CE’s - Tell Us About Them

[aamefford]

I don’t know a lot about the CE’s. Why do I ask? I’m looking for a PRS core experience in a price range I can afford - i.e. under 2k. What I’m finding are Mira’s and CE’s. I’ve learned a bunch about Mira’s from the group here. Now it’s time to learn about CE’s. I’m not bothered by the bolt on neck, that construction method has stood the test of time. Will a CE provide the core experience? Were they ever made as a stop tail? My goal is a double humbucker stop tail, though I could always block the trem I guess.

I’ve found a likely suspect - 2002 CE 22 in all black with Dragon 2’s. Thoughts on this guitar and CE’s in general are eagerly awaited!

 

[AP515]

CE's are great guitars. Whether it gives you the "core experience" depends on what you expect the core experience to be. It is a core guitar so it qualifies. It will be brighter than its mahogany necked sister. If you want it to "cut through the mix" you found the right guitar. Some love the Dragon 2's, some don't. Buy it for what it is, and you should be happy. I have a CE22 standard with Dragon 1's and it's fabulous. Best tone I own.

 

[DISTORT6]

The original CE’s were core guitars.
Stoptails and WF necks were available.

 

[thewesdavis]

I've owned other core models - meaning pre-S2 - a few customs, a few singlecuts, one standard. Also dabbled with a few Starlas. Currently I have 2 CE-22s, and love them. The only "difference" I notice is they are bolt on instead of set neck.

See my CEs

 

[Lewguitar]

I don’t know a lot about the CE’s. Why do I ask? I’m looking for a PRS core experience in a price range I can afford - i.e. under 2k. What I’m finding are Mira’s and CE’s. I’ve learned a bunch about Mira’s from the group here. Now it’s time to learn about CE’s. I’m not bothered by the bolt on neck, that construction method has stood the test of time. Will a CE provide the core experience? Were they ever made as a stop tail? My goal is a double humbucker stop tail, though I could always block the trem I guess.

I’ve found a likely suspect - 2002 CE 22 in all black with Dragon 2’s. Thoughts on this guitar and CE’s in general are eagerly awaited!

I'd go for a 90's CE with original Dragon I pickups.

I would avoid CE's after '97 or '98 that came with Dragon II pickups, unless they've been replaced and the guitar is deeply discounted because of it.

I love CE's. Personally, i think they sound more lively than the CU's with a glued in neck.

I got this 2000 CE for $1200 because the pickups were replaced and the wiring was all screwed up.

Put John Suhr SSH+ humbuckers and new volume and tone pots in it and it's now my favorite of the three CE's I own.

When I got it:

https://imgur.com/kIiLw9M

How it looks now:

https://imgur.com/t9ZvZ2y

https://imgur.com/lSPZtmH

Here's my '95 and '97 with original Dragon I pickups:

https://imgur.com/AbMz9k9

 

[TFC]

In addition to CE22s, there are CE24s, which are also great guitars and a relatively great value. CE24s almost always have Wide/Thin necks and I don't recall ever seeing one with a stop tail, but I'd guess there are rare ones out there. I've owned many various PRS models and the CEs are in no way "less core" than any others. Top quality, great guitars.

Be aware that the newer generation of CEs (2016-) are not quite core guitars and I couldn't vouch for them being as good as core guitars.

 

[Lewguitar]

In addition to CE22s, there are CE24s, which are also great guitars and a relatively great value. CE24s almost always have Wide/Thin necks and I don't recall ever seeing one with a stop tail, but I'd guess there are rare ones out there. I've owned many various PRS models and the CEs are in no way "less core" than any others. Top quality, great guitars.

Be aware that the newer generation of CEs (2016-) are not quite core guitars and I couldn't vouch for them being as good as core guitars.

A lot of people prefer the CE24 over the CE22. Mine are all CE22's, which is what I prefer.

But I think Paul prefers the 24 and I know Ed Roman did.

Ed Roman felt that the neck pickup sounded better moved 1" towards the middle of the guitar to make room for the 23rd and 24th fret.

I like the neck pickup location better in the 22 fret version. Sounds a little thicker and deper and having grown up playing Gibsons, that's the sound I'm used to.

 

[iounothing]

I have a '97 CE22 with Dragon 1s, WF neck and stoptail. It took me 2 years to find one with this combination and it's an amazing guitar

 

[aamefford]

Thanks all. I know this next question is debated endlessly. Still it seems pertinent to this thread. Dragon 1’s vs. Dragon 2’s - what are the differences, and why do we like one over the other?

 

[Senor Verde]

I had a '95 CE22 with maple top. I miss how the Dragon I bridge pickup sounded. I thought the D II was weaker and more drab sounding. Although that same pickup in my cousin's Les Paul sounded huge and fat.

I blocked the vibrato bridge on mine, which you could easily do as stoptail CE's seem fairly rare. About the only thing I didn't like with my CE was, the heavy Schaller tuners gave it a bit of neck dive. I haven't heard any other folks complain about that though, so maybe mine had a particularly light body.

