PRS SE Semi Hollow Comparison: F Hole version vs Non-F Hole version

[Johnny]

I was wondering if someone could tell me what the tonal differences are between the PRS SE SH's. There seems to be two versions: one with the F holes vs the older ones with the cat eye holes.

Asides from the pick ups, they seem to have the same specs?

 

[tyfu20]

I can chime in as I've had both. The older version had a wide fat neck which I prefer, and the 2016 model I had was much a thinner neck profile. I'm not sure if the 2017 version is on the thinner or thicker side. With that being said, both guitars sounded great and offered a variety of sonic options just through the tone knob. Good luck.

 

[John Beef]

The neck carves are indeed different as tyfu20 mentioned. Also, the newer model has a beveled top whereas the older one has a flat top like a tele. The pickups are also different. The older model had the original SE humbuckers which went in all the SEs of the era that had humbuckers. Those aren't bad, but the bridge pickup benefits from a magnet swap IMHO to get rid of its honky mids. The new ones have 85/15S pickups. I haven't tried those.

 

[Johnny]

Thanks both for the input! Very helpful

 

[CoreyT]

I bought my youngest son both of those.
First the cateye one back in 2012, then the F hole one a few Christmases back.
I much prefer the newer one, as it does have a slimmer neck, and it plays and feels like my more expensive S2 Semi-Hollow Custom 22.