2017 SpEculation thread.

Considering different manufacturer offerings at or near the SE price point(s), I think it would be cool...and very wise...to have PRS offer locking tuners and a better nut on the SE line, across the board. Perhaps a pickup upgrade, for the Customs and Sigs...or certain models with different pickup options, to cater to a broader customer base.

-OR-

Mr. Smith sent scouts to my house...who heard me play in the basement office...and that brought about the intro of the DrawShot Signature Model. Get yours now, while supplies last!!!
 
I have no idea what the revamping of the SE line will be but I'm sure it will be good. I really doubt they are going to start using american pickups since the S2 line uses imports too. I'd like to see some made in satin finishes.
 
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SE Holcomb with the signature and small SE letters, looks good!
 
I'm probably wrong here, but after seeing how other manufacturers are trying to capture some of the lower end PRS market, (cough, Gibson, cough), Paul may be trying to up his game to insure that it doesn't happen, or at least throw a wrench into the works at some of the other guitar companies.
 
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SE Holcomb with the signature and small SE letters, looks good!
I also like it!

Not that I will be annoyed my current SEs don't have that logo, but it is a nice touch for future purchases, should I grab another SE or two.
 
New SE head stock logo looks cool, but what's on the right?! New Holcomb signature core model???
Looks to me like one of the Limited Edition Holcomb guitars from last year..I can't remember if that color/finish was offered publicly, but he would get whatever he wants anyway, I suppose...
 
I like the Holcomb logo treatment. They definitely need to make the SE less prominent.
• I'd love it if they got rid of the 'red' tones in their bursts. I've been put off from those finishes just for that little reason.
• Locking tuners and a nice nut. Yes, please.
• At least a slight top carve.
• Wouldn't expect it, but it would be ever so cool if they put a Tremol-no type of device in their trem bridged guitars. Or, offer them with hard tails. A lot of people are doing drop-tunings, and don't like trem guitars for just that reason.

I'm not really sure what it means to denigrate a pickup because it's "Korean-made." We buy a lot of electronics made in Asia. From components made in Asia. They have the materials and tech to make pickups every bit as good as the "USA" pickups. Wouldn't it just be more sensible to suggest that the foreign-made product is designed not to sound as good as the core? Seems like PRS could put USA pickups in the SE line, but why would they? At actual cost, that couldn't raise the SE prices by more than $50 per guitar.... It's the same with the headstock — they have to take away some of the incentive to just skip the higher-priced stuff, don't they?

[I'm new here, so be kind.]
 
I'm not really sure what it means to denigrate a pickup because it's "Korean-made." We buy a lot of electronics made in Asia. From components made in Asia. They have the materials and tech to make pickups every bit as good as the "USA" pickups. Wouldn't it just be more sensible to suggest that the foreign-made product is designed not to sound as good as the core? Seems like PRS could put USA pickups in the SE line, but why would they? At actual cost, that couldn't raise the SE prices by more than $50 per guitar.... It's the same with the headstock — they have to take away some of the incentive to just skip the higher-priced stuff, don't they?

[I'm new here, so be kind.]

Im pretty sure that PRS has never designed anything to NOT sound as good as something else. That would go completely against a core PRS philosophy.

Rather, the case is that PRS designs its guitars to be the best they can be at the target price point.

You postulate that PRS could put USA pups in the SEs and only bear a small price increase. Others have in the past said the same for tuners, frets, nuts and the like. A few things people overlook are:

1. One of the objectives to having something manufactured overseas is to take advantage of the labor and material savings.

2. Shipping parts made in the US overseas to be used in manufacturing only to have the parts shipped back again in the product makes for quite a head scratcher. Money tied up in unnecessary shipping and money lost by ignoring why the product is being made overseas in the first place.

3. So, you say don't ship the parts over, just leave them off if the guitars and install them here. I refer you back to point 1.
 
It`s not that the pickups are made in Korea, it`s how they sound. The Korean P90`S are surprisingly good. I have a 3oth SE CU24 with very nice pickups on it. I`ve also had some others where the pickups were nondescript. It`s always a question of sound, not where they were made. I think that PRS are better than the competition, no matter what price point they`re making. I don`t believe they would make anything to "not sound as good". Having said that, the wood on my CE24 is simply better than the wood on my SE`s. The necks are also fretted slightly better, and the core guitars feel more solid. I do like to gig on my SE`s because of the way they sound after better nuts, upgraded electronics, et al. The basic guitar is rock solid, especially for the dough. And they all sound different.
 
Im pretty sure that PRS has never designed anything to NOT sound as good as something else. That would go completely against a core PRS philosophy.

Rather, the case is that PRS designs its guitars to be the best they can be at the target price point.

