JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Any opinions? Might've found a good deal. Always wanted a PRS, can't afford an American one for the foreseeable future.
PRS SE Soapbar II Maple
- Thread starter JB_From_Hell
- Start date
Lewguitar
New member
Re: PRS SE Soapbar II Maple
I own three PRS SE’s and have played a bunch more.
My take is that every one, without exception, needed better pickups and a professional set-up. For me, this meant fret leveling, crowning and polishing and the nut slots deepened and cleaned up.
I replaced the pickups in all three of mine with Duncan’s but left the stock switch and pots in place.
All three are now killer, 100% professional instruments.
PRS is able to produce these guitars and sell them at a low price by cutting corners on the pickups and set up.
But they are potentially great guitars.
I bought my three SE Singlecuts used for $300 - 350 on Reverb.
I put another $150 into them for new pickups and did the rest of the work myself.
But if I didn’t have the skills to do the fret work and setup myself, I’d expect to pay a skilled luthier another $100 at least.
So $350 for the guitar and at least another $250 for new pickups and nut and fret work.
$600 total. Still a very reasonable price for a great playing professional guitar.
I own three PRS SE’s and have played a bunch more.
My take is that every one, without exception, needed better pickups and a professional set-up. For me, this meant fret leveling, crowning and polishing and the nut slots deepened and cleaned up.
I replaced the pickups in all three of mine with Duncan’s but left the stock switch and pots in place.
All three are now killer, 100% professional instruments.
PRS is able to produce these guitars and sell them at a low price by cutting corners on the pickups and set up.
But they are potentially great guitars.
I bought my three SE Singlecuts used for $300 - 350 on Reverb.
I put another $150 into them for new pickups and did the rest of the work myself.
But if I didn’t have the skills to do the fret work and setup myself, I’d expect to pay a skilled luthier another $100 at least.
So $350 for the guitar and at least another $250 for new pickups and nut and fret work.
$600 total. Still a very reasonable price for a great playing professional guitar.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: PRS SE Soapbar II Maple
P-90's are appealing, maybe you'll have better luck with the frets than Lew did. I'd go for it.
P-90's are appealing, maybe you'll have better luck with the frets than Lew did. I'd go for it.
Lewguitar
New member
Re: PRS SE Soapbar II Maple
The SE 245 with humbuckers is very similar, if not identical, to the discontinued Bernie Marsden SE model.
Never played the P90 version but the humbucker version is highly regarded.
I looked on Reverb and most used 245’s are going for over $500. But I did see a couple for around $400.
Take a look.
Here’s a nice one for $395. $75 shipping but maybe that could be negotiated. https://reverb.com/item/7518656-paul-reed-smith-se-245-2013
I bought all three of my SE’s used on Reverb and all three were very consistent in terms of build quality, weight, resonance and neck shape. And all three needed fret work, nut work and new pickups.
The SE 245 with humbuckers is very similar, if not identical, to the discontinued Bernie Marsden SE model.
Never played the P90 version but the humbucker version is highly regarded.
I looked on Reverb and most used 245’s are going for over $500. But I did see a couple for around $400.
Take a look.
Here’s a nice one for $395. $75 shipping but maybe that could be negotiated. https://reverb.com/item/7518656-paul-reed-smith-se-245-2013
I bought all three of my SE’s used on Reverb and all three were very consistent in terms of build quality, weight, resonance and neck shape. And all three needed fret work, nut work and new pickups.
Last edited:
Chris Pile
Well-known member
Re: PRS SE Soapbar II Maple
I have a Soapbar II, but without the maple top. It's light, plays great, and sounds good (but I still haven't put that set of hum-canceling Lindy Fralin soapbars in just yet).
I have a Soapbar II, but without the maple top. It's light, plays great, and sounds good (but I still haven't put that set of hum-canceling Lindy Fralin soapbars in just yet).
JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: PRS SE Soapbar II Maple
This one is $300, appears to be all stock. It’s local, which is always good.
This one is $300, appears to be all stock. It’s local, which is always good.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
Re: PRS SE Soapbar II Maple
I've had two PRS SE's.
One was a Singlecut Korina. It was OK-ish. It sounded really bright acoustically, and had OK sustain. The nut and the stock tuners were attrocious. The pickups were meh. The fretwork was ok. I'm sure with some work, as Lew mentioned, it could've been made to be a great guitar.
The other is a Nick Catanese signature. It's great. Sounds very rich and fat with some snap. The nut and the stock tuners were attrocious too, but I replaced them both. They really cut those corners with SE's, IMO. The fretwork is impeccable. It's been a great guitar since I bought it.
