[MetalMac]

I've been looking into these guitars recently. Anyone know much about the SE line? Mostly I've been looking at the Custom 24 and the SE One. Looking for some opinions on these.... or else....

[MrSandMan]

Hey bro, here is a kick ass article written up on the PRS SE. It might help sway your opinion one way or another. Let me know what you think.

Paul Reed Smith SE Custom Electric Guitars

The average fully appointed PRS typically sells for around $2,500—a fair price, especially when you consider the difficulty of building a guitar that performs and looks like a PRS. Now, imagine trying to build a guitar of the same caliber for less than $800. This unenviable task is exactly what Paul Reed Smith asked of the special team that oversees his SE guitar line.

To meet the price point, PRS builds its SE guitars entirely at a specially chosen Korean factory. The maple tops they use aren’t heavily carved—the SE Custom’s top is totally flat; the flame effect on the maple caps is achieved through a seamless veneer application, and the famous PRS bird inlays aren’t on offer. But these are mere cosmetic differences. In use, the SE instruments are no less playable or beautiful sounding than the legendary guitars built in Stevensville, Maryland. This month I have the pleasure of reviewing two of the latest additions to the SE lineup: the PRS SE Custom and SE Singlecut guitars.

PRS SE CUSTOM

The PRS Custom has been the company’s flagship guitar since the mid Eighties, and it’s an appropriately pricey piece of equipment. My SE Custom test guitar is specifically the Korean variant of the PRS Custom 22. As with the American Custom 22 the SE’s mahogany body benefits aesthetically and tonally from a flamed maple top. But to reduce production costs, it has a flat, rather than carved, top. This is a first for a PRS guitar, and while I missed the smooth curves of the American-made model, the flat top had no unfavorable effect on the guitar’s playability.

The mahogany neck is set into the body on a 25-inch scale and features the PRS wide-fat carve; however, to me this neck feels a little less wide than the U.S. necks of the same name. Moon inlays dot the rosewood board, and the 22 medium jumbo frets feature the same flattened crown that gives expensive PRS guitars a worn-in and fast feel. Hardware includes a beautiful version of the famous John Mann tremolo used on domestic PRS guitars and a set of sealed chrome tuners. The SE Custom’s black-and-tan humbuckers are also custom-wound in Korea and help to distinguish the guitar tonally from any instrument that PRS has offered to date. Controls include a master volume and tone with a threeway pickup toggle.

PRS SE CUSTOM
PRO: Fast and slick feel, amazing quality, searing rock tones
CON: No coil taps for single-coil tones, no locking tuners
PRS SE SINGLECUT
PRO: Ringing body, amazing quality, gorgeous clean tone
CON: No pickup taps for single-coil tones

LIST PRICES: SE Custom, $758.00; SE Singlecut flame top, $758.00; SE Singlecut, opaque finish, $718.00 (all prices include Cordura gig bag)

By Eric Kirkland

[Redline68]

I was eyeballing a SE myself that I saw on CL. Need to find one to pick up and coonfinger.

[Brian Krashpad]

They seem to have pretty universally good reviews.



Haven't had the chance to play any.

[MrSandMan]

Did you pick it up?

[Powerslave214]

There's a local store here that carries PRS's and Suhr's.

I haven't really tried enough PRS's yet to get a good informed opinion of them, but I do like the thin neck better than the thick one.