• From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Topic: Shaving heel down on a PRS (Ed Roman)

Hey all!

I'm the proud new owner of a beat to crap PRS McCarty. I love the thing, couldn't put it down all weekend. When I DID have it out of my grasp, I spent my time looking up mods for it online... that's when I came across Ed Roman's site.

Ed's mentality is simple. The heel on a PRS is ridiculous. He calls it the Heel from Hell. SO he offers a service where he shaves it down.

But he doesn't stop there (if you don't want him to). He believes wholeheartedly that glue inhibits tone. So he will take the neck off the PRS, get all the glue off/out of it, and bolt it on for you. He claims a 40% improvement in tone and a much more clear low end. I think the cost on this is less than $200. Claiming a tight wood on wood coupling is the best tonal transfer, etc....

http://www.edroman.com/customshop/images/prsheel1.jpg

Most people here are dramatically torn between set neck guitar and bolt on ones. I always came from the school where a set neck or even neck through was preferable over a bolt-on. Although each has their tonal characteristics. Ed's rants compare a set neck to a dog - and converting it into a bolt-in unicorn.

How big of a deal is this? I wouldn't mind getting that huge heel shaved down, but I'm not quite sure about the bolt-on thing. Maybe if I was a Fender person - I'd be less hesitant.

The info is near the bottom of this page:
http://www.edroman.com/customshop/conversions.htm

Looking for thoughts and opinions

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • From: Was NY now FL/GA line
  • Registered: 2007-12-16
  • Posts: 2,855

Re: Shaving heel down on a PRS (Ed Roman)

If you love it, could not hardly take it out of your hands to put it down, then why modify it? Don't believe all the hype you read on websites.

I'm not apposed to "bolt on necks" which are basically in most part, a screwed on neck. All the "Leo Inspired" guitars I have built through the years, I have utilized brass inserts into the neck heel, then it's technically a "bolt on" neck. I feel it makes a better stronger connection between the neck and the body.

As for shaving the neck... well I guess that depends on how much is carved off. Too much will change the scale of the neck.

Just my humble opinion.

Enjoy your PRS. They're great axes!

  • From: N. Little Rock, AR.
  • Registered: 2007-03-02
  • Posts: 463

Re: Shaving heel down on a PRS (Ed Roman)

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER deal with Ed Roman! (IMO).


    Seriously.


    As far as glue vs. bolt-on? Well, I prefer the more lively tone of bolt-on necks. I also prefer lighter weight guitars.

Early 80's 1957 U.S. Vintage Reissue Stratocaster (Surf Green)-Warmouth Soloist  Pearly Gates Neck, Pearly Gates Bridge- Larrivee D-03 (Mahogany/ Spruce)
Carmen Ghia Head- Marshall 112 Cab W/G12H 30  or  Custom 4 X 6v6 Head  or  Budda Twinmaster Plus Head-Traynor 212 Cab w/Eminence Texas Heats. 
Mo'D-Eternity-Blues Pro- Timmy-BYOC Chorus/Vibrato- TC SCF- Korg DT 10 Pedal Tuner
  • From: N.Wales, UK
  • Registered: 2009-03-06
  • Posts: 2,183

Re: Shaving heel down on a PRS (Ed Roman)

All I hear is Yes Ed Roman and No Ed Roman...

What's the deal?

  • Registered: 2010-03-09
  • Posts: 422

Re: Shaving heel down on a PRS (Ed Roman)

I would avoid Ed Roman as well.  Just look for is "rants" section of his website.  I wouldn't want to deal with him on any level.  He seems to have an opinion on everything and if you disagree with him you're an idiot in his little world.  Go to his store and try to play a guitar before you buy it, won't happen. 

As for the PRS, if you like it why let Roman talk you into conforming it.  I'd like to think that PRS has a little more credibility on the subject and they seem to be OK with the glue. wink   He also believes Gibson guitars post Kalamazoo are junk. 

I had a PRS Custom 24 "10" top and wanted to love it but I couldn't deal with the wide thin neck, and was terrified of scratching it as it cost so much.  You seem to have found a playable one, enjoy it!

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2008-04-23
  • Posts: 553

Re: Shaving heel down on a PRS (Ed Roman)

Oh well, Ed again....

He also offers a Brian May red special. Very much like the cheapo
Burns version. He claims it is improved even to the real red special.. lol
I think this is all a joke...

Alex

...it's a musical journey
www.u2-experience.de

Stratovari's Website

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: Shaving heel down on a PRS (Ed Roman)

Spider wrote:

1. If you love it, could not hardly take it out of your hands to put it down, then why modify it?
2.As for shaving the neck... well I guess that depends on how much is carved off. Too much will change the scale of the neck.

