PRS bridge/tailpiece question...

[Lewguitar]

I've been offered a great deal on a PRS Custom 22. It's a nice guitar but the bridge/tailpiece needs replacing. It's a '95. From PRS, the part is over $225. It's chrome plated aluminum. I'm waiting for some PRS dealers to get back to me with a discounted price. From what I understand the stud spacing is unusual so a replacement bridge/tailpiece intended for use on a Gibson or Hamer won't work. Are there other options and perhaps an aftermarket tailpiece that's "better" available ?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: PRS bridge/tailpiece question...

Perhaps this one from Tone Pros? http://static.music123.com/derivates/6/001/206/579/DV019_Jpg_Regular_300242.377_nickel.jpg

 

[uOpt]

Re: PRS bridge/tailpiece question...

How did someone manage that? Looks indestructible to me. I would suspect that there's maybe damage to the posts?

The tone pros is heavy and overpriced. Not optimistic. There must be plenty of the tailpieces on Ebay, no? (from people who got one with adjustable saddles)

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: PRS bridge/tailpiece question...

How did someone manage that? Looks indestructible to me. I would suspect that there's maybe damage to the posts?

The tone pros is heavy and overpriced. Not optimistic. There must be plenty of the tailpieces on Ebay, no? (from people who got one with adjustable saddles)

I haven't done the deal yet. But the chrome plating is coming off. It's about half off already and looks bad and probably feels bad.

I just read that the Tone Pros replacement fits but has a slightly different radius than the original PRS design.

These guys don't seem to think so highly of it and suggest biting the bullet and purchasing the original PRS tailpiece: http://www.rig-talk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=91628

The deal I had worked out wouldn't be such a great deal if I have to spend another $250 or so for a new tailpiece. Money is tight and I'd have to pass on the guitar.

 

[jmh151]

Re: PRS bridge/tailpiece question...

It's odd that it's chrome plated- the stop tailpiese on my PRS is polished aluminum.

Avoid the Tone Pros. Not only is the radius incorrect, but the saddles sit higher, so no matter what you do you can't get low action. With the PRS tailpiece you can get crazy low action

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: PRS bridge/tailpiece question...

It's odd that it's chrome plated- the stop tailpiese on my PRS is polished aluminum.

Avoid the Tone Pros. Not only is the radius incorrect, but the saddles sit higher, so no matter what you do you can't get low action. With the PRS tailpiece you can get crazy low action

No chrome? Interesting. When I called PRS yesterday they described it as being chrome plated aluminum.

Here's the guitar and the tailpiece. The guitar has been played a lot - but I can have it for $800. I need a project and if I go through with the deal and decide to keep it, I'll remove the pickups and controls and perhaps sell them. I'll install a 3 way switch and two double cream humbuckers I've been saving for just such a guitar. I'll also remove the locking tuners and replace them with a used set of non-locking Schallers I have that will drop right in and leave no extra screw holes. Might sell the locking tuners too when I'm all done. The seller assures me that the frets are not badly worn but if they are I can return the guitar. Or else work out a deal with the seller and do a refret. I do great refrets and fret work so that doesn't scare me.

 

[jmh151]

Re: PRS bridge/tailpiece question...

No chrome? Interesting. When I called PRS yesterday they described it as being chrome plated aluminum.

Here's the guitar and the tailpiece. The guitar has been played a lot - but I can have it for $800. I need a project and if I go through with the deal and decide to keep it, I'll remove the pickups and controls and perhaps sell them. I'll install a 3 way switch and two double cream humbuckers I've been saving for just such a guitar. I'll also remove the locking tuners and replace them with a used set of non-locking Schallers I have that will drop right in and leave no extra screw holes. Might sell the locking tuners too when I'm all done. The seller assures me that the frets are not badly worn but if they are I can return the guitar. Or else work out a deal with the seller and do a refret. I do great refrets and fret work so that doesn't scare me.

View attachment 37763

The American made tailpieces are polished aluminum. The stop tailpieces on the import SE line are chrome plated- I don't know what they're made of. I would try to keep the guitar as original as possible

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: PRS bridge/tailpiece question...

Perhaps the import bridges are zinc. Interesting that PRS told me the tailpiece is aluminum that it's chrome plated. I even gave the guy the serial number of the guitar. It is not an import. Don't know what to think!

 

[Zerberus]

Re: PRS bridge/tailpiece question...

It's odd that it's chrome plated- the stop tailpiese on my PRS is polished aluminum.

Avoid the Tone Pros. Not only is the radius incorrect, but the saddles sit higher, so no matter what you do you can't get low action. With the PRS tailpiece you can get crazy low action

Are you sure they´re not chrome plated? Polished aluminun can´t attain a true mirror finish due to the material´s more porous structure, and without regular maintenance polishing the surface would oxidize to dark grey within mere days of manufacture.....

I´m not saying it´s not the case, just saying that years of experience with aluminum tell me that this is a crappy idea for a guitar that´s supposed to be eye candy and stay that way.... But if you post a pic of the tailpiece and we can see the camera in it, I can tell you right then and there whether bare aluminum is truly a possibility, just by the color and the camera´s reflection.

