PRS SE Guitars

[djdrdave]

I picked up a PRS singlecutaway SE over the weekend from Guitar Center. I own a USA made PRS custom 22 as well. I was really impressed this time. I needed an intermediate guitar for use at some fill in gigs because the guitar I normally used for that got damaged and needs some serious repairwork.

I had previously played the SE's and wasn't impressed, but found the build, playability and looks of this one to be much better than the lower priced Epiphone Les Pauls that I was testing out (For the record I didn't try out Epi Les Pauls greater than $500).

While I play to buy a PRS McCarty in a few years, I will probably check out a few of these from time to time.

The key is always is play as many as you can of a guitar type. There is so much variability out there.

[plaintopper]

Originally Posted by Guitar Josh

Got the 10% off coupon for GC in the mail (Green Tag sale), and had been interested in these guitars for awhile since I have so many quality humbuckers laying around. After reading some positive reviews on the net, I set out to GC to check out the SE Singlecut.

Guy brings out two brand new ones from the back. First is a tobacco sunburst. First thing I notice is that the finish is not evenly applied and there are numerous flaws in the finish. The fretboard work is horrible, I could probably do a better job myself. The fretboard itself felt like plastic, and didn't look or feel like wood at all. The guitar had practically no weight to it either, not a good thing.

I plug it in. No sustain, plays like crap, sounds even worse.

I grab the other one, a black one. Same finish issues, plays a little better, but not great.

So I have him bring me out the regular SEs. Same issues, except these guitars feel like I'm playing a plane of pinewood with strings on it.

I tried the Soapbar II, didn't last 5 minutes in my hand before I cast it away.

These guitars are AWFUL. Fit and finish are unacceptable. Playability is nill, tone is terrible (through a Fender Vibrolux, an Egnater and the new Marshall JVM).

For comparison purposes, I picked up a Epi LP and a MIM strat. Fit and finish near perfect, playability in spades, excellent tone. $200 less too. If they can get it right, you'd think PRS can.

I have owned several PRS guitars in my lifetime, and each has been a work of art. These SEs however, need to go right back to the drawing board.

I bought my son an SE singlecut about three or four years ago. Played three or four of them, and picked the best one. It killed the Epi LPs that I was comparing.

It is a more lively and inspiring guitar than a USA Custom 22 I owned at the same time (which was very disconcerting, considering the price difference). The SE pickups are quite hot and a bit one dimensional and the stock tuners are sloppy, but the guitar itself was and still is quite impressive for the sub $500 price I paid.

[MartinC]

I don't know about PRS SEs in particular, but more generally, my eyes were opened very recently to what is possible in a budget guitar manufactured in Asia ... and this is after spending considerable sums of money on US Fender, US PRS and a Suhr custom order, highly spec'd Classic.

I'm not saying I don't want to keep my US made, expensive guitars ... but I would say it's a mistake to dismiss cheaper, Asian made guitars ... almost all guitars need a good set up after purchase, and if you really want better/different parts, then upgrading can be done later and you'll still be quids in.

[Fuchsaudio]

The Suhr Rasmus guitars (saw at the NC show last weekend) are very well executed Asian guitars. If the QC and setup are done in the US, or at least closely monitored here, the overseas guitars can be very good. You can ship a Plek machine anywhere I would think...

[solitaire]

Originally Posted by dave s

Wow! The quality must have really dropped off since the initial release of the guitar. I'm trying to remember ... my son's SE Single Cut (first year) must be a 2004 model? His guitar is of usual PRS quality at any price point.

Things must be slipping on the SE line. Again, my son's SE is a real gem.

dave

I agree. I have 3 SEs, two EGs I've converted and one Santana 1.1 and they sound and play very nicely. Not even Mexican Strats and those all mahogany Gibsons can't stack up against them.

Then finish could have been thinner, as could the neck profile but for a Korean made guitar these are really nice.

Lately I've been moving over to ESP Ltds (made in China) though and playability wise I seem to prefer these over the PRS SEs. Play every bit as good as an American Strat - though I have indeed replaced the stock pickups and some other electronics.