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Opinions - PRS SE Custom Semi or Reverend Manta Ray?

Discussion in 'Guitars in General' started by kayaker, Jan 6, 2008.

  1. Jan 6, 2008 #1
    kayaker

    kayaker Member

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    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!
     
    kayaker, Jan 6, 2008
    kayaker, Jan 6, 2008
    #1
  2. Jan 6, 2008 #2
    echale3

    echale3 Member

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    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...
     
    echale3, Jan 6, 2008
    echale3, Jan 6, 2008
    #2
  3. Jan 7, 2008 #3
    kayaker

    kayaker Member

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    Just a bump for the morning crew.
     
    kayaker, Jan 7, 2008
    kayaker, Jan 7, 2008
    #3
  4. Jan 7, 2008 #4
    rivaeast

    rivaeast Member

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    I'd go with the Reverend....
     
    rivaeast, Jan 7, 2008
    rivaeast, Jan 7, 2008
    #4
  5. Jan 7, 2008 #5
    phantasm

    phantasm Member

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    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.
     
    phantasm, Jan 7, 2008
    phantasm, Jan 7, 2008
    #5
  6. Jan 7, 2008 #6
    kayaker

    kayaker Member

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    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.
     
    kayaker, Jan 7, 2008
    kayaker, Jan 7, 2008
    #6
  7. Jan 7, 2008 #7
    MartinPiana

    MartinPiana Supporting Member

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    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.
     
    MartinPiana, Jan 7, 2008
    MartinPiana, Jan 7, 2008
    #7
  8. Jan 7, 2008 #8
    kayaker

    kayaker Member

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    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, Jan 7, 2008
    kayaker, Jan 7, 2008
    #8
  9. Jan 8, 2008 #9
    kayaker

    kayaker Member

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    Bump. One last try... humbly requesting more opinions.
     
    kayaker, Jan 8, 2008
    kayaker, Jan 8, 2008
    #9
  10. Aug 3, 2008 #10
    hour9

    hour9 Member

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    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.
     
    hour9, Aug 3, 2008
    hour9, Aug 3, 2008
    #10
  11. Aug 3, 2008 #11
    fishman919

    fishman919 Supporting Member

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    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.
     
    fishman919, Aug 3, 2008
    fishman919, Aug 3, 2008
    #11

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