I stupidly read the comments to Phil’s video about this guitar. I’m amazed that so many people can spew so much negative B.S. about something they’ve neither seen in the flesh nor played. Judging from the spelling and intellectual content, most of these guys have to drop their pants to count to 21. I ain’t lyin, I’ll be buying. I think this is Jack H’s pet project. There’s nothing like it on the market.
Nothing surprises me with the ignorance of people on the internet. A guitar made in China MUST be bad despite the fact that PRS SE Acoustics are made in China to rave reviews. Not every Chinese guitar is the quality of the 'fake rubbish' you buy on AliExpress (or equivalents) but it seems that ignorance is rife. It's there to a degree with 'Indonesian' built to - the amount of people that have said that they will look for a Korean SE in particular is ridiculous in my opinion.
As far as I am concerned, if the company that are commissioning these builds from Asian manufacturers are happy, especially as they have their name on the headstock, then that should be a good indication. You could not buy a US made guitar to the same quality and specs for the price because the labour and overhead costs alone would be significantly higher meaning they would have to compromise more on the guitar to try and hit the same price points. Its not as if PRS hasn't been to the factories to train, educate etc.
There is a very good reason that companies like PRS use Asian manufacturers for their entry level instruments. Its the ONLY way they can offer the quality and specs at that price point and, in the case of the Hollowbody, China makes the most sense. Having seen a walkthrough of the Indonesian factory, it doesn't look like they have the tools and machinery to do laminate and pressed shaping builds - something that is more common with Acoustics. Its the same method as the 335 construction too btw - a pressed laminate top...
I firmly believe that you should try an instrument - especially if you have any doubt (not just doubts about where its made). If anything, you shouldn't look at the back of the headstock at all to see where its made and try it - you certainly shouldn't let its place of manufacture have any influence. If it doesn't feel, play or sound right for you, doesn't meet your expectation, move on to another guitar/model. If you want a PRS Hollowbody but can't afford the Core versions, then the SE gives you an option. It maybe close to the cheapest S2's in price but they are very different guitars and don't come with a case either - a sensible option for a Laminate top/back hollowbody.