I'm with Lou's thoughts and would look for one with Dragon I pickups.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

CEs were my favorites until I finally got ahold of Santana shaped PRS.

There’s something about them, like the four bolts or the maple neck or something do a thing to the tone that shifts the mid frequencies to a more pleasant place (for me).

 

[Lewguitar]

CEs were my favorites until I finally got ahold of Santana shaped PRS.

There’s something about them, like the four bolts or the maple neck or something do a thing to the tone that shifts the mid frequencies to a more pleasant place (for me).

Yeah. I think the CE has a lot of Strat in it: maple bolt on neck, the vibrato...even the body shape is like a blend of a double cutaway Les Paul Jr and a Strat. I love Strats and double cutaway Les Paul Jrs so the CE 22 feels very familiar to me.

I play my CE's more than any other electric guitars I own.

 

[JasonE]

A lot of people prefer the CE24 over the CE22. Mine are all CE22's, which is what I prefer.

But I think Paul prefers the 24 and I know Ed Roman did.

Ed Roman felt that the neck pickup sounded better moved 1" towards the middle of the guitar to make room for the 23rd and 24th fret.

I like the neck pickup location better in the 22 fret version because having grown up on Gibsons, that location gives the sound I'm used to.

I am in this camp too. I much prefer the 22 fret models. I like the neck pickup location on the 22 fret model better as well.

 

[markd21]

CEs of every generation are awesome. Personally, the old CE22 with Dragon II pickups was one of my favorites. However, I LOVE the modern CE24 Semi- Hollow. Two VERY different guitars, but both awesome.

 

[MarcWink]

CE's are outstanding workhorses. I've got a '97 CE 22 Maple Top that I bought second hand when I was in high school, still have it, and still love it. I paid $1,200 for it back in the early 2000's. It's a fantastic guitar that is essentially a Custom 22 with a bolt-on maple neck. My particular sample has the Dragon I pickups, which I LOVE, especially for the stuff I use it for (C# standard tuned metal machine). Tone wise, it's outstanding, I have the 5 way rotary switch, and while I typically only use the full bridge or full neck pickup for my kind of playing, there are some great in between tones too. The construction and attention to detail is every bit as good as my Core Custom 22 and Custom 24 35th, the appointments are better than my S2 Custom 22, and the playability is amazing as it is with any PRS. Dollar for dollar, they're a really hard guitar to beat. The issue with CE's is that there are many different variants from all alder bodies, alder with maple tops (IIRC), all mahogany bodies, and mahogany bodies with maple tops. If you scour the interwebs, you can even find a few 22's with stop tails and 10 tops.

 

[thewesdavis]

CE's are outstanding workhorses. I've got a '97 CE 22 Maple Top that I bought second hand when I was in high school, still have it, and still love it. I paid $1,200 for it back in the early 2000's. It's a fantastic guitar that is essentially a Custom 22 with a bolt-on maple neck. My particular sample has the Dragon I pickups, which I LOVE, especially for the stuff I use it for (C# standard tuned metal machine). Tone wise, it's outstanding, I have the 5 way rotary switch, and while I typically only use the full bridge or full neck pickup for my kind of playing, there are some great in between tones too. The construction and attention to detail is every bit as good as my Core Custom 22 and Custom 24 35th, the appointments are better than my S2 Custom 22, and the playability is amazing as it is with any PRS. Dollar for dollar, they're a really hard guitar to beat. The issue with CE's is that there are many different variants from all alder bodies, alder with maple tops (IIRC), all mahogany bodies, and mahogany bodies with maple tops. If you scour the interwebs, you can even find a few 22's with stop tails and 10 tops.

The "outer coils in parallel" sound is killer to my ear. I bought my first CE to replace my Ernie Ball Cutlass strictly based on this single tone option to fill the 'single coil sound' in my collection...and the combination of that and the bridge humbucker on its own made me sell my EBMMs (Axis Sports) and get a second CE22.

This may be blasphemy, but I'm replacing the pups in my second CE (and moving from the 5-way rotary to the 3-way McCarty) to add a little tonal variance - but the guitars (as previously stated by all) are top notch, especially for the price.

 

[Glide-bpm]

I regret selling my 1993 CE24 back in 2005 every freaking day!!!

***sighhhhh***

 

[Mark Ray]

Thanks all. I know this next question is debated endlessly. Still it seems pertinent to this thread. Dragon 1’s vs. Dragon 2’s - what are the differences, and why do we like one over the other?

DRAGON 1's FOR THE WIN!!!

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

Great guitars. The early ones (prior to the new release) are way better and on par with Core models.

Miss my ‘07 all mahogany one with Dragon 1’s. Kept the pickups, but traded away the guitar.

 

[aamefford]

So I’m looking at an ‘02 with dragon II’s, and @Bowtiefanatc had an ‘07 with dragon I’s. We’re both dragons available at the same time?

Also, the one I’m looking at is opaque black. The tops on the stained transparent or translucent ones look to have really nice wood, at least from the photos here. Thoughts?