PRS SE Guitars

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame]

The understanding around here is that while the Hamer Slammer Series guitars are good, there is a significant gap between them and the USA models.

For instance, it is far better to have spent $500 for a USA Eclipse (which I'm tickled pink with), than $220 for a MIK Hamer Slammer Series Eclipse.  Even though they look the same, both have mini-humbuckers, and people often swap out the USA's Duncans for Lollars, the USA is still better than buying the MIK and putting in Lollars, right?

(I almost want to buy the MIK one just to double-check that, but...no. From personal experimentation, I am fully in agreement with notion that the MIK < USA by a significant margin).

 

But what about PRS?

I had an SE that I traded for to flip, since the Ibanez I used in a trade wasn't getting what I wanted, and the PRS SE did.

It was very nice.

There is a level of luxury or build quality in the USA PRS that I'm sure isn't in the imports.  But tone? Playability?

With PRS commitment to standards in its import lines, how big is the difference? Minimal? Noticeable? Huge? Could I be happy with an SE if the only PRS guitars I've spent any time playing were a PRS Custom 22 Soapbar and PRS Dave Grissom Trem?

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame]

This is what I'm thinking I might want:

Looks gorgeous.

[Victor (Fret Friend)]

I've had an import and a US in for set-ups recently and both are truly excellent guitars. The PRS imports are the best Korean guitars I've ever held and I'm a 30 year fan/user of Korean import guitars

[alantig]

I'd call it noticeable.  The SEs are very good guitars - I have an SE-7, and all I've done is change the pots on it.  The common changes seem to be the tuners, nuts and electronics.  The tuners on this on non-locking, so I haven't changed them yet.  I might at some point, but only for convenience.  The hardware is definitely a notch below the core line stuff, but it's good stuff.  A lot of people change the pickups - I haven't felt the need on this one, but I can understand why people would.

The biggest drops, in my mind, are the use of veneers for the tops instead of the maple slabs, and the quality of the finish.  The finish is definitely thicker and a little less...something...than the core line.

That said, I also have three of the SE acoustics.  Fabulous guitars.

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame]

Thanks, y'all.

 

Keep the opinions coming!

[mrjamiam]

My SE Santana:  2-piece mahogany body, 4-piece maple cap, 2-piece flame maple veneer, 1-piece mahogany neck.  Not quite as nice as my USA PRSi, but not nearly the step down that the Slammer Series is from USA Hamers.

[scottcald]

Thanks for this thread, I was just pondering some of this myself.  I've heard nothing but good about them and Bernie Marsden playing one was a good vote in my book.  

[tomteriffic]

Got an SE One in a trade (see my FS post) and really like the thing entirely too much.  I'm supposed to be smalling down, however.  Still, this thing is really the business and is a gas to play.  I haven't fondled a US one in long enough that I can make a direct comparison but it's a killer little guitar in its own right.

[TBP]

A while back I stopped at a Sam Ash while doing some errands and tried some PRSs.  Mainly I was curious about the S2s.  I tried a couple, thought they seemed pretty nice but wasn't quite knocked out.  I also checked out a DGT, but mainly I was concerned about accidentally dinging it and marveling at the price.  My main impression was it nice but a bit too pretty for me.  They were all a little smaller than I expected, too.  On the bottom row I saw a used singlecut SE, picked it up, and found I really liked it, even better than the S2s I tried.  And it was priced at around $200.   For some reason, which I regret, I put it back on the hanger.  The next time I stopped in, it was gone.

I've since bought a Mira (pre S2) on which I'm a bit mixed (in short I love how it plays but would like a little more oomf/harmonics in the sound).

[Jeff R]

I've only been around one SE, a Singlecut a client brought in to my shop that he had just bought as a gutted but mint husk project and subsequently cheap. I was quite honestly stunned by the quality of the wood, fretwork, etc., enough so that i told him if it was my husk, I would not bat an eye to finish it out without skimping. It was that nice. Definitely among the nicest MIK stuff to which I've ever been exposed. 

Since he brought it through the shop, I don't know if or what he's done for pickups yet but he redid the guts with all CTS and Switchcraft stuff he got from me. I'm crafting a bone nut for it this weekend. I'm very eager to finish it out and test-drive it.

[Jeff R]

FInished this a.m. With the upgrades this girl has seen, I could take off on a 12-month tour with only this guitar if I had to. Incredible value right here.

[django49]

Thumbs up on the Bernie. I found mine (also black) locally for under $400. It had been upgraded (nicely) with new tuners, Duncan P-Rails and 2 added mini-switches to allow a wide range of pickup choices.

I will not attempt to claim it is ALL that my Private Stock Singlecut is, but at way less than 10% the cost, it is a bargain.