Opinions - PRS SE Custom Semi or Reverend Manta Ray?

[kayaker]

For some reason I just didn't bond with the Ibanez AS-73 I had, so I sold it and am now missing a semi-hollow. I'm trying to narrow the field a bit and THINK I'm down to these two as my top contenders. Has anybody here played both of these guitars??? I'm looking for something smaller than a standard 335 size, so I THINK the Reverend might be a bit "big", but I haven't seen one locally. I've heard the PRS SE Semi is a bit smaller but, again, haven't found one locally.

Specifically, I'm interested in whether one of these is clearly better/easier to get a low, buzz-free action... and, I'm interested in whether one has a more resonant, "really semi / full hollow" sound. I know a fair amount of semis don't really sound much different than a solid body. I already have a Strat and an LP (clone), so I'm looking for something a bit different to round out my small collection.

Thanks in Advance!

 

[echale3]

This should be interesting, because I'm looking to round out my tonal palette with a hollow or semi-hollow guitar, and I'd like to get some input on whether to make it a point to try those two out or not...

 

[kayaker]

Just a bump for the morning crew.

 

[rivaeast]

I'd go with the Reverend....

 

[phantasm]

What's the neck size like on the PRS semi hollow? I've heard different things as far as them being thick or thin. I haven't tried one yet, and i probably won't if they are "baseball bat" thick.

 

[kayaker]

What's the neck size like on the PRS semi hollow? I've heard different things as far as them being thick or thin. I haven't tried one yet, and i probably won't if they are "baseball bat" thick.

I think they have must have changed the neck profile over the few years they've been out. Some web listings have it as "wide/fat"... and some show it as "wide/thin". Right now, the PRS website says wide/fat neck profile on all the SE models except the SE Paul Allender model.

I haven't seen an SE semi-hollow, but I did find a used SE Tremonti and it definitely had a wide/THIN profile (comfortably thin to me) ... so maybe they changed recently. There were USA-made PRS models next to it and they all had visibly chunkier necks. I didn't play any of them, though, as they were are bit out of my price range. Now I wish I had, since the new SE semis don't seem to have the thinner neck anymore.

 

[MartinPiana]

Haven't played the PRS. I have a Manta Ray -- action is as low as any of my guitars with absolutely no buzz anywhere, and could go lower. Neck, frets and action are all exceptional. Neck is a medium C, very comfortable. Finish is excellent. Quality instrument for the price. The guitar has somewhat more of a solid body sound than a 335 or an Ibanez semi-hollow, which has me thinking about selling mine eventually.

 

[kayaker]

Thanks for the input. I was afraid of that.... the "perfect guitar", but not necessarily the "perfect semi-hollow", I suppose.

I'm really trying to keep my list "short" since I know there are SO MANY options in this $600 - $700 price range... but I just tried a Fender Tele Thinline (Made in Mexico) and might just have add that to the shortlist. I really want something a bit more "unique", but I guess a I shouldn't turn up my nose at picking up another Fender. It certainly is "different" in the sense that it's not a standard Tele but... it's still a Tele ("not that there's anything wrong with that" - to paraphrase Seinfeld).

 

[kayaker]

Bump. One last try... humbly requesting more opinions.

 

[hour9]

bump

If you could choose between the PRS SE Custom Semi Hollow w/soapbars or the Reverend Manta Ray 290 which would you choose and why. These two are similar enough and are in the same price point.

 

[fishman919]

I've played several of the recent SE models, and all of them had necks closer to the traditional W/F. On resonance, I think they are similar to the Tele Thinline. The biggest wow for the SE semi-hollow's is the low weight.