Special 22 Semi-Hollow....experience?

markd21

markd21

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I REALLY want one of these. But, after my recent struggle with another guitar I REALLY wanted, but longingly hesitated on before buying (S2 Studio), I am scared to pull the trigger. These are pretty pricey, and I need one like a hole in the head. What can any owners tell me about them?

I have a few direct questions....

How resonant is the guitar? Does it feel alive in your hands, or does it have that dullness so SH guitars have?

How are the pickup combos? They crisp and clear?

One of my issues with the S2 Studio is that there isn't enough "cut" with the in-between positions on the selector.

So, bros....fill me in if you have one!!
 
I am not usually one to buy NEW guitars that often , after playing Bodia's SSH I had to have one.
To me it is warmer, smoother sounding if I had to put a word to it.
The "in-between ( 2 and 4 ) are Add Narrowfield positions not really in between with the rotated neck pickup and the tapping possibilities takes sometime to figure things out.
The 2+4 can be louder than 1 and 5 if the narrow field is to high :)
so much to say just love the guitar
 
I'd say this guitar is my No. 2, right behind the West St, in terms of my favorites. The 58/15 MT pickups are outstanding. I think it has better splits than any other PRS I have owned, and I've had my share of different models. I can't speak to the new Paul's with the TCI pickups, but it is better than the 408 and 2014 Paul's guitar that have been in my stable.

As for "feeling alive", I would take that to mean the feeling you get in your chest while playing it close to your body. Where you can feel the body of the guitar vibrating into your chest. I would say this has less of that. Strictly due to the SH nature of the guitar, not because it is lacking anything. While the S2 Studio is a cool guitar, I don't think it's anywhere in the same league as the Special Semi-Hollow..

Bottom line, find a place with a good return policy, and check one out. I really don't think you'll be disappointed.
 
I sure will be happy when ole Rob and the guys at Moore Guitars send me the "your special 22 has arrived and we're getting ready to ship her out to you..." email!

Been since last summer that I ordered her!
 
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I've had my eye on them since they were announced too. I really want one but I'm afraid that it will push a lot of my others to the side. To me it's the ultimate gigging guitar as it covers so much ground on top of being semi-hollow.
 
Bowtiefanatc said:
I've had my eye on them since they were announced too. I really want one but I'm afraid that it will push a lot of my others to the side. To me it's the ultimate gigging guitar as it covers so much ground on top of being semi-hollow.
Click to expand...

You're right to be afraid. It'll definitely push the others aside!
 
I picked mine up at Experience last year. It is a great guitar!

The pickup combos are really unique - although like others I do wish the middle NF pickup could be selected by itself. Yeah, there are ways to mod it, but I'm lazy (and probably dangerous as a DIY).

I find it quite resonant (obviously not as resonant as a full HB) - but I like semi-hollows for that extra body/feel you get compared to a full solid body guitar. I don't consider it dull at all.

Just played it last night, although I was not really focused on playing that guitar for certain tones, I was just being a rhythm section and vocalist so my wife could practice bass. I fully intend to give it a good workout tonight, if I get a chance!
 
I would like to add one of these to my collection. It reminds me a bit of the 509 with the switching options. What I love about this is that you can still use both Humbuckers together - something my 509 doesn't offer. It would be nice to use just the Narrowfield in the middle, like you can use the middle PU in a 509. Ideally, I would love my 509 and future Special to be 'modded' with a way to change the function of the middle position back and forth between the single 'middle' PU and both the Humbuckers. With the Special, that would offer 1 more option - just the Narrowfield but add 4 more options to my 509 - HH, HS, SH, SS...

I can still be happy with my 509 and a semi-hollow Special without modding them but it would be nice to get a bit more use out of the NF and/or the 'humbuckers' in the 509.
 
I can sorta answer as well, not having this exact model, but owning a (deep breath) 25th Anniversary Custom 22 Limited Semi Hollow. Mine has 57/08s. The body is absolutely ALIVE. Simply incredible guitar. Adding the middle NF like Bodia has would make it even better. Haven't tried those pickups and you already know the ones mine has are incredible, but I'm sure they are also. But just the guitar, it LIVES! Big fat sustain with any volume at all from the amp and even mild gain. And, different from your other stuff if they're all solid bodies. I say.... GET ONE!
 
