SE Tuning Instability

[BeautyOfTheBirds]

Hi Craig,

I own a 2019 SE Custom 24 with roasted maple neck.
I recently changed the nut to the Core one. Just needed minor sanding to match the same height.
Was an easy installment and fixed the tuning issues.

 

[Craig Clark]

Thanks Hepsen, I will order one of the Core nuts and get my guitar tech to fit and sort this out. Glad that it sorted out the tuning issues for you

 

[BeautyOfTheBirds]

You're welcome.

Holding both nuts side by side shows that the SE nut is much thicker slotted. Nevertheless I had problems with .10s running smoothly through the slots. The core nut has much more precise slots and I have no issues with .10s. I assume. 09s would be as good.

No I have to solve my pickup 'issues'

 

[billiardballhead]

I recently bought a custom 24 se which came out of the Korean factory. Out of the box I could tell that something was slightly off and tuning stability was an issue. I took the guitar to my guitar tech, who has also been building his own brand of guitar for 30 years. After taking a few measurements, he was amazed at the quality of this instrument for the price point, but said a few adjustments were needed. All the frets were good but the nut height was a bit high, the intonation was slightly out, the action was adjusted to suit my playing style and, as I don't use the tremolo, he suggested blocking the trem so that only a foward motion was possible. 3 hrs later, the guitar was perfect. Totally stable now, great to play and blocking the trem has created more sustain. I'd strongly suggest getting a decent guitar tech to do a complete set up.

 

[Robert Larson]

Hey everyone,

I've got two SE's. An SE Custom 24, and an SE Mark Holcomb. I find that with both, the tuning is so unstable, playing a few notes can throw it out. Only slightly at first, but a bend will generally mess it up a fair bit.
With the Custom, I installed locking tuners, but still get the issue. Next step is to change the nut.
With the Mark Holcomb, i've had the nut changed, but the tuners are still the same.
Is there anything else I can do?
Also I can never set the intonation right, no matter the adjustment with the saddles.
What's a guy to do?

I also have an SE Custom 24 that I ended up tightening the springs and doing away with the term arm so I can have a guitar!

 

[Guy_OBX_NC]

Brand new PRS owner here, like only 8 days.....I was having prob with staying in tune, stretched the strings really good by hand, it worked for me.

 

[Boogie]

Brand new PRS owner here, like only 8 days.....I was having prob with staying in tune, stretched the strings really good by hand, it worked for me.

That’s always job #1 after a new set of strings. If you overlook this step, you’re screwed.

 

[Supbowl#40]

Hey everyone,

I've got two SE's. An SE Custom 24, and an SE Mark Holcomb. I find that with both, the tuning is so unstable, playing a few notes can throw it out. Only slightly at first, but a bend will generally mess it up a fair bit.
With the Custom, I installed locking tuners, but still get the issue. Next step is to change the nut.
With the Mark Holcomb, i've had the nut changed, but the tuners are still the same.
Is there anything else I can do?
Also I can never set the intonation right, no matter the adjustment with the saddles.
What's a guy to do?

Hello I have the same problem with my SE Custom and my 245, both get out of tune really easily, and if I use the trem is even worse, I bought an original PRS locking tuners of the CE series and got installed but it did nothing to the stability, so I just bought a Black Tusq XL of this wont work it would be the greatest dissapointment ever, any advice?
Thanks from México!

 

[Supbowl#40]

Ok, I get it, thanks!

 

[Supbowl#40]

Hello I have the same problem with my SE Custom and my 245, both get out of tune really easily, and if I use the trem is even worse, I bought an original PRS locking tuners of the CE series and got installed but it did nothing to the stability, so I just bought a Black Tusq XL if this wont work it would be the greatest dissapointment ever, any advice?
Thanks from México!

 

[Supbowl#40]

An improper setup can also cause tuning stability issues. Be sure that tremolo bridge is setup correctly so the break-away angle on the saddle is within range. Other than that, sounds like you're on the right track. Tuning issues generally reside between the tuners, nut, and bridge. Sometimes, although rarely, dramatic truss rod variances can affect tuning stability.

A proper setup, new nut, and locking tuners should fully remedy your current issues.

I am about to change the nut, and I have an original PRS CE series locking tuners, but my "luthier" removed them from the guitar because they were higher than the originals and caused problems, I am little sckeptic about that, bug so far imy PRS Custom SE 22 is really a dissapointment!

