US PRS Tonepros Locking Stud for PRS SE?

[Steve A.]

I ordered these on eBay with them listed as metric in capital letters and when they arrived today I found out that I had been shipped the US locking studs instead (SPRS2_CH)

Question #1 Can I replace the metric threaded inserts on my guitar with the new ones with US threads? I don't see why not...

EDIT the threaded inserts for the US PRS are taller and much narrower than the stock PRS SE ones which are metric (with 8mm x .125 threads)
US inserts 11mm dia x 25mm height
SE inserts 1/2" dia x 3/4" height
[kinda strange that the US inserts are metric while the SE inserts are SAE.]

Question #2 How can I remove the threaded inserts without damaging the guitar? Stew Mac has a knob puller that will do that but I was thinking of something I could put together with parts from the hardware store.

EDIT I did find a link on how to pull out the threaded inserts

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/luth...ud-insert.html

Thanks!

Steve Ahola

P.S. Some of the older model PRS SE guitars with the wraparound bridge have a problem- the studs do not hold the bridge very tightly so the bridge leans forward a bit. Enough that I was getting a slight sitarish buzz from the high E string. I filed the back of the ~1" slot for the E string which did help with the problem to some extent. I looked at a new PRS SE Custom and the bridge was snug as a bug in a rug. I found out later that they have switched to the Tonepros locking studs (MSPRS-1 is the number for the Metric locking studs.)

[eschertron]

Thanks for the info, Steve! I had purchased some locking studs for my SE model with the wraparound bridge, and while they work very well to hold the bridge they themselves are loose enough in the inserts to lean forward almost as much as the bridge did beforehand!

I will compare model numbers and see just what it was that I bought.

[Steve A.]

I had purchased some locking studs for my SE model with the wraparound bridge, and while they work very well to hold the bridge they themselves are loose enough in the inserts to lean forward almost as much as the bridge did beforehand!

I put several wraps of teflon tape on the threads of the factory studs on my PRS SE. As a former plumber I learned that there is a right way and a wrong way to use teflon tape on threads. Looking at the threaded end you want the tape to go around clockwise. Holding the tape is also important. I put it on my right index finger with the tape coming off the top- I use my right thumb as a brake to keep tension on the tape. I mention that because teflon doesn't work for a lot of people. Or they might just do one wrap. On tapered pipe thread I will start on the bottom with a wrap or two but end up at the top with 3, 4 or 5. Whatever isn't needed gets squished out but you do want to be careful that it doesn't get squished into pipe where it could, for example, block an aerator.

BTW I have had no ground continuity problems after using a generous helping of teflon tape. There are enough bare metal surfaces touching so there is no problem.


Good luck!!

Steve Ahola

[Steve A.]

I just got the correct ones today and they rock! Well, they DON'T rock back and forth- that is what makes them rock.

The bushings that came with them are too narrow and too deep to fit in the original holes but the locking studs fit the original bushings so that is no problem. I had already pulled out one of the bushings the other day with a bolt, a few washers and a 3/4" female PVC adaptor. (To protect the finish of the guitar from the PVC adaptor I used the loop half of velcro since it was self-adhesive and soft.) When putting the bushing back in I coated it with carpenter's glue- and decided to put some on the threads inside as well. That plus the many wraps of teflon tape has those studs in there very. With them tightened down on the bridge there is absolutely no movement.

Here are a few auctions for them at eBay (both 31.95 w/ free shipping):

New TonePros MSPRS Locking Studs for Metric Paul Reed Smith Chrome | eBay

TonePros Metric Locking Studs Tone Pros | eBay\


Steve

[eschertron]

I put several wraps of teflon tape on the threads of the factory studs on my PRS SE.

Steve Ahola

I just tried this tonight on my SE Singlecut. The tape does the trick perfectly to keep the locking studs solidly in place. I woulda never thought of that. Thanks again!

[Steve A.]

I just tried this tonight on my SE Singlecut. The tape does the trick perfectly to keep the locking studs solidly in place. I woulda never thought of that. Thanks again!

It is amazing how much better my SE Custom is with the locking studs. For one thing I usually rest my palm on the bridge so having it level helps (with it leaning down towards the pickups I'd keep pushing the low E string into the bridge pickup cover.)

So are you using the stock SE pickups or something else? I had a pair of Seth Lovers in the SE Custom but I just replaced them with the DiM EJ Custom pickups- Eric Johnson wanted something like the pickups on a Country Gentleman and this is what DiMarzio came up with. Nothing like a TV Jones but they do have the clear sound of a single coil pickup with really great note definition.

I'm not sure if I tried this with the PRS humbuckers but I do magnet transplants with the PRS bridge soapbars replacing the A5 magnets with A2. I used to do it to both pickups but I switched back to the original A5 magnets for the neck pickup. Putting in a few bucks worth of magnets sure beats paying $150-200 for a new pair of pickups...

