Custom 24 SE 30th Anniversary vs S2

[Sudzinsky]

Hey guys, I'm looking for some opinions on these two and am hoping to get a better idea of which one to go with.
I will be buying used of whichever one I decide, and I have played both and enjoy different aspects about both of them.
I'm not sure which neck I like better, they're both pretty amazing and feel very comfortable, although I'm not sure how I feel about the bound neck of the 30th anniversary edition (but I love the ebony). Other than the locking tuners, which I would install on the SE anyway, is there much of a difference here?
Does anyone know what the nut is like on the SE 30th?

 

[Furtive]

I can't compare SE CU24 to S2 CU24, but I can compare a 2014 SE CU24 (gold) to 2015 S2 CU22SH in Egyptian Gold. Funny you should mention it because this was the pair in my music room yesterday. I doubt nut changed on SEs between 2014 and 2015, someone from PRS can confirm.

My thoughts: baseline, S2 is a different animal due to being semi hollow, but also feels different. More like a Core, but still not quite there. The thing that stands out between the two is the finish. Both paint jobs are excellent, but the S2 feels different. SE finish feels like Asian factory perfection; S2 feels thinner. I hate using "feel" in any kind of comparison like this, but there you have it.

Bound ebony board on my SE Torero is excellent. As good as my old Fuji-Gen Ibz with ebony.

I am a firm believer that a typical SE is definitely good enough to warrant upgrade to USA parts. Weight, fretwork, build quality - it's all very good. But the finish is different. USA finishes seem thinner to me, and I'm betting different coating (paint/clear) formulas. Good luck with your decision.