Upgrade SE Custom 22 Semi hollow with tremolo bridge and push pull pot plus entonation

[Perfect Duffer]

Hi All,
I really love PRS guitars and only had enough pocket to own a SE custom 22 semi hollow with lollartron pups...

Now i really want to
1- add a tremolo bridge(current is stop tail) and a push pull pot, but just doesn't know that if it's possible at all or not? And how to do it...

2- entonation of my guitar is terrible for God knows what reason, help needed ;-(

3- fret wires seems really cheap, they are so big and "present" all the time i play, is there anyway to fix them ?

I am from Pakistan and unfortunately we don't have good professional techies around us, so i migh have to do most of the work by myself perhaps.. Or may be i could find someone to do the tedious stuff for me but under my supervision, obviously suggested by you guys..

I would appreciate Any help ..

Regards

 

[Huggy Love]

Welcome to PRS land, and to answer your questions as best I can.
1-That would be a lot of expensive work to put a trem in a stop tail, more than the guitars worth almost. (I say leave it the way it is and do your trem effect with your fingers)
2-Intonation is a good thing to learn to do if you don't have a really good tech in your area, there are plenty of tutorials on the web and youtube. (It's not overly difficult to master but you'll need a good tuner)
3-Big doesn't mean cheap, larger fret wire might have been the specs on that instrument, (if it doesn't hinder your playing, does it really matter?)

 

[Perfect Duffer]

Thank you so much for that quick response, i wasn't expecting it that quick
Uhhh.. Alright... I guess i could do without a trem bridge.. But just for info.. Will it affect the guitar in a long run, as i am talking about a semi hollow and some says that its kind of fragile for trem bridges...

Further, how about installing a push pull pot ? What pot is going to fit and work best ? I have lollartron pups installed but not sure about the actual model..

About the frets yes may be that's per specs but i still feel that the guitar has very poor fret job done, will sanding it out going to help?

Welcome to PRS land, and to answer your questions as best I can.
1-That would be a lot of expensive work to put a trem in a stop tail, more than the guitars worth almost. (I say leave it the way it is and do your trem effect with your fingers)
2-Intonation is a good thing to learn to do if you don't have a really good tech in your area, there are plenty of tutorials on the web and youtube. (It's not overly difficult to master but you'll need a good tuner)
3-Big doesn't mean cheap, larger fret wire might have been the specs on that instrument, (if it doesn't hinder your playing, does it really matter?)

 

[kes7u]

Leave the stoptail. Will not affect the guitar in the long run. If you must have a tremolo, I would keep searching for a different guitar.

I have a hard time believing the 'very poor fret job' statement. Are you sure it is not just that you are not used, or do not care for the specific fret wire? If that is the case, then the solution would be a re-fret (probably more expensive than you're looking for) or to keep searching for a different guitar.

I don't have an answer regarding the push-pull pots.

Kevin

 

[Elliot]

Any chance you can post pictures of the frets, and maybe the entire guitar if you get a chance?

Just to make sure everything is copacetic

 

[markwilk]

Regarding the push-pull pot...

I'm looking to get my first PRS (SE Custom 22 Semi-hollow), and thought I'd upgrade the tone pot. I asked PRS customer service this week, and they said:

The 85/15 S pickups in your SE Custom 22 are multi wire and can be coil tapped with our push pull pot. The installation does involve removal of the old pot and wiring the push pull in.​

EDIT: Sorry...just re-read OP and saw that you mentioned lollartron pickups. No answer there.

Mark

 

[dogrocketp]

Please don`t take sandpaper to the frets. I`m bothered by the "feels cheap" comment. If the guitar plays in tune, you`ll screw it up if you "sand the frets". These are much better guitars than anything in their price range, and are made to play beautifully. We are all happy you joined the forum, and will do whatever we can to help you. , as long as you don`t do anything rash that can`t be fixed.

 

[rugerpc]

I'm not trying to be mean or harsh, but I'm puzzled why you bought this particular guitar...

You have changed or want to change the pickups, the bridge, the frets and the electronics...

Were you unable to try the guitar before you bought it? Did you know you wanted all the things you want to swap out on the guitar?

If the guitar is new, I recommend that you return it and buy a tremolo equipped guitar with a push/pull pot and frets that you like...

Making all those changes to your SE will take it's resale value to zero, cost almost what you paid in the first place again and it still may not be what you want.


If a return is not possible, you probably still should leave the bridge and frets alone. Changing a pot and setting the intonation aren't value killers and are reversible but routing for a trem and altering the frets are harder to fix.

All in all, it is probably better for you to look for a different guitar that has the features you want. It may not be a PRS since the frets across the SE line will probably match what you have now.

 

[Perfect Duffer]

Any chance you can post pictures of the frets, and maybe the entire guitar if you get a chance?

Just to make sure everything is copacetic

i am going to do it as soon as possible ..

 

[Perfect Duffer]

Regarding the push-pull pot...

I'm looking to get my first PRS (SE Custom 22 Semi-hollow), and thought I'd upgrade the tone pot. I asked PRS customer service this week, and they said:

The 85/15 S pickups in your SE Custom 22 are multi wire and can be coil tapped with our push pull pot. The installation does involve removal of the old pot and wiring the push pull in.​

EDIT: Sorry...just re-read OP and saw that you mentioned lollartron pickups. No answer there.

