SE Silver Sky Not Sustaining Right

[MarcWink]

Okay gang, I've had my SE Silver Sky Maple for a week now, and I really dig the guitar. It has opened up my playing a bit because of how different it feels and sounds as compared to my other guitars. That being said, today, after having a string break on me, I restrung the guitar and took the opportunity to also float the bridge which is my preference for a trem guitar. All is well except for the third string on the twelfth through fourteenth frets. When I hit it and do a wide-ish vibrato, the not dies pretty quickly especially compared to the rest of the strings. Any thoughts as to whether I can make a setup tweak to rectify this, or do I need to get an RMA from Sweetwater?

Quick edit, the notes die off on the third string from 12 up the rest of the way, even without vibrato.

 

[John F]

SS come with the tremolo sitting on the body to improve tone and sustain per John Mayer’s wishes. Floating the bridge is a not so simple adjustment.

Too many things need to be adjusted to correct this problem, sounds like your SS needs a full setup since you floated the trem. This consists of possibly a tremolo pivot screw height adjustment, setting string height at the saddles, truss rod adjustment, intonation adjustment, and the neck may need a shim installed. Unless you watch some YouTube how-to videos, don’t touch the trem pivot screws as damage can occur.

You also have to have the necessary tools and know-how to do this task. I suggest you take it to a tech for a setup. Sweetwater will take it back, but you will have the same problems attempting to float the bridge yourself with a replacement guitar.

 

[MarcWink]

Sounds like a major PITA. Looks like it's off to my guy for a full setup. I'll have him throw on some Silver Sky Locking tuners while it's with him.

 

[Birdsofprey]

The problem is with the nut, not a major issue any competent luthier can fix/replace it. Just a question did you change string gauge when you changed the strings?

 

[MarcWink]

The problem is with the nut, not a major issue any competent luthier can fix/replace it. Just a question did you change string gauge when you changed the strings?

Same exact string gauge and tuning.

 

[dsenoj]

In case you haven't already seen this, here's a video from PRS on how to float the Silver Sky trem:

 

[shinksma]

the notes die off on the third string from 12 up the rest of the way, even without vibrato.

The problem is with the nut, not a major issue any competent luthier can fix/replace it. Just a question did you change string gauge when you changed the strings?

If the notes are "dying" from the 12th fret up, the nut has nothing to do with it.

More than likely in floating the bridge it has tweaked string height "just enough" to lower that string down. The other strings may also be sitting a bit lower, but aren't fretting out.

Adjust the individual saddle for the string to raise it and see if that helps - loosen the string first, of course.

 

[shinksma]

SS come with the tremolo sitting on the body to improve tone and sustain per John Mayer’s wishes. Floating the bridge is a not so simple adjustment.

Actually, there is a way to float the bridge fairly easily if you just want a subtle float (vs being able to pull up 1.5 steps), because I did this on my US-made Silver Sky: remove a trem spring, or maybe loosen the claw screws - that will allow the strings to pull the bridge up off the body a tiny bit as if you were lightly pressing on the trem, and then adjust intonation to correct for the saddle point which is now "leaning" forward a bit. String height may also need to be adjusted (see my previous post) - I didn't have to tweak mine, but necks are different radii, so US set up is different from SE, etc.

 

[RC Mike]

Send it back. That’s a dead spot on the neck. Happens sometimes. I have a Mira like that. G string, 12th fret. You might be able to move it up or down by adding some mass to the headstock, but it’s not a setup issue. It’s a wood issue.

 

[deepender]

Send it back. That’s a dead spot on the neck. Happens sometimes. I have a Mira like that. G string, 12th fret. You might be able to move it up or down by adding some mass to the headstock, but it’s not a setup issue. It’s a wood issue.

If you hadn’t mentioned that, I was going to. I play bass mostly, and that is an issue that occurs on a lot of basses, and sadly on many guitars. I’ve owned several of both that have sung out beautifully all over the fretboard, but would have 2 or 3 frets on one string that would die early. On a bass, you can often feel the body absorbing the vibration as the note dies. If I love the instrument, I just avoid those frets if the note must sustain. If I find the instrument is just meh, away it goes. (Not so often - I tend to bond quickly) I’ve heard of people adding weights or altering the bodies or headstocks to counter the problem, but I could never do that, except for my first guitar. Hollow body ‘69 Gibson that I modded. I installed hardwood pegs under the bridge screws connecting the top and back at those two points. It worked, and didn’t change the appearance at all.

 

[shinksma]

Send it back. That’s a dead spot on the neck. Happens sometimes. I have a Mira like that. G string, 12th fret. You might be able to move it up or down by adding some mass to the headstock, but it’s not a setup issue. It’s a wood issue.

The OP implied (or I inferred) that the guitar played fine prior to changing the trem set-up to become floating.

Assuming that is true, then if the OP resets to a "decked" (not really) trem factory set-up, the problem should disappear.

But we need more info from the OP.

 

[MarcWink]

Before dropping the coin for a full setup, I pulled the strings and re decked the bridge and set the action to factory spec. Still have the same issue above the 12th fret. I'm assuming it was doing this from go, but I was sticking mainly in cowboy chord territory when I first got the guitar.

 

[shinksma]

Before dropping the coin for a full setup, I pulled the strings and re decked the bridge and set the action to factory spec. Still have the same issue above the 12th fret. I'm assuming it was doing this from go, but I was sticking mainly in cowboy chord territory when I first got the guitar.

Are you able to check the fret levels on those frets for that string? It only takes one bum fret - a little bump where that string rides and it frets out.

EDIT: to ramble further: to have notes from a single string "die out" for a large range of frets (12th and up) is odd. Does the note die out on the 22nd fret, where it should be just open air between the fret and the bridge? Is it consistent regardless of which pickup you select?

 

[Birdsofprey]

^ Yeah I jumped the gun on the nut. (Seems like that’s the answer 9/10 times lol). But agree if the item you changed, changed the guitar to the bad change it back. I do like a little float on an SSS style guitar. Cheers

 

[MarcWink]

Well, this is getting RMA'd to Sweetwater with a replacement inbound. First stop for the replacement will be my local luthier so that he can clean up any sharp fret ends and get the bridge floated.

 

[shinksma]

Well, this is getting RMA'd to Sweetwater with a replacement inbound. First stop for the replacement will be my local luthier so that he can clean up any sharp fret ends and get the bridge floated.

Sounds like the best solution. I do hope Sweetwater can figure out what's wonky, and fix it (the important bit) before selling it off as Demo or B-stock, and if not fixable, send it back to PRS for refund.

 

[MarcWink]

I can honestly say that this is the first time EVER that I've had a guitar from PRS that wasn't 100% right from go. Having said that, this is also my only experience up to now with an SE line guitar.

 

[MarcWink]

Per FedEx, the replacement guitar ought to show up tomorrow morning some time.

 

[Rod/]

In case you haven't already seen this, here's a video from PRS on how to float the Silver Sky trem:

Great video to properly adjust the SS trem from flat to floating. You can do it yourself. Take your time

 

[MarcWink]

Well, the replacement SE Silver Sky Maple is here. I went string by string from open to 22nd and I can positively say that these guitars are leaving the factory in definite sub par condition on the QC end. I'm immensely disappointed in PRS QC for this. This is the second one that has come with a dead spot, albeit at a different spot, this time on the fourth string around the 16th fret an razor sharp fret ends. I'm going to keep this one and just eat the cost of getting it set up properly. That said, it's a sad state of affairs. It seems to me that QC on the SE Silver Sky Maple is on par with the shitty QC that I've experienced with USA Gibson guitars in the past. Very disappointed