USA vs SE?

I got my 1st of 2 SEs last year. A used Singlecut, then a new Tremonti. Both well built and great players. Then I went into SA for some strings and saw a used CE22 on the wall. I played it and fell in love. I drove home, grabbed 3 guitars I hadn't played and went back. After a little haggling, brought her home and she has been my #1 ever since.

Since then, I traded the SE Sc for a modded Tele (to replace another Tele I traded). Later I picked up a used Santana SE as a travel guitar.

SEs are great guitars, but MD made PRSi are a very different animal and a new level of quality and tone.
 
I wish these guitars were around when I was a kid. Great build. They feel and look like good guitars. They do not have that cheap appearance. With minor tweaks you make great improvements. I have only changed pickups and nuts. Only, my Bernie has required more attention. It had a harmonic buzz I could not get rid of, so I took it to the Dallas Guitar Festival last year. I walked right up to the PRS booth and the (all) Southern Regional manager was there. He also had been a tech. He agreed to come and get the guitar, as he could not take it with him at that time (going to Florida). He came to my job and picked it up (believe that?). In a week he told me that the tuning gear for the Bernie, plastic keystones, had a washer that should not have been there. He said it was a design defect. Contacted PRS and they would change that. He replaced 3 tuners with the SE tuners. He crowned the frets and replaced my graphtech nut with a camel bone nut. Sounded great. Did I say they did that all under warranty. What a great company. I like DiMarzio 36th Anniversary pickups in the neck and Tonezone in the bridge. I am planning to change the tuners with Grover Keystones (nickel) and the bridge with a graphtech bridge (tinkering for fun).
 
I love my USA custom 24, at the same time i love all my SE.s..they all feel great when playing ,so now it which one sounds better,and that's an easy mod to fix .......my fav SE is my dave Navarro ,i just love playing that guitar ,besides my usa c24. which in fact i dont play my USA all that much anymore,why cause im afraid of it. i may damage it in some weird way,and beside that it just looks to good,when i got it back for alittle repair. faithful prs addict...
 
Santana SE
I have had a Santana SE for almost 8 years. I really stink at playing and struggle at it. She is in the case with strings tuned loose.
Any idea what she is worth. Serial number starts with B.
Thanks
Mark
 
Mark do you have pictures? Scratches/dents? Something you should post on eBay.
 
In my opinion the se line doesn't have the same mojo. I feel the same way about the epiphone line and gibson. It's like comparing a Camaro to a Corvette. Just my 2 cents.
 
there is no comparison with SEs and Epis.

\The fit, finish, feel and sound of my SE C24 rivaled its S2 brethren at the same music store. Neither myself nor my lead guitarist could hear any difference. We definitely could tell the difference between the Epi LPs and a USA LPs that we compared.
 
I have an SE 245 and a Prs SC250. I loved the SE until the SC250 came along. They all serve a purpose.
I was just playing my 03 Gibson LP standard. Then switched to the SC250. I must say the stock Prs sounded better. I may have to gut my Les Paul maybe put in a kit from RS Guitarworks.
 
I have 5 USA PRS guitars and an SE One. I have to say that the SEs are pretty nice. The SE 245s and One are phenomenal guitars. I got the SE fron $250 at GC and upgraded nut, bridge, pickup, tuners and still under 400... KILLER deal. Thinking about getting my 2nd SE.
 
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