SE Mods

[dogrocketp]

I'm of the "let your luthier do it" school when it comes to installing the nut, especially if you're OCD about your guitars, like me. The gap can be hidden with a single swipe from a magic marker before the nut is installed. Just run it into the crevice evenly and you won't notice it when you have the nut put in.

 

[Antmax]

I'm of the "let your luthier do it" school when it comes to installing the nut, especially if you're OCD about your guitars, like me. The gap can be hidden with a single swipe from a magic marker before the nut is installed. Just run it into the crevice evenly and you won't notice it when you have the nut put in.

Definitely. If your worried about reducing the nut height from it's original manufactured height then maybe a good luthier is the best way to go.

For me I like knowing how things work and spent a lot of time studying and doing basic mods on my 5 guitars. Bought a vintage Japanese Les Paul with almost worn through frets as a project and refretted it etc. After replacing the nut on the vintage LP, Vintage Modified Strat and a old SZ Ibanez I felt pretty comfortable doing the Zach Myers.The PRS wasn't my first guitar I have worked on. If it was I'd probably be weary touching it if I hadn't done it before too.

 

[dogrocketp]

I won't touch a soldering iron, and I won't put a nut on. I'll do anything else. I do admire Sergio for his creative abilities, and others as well. Now if he would only see the blue..............I mean light.

 

[Corey McCormick]

Definitely. If your worried about reducing the nut height from it's original manufactured height then maybe a good luthier is the best way to go.

For me I like knowing how things work and spent a lot of time studying and doing basic mods on my 5 guitars. Bought a vintage Japanese Les Paul with almost worn through frets as a project and refretted it etc. After replacing the nut on the vintage LP, Vintage Modified Strat and a old SZ Ibanez I felt pretty comfortable doing the Zach Myers.The PRS wasn't my first guitar I have worked on. If it was I'd probably be weary touching it if I hadn't done it before too.

This is the approach I took as well. I started researching and taking my time, and next thing you know, I’ve changed nuts, installed new pickups, did set ups... etc. There’s a satisfaction in a least trying for me. My thought process here is that if I mess up anything, it can be then brought to a pro. But the only thing I messed up so far is the nut on my Les Paul, bought another one and tried again this time being very careful and it worked out great. I was ready to bring that one in though lol

 

[tonytester]

Today I picked up a se santana and started to mod it already. seymore dunkins , corian nut. and 2 mini switches on / on /on.
this will give each pickup a choice of series Humbucker - { North single coil (bridge) and South single coil (neck) } - and parallel humbucker.
some pics tonight well finished up and it plays really great. found the santana used so I used it for a mod project. you can find an se used that is hardly played for less than 1/2 price.

 

[tonytester]

This is the approach I took as well. I started researching and taking my time, and next thing you know, I’ve changed nuts, installed new pickups, did set ups... etc. There’s a satisfaction in a least trying for me. My thought process here is that if I mess up anything, it can be then brought to a pro. But the only thing I messed up so far is the nut on my Les Paul, bought another one and tried again this time being very careful and it worked out great. I was ready to bring that one in though lol

I know what you mean , there is a lot of satisfaction in working on an instrument then playing it and feeling the pride of accomplishment.

 

[Kurt C.]

I've got an SE Custom 24 with a Floyd Rose and I put PRS \m/ pickups in it. Push pull tone was swapped out with a US version, tone and volume knobs are chrome to match pickups. Pickup frame swapped out and I painted the head stock to add the PRS custom shop bird logo.

 

[MichaelS]

I've got an SE Custom 24 with a Floyd Rose and I put PRS \m/ pickups in it. Push pull tone was swapped out with a US version, tone and volume knobs are chrome to match pickups. Pickup frame swapped out and I painted the head stock to add the PRS custom shop bird logo.

Wicked!
PICS!!!

 

[tonytester]

I've got an SE Custom 24 with a Floyd Rose and I put PRS \m/ pickups in it. Push pull tone was swapped out with a US version, tone and volume knobs are chrome to match pickups. Pickup frame swapped out and I painted the head stock to add the PRS custom shop bird logo.

where do you get the custom shop bird log from ?

 

[MichaelS]

where do you get the custom shop bird log from ?

I've seen them as stickers online somewhere.

 

[Kurt C.]

Wicked!
PICS!!!

I will update with pics as soon as I have it back together completely.

 

[Kurt C.]

I've seen them as stickers online somewhere.

Inlaystickers dot com

 

[Kurt C.]

https://www.inlaystickers.com/products/eagle-for-headstock

 

[MichaelS]

https://www.inlaystickers.com/products/eagle-for-headstock

yea, that's the one I came across ...

