First gen SE Soapbar (single cut) - they seem cool, but rare

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I've been on the hunt for an inexpensive P90 guitar and these first generation single cut SE soapbars have caught my eye. Is it just my imagination and bad timing, or are these pretty rare and hard to find? Does anyone know how many were produced? I have read that there was a Gibson lawsuit involved, so I'm wondering if that explains why I can't seem to find many of them used. There are a few out there, but I'm looking for black burst or cherry and the only ones I can find are sunburst.

I guess patience and persistence is key :);):cool:.

Anyone rocking one of these? Thoughts - good, bad? Advice for what to look for, upgrades, etc? To me, soapbars are that perfect place in between single coils and humbuckers. I had a P90 Gibson years ago that I sold, and I sometimes regret it.
 
Fortunately not too rare, there's one now at guitar center. That's where I got my SE 245 Soapbar last year. Getting a specific color may take a while though.

And there are multiple Korean SE soapbars: SE Soapbar & Soapbar II, SE One, Korina SE One and SE 245 Soapbar.

Killer guitars, mine certainly is. And to quote @@]-[@n$0Ma☩!© regarding his upgraded Korina SE One:
"SE's are amazing guitars right out of the box. If you want to upgrade its parts, you can rest assured that the wood, construction, and fretwork are a solid foundation for a serious instrument; no matter how far you want to take it.

As far as upgrades, it's mostly the electronics. Many folks are happy with the pickups, and the stock P-90s are some of the best SE pickups made but as always you can put in world class pups (vintage Gibson, Bareknuckle, Lollar, Fralin, etc) in it and they won't be wasted. That's how good the SE Soapbar line is.
 
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Fortunately not too rare, there's one now at guitar center. That's where I got my SE 245 Soapbar last year. Getting a specific color may take a while though.

And there are multiple Korean SE soapbars: SE Soapbar & Soapbar II, SE One, Korina SE One and SE 245 Soapbar.

Killer guitars, mine certainly is. And to quote @@]-[@n$0Ma☩!© regarding his upgraded Korina SE One:
"SE's are amazing guitars right out of the box. If you want to upgrade its parts, you can rest assured that the wood, construction, and fretwork are a solid foundation for a serious instrument; no matter how far you want to take it.

As far as upgrades, it's mostly the electronics. Many folks are happy with the pickups, and the stock P-90s are some of the best SE pickups made but as always you can put in world class pups (vintage Gibson, Bareknuckle, Lollar, Fralin, etc) in it and they won't be wasted. That's how good the SE Soapbar line is.
Nice! Thank you!
 
Fortunately not too rare, there's one now at guitar center. That's where I got my SE 245 Soapbar last year. Getting a specific color may take a while though.

And there are multiple Korean SE soapbars: SE Soapbar & Soapbar II, SE One, Korina SE One and SE 245 Soapbar.

Killer guitars, mine certainly is. And to quote @@]-[@n$0Ma☩!© regarding his upgraded Korina SE One:
"SE's are amazing guitars right out of the box. If you want to upgrade its parts, you can rest assured that the wood, construction, and fretwork are a solid foundation for a serious instrument; no matter how far you want to take it.

As far as upgrades, it's mostly the electronics. Many folks are happy with the pickups, and the stock P-90s are some of the best SE pickups made but as always you can put in world class pups (vintage Gibson, Bareknuckle, Lollar, Fralin, etc) in it and they won't be wasted. That's how good the SE Soapbar line is.
Don’t forget the SE Custom Semi-Hollow Soapbar (2008-2009) :)
Those don’t pop up as often as the other SE Soapbar models.

I LOVE the SE Soapbar models. Guitar Center *is* the most overlooked source for these wonders. A few years ago, word finally got out beyond this forum just how good these guitars are. As a result, people snatched them up and asking prices almost doubled. Even so, they’re still a good deal (as opposed to the steal they once were)
 
The SE Soapbar was my first PRS and it will be my last. Excellent instrument, fun to play, sounds great, plays well, can take a beating. I upgraded the pickups to Lollars but can barely notice any improvement in tone, that’s how good the originals are. The only risk with those guitars is the bridge posts gradually slanting forward so be sure to check the posts are straight-up before you buy.
 
