IRG
New Member
Got it Wednesday, a new SE Santana Singlecut Trem. I considered a lot of options, but in the end singlecut style with trem and these TCI pickups won out. Got it from SW, a demo/blem guitar, although I could hardly find the blem in the finish, you might not notice it either. Saved $85. They also put on new SE locking tuners, that I got for $47, seemed worth it.
Here's what I like so far:
Love the Egyptian Gold finish - much nicer in person than pics, and even though it is all gold, it really looks high end. Would have loved a natural finish on the back sides with binding like my CE24, but this for the price, is really nice.
This guitar is beefier than I thought it might be. It's thick, 2" Les Paul Standard thick (as opposed to a Les Paul Studio thick). All mahogany, which is just fine with me, my other two have mahogany/maple combo.
The TCI pickups - yes, they are as good as advertised. I would have loved the split coil option, but I'm actually not missing it much. The neck tone is still clear, never muddy and is warm and rich. The bridge is biting and cutting, but not nasally at all. ANd the middle position might be my favorite, just very, very balanced overall, especially on cleans.
Sound good with gain too, whether I'm using some simple overdrive from my Timmy or D&M Drive, or heavier tones with my Thorpy Muffroom or the chugs with my Revv G3. The tones are just balanced, and usable in all 3 positions.
Hardware overall is above average for an SE, especially the tuners now that I have them installed (for me) was worth a little added $, the switch is fine, the bridge is good, no need right now to upgrade any of it. The nut is not bad, a little pinch on the G string, but a quick flick of the tremolo arm usually puts it right back in tune.
Overall, the fit and finish make me feel like I bought another S2 instead of an SE. All three of my PRSi now have a nice, cohesive look and feel to them. Very happy with this purchase! Some pics...
Here's what I like so far:
Love the Egyptian Gold finish - much nicer in person than pics, and even though it is all gold, it really looks high end. Would have loved a natural finish on the back sides with binding like my CE24, but this for the price, is really nice.
This guitar is beefier than I thought it might be. It's thick, 2" Les Paul Standard thick (as opposed to a Les Paul Studio thick). All mahogany, which is just fine with me, my other two have mahogany/maple combo.
The TCI pickups - yes, they are as good as advertised. I would have loved the split coil option, but I'm actually not missing it much. The neck tone is still clear, never muddy and is warm and rich. The bridge is biting and cutting, but not nasally at all. ANd the middle position might be my favorite, just very, very balanced overall, especially on cleans.
Sound good with gain too, whether I'm using some simple overdrive from my Timmy or D&M Drive, or heavier tones with my Thorpy Muffroom or the chugs with my Revv G3. The tones are just balanced, and usable in all 3 positions.
Hardware overall is above average for an SE, especially the tuners now that I have them installed (for me) was worth a little added $, the switch is fine, the bridge is good, no need right now to upgrade any of it. The nut is not bad, a little pinch on the G string, but a quick flick of the tremolo arm usually puts it right back in tune.
Overall, the fit and finish make me feel like I bought another S2 instead of an SE. All three of my PRSi now have a nice, cohesive look and feel to them. Very happy with this purchase! Some pics...
