What string gauge is the S2 Custom made for?

[titansfan4196]

Lately my S2 Custom 24 has not been staying in tune. I've got Ernie Ball 11's on there. The strings usually go sharp, but sometimes one string (usually the B string) goes flat. This has been happening for a few months. I had it setup very recently and it still won't stay in tune. I'm wondering if it's the string gauge. Please help!

 

[CroceFan4life]

I had a lot of trouble finding out the string gauge too. It's not listed in the guitar model specifications. I finally found this announcement for the S2 line and it gives the information. I don't understand why this is so hard to find. All the other manufacturers include the string gauge in their Model Specs.

I had to do a page Find to locate this because it's buried half-way down the page.

Anyway, the S2's ship with 10's. Which is what I like. I find that 9's on an electric are too light. YMMV

Are your strings sticking in the Nut? You'll hear a squeak when it suddenly slips free and your tuning will go way off. If that's the problem the Luthier can lube the strings and if needed even file the slot wider. I've used pencil lead (graphite) as a lube to correct the problem on my guitars. Some guys like Nut Sauce. Yeah, that's a real product.

http://www.prsguitars.com/s2series/about/

As with all of our solidbody guitars, we use PRS 10-46 strings. S2 Series guitars come in a nylon gig bag to make heading out for your next show that much easier.

 

[John Beef]

I haven't ever heard of a guitar being designed for a certain string gauge before. If it's listed in the specs that just means it comes from the factory set up for that gauge. It should be able to run most gauges with the correct nut, bridge and neck adjustments. I run 11s on my CU22 and every other guitar (except the baritone) just fine.

 

[NomadMike]

Ditto on Nut Sauce. Aren't PRS setup for 9's and 10's from the factory?

 

[shinksma]

The PRS Core guitars ship with .010s, the SEs ship with .009s, except where you would expect otherwise, like the baritone (.014s - duh) or the HBs with piezo (which have .011s).

The typical core/S2 CU22/CU24 set-up seems to be just fine for shifting between .009s and .010s and .011s, and I would guess the SEs can go from .009s to .010s just as easily. Anything thicker might need a slight nut filing or intonation adjustment or maybe truss rod tweak.

If your strings are going out of tune, I would first check whether you keep the guitar in a steady environment (do you open/close nearby windows a lot?), whether your hands are causing the strings to corrode early, or maybe just stop using EB strings? They are cheap, but I am under the impression they aren't as good as the D'Addarios that typically ship with PRSi.

Dunno - I can pick up any of my PRSi after not playing it for days/weeks, and usually at most one string (the G-string usually, for some reason) will need a slight tune. Most times nothing really needed. Or maybe I'm just tolerant of slightly out-of-tune guitars...

 

[ironjose]

On my S2 CU24 tag it describes the gauge the guitar came with... they were 10s, after i'm done with them in a few months i'll change them for 9s... Dean Markley Helix

but i think im having the same issue... a slight out of tune G string... nothing to worry about too much...

Do yous think that changing the tremolo will improve the tunning stability?

 

[shinksma]

Do yous think that changing the tremolo will improve the tunning stability?

If you mean adjusting the trem height and/or spring tension, yeah that can have an effect on string tuning stability. In general I would say the PRS trems are fairly stable though, and it is not common for them to be wonky. My core CU24 and SE Akerfeldt both seem to stay in tune just fine, and I bash away on the trems a fair bit. However, YMMV on that...

 

[ironjose]

If you mean adjusting the trem height and/or spring tension, yeah that can have an effect on string tuning stability. In general I would say the PRS trems are fairly stable though, and it is not common for them to be wonky. My core CU24 and SE Akerfeldt both seem to stay in tune just fine, and I bash away on the trems a fair bit. However, YMMV on that...

i meant, changing the whole unit for a Core Tremolo...