PRS SE Paul’s Guitar!

I called two local stores today. One is getting 1 Santana Singlecut Trem and 1 Paul's SE guitar in June.
Guitar Center is not getting ANY! They said IF somebody orders one to be delivered to them, THEN it will start to be ordered on an ongoing basis.
 
Found a store close by that has a few. However, it’s a 2.5 hour drive to get there. Not happening for a few weeks at best. I REALLY want to try a paul’s guitar and the Santana singlecut. I want one but it has to be good enough for me to sell my Squier VM jaguar. I can’t sell anything else to make room in the stable. The jag is amazing though, and I do play a lot of surf music.

Ugh
 
This months UK mag Guitarist has a great write up of the core and SE Paul’s guitar. Def worth checking out.
 
I do have a question about the Paul's Guitar, and that is. I have noticed in videos with both the Core and SE model, that the reviewers have commented that they like the sound of the neck pick up on the Core model. My question is the neck pick up on the core model appears to be turned around out of phase ala Peter Green. Could this be one of the reasons for a different sounding pick up, and while the pickup is certainly less expensive then the core model will it get closer in sound by turning it around?
 
Fireroadeddy said:
I do have a question about the Paul's Guitar, and that is. I have noticed in videos with both the Core and SE model, that the reviewers have commented that they like the sound of the neck pick up on the Core model. My question is the neck pick up on the core model appears to be turned around out of phase ala Peter Green. Could this be one of the reasons for a different sounding pick up, and while the pickup is certainly less expensive then the core model will it get closer in sound by turning it around?
Click to expand...
Fireroadeddy said:
I do have a question about the Paul's Guitar, and that is. I have noticed in videos with both the Core and SE model, that the reviewers have commented that they like the sound of the neck pick up on the Core model. My question is the neck pick up on the core model appears to be turned around out of phase ala Peter Green. Could this be one of the reasons for a different sounding pick up, and while the pickup is certainly less expensive then the core model will it get closer in sound by turning it around?
Click to expand...
Turning a pickup around doesn’t make it out of phase....Greeny did have the neck pup turned around but his was wired out of phase...turning may give a slightly different tone but that’s it I think.
 
Okay thanks, so do you think that could be a reason for a different sound on the Core compared to the SE? Again I do realize the difference in the quality of the pick ups.
 
Fireroadeddy said:
Okay thanks, so do you think that could be a reason for a different sound on the Core compared to the SE? Again I do realize the difference in the quality of the pick ups.
Click to expand...

The difference is much more likely to be down to the PRS made in the US TCI pick-ups and the fact that the neck is easier to hear the difference because of where its positioned. You generally need a stronger Pick-up at the bridge because you generally get a 'weaker' and thinner sound. The neck is warmer and fuller so you can hear the range of frequencies easier and so when you compare the SE to the Core, its easier to hear the difference in quality.

The fact that the reviews are praising the sound of the Core at the Neck specifically is not unusual because that is where the difference is most likely - its where the string moves more. Its darker, fuller and warmer so the difference is easier to hear than the brighter, thinner sound at the bridge. If the high frequencies are dominant, the differences in the mid and bass frequencies are ore difficult to hear.

In other words, the reason the neck Pick-up in particular is singled out as an area that the Core is better is because the neck is the most likely area to hear those differences. In the video Demo's, you can hear the difference at the bridge, it does sound thinner compared to the core but on the neck its more apparent. This has nothing to do with the orientation of the Neck at all but down to the difference between a Core and an SE. Out of phase would actually make things sound thinner because a lot the frequencies are cancelling each other out. Being 'out of phase' is where the peaks of a sound wave are aligning with troughs from the other pick-up and thus cancelling out or at the very least reducing them - a high peak and a medium trough = a low peak. Thus the sound is thinner than 'in phase'. Its the same with stereo amps to if they are not properly set-up to be in-phase and only affects the neck in the middle position (as in with both Pick-ups on). Even when just the neck is selected, the core is better.

Reviewers are liking the sound of the Core PRS, particularly the neck Pick-up because it is a great sounding neck pick-up compared to any other guitar - not just the SE Paul's but every guitar.
 
I stopped by Dave’s in Lacrosse on the way back to Madison. Quite a collection of PRSs. I played the Paul’s SE and compared it to my Se standard 24. The Paul’s was much lighter than my SE. The TCIs sounded good and as promised didn’t drop output in single coil mode.

I’m not sure I found the neck shape as easy to play as my SE, it’s a small difference, I might get over it, I think I’d like it better with a thinner profile neck for us small handed folk.
 

Moores Music are also comparing the PRS SE Paul's Guitar with the PRS SE 245 and the PRS SE Custom 24 in this video...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

J
S2 and SE “S” & TCI Pickups and Split Coil Tone
2
Replies
36
Views
1K
LaxActium
L
Markcarl
Think I’m gonna get a Paul’s Guitar
Replies
18
Views
613
bodia
bodia
Markcarl
Question re: differences between 2023 and 2024 Paul’s Guitar
Replies
7
Views
265
Broseph
Broseph
davidtaus
Core Paul's Guitar Pickups: Upgrade from 408s? (and some custom wiring...)
Replies
8
Views
284
bodia
bodia
Broseph
NGD: a pair of 10 top SE’s
Replies
9
Views
242
show_a_little_faith
show_a_little_faith
Back
Top