SE's can be made to be great, but in my experience, some take more work than others.
I've had two PRS SE's.
One was a Singlecut Korina. It was OK-ish. It sounded really bright acoustically, and had OK sustain. The nut and the stock tuners were attrocious. The pickups were meh. The fretwork was ok. I'm sure with some work, as Lew mentioned, it could've been made to be a great guitar.
The other is a Nick Catanese signature. It's great. Sounds very rich and fat with some snap. The nut and the stock tuners were attrocious too, but I replaced them both. They really cut those corners with SE's, IMO. The fretwork is impeccable. It's been a great guitar since I bought it.
SE's can be made to be great, but in my experience, some take more work than others.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: PRS SE Soapbar II Maple
I like the looks of the SE Santana (Double Cut LP design). Anyone here had one?
I like the looks of the SE Santana (Double Cut LP design). Anyone here had one?
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Re: PRS SE Soapbar II Maple
If you want a nice guitar, the 22 SE semi-hollow is kicking. I had one with a A4/A5 Phat Cat in the neck and a Parallel Axis Distortion in the bridge. I accidentally put the middle position out of phase but kept it. I got the idea to buy it from seeing this picture online:
Mine was painted a bit differently, but it had a similar vibe. I gave it to one of my missionary friends as a gift, but it was killer when I had it. It could do any range of genres.
If you want a nice guitar, the 22 SE semi-hollow is kicking. I had one with a A4/A5 Phat Cat in the neck and a Parallel Axis Distortion in the bridge. I accidentally put the middle position out of phase but kept it. I got the idea to buy it from seeing this picture online:
Mine was painted a bit differently, but it had a similar vibe. I gave it to one of my missionary friends as a gift, but it was killer when I had it. It could do any range of genres.
stratguy23
New member
Re: PRS SE Soapbar II Maple
I've had a bunch of pre-2017 SE Santanas in the LP doublecut style. They offer tremendous bang for the buck and are perhaps the most Gibson-like in the PRS SE line.
Body-wise they are mahogany with maple tops. The trem bridge and thinner-than-LP thickness put the oomph and feel somewhere between an SG and LP. The guitar feels much more durable than an SG.
Neck-wise, they have the nice old-school wide-fat profile with a 24.5" scale and 11.5" radius, contrasted with the 10" radius that most PRSi have. As typical with production guitars, the neck thickness varies but in my experience, tends to be somewhere between a 50s and 60s Gibson neck.
One thing I like about PRSi vs. Gibson is that the straighter string pull in the headstock yields greater tuning stability in the often-problematic D and G strings. This isn't universally true across the board, of course, just a "greater likelihood" from having owned dozens of PRSi and Gibsons combined.
The changes in 2017 (and presumably beyond) have me interested. They increased the SE Santana's fret count from 22 to 24, and moved all the controls down towards the jack, which tilts the vibe towards SG, further from LP.
And in 2017, PRS changed pickups across much of the SE line (presumably for the better), including the Santana. Generally I found the old SE 245 pickups to be very good in the neck (warm, juicy) and very mediocre in the bridge (harsh, nasal, sort of a lower-powered JB).
So 2017 and onwards SEs might be better pickups-wise than Lew described.
There are lots of used PRS SEs out there. One way to find value is to look for specimens that already have mods applied (intonatable bridge if there wasn't one before, locking tuners, better pots/pickups, etc.). Those increase the chances that someone has already done the nut/fretwork Lew mentions, so you don't have to pay for it.
I've had a bunch of pre-2017 SE Santanas in the LP doublecut style. They offer tremendous bang for the buck and are perhaps the most Gibson-like in the PRS SE line.
Body-wise they are mahogany with maple tops. The trem bridge and thinner-than-LP thickness put the oomph and feel somewhere between an SG and LP. The guitar feels much more durable than an SG.
Neck-wise, they have the nice old-school wide-fat profile with a 24.5" scale and 11.5" radius, contrasted with the 10" radius that most PRSi have. As typical with production guitars, the neck thickness varies but in my experience, tends to be somewhere between a 50s and 60s Gibson neck.
One thing I like about PRSi vs. Gibson is that the straighter string pull in the headstock yields greater tuning stability in the often-problematic D and G strings. This isn't universally true across the board, of course, just a "greater likelihood" from having owned dozens of PRSi and Gibsons combined.
The changes in 2017 (and presumably beyond) have me interested. They increased the SE Santana's fret count from 22 to 24, and moved all the controls down towards the jack, which tilts the vibe towards SG, further from LP.
