SE NF3?!

Well, my final verdict has changed after I got a proper setup to my liking and rolled the fret board edges.
PRS should ship this with 10's and roll those edges at least just a little. IMHO, this makes quite a bit of difference for this model and sales would probably go a lot more if they did so.
I originally stated I thought the pickups sounded interesting.
They are different. I have never owned a guitar with mini humbuckers or the single coil sized humbuckers for strats.
Maybe this is what they sound like?
I have owned noiseless single coils and these do not sound like those either. Definitely hotter than a typical single coil.
I have also owned P90s and I don't think they have that bite like a P90 does.
To me they are on the low output side close to a PAF type but not quite a PAF. A bit less gain than a PAF.
Now that I think about it, I had a Telecaster a while back that I installed SD Quarter Pounders in. Maybe it reminds me more of that sound except with no hum.
I haven't found any use for the middle pickup but when I play my Strats I never use the middle pickup either. I just roll the tone on the bridge a bit and switch between neck and bridge.
So, to sum up all that above: I think the pups sound more humbucker than single coil.
My hopeful intentions when getting this NF3 were to maybe replace my S2 Standard 24. I like my S2 but I absolutely hate the fact that the pickup switch is in such an awkward position under the trem arm. So, I really don't get to use the neck pickup on that one.
I would have to disagree with the guy above. I think this NF3 feels like an SE model and not like an S2. The USA guitars just have that extra mojo with the better woods and nicely rolled fret board edges.
I guess I will keep it for a while and see if this NF3 can find a place. Maybe it will grow on me or start collecting dust?
 
I’ll be interested to hear what a current core NF3 owner thinks about the SE version. I saw a few comments, but meaning more a full on comparison. Having just gigged last night on my core guitars, and with the recent SE reviews in mind, I couldn’t help but think “man, those SE guitars have some big shoes to fill if they want to compare to this!” The core NF3 is a wonderful instrument with a somewhat unique tone.

That tone doesn’t fall into any of the humbucker/single coil/P90/mini-hum boxes, so when I first owned the NF3 back when they were a new thing, I didn’t really get it. Just not familiar enough to know where to put it. Once you stop trying to figure out what it sounds most like and just take it for how it sounds, life gets a lot easier. It reminds me of what Stewart Copeland said about his “high” drum tuning. Listening to them alone, it sounds kind of wrong… doesn’t sound normal. In a band, though, it comes right through. Blends in and stands out at the same time. That’s the Narrowfield, or at least the original version. It makes you uncomfortable because it does sound like its own thing, and as soon as you let go of the comparisons, you can more easily settle into digging what it does.

So, yeah, having not played a NF53 or Myles model, or one of these SE NF3s, I’m wondering how they compare side by side. Not to anything else, but with the original 57/08 Narrowfield as the standard. I may have to sacrifice and do this myself.

*evil grin*
 
RickP said:
I’ll be interested to hear what a current core NF3 owner thinks about the SE version. I saw a few comments, but meaning more a full on comparison. Having just gigged last night on my core guitars, and with the recent SE reviews in mind, I couldn’t help but think “man, those SE guitars have some big shoes to fill if they want to compare to this!” The core NF3 is a wonderful instrument with a somewhat unique tone.

That tone doesn’t fall into any of the humbucker/single coil/P90/mini-hum boxes, so when I first owned the NF3 back when they were a new thing, I didn’t really get it. Just not familiar enough to know where to put it. Once you stop trying to figure out what it sounds most like and just take it for how it sounds, life gets a lot easier. It reminds me of what Stewart Copeland said about his “high” drum tuning. Listening to them alone, it sounds kind of wrong… doesn’t sound normal. In a band, though, it comes right through. Blends in and stands out at the same time. That’s the Narrowfield, or at least the original version. It makes you uncomfortable because it does sound like its own thing, and as soon as you let go of the comparisons, you can more easily settle into digging what it does.

So, yeah, having not played a NF53 or Myles model, or one of these SE NF3s, I’m wondering how they compare side by side. Not to anything else, but with the original 57/08 Narrowfield as the standard. I may have to sacrifice and do this myself.

*evil grin*
Click to expand...
Who better than you?
 
I don’t have an old nf3. I do have a 2011 studio (stoptail). I would say the pickups are very similar. To my ears the older pickups are hotter (louder), but they are completely different woods/bridges, so the comparison isn’t exactly the best. I find them very similar tone wise with the difference being the treble pickup.

I think the nf3 can benefit from a core volume knob with treble bleed. Maybe I’ll even install a 550k pot I have.

****edit:
Just kidding. I think these pots measure more than 500k but am not certain. Anybody have any idea what their values are? I’m use to the pots stating their value. This only says alpha made in Korea 1 2 3. They say to quadruple the peak reading when turning the knobs to measure a pot values when in a guitar. These seem to go way above 500k. I did put in a core treble bleed. Made the volume control a lot more useable for the neck pickup!
 
