SE Swamp Ash Special - worth it?

[gtrdave]

I've been living under a rock for a while, but I recently discovered the SE Swamp Ash Special and the reviews look pretty good and I'm considering getting one.
I don't need another guitar, but owning guitars isn't about need, right?
So, what says the crowd regarding the SE SAS? Anyone own one? Love it or hate it or meh? ANy other SE that's worth considering as an alternative while they're 20% off?

 

[Veetwin]

Buy it, great guitar, finding one might be the thing. All sold out here in Australia

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

Lots of people love them. I still want to try one.

Oh and it’s known as the Sassy

 

[Russ73]

I bought 2...one was almost 10lbs and it went back...couple months later I found a 7lb one and am enjoying it alot...tons of tones!! Loving the 25" scale bolt on feel as opposed to my other PRSi that are set neck...at the price they're def worth it...at the 850 they might go for after the 1st of the year I'd grab a used S2...I have 5 S2s btw....

 

[gtrdave]

I bought 2...one was almost 10lbs and it went back...couple months later I found a 7lb one and am enjoying it alot...tons of tones!! Loving the 25" scale bolt on feel as opposed to my other PRSi that are set neck...at the price they're def worth it...at the 850 they might go for after the 1st of the year I'd grab a used S2...I have 5 S2s btw....

I had two S2 guitars...a Standard 24 and a Vela...and eventually sold them both and got a Vela Vernon Reid, which is still sort of an S2, but probably the least S2 of all of the S2s.
Anyway, the SAS SE seems to tick all the right boxes for me and would add yet another texture to my current guitar landscape. I'm just a little hesitant because I've played a lot of SEs, but never brought one home for whatever reason. I was actually planning on making my next PRS either a CE (non SE) or an S2 Studio, so that's why I'm on the fence about the SE SAS.

 

[Russ73]

I had two S2 guitars...a Standard 24 and a Vela...and eventually sold them both and got a Vela Vernon Reid, which is still sort of an S2, but probably the least S2 of all of the S2s.
Anyway, the SAS SE seems to tick all the right boxes for me and would add yet another texture to my current guitar landscape. I'm just a little hesitant because I've played a lot of SEs, but never brought one home for whatever reason. I was actually planning on making my next PRS either a CE (non SE) or an S2 Studio, so that's why I'm on the fence about the SE SAS.

Not sure what else you own as far as guitars...but if you didn't like the S2s you may feel underwhelmed with the SE....the only thing about the SAS is the bolt on but it's not a CE a far as feel but def different feeling IMO....I love my satin Vela and have a couple of standard 22s that play great...

 

[Jimi D]

All I can say is that my SE SAS has been a very pleasant surprise. I have three times more core PRSs than SEs but imo if you're willing to run the racks, there are some terrific guitars to be found in that line. I'd never buy one without playing it first, though.

That being said, the first SE SAS I played is the one I own. I got really lucky with that one. Everything comes together in it really well. I'm very happy to own one.

 

[aphantomvaper]

The SE SAS has been a win for me. Its different than most SE for the reasons others have mentioned.

To me the Ash body with only join lines and no cap or veneer sounds great. A bit more free. I'm not a maple neck player usually and this one is super nice in the hand. I'm a 85/15s lover also and the pickups are wonderful, for me. Mine is Charcoal.

To answer your question the SE Sassy is totally worth it! Its also a good mod platform in regards to the wiring.

Good luck!

 

[Mark Ray]

I've been gigging mine and highly recommend this model. It's just a great guitar, plain and simple.

 

[gtrdave]

Not sure what else you own as far as guitars...but if you didn't like the S2s you may feel underwhelmed with the SE....the only thing about the SAS is the bolt on but it's not a CE a far as feel but def different feeling IMO....I love my satin Vela and have a couple of standard 22s that play great...

I loved my S2s, but I had to free them up to get the Vernon Reid, which was massively worth it.
As far as other guitars, I have 3 Gibson Les Pauls (Junior, BFG and Standard), a Tele, a Strat, a Godin Solidac, a DBZ/Diamond Halcyon and other assorted electrics and acoustics. At any given time I'm involved with about 5 different bands and also play at church and do local studio sessions, so I like having a variety of different guitars to choose from. The SAS SE (Sassy) is appealing since it's a little different from what I own and it's versatile, but so is the S2 Studio, which is why I may wait and just hunt one of those down. It'll cost more, but it will likely stick around longer as I'm very familiar with the S2 line and, again, I do appreciate them.

