cscott2413
New Member
@Jtroska - I have the an s2 Standard with .10 - .46 and have no issue with the bridge or nut. I also have an S2 Custom 24 with .11 - .48, again no nut issues. I think your fine.
Finally Tried the S2 Line
- Thread starter JTroska
- Start date
John Beef
Opaque
That was my impression with the few I got to try as well.
I'll be honest: I recently picked up an S2 Standard 22 that I really didn't want to like. I'm a Core PRS player through and through, don't typically love the narrower nut width of Pattern Regular necks, and really am not a fan of pickguards on most guitars. I have to say I've been loving the S2, it sounds/plays great and is a lot of fun to play. I've only had it a few weeks but have been playing it nonstop and it's already made its way onto a bunch of recordings. It's also very resonate.
I have owned about 15 various core PRS models and a couple of SEs. The SEs never really worked for me and I prefer the core line, but I can honestly say the S2 build quality, playability, and tone is very, very close to the Core models I've had. Build quality is top notch overall, no surprise. I will say the SE trem on it doesn't feel quite as solid as the trem on core models, but I have had no tuning or intonation problems. To my ears, the #7 pickups sounds great, tapped or not...warm and full, but with clarity and chime, and plenty of bite with overdrive/distortion without getting too muddy or compressed.
Shocking, but I would even venture to say the S2 sounds and plays better than many of the core models I have owned in the past. The tone knob is certainly more useful/dynamic than I've experienced with some of the core models, which surprised me. Must be the pickups. The gig bag is a bit disappointing, but I'll probably end up getting a case anyway.
Give them a shot and judge for yourself - they're a great bang for the buck and I've been super-impressed with mine so far!
Jake
I have owned about 15 various core PRS models and a couple of SEs. The SEs never really worked for me and I prefer the core line, but I can honestly say the S2 build quality, playability, and tone is very, very close to the Core models I've had. Build quality is top notch overall, no surprise. I will say the SE trem on it doesn't feel quite as solid as the trem on core models, but I have had no tuning or intonation problems. To my ears, the #7 pickups sounds great, tapped or not...warm and full, but with clarity and chime, and plenty of bite with overdrive/distortion without getting too muddy or compressed.
Shocking, but I would even venture to say the S2 sounds and plays better than many of the core models I have owned in the past. The tone knob is certainly more useful/dynamic than I've experienced with some of the core models, which surprised me. Must be the pickups. The gig bag is a bit disappointing, but I'll probably end up getting a case anyway.
Give them a shot and judge for yourself - they're a great bang for the buck and I've been super-impressed with mine so far!
Jake
GT Custom
New Member
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2015
- Messages
- 15
Never had a core/SE guitar, but my S2Cu24 feels, looks and sounds great TO ME... I really wanted to get a core model, however my wife would never ever let me spend 3k, even though we had the $$$. lol... with the upgrades I've done (pickups/case/trem/pots) I am getting close to 2k... of course she doesnt know about it... Go and try an S2!
dsenoj
Old dude in a PRS T-shirt
I use DGT strings (.011-.049) on my Paul's Guitar with a similar bridge except it has the brass inserts with no problem. The S2 uses the same nut as the core models so it should handle .011 strings easily. I agree that you need the adjustable bridge saddles if you want hybrid string sets or a wound G string.
Whenever people say they wouldn't buy a S2, I don't think they are necessarily bashing the S2 line, its more a testament to how good the SE line is.
If you are looking at buying an SE or S2 line and are a professional musician or tone hunter, you are probably going to want to tweak the guitar to your standards. On the S2 line the only thing that really needs tweaking is the pickups. By the time you change those you are in the price range of a used PRS core.
If you are going to tweak anyway the SE needs a bit more, nut, tuners and pickups changed. Even if you buy the guitar new, after you make the required tweaks you are still under the price of a new stock S2 for a guitar that build quality wise is not significantly different from the S2 and in many cases has a visually nicer finish. Start with a used SE and you are under the cost of a new SE with the required mods. I have an SE Tremonti with Shaller tuners, Graphtech nut, and used core HFS/VB pickups that compares nicely as a #2 to my core CU24 and was well under the cost of a new SE.