 

[Antmax]

SE's with nuts often have the slots way too tight. On my Zach Myers even the stock 9's that came with the guitar would catch in the slots. If I loosened the strings and try to lift them out of the nut I could see them catching. I put a graphtec nut on originally, currently have a tone ninja nut on it. I bought a second SE, but that is a CU24 Floyd rose, so it doesn't have a traditional nut so I avoided the problem altogether that time.

 

[Supbowl#40]

Thanks, I am really hoping the Black Tusq XL nut help

 

[Acnestes]

There is just something about the nuts on SE's that makes them really grabby, probably the material. While you're w aiting for the new one it makes a big difference if you widen the slots a hair, followed by a liberal dose of graphite.
If you've got the cash, consider upgrading the vibrato to a John Mann, which may help as well. It will take the tone to the next level in any case!

 

[Antmax]

Be really careful taking the old nut off. Instead of maybe 1 or two drops of superglue the SE's often seem to have the base of the entire nut slathered in it. Removing the old one can be difficult and a lot of people have had thin slathers of wood tear off of the nut shelf when they do it.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Maybe warm it up a little with a hairdryer and the adhesive might be a little more forgiving.

 

[Supbowl#40]

There is just something about the nuts on SE's that makes them really grabby, probably the material. While you're w aiting for the new one it makes a big difference if you widen the slots a hair, followed by a liberal dose of graphite.
If you've got the cash, consider upgrading the vibrato to a John Mann, which may help as well. It will take the tone to the next level in any case!

Its magic...I just installed the black tusq xl and it stays in tune even with trem abuse, I couldn't be happier, thanks hou all a lot for your advice.
Now I just hace one more question, I own a PRS 245 and I want to change the nut, but its white, would it work the same number? PQ-6643-00, the one I installed in my SE 22 model is the PT-6643-00
Again, thanks a lot!

 

[ArtisanLuthiers]

Be really careful taking the old nut off. Instead of maybe 1 or two drops of superglue the SE's often seem to have the base of the entire nut slathered in it. Removing the old one can be difficult and a lot of people have had thin slathers of wood tear off of the nut shelf when they do it.

Removing a nut is not difficult. But BE CAREFUL with everything you do!
First, carefully and go easy running a new razor blade several times at the thin joint where the nut meets the fretboard. This is to assure it's not stuck to the fretboard and will come out cleanly.
Second, put a center-punch against the side of the nut, give it an easy tap with a tack hammer. The nut should pop out with no problem.
Third, lightly sand the bottom of the nut to clean it (not to take off material!) before you glue it in place.

*** SuperGlue has great tensile strength but is not so strong against a shearing force. ***

I'll skip comments on fitment, nut height, filing nut slots, etc.

 

[coldradio]

I've had my new SE custom 24 since July. I play it every single day and have put new strings on it 3 times (9's) Every single time I pick up the guitar it is out of tune. I was really looking forward to the alleged tuning stability from PRS, but I guess that's only a feature on guitars that cost over 4 grand. I've owned a Squier Bullet that holds tune better than this donkey. Before it gets mentioned....

1. Never use the trem.
2. Set up seems fine to me. Plays great for the 5 minutes it's in tune. Shouldn't the setup be right since they are 100% inspected stateside anyway?
3. Yes, I know how to re-string a guitar. This is not my problem. The guitar is unstable.
4. No, I'm not interested in putting 100 bucks into buying new locking SE tuners. For $800 bucks, the damn thing should hold tune longer than 5 minutes with the stock tuners.
5. If the nut sucks, then why is PRS still using it?
6. Never leaves the basement for gigs since it can't hold tune so don't blame temp swings....
7. All of the strings require re-tune...it's not just one.

Can someone make a case for why I should pay a tech upwards of a few hundred to fix something that should be right? I'm about *this* far away from selling this donkey and buying something that's worth the money.

 

[Antmax]

The nuts on SE's are notorious for being tight. I had the same problem on a Zach Myers which is a hardtail and doesn't have a trem. Try loosening the strings and see if they pull out of the nut easily. Mine would catch in them. The slots were too deep to begin with, and when combined with too tight they had too much friction so the guitar wouldn't stay in tune from one song to the next..

I tried the Graphtec and ToneNinja nuts. Both worked fine and fixed the problem. Graphtec is a bit brighter, Tone Ninja a bit warmer. The ToneNinja nut has a better fit and finish but is made of Delrin which is softer and sounds more mellow.

My second SE, a CU24 has a Floyd Rose and no problems.