A Guitar And Gear Support Forum

Ok, not here yet, but will be in a few days... Looking forward to playing this 2019 I found on Reverb with a top I just couldn't pass up.

I already have too many guitars, but no PRS until this arrives. I tried another with this shape (but not PRS) that had a bad neck and that was a fiasco that I think put me off the search for a while. Though not brand new, this one seems to have been well cared for, and upgraded in only ways I might have done myself (tusq nut, shielded cavities, locking PRS tuners).

Regarding the non-Gibsonish, non-Fenderish tribalism, I never cared about any of that. If it plays well and sounds good, it will coexist here with all the other brands, no infighting. If it turns out to be as good as it looks, I will continue a search for its American cousin too.

I played one at Rainbow guitars here in Tucson, they are cool, but I had a hard time paying that much for basically an Agile with the PRS name. If I could find a reasonably priced used one in Whale blue, I would probably trade up from my Harley Benton (which is way better than it has any right to be for what I paid...)

honyock wrote: ↑Mon May 17, 2021 6:21 pm I played one at Rainbow guitars here in Tucson, they are cool, but I had a hard time paying that much for basically an Agile with the PRS name. If I could find a reasonably priced used one in Whale blue, I would probably trade up from my Harley Benton (which is way better than it has any right to be for what I paid...)

The HB CST-24 was the thing I returned for a bad neck. Maybe I got a dog, but the way Thomann handled the return, I'll never buy another, not even used. Having had that one though, I might write up the difference I find between the HB and the PRS.

BatUtilityBelt wrote:

honyock wrote: ↑Mon May 17, 2021 6:21 pm I played one at Rainbow guitars here in Tucson, they are cool, but I had a hard time paying that much for basically an Agile with the PRS name. If I could find a reasonably priced used one in Whale blue, I would probably trade up from my Harley Benton (which is way better than it has any right to be for what I paid...)

The HB CST-24 was the thing I returned for a bad neck. Maybe I got a dog, but the way Thomann handled the return, I'll never buy another, not even used. Having had that one though, I might write up the difference I find between the HB and the PRS.

I remember that, unfortunate how bad their customer service was for you. I had no issues on either guitar that got damaged they gave me a credit of €25 and I put it towards another purchase. Maybe because it was a defect in build they weren't so helpful?

I've since only bought B-stock or Deko deals and all 3 were way better than I was expecting.

I have a custom 24 SE. It's a 2018 model and one of the earlier Indonesian made ones. Its a great guitar. I don't play it as much as it deserves. Congrats on your new addition!

Have to say I love my PRS SE, good grab!!!

honyock wrote: ↑Mon May 17, 2021 7:41 pm ...

I've since only bought B-stock or Deko deals and all 3 were way better than I was expecting.

I've become a HB b-stock bin diver myself, with excellent results!

I'm jealous of you BatUtilityBelt!

I got my SE''s back before they were so high end.
So I placate my desire for carved tops and birds with Rondo models:
But IT AIN'T THE SAME!

dabbler wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 9:29 am I'm jealous of you BatUtilityBelt!

I got my SE''s back before they were so high end.

So I placate my desire for carved tops and birds with Rondo models:

But IT AIN'T THE SAME!

Those are gorgeous, and a couple of guitars from Rondo I never scored.

dabbler wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 9:29 am I'm jealous of you BatUtilityBelt!

I got my SE''s back before they were so high end.

IMGP1827a.jpg

So I placate my desire for carved tops and birds with Rondo models:

IMGP2553a.jpg

But IT AIN'T THE SAME!

No rule against selling old guitars to buy new ones!
That said, if you prefer wraparound bridges to wobbly ones, you should just keep your current stable. Very few in the current SE line have them

The SE Paul's guitar is very nice, but overpriced at $1000 new. I scored mine for $550 used, and it's ok value at that price. They usually sell $700-800 used

BatUtilityBelt wrote: ↑Mon May 17, 2021 5:18 pm Ok, not here yet, but will be in a few days... Looking forward to playing this 2019 I found on Reverb with a top I just couldn't pass up.

That looks fantastic!
Is it from the Korean or Indonesia plant?
I've had a few from both, and they have been stellar.

PRS is my favorite body shape. Best of both worlds - you get the set neck, arch top, dual humbucker, flame top goodness of a Les Paul, with the ergonomics of a strat.
Enjoy it!

mighty_duck wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 5:16 pm That looks fantastic!
Is it from the Korean or Indonesia plant?
I've had a few from both, and they have been stellar.

PRS is my favorite body shape. Best of both worlds - you get the set neck, arch top, dual humbucker, flame top goodness of a Les Paul, with the ergonomics of a strat.
Enjoy it!

Thanks! This one is made by Cor-Tek in Indonesia. I believe that's Cort. Two more days and I'll start forming an opinion on more than looks!

