Poor Produced 2019 SE's ?
- Thread starter donbroco84
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Mozzi
https://imgur.com/user/BAMozzy/posts
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I would argue that the issues you mention here are not 'just' cosmetic but affect the feel and playability. The neck is an area where a players hand is going to be, running up and down the neck and so should be perfect, no bumps from globs of glue or peeling finish. That is vastly different from say a bit of dust under the finish that cannot be felt - even if its on the neck. The 'finish' still has to be 'perfect' in that its not peeling away, lifting or not smooth after sanding and buffing.
The point I was making is that something that is 'purely' cosmetic only, doesn't affect the guitars feel, playability, tone, functionality (finish can be argued that it protects the woods so would still count as an issue that affects the 'function' of the guitar - especially on the neck for obvious reasons as that affects 'feel' too), etc is subjective from person to person and not enough in my opinion to scrap a $1k guitar over or spend a 100hrs+ trying to remedy.
The offset birds, not perfectly centred in the fret, does not affect the playability, feel etc in any way, they also still indicate the correct frets, they are not half way between to frets for example and confusing as to which fret they are supposed to be indicating. Its not worth ripping the fretboard off and redoing a new fretboard, new frets, new nut, refinishing etc for a few mm's of difference that doesn't impact on the guitar, its feel, its function (inc the fret marking of the birds as they are still marking the correct frets), its playability etc. That would be completely different however if the birds are positioned correctly but the frets are what's positioned incorrectly as that affects the function.
Complaining that a 'back plate' has a small gap at one end, something slightly wider than the rest of a recessed backplate for example has absolutely no impact on the guitars function, playability etc either. Its still doing the job of covering the electronics, not causing any 'buzz' or rattle from being loose ,or not protecting the electronics from dust.
If you want to use your metaphoric car, the one that has clear coat is peeling and there are giant weld globs and the logo on the hood was put on upside down, the clear coat and weld globs affect the function of the finish, which is to protect the cars bodywork. The weld globs may affect things structurally as well as be prone to rust if they are not covered too. The 'roof sticker' though is just purely cosmetic and, if the finish was perfect and the sticker was under it, that's not a reason to complain. If you don't like it, don't buy it - someone else may think its 'quirky' that its different and like it. Its not affecting the car in any way at all, not affecting the car's 'finish' that may lead to rust and structural damage because the protective coating isn't 'perfect'.
Its like finding a PRS SE with a 'chevron' style flame maple veneer and wishing that the direction was angled the other way, that to you its 'upside down'. All the others may point a different way but that one is just 'different' and not a reason to complain. If you prefer the other ones, by those but someone will come along and find that one to be unique, different, quirky and as long as its fully functioning, still sounds, plays, feels etc like all the other SE's, buy it.
Anyway, I think I have stated what I think enough. I am certainly not saying that things like peeling finish or globs of glue on the frets are the same as some purely cosmetic issue as these not just purely cosmetic issues but have an impact. Therefore these things should be sorted before a guitar makes it out of the factory to retail.
Tim S
King of the barre chord
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I'm sorry, but the birds are a signature piece of PRS guitars (even the SE models). From a car analogy standpoint (since we're beating a dead horse), it's like Honda putting its grille emblem off-center so that part of it is cut-off by the hood. That would not be accepted on a model at any price range.
Wicked_Tone
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I understand and agree that the SE models are a great value, but I would definitely be one of those discerning people who would send it back for another, hoping for the birds to be showing up correctly on the fretboard. $1000 is an awesome price for the Paul's guitar, but approaches S2 territory for me.
In before someone says S2s are cheap PRS and you shouldn't expect quality there either because you aren't paying full core price... j/k
But really they are good instruments and they are still expensive instruments. Most of the issues I've seen are minor, however there are some threads like the guy who had a bridge pickup that wasn't working. I would reason to guess that the actual number of defect guitars is very low. Figured we should check this thread a bit before people start wondering aloud about PRS SEs coming in with necks installed backwards or something.
-k
But really they are good instruments and they are still expensive instruments. Most of the issues I've seen are minor, however there are some threads like the guy who had a bridge pickup that wasn't working. I would reason to guess that the actual number of defect guitars is very low. Figured we should check this thread a bit before people start wondering aloud about PRS SEs coming in with necks installed backwards or something.
