useful info for folks who want to add a trem to a PRS....

[soldierkahn]

Last night I decided to shoot off an email to PTC to see how much they would charge for either routing a PRS for a Floyd that doesnt already have one (including creating the locking nut), or taking a current model that has a Floyd and give it a 20" radius. Now, I did ask if I could do a 20" radius for a CE 24 tht had a Floyd (i prefer bolt-on necks to set necks), so the story may be different for a custom, but they let me know that they would not reboard a CE model (understandable).

For routing a PRS Mark Holcomb Custom for a FR, their response was:
"Thank you for contacting PRS Guitars. We can install a Floyd on a Holcomb, but it is a pretty extensive process. The cost for parts and labor would be $1600 plus shipping. The guitar was not intended to have a Floyd in it, so I would recommend refinishing the guitar while it is having the Floyd installed. A refin would be an additional $1500."

I just wanted to share this information in case anyone else is considering this. Most likely I would get the Holcomb and spend some serious time with it and only if the rest of the guitar blows my mind, then i would start saving off to get this done. Hopefully this is useful for others.

 

[Andrew Lloyd Webber]

They’re way too polite. Paul himself should have fun with replying to these requests.

 

[soldierkahn]

They’re way too polite. Paul himself should have fun with replying to these requests.

the person I spoke with was Shawn Nuthall

 

[budda]

Yes, PTC mods are expensive. That's usually why it's best to get the guitar with the specs you want from the start

 

[xzacx]

I would think working in the opposite direction would be a lot easier. Get a PRS stock with a Floyd and have it re-fretted and radiused, and shim the existing Floyd.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

The PTC is meant to be an “official” source for sprucing up your old, favorite PRS or making a change just short of going full PS. It’s not really a mod shop like what you’re looking for.

You want a good tech.

But, as others have said, you’re pretty much doing this backwards.

 

[odibrom]

Yes, PTC mods are expensive. That's usually why it's best to get the guitar with the specs you want from the start

ALL THIS... For that kind of money (3k for install + refinish) there is a world of guitars made to measure with YOUR desired specs, just probably not branded PRS...

 

[budda]

ALL THIS... For that kind of money (3k for install + refinish) there is a world of guitars made to measure with YOUR desired specs, just probably not branded PRS...

You can probably find a ltd run and maaaybe private stock used for 3k usd.

 

[soldierkahn]

The PTC is meant to be an “official” source for sprucing up your old, favorite PRS or making a change just short of going full PS. It’s not really a mod shop like what you’re looking for.

You want a good tech.

But, as others have said, you’re pretty much doing this backwards.

See thats what I thought was that itd be easier/cheaper to just get a new fretboard radius'd to 20" (technically I dont really need it that far, 17" would be perfection) because when I priced out what I wanted with a local luthier in Washington, he said he could get me the new Ebony board and replace the stock one then refret it, level, etc for about $500.

I originally wanted to get all this on a CE 24 with a floyd, because I love bolt-on tone/feel more than other styles, but In order to do that I would have to sacrifice having a matching headstock, and/or have to deal with a maple fretboard (which i despise). I guess the least expensive option would be to get a used Custom 24 Floyd, then have the fretboard replaced (I would almost be inclined to believe theres enough fretboard wood to do a re-radius without having to put on a whole new board.). Itll really limit the finishes ill have a choice of. Id love to get a DW Custom 24 and have it radiusd. Then throw in an Edge LoPro and id have my dream machine lol. I hate that im so picky lol

 

[Andrew Lloyd Webber]

I’m pissing in the wind here but, if your dream guitar is a bolt-on PRS with a shimmed Ibanez trem and an ebony board flatter than the trem is radiused for, you’re best-off having such a thing built from the ground up, rather than paying in the same ballpark to frankenstein it together.

This detail is especially important when considering the guitar as the investment it is: Once you get your first “dream-spec guitar” together, the only direction your preferences can go is away from what you liked at the time. Selling a mutt parted together from two or three butchered guitars to anyone not after those exact specs, in-particular, is going to be impossible. Whereas a one-off custom can resell with most quirks accepted as “vision.”

 

[MaxOfMetal]

See thats what I thought was that itd be easier/cheaper to just get a new fretboard radius'd to 20" (technically I dont really need it that far, 17" would be perfection) because when I priced out what I wanted with a local luthier in Washington, he said he could get me the new Ebony board and replace the stock one then refret it, level, etc for about $500.

I originally wanted to get all this on a CE 24 with a floyd, because I love bolt-on tone/feel more than other styles, but In order to do that I would have to sacrifice having a matching headstock, and/or have to deal with a maple fretboard (which i despise). I guess the least expensive option would be to get a used Custom 24 Floyd, then have the fretboard replaced (I would almost be inclined to believe theres enough fretboard wood to do a re-radius without having to put on a whole new board.). Itll really limit the finishes ill have a choice of. Id love to get a DW Custom 24 and have it radiusd. Then throw in an Edge LoPro and id have my dream machine lol. I hate that im so picky lol

If you need to replace something as major as the fretboard, move on. Especially if you're buying new.

You're not that picky, you just seem like you can't make up your mind.

 

[soldierkahn]

If you need to replace something as major as the fretboard, move on. Especially if you're buying new.

You're not that picky, you just seem like you can't make up your mind.

