Hey You - Shut Up! The New CE ROCKS!

[CantankerousCarl]

Carl knows CE's. If he say's his rocks... that's all I need to hear.

Golly...I'm welling up a bit here...thanks buddy....

I welcome your thoughts and opinions even if I disagree with them, but in the other threads. Please don't continue to crap on someones NGD thread. Holy Crap... this particular forum brother HAS PS GUITARS! I see guys who don't even have cores complaining about the features on his new guitar, when A) he LOVES it and B) they have never even played one! That seems funny to me, but bringing up your issues with his guitar, here, is just wrong. Fire away in the other threads. Please though, not here. But what the heck do I know.

Sage words...and thanks!

Let's face it folks, when I titled the thread "Hey You - Shut Up!..." I was of course stirring the pot, so I expected a little back-and-forth.

We all know that the internet turns everyone's opinions into facts, right? So if I post facts, they must turn into...opinions?

Listen, I have problems. I buy, sell, and return ALOT of guitars. ALOT. Since 2011 (when I started back up and started counting...) I have had seventy-nine (79!) guitars pass through my hands...not including the ones I have in my current stable. Forty-three (43!) of those guitars have been PRSes ranging from the new SE Standard up through Cores. So I figure that kind of exposure gives me some sort of obligation to the community here to report what my extremely sensitivity / picky ears hear emanating from my extremely mediocre fingers (and amazing gear).

I get really fired up when people write gear off based upon other people's opinions ONLY. And then give a manufacturer crap for something that they have no business giving the manufacturer crap about.

There's a word for that. It's called ignorance.

I don't know all that much, and whatever I post here is just my opinion, but I gotta figure that there are alot of folks out here who aren't as fortunate as I am to have played as many PRSes as I have (and other guitars for that matter). So I try to post my educated opinion based upon experience.

CEs are one of my favorite PRS models EVER. I hold them with great reverence, and I'll take a good late 80s/early 90s alder-bodied, maple-topped rotary be-winged CE24 over just about anything. There is a toughness and grace about these instruments that I doubt will be replicated, even by PRS.

SO what then for the new CE? Go experience one for yourself and then decide. Ignorant, bandwagonesque rantings don't help anyone - although they do take up alot of time. Time that would be better spent playing a guitar. ANY guitar

Is the new CE perfect? Is any guitar? Perfect FOR you, or FOR a project, etc., but not perfect.

I said it before, and I'll say it again - I will probably swap the trem for a MannMade NOS2000. Does it need it? HELL NO. I have beat the snot out of the trem, and it's stayed in-tune as well as any guitar I've ever had. And it sustains identically to any Core PRS I own (PS and WL excluded). But, as a self-admitted RulesofToneSnot, I want a solid hunk-o-brass at the anchor.

If you experience a CE24, I suspect you will find that it is a guitar that you will probably never feel compelled to upgrade for any practical or functional reason. The 85/15s are AMAZING. The satin neck feels great. The controls feel and respond identically to Core ones (I think they are).

Mischief Managed. Cantankerous out.

 

[rugerpc]

Give me a hands on review, good or bad, over an uninformed "I read this or that, so it must suck" review any day.

Carl is doing it right. He actually touched one.

 

[WEDGE]

If they do a CE24 or CE22 22 with a pattern neck I am getting one. The thin carve wont work for me but I love the idea of the guitar as is and the 'real' reviews have all been positive and the videos sound good.

 

[ElrytNamrogo]

My brother's girlfriend's cousin's x-fiancé's best friend's dog handler said these guitars ain't as good as the original....

Ain't no way I'm even giving them a chance.

 

[nicolasrivera]

I'm happy that they're making good business decisions and still making great guitars.

Most of the time, but not always.

 

[rugerpc]

Most of the time, but not always.

A comment like that needs examples....

 

[garrett]

I'm actually going to go as far as to say that your paying core price for an SE.

LOL. I got hands-on with a new CE today and can say it did indeed rock. The bridge is the one single thing the new CE has in common with any SE.