The biggest thing hurting S2 popularity right now is the lack of used inventory. When you compare used cores and used SEs to new S2s, the price comparison puts the S2s at a disadvantage. All that said if you only buy new, the SE is still great value at its price point. So is the S2 and so is the Core.
If you are looking at buying an SE or S2 line and are a professional musician or tone hunter, you are probably going to want to tweak the guitar to your standards. On the S2 line the only thing that really needs tweaking is the pickups. By the time you change those you are in the price range of a used PRS core.
If you are going to tweak anyway the SE needs a bit more, nut, tuners and pickups changed. Even if you buy the guitar new, after you make the required tweaks you are still under the price of a new stock S2 for a guitar that build quality wise is not significantly different from the S2 and in many cases has a visually nicer finish. Start with a used SE and you are under the cost of a new SE with the required mods. I have an SE Tremonti with Shaller tuners, Graphtech nut, and used core HFS/VB pickups that compares nicely as a #2 to my core CU24 and was well under the cost of a new SE.
The biggest thing hurting S2 popularity right now is the lack of used inventory. When you compare used cores and used SEs to new S2s, the price comparison puts the S2s at a disadvantage. All that said if you only buy new, the SE is still great value at its price point. So is the S2 and so is the Core.
drdoom8793
THAT guy at Chick-fil-A
So you guys have helped me narrow it down. I've decided on either a Singlecut Semi-hollow in Tri-Color Sunburst or a Standard in Antique White. Currently, I'm leaning towards the Standard, although, I can't decide whether I prefer the 22 or 24. I've never owned a custom but I've played an S2 24, and several Core 22s and 24s, and typically prefer the 22s to the 24s. Does anyone have any experience with the #7 pickups? I really enjoy the sound of the HFS/VB that are in the S2 24 but I'm not sure how those compare to the #7 pickups in the 22 and SC.
andy474x
Knows the Drill
The #7's are lower output and subdued high end. A little looser in the bass on my S2 semi, but that could be the guitar. Good sounding pickups if you don't want high output!
Lower compared to what? Here are the specs (on the original #7's. I don't have the specs on the S2 #7's but I would expect them to be similar):
PRS #7 Treble = 8.44K
PRS #7 Bass = 7.36K
That puts them in the upper end of PAF territory. So yes, low output if you are talking about hot modern pickups, but no if you are talking about PAF's. I love #7's. To me they are a slightly hotter PAF with great definition.
Dave Adams
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2017
- Messages
- 10
I picked up a (new old stock) S2 Standard 24 vintage cherry recently on e-Bay for $700. The seller claimed it had never been used and it appears this way. It came in a previously opened PRS shipping box with gig bag and other items.
The first thing I noticed was the huge bow in the neck. The truss rod had not been properly set up. In addition, the action was almost 3/8" off of the fret board. I adjusted the truss rod following the instructions on the website and am setting up the string height, adjusting the floating bridge so it is 1/16" and parallel to the body, etc. I have an Agile 3100 Les Paul copy and play through a 65 PRRI amp with 12" Jensen alnico speaker (limited edition). The feel of the neck on the PRS is much better, but I have to say the pickups sound like ****. I have tried adjusting the pickup height according to the on-line instructions and they sound like I have a blanket over the speaker of my amp. I plug the Agile 3100 back in and glorious tone emerges once again? The single coil tap in the tone switch adds quite a bit of electrical noise--I don't end up using this now as a result. The guitar is absolutely beautiful and the craftsmanship is highly evident. If I cannot get this set up properly myself, I will spend $100 and have it professionally set up. I'm pretty sure I will end up putting in a set of Mighty Mite or Duncan humbuckers as the stock pickups are very disappointing--perhaps this is why this 2015 NOS guitar has never been played and original owner got rid of it?
