SE Mods

[drdoom8793]

All my parts arrived today for my Singlecut! Off to my tech once I get off work!

 

[JHeavey12]

I received the tuning peg this weekend! Thanks again!

So with the new tuning peg, I've also ordered a few things for my SE Singlecut. I've got a Seymour Duncan Custom Custom for the bridge, which will pair up with the SD '59 I have in the neck, new PRS tone and volume pots, 2 toggle switches for coil splits, and a new US nut. Once they all arrive, I'll drop all of it off at the shop for my tech to get everything installed. I'll be sure to post pictures once it's done!

Core nut rules. Can feel the difference when you play.

 

[drdoom8793]

Core nut rules. Can feel the difference when you play.

That's what I've heard! It already felt amazing to play but the bridge pickup just didn't have quite enough bite. The main reason for the change of the nut was some binding on the G string because I string with 10-49s. I'm really looking forward to getting it back but unfortunately my tech is a bit backed up so it may be a couple weeks. :bawling:

Slight change of plans, I'm setting one of the mini toggle switches to control both coil splits and setting the other up as a killswitch. Should be fun to play with. I used to do the fake killswitch trick on a fake LP I had where you dial one of the pups down and use the toggle switch as a killswitch and enjoyed the effect I got with that.

One other question. Does anyone know the dimensions of the shafts for the Core PRS volume and tone pots? I was looking at getting some different style knobs (http://www.allparts.com/MK-3176-010-Q-Parts-Chrome-Black-Knob_p_4401.html) which measure 6 mm for the shaft but I can't seem to find any measurements for pots.






Also, hehehehehe shaft

 

[CoreyT]

My favorite SE is my 2012 Tremonti Custom, and I took it to the dealer a week back and had them upgrade to PRS pots with the volume and its caps, and the push/pull tone pots did not come with caps, so he installed Orange Drop caps.
Also black/white Lampshade knobs, and last but not least, Seymour Duncan Dimebag pickups.
More info can be found in this thread.
http://prsguitars.com/forum/showthr...day-thinking-new-pups-for-the-Tremonti-Custom

PRS Lampshade knobs mounted to PRS pots

Seymour Duncan Dimebag pickups, the rail pickup is HOT

Full frontal shot

So far very happy with these new pickups, pots, and knobs.

Below are two pics of older mods.
The Planet Waves Autotrim tuners were installed when the guitar came in, and I installed the forum TRC.

 

[Watersilk]

SE 245:
US PRS nut
Schaller locking tuners
DiMarzio 36th Anny pups
Schroeder Adjustable Stoptail - TonePros metric locking studs
Switchcratf jack and 3-way switch
10% CTS pots and PIO caps

SE Standard:
bone nut
Schaller locking tuners
Bare Knuckle matched set "The Mule"
Tremel-no
Switchcraft jack and 3-way switch
RS Guitar Works Super pots PIO cap (two volume one master tone)
two mini toggles on/on/on for series-humbucker/split-coil/parallel-humbucker

Charlie, which Schaller locking tuners did us use, and did they match the existing holes? I love the Standard!

 

[Watersilk]

Locking tuners, petrified woolly mammoth tusk nut, TRC.

Which locking tuners? Did they use the existing holes? Does the Wooly mammoth nut have different acoustic qualities to a non Wooly mammoth?

 

[Watersilk]

Replaced the nut on mine to a Tusq one. Had to be done!

Tuners and bridge work perfectly well... Stay in tune and well intonated so no need to change them.

Will probably change the pups to Seymour Duncan 59's... Nickel covered. The zebra look is nice on this guitar but i've always preffered covered pups.

I like them covered too, however, the covers are not practical. They reduce the efficiency of the pickups. I'm researching this at the moment, it seems that if you use solid German silver/ nickel covers they have the least negative effect upon the sound. I chose uncovered humbuckers for my Hamer upgrade, they really sing, much more open sound, more like single coils than my covered pickups in my 59 reissues Les Paul. The Les Paul now sounds dull in comparison. I'm sure that the nickel covers will look wonderful.

 

[Watersilk]

SE SingleCut
Mods are USA Tremonti Pickups, Tusq nut, Gotoh locking tuners.

