SE Mods

[Fullmoon 1971]

Dont forget the Bernies, one of the best SE's PRS have ever produced IMHO. I currently own 8 SE's of which 6 are 24.5 scale length.

25 inch scale =
2009 Singlecut Trem
2010 Nick Catanese

24.5 inch scale =
2011 Bernie Marsden #1
2011 Bernie Marsden #2
2012 Bernie Marsden #3
2013 Santana
2014 Zack Myers
2016 Chris Robertson

 

[theDeepender]

I need to learn to do that more. I dunno why, but the middle finger always ends up being the primary bend finger.

Me too. It’s always been the middle. You would not believe how long it took me to learn that I could put one or two other fingers in frets behind it to make the bend easier.
DOH!!!!

 

[Rod/]

I need to learn to do that more. I dunno why, but the middle finger always ends up being the primary bend finger.

@Draconomics , If you think about , playing in the minor or major pentatonic blocks, you’re using mostly your 1 st (pointer) and third fingers and every note that’s played with your 3rd finger always sounds correct if you bend it a half or whole step . Your 3rd finger also has more strength and control than your middle finger…..just makes sense….

 

[Rod/]

There are three popular styles;

https://flic.kr/p/2nFmYjx

Which of these did you use?

The Duncan with the resistor and cap in parallel with each other. I’ve got them in all my PRS’s and my 2 LP’s as well.perfect for live, recording and practice. Cleans up nice when the volume is turned down….

 

[DatGat]

Anyone done an HB/P90 mod? Love that setup Black Winter for that metal and shred in the bridge, as Seymour Duncan say "savagely high-output" and the P90 can cover so much, from glassy single coil tones like Hendrix used or the "Woman" tone that Clapton used in the neck, which is just the tone rolled right off, then you got your p90 might be volatile type tones haha, best pickup ever, although the newer EMG 57/66TW is bloody hard to beat, cermaic with an active coil and a real single coil on the outside of that. These and Fishman Modern have that ultra note definition, although these are better imo, they are the most organic sounding active available.

Which SE's are most popular for modding? I see all kinds pass by, surprisingly a lot of PRS sold in my little country. Mostly Tremonti, Santana, 245, Custom 24, Standard 22, occasional Zach Myers. My thinking is whicher is cheapish with a trem block already routed is a good mod platform.

 

[theDeepender]

The Duncan with the resistor and cap in parallel with each other. I’ve got them in all my PRS’s and my 2 LP’s as well.perfect for live, recording and practice. Cleans up nice when the volume is turned down….

I tried them all, and I liked the Kinman best. Nice and smooth on my setup.

 

[CrimesAgainstMusic]

I'm currently working on a theory, that for the SE CU 24 (or SE Trem Bridge) at least , the upgrade to the bridge should be made perhaps before the pickups...

A lesson I learned (and philosophy I adopted as an Audiofly) ... Is that the source components are the most important in your system ,as they determine how much and how accurate a signal gets passed on to the more "attractive" components like amplifiers and speakers that actually only represent "potential". If the signal is lost at the source (the turntable, back when I adopted the philosophy) it is lost forever, and amps and speakers cannot correct for it.

The bridge, is a crucial piece of guitar infrastructure (along with the nut and tuners) and ultimately provide the ability of the strings to provide signal to pickups (think amp/ speakers) Yeah , I know the pickups are essentially microphones ... and "bad signal" in ? They will only amplify what they are fed...

Replacing pickups definitely make a difference. I've already done that on one SE CU 24 . (Indo made) .But I'm going to do the bridge on the other , and leave the pickups in place (that happen to be Korean G&B as the guitar is Korean made) ... and I'll see ultimately what they sound like , before I move to upgrade them. The idea being, to know ultimately what the stock pickup sounds like, before I off them ...

I'm figuring John Manns' killa dilla, 100% brass 2040 bridge (I even went with X-Rated , Unplated, Nekkid, Raw Brass saddles) will get that goal accomplished

 

[Draconomics]

Anyone done an HB/P90 mod? Love that setup Black Winter for that metal and shred in the bridge, as Seymour Duncan say "savagely high-output" and the P90 can cover so much, from glassy single coil tones like Hendrix used or the "Woman" tone that Clapton used in the neck, which is just the tone rolled right off, then you got your p90 might be volatile type tones haha, best pickup ever, although the newer EMG 57/66TW is bloody hard to beat, cermaic with an active coil and a real single coil on the outside of that. These and Fishman Modern have that ultra note definition, although these are better imo, they are the most organic sounding active available.

Which SE's are most popular for modding? I see all kinds pass by, surprisingly a lot of PRS sold in my little country. Mostly Tremonti, Santana, 245, Custom 24, Standard 22, occasional Zach Myers. My thinking is whicher is cheapish with a trem block already routed is a good mod platform.

I did a HB to P90 mod years ago on my old singlecut. I sorta liked em....I did eventually go back to humbuckers. I was always after Santana tones from around the mid 70's. By that time, he wasnt using P90s anymore (he was using an SG with em at the famous Woodstock performance) and his tone was bassier. I might have a go again with P90s, but with something better than what I had then.

 

[Fullmoon 1971]

The Chris Robertson model came fitted with a P-90 neck and USA 57/08 bridge in the original Europe run and then a 57/08s in the later versions, this is fantastic setup that can cover most bases

 

[DatGat]

I might have a go again with P90s, but with something better than what I had then.

Do you remember which p90s you were using?

