Christopher Horton
New Member
So first off, a little back story.....if you want pictures, just scroll on down!
I hope the guys at PRS are reading this...and the naysayers of the S2 line
I have, over the past twenty years, literally played every type of guitar imaginable. I started with LP's, and moved on to every brand under the sun. I never had a guitar longer than 6 months usually. Ive played 7 strings, 8 strings, baritones, fender, gibson, ibanez, esp, epiphone, agile, godin...name it: I played one in a professional situation.
Last year when I discovered PRS, I was blown away by the quality of my custom 24. So much so, that I sold my other electric guitars. I didnt play them anymore (Including an SE Custom 22). So I have treated myself to yet another PRS! Now I have an "equal" guitar to my Custom 24.
Anyone in doubt of the S2 line, I can attest that the quality is there. The only real maintenance Ive done with my Custom 24 over the last year has been a couple truss rod turns, and polishing the frets. Other than that, plays like the day I bought it. I think Im a PRS player for life.
I scoured the internet for as much info on these as I could find. Unfortunately, theres not a lot of reveiws. So here goes one:
Craftsmanship/Quality: Super well built, arrived set up from the box almost perfect. Changed the string height to my liking. I looked her over, and could not find one finish flaw. This one was made last year, and still has the "SC250" logo on the truss cover. I think they now say "singlecut". The guitar is a little on the heavy side, but in a good way, as in "built like a tank". It feels solid. All of the electronics were wired properly, and very neatly done. The finish looks gorgeous in person, and cant really be captured in photos. The Tabacco Sunburst isnt as dark on the edges and the back as it seems. You can see some woodgrain on the back of the guitar in the right light. The fretboard was a little dry, but I oiled it. The tag says it was made last year, which means it has been sitting in warehouse until I ordered it! And still arrived ready to play after tuning it up! Im so used to spending time doing a full set-up on a new guitar. What a relief to have one ready to go out of the box.
Tone: This will be subjective of course. But I will say that if you are looking for a LP type of sound, this is not for you. It has a sound all its own, and personally, while I think it does have some of the LP characteristics, it really has an original sound. The #7 picks are clear (even clearer now that I have adjusted the pole pieces) and you can coax just about any sound you want out of this thing. provided you know how to manipulate the volume and tone controls, you have a huge selection of sounds. Throw in the coil split, and you have even more options. The coil split has a unique sound as well. You cant ape a Strat like sound out of it, but it sounds great in split mode with a little dirt on it. Very bluesy. Im a bit surprised at the string separation of the pickups, as most stock pups even in higher end guitars get dumped for something with more clarity. But playing a full chord through high gain, still lets every note ring out. I wont be changing these any time soon. The sustain is KILLER. Once again, not like an LP. Not quite the sustain you get from an LP. But like I said in the beginning, this isnt an LP copy, it is it's own guitar.The tone is versatile enough to do Jazz, all the way to Heavy Metal. Im a bit concerned with the bridge, but I hear it is stable as long as you dont downtune, and holds intonation.
Overall, this thing is a sonic monster. I have played it through my usual Blackstar rig, a Peavey 5150, Fender Deluxe, and a Peavey Classic 30. It retains its own unique style with each amp. I didnt get an unsuable tone from and of the amps I played it through. But My Blackstar HT sounds the best to my ears.
Anyone saying this is just an SE on steroids is a bit mistaken. While the SE line is fine for what they are (Ive had one or two), I dont think they are really comparable. There is a noticeable gap in quality between the SE and S2 lines. Most south korean instruments are rivals in quality to some amerian made. I have played schecters/ltd that outdo any MIA fender. I see the appeal of the SE line, but it isnt for me.
I had the opportunity to buy a core guitar, but I am a professional musician. Sometimes in an upscale venue, sometimes in a dive bar. I couldnt drop that kind of cash on something I was afraid to beat up a little. I think PRS nailed the market with the S2 line. They are outstanding guitars with many of the core line features, without all the appointments that make the core line so expensive. I am the exact consumer PRS is looking for in this line. A professional musician that needs a well built, reliable instrument that Im not afraid to take out to shows.
