PRS SE Locking Tuners, anyone familiar...?

[MarcV]

Well, I got rid of my Zach Myers SE, couldn't deal with that "smooth" neck, although the shape was perfect, but I wanted a Trem.

------------------------------------------------FYI------------------------------------------------------------
So I got a new Tremonti Custom. Put in a Mannmade bridge which because of their 7.5 degree angle of the trem arm hole is not ideal for the Tremonti as the trem is set up to go past the plane of the guitar in the pitch, up, position. With the trem coming out at 7.5 Degrees away from the headstock, you get the arm contacting the bridge volume knob in normal state and hitting the deck when doing tricks in the trem up position.

I bent the arm after talking with John Mann, but the normal position is higher, so it's a trade off. I ended up opting for the SE arm.

-------------------------------------------TUNERS-------------------------------------------------------------

I also ordered new Schaller locking tuners and new a PRS nut. I ordered the same All Parts number I had purchased in 2011, but got tuners that barely cleared the mounting nut. Which changed the break angle of the headstock in a bad way. The old unit had 24mm's from back of headstock to center of string hole. The ones I got were 20mm. Prs SE's measure approx, 25mm. It looks like the tuners were designed for a headstock around 10-12mm thick, not 15mm+ like the Tremonti.

Anyone have any experience here?

 

[Bobbyoso]

Well, I got rid of my Zach Myers SE, couldn't deal with that "smooth" neck, although the shape was perfect, but I wanted a Trem.

------------------------------------------------FYI------------------------------------------------------------
So I got a new Tremonti Custom. Put in a Mannmade bridge which because of their 7.5 degree angle of the trem arm hole is not ideal for the Tremonti as the trem is set up to go past the plane of the guitar in the pitch, up, position. With the trem coming out at 7.5 Degrees away from the headstock, you get the arm contacting the bridge volume knob in normal state and hitting the deck when doing tricks in the trem up position.

I bent the arm after talking with John Mann, but the normal position is higher, so it's a trade off. I ended up opting for the SE arm.

-------------------------------------------TUNERS-------------------------------------------------------------

I also ordered new Schaller locking tuners and new a PRS nut. I ordered the same All Parts number I had purchased in 2011, but got tuners that barely cleared the mounting nut. Which changed the break angle of the headstock in a bad way. The old unit had 24mm's from back of headstock to center of string hole. The ones I got were 20mm. Prs SE's measure approx, 25mm. It looks like the tuners were designed for a headstock around 10-12mm thick, not 15mm+ like the Tremonti.

Anyone have any experience here?

Not sure if you're interested in buying another set of tuners, but my son has a PRS SE, not sure of the model designation but it's a singlecut mahogany body guitar with fixed wraparound bridge, two P90s. About three years ago he wanted new tuners, and it turns out the Grover mini-Rotomatics were a drop-in replacement, no new holes, wood filler, etc. I believe, but am not certain, their model number is 406c. They are excellent, stable tuners, lock well, look great, and are 18:1 ratio, so good for minute adjustments; overall, made a surprisingly good import guitar even better. Good luck!

 

[MarcV]

Not sure if you're interested in buying another set of tuners, but my son has a PRS SE, not sure of the model designation but it's a singlecut mahogany body guitar with fixed wraparound bridge, two P90s. About three years ago he wanted new tuners, and it turns out the Grover mini-Rotomatics were a drop-in replacement, no new holes, wood filler, etc. I believe, but am not certain, their model number is 406c. They are excellent, stable tuners, lock well, look great, and are 18:1 ratio, so good for minute adjustments; overall, made a surprisingly good import guitar even better. Good luck!

I wasn't really looking at the Grovers... I believe either them or the Gotoh both have limits to string guage. I play 11's with a 50 bottom. I remember the 18:1 was a nice feature, the Schallers are 16:1 like the stock SE tuners and are a little more touchy.

 

[bluenova]

If the guitar string threads cleanly through the tuner hole I'd say your good to go. With the locking tuners you don't get the few wraps of string that go lower and lower pulling the string down lower on the tuner post like you'd get with the stock tuners. I like to see my locking tuners get that string nice and low.

 

[Gibs210]

Yep the locking mini rotomatics are a direct drop in replacement, I replaced the kidney bean shaped tuning buttons with schaller faux ebony buttons to make it look PRS-like. I run 10 to 46 gauge in mine no problem, don't see 11-50 being too big, however you may have some intonation troubles at the bridge if you tune standard, I had to cut the spring on the low E in order to intonate properly on mine, but since your running an aftermarket bridge then you may be ok.

