SE Customs Now Manufactured in Indonesia?

I read this really cool article with Jack Higginbotham about the move to Indonesia.

https://www.musicradar.com/news/the-story-of-prss-se-guitar-line

“For the first time we have a facility, in Indonesia, that is PRS Guitars,” states Jack. “There is nothing else running in that new building, just PRS... And to have our own building where I know the guy who makes the necks or the bodies, I know the guy who sets the neck angles and glues them together and they’re going to do that every day - they’re not going to switch to making a Hagstrom the next day, or an ESP, or whatever. We now have a focus on our guitars that previously was never able to happen. "​
 
I read this really cool article with Jack Higginbotham about the move to Indonesia.

https://www.musicradar.com/news/the-story-of-prss-se-guitar-line

“For the first time we have a facility, in Indonesia, that is PRS Guitars,” states Jack. “There is nothing else running in that new building, just PRS... And to have our own building where I know the guy who makes the necks or the bodies, I know the guy who sets the neck angles and glues them together and they’re going to do that every day - they’re not going to switch to making a Hagstrom the next day, or an ESP, or whatever. We now have a focus on our guitars that previously was never able to happen. "​

Someone posted that on TGP, really interesting read.
 
Never owned an MII but I’m lucky enough to have this MIK in my life. Took it to luthier last week to fix a circuit, and he just assumed it was USA. Fawned all over it - said was one of the nicest looking / playing / sounding guitars he’s played. His jaw dropped when I flipped the headstock over and told him it was Korean. But he’s a Fender guy so I let him off . Admittedly mines got Suhr pups , Floyd, USA electronics/cont and it’s been PLEK’d. So it’s a ferociously good guitar!
 
I looked over all the SE’s in shop when I went for some strings, played a 245 Standard, pretty flawless as far as I could tell. Don’t know where I have to look to find these bad ones.
 
I looked over all the SE’s in shop when I went for some strings, played a 245 Standard, pretty flawless as far as I could tell. Don’t know where I have to look to find these bad ones.
They exist. I have an Indonesian Custom 24, which is cosmetically gorgeous. However, when I got it, I ultimately had to file down the bridge saddles 1/16" to bring the string heights just to spec. The neck joint is not right - either the socket is too deep or the tenon of neck too shallow or it has an up-angle, so that you even with the (trem) bridge lowered as far as it could reasonably go the strings were too high. This was not immediately evident when I got it because there was a truss rod induced back bow in the neck, which made the action on the high frets appear lower than it would when properly set up
It plays fine now, but with a playability issue like that I don't think they should have let it out the door as it was.
 
Last edited:
I looked over all the SE’s in shop when I went for some strings, played a 245 Standard, pretty flawless as far as I could tell. Don’t know where I have to look to find these bad ones.

I was unlucky enough to get 3 of the bad ones in a row:

1) Indonesian SE CU 24 Zebrawood: Faulty pickup switch, twisted volume knob
2) Korean SE CU 24 Rosewood: Truss Rod issues
3) Indonesian SE CU 24 Zebrawood: Severe neck angle issues, raised fret, twisted tone knob

All of these were 2019 models.
 
So we now know that the rise in labor costs was the driving wheel behind Indonesia. This is a dangerous time for PRS SE’s. We know there are some turkeys out there, and that the second shift here has new QC people to check the incoming guitars. I think Stevensville should be emailed if anyone gets an inferior guitar. It’s only a question of time before the ship gets righted. Paul and Jack do not want us getting less than excellent.
 
I find the article by Jack H. quite interesting. Reason being he continues to bring up the Paul’s guitar, and setting a date. However as of this post the guitar I was told would be here in May has now been put out till August. Is this due to quality issues?
 
Several of us have got our SE Paul’s, excellent at that. There are plenty of them in stock at various retailers, the earliest ones were spoken for and were gone as soon as they arrived. So far there have been very few reports of quality issues, so more likely a supply/demand thing going on.
 
It looks like PRS have a new video on YouTube with a tour of this factory. I also do not want to seem overly negative in my previous post. I really am looking foreword to getting a SE Paul’s guitar based on the reviews.
 

May explain why the Birds weren't as centred as the could of been - still a very interesting video...
 
Imma still gonna hold off until they work out the kinks on the other side of the learning curve, like with any shift in operations.

Still, looks promising in the future.
 
Does it matter where they are made?

It matters WHO makes them. WMIC was making the SE line in Korea and they are known for top notch work. They also make Schecter, Chapman and a few others. Cort Indonesia can be very hit or miss, as any Squier, Epiphone, Ibanez or Jackson owner can tell you. So this is a step down in quality IMO. Have to see how they turn out I guess.
 
It matters WHO makes them. WMIC was making the SE line in Korea and they are known for top notch work. They also make Schecter, Chapman and a few others. Cort Indonesia can be very hit or miss, as any Squier, Epiphone, Ibanez or Jackson owner can tell you. So this is a step down in quality IMO. Have to see how they turn out I guess.

Chapman are also made in Indonesia and I believe a few others were moving builds out of Korea! If you had watched the recent video PRS had put out, they have their own area where only PRS are made. The team do not work on making guitars for anyone other than PRS so they are not making Squires or Ibanez guitars - just PRS.

US staff have been over there teaching them exactly what they need to know on how to build a PRS SE guitar. There are many many more happy people than the odd one or two that have anything to complain about and the only complaints I have seen here have been incredibly superficial minor - nothing that has affected the playability, the function or the sound and you would have to look very very closely to see the issue that people have complained about.

To say its a step down is unfair. There were occasional issues with the Korean built guitars and I bet a lot of 'issues' are not issues to less picky customers - those that aren' going over the guitar with a microscope but just plugging them in and playing. As I said the majority (if not all) of the issues that I hear about are purely minor cosmetic issues that have absolutely no impact on the function, the playability and the tone of these instruments. It may take a few months to iron out any kinks as the Indonesian team get up to speed as to what is expected and what is unacceptable but it could be a positive move for PRS in the long run as the team are fully focussed on making PRS guitars and only PRS guitars!
 
I agree that this will be a good move for PRS in the long run. QC should go through the roof for an import guitar since they only have one line with one set of standards to build...after they’re dialed in, of course.
 
It matters WHO makes them. WMIC was making the SE line in Korea and they are known for top notch work. They also make Schecter, Chapman and a few others. Cort Indonesia can be very hit or miss, as any Squier, Epiphone, Ibanez or Jackson owner can tell you. So this is a step down in quality IMO. Have to see how they turn out I guess.

While I do agree with you about the Squiers, and some of the others, as Mozzi pointed out, the Indonesia PRS factory are not making other brands guitars, and the comment about a “step down in quality” is completely unfounded and has no basis in fact as it pertains to PRS. I have had 2 S2s (US made) with wiring problems, nothing that I couldn’t fix with minimal effort, but the point being that every manufacturer, no matter how high their quality standards, will have some defects, it is just a fact of life. It seems apparent to me that PRS have very, very few defective guitars, likely much better than any other guitar brand that is manufactured in mass quantities.
 
Back
Top