You postulate that PRS could put USA pups in the SEs and only bear a small price increase. Others have in the past said the same for tuners, frets, nuts and the like. A few things people overlook are:

1. One of the objectives to having something manufactured overseas is to take advantage of the labor and material savings.

2. Shipping parts made in the US overseas to be used in manufacturing only to have the parts shipped back again in the product makes for quite a head scratcher. Money tied up in unnecessary shipping and money lost by ignoring why the product is being made overseas in the first place.

3. So, you say don't ship the parts over, just leave them off if the guitars and install them here. I refer you back to point 1.

Hey there.
I didn't mean, at all, for this to be a criticism of PRS. It just seems like pretty standard business practice to not allow a lower-tier product cannibalize sales of a higher-tier product from the same manufacturer. I wasn't suggesting that they were intentionally crippling the SE range. I like the SEs. I like the S2s. But, i don't think it would make a lot of sense to sell either of those ranges with the same pickups as the core line, as there needs to be a 'clear' differentiation in 'performance in order to 1) justify the core prices; 2) protect the brand, since it would be seen as a negative against the core if the SE sounded the same/as good.

"Rather, the case is that PRS designs its guitars to be the best they can be at the target price point."
I guess i sorta agree with this, although i kinda question that there are very specific price points in mind. Like, a Tremonti Custom SE retails for what, $xxx? They couldn't sell the same guitar with USA pickups for $xxx+50? Might they not sell even more of them? I think they have a 'range' of price points they target, which is why the SEs come in at different prices. They end up at whatever they end up at, but they do go into the design process knowing they can't have an SE selling at over a grand.

Either way — i'm very much looking forward to what is coming out. I don't really care where the pickups are manufactured, which was my point.
 
Hey there.
I didn't mean, at all, for this to be a criticism of PRS. It just seems like pretty standard business practice to not allow a lower-tier product cannibalize sales of a higher-tier product from the same manufacturer. I wasn't suggesting that they were intentionally crippling the SE range. I like the SEs. I like the S2s. But, i don't think it would make a lot of sense to sell either of those ranges with the same pickups as the core line, as there needs to be a 'clear' differentiation in 'performance in order to 1) justify the core prices; 2) protect the brand, since it would be seen as a negative against the core if the SE sounded the same/as good.

I'm sure that PRS is mindful of the basic niche each line carves out. But, that hasn't stopped them from creating fantastic standouts within the lines that push the boundaries. You only have to look at the Mark Holculm model in the SE line for an example. PRS markets, just as do all successful companies, but the don't let arbitrary boundaries interfere with design.

As evidence that PRS is more interested in the product itself than stark delineation between the various lines, I point to the S2 and CE lines that fill the gap between SE and Core, blurring the distinctions. More evidence can be seen with the artist options, signature lines, wood library runs, etc. blurring the delineation between core and PS.


"Rather, the case is that PRS designs its guitars to be the best they can be at the target price point."
I guess i sorta agree with this, although i kinda question that there are very specific price points in mind. Like, a Tremonti Custom SE retails for what, $xxx? They couldn't sell the same guitar with USA pickups for $xxx+50? Might they not sell even more of them? I think they have a 'range' of price points they target, which is why the SEs come in at different prices. They end up at whatever they end up at, but they do go into the design process knowing they can't have an SE selling at over a grand.

There are specific price points for each individual models, not for entire lines. Each guitar model is considered individually. The "lines" themselves are more about general production methods than they are about specific, line-wide price objectives as you suspect.
SE - entry level, overseas manufacture to PRS specs.
S2 - US manufacture with labor and material cost savings like scarf joint necks, plainer wood, less carve, etc.
CE - similar to S2 objectives, bolt on neck.
Core -
Artist -
Wood Library -
...
PS -

I trust I don't need to expand on those.

I hilighted the thought above because it isn't mine. I have heard Paul state exactly that many, many, many times.
 
A recent stroll through GC showed a G Lester for about $600 made in the USA. Very plain jane, very suspect quality but at an attractive price point none the less. You could barely see the USA stamp on the headstock.

As far as shipping parts over, it is cheap to ship a box of USA nuts over. Sounds like the single best upgrade for next to nothing.

There was always something about seeing that "10" on the back of the headstock that just set those guitars apart from the rest. I understand the private stock, artist package and all of the other stuff but seeing "10" made it very simple. This was al killer top on a killer guitar. Maybe they are over thinking this a bit?
 
I can't help wondering if the upcoming changes to the SE line will make it more similar to the S2 range.
 
I can't help wondering if the upcoming changes to the SE line will make it more similar to the S2 range.

If this happens then maybe the whole range will move up a notch. Not sure what they can do to augment the top tier models though. Other than Paul R Smith delivers them himself alongside a steaming fresh pizza and cuts the grass before closing the garden gate on the way back.
 
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