Not sure if you're interested in buying another set of tuners, but my son has a PRS SE, not sure of the model designation but it's a singlecut mahogany body guitar with fixed wraparound bridge, two P90s. About three years ago he wanted new tuners, and it turns out the Grover mini-Rotomatics were a drop-in replacement, no new holes, wood filler, etc. I believe, but am not certain, their model number is 406c. They are excellent, stable tuners, lock well, look great, and are 18:1 ratio, so good for minute adjustments; overall, made a surprisingly good import guitar even better. Good luck!

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Quick question for the OP: the stock SE trem arm fits your MannMade bridge?

 

[scolfax]

Check out Hipshot tuners with the Universal mounting plate.

 

[MarcV]

Quick question for the OP: the stock SE trem arm fits your MannMade bridge?

No, it's a little smaller diameter, you have to tighten the screw down, but since I just installed it last night, it's already gotten sloppy and bangs back and forth so, so much for that idea.

 

[MarcV]

Yep the locking mini rotomatics are a direct drop in replacement, I replaced the kidney bean shaped tuning buttons with schaller faux ebony buttons to make it look PRS-like. I run 10 to 46 gauge in mine no problem, don't see 11-50 being too big, however you may have some intonation troubles at the bridge if you tune standard, I had to cut the spring on the low E in order to intonate properly on mine, but since your running an aftermarket bridge then you may be ok.

Good call on the Low E spring, It's compressed but it's there. Hmmm, just went out and measured both bridges, can't see why you'd need to remove spring, I count 6 coils on the SE spring. FWIW

I had A Schaller set that was a perfect drop in, I can't see why they would change the spec on it. If you go to Schaller's website they show the spec I'm looking for. I may end up going your route...

 

[MarcV]

Don't understand the HIpshot at all.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

No, it's a little smaller diameter, you have to tighten the screw down, but since I just installed it last night, it's already gotten sloppy and bangs back and forth so, so much for that idea.

OK. Thanks Marc.

 

[dpgreek]

I use Schallers on my SE custom 24. Directo drop in and they work great

 

[MarcV]

I use Schallers on my SE custom 24. Directo drop in and they work great

I used them before also and they worked great. I bought a set from All Parts I think it was 0976-010. That's what I ordered again. And
when I went to install them, the first one I did was the Low E string. The string hole was slightly below the surface of the tuners nut. Even
if I got the string in there, it would be grinding on the nut.

That's why I'd like to find someone who knows how to order the longer ones. Like Schaller's spec says. I can't even find a spec for these short ones,
so that I could at least say, "I don't want XXXX-XXX."

 

[dpgreek]

This is what I bought:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/tuni...aller-locking-tuning-machine-heads-3-per-side

You can read about how I got to this choice from this threas:

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/upgrade-questions-for-prs-se-owners.1302704/

 

[ellis dee]

what is the problem with the stock tuners?

 

[dpgreek]

they're ok....but don't do as good of a job as upgraded. Ever since I moved up with Schallers....I rarely have any tuning issues.

 

[Pointy Headstock]

I wasn't really looking at the Grovers... I believe either them or the Gotoh both have limits to string guage. I play 11's with a 50 bottom. I remember the 18:1 was a nice feature, the Schallers are 16:1 like the stock SE tuners and are a little more touchy.

The Grovers work fine with 50's (I play the same gauge set on an SE semi-hollow with Grovers installed)...I have snapped more than one 11 on the high e tuner however- so I'd have an extra couple sets of strings around until you get the hang of how much tension to put in the high strings as you lock them.

 

[MarcV]

what is the problem with the stock tuners?

Nothing, but,

1. A locking tuner makes string changes super fast.

2. If in fact having less than one full wrap, adds to tuning stability, I'm all in.

3. I'm pretty hard on the trem. If the whole system, lube at the properly set up bridge, good nut set up with lube, Tuners at the
right break angle, is not 100% I'm tuning up again.

But, what do I know. If you ever get a chance to see Paul Reed Smith and his wife's guitar, (Paul's Guitar), take a lo
ok at how the
strings are attached. Phase III locking tuner with the string installed so that the wraps (yes , I said "wraps") pinch the string to
lock it into place. Thereby defeating the entire exercise of designing and building the locking tuner in the first place.

 

[MarcV]

The Grovers work fine with 50's (I play the same gauge set on an SE semi-hollow with Grovers installed)...I have snapped more than one 11 on the high e tuner however- so I'd have an extra couple sets of strings around until you get the hang of how much tension to put in the high strings as you lock them.

Thanks. I was looking at this situation last night and kind of came to the conclusion that the headstock I have is a little thick. I 'm getting 16mm at
the E strings and it tapers down towards the tip. So I'm guessing the guitar I had before, the Santana SE, had a thinner headstock. The gorvers are 20.24mm from back of headstock to center of string hole, so they would be the best option, but it does increase the break angle which puts more tension on the strings
at the nut which is going to add to binding. I guess I'm going to change out the nut first and see what I come up with. I'm returning sharp so that means
binding at the nut/headstock end I would think.