I find this thread really fascinating! Which Gotoh locking tuners did you fit, and did they use the same holes?

 

[drdoom8793]

Has anyone ever used one of these bridges on their SE? I was thinking of replacing the stock stoptail on my Singlecut with one of these. Measurements look good but was unsure how it would affect tone, etc.

http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and..._Tailpieces/Adjustable_Wraparound_Bridge.html

Also...I loved my Singlecut so much that I ordered a black SE Singlecut Tremolo that should be here sometime next week

 

[dogrocketp]

Doctor, You should try the Schroeder stoptail bridge. I`ve now put them on 3 of my SE`s, with more in the works. I`m contemplating putting them on my old core Mira as well. It seems that they sustain better and sound clearer above the octave E on the high E string.

 

[JHeavey12]

Anyone know how to make those core knobs stick better? They fall off my ZM SE. (I put core pots in, fyi)

 

[troyli]

 

[pac90]

Use a flat head screwdriver and carefully splay open the slot on the top of each potentiometer, it makes a interference fit, doesn't need much

 

[Kluson56]

Installed Grover mini rotomatic locking tuners, replaced pickups with Seymour Duncan JB/Jazz set and installed the pickups in the SD triple shot mounting rings.

How do the JB/Jazz sound, i'm thinking of doing the same to my Tremonti SE?

 

[JHeavey12]

Use a flat head screwdriver and carefully splay open the slot on the top of each potentiometer, it makes a interference fit, doesn't need much

Worked perfect! Thanks!

 

[JHeavey12]

Meant to post these forever ago. Upgraded my ZM.

Put the core nut on it (HUGE difference than the plastic one as you could imagine).

Tremonti Pickups. The ones that come stock on there are definitely not standard 245's. I would actually describe the treble one as a slightly lesser Tremonti.

Also, core pots and the speed knobs were too small for the new pots so I put the clear lampshade ones in there. Last thing I'll do to it is possibly put new locking tuners on it. The vintage tuners aren't necessarily bad but I'm not in love either.

 

[Watersilk]

I do agree plastic isn't always the worst choice. Of course, this debate has been going on for a very long time. There are huge tonal differences (pickups and wood) and there are also subtle tonal differences (nut material, bridge plate material), depending on what you're swapping out. I played my friend's Yamaha starter pack guitar. The plastic nut was slotted nicely, strings sit in the grooves nicely. Tone-wise, it's what most modern beginner guitars sound like, it's nice but not nice enough. I found no problems with the guitar, apart from the fact that it's not a PRS :laugh: what, I'm spoiled!

I recently acquired a tusq material pick due to curiosity. I tried it back to back with celluloid and tortex picks. What I can confirm was, celluloids are less defined in the higher frequencies. The tortex is brighter sounding without losing bass, very balanced. The tusq pick, however, sounded very crisp and clear, kind of "trebly" with a tad less low-mid frequency.

I guess the same thing applies for nuts. There won't be audible to a jaw-dropping extent, but there will be a subtle difference. Some people don't think it matters that much, but some people with PRSh's or Eric Johnson's ears, they sure can hear it! :laugh:

Go listen to Paul's Rules of Tone videos, see him dropping a few different nuts on the table and hear the sound, and you'll get what the buzz is all about. :top:

I quite agree, you have to be tone deaf if you can't notice the difference a more resonant nut will give, the same goes for the bridge at the other end. At the moment, Im trying to decide which nut I should use to replace the original on my 2003 Soapbar; does anyone have suggestions? Does it have to be made for a 10" fretboard radius?

 

[drdoom8793]

JHeavey, how do the Tremonti's sound in the ZM? Seems like an interesting combination that would give you lots of that nice harmonic feedback.

 

[drdoom8793]

Is the US nut supposed to be a drop in replacement? I was just looking at one for my new SE SC trem, but it looks like the US nut will pull my strings closer to the edge of the fretboard. Anyone have any insight?

 

[dogrocketp]

I`ll suggest either a graphtech Tusq nut or a PRS core nut. I`ve used them both very happily. I will recommend you have the nut installed by a pro. It is one of the most important parts for both intonation and sustain in a PRS, in my opinion. As a matter of fact, in any guitar. All of my instruments have had the nut replaced.