Yes it does, thank you.
Looking for advice for a new (used) 22 frets guitar.
- Thread starter StSpider
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Lewguitar
Old Know It All
I have only owned the Korean Singlecuts but I have four! Great guitars once you change out the pickups, although the stock pickups are usable.
My SE Silver Skys are Indonesian and they're great too. First rate, IMO, and so are the pickups.
Haven't played any Indonesian Singlecuts. I would have expected them to at least equal the Korean though, just because the SE Silver Sky is so good!
Alnus Rubra
Loving nature’s wonders
My SE245 is a PT Wildwood, which according to an internet search is made in West Java, Indonesia.
I haven’t played a Korean PRS, but mine is great. The other guitarist players in the band (there are 4, although three of them play other instruments in the band) were very impressed, bearing in mind it’s price point.
I haven’t played a Korean PRS, but mine is great. The other guitarist players in the band (there are 4, although three of them play other instruments in the band) were very impressed, bearing in mind it’s price point.
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
I'm currently experimenting with the "spin-a-split" method of splitting a humbucker where you use a 500K pot to ground where the two coils are joined. That way you can find the resistance that leaves some of one coil on and the sound if fatter and so so thin and plinky as using a switch to turn one coil completely off.
Once I figure out what I like best, I'll measure the resistance of the "spin-a-split" pot and replace it with a resistor and use push/pull pots to activate or deactivate it.
That's the method PRS uses now to split the coils of the humbuckers in the DGT and the "single coil" sounds are great!
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
That's what I would have expected. I've been thrilled with the quality of my Indonesian SE's.
Mozzi
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Personally, If I was 'ordering' a new guitar online, I'd be more confident buying a Indonesian made PRS SE from their new facility than ordering a WMI made instrument from 5yrs ago or more. I would think that having a dedicated 'workforce' that only make PRS SE guitars, are trained by PRS - inc their QC etc, the quality and consistency is likely to be better. Since moving, they have changed the top carve (still with a Veneer too) as well as brought out models like Paul's, Cu24-08, HBii, Silver Sky, DGT and McCarty models as well expanded the 'S' series of Pups.
I know WMI are a 'decent' Korean based instrument maker but they do make guitars for numerous other brands, all in the same factory area and don't 'consistently' work on the same brand with the same Standards expected etc. It could be 'easy' to mistake PRS 'yellow' with another yellow in finishing and more risk of mistakes. PRS themselves have a lot more control than they did with WMI.
Of course, we as Customers might not notice too much of a difference as the guitars would all still be checked, QC'd and set-up by PRS before they are sent to retailers, so only the ones that are 'good enough' make it to the customer. But for PRS, that 'could' mean that fewer Indonesian made instruments 'need' much work and even fewer have to be sent back/scrapped as not 'good enough' - which reduces PRS 'costs' - which enables them to put that money into the 'SE' range - do more 'complex' top carves requiring more care, bring more models to the range with more 'Core' like features (piezo's, decent coil splits/taps etc) because they are not 'wasting' so much time on each instrument at PRS, aren't having to scrap so many. We as a customer may only see the 'best' SE's that PRS themselves have passed, we don't see how many require more than just a 'set-up' or how many out of a batch aren't 'good enough' - all of which still 'costs' and that is passed onto us.
Now it's difficult to compare a Korean with Indonesian as they have 'changed' in recent years. I do think the 'newer' SE's look more 'Premium' in general with the carved tops in general and I also think the SE range is the strongest it has ever been.
I know WMI are a 'decent' Korean based instrument maker but they do make guitars for numerous other brands, all in the same factory area and don't 'consistently' work on the same brand with the same Standards expected etc. It could be 'easy' to mistake PRS 'yellow' with another yellow in finishing and more risk of mistakes. PRS themselves have a lot more control than they did with WMI.
Of course, we as Customers might not notice too much of a difference as the guitars would all still be checked, QC'd and set-up by PRS before they are sent to retailers, so only the ones that are 'good enough' make it to the customer. But for PRS, that 'could' mean that fewer Indonesian made instruments 'need' much work and even fewer have to be sent back/scrapped as not 'good enough' - which reduces PRS 'costs' - which enables them to put that money into the 'SE' range - do more 'complex' top carves requiring more care, bring more models to the range with more 'Core' like features (piezo's, decent coil splits/taps etc) because they are not 'wasting' so much time on each instrument at PRS, aren't having to scrap so many. We as a customer may only see the 'best' SE's that PRS themselves have passed, we don't see how many require more than just a 'set-up' or how many out of a batch aren't 'good enough' - all of which still 'costs' and that is passed onto us.
