SE NF3?!
- Thread starter MichaelC24
- Start date
direwolf08
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2023
- Messages
- 183
I was thinking it might be fun to add some splitting and some Am Ultra Strat configs into this one. Hmmm ...Trogly's video* shows the import NF3's pickups have 4-conductor wiring, so I'm tempted to put a megaswitch in one and try
Neck (h)
Neck (s) / Middle (s)
Neck (s) / Bridge (s)
Middle (s) / Bridge (s)
Bridge (h)
* (I would add it here, but don't want to run afoul of the no-links-please rule for us new folk.)
IRG
New Member
Wasn't thinking about another new SE, but I'm liking this model. My SE SS and DGT SE have been stellar guitars, especially the DGT. Love this guitar a lot, nearly flawless. At times I find the beefier neck bothering my hand, but it's probably more an issue when I go too long without playing/warming up.
My SE SS has a SD Mini '59 in the bridge, not a huge difference in tones with clean, but with gain I can hear the improvement - generally not a fan of single coil tone in bridge pickups anyways. Trying to decide if I need the NF3 at all. I'd go maple neck this time. SW has a couple up at the moment. Hmmm.
My SE SS has a SD Mini '59 in the bridge, not a huge difference in tones with clean, but with gain I can hear the improvement - generally not a fan of single coil tone in bridge pickups anyways. Trying to decide if I need the NF3 at all. I'd go maple neck this time. SW has a couple up at the moment. Hmmm.
Smolder
New Member
lol… threatening your investment in Cores and Private Stock? These newer imports are damn good.
I was fortunate to walk into the store today and trade in gear. I got to see and feel first hand the new SEs. I loved the orange metallic but it was a tad too loud (cosmetically) for me personally. I wanted to like the white more but didn’t love it
I left with gunmetal. I will swap the guard to black when they create pickguards
I wanted to love the rosewood more. But it kinda looked like cheaper laurel rosewood (I know it’s not). There is a significant difference between USA quality rosewood and SEs. I left with the maple fretboard version. I think the metallic gray and the dark abalone (or pearl?) birds on the maple look great.
It did require some time touching up. I kind of chalk this up to standard on most SEs nowadays: some frets were a tinge high. Not bad at all. Playable. But I leveled them more and rounded the ends a tad more since they felt sharp. Now I can get that action core level low. I also sanded the side of the nut. Mine was sticking out a touch.
I did some mods like locking tuners. MannMade bridge. My preference. Nothing on the guitar
But I was surprised at the QC of them. Some at the store didn’t even have first bird centered correctly. Or fret ends felt like they would cut me
I’m glad I spent the 2 hours properly setting it up. I absolutely love it now. And I’m not knocking these guitars. I don’t know of any $800 guitar that doesn’t need some work. I’m very particular in my set ups and generally do them myself. I do look forward to now settling in with it. Seems like a keeper to me. I’m a huge narrow field fan.
It does have me wondering if adding the ability to add a push pull to add the neck pickup in any position would work. That’s how I set up my strats. I don’t know if things would be in phase like that?
I left with gunmetal. I will swap the guard to black when they create pickguards
I wanted to love the rosewood more. But it kinda looked like cheaper laurel rosewood (I know it’s not). There is a significant difference between USA quality rosewood and SEs. I left with the maple fretboard version. I think the metallic gray and the dark abalone (or pearl?) birds on the maple look great.
It did require some time touching up. I kind of chalk this up to standard on most SEs nowadays: some frets were a tinge high. Not bad at all. Playable. But I leveled them more and rounded the ends a tad more since they felt sharp. Now I can get that action core level low. I also sanded the side of the nut. Mine was sticking out a touch.
I did some mods like locking tuners. MannMade bridge. My preference. Nothing on the guitar
But I was surprised at the QC of them. Some at the store didn’t even have first bird centered correctly. Or fret ends felt like they would cut me
I’m glad I spent the 2 hours properly setting it up. I absolutely love it now. And I’m not knocking these guitars. I don’t know of any $800 guitar that doesn’t need some work. I’m very particular in my set ups and generally do them myself. I do look forward to now settling in with it. Seems like a keeper to me. I’m a huge narrow field fan.