Steve

[eschertron]

Putting in a few bucks worth of magnets sure beats paying $150-200 for a new pair of pickups...

Steve

Something I have a lot to learn about. I've been lurking on the recent threads in the pickup maker's forum, and yet still am pretty clueless on how I'd go about specifying the tone - or changes to the tone - that I want out of my pickups. I thought the 2 stock humbucker pickups in the SE singlecut were both fairly warm, and maybe too beefy in the bass for some of the distorted tones that I want.

I put a SD '59 in the neck (close to the sound from the stock neck pickup) and a pearly gates in the bridge. I had no idea that the PG had such a thin, 'spanky' sound to it, and much lower output than I expected. But running it through some ferocious gain - like a champ with the tone stack lifted - gives me a distortion that I can live with, even if it is still a little brighter than I'd like.

I've got several sets of pickups in my basement (all single coils but for the two HBs taken from the singlecut, and ranging from trash to semi-OK), so if there's a tutorial or thread on swapping out magnets, I'd find that very interesting indeed.

[Steve A.]

I've got several sets of pickups in my basement (all single coils but for the two HBs taken from the singlecut, and ranging from trash to semi-OK), so if there's a tutorial or thread on swapping out magnets, I'd find that very interesting indeed.

I've done magnet swaps for other HB pickups but maybe not the PRS. As long as the DC resistance is somewhere between 7k and 10k I think it is worth a shot. I used to skip the ones with metal covers but I got an 80W Hakko soldering iron which really helps.

I picked up an assortment of HB magnets from a winder on the Pickup forum maybe 10 years ago- A2, A3, A4, A5. Plus 75 A2 magnets that were overstock and cost less than $1 each including shipping. StewMac sells just the A2 and A5 magnets and I think they are $4 or $5 apiece. Ouch!

When I got a real Gibson LP Jr about 10 years ago I tried every combination of magnets available to me and while I really liked the different sounds from the various alnico magnets I thought that I had a wider range of sounds available from the single volume and tone control using the stock ceramic magnets. P90's use 2 magnets and I experimented mixing and matching the two magnets with interesting results.

BTW the SD Custom Custom pickup was actually created by the user group at the SD website- someone there replaced the stock ceramic magnet with alnico 2 and it went viral.

Steve

[eschertron]

I just ordered another pair of locking studs for my PRS SE EG model. Previously I had a pair with the wrong thread size and Steve A. walked me through wrapping teflon tape around the studs to firm them up. That works, and *that* set of studs is on my Singlecut SE.

I ordered [off of ebay] a pair, model #VNM1/NKL, that while fitting the holes exactly don't have the right diameter support post (where the bridge fits). Close enough, I guess, and a small adjustment to the set screws intonation gets me up and playing. And when fastened down tight, they won't wander on me.

My issue is that Tonepros website Products | TonePros doesn't even display the right parts for the PRS guitars! For that I need to go to WD music products * WD Music Products - LOCKING STUDS FOR PRS®¨ METRIC to get the MSPRS-1 model. To confound things, the parts available through Stewmac have their own part numbers that cannot be crossed to the Mfgr. Sheesh.

So, several years ago, I got a pair with the wrong thread. Just now I got a pair with the right thread but the wrong support post diameter. Now at least I know what model I actually need, but don't yet have another guitar to install them on... Wait! That gives me an idea!!!

[Steve A.]

I ordered [off of ebay] a pair, model #VNM1/NKL, that while fitting the holes exactly don't have the right diameter support post (where the bridge fits). Close enough, I guess, and a small adjustment to the set screws intonation gets me up and playing. And when fastened down tight, they won't wander on me.

My issue is that Tonepros website Products | TonePros doesn't even display the right parts for the PRS guitars! For that I need to go to WD music products * WD Music Products - LOCKING STUDS FOR PRS®¨ METRIC to get the MSPRS-1 model. To confound things, the parts available through Stewmac have their own part numbers that cannot be crossed to the Mfgr.

So, several years ago, I got a pair with the wrong thread. Just now I got a pair with the right thread but the wrong support post diameter.

Confusing, ain't it? The bushings that came with my Metric locking studs were huge- I would have had to fill the existing holes with dowels and then drill out to the larger diameter. However, that was not necessary as the threads were the same as the stock studs.
I was shipped the US locking studs by mistake. I might have used them by replacing the bushings but the diameter was smaller than the stock bushings so I sent them back rather than filling the holes with dowels and drilling out to a smaller diameter. The eBay seller trusted me and sent me the metric locking studs right away rather than waiting to receive the wrong ones. I thought that he was really cool so I bought 2 more sets from him for around $66.

I think that Tone Pros would rather sell us a whole new wraparound bridge because they would make more profit.

Steve

P.S. I had always been buying the cheap softwood dowels at Ace Hardware but there is a much bigger selection at Rockler which I recommend if they have a store near you. I think that you would want to try to match the density of the guitar body...