SE NF3?!

[Broseph]

Great video. Created by a PRS artist. He certainly puts it thru the paces of different amps, pedals and genres, including 80’s metal. Such a versatile guitar.

 

[intothevoid]

Great video. Created by a PRS artist. He certainly puts it thru the paces of different amps, pedals and genres, including 80’s metal. Such a versatile guitar.

Excellent review

Has anyone done a core NF3 vs SE NF3 comparison? Was interesting to hear that this reviewer wasn’t a fan of the core model but finds the SE to be an improvement and more to his liking. I wonder if others feel the same? One thing the core certainly has over this is the pattern regular neck shape which is my all time favourite guitar neck

 

[Broseph]

I had a core studio. It was a stop tail. I think these sound better in approaching single coils. I would have preferred a full bridge humbucker pickup instead (like the studio) as I think that’s more versatile. I only see a benefit of a single coil in the bridge for position 2 being more authentic single coil. But straight position 1? Gimme a humbucker.

PRS should release a SE studio version like this guitar. I suspect it would sell even better

 

[Tim S]

PRS released the wiring diagram - like I thought the pots are not typical. 1Meg volume pot! 500k Tone pot. And a bunch of resistors
https://support.prsguitars.com/hc/en-us/article_attachments/27477429799195
The bridge pickup is different from the neck and middle - hotter and wired differently.

Thanks for pointing out the wiring diagram. It confirmed what I suspected after receiving mine.

Unlike the original NF3, there’s no treble bleed cap in it. Turn the volume down below 9 and the treble disappears on mine (worse in switch positions 2 & 4). I wonder why PRS didn’t see the need to install one? It looks like I’ll be doing that in the near future.

 

[andy474x]

Thanks for pointing out the wiring diagram. It confirmed what I suspected after receiving mine.

Unlike the original NF3, there’s no treble bleed cap in it. Turn the volume down below 9 and the treble disappears on mine (worse in switch positions 2 & 4). I wonder why PRS didn’t see the need to install one? It looks like I’ll be doing that in the near future.

Ditto, it’s my only gripe about the SE NF3!

 

[vhalen50]

Thanks for pointing out the wiring diagram. It confirmed what I suspected after receiving mine.

Unlike the original NF3, there’s no treble bleed cap in it. Turn the volume down below 9 and the treble disappears on mine (worse in switch positions 2 & 4). I wonder why PRS didn’t see the need to install one? It looks like I’ll be doing that in the near future.

can imagine its partially just a cost cutting thing. But they also dont seem to put treble bleeds on single coils (silver sky SE or core). Me personally, i still put one on my silver sky because the drop off is so stark and im so tuned into hearing tb's in every guitar i own.

 

[d^rren]

I doubt it's to cut costs, given how they've wired the rest of the pickups. A cap and a resistor are only a few cents and about a minute of labour to solder in place when the electronics are being done.

 

[JLJ]

Paul needs to give the SE line a rest. It’s getting to be a joke!

I would love to see a SE 305; a true PRS with 3 single coil pickups. I don't count the Silver Sky as a true PRS.

 

[Broseph]

Such an incredible hum free single coil sound. It kills most noiseless strat pickups I’ve tried. I’m not saying it’s better than a typical vintage strat pickup. But it’s an incredible value for all it offers.

 

[Davey73]

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 took a minute to compare the sound of the NF3 pickups to other guitars in my collection and to my ear they sound like a hotter version of a dearmond dynasonic pickup. I found the NF3 to be closest in tone to my gretsch 5235t that I swapped out the old stock gretsch mini humbuckers with dearmond dynasonics. The PRS DD pickups on the NF3 are also a bit more jangly in the highs but that might also be the difference in guitars., the NF3 being solid poplar and the gretsch being chambered mahogany. I prefer the NF3 and find it to be way more versatile and less temperamental than the gretsch. I do not believe that the DD pickups are modelled after anything like gretsch or dearmond, I just think that they just so happen to have some of the same characteristics. I think tge NF3 is one of the more original PRS designs. Although it does resemble a strat, I find it unique enough to be in a class of its own. I love this guitar!!

 

[Monahan]

"... I love this guitar!!"

And THAT's what it's all about

 

[Argus_Floyd]

I got the Ice Blue Metallic with rosewood board in today from Sweetwater...
For starters this is with the stock 9 gauge strings- which I hate! Needs 10s! I absolutely hate 9 gauge strings on any guitar....
The acoustic tone ringing is not very nice. Not a very resonant sounding guitar. Maybe because the 9 gauge strings?

Both the PRS Product page for the SE NF3 and the Sweetwater product page for this guitar state that these guitars come w a set of 10s installed, not 9s.

https://imgur.com/a/dU3S5Fm

 

[Argus_Floyd]

I would love to see a SE 305; a true PRS with 3 single coil pickups. I don't count the Silver Sky as a true PRS.

How come you don't consider the Silver Sky a "true" PRS?

 

[phillybri]

How come you don't consider the Silver Sky a "true" PRS?

I was wondering the same. That's a weird comment...

 

[JLJ]

How come you don't consider the Silver Sky a "true" PRS?

The only appreciable differences between a Fender Strat and a PRS Silver Sky is the headstock and bird inlays. It looks like a Fender Strat with a PRS neck.

 

[Broseph]

I’ve seen some people wonder if the bridge pickup is wired in differently to make it higher output. Could this be also why it doesn’t blend so well with the middle pickup in position 2? There’s quite a drop off in volume/treble and sounds out of phase to me.

I don’t notice this at all in position 4 (neck/middle).