Now it's difficult to compare a Korean with Indonesian as they have 'changed' in recent years. I do think the 'newer' SE's look more 'Premium' in general with the carved tops in general and I also think the SE range is the strongest it has ever been.
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
Al
You could be right. Makes sense.
My Indonesian SE Silver Skys are first rate guitars. I don't see, hear or feel any thing second rate about them.
However, all of the Singlecuts in these photos are Korean. Aside from the budget pickups and skinny wires used in them originally (all of which I replaced) they are first rate guitars too. The necks and bodies are beautifully made and finished, even if the finish is a little thick.
After upgrading the pickups, switches, controls and wiring, I think of them as being at least the equal of most production line Gibsons.
You could be right. Makes sense.
My Indonesian SE Silver Skys are first rate guitars. I don't see, hear or feel any thing second rate about them.
However, all of the Singlecuts in these photos are Korean. Aside from the budget pickups and skinny wires used in them originally (all of which I replaced) they are first rate guitars too. The necks and bodies are beautifully made and finished, even if the finish is a little thick.
After upgrading the pickups, switches, controls and wiring, I think of them as being at least the equal of most production line Gibsons.
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Mozzi
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I am not saying the Korean ones were 'bad' at all and helped the SE get to where it got to but I do think that they have 'improved' the range, the features, the overall 'quality' of the instruments etc in the last few years. I don't think you'd have got the Paul's or Cu-24-08, Silver Sky, McCarty's inc HBii with Piezo or DGT at 'SE' level without PRS 'partnering' with Cort to get their 'own' factory inside that complex so they can 'share' digital CAD files etc, have 'more' control and more input on training and 'consistency' of staff, all only making PRS, with PRS training and that includes their 'QC' standards, their 'precise' set-up stipulations etc - because they are ONLY making 'SE's.
As I said, that's not to say the Korean made SE's aren't great and were among the 'best' guitars you could buy for the money back then, I think that in the last 2-3yrs though, the SE range as a 'whole' are better now than they 'were' when they were using WMI in Korea to make their guitars - as were others like Schecter, Ibanez etc and still do make great guitars.
That don't 'look' like an SE to me, not what I would have expected to come out of Korea when they were making them there. Not with that 'carve' or that bridge system and still be under $1k...
Not to say the Korean Singlecuts are 'bad', worse even, but I do think the 'newer' SE's look more 'premium' with what looks like more 'premium' features too - like MoP or Abalone inlays instead of 'plastic', natural binding, same/similar bridge to Core with the 'brass' bits too...
All I am saying is I think that the last couple of years has seen an overall 'jump up' in 'quality', bringing people 'closer' to the Core on a budget than they have in the past and, if anything, the 'overall' quality has gone up across the board - more 'consistent'. It's the area that 'seems' to be something PRS has invested heavily on over the last few years - whilst US has carried on as 'normal' and it seems to be paying dividends as people are buying them and they are reviewing well too...
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
100% agree!I am not saying the Korean ones were 'bad' at all and helped the SE get to where it got to but I do think that they have 'improved' the range, the features, the overall 'quality' of the instruments etc in the last few years. I don't think you'd have got the Paul's or Cu-24-08, Silver Sky, McCarty's inc HBii with Piezo or DGT at 'SE' level without PRS 'partnering' with Cort to get their 'own' factory inside that complex so they can 'share' digital CAD files etc, have 'more' control and more input on training and 'consistency' of staff, all only making PRS, with PRS training and that includes their 'QC' standards, their 'precise' set-up stipulations etc - because they are ONLY making 'SE's.
As I said, that's not to say the Korean made SE's aren't great and were among the 'best' guitars you could buy for the money back then, I think that in the last 2-3yrs though, the SE range as a 'whole' are better now than they 'were' when they were using WMI in Korea to make their guitars - as were others like Schecter, Ibanez etc and still do make great guitars.
That don't 'look' like an SE to me, not what I would have expected to come out of Korea when they were making them there. Not with that 'carve' or that bridge system and still be under $1k...
Not to say the Korean Singlecuts are 'bad', worse even, but I do think the 'newer' SE's look more 'premium' with what looks like more 'premium' features too - like MoP or Abalone inlays instead of 'plastic', natural binding, same/similar bridge to Core with the 'brass' bits too...
All I am saying is I think that the last couple of years has seen an overall 'jump up' in 'quality', bringing people 'closer' to the Core on a budget than they have in the past and, if anything, the 'overall' quality has gone up across the board - more 'consistent'. It's the area that 'seems' to be something PRS has invested heavily on over the last few years - whilst US has carried on as 'normal' and it seems to be paying dividends as people are buying them and they are reviewing well too...
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