The Verdict Is In: Pic Heavy S2 Review

[andy474x]

Throw a clip of the guitar in and it'd be perfect!

I have a Focusrite interface and a couple of mics on my Christmas list this year. Going for the 2i4, Sennheiser e906, and sE Electronics X1R ribbon. My rep at Sweetwater says the sE ribbon is a great bang for the buck if I don't want to spend a lot more on a Royer, etc. So hopefully soon I can be putting some clips together! I'll probably do some demo tracks for my band as well. Our drummer practices on an electronic set, so that should allow me to record everything piece by piece and put it together. I'm sure, as someone who actually knows what they're doing, you'll find my results nothing short of hilarious!

Nice review. Thanks for posting.

I just have one question: where did you get the Private Stock pillow?

I had the amp team do a custom covering job on my pillows!

I also wanted to say, not all of the S2s I have seen have had tops that were stellar. Still good looking, but nothing to compete with the core line. EXCEPT YOURS! Man that top looks good enough to eat! Very nice my friend!

I definitely looked around for a good one. There was an AWESOME Blue Crab Blue specimen at Brian's guitars for a while that just escaped my grasp, as well as a nice Cherry Burst at Sweetwater. My big thing on a lot of the S2 tops is that they aren't symmetrical. It's not the end of the world if they aren't highly figured, but it bothers me when one half has something going on, and the other half looks like a sheet of blank paper!

Very nice review! I think you should start reviewing all sorts of gear, following that same text/pic format! It really was a great read for us gear fanatics. I'm glad you like your S2. It looks like it's a great guitar. I had an SE 25th Anniversary Custom 24 once. The trem was flawless and the tuners were great too. I didn't care for the flat, slab body, and the pickups were too hot(clean tones were poor to say the least) and at that time they didn't offer split options - this was when they first came out with the SE line.
It appears that your S2 is a massive upgrade from the SE's. I'm glad they kept the same great trem. I like the solid trem arm without the little plastic end on it. The Fender American Deluxe strats have the same style trem arms and that's what I'm used to. I want to get one for my Custom 22 (core).
Thanks again for the review, you should write gear demos for online magazines!

Thanks for the kind words Hollis! I have an Anniversary SE CU24 as well, and I agree with you on the pickups. I just can't mesh with really hot pickups for a general purpose guitar, so I use that axe mostly for rock and higher gain stuff. I did switch out for some Dimarzio's, because I didn't care for the neck pickup at all, but kept them high output, so I still don't play that guitar clean very much.

I wonder if the SE trem arm would fit in the USA sleeve?

 

[László]

I'm sure, as someone who actually knows what they're doing, you'll find my results nothing short of hilarious!

Well, there is a learning curve, but for the most part it isn't difficult to get most of the way to the promised land. The devil is in that last ten percent.

I'm a guy who encourages people, so you can be sure at I will take it seriously! A lot of people encouraged and helped me over the years, and I try to always pay back by helping others.

 

[Boogie]

Damned fine review, Andy. It felt like I was there. Any chance you played this at gig volumes, yet? How was the volume resonance? Any feedback issues? This is one reason why I want one of these semi hollows...sustain at volume.

I try to always pay back by helping others.

And that he does in more ways than one. :top:

 

[dogrocketp]

Andy, The SE trem arm doesn't fit the sleeve of the USA trem. It's loose and will come out on hard use. Trying it wasn't my best idea.

 

[solacematt]

Very nice review Andy! I was glad to see how you went through so many points and found pros and cons on the instrument. It really helps in giving a nice checklist of things some of us may or may not look at.

 

[andy474x]

Damned fine review, Andy. It felt like I was there. Any chance you played this at gig volumes, yet? How was the volume resonance? Any feedback issues? This is one reason why I want one of these semi hollows...sustain at volume.

Thanks!

