PRS S2 compare to the High End PRSs?

[Funkfingers]

Re: PRS S2 compare to the High End PRSs?

A bad case of history repeating.

Older readers will remember the first generation of PRS Classic Electric (CE) guitars - screwed-on necks, bodies fashioned from Alder.

"Oh. They play nicely but we wish that they had highly figured tops like the Custom?" A few years later, fancy maple caps on Alder. Later, again, fancy maple caps on Mahogany. Complaints that the prices were not too far behind those for the Custom.

 

[Ascension]

Re: PRS S2 compare to the High End PRSs?

For all the the rather downbeat assessments I've seen of the S2's, none have said anything about the wood or standard of manufacture. Everything seems to be directed at the electronics and their point of origin. I've not even seen a criticism of the bridge or tuners and they come from the same place. So for the sake of an extra $250, you can have a US made guitar, to PRS manufacturing standards, with SD pickups and whatever pots and switches, and the whole thing still doesn't cost what the cheapest full US spec PRS costs. Is it the same? No, because the design is a little different. Are you getting a bloody good, well made, great sounding guitar at a reasonable price? Well that's for you to judge, but if you still want a full spec US model, break out your credit card and stop complaining that the S2 isn't it.

Fair enough so here we go. These S2's are NOT up to what has been in the past USA PRS quality control standards. The very 1st S2 i picked up was at my local GC and had just come out of the box and been hung on the wall. It was a Black one and I had been waiting to get my hands on one so I pulled it down. First thing I find is that every piece of hardware on the guitar other than the bridge assembly is literately so loose it's about to fall off the thing so I have to take it over to the GC Tec and have him tighten up everything in particular the switch tuners and the pots before it was playable. That was not a great first impression of these guitars I will tell you that!!
Secondly while the intonation and set up was spot on ( which in itself I found strange as how can you take the time to do a good set up and intonation but miss all the loose hardware??) the guitar just had no life, unplugged it felt just dead and "plastic" unlike the feel of the "real" USA's I had played. It was about on the level of a SE but no better in tone and playability and far below what I expect out of a "real" USA built PRS.
The sold color look on the S2 was ok but the figured tops to me look REALLY cheap. The SE's simply look better in a solid color and MUCH better with a figured top!
The SE trem units they use on the S2's seem to work ok but with the tiny block and pot metal bassplate do NOT have the tone and sustain of a "real" PRS trem.
The birds are cheap plain white plastic and overall IMO the S2 Custom 24's feel "plastic", sound lifeless and look cheaper than a SE.
The import SE IMO is a better deal or better yet you can find a used "real" USA PRS for about the same $ or build a real USA Carvin CT. Any one of the three options to me makes more sense than buying a S2 in the Custom 24.

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: PRS S2 compare to the High End PRSs?

The import SE IMO is a better deal or better yet you can find a used "real" USA PRS for about the same $ or build a real USA Carvin CT.

Funny you say that. Every time I pick up a Carvin I think the same things you said about the S2.

 

[aleclee]

Re: PRS S2 compare to the High End PRSs?

Older readers will remember the first generation of PRS Classic Electric (CE) guitars - screwed-on necks, bodies fashioned from Alder.

I remember them well. I've owned three, still have two. A nice used CE can be had for less than the price of an S2. Great value, especially if you're looking for something that really splits the difference between a Strat and LP. They're particularly good for high gain stuff as the maple neck offers a bit more clarity IMO.

 

[Ascension]

Re: PRS S2 compare to the High End PRSs?

Funny you say that. Every time I pick up a Carvin I think the same things you said about the S2.

A PRS S2 is not on the same planet in materials and construction as the Carvin Ct is. No scarf jointed neck plastic inlays and pot metal bridges on the Carvin like the S2 has. I own both Carvins and real US PRS's and know the 2 brands well. S2 is no better instrument than the import SE is and PRS screwed up royally by not giving us a real US working players PRS at a sane price instead of that line.
Solid mahogany or swamp ash bodies, dot inlay, poly finish and in basic transparent and solid colors and with the same hardware, electronics and basic construction as the higher end guitars USA's would have sold like crazy at a $1500 street price.
Instead they take all the hardware and electronics from the SE add an import set of locking tuners ( that should be on the SE BTW!!!) give it a cheeped out USA built body and call it a working players real USA PRS. It's just not it's just a Student Edition guitar with a US built body and neck.