The Chris Robertson model came fitted with a P-90 neck and USA 57/08 bridge in the original Europe run and then a 57/08s in the later versions, this is fantastic setup that can cover most bases

that sounds awesome, just put the Black Winter in the bridge and Im off.

For a HB/HB setup, there are sooooo many HBP90s to put in the neck, some sort of get a P90 sound and others dont, surprisingly one of the best is a $40 TFS model, just do a google. Outside that I really like the Seymour Duncan P-Rails. YOu get a p90 HB that actually sounds like a P90, but you also get a single coil on the top, a lot like EMG TW setup. So now you got a p90 and a single coil in the neck, life cannot get better, outside a high quality actual p90 haha. But its an easy mod and good tones.

P Rail | Seymour Duncan

Truly unique and versatile humbucker pickups that combine a Hot Rails coil with our Vintage P90 to give you unmatched tonal variety.

www.seymourduncan.com

 

[Mark Ray]

That venue! Do you have any more pics?

I do. I'll get some more uploaded later today (Saturday).

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I do. I'll get some more uploaded later today (Saturday).

Just when you have time. Looks so cool.

 

[CrimesAgainstMusic]

I don't use tremolos ... Thought about just blocking the thing, in both directions ...

outside playing ultra clean tone.

Is what I am after ...

 

[theDeepender]

I don't use tremolos ... Thought about just blocking the thing, in both directions ...


Is what I am after ...

If you block both directions you risk affecting the contact with the pivot pins. I’d suggest just blocking the tail side and loosening the springs a bit. Mine has had a poplar block on the tail side for years with no issue. There are also some locking devices available that look like they can keep it from moving in either direction without messing with the contact with the pins.

 

[Rod/]

I tried them all, and I liked the Kinman best. Nice and smooth on my setup.

That’s good to know. Thanks. Do you remember the tone difference between the Duncan and the Kinman versions?

 

[Rod/]

I'm currently working on a theory, that for the SE CU 24 (or SE Trem Bridge) at least , the upgrade to the bridge should be made perhaps before the pickups...

A lesson I learned (and philosophy I adopted as an Audiofly) ... Is that the source components are the most important in your system ,as they determine how much and how accurate a signal gets passed on to the more "attractive" components like amplifiers and speakers that actually only represent "potential". If the signal is lost at the source (the turntable, back when I adopted the philosophy) it is lost forever, and amps and speakers cannot correct for it.

The bridge, is a crucial piece of guitar infrastructure (along with the nut and tuners) and ultimately provide the ability of the strings to provide signal to pickups (think amp/ speakers) Yeah , I know the pickups are essentially microphones ... and "bad signal" in ? They will only amplify what they are fed...

Replacing pickups definitely make a difference. I've already done that on one SE CU 24 . (Indo made) .But I'm going to do the bridge on the other , and leave the pickups in place (that happen to be Korean G&B as the guitar is Korean made) ... and I'll see ultimately what they sound like , before I move to upgrade them. The idea being, to know ultimately what the stock pickup sounds like, before I off them ...

I'm figuring John Manns' killa dilla, 100% brass 2040 bridge (I even went with X-Rated , Unplated, Nekkid, Raw Brass saddles) will get that goal accomplished

I think your theory is 100% accurate………
I had John install his 2040 all brass Mann Made bridge on my Santana SE and the difference in tones, sustain, response ect. were quite noticeable. I’m really glad I spent the $$.. proof is in the pudding…..

 

[Mark Ray]

Just when you have time. Looks so cool.

This was at Rick's Dockside Grill, which is part of Tellico Marina on Tellico Lake, outside of Maryville, TN. You can't see them in these pics, but there are some LARGE boats there!

 

[Draconomics]

I think your theory is 100% accurate………
I had John install his 2040 all brass Mann Made bridge on my Santana SE and the difference in tones, sustain, response ect. were quite noticeable. I’m really glad I spent the $$.. proof is in the pudding…..

Mannmade stuff makes everything better. I swear by the saddles he makes, I couldn't believe how easily they fix intonation issues.

 

[The Bird]

I pulled out the old soldering iron and installed SD Pearly Gates pickups and new pickup rings in my Zach Myers.

I also tried installing the Gotoh locking tuners that should be a direct drop in, but unfortunately the screw holes and post holes on the guitar were drilled so horribly at the factory that they could not be installed (despite being the correct size).

 

[theDeepender]

That’s good to know. Thanks. Do you remember the tone difference between the Duncan and the Kinman versions?

It wasn’t a tone difference at all between the different types. To affect a tone difference, I experimented with different caps on the new 500 ohm tone pots and bleed. The difference between the types came with the volume taper. The one without the resistor had very little taper until the last 1/8 of a turn, and then dropped off sharply. On my setup, the Duncan (parallel resistor) improved the sharp drop off at the end, but didn’t eliminate it. The Kinman style (resistor in series) had a smooth drop off and kept the tone consistent.
Speaking of which, it’s always a plus to try different value capacitors when experimenting with your tone control and treble bleed. I used alligator clips on some long wires from the connection points and tried a lot of them until I found the right ones. When doing that, remember to hook up like you would as if you were playing most normally, because cable length, stomp boxes etc. all have a pretty radical effect in relation to your chosen capacitor. You could find “your perfect sound” using an 8’ cable directly into a computer interface and earbuds, and then have a crappy tone with a 12’ cable through your pedal board into your amp or direct box. So hook up what you normally use for the test. (Luckily I discovered this before final soldering)