Played an sE paul’s guitar today

[horax]

all I can say is: they did it right.

I compare it to my s2 singlecut as follows: feel: equal
Playability: equal
Hardware: equal
Cost: paul’s
Pickups: pauls
Tone: paul’s
Flexibility: Pauls
Looks: paul’s
Value: paul’s

It had what would be a 10 top if it were a core. It was amber.

The birds are gorgeous on this one.

Now I have to find a way to get one. It was honestly the nicest guitar I’ve played in a long, long time!

Well done PRS...well done!

 

[shimmilou]

I agree, whole-heartedly!

 

[horax]

Now the problem is do I sell my s2 and get a Paul’s? I have nothing else to sell at this time.

 

[dogrocketp]

No, save to buy another!

 

[horax]

Wife would kill me. Only allowed six guitars at a time. One in, one out.

The sad thing is the SE had much nicer quality components than the s2. Even the pots turn more smoothly and don’t knock out if position easily, etc.

Ugh

 

[Tonart]

Looks like they upped the game on the Paul’s!

 

[shimmilou]

Wife would kill me. Only allowed six guitars at a time. One in, one out.

The sad thing is the SE had much nicer quality components than the s2. Even the pots turn more smoothly and don’t knock out if position easily, etc.

Ugh

Sounds like you would be happier with the Paul’s. In this case, you wouldn’t be giving up much, other than better woods and locking tuners. Are you sure you have nothing else to sell, a kidney, your first born, etc?

 

[dmatthews]

 

[littlebadboy]

Wife would kill me. Only allowed six guitars at a time. One in, one out.

The sad thing is the SE had much nicer quality components than the s2. Even the pots turn more smoothly and don’t knock out if position easily, etc.

Ugh

Then hide the 7th!

 

[horax]

I honestly am kind of ticked they made the SE so nice. The pickups in the s2 are solid, but nowhere as good as these in the paul.

Even the mini goggles are amazing quality.

Just...wow. If it had a tremolo it would possibly be the best guitar design of all time (for flexibility).

 

[Victek]

I honestly am kind of ticked they made the SE so nice. The pickups in the s2 are solid, but nowhere as good as these in the paul.

I would get the SE Paul's Guitar based on how you described you feel about it. I especially like the Amber color.

 

[horax]

I am thinking hard about it.
I also want to see if the new Santana singlecut is similar. It has the trem, but not the mini toggles. Same neck (which was amazing, by the way).

I think I will wait for my next bonus in a few months and by then I might be able to get a used one. If not, I will just have to buy new.

Maybe I can find a way to move around some musical assets by then as well so I don’t need to sacrifice my s2.

 

[Mozzi]

I honestly am kind of ticked they made the SE so nice. The pickups in the s2 are solid, but nowhere as good as these in the paul.

Even the mini goggles are amazing quality.

Just...wow. If it had a tremolo it would possibly be the best guitar design of all time (for flexibility).

If you have to be limited to a set number of guitars, would it not make sense to trade the S2 if its not up to the standard of the SE - at least from a functional and tonal preference to you. The S2 does use SE standard PU's but obviously are not based on the TCI pick-ups that Paul has designed. I don't know if the S2 you have offers split coils but I doubt it would offer the independent switching a Paul's guitar does. Another difference is the woods and I doubt the SE Pauls will be made of 1Piece Mahogany and maybe multiple pieces of Mahogany under the lovely veneer. Whether that makes a significant difference to you is something you may want to consider (or not).

At least with the Paul's, you will be getting the same bridge that PRS use on the Core version, and, if you wanted, you could upgrade the nut and tuners for relatively little expense. The birds look really nice and 'mother of toilet seat' that you often get. Point is, with little investment, you could improve the potential 'weak' links of the Pauls. Not to say that the nut and tuners are 'bad' but that they can be bettered and brought up in specs to rival the core Paul's in this area.

