What could PRS do better for the SE line? (and story of my purchase)

[PRSfanboy46]

Hey yall, I was pondering this and I wanted your opinions on what the SE line could do better. I only own one PRS and that is my PRS SE Custom 24 from the exotic wood run, mine has a beautiful spalted maple veneer in vintage sunburst and I love it.

My main question is what do you think PRS could do to make the SE's better? Personally, I feel like finish options should be available to choose. Like me, I would have preferred a satin finish over gloss, yet I was able to get used to gloss and like it. My second thing I think PRS could offer for the SE's is customization. My example for this would be what Fender offers with the mod shop. Where you take an SE, base guitar, and then add your own appointments and features to it. Kind of like how the wood library or artist grade customization level of PRS guitars lets you customize certain things and add your own appointments. My third thing I think PRS could do is that they could experiment with using actual thick tops of a lower grade quality figured wood. However, I do know wood is very expensive, ESPECIALLY figured wood due to its rarity and how scarce it can be, but experimentation is what drives guitar creation and makes it evolve. If PRS could get figured wood between an SE and S2 quality, with the top not being a veneer, but an actual figured thick piece of wood (figured), that could open so many more opportunities. But this is all just hypothetical and just suggestions.


For me, it took a few days for me to warm up to the guitar. After having played on a squire for two years, this was a totally different feeling neck finish wise. I have never been a very big gloss neck fan, I love satin finished necks or something where you can see and feel the natural grain but to have a light satin coat. My main concern when I was trying out the SE's was the neck.

I started looking around August of last year at Bill's music house in Catonsville Maryland and it was a nice SE Custom 24 in fire red. I was looking for something that had a wide tonal range (I liked the SE because you could get 6 tones because of the coil tap) and I liked it but I needed to think about it, plus I was just starting school (this happened in September) and I am sure that my dad would not have liked me bringing home a 700 dollar guitar without him knowing. I could have done a payment plan by month but my dad didn't want too and needed to see me doing well in school before he thought about it. So I then start to drink the PRS kool aid and loved it. The month before, in August I went to the factory with my mom (about 45 minutes from where I live, going over the bridge) and was just amazed by the craftsmenship and detail and care they put into the guitars. In September I met Paul at a release event for Bay Tunes guitars and I was fully on board for PRS. Prior, I only had a little bit of experience with PRS guitars, seeing an SE once in a while. Yet I never really knew that they were in Maryland prior to my factory visit. However, now I love PRS guitars.

One fateful day my dad asked me if I wanted to go to Bay Tunes and I wanted to go to guitar center but he didn't want to because GC doesn't have much variety for the one I go to. So we head over to Edgewater and I played around with some SE's. The first thing I noticed was how long they sustained for! The sustain felt very good and the neck felt a bit sticky but I liked the way everything sounded. I tried two SE's that day, the Spalt and one that was in a charcoal burst. I liked the Spalt a lot more personally because of the way it looked and the way it played. I then got around to playing a CE semi hollow in whale blue and oh my goodness I was in bliss. The way the neck felt, the finish of the neck, the shape of the neck, the pickups, the tone, the top, everything just sounded beautiful. If my dad let me choose, I would have bought that CE Custom 24 on the spot. However, I think it is more logical to not buy a guitar player of 2 years and a 14 year old at the time a 1500 dollar instrument. Just not very fiscally responsible. If anything, I would have to work for myself to buy that.

If you have any thoughts about this, please leave them down below!

 

[Rhythmisking]

First off, you're a smart guy and you write well; so much so in fact that some people here doubted you're only 15. That's cool.

As far as your suggestions, some of them, like lower quality solid tops, well, that's basically what the S2 line is. I'm sure PRSh could have gone the way you're suggesting, but the decision was made to keep the solid tops (non-veneered) to the US manufactured instruments.

One thing that is important for a large scale manufacturer is to make sure that as you're offering multiple lines at different price points, you don't end up cannibalizing your own sales. When Fender was going through structural chaos in the '80's, they contracted with Japanese manufacturers to build their guitars; all of them for a time. What happened subsequently was that the MIJ Squiers, their low cost line, was so close in build quality to their standard line that it actually began to cut into the standard line sales. This was especially true with the later Squier Pro Tone series.

I think PRS has done a pretty good job of keeping their separate lines different enough to justify the different price points while still having their lowest cost lines guitars of really excellent build quality. I feel like they're unlikely to try to add the things you mention; customization features, etc to the SE line because they are already delivering a superior product at the lower price point than other manufacturers.

 

[PRSfanboy46]

First off, you're a smart guy and you write well; so much so in fact that some people here doubted you're only 15. That's cool.

As far as your suggestions, some of them, like lower quality solid tops, well, that's basically what the S2 line is. I'm sure PRSh could have gone the way you're suggesting, but the decision was made to keep the solid tops (non-veneered) to the US manufactured instruments.

One thing that is important for a large scale manufacturer is to make sure that as you're offering multiple lines at different price points, you don't end up cannibalizing your own sales. When Fender was going through structural chaos in the '80's, they contracted with Japanese manufacturers to build their guitars; all of them for a time. What happened subsequently was that the MIJ Squiers, their low cost line, was so close in build quality to their standard line that it actually began to cut into the standard line sales. This was especially true with the later Squier Pro Tone series.

I think PRS has done a pretty good job of keeping their separate lines different enough to justify the different price points while still having their lowest cost lines guitars of really excellent build quality. I feel like they're unlikely to try to add the things you mention; customization features, etc to the SE line because they are already delivering a superior product at the lower price point than other manufacturers.

