dogrocketp
I drank the PRS kool aid, and it was tasty!
Did the same thing to my SE Singlecut. Are you using locking studs?
Something Awesome has arrived!
- Thread starter Egads
- Start date
Egads
One, Two, THIRTEEN!
No...not yet. This is the first time I've pulled the stoptail off. I'll be replacing the studs sometime soon. There is quite a bit of movement.
I replaced the nut and bridge just now. I'm letting the nut set, and I'll get some play time tomorrow. The nut ended up taking a fair bit of work, and the core nut is a hair narrower at the shoulders than the stock SE nut. We'll see. I may go with a different nut...when I replace the studs.
Here are a couple shots of the bridges. I'll try to get a couple glamour shots of the guitar tomorrow.
Core nut and bridge
<--Core SE-->
<--SE Core-->
Core
Core
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Egads
One, Two, THIRTEEN!
No time for photos today.
I've got a problem: the change in tone with the new bridge and nut is insane. I expected a slight improvement, one of those "it rings a little more" changes that others wouldn't notice. It is night and day. I cannot believe how much more alive the guitar sounds AND feels. It's much louder, acoustically, and is significantly brighter (Hans, I know what you mean about the volume pot change being needed!).
The guitar has stepped up significantly. So, the problem? After updating the bridge and nut, I realized the tuners kinda feel like the weak link now. I already mentioned the the volume pot needs to be changed. I might as well experiment with the pup while I'm in there.
I was fairly blissfully unaware how much better this guitar could get. D@mn it!
I'll post photos tomorrow... hopefully.
I've got a problem: the change in tone with the new bridge and nut is insane. I expected a slight improvement, one of those "it rings a little more" changes that others wouldn't notice. It is night and day. I cannot believe how much more alive the guitar sounds AND feels. It's much louder, acoustically, and is significantly brighter (Hans, I know what you mean about the volume pot change being needed!).
The guitar has stepped up significantly. So, the problem? After updating the bridge and nut, I realized the tuners kinda feel like the weak link now. I already mentioned the the volume pot needs to be changed. I might as well experiment with the pup while I'm in there.
I was fairly blissfully unaware how much better this guitar could get. D@mn it!
I'll post photos tomorrow... hopefully.
Egads
One, Two, THIRTEEN!
I'm still playing around with the setup. The treble side is a little low for slide, but it plays so well. I know a couple things I didn't: the nut and bridge make an even bigger change/improvement than I could have imagined (the SE nut and bridge robbed a lot of the highs, resonance, and airiness), the tuners need to be updated now, and I'm NOT going to convert this to a two pickup guitar (at least until the S2 ONE gets introduced).
Thanks again Hans, and everyone cheering me on with this. This is the "cheapest" guitar I own, but it sounds and plays like a big boy now.
You can see the very slight overhang of the fretboard shoulder compared to the nut edges:
Thanks again Hans, and everyone cheering me on with this. This is the "cheapest" guitar I own, but it sounds and plays like a big boy now.
You can see the very slight overhang of the fretboard shoulder compared to the nut edges:
bodia
Authorities said.....best leave it.....unsolved
Hot!I'm still playing around with the setup. The treble side is a little low for slide, but it plays so well. I know a couple things I didn't: the nut and bridge make an even bigger change/improvement than I could have imagined (the SE nut and bridge robbed a lot of the highs, resonance, and airiness), the tuners need to be updated now, and I'm NOT going to convert this to a two pickup guitar (at least until the S2 ONE gets introduced).
Thanks again Hans, and everyone cheering me on with this. This is the "cheapest" guitar I own, but it sounds and plays like a big boy now.
You can see the very slight overhang of the fretboard shoulder compared to the nut edges:
merciful-evans
Portsmouth uk
Wow!
As a former M/C shop engineer, I recognised the cutter tracks of milled alloy (looks like aluminium). The bridge was therefore machined from solid. Probably from rectangular bar. That is an expensive process. We build aircraft that way.
The original is a casting. Material? Not a clue.
Very interesting to hear about those tonal differences.
As a former M/C shop engineer, I recognised the cutter tracks of milled alloy (looks like aluminium). The bridge was therefore machined from solid. Probably from rectangular bar. That is an expensive process. We build aircraft that way.
The original is a casting. Material? Not a clue.
Very interesting to hear about those tonal differences.
Alnus Rubra
Loving nature’s wonders
Wow!
As a former M/C shop engineer, I recognised the cutter tracks of milled alloy (looks like aluminium). The bridge was therefore machined from solid. Probably from rectangular bar. That is an expensive process. We build aircraft that way.
The original is a casting. Material? Not a clue.
Very interesting to hear about those tonal differences.
If the original is the same as my SE 245 then they appear to be some kind of alloy (maybe aluminium).
I’m making a guess from the weight and the metallic ring when I dropped it during re-stringing. The bridge that is, not the guitar.
merciful-evans
Portsmouth uk
Yes if its very light its probably aluminium, but its not naked. It may be plated or anodised. Also, unlike the new bridge, it likely doesnt conform to a material control spec. That may not be important, but consistency is achieved by nailing all those details down.
Alnus Rubra
Loving nature’s wonders
I’m certainly impressed with the tonality from my SE and I guessing the bridge has something to do with that!
Wakester
Re Member
I read somewhere, that the SE bridges were cast pot metal (zinc) then plated. The US bridges are machined aluminum, then chrome plated.
sergiodeblanc
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2012
- Messages
- 27,382
It’s funny, I’ve got a small pile of stoptail bridges ( also because of @]-[@n$0Ma☩!© ) and they’re just like the trems to where some of them sound “better” than others on different guitars.
Like, my SE Soapbar (for me) totally needs the SE version. I’ve tried changing it a few times to a US one and it loses some of its magic.
Like, my SE Soapbar (for me) totally needs the SE version. I’ve tried changing it a few times to a US one and it loses some of its magic.
dogrocketp
I drank the PRS kool aid, and it was tasty!
If the posts are loose, try a couple of winds of Teflon plumbers tape on them. I’m all about the Schroeder locking studs on my stoptails.
Egads
One, Two, THIRTEEN!
Very curious! Do you have locking tuners on the soapbar (I know, stupid question, as I assume it's got wings, but wants to double check)? If so, swap through that pile of stoptail and see if there is a difference between multiples of the same country of origin. It's not like you have anything else to occupy your time.
I'll play around with the posts next time I change strings. I wonder about the plumber's tape muting some of the vibration transfer. I'll check it out.
Alnus Rubra
Loving nature’s wonders
Whatever it’s made of, it had a high ringing tone when I dropped it, almost melodic. I’m assuming that this wouldn’t hurt the resonance and musicality of the guitar.
The sum of the parts of my SE 245 is pretty impressive, considering it’s market price. Not that that really comes into because it was/is an amazing gift.
merciful-evans
Portsmouth uk
It's funny, but some guitars I will experiment with while others I will never touch. Could those be improved? Anythings possible, but I really like the way they sound now, and I value that.