No, I dont work for PRS. But if you offer me a job, Ill take it!
I hope the guys at PRS are reading this...and the naysayers of the S2 line
I have, over the past twenty years, literally played every type of guitar imaginable. I started with LP's, and moved on to every brand under the sun. I never had a guitar longer than 6 months usually. Ive played 7 strings, 8 strings, baritones, fender, gibson, ibanez, esp, epiphone, agile, godin...name it: I played one in a professional situation.
Last year when I discovered PRS, I was blown away by the quality of my custom 24. So much so, that I sold my other electric guitars. I didnt play them anymore (Including an SE Custom 22). So I have treated myself to yet another PRS! Now I have an "equal" guitar to my Custom 24.
Anyone in doubt of the S2 line, I can attest that the quality is there. The only real maintenance Ive done with my Custom 24 over the last year has been a couple truss rod turns, and polishing the frets. Other than that, plays like the day I bought it. I think Im a PRS player for life.
I scoured the internet for as much info on these as I could find. Unfortunately, theres not a lot of reveiws. So here goes one:
Craftsmanship/Quality: Super well built, arrived set up from the box almost perfect. Changed the string height to my liking. I looked her over, and could not find one finish flaw. This one was made last year, and still has the "SC250" logo on the truss cover. I think they now say "singlecut". The guitar is a little on the heavy side, but in a good way, as in "built like a tank". It feels solid. All of the electronics were wired properly, and very neatly done. The finish looks gorgeous in person, and cant really be captured in photos. The Tabacco Sunburst isnt as dark on the edges and the back as it seems. You can see some woodgrain on the back of the guitar in the right light. The fretboard was a little dry, but I oiled it. The tag says it was made last year, which means it has been sitting in warehouse until I ordered it! And still arrived ready to play after tuning it up! Im so used to spending time doing a full set-up on a new guitar. What a relief to have one ready to go out of the box.
Tone: This will be subjective of course. But I will say that if you are looking for a LP type of sound, this is not for you. It has a sound all its own, and personally, while I think it does have some of the LP characteristics, it really has an original sound. The #7 picks are clear (even clearer now that I have adjusted the pole pieces) and you can coax just about any sound you want out of this thing. provided you know how to manipulate the volume and tone controls, you have a huge selection of sounds. Throw in the coil split, and you have even more options. The coil split has a unique sound as well. You cant ape a Strat like sound out of it, but it sounds great in split mode with a little dirt on it. Very bluesy. Im a bit surprised at the string separation of the pickups, as most stock pups even in higher end guitars get dumped for something with more clarity. But playing a full chord through high gain, still lets every note ring out. I wont be changing these any time soon. The sustain is KILLER. Once again, not like an LP. Not quite the sustain you get from an LP. But like I said in the beginning, this isnt an LP copy, it is it's own guitar.The tone is versatile enough to do Jazz, all the way to Heavy Metal. Im a bit concerned with the bridge, but I hear it is stable as long as you dont downtune, and holds intonation.
Overall, this thing is a sonic monster. I have played it through my usual Blackstar rig, a Peavey 5150, Fender Deluxe, and a Peavey Classic 30. It retains its own unique style with each amp. I didnt get an unsuable tone from and of the amps I played it through. But My Blackstar HT sounds the best to my ears.
Anyone saying this is just an SE on steroids is a bit mistaken. While the SE line is fine for what they are (Ive had one or two), I dont think they are really comparable. There is a noticeable gap in quality between the SE and S2 lines. Most south korean instruments are rivals in quality to some amerian made. I have played schecters/ltd that outdo any MIA fender. I see the appeal of the SE line, but it isnt for me.
I had the opportunity to buy a core guitar, but I am a professional musician. Sometimes in an upscale venue, sometimes in a dive bar. I couldnt drop that kind of cash on something I was afraid to beat up a little. I think PRS nailed the market with the S2 line. They are outstanding guitars with many of the core line features, without all the appointments that make the core line so expensive. I am the exact consumer PRS is looking for in this line. A professional musician that needs a well built, reliable instrument that Im not afraid to take out to shows.
No, I dont work for PRS. But if you offer me a job, Ill take it!
