So, thinking of modding my PRS SE...

[JonMan94]

Okay, as you all know, I won the Rewind Electric Contest and yesterday I received from cooljuk the harness:





Very sexy and also nice and heavy, add some mass to this thing! thanks again man!


And on to the serious stuff: I recently put back the original bridge because I started to hate the look of the boogie rail trial I had in it, and I was thinking instead of putting the harness immediately, that I would replace all the electronics and the bridge, the nut as well so I can set it up for 11s (even at standard tuning 10s are pretty slinky and the nut-job done for it int he last setup was poorly done.)

Heres some ideas:

Wilky 5+1 Contemporary Bridge




And either a full set of GFS Fat Pats or a Fat Pat in the bridge and either a power rail or Mean 90 in the neck. This project would conisde with my Ibanez project, so thats a total of around 500-600 (including setup for both guitars).

for PUs, can the Mean 90 do metal? Ive always wanted that smoother flutely neck tone, but with some more clarity.

[JonMan94]

58 views and no comments?

[lpplayer]

I had a SE with tremolo....I thought the stock bridge was one of the best I've ever used- just curious as to why you wanted to change it out.

The same guitar had GFS Fat PATs in it...I loved them, a vast improvement from the stock pups IMO.

[JonMan94]

Its worned out and I want something that innotates better. The trem arm is also quite flimsy in feel, though I have yet to break it from use. I already have a good set of locking tuners on it, so it just needs new PUs, knobs and a setup with a new nut. Again, how good are the mean 90s? could I do metal with them?

[JonMan94]

Bump?

[lpplayer]

Originally Posted by JonMan94

Its worned out and I want something that innotates better. The trem arm is also quite flimsy in feel, though I have yet to break it from use. I already have a good set of locking tuners on it, so it just needs new PUs, knobs and a setup with a new nut. Again, how good are the mean 90s? could I do metal with them?

I think you can do anything with P90s, just my opinion. Would be a different tone for metal though, compared to hums. My only concern would be noise from them with high gain metal settings, may be a noise supressor may be in order.

GFS generally has an excellent reputation for quality inexpensive pickups. Although I have never used their mean 90's I am sure you will get what you pay for....and I have heard nothing bad and all good about the 90s on forums. There was a time when GFS couldnt keep them in stock....

[JonMan94]

I think I just going to go with a set of chrome covered Fat Pats for it, though I have read that this could be a downgrade from the stock humbuckers... I love them, but I HATE the color. They sound great, but they getting rusty, and they are un-potted (from my point of view).

So heres what I thinking right now:

GFS Fat Pat set 60$
WILKINSON® CONTEMPORARY 5+1 HOLE TREMOLO 85$
New Tophat knob set of two 8$
Setup for 11s: 45-65$?

so about a 200-250 dollar project that will hopefully make my SE look and sound alot better than it is now. My tone knob is practically useless and the volume knob is so loose that I knock it down to zero when playing hard.

PS. anyone know where I can get the Graphtech tusq nut for the PRS SE?

[JonMan94]

Bump?

[JonMan94]

Bump...

[rabidhamster]

I personally put the wilkinson trem on the same quality level as a PRS SE trem, but it may not really be true.
If it were me wanting to upgrade, I'd go with a used US made PRS Trem - either from PRS or from John Mann, or if youre really trying to go metal you could put a floyd on it I realize those are in a bit of a different price bracket though.


Ive had some GFS pickups in a few guitars, and I think they'll sound pretty darn good, especially if youre looking for a fairly hot pickup with great harmonics.

[strat]

I would hold off on that trem. The bigger the trem block, the better and that's about comparable to the size of one in a MIM. Also, I'd pass on the GFS pickups. Bridge: P90 Super Distortion Neck: Vintage Soapbar SP90-1 - Seymour Duncan P90

[JonMan94]

Did I say I was on a budget? If I had a income I would love to splurge on Name-brand PUs, but I have used GFS pus in a previous build and they hang out with even actives in terms of power. The PRS bridge is good, but its not the best in terms of durabilty. I used to wank on it so hard before I fixed up my Dinky, and it always snaps strings in the saddles, despite my efforts to remove burrs. And also, bigger trem block doesn't always mean better. I like to have a nice sized block but still be able to dive bomb pretty deep. And again, anyone know where I can buy a Tusq PRS SE tremnut in black?

[JonMan94]

o3o

[JonMan94]

... I feel like when you guys see a thread of mine, its just views only.

[strat]

I have to say, I think that the PRS pickups kick any thing GFS can produce all the way to the trash can. So I think you may be getting what I call "moders itch" when you kinda just want to mess with stuff. Go slow or you may make a purchase you'll regret.

[JonMan94]

I think GFS is off my list now, I found a new Pickup I weant to try, IronGear Hot Slags... and from the email the guys at PRS said, the HFS SE pu is 14.5 k and the Vint. Bass PU is 8.5 k. I need soemthing just abit hotter for the bridge and also the neck, and something with covers, and the IronGear (despite being in the UK makes some nasty hot pickups for the price (around 5 or 10 more total with shipping and taxes included)

[Indyclone]

I'd get a nice trem with a good block and hold off on the pickups.

[JonMan94]

he pickups are a main concern for me... Its feels lopsided to drop a badass wiring harness to stock PUs, and well they are starting not to cut it for when I do rhythms and leads with it, it doesnt have the same drive my Dinky has. I am set on the IG pus, but now what is a good replacement trem besides the obvious, etting the real orginial PRS trem from Mann.

[Indyclone]

Have you installed the new harness?

[JonMan94]

No, I have not because I have no skill with a soldering iron. I dont want to do a half-assed upgrade, so I'm just going to go whole hog and redo everything (well besides the tuners)

I'm thinking of the KGC Fat PRS SE brass block and new saddles... What are good replacement saddles for PRS? and also, can the PRS bridge hand normal strat style bridge screws? I want to upgrade the tot he brass ones offered by KGC.