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: PRS S2 compare to the High End PRSs?

A PRS S2 is not on the same planet in materials and construction as the Carvin Ct is.

Not in your opinion. All I'm saying is that every time I picked up a Carvin, my experience is pretty much the same as the one you had with the S2 series.

 

[tubecrunch]

Re: PRS S2 compare to the High End PRSs?

Went to a PRS clinic with brent mason. Brent managed to sound pretty good on the s2's.

 

[Jeff5]

Re: PRS S2 compare to the High End PRSs?

Went to a PRS clinic with brent mason. Brent managed to sound pretty good on the s2's.

I imagine Brent Mason would sound good on a $99 Squire Bullet =).

 

[Ascension]

Re: PRS S2 compare to the High End PRSs?

Not in your opinion. All I'm saying is that every time I picked up a Carvin, my experience is pretty much the same as the one you had with the S2 series.

Hear the same thing regularly about the USA PRS also as some think the are "soulless" and sterile sounding. Wonder if it has more to do with the 25 inch scale? In my case I walked in looking maybe to take a S2 home but head to head with a real US 07 Custom 24 I own the S2 came up short and I left disappointed. This was not just with one S2 but several different S2's that I have tried.
I played Carvins almost exclusively for years and found them anything but soulless + they were the most stable and reliable guitars night after night on the road of any I ever owned. Still own a couple.
My thing with the S2 is that it was promoted as a working mans real USA PRS and as some thing like Gibsons Studio line in a stripped down no frills version of the regular USA line. It's not it's just a SE with a slightly different body and neck. Would be the same as Gibson taking the Epiphone Les Paul hardware and pickups and dropping them in a sub par material and construction US built body and calling that a US Les Paul.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: PRS S2 compare to the High End PRSs?

Fair enough so here we go. These S2's are NOT up to what has been in the past USA PRS quality control standards. The very 1st S2 i picked up was at my local GC and had just come out of the box and been hung on the wall. It was a Black one and I had been waiting to get my hands on one so I pulled it down. First thing I find is that every piece of hardware on the guitar other than the bridge assembly is literately so loose it's about to fall off the thing so I have to take it over to the GC Tec and have him tighten up everything in particular the switch tuners and the pots before it was playable. That was not a great first impression of these guitars I will tell you that!!
Secondly while the intonation and set up was spot on ( which in itself I found strange as how can you take the time to do a good set up and intonation but miss all the loose hardware??) the guitar just had no life, unplugged it felt just dead and "plastic" unlike the feel of the "real" USA's I had played. It was about on the level of a SE but no better in tone and playability and far below what I expect out of a "real" USA built PRS.
The sold color look on the S2 was ok but the figured tops to me look REALLY cheap. The SE's simply look better in a solid color and MUCH better with a figured top!
The SE trem units they use on the S2's seem to work ok but with the tiny block and pot metal bassplate do NOT have the tone and sustain of a "real" PRS trem.
The birds are cheap plain white plastic and overall IMO the S2 Custom 24's feel "plastic", sound lifeless and look cheaper than a SE.
The import SE IMO is a better deal or better yet you can find a used "real" USA PRS for about the same $ or build a real USA Carvin CT. Any one of the three options to me makes more sense than buying a S2 in the Custom 24.

Guess we've just had a different experience with them. In many ways, they suit me, as much as anything due to the weight. The more I play, the more I realise that I prefer a lighter guitar, and as often as not, one with a slightly thinner body, which pretty much describes the S2 vs the full spec models. So far, I've found that I get on better with my SE's than I do with my US PRS's - each to their own I guess.

This video popped up this morning. Interesting comment by Paul at 9:20 saying that the S2's are built in the same factory right next to the other MIA models.

 

[Wattage]

Re: PRS S2 compare to the High End PRSs?

I didn't notice any build quality issues with them I just didn't really care for them but that goes for a lot of guitars.