SE QC issues?

[fordfanjpn]

I'm a new SE owner with a Silver Sky, a 594 and a DGT. First let me say that I love all 3 guitars and the DGT has become my #1 since I got it. They are truly amazing guitars for the price. But I have had a few issues.

The Silver Sky had a loose nut that was off center by a few millimeters. It was an easy fix though. A friend of mine who has the same 3 guitars is having trouble with the switch on his Silver Sky. Hopefully a cleaning will take care of it, but it is a brand new guitar.

When I got the 594 it hummed like crazy. Far worse than any single coil guitar I have. It was completely unusable for recording, and I was not able to track down any reason for it. I should point out that I'm an electronics technician so I'm no stranger to wiring problems. I ended replacing the pickups and all the wiring and now it sounds amazing. My friend who also has a 594 decided to replace his pickups and when he took out the old ones, instead of 594 pickups there were DGT pickups. They work fine but they weren't 594 pickups.

And finally, when I got my DGT, the volume pots weren't working correctly, so I had a look inside and found that they had been wired incorrectly. Instead of the pickups being wired to the top of the pots, they were wired to the wipers. Again, an easy fix, but you have to wonder how that got by QC.

Add these things to stories I've seen on the Internet of people having wiring problems with SE guitars, and it certainly calls into question the supposedly famous PRS QC. However, in spite of these problems, I still think these are some of the best guitars I've owned and plan to get a couple more. But I do feel sorry for people who have these kinds of problems and aren't able to sort them out for themselves.

Just a few thoughts. I certainly don't mean to bash PRS and hope most people are enjoying their SE guitars without any problems. But maybe PRS should have a closer look at the wiring department in their Indonesian factory.

 

[Longneck Tenon]

I'm a new SE owner with a Silver Sky, a 594 and a DGT. First let me say that I love all 3 guitars and the DGT has become my #1 since I got it. They are truly amazing guitars for the price. But I have had a few issues.

The Silver Sky had a loose nut that was off center by a few millimeters. It was an easy fix though. A friend of mine who has the same 3 guitars is having trouble with the switch on his Silver Sky. Hopefully a cleaning will take care of it, but it is a brand new guitar.

When I got the 594 it hummed like crazy. Far worse than any single coil guitar I have. It was completely unusable for recording, and I was not able to track down any reason for it. I should point out that I'm an electronics technician so I'm no stranger to wiring problems. I ended replacing the pickups and all the wiring and now it sounds amazing. My friend who also has a 594 decided to replace his pickups and when he took out the old ones, instead of 594 pickups there were DGT pickups. They work fine but they weren't 594 pickups.

And finally, when I got my DGT, the volume pots weren't working correctly, so I had a look inside and found that they had been wired incorrectly. Instead of the pickups being wired to the top of the pots, they were wired to the wipers. Again, an easy fix, but you have to wonder how that got by QC.

Add these things to stories I've seen on the Internet of people having wiring problems with SE guitars, and it certainly calls into question the supposedly famous PRS QC. However, in spite of these problems, I still think these are some of the best guitars I've owned and plan to get a couple more. But I do feel sorry for people who have these kinds of problems and aren't able to sort them out for themselves.

Just a few thoughts. I certainly don't mean to bash PRS and hope most people are enjoying their SE guitars without any problems. But maybe PRS should have a closer look at the wiring department in their Indonesian factory.

I was talking to my PRS dealer the other day about this. He is seeing a lot of variation in neck size on recent SE Silver Sky’s. It seems like the push to meet recent demand may be causing quality control issues.

 

[Greg_SEcustom24-08]

I just bought an SE and returned it after noticing that the bridge pickup wasn't splitting coils, but only staying as single coil. The store I bought it from determined that it was a wiring problem with the pot and offered to repair it. I didn't want a new guitar that needed repair so I returned it and ordered a different model. Hope it was a one off.

 

[tdroid]

I was talking to my PRS dealer the other day about this. He is seeing a lot of variation in neck size on recent SE Silver Sky’s. It seems like the push to meet recent demand may be causing quality control issues.

Aren't they having trouble getting rid of everything, thus the 20% off SE sale that's going to continue until the end of the year?

 

[SinSir]

Aren't they having trouble getting rid of everything, thus the 20% off SE sale that's going to continue until the end of the year?

Yes, over demand isn't the issue. More than likely they ramped up production to meet the backlog, supply issues, and temporary demand curve during covid. Now time to get rid of surplus in a weak economy.

 

[Longneck Tenon]

Yes, over demand isn't the issue. More than likely they ramped up production to meet the backlog, supply issues, and temporary demand curve during covid. Now time to get rid of surplus in a weak economy.

Timing is everything.

 

[Lewguitar]

I was talking to my PRS dealer the other day about this. He is seeing a lot of variation in neck size on recent SE Silver Sky’s. It seems like the push to meet recent demand may be causing quality control issues.

Why, if they are all cut by a CNC machine, would there be any variation? Final hand sanding wouldn't remove much wood or seriously change the neck shape.

So if there's variation why is it occurring? Just guitars from different years or from the same year?

My two SE Silver Skys are from the first year and have identical necks.

