Set up help

[Polar]

hello everyone,

I am after some help, I can’t get my new prs to sound nice, main problem is around 1st and 2nd frets, b string and g.
Sounds mushy and unclean, like string isn’t being pressed hard enough. Playing an open d chord just sounds horrible.
Had the truss Rod adjusted by a prs dealer here. But sounds the same.
So I’m looking for advice.
1. Could it just be my strings? Currently fitted with prs strings it arrived with in November
2. Does anyone have any set up ideas that it could be
3. Last one is a long shot, but looking for a shop/person with prs experience in Sydney area (australia)
Thanks for you time

 

[Tone-y]

Can you tell us a bit more about your guitar? What model is it/pickups etc.
Can't think of anything obvious that would cause a mushy sound around the 1st and 2nd frets apart from fret buzzing or old dead strings. Though you say new, is this just new to you? Is it a really old guitar that hasn't been used in years? Could it need a fret polish/dress? Is the neck really straight, or even over into convex bend? You do say it's had a truss rod adjust though so it shouldn't be that. If you look down the neck from the headstock end is there a slight concave bow?
A fresh set of strings is probably the first port of call though.

 

[Polar]

Hi
Guitar is a new 2018 Santana se (arrived here to Australia in November)
Everything is standard.
Sound is fine done the length of the guitar, sounds fine to my ears. It’s just the first few frets.
Neck looks fine to me, just about straight.
I have tried different amps so I know it’s not that.
It’s my first electric ever so at first I thought it was me, but no matter what I do the sound is the same on those frets. Really notice on single notes or on d chords,
I have no idea on what do now

 

[Tone-y]

Ah so when you say the strings are from November, it hasn't been played since November.
Still can't think of anything particular to check. If you were saying it was only the open strings, I could suggest it was the cut of the nut, but this shouldn't have any effect once you start fretting notes. If you were saying it was happening down the neck from about the 12th fret onward, I'd suggest that the pickups may be a little too high and close to the strings, but you shouldn't notice this only around the headstock end.
So all that's left that I can think of is too straight a neck/frets too high at that spot.
But also don't discount some old nasty strings. Put some new ones on first and see what that does

 

[Axis39]

Strings from November? If they are the strings that were on the guitar when it was new, are they really from November?

Are you playing it very often? On guitars I play all the time, I cannot get round wound strings to last that long.

I also have a '17 SE Santana, that I bought used, about November. Unfortunately, it's been in storage for a few months (I made a big move and haven't settled yet). But, the first thing I do to any guitar I buy is change strings.

Strings are cheap, put on a new set and see if that fixes it before getting too worried about other stuff.

 

[Guitpicky]

My first semi educated wild ass guess would be an improperly cut nut. Maybe the same PRS dealer can check it for you. Change the strings just because, but I don't think that's it because the problem is isolated to the frets closest to the nut

Normally I'd charge two cents for that, but this one's on me

 

[Antmax]

could the nut be cut too low so the strings vibrate against the first couple of frets?

Most SE's don't come with the best cut nut, they usually pinch the string and won't let you go up a size without fixing the slots first. Most experienced players tend to fix or replace the nut on SE's almost as soon as they get the guitar.

When press the third fret you should be able to slide a standard business card under the 1st fret and have it just touch. There should at least be a tiny gap, even if it's a piece of copy paper folded in half.

 

[Wakester]

I would agree with the nut theory. I had the same issue when I switched to a brass nut on one of my guitars. I had to file down the bottom of the nut several times before it went away. I then switched to a graphtech nut, and everything was perfect.

So, with that being said, either replace the nut, or have a luthier check it out and maybe file the slots out for you.

 

[Polar]

Thanks everyone for your input and advice, I will change strings and find someone to look into the nut issue