-k
Great Gazoo
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I guess we can send them to the land of misfit toys.
I like the reference to Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, but I don't think the option has to be so grim. Presumably, there is a market for such off-guitars that, for a discount, would appeal to folks less concerned with cosmetic niceties (for me, though, the messed-up bird inlays would be a "deal breaker" or significant issue).
I suppose, though, one could imagine a "Halloween Town" version of a PRS where, say, truncated heads and feet might actually fit the motif!
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jxe
babe en der wood
it’s all the same fab, how bout a prs with a fender neck.
Ovibos
Naughty Wood Librarian
jxe
babe en der wood
For what it is worth I bought & returned a Indonesian cor-tek SE Standard at my local GC last week. It had a funky rattle type noise/vibration coming from the headstock & just sounded off. It also felt nowhere near as nice as my 2005 SE custom & SE Singlecut, not even close. This was the first time in my life I have ever returned a guitar. There was also what appeared to be some white specks under the clear coat which wasn’t a deal breaker for me. There were a few other things but after the feel & sound not being there I was kind of over it.
Hi,
I need 3 posts to show it, I got my first SE two days ago and there sadly are several issues.
The worst is a notch (hope I translated this right) at the end of the fretboard/neck
The nut isn‘t looking good and there is a paint drop on the headstock.
Mostly all just optical issues but I‘m sad.
I wonder how this can happen while all SE‘s get a control in the US
https://ibb.co/mN6BSPw
https://ibb.co/zRQy8MK
https://ibb.co/NmWKJkY
https://ibb.co/hXxYy52
I need 3 posts to show it, I got my first SE two days ago and there sadly are several issues.
The worst is a notch (hope I translated this right) at the end of the fretboard/neck
The nut isn‘t looking good and there is a paint drop on the headstock.
Mostly all just optical issues but I‘m sad.
I wonder how this can happen while all SE‘s get a control in the US
https://ibb.co/mN6BSPw
https://ibb.co/zRQy8MK
https://ibb.co/NmWKJkY
https://ibb.co/hXxYy52
Last edited:
Great Gazoo
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^ also looks like a small chip on that pickup in the (blown-up) photo of the neck (right under the G-string).
That actually was just a little dirt.
Are those issues something that happens more frequently or is it just bad luck?
The shop I ordered this guitar requested a new one from PRS but still waiting for the answer.
shimmilou
Established in 1963
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...I wonder how this can happen while all SE‘s get a control in the US
Not for Europe, they are not checked in the US.
Personally, I could live with the very minor cosmetic issues in your pics if all else is well, and I might not have even noticed them, but If you aren’t happy, return it and get another.
What about the guitar function/feel/sound?
The general feel and function was great but especially the notch on the fretboard looks worse that you can see in the picture. The pictures doesn't really capture this. For more than 500 € I expect to not have such issues.
I know this doesn't fit in this thread but are Phase III locking tuners compatible with SE's without modification?
shimmilou
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No, but there are options. John Mann can convert the stock SE tuners to locking, or for a little more he has SE compatible locking tuners. I just got a set converted. His site is guitarvaultusa.com
I like the conversion better, it’s cheaper and the back of the stock tuners have the PRS stamped in them, whereas the new set costs more and no PRS stamp.
I like the conversion better, it’s cheaper and the back of the stock tuners have the PRS stamped in them, whereas the new set costs more and no PRS stamp.
grausch
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If it was only the notch in the nut, I would have it fixed by having a new nut installed that fits properly. You may need to ensure that the PRS nut will fit before you buy as I believe the Wide Fat / Wide Thin would have been slightly too small for my Bernie and I would not have gotten rid of the small gap.
Regarding the tuners, considering that you are not in the US, see if you can find a set of Gotohs locally. I believe Gotoh makes the Phase III tuners for PRS. You would just need to ensure that you order a set that fits, but their website has detailed drawings of all of the tuners. I recently replaced a set of Gotoh SD90MGs with PRS Phase III tuners on my Bernie, and realized I prefer the Gotohs.
There‘s no notch on the nut, its on the end of the neck/fretboard. Can only be fixed with a neck replacement.
shimmilou
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Probably just a loose tuner nut(s).
