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I recently got a new PRS SE Custom 24 before I left the store. I had the tech adjust the truss rod and check it, because when I fretted notes on the higher strings I could hear the next note a fret above wanting to ring out along with the fretted note.

This caused a bit of a dissonant rub between notes. It still didn’t go away but got a little better. I have not adjusted the action yet it may need raised but I’ve never heard of this happening.

For example the 7th fret of the high B string and the 8th fret wants to ring out quieter but right along with it. Can anyone explain this and how I can fix this is this a action issue a truss rod adjustment issue or a bad high fret issue? Please help I love this PRS and don’t want to return it if this is fixable. It is noticeable thru an amp and acoustically.

Brian Towers
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Aj V
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  • Which are the frets this happens on? – leftaroundabout Jul 24 '22 at 21:41
  • Do you get a lot of fretbuzz on these frets? Also maybe can you provide us with a recording, so we can try to understand what’s happening? – Lazy Jul 24 '22 at 21:56
  • There’s maybe a little fret buzz on open strings but not bad like they don’t ring just when I press a midrange fret it rings on the next fret making the next note wanna ring with it I’ll try to add a clip of what I mean. – Aj V Jul 24 '22 at 22:49
  • Do you mute all of the other strings when you play only the E or B strings? – Todd Wilcox Jul 24 '22 at 23:02
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    I’m not trying to be unhelpful but my best advice is rather than have us here on this site speculate on this with not enough information take your new guitar back to where you bought it and demonstrate the problem to the tech. If he cannot fix it to your satisfaction return the instrument. On an instrument of this quality the action should be able to be set exactly where you want it within reason with the correct amount of neck relief. – John Belzaguy Jul 24 '22 at 23:11
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    Please add a clip. It's physically impossible that the same string resonates at two tones semitone apart and I'm kind of curious what it really is. – ojs Jul 25 '22 at 07:17
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    Are we sure this isn't just the ghost note you can hear from behind the fret when just fretting unplugged? – Tetsujin Jul 25 '22 at 07:58

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As John says, this must go back. It's a new. quality instrument that should have been right before it left the shop. The fact that it needed adjustment even as you bought it says something. That should really have been sorted in the shop's quiet times. Yes, I know everyone may want a different action, but no-one wants an action so bad it's unplayable.

You maybe could rectify the problem - action, by raising the individual saddles, and/or changing the relief using the truss rod bolt, but that's not your job. Even a different set of strings could cure the problem. It's still under guarantee, and wasn't right even as you left the shop. On a second-hand guitar, I'd expect to have to do some fettling, but not a brand-new one!

So, yes, you maybe could fix it - but if anything went wrong, you'd have scrapped the guarantee, so far better to not do anything advised here (we can't see, hear, feel the guitar anyway) apart from return it. Either for a fully functional one, or a different well set up one. Good luck!

Tim
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could be a high fret, or maybe one that need a little crowning to reduce its height. I do however concur with @tim - Should never have left the factory like that. Unforgiveable on such a high end instrument. Even Squiers come out mostly perfect. Never had a bad one yet.

bigbadmouse
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    I used to set up Squiers for a living, briefly… you really need to try the low-end ones before making that statement ;)) [Briefly, because we rapidly worked out it was costing more to set them up even roughly than the profit margin.] – Tetsujin Jul 25 '22 at 09:15
  • My little brothers squire does it too maybe it’s just a me thing I’m gonna try and get a clip of it today. I noticed my acoustic does it a little bit too could just be a ghost note maybe – Aj V Jul 25 '22 at 14:04
  • @AjV - or could even be the way you're playing? – Tim Jul 26 '22 at 09:05