PRS SE Custom 24 Whale Blue Poplar Burl! Yes or no?!

guitar (gu)rube

Inspiration, move me brightly…
Joined
Jan 9, 2022
Messages
82
Location
Kentucky
Hey folks!
Found a mint, used SE 24 2021 Poplar Burl in Whale Blue! It’s local, and a great price in my opinion. Friend of a friend of friend, so it checks out ha! Going to play it this evening in hopes of bringing it home. I’ve read through some other posts, and I’m trying to gather some more info before my meet up/potential purchase.

Are the SE models good as stock guitars, or is everything gonna need a swap immediately?! I’ve read lots of mixed opinions about needing a new nut, tuners, pickups… right out of the gate. My plan is to have my shop set it up for balanced tension 10’s, and just play it. Hoping it’ll be good with a proper setup, left stock, for local jams and travel. I should add, I’m not expecting it to be as attention free as the two core models I’ve owned. Any info/advice would be greatly appreciated! Also, I hope everyone is well!
 
SE is still great guitar as is. If you have tuning issues get a core nut, but mostly the nut issues by 2021 seem to be solved or atleast reduced. If you want locking tuners get those, it makes string changes easier but that's about it. Pickups and electronics are a personal preferance that's entirely up to you.

Short answer, you're typically good to go as is.

Good luck with the purchase.
 
SE is still great guitar as is. If you have tuning issues get a core nut, but mostly the nut issues by 2021 seem to be solved or atleast reduced. If you want locking tuners get those, it makes string changes easier but that's about it. Pickups and electronics are a personal preferance that's entirely up to you.

Short answer, you're typically good to go as is.

Good luck with the purchase.
Thanks for the info!
 
It will be fine. The hardware and electronics in the SE line is not as bad as some will have you believe. For me the question mark would be the poplar. I am personally not a fan of poplar. That is just my preference though. If you can play it and see how it feels and sounds to you, I would recommend that. If you like it, rock on.
 
I have a 2018 SE Custom 24, and I did change the tuners to PRS locking ones, only because I like them better for string changes etc. I put 10's on it as soon as I got it and never had any trouble with the nut or tuning stability. I have the stock pickups also, I find them a bit brighter than any of my core pickups, but they actually cut through a mix nicely.

Nothing wrong with the stock SE ... play it and enjoy it.
 
It will be fine. The hardware and electronics in the SE line is not as bad as some will have you believe. For me the question mark would be the poplar. I am personally not a fan of poplar. That is just my preference though. If you can play it and see how it feels and sounds to you, I would recommend that. If you like it, rock on.
Thanks!
 
I have a 2018 SE Custom 24, and I did change the tuners to PRS locking ones, only because I like them better for string changes etc. I put 10's on it as soon as I got it and never had any trouble with the nut or tuning stability. I have the stock pickups also, I find them a bit brighter than any of my core pickups, but they actually cut through a mix nicely.

Nothing wrong with the stock SE ... play it and enjoy it.
Thanks!
 
It will be fine. The hardware and electronics in the SE line is not as bad as some will have you believe. For me the question mark would be the poplar. I am personally not a fan of poplar. That is just my preference though. If you can play it and see how it feels and sounds to you, I would recommend that. If you like it, rock on.
This particular one looks more quilted than the typical burl patterns I’ve seen, but it is the PB top. I also like that it’s whale blue over the burl. Seems to make is a bit more subtle. Now, I can only judge this by the pics. In hand might be a different story. Thanks again!
 
I have a 2018 SE Custom 24, and I did change the tuners to PRS locking ones, only because I like them better for string changes etc. I put 10's on it as soon as I got it and never had any trouble with the nut or tuning stability. I have the stock pickups also, I find them a bit brighter than any of my core pickups, but they actually cut through a mix nicely.

Nothing wrong with the stock SE ... play it and enjoy it.
My main concern was possibly having to file the nut, which I’ve never done before. I’m hoping I can throw 10’s on, and I can do neck and intonation adjustments if needed. That would save a trip to the shop. My amp is a Muleskinner Tweed Deluxe so brighter pickups sound good to me! Thanks again for the info!
 
