Which SE for me?

[William Lewis]

Good Morning,

I am an older guy who has only been playing for a couple of years. I started with a Squire Telecaster & then an Epiphone SG but both of those went by the wayside. I'd have to say I'm still a fairly low level beginner.

I currently have and play an Epiphone Casino Coupe with twin P90's, a VHT Special 6 Ultra tube amp and an inexpensive Jasmine dreadnaught acoustic. I am wanting to get more serious about my playing and want to find a solid body that fits me at least as well as the Casino does for a hollow body.

One big problem is living in the boonies, an hour or two in any direction before running into a guitar store.

Right now I have my eye on an used SE Standard 24 in translucent blue (I dearly love how that looks). The basic specs sound good though I admit to wondering about the tremolo bridge. I am tempted by it but wonder if I'd actually use it or not. Then there is the question of 22 vs 24, standard or custom or heck, an SE 245 instead....

Advice, thoughts & tips would be appreciated. My budget might be able to stretch to $600 for this but I'd prefer to keep it under $500 unless it's a really special deal.

Thanks in advance!

William

 

[Draconomics]

Good Morning,

I am an older guy who has only been playing for a couple of years. I started with a Squire Telecaster & then an Epiphone SG but both of those went by the wayside. I'd have to say I'm still a fairly low level beginner.

I currently have and play an Epiphone Casino Coupe with twin P90's, a VHT Special 6 Ultra tube amp and an inexpensive Jasmine dreadnaught acoustic. I am wanting to get more serious about my playing and want to find a solid body that fits me at least as well as the Casino does for a hollow body.

One big problem is living in the boonies, an hour or two in any direction before running into a guitar store.

Right now I have my eye on an used SE Standard 24 in translucent blue (I dearly love how that looks). The basic specs sound good though I admit to wondering about the tremolo bridge. I am tempted by it but wonder if I'd actually use it or not. Then there is the question of 22 vs 24, standard or custom or heck, an SE 245 instead....

Advice, thoughts & tips would be appreciated. My budget might be able to stretch to $600 for this but I'd prefer to keep it under $500 unless it's a really special deal.

Thanks in advance!

William

Hi William! The SE standard is a fantastic instrument, and will serve you very well. Not too different than a custom, save for the lack of the cap and veneer. Often you can find used ones in the $400 range, if you see a $350 offer, jump on that.

Between a 22 and 24 fret model...I honestly have been really loving those extra two frets on my 35th. It's nice having that extra little range.

On trems...the SE trem is pretty solid so long as it's setup proper. You will want to invest in new saddle though. The stock ones are ok, but swapping for manmade ones fixed any intonation problems I had on my 35th.

Good luck on your pick!

 

[bodia]

In that price range, I'd go SE245 Standard. Lots of guitar for your money.

 

[Fullmoon 1971]

Plus 1 on the SE245 Standard, thay are fantastic guitars for the price. I currently own 4 Core models and 5 SE's but for the last week I've found myself rocking out on this.

2015 SE Standard

It actually belongs to my son but he doesn't mind I think -

It pairs really well with the VHT Special 6 I used to own - till said son borrowed it on a permanent basis.

Welcome to the madhouse, PRS are addictive, you can never hyave only one.

 

[Ovibos]

Don't sleep on the SE Zach Myers.

 

[Aahzz]

In your desired price range I'm thinking the SE Standard is perfect. Try the trem, if you don't like it it can be decked (tightened all the way to the body, still allows downward movement of the trem but not upward, improves tuning stability) or blocked (insert blocks on either side of the trem block in the body, essentially turns it into a fixed bridge). Those are both very, very easy to do and we can point you in the right direction on how if you decide - but heck, a ton of people really like floating trems, and you may discover that you're one of them.

 

[Aahzz]

Don't sleep on the SE Zach Myers.

Great guitar, but it's been a while since I've seen one under $600 - currently starting on Reverb at $625, so maybe if the seller is open to offers, but probably tough with shipping and tax.

 

[William Lewis]

Thank you, folks, and especially Aahzz for the trem comments, for the thoughts.

My inclination after pondering these answers is to probably towards either the SE Standard 24 or a SE 245 if I find a good deal. The Zack Myer is a beautiful looker but they all seem to be a bit too high for my budget at this point in time.

Got a feeling that I know of a SE Standard 24 in that beautiful translucent blue that will get ordered on Friday if it doesn't get bought out from under me by then

 

[dogrocketp]

Good luck, and remember, blue guitars sound better.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Good luck, and remember, blue guitars sound better.

And look better!

 

[Mike Burch]

I have a 245, a se24 standard and just added a se tremonti. The trem is pretty much a non issue on prs, I dont use it, but like the way it lays flat on the body, makes palm muting a breeze. I have a older koren 245 and it sounds big, like a single cut , the se24 is more modern sound, will handle higher gain(not my thing) but can be easily tailored to your sound. The 245 has slightly thicker neck profile also. The tremonti is half way in between the two. I will eventually sell the se24 and get a se22, just suits me better. I own the se24 standard in blue and its a really nice guitar and I have played it quite a bit.