I've played it at a few band practices so far. No feedback issues, the top is solid enough that it won't vibrate like a big hollowbody. I play a 30 watt dimed, and it will definitely sustain in front of that, but so will my solid body guitars. I've got practice tomorrow and a gig Friday, so I'll pay attention and report back after!

 

[rugerpc]

Fit and Finish:

There are, however, a couple of small issues with the finishing on the guitar. Nothing that causes a problem, by any means, but just for the sake of full disclosure:

A couple of finish flaws in the f-hole area

Andy,

I don't think that those white spots in the F-holes are flaws. It looks to me to be leftover polishing compound (whiting). It can be hard to get out of small crevices and inside curves. PRS has the best QC of anyone, but some spots can be easy to miss.

You will see compound left over on lots of polished guitars - the easiest place to find it is in the recess for control cavities or at the neck joint. It looks like a flaw, but it is just compound buildup.

You don't have recessed control cavities, but the tight scrolls of the F-holes offer a similar tight spot.

You should be able to remove the compound buildup with a DRY Q-tip or a bit of cloth wrapped around a small screwdriver or your pinkie. Go slow and use light pressure. Just rub it off of there!

I'm betting that you can remove all of the buildup and your new S2 will be pristine with that same wonderful color all the way through the F-holes!

 

[CoreyT]

You know I have those in the F hole on my ZM too.
Thanks Ruger, I am going to see if mine is leftover compound too.

 

[andy474x]

Andy,

I don't think that those white spots in the F-holes are flaws. It looks to me to be leftover polishing compound (whiting). It can be hard to get out of small crevices and inside curves. PRS has the best QC of anyone, but some spots can be easy to miss.

You will see compound left over on lots of polished guitars - the easiest place to find it is in the recess for control cavities or at the neck joint. It looks like a flaw, but it is just compound buildup.

You don't have recessed control cavities, but the tight scrolls of the F-holes offer a similar tight spot.

You should be able to remove the compound buildup with a DRY Q-tip or a bit of cloth wrapped around a small screwdriver or your pinkie. Go slow and use light pressure. Just rub it off of there!

I'm betting that you can remove all of the buildup and your new S2 will be pristine with that same wonderful color all the way through the F-holes!

Thanks Ruger! The spot in the further back portion (dare I say distal? ) of the f hole was indeed polishing compound. The other spot doesn't seem to want to come off. Perhaps I'll try a dab of lemon oil and see if that helps.

 

[rugerpc]

There may be a slight depression or unevenness where the stubborn spot is.

Be a little more aggressive with a dry cloth before you try the lemon oil....

You might even try a gentle scraping with an X-acto blade.

 

[andy474x]

I gave it a little more elbow grease, and a spot of lemon oil, but it just doesn't want to budge. The spot is picking up a lot of cotton fibers off the q tip, I think there's a bit of the "orange peel" effect. No matter though, it really doesn't bother me, it's tiny and in a place that's not easy to see!

Thanks again Ruger!

 

[John Beef]

+1, nice review. I started with a core guitar, picked up several SEs along the way, and after trying the S2s out at the shop, think they are way closer to core models than SEs. Can't wait to own a S2.

 

[andy474x]

Update - Boogie, I realized I forgot to get back to you about the sustain thing. I compared with my SE Akesson (which IMO has great sustain), acoustically and plugged in. Acoustically, they were very comparable. Plugged in, even at moderate volumes, it was very easy to "play the feedback" and hold notes out indefinitely on the S2 - if you've ever seen Ted Nugent get his Byrdland in front of an amp and hold a note, that's what I'm talking about. The advantage with the S2 being that it won't just go nuts the way a full hollowbody will, but the hollow portion will definitely add some vibration when you want it. If your live setup will allow you to get in the line of fire of your speakers, you should be able to do it fine. Hope that helps!

 

[Chiliphil1]

excellent review! I love my s2 as well though my only complaint is the pickups, mine are super bassy and full of mud but otherwise absolute top notch guitars.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Great looking guitar! Congrats