I would argue that even with a trem, a Paul's is not the most flexible guitar - certainly not compared to a PRS Special or the new MEv. It really depends on whether or not the Split coils are more usable than the tapped coils on a Special or even the 509. The Paul's, with a Trem, would be almost like a Custom 22-08 (not that this exists yet but the position of the neck PU and the 22frets would be more comparable than the Custom 24-08). Part of the reason I haven't really made a Paul's guitar as a 'priority' purchase is because I have a 594 which offers the same possible combinations (although I do prefer mini-toggles) and prefer the tune-o-matic adjustable bridge. The fact that PRS have seemed to crack the code to make 'split' Humbucker type PU's that sound more SC than thinner Humbucker - and not just for 408 sized PU's - the SE Pauls has regular sized PU's - could mean that Guitars, like the Custom 24-08, could have '85/15 TCI' PU's and improve the split coil sounds.

Anyway, that also depends on whether or not you think guitars like the Special or 509 are not as 'usable' as a Paul's guitar when you split the coils as both of these offer 'more' options for Pick-up choice and the trem too. In a lot of ways, I see the Pauls as a different sounding 594 - the Humbucking tones are more P90's in sound to my ear and of course you get the incredible single coil split sound too. I do think PRS have created something special with SE version and I must admit, I was tempted to add an SE Paul's and may well do in the future but right now I am making do (LOL) with my collection.

What ever you decide to do, I hope you have fun and decide which will give you more joy...

 

[Mozzi]

I am thinking hard about it.
I also want to see if the new Santana singlecut is similar. It has the trem, but not the mini toggles. Same neck (which was amazing, by the way).

I think I will wait for my next bonus in a few months and by then I might be able to get a used one. If not, I will just have to buy new.

Maybe I can find a way to move around some musical assets by then as well so I don’t need to sacrifice my s2.

The Santana has the same pickups but no splitting if that makes a difference to your decision. It does have a shorter 24.5" scale and the Trem too but just a 3-way toggle and no splitting.

 

[Victek]

I also want to see if the new Santana singlecut is similar. It has the trem, but not the mini toggles. Same neck (which was amazing, by the way).

I think I will wait for my next bonus in a few months and by then I might be able to get a used one. If not, I will just have to buy new.

Yeah, it's all about the neck I have a couple of SE CU24s and it was the wide thin neck that I connected with. I really like the stop-tail on the SE Paul's Guitar though and I'd like to play one to see what the thicker neck feels like. As for buying used, we'll have to wait and see how long it takes the SE Paul's Guitar to show up.

 

[shimmilou]

The SE Paul's has the "PRS Synthetic/Bronze blend" nut, so no need to upgrade that either.

 

[markd21]

@horax I have the same S2 you have and I have a Core Paul's Guitar. After reading through this thread and paying close attention to your posts, I can only suggest that you trade your S2 toward the SE Paul's. You will get the individual splits and you still have the stop tail - and, in truth a MUCH better stop tail - on the SE Paul's. The only things you'll lose are the locking tuners and individual volume and tone for each pickup. If you NEVER use your controls to blend tones - which is one of the biggest things I do with my Singlecuts and 594 - then you will not miss anything.

Go for it, man. It sounds like you really want to. Trade the S2, get the PG and rock out!!!

 

[andy474x]

I think, had I not just bought an S2 Studio, and already had a Mira Soapbar at home, I would be getting one of these Paul’s SE’s. I think those two guitars I have kind of cover the bases of what I would want the Paul’s Guitar for. They are indeed excellent guitars though, definitely a different kind of resonance from other SE’s I’ve played. I’ve owned a couple of solid body, stoptail SE’s, and they’ve always struck me as very punchy, the couple of Paul’s SE’s I tried were a whole different thing - more midrange focused, not as thumpy, not as bright. Amplified, that woody tone showed much more. I think it’s a great model to add to the SE line. Normally I wouldn’t pick an SE over an S2, but I could see it here.

Not being tempted as much with the SE might allow me to hold out and try the core version. I’ve been waiting and waiting for the time to be right for a 594, but the new Paul’s guitar has me wondering.

 

[AZGiant]

The Santana has the same pickups but no splitting if that makes a difference to your decision. It does have a shorter 24.5" scale and the Trem too but just a 3-way toggle and no splitting.

Mozzi, do you think the coil split on the Paul's would ruin the sustain on the Santana? I have one and man those things sing like I have never heard before.

 

[AZGiant]

I like these a lot, but am waiting to see what the used market could bring. Already seeing a few "open box" for 100 less. Guitar is most certainly worth it, just trying to save a few bucks if I can. Am thinking they will be 750 used.