Bernie vs. SE 245 - Major Distinctions?

[Barquentine]

I've had my Bernie for about a year now and it's terrific. The most comfortable guitar I've ever played and the tone is incredible. The original pickups are good but I have a thing for Bare Knuckles so it now has the Abraxas set. A match made in heaven. I can't imagine anything outperforming this guitar.

 

[drdoom8793]

Does it matter if it is modded or not?

Congrats on your new find. Seems like you got the black 2013. For the price you paid you can probably consider it a dollar for dollar discount or better for any guitar upgrade when you are searching the local stores for a core model if you ever decide to part with it. Probably get the same price or better if you put it on on Ebay or Craigslist tomorrow. I have been looking for a few months and Dave's prices were some of the best I have seen for any Bernies which is why they were gone fast. Looking forward to your review.

It just arrived last night. I haven't had a ton of time with it but it sounds and plays wonderfully! It's got the thick, warm sound I was looking for and the SE245 pickups are surprisingly really good. Bridge pickup can really rock and the neck pickup is nice and warm. Love the thick body. Don't have an exact weight but it's gotta be on the upper end of 8 lbs, if not 9 lbs. I dare say, it may play almost as well as my S2 Cu24.

I'll post a true NGD thread once I spend a little more time with it and can give a full review.

 

[moT]

Excellent. I had a 2015 Bernie come into the house yesterday too. Feels good. Very heavy. The switch is not working right though. Seems to be OK for bridge or neck, but the middle position is shorting out or not working at all. I posted a few more details on another thread. Dave's is going to make it right, so I am not worried. This is my first PRS (and first electric - though my son does have a MIM deluxe Strat) experience and there are a few blemishes so far, but I will give a full review too once everything is ironed out.

 

[Rockula]

Hey guys,

Resurrecting this thread I started a long time ago.

As it happens, I bought a used core PRS SC right before Christmas, after I promised my wife I'd sell some other stuff to make up for it. So, and I can't believe I'm writing this, my Bernie has to go.

It's great. Really great. I've played a lot of Les Pauls, all across the cost spectrum, and a lot of PRS guitars. The Bernie is definitely the sweet spot on the bang for the buck curve, without question.

The core guitar has better quality switch gear and electronic parts. I think they'll be more reliable over years, but don't likely contribute much to better tone. The SC has a 10 top, and I guess it may have better bones than the Bernie. Perhaps that's why it has more resonance in the bass end, at least by feel. But I doubt very many others listening to me play would notice (My wife did right away, so I must have trained her pretty well).

Finish quality is about equal, though I do prefer the feel of the core one a little bit to the more glassy surface texture of the Bernie.

I put the Bernie back to original spec and played it for a couple hours yesterday. Feels like abandoning an old friend...

 

[You-S4-It]

Congrats on the new SC and condolences on the Bernie. I know there's a whole bunch of Bernie GAS on the forum so you will find a good home for it.
Thankfully I have (barely) enough space still to keep all my axes (and not my ex-'s!) and still have my Bernie and my SCs.
Play some taps on Bernie and set him free for others to enjoy if you must.
Obligatory new SC pic required!

 

[grausch]

I know the feeling...

Was going to sell the Bernie recently to help smooth over some other guitar purchases with SWMBO, but mine is still around - I just enjoy playing it too much.

 

[Barquentine]

I broke a string on my S2 Singlecut a couple of days back so I picked up my Bernie and can't stop playing it. Still haven't re-strung my S2. I don't know what I'd do if I had to let one of them go. Logic would say keep the S2 but the Bernie is just so cool, plays like a dream and the BK Abraxas set suits it to perfection.

 

[Rockula]

Yeah, I also have a Santana SE. That's a great guitar too, though not quite as great as the Bernie. But, the Bernie doesn't do anything the SC can't, while the Santana has a trem. So the Bernie goes first.

It's like Sophie's Choice.

 

[Spr00]

Do you plan to list it somewhere? I've been looking at a few used but haven't pulled the trigger yet.