I have a bit of an issue with the solid top guitars that are built over sea's that are 3,000 dollars. Take a company like .Strandberg* guitars. They are based in Sweden or Norway, I forget, and they are designed there and built in Indonesia. How could someone ever justify that much for an Indonesian made instrument? Now, don't think that I am biased when it comes to where an instrument is made, because like you said, PRS has done a great job with the SE line because they deliver a better product at a lower cost. For example, MIJ strat's and Cort and so many great factories for so many manufacturers and companies. Yet it's just a bit strange that they have guitars being built for a cheaper labor cost and then charge 3,000 dollars. But I don't make the prices so I can't say.

 

[Black-Viper75]

I like where the SE line is atm. But PRS definitely needs to put a better quality nut on their SE guitars.

 

[bodia]

I like where the SE line is atm. But PRS definitely needs to put a better quality nut on their SE guitars.

This

 

[PRSfanboy46]

I like where the SE line is atm. But PRS definitely needs to put a better quality nut on their SE guitars.

The nut is the thing I need to get replaced, but the store quoted me 125 bucks!

 

[bodia]

The nut is the thing I need to get replaced, but the store quoted me 125 bucks!

The Core nut is a direct drop in. Takes about 10 minutes to replace.

 

[PRSfanboy46]

The Core nut is a direct drop in. Takes about 10 minutes to replace.

They may have been really high balling me, but I love their store. I think they thought I wanted them to cut, carve, and replace the nut with a bone one.

 

[bodia]

They may have been really high balling me, but I love their store. I think they thought I wanted them to cut, carve, and replace the nut with a bone one.

After the job you did on your uke, you can handle this. You’ll need a razor blade, small hammer, small flat blade screw driver, super glue, and maybe some fine sandpaper.

Score the edges around the old nut with the razor blade (or a hobby knife, probably safer). You do this to make sure you don’t chip any of the finish when you remove the old nut.

Place the flat blade screw driver against the nut on the fretboard side, and lightly tap the handle end of the screw driver with the hammer. That old nut will just pop off.

Use the sand paper and lightly clean the area where the old nut was.

Put a couple of drops of superglue on the Core nut, and put it in place.

Done.

 

[Iceman101]

What Bodia said. Trust me, it's no rocket science

 

[DISTORT6]

I think of the entire line of PRS Guitars as a ladder. Equally spaced steps from rung to rung.
SEs are the bottom rungs - where you start the “climb”
S2/CE24s are the next rungs
Core are next
Wood Library slot in next
Private Stock - top rung.
All of your suggestions are good ones. The problem is that they make the SEs more expensive and make that first step harder to take. Plus it starts to encroach on the next step price-wise, the S2s and CEs.
I hope that makes sense. It’s past my Saturday nap time.

 

[DogPhishHead]

I think PRS is doing fine on the SE line. Additions of the Paul’s Guitar and Hollowbody were a HUGE step up from the typical Custom 24 and Singlecut offerings. I don’t see the logic of offering private stock like options on imports, for a business standpoint, that’s a losing endeavor.

 

[PRSfanboy46]

After the job you did on your uke, you can handle this. You’ll need a razor blade, small hammer, small flat blade screw driver, super glue, and maybe some fine sandpaper.

Score the edges around the old nut with the razor blade (or a hobby knife, probably safer). You do this to make sure you don’t chip any of the finish when you remove the old nut.

Place the flat blade screw driver against the nut on the fretboard side, and lightly tap the handle end of the screw driver with the hammer. That old nut will just pop off.

Use the sand paper and lightly clean the area where the old nut was.

Put a couple of drops of superglue on the Core nut, and put it in place.

Done.

Well I mean I could, I really could do it, but I don't want to mess it up. Like I've seen a lot of methods of taking nuts out, heat, pliers and all that sort of stuff. I only think the heat works with frets though. I would just be scared to chip the neck where the nut is around.

 

[Dirty_Boogie]

Well I mean I could, I really could do it, but I don't want to mess it up. Like I've seen a lot of methods of taking nuts out, heat, pliers and all that sort of stuff. I only think the heat works with frets though. I would just be scared to chip the neck where the nut is around.

Don't overthink this! A quick scour of an xacto-knife to make sure that it doesn't take any finish with it, and then a side tap with a hammer. It's that easy.

 

[PRSfanboy46]

Don't overthink this! A quick scour of an xacto-knife to make sure that it doesn't take any finish with it, and then a side tap with a hammer. It's that easy.

If anything, I would do that with my dad on the kit guitar I am building. I will obviously replace the plastic nut myself before I attempt my PRS.

 

[Clashcityrocker]

I think if they did satin nitro I would be into one but I think I'll stick with S2 and core from now on.

 

[Dirty_Boogie]

I think if they did satin nitro I would be into one but I think I'll stick with S2 and core from now on.

Sweetwater has done a few SE satin runs in the past - really sharp looking (especially in black)

 

[PRSfanboy46]

Sweetwater has done a few SE satin runs in the past - really sharp looking (especially in black)

I was going to buy the SE Satin custom 24 with a floyd! It was about 600/700 bucks because it was a deal. Seriously would've considered buying that.

 

[PRSfanboy46]

I think if they did satin nitro I would be into one but I think I'll stick with S2 and core from now on.

Do you have any S2 or core satin finished guitars at the moment?

 

[Ovibos]

I think much of what you propose takes the SE out of the price point they’re trying to hit.

What I would suggest would be:
- many more color/finish options. Go crazy here with yellows and purples and greens.
- maple boards not just as special runs
- better nuts, lots in this price range have GraphTech