I have an SE custom 22. Tuning wasn’t great just home from purchase (new). Stretch the strings, lube the nut and it’s been stable as heck since. If the temperature is stable, and I don’t practice for a week, it is usually in tune when I pick it up.
Do you feel like the neck moves a bit? Does that make sense? I only base that question upon things I’ve “heard” about guitars like SGs. Thought maybe the WT neck might move around with changing temps. I play a lot of tree trunk Tele necks haha! They don’t move much, if ever. Thanks for the info!
 
Do you feel like the neck moves a bit? Does that make sense? I only base that question upon things I’ve “heard” about guitars like SGs. Thought maybe the WT neck might move around with changing temps. I play a lot of tree trunk Tele necks haha! They don’t move much, if ever. Thanks for the info!
It feels rock solid to me. Caveat that I’m a pretty new player. Still, I’ve handled a bunch of guitars in my life, and nothing weird about this one. It’s a good, well m built guitar.

EDIT I understand what you are asking now. Our house temp can fluctuate from say high 60’s to mid 80’s over a week. If I tuned it cooler, and pick it up hotter for instance, it might be slightly out of tune. No moving, flimsy, wiggly neck or anything. Just thermal growth or contraction. Minor and normal.
 
It feels rock solid to me. Caveat that I’m a pretty new player. Still, I’ve handled a bunch of guitars in my life, and nothing weird about this one. It’s a good, well m built guitar.

EDIT I understand what you are asking now. Our house temp can fluctuate from say high 60’s to mid 80’s over a week. If I tuned it cooler, and pick it up hotter for instance, it might be slightly out of tune. No moving, flimsy, wiggly neck or anything. Just thermal growth or contraction. Minor and normal.
Ok gotcha! Thanks again!
 
Plug and play, after a while you’ll figure out any changes you want to make.

My SE245 now has core nut, PRS locking tuners, un-plated brass bridge studs, Amber lampshades (volume/tone knobs) and soon to road-test a set of custom wound pickups.

Obviously only the lampshades have made any significant tonal difference!;)

Great thing about an SE, is that they make a platform for mods, just ask Sergio.
 
Plug and play, after a while you’ll figure out any changes you want to make.

My SE245 now has core nut, PRS locking tuners, un-plated brass bridge studs, Amber lampshades (volume/tone knobs) and soon to road-test a set of custom wound pickups.

Obviously only the lampshades have made any significant tonal difference!;)

Great thing about an SE, is that they make a platform for mods, just ask Sergio.
Oh, the lampshades are the biggest tone improved! The way the finger rolls the twist is more important than any pot taper.. lol
 
Hey folks!
Found a mint, used SE 24 2021 Poplar Burl in Whale Blue! It’s local, and a great price in my opinion. Friend of a friend of friend, so it checks out ha! Going to play it this evening in hopes of bringing it home. I’ve read through some other posts, and I’m trying to gather some more info before my meet up/potential purchase.

Are the SE models good as stock guitars, or is everything gonna need a swap immediately?! I’ve read lots of mixed opinions about needing a new nut, tuners, pickups… right out of the gate. My plan is to have my shop set it up for balanced tension 10’s, and just play it. Hoping it’ll be good with a proper setup, left stock, for local jams and travel. I should add, I’m not expecting it to be as attention free as the two core models I’ve owned. Any info/advice would be greatly appreciated! Also, I hope everyone is well!
Are they made in USA or China?
 
Plug and play, after a while you’ll figure out any changes you want to make.

My SE245 now has core nut, PRS locking tuners, un-plated brass bridge studs, Amber lampshades (volume/tone knobs) and soon to road-test a set of custom wound pickups.

Obviously only the lampshades have made any significant tonal difference!;)

Great thing about an SE, is that they make a platform for mods, just ask Sergio.
Thanks for the info, and now the lampshade mod is a must haha!
 
Some of the special run guitars are still made in Korea. I believe the poplar is one of them. Other than that, in order to achieve the proper tone, you must sacrifice a live organic chicken on your kitchen counter at the stroke of midnight under a full moon while chanting no smoke on the water, no fire in the sky. I read that on a forum. We all know everything we read online is correct. Ditto the parts changing.
 
Back
Top