Still, that Sassy draws me to it...

 

[opnoob]

Its wonderful! I liked mine so much I ordered a 2nd in a different colour.

 

[gtrdave]

Update: after hemming and hawing about the choice to buy or not to buy a SAS SE...and after demo'ing a new SE CE24 in the store the other day...I pulled the trigger on a new SAS SE today (the last day of the SE sale, yes?).
I had to get sunburst because 1) I love the finish and 2) I dig the contrast of the cream pickup rings.

Thanks for all of the replies and reviews on the SAS SE. I'm really looking forward to putting this thing through its paces in '24 as my gig calendar is filling up. I plan on living with the guitar for a bit and then, if necessary, upgrading to the locking tuners and that's probably it. I've had the 85/15S pickups in my S2 Standard 24 and I think they're worth keeping, but I do like locking tuners. This will be a nice compliment to my Vela VR, I think.

Oh, btw: the SE CE24 I tried out was nice. My favorite part about it was the neck - maybe the best feeling neck I've ever played on an SE - but I wasn't 100% sold on the turquoise color and instead headed to Reverb to search out the SAS SE that I ultimately ordered.

 

[Russ73]

Update: after hemming and hawing about the choice to buy or not to buy a SAS SE...and after demo'ing a new SE CE24 in the store the other day...I pulled the trigger on a new SAS SE today (the last day of the SE sale, yes?).
I had to get sunburst because 1) I love the finish and 2) I dig the contrast of the cream pickup rings.

Thanks for all of the replies and reviews on the SAS SE. I'm really looking forward to putting this thing through its paces in '24 as my gig calendar is filling up. I plan on living with the guitar for a bit and then, if necessary, upgrading to the locking tuners and that's probably it. I've had the 85/15S pickups in my S2 Standard 24 and I think they're worth keeping, but I do like locking tuners. This will be a nice compliment to my Vela VR, I think.

Oh, btw: the SE CE24 I tried out was nice. My favorite part about it was the neck - maybe the best feeling neck I've ever played on an SE - but I wasn't 100% sold on the turquoise color and instead headed to Reverb to search out the SAS SE that I ultimately ordered.

I was literally just playing mine, theyre a blast to jam on...for the coin I think you'll dig it...you def have some nice pieces in your collection btw....tbh my s2s are overall more comfortable to me feel wise but I'm diggin the bolt on 25" scale...

 

[dogrocketp]

The single coil sounds on the SE Sassy are special. I have a core. I convinced a friend to buy one and we compared it to my core. Dimmit! I have one now, although my partner insists it’s green. The two are very different sounding.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

The single coil sounds on the SE Sassy are special. I have a core. I convinced a friend to buy one and we compared it to my core. Dimmit! I have one now, although my partner insists it’s green. The two are very different sounding.

Congratulations Paul.

 

[bodia]

Update: after hemming and hawing about the choice to buy or not to buy a SAS SE...and after demo'ing a new SE CE24 in the store the other day...I pulled the trigger on a new SAS SE today (the last day of the SE sale, yes?).
I had to get sunburst because 1) I love the finish and 2) I dig the contrast of the cream pickup rings.

Thanks for all of the replies and reviews on the SAS SE. I'm really looking forward to putting this thing through its paces in '24 as my gig calendar is filling up. I plan on living with the guitar for a bit and then, if necessary, upgrading to the locking tuners and that's probably it. I've had the 85/15S pickups in my S2 Standard 24 and I think they're worth keeping, but I do like locking tuners. This will be a nice compliment to my Vela VR, I think.

Oh, btw: the SE CE24 I tried out was nice. My favorite part about it was the neck - maybe the best feeling neck I've ever played on an SE - but I wasn't 100% sold on the turquoise color and instead headed to Reverb to search out the SAS SE that I ultimately ordered.

Nice! Congrats!