Man @BatUtilityBelt that is a sweet top. I've had a couple of SE's the one I have presently is the Standard 24 SE. Yep that's their bottom of the barrel lowest priced guitar, they come in a 24 like mine or a singlecut your choice $499 w/free shipping. The biggest difference between the standard and the custom is that the standard does not have a maple cap it is however a mahogany body. They both have the 85/15s pups I believe the s in 85/15s denotes Korean made however they use them in at least some models of the S2 which is made in the US. Some of the US made models use 85/15 pups no s I believe those pups are made in the US however both are made to the same specs. My 24 was made at Cor-Tek and my Singlecut I just recently sold to a friend was made at World Music.
Anyway I really, really like PRS SE guitars to me there's just something different about them I think the necks are great they seem very fast they are light weight as well and balance well in your hands I really enjoy playing them. The stock pups to my ear are decent but I prefer something else so I dropped a SD JB and Jazz in it as well as Grover 406 locking tuners. I did the exact same mods to my Agile PS900 which is a heavier guitar by comparison and as @honyock said they are or at least should be the same guitar but the PRS IMO is just simply a step or two above and I can't pinpoint any particular reason they impress me that way but they do and yes I have most certainly become a bonafide PRS Fanboy and I ain't afraid to say it.

So a big congrats on your new PRS SE Custom 24 it is a sexy beast.


Here is my Standard 24 and PS900

I've wanted one of the Mikael Akerfeldt signature models for a while, they feel and sound great from the one I layer my hands upon at guitar center many moons ago lol.

Congratulations man, that fiddle looks absolutely gorgeous.

redman wrote: ↑Wed May 19, 2021 12:41 am ...
So a big congrats on your new PRS SE Custom 24 it is a sexy beast.

Here is my Standard 24 and PS900
0u4F1Ys[1].jpg

Those look great to me too! That''s a lot of good information. Like you, I suspect if I make any changes it will probably be in the pickups, but I'm not going to make any decisions there until I give the 85/15S a chance for a few days. One more day before big brown truck brings it, and these PRS porn shots have me salivating.

LancerTheGreat wrote: ↑Wed May 19, 2021 9:23 am I've wanted one of the Mikael Akerfeldt signature models for a while, they feel and sound great from the one I layer my hands upon at guitar center many moons ago lol.

Congratulations man, that fiddle looks absolutely gorgeous.

Thanks! If you see that model available again, I say go for it right away. It's all subjective, but right now I see PRS guitars as bargains. It seems Gibson and Fender bumped up their prices considerably over the last few years, but PRS resisted doing that. To me that makes it a good climate to chase a PRS you like.

Unfortunately I have to push that one off until after the new Mustaine Gibson/Epiphone/Kramers come out and I can get one of the roundhorn Vs with 24 frets, and probably one of the pointy Kramers. Gotta do some serious saving and belt tightening though.

I'm primarily a V player though, and I'm fully in touch with that fact so I definitely always remember that before I actually buy anything

dabbler wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 9:29 am I got my SE''s back before they were so high end.

You might appreciate what I did to mine...

Lacking Talent wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 6:47 pm You might appreciate what I did to mine...

Sweet!

She arrived...

The pictures do not do it justice. I love the top on this guitar. The flamey, wavy, well bookmatched grain does it for me, and moves in the light as if it wasn't just a veneer. The tobacco burst seems perfect. And the fit and finish are tremendous. But appearance is the 3rd most important thing to me about a guitar. First, I care about how it sounds, and second, I care how nicely it plays.

Without the trem, it plays just like a hard tail (yay). But the tremolo is easy, smooth, and dives much more than a strat. The action is butter. Either I got an amazing example of this model, or the PRS SE line is worth every penny and then some. I have much more expensive guitars with a lot less attention to all the details. Many of those details are in the design, not just the build. This is a refined design. I have played a couple guitars that copied the body style, but the copies did not go beyond appearances. On this SE, every fret is dressed perfectly. The action is lower than I'm used to without fretting out or buzzing. The scale length (between Gibson and Fender) needed no getting used to. The controls work exactly as they should (trust me, that's weird for a lefty). I might not have another guitar that sustains as well as this one. I can't find the tiniest little flaw on it. It's as if I accidentally got a show guitar.

I will fault it in one area (sort of). I am going to have to play it a good while before I decide what I really think of the pickups. It's bad and good. They are loud, and brighter than I like. But they are also awesomely articulate. I hear every little nuance of what happens on each string, in a very well balanced way from both pickups or middle position. They're not especially warm, they're not ice-picky, they seem to not color what I'm playing. So I don't get tones I'm used to, but maybe that means I can stretch more with effects without muddying. I'm going to wait and see what I think after a few weeks or so. They do sound good, just seem to lack their own personality.

So that's it. I'm a PRS fan now. I don't think I could buy a $6,000 Wood Library guitar and think it is worth it, but if I found this one in a store for hundreds more than I paid, I would have still bought it.

Lacking Talent wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 6:47 pm
You might appreciate what I did to mine...

2 band pre or VVT with a switch?

dabbler wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 10:01 pm

Lacking Talent wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 6:47 pm
You might appreciate what I did to mine...

2 band pre or VVT with a switch?

Can you explain your mods please and what pickups those are.

SamIV wrote: ↑Fri May 21, 2021 8:41 am

dabbler wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 10:01 pm

Lacking Talent wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 6:47 pm
You might appreciate what I did to mine...

2 band pre or VVT with a switch?

Can you explain your mods please and what pickups those are.

viewtopic.php?p=27718#p27718

Lacking Talent wrote: ↑Sun May 30, 2021 1:10 pm

SamIV wrote: ↑Fri May 21, 2021 8:41 am

dabbler wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 10:01 pm

2 band pre or VVT with a switch?

Can you explain your mods please and what pickups those are.

viewtopic.php?p=27718#p27718

Thanks. And why did I not remember that. Maybe because I am over 60.

Happy to oblige! And we'll all forget most everything eventually...