2025 S2 and CE Upgrades

[MarcWink]

Has anyone else noticed the stealthy upgrades to the 2025 S2 and CE line? Now they have Phase III locking tuners. PRS really has closed the gap between S2/CE and Core quite a bit these past two years.

 

[vhalen50]

good eye! Thats awesome. P3 tuners are definitely my favorite.
in reality that leaves the major differences being the "molded" trem and the different carve. Which is kinda a great value.

 

[JasonE]

They announced at some point last year that they were going to start using US electronics and hardware on them.

 

[vhalen50]

They announced at some point last year that they were going to start using US electronics and hardware on them.

it never included tuners until this years (25) release. As seen by the "limited edition" swamps still having the prs designed tuners from 2024.

 

[JasonE]

it never included tuners until this years (25) release. As seen by the "limited edition" swamps still having the prs designed tuners from 2024.

They may have included the tuners in the announcement. I would have to dig it up and see. If they did, they probably ran what they had until they used them up then swapped over. That is how they typically migrate over to something new.

EDIT: I found the announcement. It was only for the electronics, pickups, pots etc.

 

[d^rren]

… with corresponding price increases.

While they’ve been closing the gap Between S2 and Core, the price of Core models is increasingly unattainable, and they’ve been widening the gap between the S2 and SE lines.

 

[JasonE]

… with corresponding price increases.

While they’ve been closing the gap Between S2 and Core, the price of Core models is increasingly unattainable, and they’ve been widening the gap between the S2 and SE lines.

I think it will be a delicate balance to get the guitar to be all US made like the core line and still keep it at a price point that sells well.

 

[rcsrich]

I think it will be a delicate balance to get the guitar to be all US made like the core line and still keep it at a price point that sells well.

Yep- just like Gibson’s budget us models…a $900 Les Paul will pull in a bunch of buyers that can’t afford the $2500 version, but when the budget model becomes $1500…

 

[d^rren]

I think it will be a delicate balance to get the guitar to be all US made like the core line and still keep it at a price point that sells well.

I think they had the balance right when they were using import pickups and hardware. There are upgrade paths for those parts if people want to change them out. But adding all USA hardware and electronics has priced the S2 line out of reach, at least on the new market.

 

[Broseph]

I wish some of the models gave options to keep lockers. The new velas do not have locking tuners like they have had since their inception.

Now if only the s2 inlays were mother of pearls and not white plastic. That would be the icing on the cake.

 

[MarcWink]

The pricing thing is a tough call to make. When you compare the price of a new Core to a new S2, you're talking the difference in price between a non-Murphy Lab Gibson Custom to a Les Paul Standard. The latter in both instances is MUCH more affordable...to the tune of the latter in each case being about half the price of the formers. Unfortunately, the way of the world we live in is that EVERYTHING is expensive across the board. We have $1700 Epiphones for crying out loud...hell, we even have $1700 PRS SE's. When you scale it that way, it makes it a little easier to swallow the slight increase in price over the past couple of years for the S2 guitars. The other thing to keep in mind is that by the time one were to upgrade hardware, pickups and pots on an S2 that had the import everything, they'd be at the same price point as the current crop of S2 guitars with the slight disadvantage of having lost some resale value since the guitar is not "all original" and what one player sees as an upgrade, the next very well may see as something that ruined the guitar. It's not unlike a sports car in that manner.

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

I think they had the balance right when they were using import pickups and hardware. There are upgrade paths for those parts if people want to change them out. But adding all USA hardware and electronics has priced the S2 line out of reach, at least on the new market.

Depends on your perspective, I suppose. If you want to avoid the hassle of upgrading and want the PRS US parts, then the new way is better. If you want to upgrade but want aftermarket parts, or if you're OK with the stock parts, the prior way was better.

I'd fall in the first category, especially if I liked the particular US pickups that came in whatever model it was I was interested. I'd rather not feel like I had to upgrade/modify to get all US stuff. But if I loved a model and didn't care for the pickups, I'd rather choose my own and do all the upgrades at once while installing them.

Thing is, you can't have it both ways. They did it one way for a while, and people kept saying "this should have the US pickups, pots, tuners, etc." and now they're trying it with those parts. Hmmm, I guess that if the volume supported it, you "could" have it both ways... a cheaper model like the old ones, and an "All USA" model. I doubt they'd do that though.

 

[RC Mike]

The pots and tuners aren’t US-made.

 

[JasonE]

The pots and tuners aren’t US-made.

The pots are made by CTS and I believe the tuners are made by GOTOH. That is for the US made guitars. CTS is in IL. GOTOH is in Japan.