J Vitale

New Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2021
Messages
18
Hey PRS Family,

So the story is I am getting a Zach Meyers PRS SE for $400 bucks because I basically have a rich friend who bought it, played it once, and decided he didn't like it. Lucky me. I also have these laying around which are going in there:
Seymour Duncan APH-2n Alnico II Pro Slash Humbucker Electric Guitar Neck Pickup Zebra
eymour Duncan - 11014-13-Z - Antiquity JB Model Zebra


Since the guitar is $800 new, I figured i'd spend another $400 on making this bad boy sound, feel and play as good as possible and really see what an SE can be. I need help with some mods though since I am not familiar with a lot of after market mods, especially to a PRS. BTW, i think this is the best guitar for under $1000 bucks, hands down.

First mod (aside from the pickups which wont cost me anything) are locking tuners. I am trying to decide between these: (i am looking for the best quality as this function is important to me).
Gotoh Mini 510 3+3 Guitar Tuners with Metal Knobs, Cosmo Black
Gotoh Magnum Lock-Trad 3+3 Guitar Tuners, Black
Kluson 3 Per Side Locking Revolution Series G-Mount Non-Collared Tuning Machines
NICKEL - Magnum Lock Vintage Locking Tuners, Compatible with Gibson 3x3 - Gotoh SD90-MGT-05M
RATIO ELECTRIC LOCKING MACHINE HEADS 3+3 (PLEASE SELECT FINISH AND BUTTON STYLE)
If anyone knows of any milk bottle locking tuners that are high end, please let me know!

After that, i'll have between $250-300 left to really make sure this becomes the best ZM PRS SE possible.

I tried looking this up but everywhere you go, everyone has different experience with their PRS and their own opinion. It looks like a new saddle should be installed, any opinions on which to buy and install there? Also, i've read the switch can be shitty, who makes good switches? And lastly, any personal experience or opinions you want to add are welcome. So at $400 i am starting with a new PRS SE and the SD pickups (which should sound awesome in there). Then the locking tuners are important to me which should be another $100-150. What would y'all upgrade with the last $250-300? Thanks and i'll post pics and audio once this project is completed.

Please keep in mind, when helping me (thank you for doing so), I am looking for the best quality part. Pretend money isn't an issue here. I really appreciate any feedback and suggestions. I cant wait to assemble this with the new parts and see how great I can make it sound and play. Thanks everyone!

Oh, does anyone know of any company that sells the plastic piece on the headstock? I don't want to have the dudes name up there. If I can even get a blank one, i might be able to paint it similar to the top. Thanks again!
 
I just think the lampshade looks better. Might want to reach out to PRS about the wired pots.
GNI4ABt.jpg
 
Yeah, they look much much better. Sweet guitar dude. SE's look cheap. Thanks brother, those parts are about 240. That would probably cover everything except the bridge. If all I have left is the bridge, I may as well change that too and get a maxed out SE for under $1000.

Is PRS the way to go with the nut or there are others out there that are better? What about the saddle and bridge?
 
Yeah, they look much much better. Sweet guitar dude. SE's look cheap. Thanks brother, those parts are about 240. That would probably cover everything except the bridge. If all I have left is the bridge, I may as well change that too and get a maxed out SE for under $1000.

Is PRS the way to go with the nut or there are others out there that are better? What about the saddle and bridge?
PRS core nut unless you're going bone or brass.
 
What about the bridge and saddle on the SE? Worth replacing? Has anyone done so and noticed improvements? Looking for all and any other possible mods. Thanks everyone!
 
Anyone with advice on the locking tuners or are those all pretty much in the same boat and pick to my liking? I really want milk glass for that PRS as I think it would match really well. Anyone? Thanks!
 
I’d do locking tuners (John Mann’s Guitar Vault should have some options) and lampshade knobs cause they look great. Otherwise I’d play it for a while to get a baseline on how it sounds and plays, then figure out what, if anything, you want to change.
 
Anyone with advice on the locking tuners or are those all pretty much in the same boat and pick to my liking? I really want milk glass for that PRS as I think it would match really well. Anyone? Thanks!

So for locking tuners, they are not all the same. They have different mechanisms for locking the string. Some use caps, some use a reverse threaded cap, some use a thumbwheel shaft. My preference is the Gotoh Mag-Locks. They use a thumbwheel which makes changing strings ridiculously quick, and quite a few colors and button styles to choose from. If you want to go all the way, find some phase 3 tuners. Same ones on core PRSs, also made by Gotoh, but more expensive than their other stuff.

As far as the bridge, the stock one is pretty solid. If you really want to swap it I suggest tonepros. Never had a TP part I didnt like.

Highly suggest a nut replacement. Ive said my peace on SE nuts, I loathe the material. Suggest Tusq XL, or if you want the core PRS treatment, straight bone.

Dont upgrade pots unless you have to. SEs come standard with...Alpha pots I think, nothing wrong there. Any scratchiness can be fixed generally with contact cleaner and rapidly turing the knobs. Only thing you may want to add is a capacitor to prevent treble loss and a switchcraft jack.

Swap pickup rings. PRS rings have recessed holes for the screws whereas SE rings do not. So if you like resting your hand there, the screw heads wont eat your skin.

Beyond that, most everything else will be a cosmetic change.
 
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Thanks so much for taking the t8me to write that! I was looking at the gotoh because they have a black/greenish brown that would match the guitar well and be the mechanism I'm looking for. I ordered the tusq XL last night. 2 of them just incase ;).

No idea where to go for the pickup rings. I'm going to put the Seymour Duncans in for sure. They have to sound good. Came out of an old Les Paul I sold (buyer wanted the original pickups). Any idea where to go for the pickup rings? I assume the ones PRS sells are the same.
 
Any idea where to go for the pickup rings? I assume the ones PRS sells are the same.

Yup, just head over to Reverb. Look for genuine PRS rings, or if you want to get flashy and throw some dollars....Guiliford. He makes wooden rings out of stuff like Zebrawood, Koa, Ebony, etc. I think he even makes some for Private Stock stuff, if im not mistaken.
 
money is no object you got to get stainless frets and a graphite neck, but i don’t think the big tungsten block will help with sustain.
 
Looks like matt3310 has done all I want to do! Thanks for the advice and sharing all those pics, sweet guitar dude. Money is an object, I'm just doing the work and starting with the guitar and pickups at $400. I wanted to go to $800 but if it takes an extra $200 to completely finish the guitar I can stretch it.

Well thanks everyone, I'll post some pics when all arrives and I finish installing it. Awesome community, see ya soon and thanks again!
 
Yeah, I am speaking with John now via email and working on rounding out the guitar. Cant wait to work on the things I can do and have my guy do the other stuff and then share with yall! Thanks for everything people!
 
money is no object you got to get stainless frets and a graphite neck, but i don’t think the big tungsten block will help with sustain.

Giggle!

Hey you didn’t suggest the “big block” upgrade and Webber carbs!;)

(OP I should mention I’ve done various upgrades to my SE 245 and this is my juvenile attempt at humour)
 
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