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I'm new here, but I probably know some of you from TGP.

I posted a quick review over there, and one thing I mentioned was that the fingerboard needs to be rolled (I got a maple board version). To be fair, my SE Silver Sky has the same issue.

Regarding strings, they really feel like .009's, which I thought was strange, since the website says that come with .010's. I dug out my digital caliper, and it turns out that they are .010's. They certainly don't feel like it, though.
 
screamtone said:
I'm new here, but I probably know some of you from TGP.

I posted a quick review over there, and one thing I mentioned was that the fingerboard needs to be rolled (I got a maple board version). To be fair, my SE Silver Sky has the same issue.

Regarding strings, they really feel like .009's, which I thought was strange, since the website says that come with .010's. I dug out my digital caliper, and it turns out that they are .010's. They certainly don't feel like it, though.
Click to expand...
Screamtone hello! How are the pups with some gain?? Mine is coming wed...I have an SE SAS as well and I'm living with the edges on the neck its not a deal breaker for me...
 
Russ73 said:
Screamtone hello! How are the pups with some gain?? Mine is coming wed...I have an SE SAS as well and I'm living with the edges on the neck its not a deal breaker for me...
Click to expand...
They stay very articulate, and there's good separation of notes when playing chords on the bridge pickup. They still sound pretty single coil-ish, but in a good way. These pickups have a very pronounced mid-range that makes them cut through, but not in a honky sort of way. If you're a mid-scoop person, they might not be the best choice because of that.
 
screamtone said:
They stay very articulate, and there's good separation of notes when playing chords on the bridge pickup. They still sound pretty single coil-ish, but in a good way. These pickups have a very pronounced mid-range that makes them cut through, but not in a honky sort of way. If you're a mid-scoop person, they might not be the best choice because of that.
Click to expand...
Well I'm gonna find out Wed evening lol...if I send it back so be it...
 
screamtone said:
I'm new here, but I probably know some of you from TGP.

I posted a quick review over there, and one thing I mentioned was that the fingerboard needs to be rolled (I got a maple board version). To be fair, my SE Silver Sky has the same issue.

Regarding strings, they really feel like .009's, which I thought was strange, since the website says that come with .010's. I dug out my digital caliper, and it turns out that they are .010's. They certainly don't feel like it, though.
Click to expand...
On the Sweetwater site it says they come with 9's.
I replaced them with NYXL 10's and definitely had to adjust the trem springs afterwards. I didn't measure the original strings but knew immediately that they were not 10's. Concerning the fret board edges, that is why I got one with the rosewood. I had bought an SE SAS when they first came out and returned it because the edges were so sharp.
 
MarshallMike said:
On the Sweetwater site it says they come with 9's.
I replaced them with NYXL 10's and definitely had to adjust the trem springs afterwards. I didn't measure the original strings but knew immediately that they were not 10's. Concerning the fret board edges, that is why I got one with the rosewood. I had bought an SE SAS when they first came out and returned it because the edges were so sharp.
Click to expand...

I bought mine from Sweetwater, as well. I think you're correct on the string gauge. My caliper is kind of cheap and the display was toggling back and forth between 9 and10 when I checked again.

banditcosmo said:
I want one but they all seem to weight closer to 8lbs and I much prefer 7 or under.
Click to expand...

Mine is 7lbs 6oz.
 
Finding trem equipped under 7 lbs is difficult for S style guitar shapes. Not impossible. But majority of the NF3 I’ve seen are in the lower to mid 7’s.

The SAS SE is much heavier due to swamp ash. I quickly unloaded that one. Never cared for the configuration or pickups. Sometimes you just know right away when it won’t work. That was one of the first PRS that I just said it won’t work and resold it. I didn’t mind the neck at all. The fret work wasn’t great, but the tones from it didn’t inspire me so I didn’t invest my time into it like I did with this NF3.
 
dogrocketp said:
If you’re interested, there is already a guy on reverb making replacement pickguards. He made an absolutely perfect mother of toilet seat one for my DC3, which now has regular single coils in it. When my buddy gets back from vacation, we’ll compare my swamp nf3 to his incoming SE nf3.
Click to expand...
I bought a white pearloid pick guard for my core Silver Sky from the same seller that was also perfect.
 
MarshallMike said:
On the Sweetwater site it says they come with 9's.
I replaced them with NYXL 10's and definitely had to adjust the trem springs afterwards. I didn't measure the original strings but knew immediately that they were not 10's. Concerning the fret board edges, that is why I got one with the rosewood. I had bought an SE SAS when they first came out and returned it because the edges were so sharp.
Click to expand...

I just played the NF3 back to back with my Silver Sky SE that I know has .010's, and the NF3 definitely has .009's. Both guitars felt like they had the appropriate gauge, though (to me).
 
Interesting. You'd think that with the ½" shorter scale on the NF3, heavier gauge strings would make it feel more like a 25.5" scale guitar.
 
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