I think it's best to think of it as a totally new breed of PRS guitar. Once I laid eyes and hands on the actual thing, I realized it's an apples/oranges comparison to the previous CE models.

Some observations:
The body certainly is thinner than usual, but it felt fantastic under my arm. The body finish has the PRS "dipped in glass" look that's lacking in the S2. Brass shaft on the volume pot, so that would mean USA electronics. The scarf joint on the neck is extremely well executed; was nice to be able to see it clearly since the finish on the S2 usually obscures it.

 

[László]

Most of the time, but not always.

Most of the time your posts make sense, but not always.

 

[CantankerousCarl]

LOL. I got hands-on with a new CE today and can say it did indeed rock. The bridge is the one single thing the new CE has in common with any SE.

I think it's best to think of it as a totally new breed of PRS guitar. Once I laid eyes and hands on the actual thing, I realized it's an apples/oranges comparison to the previous CE models.

Some observations:
The body certainly is thinner than usual, but it felt fantastic under my arm. The body finish has the PRS "dipped in glass" look that's lacking in the S2. Brass shaft on the volume pot, so that would mean USA electronics. The scarf joint on the neck is extremely well executed; was nice to be able to see it clearly since the finish on the S2 usually obscures it.

Glad you got to try one out in person! Thanks for the observations.

 

[dogrocketp]

I love this.

A bag of snot we are not.

Les................Have you been mainlining Dr. Seuss recently?

 

[László]

Les................Have you been mainlining Dr. Seuss recently?

Dude, I AM Dr. Seuss. I faked my death.

 

[marcel.dam]

A comment like that needs examples....

No doubt that this is a fine and well made guitar. But the initial presentation by PRS gave many the impression that this was a return of the original CE's. Even the first PRS website page of the PRS CE 2016 sports the USA made vibrato unit. They could have communicated just a little bit better.

 

[rugerpc]

I'm happy that they're making good business decisions and still making great guitars.

Most of the time, but not always.

A comment like that needs examples....

No doubt that this is a fine and well made guitar. But the initial presentation by PRS gave many the impression that this was a return of the original CE's. Even the first PRS website page of the PRS CE 2016 sports the USA made vibrato unit. They could have communicated just a little bit better.

Considering the new CEs are selling and the reviews we're getting from members who have played them are positive, it seems you are in error that this is a bad business decision and the current CE is not worthy.

I get that you don't like the CE. Everyone gets to decide what they like and what the don't. Wasn't your condemnation a bit broad, though, bro?

 

[TFC]

Congrats, Carl. I'm curious, can you see the side dots well on the new CE, or would I need to use white out on the side of the fret board like I do on my old one?

 

[G-Man]

Stopped in at Brians today and gave the CE 24 a whirl. I'll give it an A-. First impression was that it was a beautifully made guitar, killer top, nice hardware and finish work. The neck had a great feel and the body carve was fantastic and very comfortable, Sound was great and had that old CE vibe. I also liked the flat knobs which were smaller lampshades. The overall guitar also felt a bit lighter than my old CE's, kind of in the same weight range of the CU22. The only quibble I had, and it was a small one, was the birds on the neck looked a little too white and plasticy but that was a small quibble, therefore the A-.

Nice job PRS! Exceeded my expectations.

 

[CantankerousCarl]

Congrats, Carl. I'm curious, can you see the side dots well on the new CE, or would I need to use white out on the side of the fret board like I do on my old one?

No white-out needed I'll snag a pic tomorrow...

 

[The Fight]

LOL. I got hands-on with a new CE today and can say it did indeed rock. The bridge is the one single thing the new CE has in common with any SE.

I think it's best to think of it as a totally new breed of PRS guitar. Once I laid eyes and hands on the actual thing, I realized it's an apples/oranges comparison to the previous CE models.

Some observations:
The body certainly is thinner than usual, but it felt fantastic under my arm. The body finish has the PRS "dipped in glass" look that's lacking in the S2. Brass shaft on the volume pot, so that would mean USA electronics. The scarf joint on the neck is extremely well executed; was nice to be able to see it clearly since the finish on the S2 usually obscures it.

I'm making it a goal to play one. Thank you for the information.