1. We'll see when the "honeymoon" is over. Usually when we buy something... it's the best thing since sliced bread.
2. shaving the heel down wont change the scale length... its the part that protrudes from the neck joint way too far.
http://www.guitarjam.blogs.com/guitarja … _final.jpg

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • From: Was NY now FL/GA line
  • Registered: 2007-12-16
  • Posts: 2,855

Re: Shaving heel down on a PRS (Ed Roman)

NPB_EST.1979 wrote:
Spider wrote:

1. If you love it, could not hardly take it out of your hands to put it down, then why modify it?
2.As for shaving the neck... well I guess that depends on how much is carved off. Too much will change the scale of the neck.

1. We'll see when the "honeymoon" is over. Usually when we buy something... it's the best thing since sliced bread.
2. shaving the heel down wont change the scale length... its the part that protrudes from the neck joint way too far.
http://www.guitarjam.blogs.com/guitarja … _final.jpg

Happy honeymoon then. In any relationship, when you attempt to change the other, the marriage is over. Believe it or not a lesson I learned long time ago., you won't choose your guitar, it'll will choose you.

Have a good life

  • Registered: 2007-11-04
  • Posts: 404

Re: Shaving heel down on a PRS (Ed Roman)

DONT DO IT!!!  You will devalue the guitar far more that the 200 dollars to have it done. So really its more like 500 dollars.

Second Ed Roman is an idiot and I wouldnt trust him to string my guitar let alone do any work on it. 
He has no credibility to make a judgement on a guitar any more than any one of us. He just happens to have some money and a store that for what ever reason does well in Las Vegas I think it is.

He has a horrible attitude and thinks he is something special.

Avoid him.. There are tons of people who are passionate about guitars who do quality work and we should be supporting those guys. Not ex Biker guitar wanna be's who feel more important than they are. He wants to be regarded as the next George Gruhn or Rudy's, but that day will never come.

  • Registered: 2010-02-08
  • Posts: 63

Re: Shaving heel down on a PRS (Ed Roman)

i think if you bought a guitar you liked the guitar so why change anything? does not matter if it cost 200 or 200,000 you liked it as it was.

also PRS build guitars for people like Santana so i think its fair to say they know what they are doing ? smile

  • From: Pittsburgh
  • Registered: 2008-05-22
  • Posts: 261

Re: Shaving heel down on a PRS (Ed Roman)

I had a post '98 McCarty with the "Heel from Hell" that I kept for two years until I couldn't handle it anymore.  I HATED the feel of it.  I have a '92 CE 24 with a bolt on neck.  I LOVE that guitar.  It has incredible tone and sustain and has a great lively feel to it.  Ran circles around the '00 McCarty.
Back in '92 when I bought the CE I played both the neck through's and the bolt on's.  The bolt ons- especially this one- just sounded livlier to me. 
I've owned my PRS since sept '92 and it's still guitar #1 at all my gigs.

Haven't heard too many good things about Ed Roman's.  Never been there or shoppped there but word on the street...

DannyG's Website

12 Reply by NPB_EST.1979 (edited by NPB_EST.1979 2010-05-12 23:19:44)

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: Shaving heel down on a PRS (Ed Roman)

I guess my topic covered two topics really...

1. I'm a PRS owner now. I've always been a Gibson guy... though I have some other brands like Jay Turser  and some Parts-ocasters - so it was nice to finally have another Made in US guitar.

2. Since I've never owned PRS, I started looking online to see what people were doing with them. That's how I came to find Ed Roman. I don't think I'll be going that direction at all... I just wanted to get a feel for how people perceive him.

I agree shaving down the heel I don't think is such a big deal... it's not that bad. The rest of the guitar make up for it. The bolt-on thing is another issue. PRS himself said they look for glues that transfer the sound better than others. While it does make sense that wood on wood bolted on could 'theoretically' be livlier than wood-glue-wood, there's countless set neck guitars that sound great.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • Registered: 2010-03-09
  • Posts: 422

Re: Shaving heel down on a PRS (Ed Roman)

Interesting how many people have a negative stance toward Roman.  I would imagine you'd have to step on a lot of toes to get such negative sentiment. 

Have you tried contacting PRS directly to see if they could recommend a route that they deem more suitable.  They might have a connection with a shop that does this sort of thing...Just a thought.

  • From: N. Little Rock, AR.
  • Registered: 2007-03-02
  • Posts: 463

Re: Shaving heel down on a PRS (Ed Roman)

Old PRS guitars had a much different Heel. I wonder why they changed it? Maybe there were problems with stability or Tone?

Early 80's 1957 U.S. Vintage Reissue Stratocaster (Surf Green)-Warmouth Soloist  Pearly Gates Neck, Pearly Gates Bridge- Larrivee D-03 (Mahogany/ Spruce)
Carmen Ghia Head- Marshall 112 Cab W/G12H 30  or  Custom 4 X 6v6 Head  or  Budda Twinmaster Plus Head-Traynor 212 Cab w/Eminence Texas Heats. 
Mo'D-Eternity-Blues Pro- Timmy-BYOC Chorus/Vibrato- TC SCF- Korg DT 10 Pedal Tuner