I know what you mean, my mind works in kind of tunnel vision lol. Ill find a guitar that makes me want to sell off my children for, and then right up to the point of purchasing it, ill still be looking around to see if anything can sway me. I have been set on the RGA for a hot minute (just constantly going back and forth between RGA and JBM) because it nails every last spec i wanted (if the RGA had a reverse headstock it wouldnt even be a choice hahaha). But when I stumbled on the Dustie Waring Custom that was being advertised as a 16" radius, I saw this as my opportunity to finally get a PRS. There is alot about the PRSs that I love, but rarely are they ever all in the same configuration.

Im basically working to fill 3 slots.
1. for Drop D down to Drop C: A mahogany bodied, standard scale, ELP/Floyd equipped, ebony board, maple neck.
2. for Drop-B and below: same as above, but in either 26.5" or 27" scale.
3. for 7 string(I dont tune any lower than A standard): can be Basswood but would prefer Mahogany, ELP7, etc etc @ 26.5 or 27

So I was looking at the RGA to fill slot#1, until I saw Dusty Waring Custom and saw a chance to have a slightly shorter scale while still having the same radius im accustomed to. As soon as the radius was off the table, it got taken off the list. If I had the extra money to burn, I would buy a couple Mick Thompson MTM1 guitars to take the fixed edge lopros out of them (i could also get a JS1000 i think it is), and then use that bridge and install it on a Holcomb

 

[soldierkahn]

I’m pissing in the wind here but, if your dream guitar is a bolt-on PRS with a shimmed Ibanez trem and an ebony board flatter than the trem is radiused for, you’re best-off having such a thing built from the ground up, rather than paying in the same ballpark to frankenstein it together.

How would the LoPro need shimmed? The trem isnt radiused IIRC, so it should match up just fine to 20" radius. Worst case scenario, your middle 2 strings might sit a little high on the fretboard then the outer 4, but I wouldnt see this as a bad thing?

 

[Andrew Lloyd Webber]

Alrighty then. Looking forward to the next step.

 

[Shoeless_jose]

Maybe I just hadnt paid enough attention to guitar forums before a few years.... But whats with people need for a 20" fret radius is this just because of Periphery. Like I get the reason people want a flatter radius but are people really unable to play on different radiused boards?

Like I have a 12" 16" and 20" can play all of them fine. All have super low action

 

[soldierkahn]

Maybe I just hadnt paid enough attention to guitar forums before a few years.... But whats with people need for a 20" fret radius is this just because of Periphery. Like I get the reason people want a flatter radius but are people really unable to play on different radiused boards?

Like I have a 12" 16" and 20" can play all of them fine. All have super low action

I can only speak for myself, and offer an opinion on the other. I myself, prefer exactly 430mm (16.929") because this combined with an Edge LoPro allows for a extremely low action which is what i prefer. It is also a lot easier for me to play cleanly but when the strings are closer together like on Ibanez production models with a 400mm radius, there is less space between each string on the fretboard so im always bumping into an adjacent string. I see this same feel anytime I pick up a Schecter, Jackson, or ESP/LTD models. Some of these have compound radius, and some dont, but most of them start at 14" radius and gradually increasing. I find that the flatter the radius, the easier it is to play a lot of staccato single notes and string-crossing very cleanly.

but again, this is only my opinion.

 

[Shoeless_jose]

I can only speak for myself, and offer an opinion on the other. I myself, prefer exactly 430mm (16.929") because this combined with an Edge LoPro allows for a extremely low action which is what i prefer. It is also a lot easier for me to play cleanly but when the strings are closer together like on Ibanez production models with a 400mm radius, there is less space between each string on the fretboard so im always bumping into an adjacent string. I see this same feel anytime I pick up a Schecter, Jackson, or ESP/LTD models. Some of these have compound radius, and some dont, but most of them start at 14" radius and gradually increasing. I find that the flatter the radius, the easier it is to play a lot of staccato single notes and string-crossing very cleanly.

but again, this is only my opinion.

Why are the strings closer together with a smaller radius? Just curious? And I only ask because of the hoops you seem willing to jump through for such a small change.

Also buy a Duvell and get a tech to put the ibanez bridge on it. I saw someone else do that looked tight. Its 16"

 

[Avedas]

Maybe I just hadnt paid enough attention to guitar forums before a few years.... But whats with people need for a 20" fret radius is this just because of Periphery. Like I get the reason people want a flatter radius but are people really unable to play on different radiused boards?

Like I have a 12" 16" and 20" can play all of them fine. All have super low action

My Jackson has a 12-16" compound and feels perfectly fine to play, but I definitely prefer my Strandberg's 20" radius. I'm likely going to buy one of the new Charvel DK models which is also 12-16" compound though. Either way, I definitely can't go any rounder than that. Even a complete 12" radius feels like hell to me when playing leads and anything less would definitely get in my way. I never played a 20" radius before I got my Strandberg but it really does feel like a world of difference.

 

[soldierkahn]

i started giving this whole thing some more thought and I think the most affordable option and easiest mod I could do is to pick a Holcomb Custom, then pickup an old MTM1. Pull the fixed lopro out of the MTM, and use the carving on the MTM as a guide for how to cut the Holcomb, then just pop in the FELP. It being gloss black would really suit a Holcomb as well....

Im starting to really give this one some thought lol

 

[MaxOfMetal]

i started giving this whole thing some more thought and I think the most affordable option and easiest mod I could do is to pick a Holcomb Custom, then pickup an old MTM1. Pull the fixed lopro out of the MTM, and use the carving on the MTM as a guide for how to cut the Holcomb, then just pop in the FELP. It being gloss black would really suit a Holcomb as well....

Im starting to really give this one some thought lol

wat