in functionality with the locking posts and better gear ratio. Chuck the originals on eBay to make a few bucks back.

Now that brings up a different question: what is the gear ratio of the stock SE tuners? The ones I'm considering are 15:1, and I would doubt the PRS SE stock ones would be much under that - PRS Ph III Tuners are 14:1, based on what I read on a PRS blog, so maybe 13:1 at worst?

PRS Blog on Phase III tuners:
http://www.prsguitars.com/index.php/blog/post/phase_iii_locking_tuners

Anyone know what the ratio is on "vintage-style" SE tuners?
 
I have a 2006 se cu22 that I want to put locking studs on and a black bridge (stoptail) but have heard that the TonePros is too big and makes it impossible to get low action with it on. Does anyone know of any other bridges with locking studs that might work better? has anyone put a Schroeder on a cu22? I'd love to see a picture if so.
 
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New color scheme, Tone knob, PRS truss rod cover, locking tuners. Original Pickup, because to me...it rocks.
Isn't that some kind of violation to have a Fender strap on a PRS? I see leather birds in your future.
 
New to PRS world, just purchased an 05 SE Singlecut, Antique White, it appears to be all stock.
Honestly, I had no idea what to expect, I've owned/own several guitars, some modded, most not. I wasn't too sure about this one when I first got it, but the longer I play it, really the only thing I really feel a burning desire to change is the nut for tuning stability help.
Though very unique, I'm really growing to love the pickups.
More to come, I'm sure...
 
Also meant to ask: if anyone that's already changed nut on their SE Singlecut would recommend favorite solution they've employed.
 
One of the main problems I have found with my guitars is that the nut is not cut properly and it causes some of the strings to bind in the nut. The nut slots for a few strings seem to always be too tight and the strings are pinched inside the nut slots. This is particularly noticeable on my tremolo equipped guitars and is not brand specific, including my PRS SE's.

I would advise checking to see if your strings are binding in the nut slots.

What I do is loosen my bass "E" string, a major culprit as are the other wound strings. Once loosened enough that I can grasp the string on both sides of the nut, I pull the "E" string straight up out of the nut. If it is binding or pinching the string you will notice it immediately and the string will give you resistance and you will have to use some force to pull it out of the nut slot - instead of the string just immediately coming up out of the nut as you pull the strings at both places (one on the headstock side of the nut and one on the fretboard side of the nut).

Where ever I discover that the string does not come up out of the nut with zero resistance, I take some 220 grit sand paper and fold it so that I can gently remove some of the material from the "sides" of the nut slots only. You do not want to make the nut slot deeper. Carefully sand the sides of the slot a little at a time. You will see the material on the side of the sandpaper. Stop sanding when the string goes in and out of the slot without any resistance. Don't make the slot deeper. Apply the sanding force to the sides of the nut slots only. Unfold the sandpaper and do each side of the unwound string slots that you may find to be binding on the string.

This is the way I do it. Someone else may do it differently. Even a new nut could bind on some of the strings.

I am going to get some nut files that are precision made for doing this job. Maybe Philadelphia Luthier Tools will have them, I'm going to check.

Almost "all" of my trem equipped guitars were not coming back to tune after using the tremolo bar, even moderately for only a few seconds. When I checked them a few strings were binding. After dressing the nut slots the guitars come back to tune every time after moderate trem use.

I hope this helps someone solve the problem of string binding in the nut slots, resulting in the guitar going constantly out of tune.
 
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