Mark

Do you have the link for that specific push pull pot ? and yes my lollartrons have multi wired circuit so i believe that it's going to work .. thanks

 

[Perfect Duffer]

Please don`t take sandpaper to the frets. I`m bothered by the "feels cheap" comment. If the guitar plays in tune, you`ll screw it up if you "sand the frets". These are much better guitars than anything in their price range, and are made to play beautifully. We are all happy you joined the forum, and will do whatever we can to help you. , as long as you don`t do anything rash that can`t be fixed.

No way !! i am not even touching the trus rod adjustments, sanding the frets!!! is something that i won't do anyway ...

The problem that i am facing with the frets is that they feels un-even to me, i have played SE non semi hollow and they all played beautifully well, that's why i fell in love with these...

there are some frets that immediately losses the sustain like if i have pressed on it and released it. while i am still holding the note.

 

[Perfect Duffer]

I'm not trying to be mean or harsh, but I'm puzzled why you bought this particular guitar...

You have changed or want to change the pickups, the bridge, the frets and the electronics...

Were you unable to try the guitar before you bought it? Did you know you wanted all the things you want to swap out on the guitar?

If the guitar is new, I recommend that you return it and buy a tremolo equipped guitar with a push/pull pot and frets that you like...

Making all those changes to your SE will take it's resale value to zero, cost almost what you paid in the first place again and it still may not be what you want.


If a return is not possible, you probably still should leave the bridge and frets alone. Changing a pot and setting the intonation aren't value killers and are reversible but routing for a trem and altering the frets are harder to fix.

All in all, it is probably better for you to look for a different guitar that has the features you want. It may not be a PRS since the frets across the SE line will probably match what you have now.

Well, that subtle difference in sound of PRS semi hollow brought me to land on this guitar, i want that sound.

Looking for customization is something that i'd call as curiosity that how far could i go with this single guitar. if the tremolo bridge is not something that i should do to this then i am not going to do it anyway.

But yes, push-pull pot for tonal variety .. i need it..

and

Better tuners with better stay in tune time, i really want it on this guitar ..

FRETS !! ... they feels uneven on my fingers, like some frets are higher and few are lower, i am not sure may be just my illusion...

But one problem that i need get addressed is that there are some frets that immediately losses the sustain like if i have pressed on it and released it. while i am still holding the note.

Any Ideas ?

 

[JMaia]

Dude, one thing at a time. It seems you are experiencing some fret buzz. you need to check if you have high frets. Without the strings, straight the the neck up completely with the truss rod, and see if there are any high frets. You'll need a straight edge and a notched straight edge.

Leave the tuners and pickups and electronics for later. First thing you have to take care of is action, frets and intonation.

And forget the installation of a trem on a stop tail guitar. Better buy a new guitar.

 

[Perfect Duffer]

Dude, one thing at a time. It seems you are experiencing some fret buzz. you need to check if you have high frets. Without the strings, straight the the neck up completely with the truss rod, and see if there are any high frets. You'll need a straight edge and a notched straight edge.

Leave the tuners and pickups and electronics for later. First thing you have to take care of is action, frets and intonation.

And forget the installation of a trem on a stop tail guitar. Better buy a new guitar.

Yeah !! Fret buzz is the correct word for it .. but the buzz is too strong that it doesn't buzz at all but makes the tone go dead.

and yeah for now i have left the rest of the things until the intonation of my guitar gets better.

So you suggest that i should adjust the truss rod up to as much as i could tighten it up ?

sorry i didn't get that "You'll need a straight edge and a notched straight edge"

 

[JMaia]

Notched straight edge and a fret rocker:

Pay CAREFUL attention seeing this video on how he spots high frets on his guitar:

 

[Perfect Duffer]

Notched straight edge and a fret rocker:

Pay CAREFUL attention seeing this video on how he spots high frets on his guitar:

Thank you so much .. i am watching it now ...

 

[dogrocketp]

If you haven`t ever set up a PRS, watch every video you can find on it. Any adjustment is probably very subtle. Too much turning can create irreversible problems. It happened to a forum member recently.

 

[JMaia]

If you haven`t ever set up a PRS, watch every video you can find on it. Any adjustment is probably very subtle. Too much turning can create irreversible problems. It happened to a forum member recently.

Good advice, watch a a video ow two before starting to mess around. But don't be afraid to learn and setup your instrument, if you have a notched straight edge it's almost impossible to screw the neck with your truss rod.

 

[markwilk]

Do you have the link for that specific push pull pot ? and yes my lollartrons have multi wired circuit so i believe that it's going to work .. thanks

I'm sorry...forgot to check back on this thread and didn't get an email that there was a reply...

My forum account is new, so I can't post links. But, point your browser to:

us dot prsaccessories dot com , click on "Collections", then click on "Parts". In that list, you should see the "push/pull tone pot", item ACC-4108

Hope that helps,

Mark

 

[MichaelS]

I put this push/pull into my SE22. Part of the complete harness since I was upgrading my switch also and it saved me soldering work.
However, the tone pot shaft is on the longer side, so another one of those flat nuts was needed on the inside of the electronics cavity to get the right length on the outside.
The volume know (in case you go full harness) is a little wider, but only needs some sanding of the hole to make it fit.
The switch shaft is shorter, so that one took some precise dremel routing to make it fit.