 

[Dirty_Boogie]

I was going to sell my 2017 CU22 SE after I recently bought a new McCarty, as I was never really happy with it - constantly retuning it (even with a Core nut) and not crazy about the pups. But when I didn't get any offers for the SE, I figured, what the heck, I am going to like this guitar. So after a visit to John Mann last weekend, I came home with a set of PRS SE retrofitted locking tuners, and amber knobs. Installed those, and then last night I tweaked the 85/15S pup heights to a happy place, and then added a push-pull tone pot for coil taps - the rewiring went smoothly, and I added the 2.2K and 1.1K resistors to the push-pull (like in my Core.) Finally, added a drop of high quality bicycle lube (TriFlow Teflon) to each trem screw knife edge and to the saddle grooves. Well, I'm happy to say, the guitar is a different animal all together now. Sounds great and plays so much better. Of all the mods, the Core amber knobs made the biggest difference to the guitar. Also, for some reason, PRS locking tuners just seem right on a PRS headstock.

 

[MichaelS]

wicked!
Core knobs rule! That's the first thing I did on my SE.
I bet it won't stop there... My prediction are US pups and Mann Trem are next

 

[Dirty_Boogie]

wicked!
Core knobs rule! That's the first thing I did on my SE.
I bet it won't stop there... My prediction are US pups and Mann Trem are next

When I was originally trying to improve the guitar, I replaced the pups with a SD Custom and Jazz set. Liked them a lot, but removed them when I was going to sell the guitar. Honestly, I like the stock pups back in there now. I just had to recalibrate my thinking - I wanted a smoother, more vintage sounding guitar, and the 85/15S's were not going to give me that. Now that I have a McCarty with 58/15's, the SE can be my hard rock/metal guitar. I really don't think I'll go with the Mann bridge - I'm not sure that buying a bridge at almost a third of the price of the guitar makes any sense. Oh, I forgot, this is all GAS... it doesn't have to make sense, and all logic can be thrown out.

 

[bodia]

I was going to sell my 2017 CU22 SE after I recently bought a new McCarty, as I was never really happy with it - constantly retuning it (even with a Core nut) and not crazy about the pups. But when I didn't get any offers for the SE, I figured, what the heck, I am going to like this guitar. So after a visit to John Mann last weekend, I came home with a set of PRS SE retrofitted locking tuners, and amber knobs. Installed those, and then last night I tweaked the 85/15S pup heights to a happy place, and then added a push-pull tone pot for coil taps - the rewiring went smoothly, and I added the 2.2K and 1.1K resistors to the push-pull (like in my Core.) Finally, added a drop of high quality bicycle lube (TriFlow Teflon) to each trem screw knife edge and to the saddle grooves. Well, I'm happy to say, the guitar is a different animal all together now. Sounds great and plays so much better. Of all the mods, the Core amber knobs made the biggest difference to the guitar. Also, for some reason, PRS locking tuners just seem right on a PRS headstock.

Amber lampshades are the best! And, you're right about the lockers looking right on that headstock. Glad you got things sorted out!

 

[Jet Dallas]

Hi all, first post. I have an SE single cut that I have had a few years now. I bought it thinking it would be a short hold and move on to custom and some thought of a les Paul, but here I am 5 years later still flailing away at this thing. I bought it second hand for $250.00. The action is great, the tone is good enough, but I am at a point where I want to either rod this thing out, or realize I need to spend a lot more money and get something better off the rack. I have thought. about the following, and hoping you guys can steer me in the right direction. My desire is to improve the physicality, playability of the guitar, I don't care about it cosmetically, and secondarily, beyond action and sustain, resonance, work on tone, electronics. That said, in what order and importance do you rate the following? Upgrade the nut, upgrade to locking tuning keys, refret (they are ok, but def some wear), pups and rewire. It only has the volume and tone control. It works fine, very playable. Of note, while its in excellent condition, I really don't care what it looks like, I want it to play well above all else. I should also mention I typically play with 10's and do occasionally play 11's but don't know what it was originally set up for. Thanks much in advance.

 

[bodia]

I would do the nut first. Replace it with a PRS Core nut. Easy, and inexpensive. For me, I'd do tuners next, just because I'm lazy and can't live without locking tuners. If it has the wraparound bridge, I'd replace it with a MannMade2300 bridge. I'd leave electronics for last, and do pickups next. Heck, if you're in there already, you may as well kill two birds with one stone and do electronics at the same time.

Bottom line; have fun with it. Be an owner!