It does have me wondering if adding the ability to add a push pull to add the neck pickup in any position would work. That’s how I set up my strats. I don’t know if things would be in phase like that?
WingerRules
Julie who?
- Joined
- May 4, 2023
- Messages
- 2,834
To all those thinking about splitting the coils...
That sounds like a great idea. However, if these are low output (literally single coil levels) similar to the new NF53 model, then splitting them might not work so well as the output of a split pickup could be REALLY low. I could be wrong though if these are normal humbucker output level pickups. Any specs out on them yet?
That sounds like a great idea. However, if these are low output (literally single coil levels) similar to the new NF53 model, then splitting them might not work so well as the output of a split pickup could be REALLY low. I could be wrong though if these are normal humbucker output level pickups. Any specs out on them yet?
Trogly measured them. I believe neck and middle are the same. The bridge is hotter. I think 8.2-8.7ish if I recall. I haven’t grabbed a meter for mine yet
WingerRules
Julie who?
- Joined
- May 4, 2023
- Messages
- 2,834
Ok, I expected them to be lower, so that's good.
Please let us know how the pups sound with some gain and for soloing...thats my only worry, otherwise I'm diggin em...S style with a 25" Scale is ideal for me...
SinSir
Mad Scientist
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2020
- Messages
- 5,286
I don't disagree, but in this economy cores are a tougher sell. Good news is PRS updated the S2 and gave us a couple new US bolt ons. The thing with the se is PRS makes money without risk or much of it. Indo has the investment of resources and PRS gets paid for the script. A win win.
I'm still hopeful that with the launch success of the seSAS we'll see a Maryland SAS rerelease, hopefully a rosewood board to go with my maple SAS. If the seNf3 has the same success hopefully we see it come back too!
dkilpatrick
Makes guitar faces
at this point it's probably easier and more cost effective to test the waters so to speak with a model like this in the SE line,
if it's popular enough then there can be a limited Maryland release and make the rest of us core heads happy.
smart.
Since my son has apparently decided that I don't play my SE SS enough, so it's now his....
I'm going to have to keep my eyes open to these arriving somewhere local so I can check them out. I also need to find a better place to tuck them away when not actively playing them.
I'm going to have to keep my eyes open to these arriving somewhere local so I can check them out. I also need to find a better place to tuck them away when not actively playing them.
SinSir
Mad Scientist
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2020
- Messages
- 5,286
Exactly! Truthfully this launch almost got me, almost, but then I was quickly reminded why I buy PRS and will wait for Maryland. Writing my letter to Santa Paul..
I suspect it’s much easier to add capacity or shift production between models in Indonesia than it is to do either in Maryland. It would seem Maryland is at capacity. At that point, a new model either has to bring in more revenue per production slot or solve some supply chain problem. Ash is harder to find than it used to be—I just cut down the last ash tree at my home, due to the Emerald Ash Borer.
Herr Squid
I was severely impressed
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2012
- Messages
- 2,179
That may well be true. That's an interesting about-face for PRS. From the beginning they've introduced new features and other doodads on their highest-end models, then gradually let them filter down to the lower-line models. Maybe the "air of exclusivity" marketing approach is getting some changes.
SinSir
Mad Scientist
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2020
- Messages
- 5,286
Absolutely easier from a production standpoint. That's the plus side of licensing deals and offshore manufacturing. Maryland does the marketing and Indo handles production. Sure there's Ash disease but its still pretty readily available and affordable. If supply was a real concern we wouldn't have seen a se release or included in the 20% off sale. There's over 7000 Ash guitars for sale on Reverb alone. Plus there's this whole Urban Ash thing happening with companies like Taylor.
I suspect nf53 will come. But it may take 2-3 yrs to avoid effecting sales of the Myles and nf53 currently. Pretty much what they did with the silver sky.
Anybody else notice they included the Myles tone knob in the accessory shop? I thought that was cool. I wonder if that could be a direct swap for the nf3.
