2017 SpEculation thread.

[WEDGE]

I had stainless frets on a Suhr and loved them, so smooth and hard. And please make more pattern neck options, even on a custom 24.

 

[G-Man]

I would think a better nut and locking tuners. From this board, these are usually the two pain points with the SE line.

My second prediction would be moving the S2 line to a more traditional look like the CE body. The current carve works great for the pick guard style guitars but he traditional S2's not so much. They kind of look ok and maybe that is why Dave's guitars is blowing them out in a big way.

 

[juka]

I always give this dude a hard time 'cause... I'm a jerk.

However, jump ahead to 3:00

He is a PRS dealer and I snagged this from another forum, not sure if it's cool to post but..
Uh, yeah.... "revamping the SE line"?

Allegedly we're gonna hear an announcement in the middle of Rocktober?

After the last couple of SE models came out I didn't think they could do much more to improve the line, what're we gonna get? Locking tuners? Carved tops? New pups? More models?

I'm pretty geeked if this is true.

Sad to hear that the SE Cu24-7 is going away.
I hope 7strings will not completely disappear (at least outside PS), but will be moved to S2 or even core. Fingers crossed.

Don't want to derail this thread, but the whole discussion about future changes in the SE lines make me very curious about the immediate effects on the other lines.
As SE and S2 use the same pickups, upgrading them in the SE line means... Guess what.

 

[Maertl513]

I only would keep SE, Core (with AP or WL) and PS for future.
SE should deliver affortable examples (with nearly the same features of carved tops, locking tuners) of the best selling Core guitars, but with cheaper parts. SE allows PRS to test the reaction of customers towards artists models, which PRSh could convince to play PRS (or to order a PS). If the demand is high transfer them to Core aswell.
From the current S2 line I only leave Mira, Starla and Vela, but introducing them to the core line.
The Core line is very diversified, that´s fine that PRS gives instruments for the curious (513, Brent Mason) aswell for the "traditionalists".
Some in my circle of friends would like to see a actual PRS interpretation of a Strat, others would go for extented scale models (Indeed Mark Tremontis Baritone PS is a step in that direction.).

 

[Dusty Chalk]

...and the CE24 (that's technically S2, even though they have their own section on the products page ["bolt-on models"])...right?

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

Some in my circle of friends would like to see a actual PRS interpretation of a Strat...

I want a long-scale PRS with single-coil or narrowfield pickups too. But specifically not a copy or look-a-like. If I wanted a Strat, I would just go buy a Strat.

 

[Maertl513]

Yes, right, I missed the CE24, @Dusty Chalk.
I ordered and already paid a SE Mark Holcomb.
It was announced to be delivered to 30th SEP 16 to my dealer, but they changed the supposed date of arrival to 20th OCT 16.
I´m very interested if my SE MH will have any improvements. What has happened is a decreasing of the price.

 

[Maertl513]

Those guys aren´t conviced of the assembly and craftmanship of the other brand. They only seek for a sound copy.

 

[RVA]

I want a long-scale PRS with single-coil or narrowfield pickups too.

Yes, bring back the narrowfields. Put them wherever you like, just bring them back.

 

[Drew]

Sad to hear that the SE Cu24-7 is going away.

It obviously wasn't a big seller. I knew when it was released that PRS didn't understand the extended range crowd. Most guys playing 7's want extended scale or multiscale. Companies like Strandberg and Kiesel are taking extended range in exciting new directions that PRS just will not want to keep up with. That isn't to say that a limited core offering wouldn't sell well. I think a 25" scale 7-24 limited to 200 pc's would sell out quick as long as it was a tremolo equipped model. Heck, I'd be first in line. But, anything along the lines of a long term production model just wouldn't work in todays market. If we take the recent Les Paul Standard 7 limited run as an example, that proves there is a market for limited runs of 7's that deviate from the market trends. But, a Cu24-7 would need to be priced right. Gibby put those standard 7s out at $300 cheaper than a 6 string standard and it proved successful. There are guys on other forums who've bought more than one of those. If Paul releases a Cu24-7 and throws a 5 grand tag on it, it's going to thud.

 

[Drew]

I want a long-scale PRS with single-coil or narrowfield pickups too. But specifically not a copy or look-a-like. If I wanted a Strat, I would just go buy a Strat.