And in 2017, PRS changed pickups across much of the SE line (presumably for the better), including the Santana. Generally I found the old SE 245 pickups to be very good in the neck (warm, juicy) and very mediocre in the bridge (harsh, nasal, sort of a lower-powered JB).
So 2017 and onwards SEs might be better pickups-wise than Lew described.
There are lots of used PRS SEs out there. One way to find value is to look for specimens that already have mods applied (intonatable bridge if there wasn't one before, locking tuners, better pots/pickups, etc.). Those increase the chances that someone has already done the nut/fretwork Lew mentions, so you don't have to pay for it.
Condemnedsoul
Active member
Re: PRS SE Soapbar II Maple
A couple of weeks ago, I was visiting a small privately owned store in search of a take along guitar that wouldn't break the bank. The owner had some 17 PRS SE's on close out. Tried several of them and really liked both the 22 and 24 fret customs. When I got around to trying a Santana SE, it really spoke to me.
Felt like it was intended for a SG player. For just over $200 and an Ibanez trade in, I couldn't pass this up.
As I have mostly SG's all have either SD's or DMZ's, I really wondered if this was going to a good plying guitar. This was a pleasure to play. First off the neck has the birds which add a bit of class More importantly, the neck does not seem to stick out like a SG neck and makes this an instant win.
The fret work was really nice and without binding, and the fret ends were smooth.
Got it a good set up with GHS 10 top Nickel Rockers and married the bridge saddles to the fret board. The guitar is just really comfortable to play.
The nut - I was told that the nut was a plastic nut with some graphite. Left it alone.
Jack plate - will be changed later
Frets - lower grade than the PRS S2 and main line guitars [ So I was told ]
Controls - One volume and one tone control. Location is comfortable. I've played Gibson my entire life and not having individual controls
seems like blasphemy and that feels a bit
weird, however, the pickups respond smoothly.
Neck Pickup - Warm and full with the tone turned down.
Bridge pickup - Don't care for this one with a wide open tone control, the bass doesn't jump out and swat me but it has a bit of upper treble
and, for me, it is much better with a bit of tone rolled. I'm playing with a CR60 Orange Crush with a V30 and an Express.
For a new three hundred dollar guitar these are excellent pickups, for a $700 guitar, I would be interested in sapping out the bridge.
Me and Santana [ and no, I really know very little about the man other than Black Magic Women and that his amp was the birth of Mesa Boogie ] really are still in our honeymoon phase and I have to give it a good chance before I do anything major to or I can wait until something stats to annoy me.
Sorry, no pictures. And some day, I should learn to write a real instrument review.
A couple of weeks ago, I was visiting a small privately owned store in search of a take along guitar that wouldn't break the bank. The owner had some 17 PRS SE's on close out. Tried several of them and really liked both the 22 and 24 fret customs. When I got around to trying a Santana SE, it really spoke to me.
Felt like it was intended for a SG player. For just over $200 and an Ibanez trade in, I couldn't pass this up.
As I have mostly SG's all have either SD's or DMZ's, I really wondered if this was going to a good plying guitar. This was a pleasure to play. First off the neck has the birds which add a bit of class More importantly, the neck does not seem to stick out like a SG neck and makes this an instant win.
The fret work was really nice and without binding, and the fret ends were smooth.
Got it a good set up with GHS 10 top Nickel Rockers and married the bridge saddles to the fret board. The guitar is just really comfortable to play.
The nut - I was told that the nut was a plastic nut with some graphite. Left it alone.
Jack plate - will be changed later
Frets - lower grade than the PRS S2 and main line guitars [ So I was told ]
Controls - One volume and one tone control. Location is comfortable. I've played Gibson my entire life and not having individual controls
seems like blasphemy and that feels a bit
weird, however, the pickups respond smoothly.
Neck Pickup - Warm and full with the tone turned down.
Bridge pickup - Don't care for this one with a wide open tone control, the bass doesn't jump out and swat me but it has a bit of upper treble
and, for me, it is much better with a bit of tone rolled. I'm playing with a CR60 Orange Crush with a V30 and an Express.
For a new three hundred dollar guitar these are excellent pickups, for a $700 guitar, I would be interested in sapping out the bridge.
Me and Santana [ and no, I really know very little about the man other than Black Magic Women and that his amp was the birth of Mesa Boogie ] really are still in our honeymoon phase and I have to give it a good chance before I do anything major to or I can wait until something stats to annoy me.
Sorry, no pictures. And some day, I should learn to write a real instrument review.
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