The SE Soapbar was my first PRS and it will be my last. Excellent instrument, fun to play, sounds great, plays well, can take a beating. I upgraded the pickups to Lollars but can barely notice any improvement in tone, that’s how good the originals are. The only risk with those guitars is the bridge posts gradually slanting forward so be sure to check the posts are straight-up before you buy.
Wow, interesting about the bridge posts. Good tip, good to know - thanks!
 
The Singlecut SE Soapbar was my first PRS. I still have it. I also have an SE One with a tone control added. Then there’s my #1 in the avatar……
 
Just picked up a SE soapbar MIK 2003, not had much time with it but initial impressions are great.
 
03tG1r9.jpeg


Put a fresh set of strings on mine this morning. So quick and effortless. This thing is more stable than the rock of Gibraltar. And the non-locking tuners are some of the nicest I’ve ever found on any guitar - how I wish that the tuners on some of my Core models were this smooth, precise and stable…
 
OP here. Never did find the first gen single cut SE Soapbar that I wanted, but I did snag a Soapbar II from Guitar Center used online. I've never ordered used from GC before and I didn't have high hopes. The photos weren't great and there was no description. The price, however, was very good, as is their return policy, so I took a chance.

It arrived today. There isn't even a swirl mark on the guitar, not a flaw anywhere I can see. It's literally as new. It has new strings and a freshly oiled fingerboard. All for [oops, I don't think I was supposed to post what I paid for it - just re-read the forum rules. Let's just say it was a very fair price]. Say what you will about GC but I am super pleased.

Most importantly - the guitar is KILLER. I did need to raise the action. Relief was right where it should be. Adjusted pickup heights and a couple of pole pieces and then spent the next two hours playing it through my Tone King Imperial. I've bought, sold, and gigged a lot of guitars (too many, maybe) over many years and I just can't believe how nice this guitar is for the price. I can say without a doubt that this is the best bang for the buck guitar purchase I've ever made. Seriously, if someone handed me this blindfolded I'd have guessed it was twice the price. The poly isn't goopy, back of the neck isn't sticky, and I love the generous neck profile (which reminds me a lot of my K-Line Tele). Honestly, I doubt I'll change a single thing on this guitar. It may have a high fret up around 12 or 13 that I might address at some point, but it's not really causing big problems at the moment. Oh, and while I haven't weighed it, it's the lightest guitar I've ever owned. I'm sure it's under 7 lbs. And no bridge lean, as I've read some of these can have.

If anyone out there is considering one of these, I'd definitely recommend trying one.
 
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OP here. Never did find the first gen single cut SE Soapbar that I wanted, but I did snag a Soapbar II from Guitar Center used online. I've never ordered used from GC before and I didn't have high hopes. The photos weren't great and there was no description. The price, however, was very good, as is their return policy, so I took a chance.

It arrived today. There isn't even a swirl mark on the guitar, not a flaw anywhere I can see. It's literally as new. It has new strings and a freshly oiled fingerboard. All for [oops, I don't think I was supposed to post what I paid for it - just re-read the forum rules. Let's just say it was a very fair price]. Say what you will about GC but I am super pleased.

Most importantly - the guitar is KILLER. I did need to raise the action. Relief was right where it should be. Adjusted pickup heights and a couple of pole pieces and then spent the next two hours playing it through my Tone King Imperial. I've bought, sold, and gigged a lot of guitars (too many, maybe) over many years and I just can't believe how nice this guitar is for the price. I can say without a doubt that this is the best bang for the buck guitar purchase I've ever made. Seriously, if someone handed me this blindfolded I'd have guessed it was twice the price. The poly isn't goopy, back of the neck isn't sticky, and I love the generous neck profile (which reminds me a lot of my K-Line Tele). Honestly, I doubt I'll change a single thing on this guitar. It may have a high fret up around 12 or 13 that I might address at some point, but it's not really causing big problems at the moment. Oh, and while I haven't weighed it, it's the lightest guitar I've ever owned. I'm sure it's under 7 lbs. And no bridge lean, as I've read some of these can have.

If anyone out there is considering one of these, I'd definitely recommend trying one.
Nice!

BTW, used pricing is ok, new is not.
 
Say what you will about GC but I am super pleased.
So glad that it worked out so well, but I'm not surprised. Four out of five guitars I bought from GC have been keepers, and as long as there's a local GC around there's basically no risk given the 45 day return policy (only needing to pay the $20-$25 shipping).

And post some pics!

Here's mine:
BPD38773f.jpg
 
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