PRS has made many attempts at this and cricket sounds ensued each time. I don't see it happening again. You can only waste so much R&D money before you have to pack up your tent and move on. I think the 594 is an indication of where PRS is going to put their focus.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

It obviously wasn't a big seller...I think a 25" scale 7-24 limited to 200 pc's would sell out quick as long as it was a tremolo equipped model.

I don't know, they sell well enough. The question is never how well they sell, it's whether the sales will meet sales predictions (then they just have to make that many). (As long as it's enough to justify making that many in the first place. )

But I think you're right about the scale, most players like to play in some sort of drop scale. Even the one chords book I found assumed the tuning was A-E-A-D-G-B-E. Maybe 25.5?

And I'd be perfectly happy with another stop tail, myself. #NOTUNINGISSUES #locksteady

If they want to add a nice appointment to differentiate it from the SE line, they could put in the 408 electronics, I'd totally be on board with that.

PRS don't have any problem catering to metal players, they have many successful models that do exactly that. I think it's more of a matter of it being such a niche market, and there being a prejudice against that extra string. Here's to hoping they're taking the year off to make sure a revamp of the 24/7 gets the attention to detail it deserves.

 

[dogrocketp]

The maple veneers likely come from the same place as the tops on Core instruments (after all, quilted maple notably only originates in the Pacific Northwest of N America...) - but of course they stretch one board so much further by slicing it wafer-thin. What would be a single top on a Core instrument might generate half a dozen or more on SEs.

The maple under the veneers could come from anywhere as it doesn't need to be figured and plain maple is plentiful and cheap.

I do like the idea of them doing USA pickups, and I don't even understand why they couldn't do exact Korean-wound versions of the classics - Fender manages it in Mexico with the Baja Telecaster and the results are pretty sonically spectacular.

My best friend has been a boat builder in Southwest Harbor in Maine for the last 35 years. All of their figured maple is sourced from western Maine. Plenty of it there, both quilted and flamed.

 

[Whitecat]

My best friend has been a boat builder in Southwest Harbor in Maine for the last 35 years. All of their figured maple is sourced from western Maine. Plenty of it there, both quilted and flamed.

I'm not saying I don't believe you, but the only species of maple tree in the world that reliably provides quilt figure doesn't grow anywhere near Maine, traditionally. Idaho is as far east as it has been found, allegedly.

Here'a the traditional range of Acer Macrophyllum -

You can get flame/curl for days out of the eastern maple variants but they just don't quilt no matter how you saw them.

The limited range of the bigleaf maple is contributing to the shortages - why some builders now have hefty upcharges for quilt, and why others such as PRS limit its use entirely.

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

I'd love to do a PS with twisted maple. DW uses it in some custom kits

 

[charliefrench]

I would really like to see something like the SE 245, 2T 2V HT but with ebony fingerboard and dots. Sorry but I have never liked the birds even though I can appreciate they do have a degree of artistic merit. Never liked block and trapezoid inlays either. Anything other than dots make me cringe.

 

[g.wizz]

I'd love to do a PS with twisted maple. DW uses it in some custom kits

Especially if you made it on an HBII or JM Model that would look Fantastic

 

[andy474x]

Well, this is exciting. I really have no idea what it's going to be, but from the posts above it sounds like perhaps the giant SE logo will be replaced by a proper "PRS" sig, with
SE in smaller letters perhaps? Personally, I never minded the big SE logo, but I know a lot of others didn't like it.

Here's my call, some things I hope for, some I think are likely, and some because maybe I'm crazy: Please, please, let there be a new nut! Maybe locking tuners. Full top carve. Would like to see mahogany necks on the CU24 and Tremonti Custom. 5 way selector on blade models. Fully adjustable bridge on all stoptails, maybe even 2 piece on singlecuts. Pickup specs could change to something closer to the 5x/xx spec, but I don't see them being actual USA made pieces, if the guitars are staying the same price. Sad face, but I think many of them are already quite good.

I'm not going to think my current SE's are any less of a guitar, but this probably isn't going to help me not want a new one. Must be disciplined for 594...

 

[fgeorge097]

I would like to see a core double cutaway 24.5" scale with pattern thin neck carve and stoptail bridge

 

[Johnny]

Hoping for a SUPER EAGLE SE or S2............. but I'm pretty sure that's unlikely.

A guy can dream though, right?