Took me some time to figure this out

[Iceman101]

Well yesterday I got this SE Hollowbody II. Workmanship is flawless and plays and sounds great, but that's not what this thread is about.
After some playtime I noticed that I somehow felt an unfamiliar difference in the stringtension compared to my other PRS's.
At first I couldn't figure it out. I was more strat-like tension or feel than PRS-like. Not bad in any way but strange nonetheless. I took a couple of other PRS's for a spin to compare and yes there was a difference but still no clue. Bone nut? Smaller frets? Didn't make any sense because that shouldn't affect the tension.
After some more playing I suddenly noticed something strange about the headstock. It looked bigger than I am used to. Just to make sure I compared it to a couple of others, and yes it is larger. The tuners are also moved further away from the nut. So the stringtravel from the nut to the tuner is longer and the breakingangle behind the nut is is somewhat different. I'm pretty sure that causes the different feel. So if anybody wonders why this could be the answer Problem solved, so now I can get back to re-learn Deacon Blues

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Interesting. You know, I was wondering about that but wasn’t sure if it was just an optical illusion.

 

[bodia]

Good sleuthing!

 

[Iceman101]

Interesting. You know, I was wondering about that but wasn’t sure if it was just an optical illusion.

I could kick myself for not noticing this right away. It's not my first PRS after all

 

[László]

Interesting!

 

[veinbuster]

It is an interesting observation. The physics part of it doesn’t quite add up to me because the string tension at any particular tuning is a function of the thickness of the string and the distance between the nut and the bridge.

But if guitars were all about physics, any monkey could make one as nice as a PRS.

 

[Iceman101]

It is an interesting observation. The physics part of it doesn’t quite add up to me because the string tension at any particular tuning is a function of the thickness of the string and the distance between the nut and the bridge.

But if guitars were all about physics, any monkey could make one as nice as a PRS.

As far as I can see it's the same difference as if you compare the stiffnes or tension of the strings on a reversed strat headstock to a non reversed (low and high E). I could be completely wrong though

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I could kick myself for not noticing this right away. It's not my first PRS after all

Yeah! I thought it looked bigger from the videos, but since the horns are all bulbous I thought that was throwing me off visually... I mean, I suppose I should trust my eyes considering how much of my life is spent looking at PRS.

 

[Mozzi]

Maybe its to balance out the the slightly larger body too....

 

[Frank McNerney]

I noticed this as soon as I put it next to my other Prs. I mean the size. I haven’t noticed the string tension difference

Why the bigger head is interesting. ? I don’t have a clue myself. Mozzi suggested to balance out the larger body. Aesthetically? Any other ideas ?

 

[Iceman101]

I noticed this as soon as I put it next to my other Prs. I mean the size. I haven’t noticed the string tension difference

Why the bigger head is interesting. ? I don’t have a clue myself. Mozzi suggested to balance out the larger body. Aesthetically? Any other ideas ?

My guess, just aesthetics,. The only one who knows the real answer would be Shawn

 

[Bill SAS 513]

OK, thankfully, I'm not the only TOTAL geek about this stuff...I love this crap...thanks for sleuthing it for us.
So, does the angle off the nut to the tuners appear different than your other PRSi???

Side note: I did some research about this stuff a while ago when I saw
Joe Perry with the Strat with reversed headstock, lengthening his low E string beyond the nut.
Interesting concept.
Not sure if that's why PRS does it, but neat.

 

[dogrocketp]

I also noticed the larger headstock, but I don’t know how or why the decision was made. I do notice that these have incredible sustain when compared to my other full hollowbodies, which are larger and deeper. My piezo (and the standard on eBay) have all the throatiness of a big box, but with the sustain of a semi-hollow. I would strongly recommend you try one if you want new sounds for your musical toolbox. It’ll be a love it or hate it kind of thing. And they make them in blue.......

 

[Iceman101]

So to show the different headstock of the Hollowbody and the different string angle.
I want to add 2 things the Lord of the Wings mentioned in some other threads.
First, you may notice that the collar of the wings makes the strings go in a ever so slightly more straight line. (eagle eye mr Deblanc )
Second, he also mentioned a tigther string tension on the Bigsby SE. There's more lenght of string from tuner to the Bigsby, which may or may not change the stringtension.

 

[DISTORT6]

Lord of the Wings...

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I also noticed the larger headstock, but I don’t know how or why the decision was made. I do notice that these have incredible sustaiN when compared to my other full hollowbodies, which are larger and deeper. My piezo (and the standard on eBay) have all the throatiness of a big box, but with the sustain of a semi-hollow. I would strongly recommend you try one if you want new sounds for your musical toolbox. It’ll be a love it or hate it kind of thing. And they make them in blue.......

I say this only half jokingly... but part
of me wonders if PRS really spent much time redesigning this thing, or if they just found the factory that was already producing the knock-offs, worked out a licensing deal, used their pre-existing research/patterns, and just kinda refined the construction specifications.

Before I could afford my HB I looked at a ton of those knock-offs, and to my eye, there are some similarities.

No disrespect meant.

 

[Iceman101]

I say this only half jokingly... but part
of me wonders if PRS really spent much time redesigning this thing, or if they just found the factory that was already producing the knock-offs, worked out a licensing deal, used their pre-existing research/patterns, and just kinda refined the construction specifications.

Before I could afford my HB I looked at a ton of those knock-offs, and to my eye, there are some similarities.

No disrespect meant.

Blasphemy To save your soul you must go out and buy a blue PRS

 

[Rhythmisking]

It is an interesting observation. The physics part of it doesn’t quite add up to me because the string tension at any particular tuning is a function of the thickness of the string and the distance between the nut and the bridge...

Sort of...
It the string terminated at the nut and bridge, or with a really extreme break angle at the nut and bridge, this would be absolutely true, but considering the string can slide through both the nut and bridge slots, the elasticity of the string itself also is a function of the total length of string. When you bend a note you are stretching the wire. Imagine a guitar with a very low break angle at the nut and bridge, and where the string length went a foot or more on either side of both the nut and bridge; you could likely bend the string completely off the fretboard rather than just a minor 3rd because of the extra string length and elasticity.

 

[dogrocketp]

I've seen pictures over the years of various experiments that Jack has worked on with hollowbodies, but nothing would surprise me.

 

[Tim S]

The SE Hollowbodies are made in the same factory as the SE Acoustics. Do they share the same headstock size?