I think it’s nonsense comparing the modern CEs to stuff from the 90’s. So much has changed. Nobody compares todays cores to the 90s like the CE is argued constantly about. The trem has changed. Tuners changed. Electronics. Pickups. Finishes. How can somebody compare a core from today to the 90’s? They would never sound the same. That’s like comparing a 50’s strat to a 70’s. It’s a whole different beast now. I’m pretty sure Paul is on record saying the guitars nowadays are superior to what they were cranking out decades ago. Everybody has their preferences. The new ones are phenomenal, and a good value brand new compared to cores. The used market is just as nice, as one can find some modern CEs at sub $1.4K; which is a bargain for a guitar with core level electronics (just last year they wanted $500 for the pickups alone!)
I think a lot of this is the misperception that the new CEs have sE level electronics. Somehow this has been repeated over and over since they got re-released. They only share the trem system. The rest is s2 tuners (which work great) and core parts. The maple finishes are gorgeous, clearly a step above S2, and for the most part, I’d say prettier than original CEs on average.
Me personally: I prefer a 3 way toggle. So the modern CE makes me happy. I did install a MannMade bridge. I feel a huge step up from the SE line. Well worth it. I think too many people are talking themselves out of trying one!
I do think the comparison you're making isn't really the same though. Comparing a modern core vs an old core is basically seeing the evolution of PRS (in a good way). Build quality is probably the same, if not a little better, with gradual improvements to electronics and hardware. But overall, they're the same guitar with the same construction and body. It's just been slightly tweaked over the years.
However, comparing a modern CE vs an old CE is seeing the regression of a model. Not saying the new CE is a bad guitar (I've played one and it's an excellent guitar). But the biggest differences are the actual construction of the guitar and not the small electronics/hardware changes like the core line experienced.
It no longer has the deep violin carve or routing for the control knobs like a core does. The maple cap is thinner. It no longer has a quarter sawn neck. The cavity covers on the back no longer sit flush with the body. The inlays are plastic. The trem is also shared with the import line.
Now here's the funny thing. Do I think the new CE line is a bad deal? Nope.... It has better construction and quality than many equivalents at the same price. However, the old CE line was the bargain of the century, and that was 100% PRS's fault.
They've stated multiple times before that they actually lost money on the old CE line because they priced it much lower than the core line, but on average it only saved about 45 minutes to fully build a CE compared to a Custom 24 (and I'm guessing it's only to do with it having dot inlays versus the bird inlays on the cores, and the fact that a set neck has to sit and dry compared to getting bolted).
The modern CE24 is what Paul envisioned all along. A cheaper, bolt on neck alternative to their core line. Once technology improved (CNC's, etc.), they brought the CE back because they could finally make the guitar that they were trying to make from back in the day.
So as a community, we can't really fault PRS for the new CE being what it is. If we wanted the new CE to be constructed just like the old ones well guess what, PRS would have been smarter this time around and charged us core level prices. Then what are we going to do? Complain that they drastically increased the price to what they should have been charging all along? The old CE's were a gift to the community, but at the same time was poor business practice from an economic standpoint.