 

[guitarforlife]

Hello, all.
I lurk here quite often but this is my second post.
Here is just my .2 cents.
I own 14 PRS Guitars at this time. 1 SE custom 24, 2 SE custom 22, 2 SE Zack Myers, 3 S2, 2 CE a core 10 top custom 24 a core Pauls guitar a core McCarty 594 and a silver sky.
The reason for me telling you this is to make the point that I have a little experience with them. The SE guitars play as well as the core guitars do they look as good with the veneer tops. If you have any reservations at all. Don't !! These are very fine guitars way above their price point. Do not let the veneer top bother you. I have had my share of US made guitars that have veneer tops on them and some of them are very desirable now. If you are looking for price Daves guitar in Lacrosse Wi. Sells used guitars at the best prices around check out their web site. No, I do not work for them or any other guitar shop. I bought my last Zack Myers SE in blue a week ago it is mint and it is right in your price range. Anyway just my .2cent. Now back to lurking for me.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Now back to lurking for me.

Lurking is no fun. Trust me, I’ve tried. So...

“Warriors, come out and play”

 

[64 Tele]

The Standard 24 will "hang" very similar to a Strat type guitar, will have controls (3 way switch, volume/tone) very similar to a Tele.
The coil split option for pickups gives you the option of single coils.

I notice you've previously owned Tele and SG type guitars.
The ONLY issue with the Standard 24 is that you don't have ability to blend the volumes (individual volume controls) with middle position of pickup selector with both pickups on like you could with the SG type guitar.
I don't miss that on single coil guitars, but with humbuckers, I do miss that option.

That being said, I've got an SE Custom 24, SE Custom 22 Semi Hollow, Core model Custom 24 (all with 1 volume/1 tone).
The other PRS I have is an SE 245 which has 2 volume/2 tone controls (does not have the single coil option) and is a VERY good playing/sounding guitar that scratches my Gibson Les Paul itch.

Happy hunting....can't go wrong with a PRS SE. All I've tried/bought are great guitars and great values for the money.

 

[11top]

Don't sleep on the SE Zach Myers.

My vote, too.

 

[William Lewis]

At this point, my plan is to buy a SE Standard 24 on Friday. If that goes as well as I expect, then I see either a SE 245 or SE Zack Myers in my future.

 

[László]

I rarely use the trems on my guitars, but I like the way they sound, and having the trem is not only a nice option for those times I need it, I find there's a bit of "give" when bending notes with the floating trem that makes them very comfortable to play.

So my thinking is that unless you dislike trems for some reason, why not get one with a trem?

 

[11top]

I rarely use the trems on my guitars, but I like the way they sound, and having the trem is not only a nice option for those times I need it, I find there's a bit of "give" when bending notes with the floating trem that makes them very comfortable to play.

So my thinking is that unless you dislike trems for some reason, why not get one with a trem?

I understand Les’s point of view. I used to be a trem guy, but now I’m in the other camp. Like Les, I use the wammy so infrequently, that I decided stop tail outweighs the benefits of a trem. A ST is less likely to go out of tune and by theory should have greater sustain. I also prefer how my picking hand rests on a ST, but that’s personal preference.

 

[László]

I understand Les’s point of view. I used to be a trem guy, but now I’m in the other camp. Like Les, I use the wammy so infrequently, that I decided stop tail outweighs the benefits of a trem. A ST is less likely to go out of tune and by theory should have greater sustain. I also prefer how my picking hand rests on a ST, but that’s personal preference.

I think it's great to have both options, so I'm not really in one camp or the other.

There are times I need a trem, so for my work I can't be without one, and my fretting hand has some problems with nerve damage. It's pretty nice having the softer feel I perceive with the trem.

I don't personally find that the stop-tail models have greater sustain, but I'm not sure they should - after all, PRS' floating trems have a massive block of metal in the trem itself, and 6 attachment/contact points to the body. Seems there's plenty of mass and body contact to vibrate the guitar, though my Singlecut sustains with a lot of 'oomph', as one would expect.

The tone of each type has a different character. I think the 2 piece stop tail bridge in particular creates a very "woody" sound, for lack of a better description. I love that tone, but the trem tone is great, too, and I think the body cavity and springs with a trem guitar give them a nice vibe.

My current electric guitar lineup features 3 with trems (20th PS Anniversary model, PS CU24 30th, and Special Semi-Hollow), but the necks, bodies, and pickup configurations on these three are all quite different, so there's a nice variety of tones. However, I still love my stop-tail DC 594 Soapbar and McCarty Singlecut, so my stop-tail models aren't going anywhere.

Horses for courses.

 

[Aahzz]

I rarely use the trems on my guitars, but I like the way they sound, and having the trem is not only a nice option for those times I need it, I find there's a bit of "give" when bending notes with the floating trem that makes them very comfortable to play.

So my thinking is that unless you dislike trems for some reason, why not get one with a trem?

I understand Les’s point of view. I used to be a trem guy, but now I’m in the other camp. Like Les, I use the wammy so infrequently, that I decided stop tail outweighs the benefits of a trem. A ST is less likely to go out of tune and by theory should have greater sustain. I also prefer how my picking hand rests on a ST, but that’s personal preference.

I'm kind of in between the two of you. I agree with Les that I like the way Trems sound, and I agree with 11Top that I rarely use the trem. So, if the guitar I like happens to have a trem, I immediately deck it. Tuning stability of a stop tail, ability to drop pitch if I feel inclined, and I'm just fine with how my hand rests on it .