*Edit* Did some research.... from http://www.prsguitars.com/csc/care.html

We use a nickel/silver combination to plate our hardware. While this plating does not wear as well as chrome plating, the tonal qualities of nickel/silver are far superior. We have found that Blue Magic Liquid Metal Polish works very well in removing tarnish from our nickel hardware. Other mag wheel polishes also work well. These products can be found at most auto parts stores.

and From: http://www.prsguitars.com/csc/bridges.html

For ease of intonation of non-standard or extra heavy string gauges, a special order version of the PRS Stoptail with individually adjustable saddles is available. The adjustable PRS Stoptail is available in nickel or gold plate. All PRS parts and accessories are available for special order; please contact our accessories department for ordering information.

and finally http://www.prsaccessories.com/collections/parts/products/stoptail-bridge-with-studs.
____________

Interesting...... It DOES say polished aluminum on the accessories link, and the bridge pictured could definitely be freshly polished Al (not that I didn´t believe you in principle, it just struck me as very curious so I went digging :beerchug: )..... Something tells me they either they somehow reverse engineered an international patent held by LKE Schneider Leichtbau for a proprietary coating that allows aluminum to keep a high lustre over time (or invested a few hundred thousand in R+D and came up with something similar), or the bridges don´t age as gracefully as I would personally expect them to on a instrument of that pedigree. :scratchch:

Seriously, now I´m really interested to see a pic of your bridge....

*Edit2* OOOR I could just use my brain and take a look at the instrument Lew posted. :chairfall

The bridge is a bit small, but with the accessories pic as a baseline that´s more or less exactly the color and lustre change I would expect uncoated aluminum to go through within the first month or so....

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: PRS bridge/tailpiece question...

Funny story. I sold a big chunk of my comic book collection to raise $800 to buy this baby. Spiderman, etc. Couldn't care less about comic books but 40 years ago I collected them. Still have quite a few left...I'm going to sell those too.

 

[jmh151]

Re: PRS bridge/tailpiece question...

Are you sure they´re not chrome plated? Polished aluminun can´t attain a true mirror finish due to the material´s more porous structure, and without regular maintenance polishing the surface would oxidize to dark grey within mere days of manufacture.....

I´m not saying it´s not the case, just saying that years of experience with aluminum tell me that this is a crappy idea for a guitar that´s supposed to be eye candy and stay that way.... But if you post a pic of the tailpiece and we can see the camera in it, I can tell you right then and there whether bare aluminum is truly a possibility just by the color and the camera´s reflection.

PRS's web site says it's polished aluminum...

The stop tailpiece on my 2008 KL1812 sure looks like polished aluminum... It tarnishes quite a bit, has a foggy haze, it doesn't have the mirror finish of chrome or nickle...PRS's theory is that the plating robs tone, therefore if you look closely, any of the parts in recent years that come in contact with the string or transfer vibration are unplated.. Their studs are unplated on the inside, the part of the tuners that come in contact with the string are unplated. If the guitar stays in its case and is cared for, the aluminum isn't that bad. But I would imagine under touring conditions it might tarnish quite a bit

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: PRS bridge/tailpiece question...

PRS's web site says it's polished aluminum...

The stop tailpiece on my 2008 KL1812 sure looks like polished aluminum... It tarnishes quite a bit, has a foggy haze, it doesn't have the mirror finish of chrome or nickle...PRS's theory is that the plating robs tone, therefore if you look closely, any of the parts in recent years that come in contact with the string or transfer vibration are unplated.. Their studs are unplated on the inside, the part of the tuners that come in contact with the string are unplated. If the guitar stays in its case and is cared for, the aluminum isn't that bad. But I would imagine under touring conditions it might tarnish quite a bit

Maybe they weren't always made that way? The tailpiece on this guitar ( a '96 according to the serial number) is clearly plated because the plating is peeling off.

 

[jmh151]

PRS bridge/tailpiece question...

Maybe they weren't always made that way? The tailpiece on this guitar ( a '96 according to the serial number) is clearly plated because the plating is peeling off.

That could be, I think it's only been in recent years that they started using highly polished rather than unplated parts... They even have tone upgrade kits to upgrade their trem parts to modern unplated parts

 

[TheProphet]

Re: PRS bridge/tailpiece question...

At 800 bones I'd say that's a steal. I'd save for the new bridge and drill for the 3 way. But that's just me.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: PRS bridge/tailpiece question...

At 800 bones I'd say that's a steal. I'd save for the new bridge and drill for the 3 way. But that's just me.

That's why I posted about this. Wanted some opinions. I think it's a great deal and I'm fine with guitars that have some battle scars. I've always felt that the guitars that get played are usually really good, resonant, great playing guitars. The ones that stay perfect, hung on a collector's wall, are often stiff by comparison.

Besides, I wanted one that I could mod without devaluing it.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: PRS bridge/tailpiece question...

Maybe they weren't always made that way? The tailpiece on this guitar ( a '96 according to the serial number) is clearly plated because the plating is peeling off.

AH, that´s not a shadow on the bass strings but the actual plating peeling back or what?

And BTW for 800 bones I would be interested in her getting flipped my way should your heart not take hold of her, even if you do the 3-way mod. Assuming I can find work soon, but that´s a WIP and today tossed up a few promising avenues.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: PRS bridge/tailpiece question...

AH, that´s not a shadow on the bass strings but the actual plating peeling back or what?

Boy...I assumed that's what was happening. I have other photos and it looks the same in every photo.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: PRS bridge/tailpiece question...

Here's another angle:

 

[Zerberus]

Re: PRS bridge/tailpiece question...

^^ the other pic was actually better as far as inspecting the bridge goes. But the darkening is clearly visible from this altered angle, so it very well could be the case that the plating is retiring from service.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: PRS bridge/tailpiece question...

^^ the other pic was actually better as far as inspecting the bridge goes.

Yes, but that gray area is right in the same place in both photos. I think the previous owner was a real sweat muffin! LOL! The volume and tone controls supposedly have static too. More sweat.

I don't care. If I keep it, I'll take all the parts off of it, clean it up real nice, maybe touch up a couple of spots, polish it all up and play the heck out of it again.

I have some double cream Tom Holmes humbuckers I'll put in it - been saving them for a guitar like this.