SE nuts. How much difference does an upgrade make?

[Hotspur]

Curious about those who have upgraded the nuts on your PRS SE guitars.

I'm not crazy about the tuning stability on my compared to my acoustic, but my experience is more that acoustics have better tuning stability anyway.

Did you notice much difference? What about in tone?

 

[Sillyak]

I put on TUSQ # PT-6643-00.

I did not notice a difference in tone, but a huge difference in tuning ease and stability.

 

[LTigh]

Tone, not so much, but some, especially with open chords.

Tuning stability, ridiculous improvement (I used a Core nut).

 

[Dirty_Boogie]

Curious about those who have upgraded the nuts on your PRS SE

If you have a trem on your SE, it should (unfortunately) be the first thing you need to do before you even plug it in.

Many, many threads on this topic on this forum.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Literally just did that an hour ago. Do it!

 

[mad monk]

Gee, I didn't on my 2007 SE Singlecut. It's as stable as my cores, and as clear. I must be lucky.

 

[WEDGE]

I have read that on a Bernie the core nut is not wide enough??? What is the go to nut for a Bernie?

 

[dogrocketp]

It's really the only mod I think you have to make on most SE's. If it doesn't stay in tune, have the nut changed. If it stays in tune, who cares. I think there is a very slight increase in clarity when you do it.

 

[grausch]

I have read that on a Bernie the core nut is not wide enough??? What is the go to nut for a Bernie?

Bone or an oversized TUSQ blank.

Other nuts leave a small gap which may or may not annoy you. If I recall correctly it would have been less than 1mm on each side.

I had a bone nut made since I did not want a gap.

 

[Barquentine]

When I got my Bernie the nut was sticking a little. Had a couple of slots widened a little and have had no tuning problems.

 

[drdoom8793]

The SE nut is totally fine as long as you make sure it's filed correctly. That's always been the biggest problem with the nuts on the SEs, not the tone.

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

I swapped the cheap nut on my SE One to a core nut and there's a noticeable difference especially in tuning stability and feel.

Well worth it in my opinion.

 

[bodia]

Tone, not so much, but some, especially with open chords.

Tuning stability, ridiculous improvement (I used a Core nut).

This!

 

[bodia]

I have read that on a Bernie the core nut is not wide enough??? What is the go to nut for a Bernie?

I put a Core nut on mine. I didn't really notice it not being wide enough.

 

[WEDGE]

I put a Core nut on mine. I didn't really notice it not being wide enough.

Worried about string spacing difference. Plays so good now don’t want to change anything other than put a better material nut on. Will just have a tech slot a bone but to match.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

The one I just put on yesterday is a tiny bit larger than the neck. And this was a WT/WF nut on a WF SE neck.

 

[flimbo]

Which replacement nuts are a direct drop in with no sanding/filing required? Core? Tusq?

 

[Hotspur]

I put on TUSQ # PT-6643-00.

I did not notice a difference in tone, but a huge difference in tuning ease and stability.

And that will drop in to my SE Chris Robertson? Not sure how to evaluate the measurements.

 

[bodia]

Which replacement nuts are a direct drop in with no sanding/filing required? Core? Tusq?

Less work to do with a Core nut. As Sergio mentioned, you may have to take a couple of swipes at the bottom to get the height you're looking for. I did one on a Bernie, and one on a One. I just glued 'em and strung 'em up.

 

[Hotspur]

Also, if we're talking about Core nuts, does anybody know if which of the two core replacement nuts will better fit a SE 245?