 

[jak3af3r]

Why, if they are all cut by a CNC machine, would there be any variation? .

Actually yes. As the cutting tool in the machine ages, it loses begins to underperform which can result in making parts out of tolerance.

 

[Lewguitar]

Actually yes. As the cutting tool in the machine ages, it loses begins to underperform which can result in making parts out of tolerance.

So assuming there actually is a real variation, you think the variation is due to tools and templates wearing out?

Well...tools do wear out. And they're cranking out those SE's in high numbers.

SE's are a very well made entry level, student guitar, but I don't expect CORE quality and a perfect set up.

They can be made to play almost perfectly but you have ;earn to do it yourself.

Not directing that at anyone in particular, but I sometimes wonder about the age and experience of some posters who seem to not realize that it's rare for a guitar to play perfectly right out of the box.

Manufacturers have always depended on the dealer to do the final tweaks and set up...and that's never gone perfectly.

In 2023 we know more about how to set up our guitars ourselves and have access to tools which didn't exist for us in the 60's.

Brand new Gibsons and Fenders didn't play perfectly in the 50's and 60's and 70's right out of the box or off of the wall either.

I used to spend hours and days getting a new one set up the way I wanted it. There were some lemons too!

 

[jak3af3r]

So assuming there actually is a real variation, you think the variation is due to tools and templates wearing out?

It's difficult to say to what degree this may affect the final product. Me experience in machining (limited as it was) was that things strat to get really wonky when the tools start wearing. Granted, that was all metalworking with tolerances in the micron level but the principle still stands.

Not directing that at anyone in particular, but I sometimes wonder about the age and experience of some posters who seem to not realize that it's rare for a guitar to play perfectly right out of the box.

I often wonder the same thing but being on the much younger end of the age spectrum around here, I tend to think it's more experiential. The last actually new guitar I bought was the best of 7 Guitar Center had and I still had to do leveling and recrowning of a few frets before it was better.

 

[Longneck Tenon]

Why, if they are all cut by a CNC machine, would there be any variation? Final hand sanding wouldn't remove much wood or seriously change the neck shape.

So if there's variation why is it occurring? Just guitars from different years or from the same year?

My two SE Silver Skys are from the first year and have identical necks.

They seem to primarily from the newest maple neck series.

 

[Lewguitar]

Excellent book! You can find it on eBay or Amazon for as little as $10 altho $25 is the norm for a new one.

Don't freak out if you're guitar is less than perfect. Instead, learn how to adjust, fix it and smooth over those rough spots.

https://imgur.com/IH3bwxx

 

[SinSir]

They seem to primarily from the newest maple neck series.

I'd agree. The latest seSS QC has not been good, especially fret work. The maple seems worse than rosewood, but might be a percentage played thing. One I played had worse fret sprout than the mini guitars I was looking at for our daughter for Christmas. I was shocked, definitely not the PRS standard I've come to know. The se594 QC and overall quality comes in second in disappointment, that's been all over the board. Now the seSAS and DGT have been excellent. Go figure. Not sure why, maybe a training curve of whoever is working on the lines? Maybe popularity and sheer number being made? All assumptions on my end.

I'm sure PRS will sort things out. They pride themselves in quality and are known for it.

 

[dogrocketp]

Aren't they having trouble getting rid of everything, thus the 20% off SE sale that's going to continue until the end of the year?

A lot of guitars sat on boats in harbors waiting to be unloaded during Covid. Some of those are models being currently sold, That would account for some of the backlog of guitars. Every guitar maker that sells imports has more than they should. Fender is bypassing dealers and selling direct at discounts that they didn’t give to dealers. Dealers are left with inventory that they paid full price for, knowing Fender will undercut them. PRS gets kudos for working with the dealers to give us low prices. Remember, it takes a long time to ramp production up or down. New models are planned years in advance, and dealers would like to have inventory when a new model is announced. It’s time for inventory correction, and we are the winners.

 

[nicolasrivera]

It's unfortunate that PRS is having serious issues with its QC on the SE line, focusing on too many SE model offers is taking a toll.

The SE Line its known for above average QC in that price segment, if they drop the ball on that its going to be a hard recover. My 2C

 

[Birdsofprey]

^ wasn’t as much if any of an issue when they were made in S. Korea. And the qc issue is not just with PRS it’s across all the brands that manufacture there. Don’t believe me check out other makes from there.

 

[nicolasrivera]

^ wasn’t as much if any of an issue when they were made in S. Korea. And the qc issue is not just with PRS it’s across all the brands that manufacture there. Don’t believe me check out other makes from there.

Well, ok. Put PRS has put out plenty of videos stating how they are involve closely to the SE line and QC.

 

[Birdsofprey]

Videos are only as good as the product they put out to the customers.

 

[tdroid]

Videos are only as good as the product they put out to the customers.

My Chinese SE Hollowbody is the highest quality non-U.S. guitar I own, by a long shot (Indonesiand and Chinese Epiphones, Mexican Fender, Indonesian Squier)

 

[SinSir]

Well, ok. Put PRS has put out plenty of videos stating how they are involve closely to the SE line and QC.

We've seen the videos and logic says Indonesia would be better, but my experience has shown I too prefer the Koreans overall.