The first thing I noticed was the huge bow in the neck. The truss rod had not been properly set up. In addition, the action was almost 3/8" off of the fret board. I adjusted the truss rod following the instructions on the website and am setting up the string height, adjusting the floating bridge so it is 1/16" and parallel to the body, etc. I have an Agile 3100 Les Paul copy and play through a 65 PRRI amp with 12" Jensen alnico speaker (limited edition). The feel of the neck on the PRS is much better, but I have to say the pickups sound like ****. I have tried adjusting the pickup height according to the on-line instructions and they sound like I have a blanket over the speaker of my amp. I plug the Agile 3100 back in and glorious tone emerges once again? The single coil tap in the tone switch adds quite a bit of electrical noise--I don't end up using this now as a result. The guitar is absolutely beautiful and the craftsmanship is highly evident. If I cannot get this set up properly myself, I will spend $100 and have it professionally set up. I'm pretty sure I will end up putting in a set of Mighty Mite or Duncan humbuckers as the stock pickups are very disappointing--perhaps this is why this 2015 NOS guitar has never been played and original owner got rid of it?
D
Deleted member 5962
Guest
what pickups are in your Agile?
I had the same Agile 3100 and the pickups in it were great. I don't remember what they were but I liked them. I'd still have that guitar except for the weight. It was about 12 Lbs. Don't expect the S2 to sound like the 3100. Lots of differences there. Let it be what it is. You may need to adjust the settings on the amp to get the S2 to be all it will be.
andy474x
Knows the Drill
+1.
I've heard a fair number of players who think PRS guitars are "dark" sounding, or with that blanket over the amp tone. In a lot of cases, the truth is that the PRS guitars are much more resonant in the lower frequencies, which shifts the spectrum enough to make it sound dark relative to other guitars. There's not really less high, just a lot more bass.
I've noticed that a lot of guitars, especially imports, have a VERY thick finish which chokes a lot of resonance from low strings and leaves the guitar sounding very "plainly." Play your Agile side by side with the PRS, unplugged, and listen for what's going on in the bass. If your PRS has more sustain and bass content, that's probably what's going on. Paul and crew work very hard to make sure the guitars aren't being robbed of vibration energy!
Usually compensating on the amp helps a great deal. Remember, the highs are probably in there, you just have to adjust to let them come out.
Dave Adams
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2017
- Messages
- 10
The Agile 3100 just has the stock Alnico V pickups; nothing special but good sounding through my Princeton Reverb reissue amp. If the tone doesn't improve after proper setup and pickup height adjustment, I may just remove the strings and the pickguard to inspect the pots, switch, and pickups. Really pleased with the guitar, just not wild (yet) about the sound through my amp.
I'd try adjusting the controls on the amp first to see the range of the guitar.
Screamingdaisy
(O)))m
I found PRS were really dark sounding with Ernie Ball strings, which were my preferred string before PRS. My guitar's were dark to the point where I'd keep reaching down and making sure my tone knob wasn't rolled part way down.
I tried D'Addario after learning that that's what the guitars came with stock. In the past I hated them because on a Gibson they were annoyingly bright, but with PRS they sound perfect. It's kind of like they were made for each other...
I tried D'Addario after learning that that's what the guitars came with stock. In the past I hated them because on a Gibson they were annoyingly bright, but with PRS they sound perfect. It's kind of like they were made for each other...
tonytester
PIC YOUR STRINGS WISELY
I feel that the S-2 line looks like a flat piece of wood (fender), the SE s are much more attractive any day the models should go from SE straight to CE
Ovibos
Naughty Wood Librarian
Embrace the Presence knob on your amp. I've found that's a good place to look when switching between guitars (and especially types of pickups)
Dave Adams
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2017
- Messages
- 10
Through my Agile the Princeton Reverb is dead quiet. With the PRS in normal humbucker mode it is noisy--especially if you take your hand off of the strings. It acts as if it has a ground or wiring problem? I will remove the pick guard assembly when I have more time and Buzz it out with my Fluke meter against the wiring schematic.
If I can't find anything wrong with the wiring I am going to get rid of this guitar. It is hard to find a guitar that sounds bad with a Princeton Reverb.
Tone controls tame the heavy bass but do not sure the electrical problem.
Unfortunately no warranty on this guitar because I'm not the original owner.
andy474x
Knows the Drill
Everyone has the right to not like S2's, but to say that they should be dropped from the line is a little much, based on personal preference of bling and carved tops. Personally, although both are great, I like the functionality and build of my S2's more than my SE's. And I think that's what hits the sweet spot for people who like them. They have soul. PRS guitars are known for their bling, but that's not what they're all about.