I absolutely love mine. “Dull” is definitely NOT an adjective I’d use to describe it. I play it unplugged a fair bit (as I do with all my electrics, as it helps me to get to “know” the instruments better, and it bites back, unplugged.
The MT pickups live in a different sonic universe, to my ears, than my other PRSs. For example, on most guitars, bridge and neck humbuckers together don’t produce a sound that I’m too crazy about. On the special semi, however, it’s a sound that I find myself going for a fair bit.
I likely don’t have as much guitar experience as most on this forum. But for me, it’s a pretty unique instrument
 
Well, I played the guitar I linked. I wasn't what I was wanting to hear. Don't get me wrong....it was AWESOME - but just not the types of tones I was after. I also played the CE24 Semi Hollow. That's what I ended up getting. Well, it's what I ordered. I played one in the store, liked it - A LOT - then because the top was kind of "wonky" looking, I went home and ordered one from Dave's. Here's their picture of the guitar I got:





What made me decide to get the CE24 over the Special 22?

Well, honestly I have been looking for a PRS that will give me crisp snap with a little growl. Something that has a clarity and growl similar to an Esquire (remember, one of my favorite guitars is an Esquire I assembled that loaded with an original 60s Fender Tele pickup), but still has the Humbucker thing going on. It's why I was initially SO disappointed with the Brent Mason. In my mind that guitar should have been RIGHT there. It's awesome, but nothing like that - it is its own thing. The CE24 SH is mellowed just enough to have growl, but the bolt-on maple neck gives the snap that I felt wasn't there with the Special 22.

The thing is I forgot that with the way I pick, the center NF gets in the way. I had a sweet 25th Anni SAS-NF that I moved on because that center NF (which I LOVED the tone of) was in the way. I kept the guitar 6-8 months trying to work around it, and never got there. Playing the Special 22 reminded me of that. For the coin I just needed the guitar to be "perfect" (of course, that's all relative) and while the Special 22 offered some KILLER stuff, I just knew that it wasn't something I could drop the money on.

Anyway, I'll post my own pics when it arrives. I am pretty pumped.
 
This one's in a local shop and I'm doing my best to not sell something and try to buy it. I'm kinda "out of commission" in the guitar purchasing department right now, after purchasing a Wood Library 24/08 last October. But man, this one is drop dead gorgeous to me.

zQdLmKv.jpg


Other than that, I can't say much about it. I didn't have time to pull it down and play it unfortunately, so my post is almost completely useless regarding your questions. But we all like pictures of pretty guitars, right?
 
Last edited:
ElrytNamrogo said:
This one's in a local shop and I'm doing my best to not sell something and try to buy it. I'm kinda "out of commission" in the guitar purchasing department right now, after purchasing a Wood Library 24/08 last October. But man, this one is drop dead gorgeous to me.

zQdLmKv.jpg


Other than that, I can't say much about it. I didn't have time to pull it down and play it unfortunately, so my post is almost completely useless regarding your questions. But we all like pictures of pretty guitars, right?
Click to expand...

Gorgeous!
 
markd21 said:
Well, I played the guitar I linked. I wasn't what I was wanting to hear. Don't get me wrong....it was AWESOME - but just not the types of tones I was after. I also played the CE24 Semi Hollow. That's what I ended up getting. Well, it's what I ordered. I played one in the store, liked it - A LOT - then because the top was kind of "wonky" looking, I went home and ordered one from Dave's. Here's their picture of the guitar I got:





What made me decide to get the CE24 over the Special 22?

Well, honestly I have been looking for a PRS that will give me crisp snap with a little growl. Something that has a clarity and growl similar to an Esquire (remember, one of my favorite guitars is an Esquire I assembled that loaded with an original 60s Fender Tele pickup), but still has the Humbucker thing going on. It's why I was initially SO disappointed with the Brent Mason. In my mind that guitar should have been RIGHT there. It's awesome, but nothing like that - it is its own thing. The CE24 SH is mellowed just enough to have growl, but the bolt-on maple neck gives the snap that I felt wasn't there with the Special 22.

The thing is I forgot that with the way I pick, the center NF gets in the way. I had a sweet 25th Anni SAS-NF that I moved on because that center NF (which I LOVED the tone of) was in the way. I kept the guitar 6-8 months trying to work around it, and never got there. Playing the Special 22 reminded me of that. For the coin I just needed the guitar to be "perfect" (of course, that's all relative) and while the Special 22 offered some KILLER stuff, I just knew that it wasn't something I could drop the money on.

Anyway, I'll post my own pics when it arrives. I am pretty pumped.
Click to expand...

Happy to hear you got what you were after!
 
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