PRS SE Standard 24 Thoughts?

[Charvel1975]

Hey guys I've been reading up on the PRS SE Standard 24 and I'm thinking of getting one as I play in a 70's/80's classic rock/hard rock/hair metal cover band. My main guitar for the shows and rehearsals is the Epiphone LP Custom you see in my Sig and I bring my custom Wolfgang copy for backup and I've been using my other guitarist's Ibanez ART Series, set neck, 22 frets, stock everything for when I use the Capo for Run To You by Bryan Adams.

Are there any current or past PRS SE Standard 24 owners out there that can comment on these? The ones I'm looking at are the newer ones with the bird inlays and I'm on the verge of buying one online, I've seen a couple Blemished ones for a good price. There's one on Musicians Friend for $399 - I like the 22 fret versions too but don't like the fact that they lack the Coil Tap. My main amp I'm using for shows is my Mesa Tremoverb with my Marshall 1960 4x12 cab and a TC Electronic Corona Chorus and a Modtone Clean Boost (For Solos) through the effects loop of my Mesa. Thanks!!

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: PRS SE Standard 24 Thoughts?

I've been a PRS fan since the first production models shipped to stores, and have owned 6.

I'm positive that the young Gibson President, Ted McCarty, changed Paul's thinking for the better. He was no dummy when it came to guitar construction.

For that reason, it's best to stick to the PRS/Ted designs like the McCarty and Singlecut....22 fret, stop tail, thicker body, wide fat, vintage tuners.

Unfortunately, the Custom 24 was purely Smith's creation. I had a couple killer ones, but moved onto the McCarty, because it's simply better.

Before buying an SE, search for a used US model. You'll pay more, but in the long run, you'll be glad you did. SE's look the part, but a US PRS with Duncans is superior to just about any electric guitar. Don't listen to those who tell you otherwise.

The McCarty is one of the best guitars ever made, and with your preferred Duncans, it's close to unbeatable in tone and playability.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: PRS SE Standard 24 Thoughts?

The SEs offer really good bang for the buck. I have an Anniversary 24, mine has an ebony board with the offset birds. Plays great. Feels great. And the Korean build quality is pretty good. The coil split is effective and usable. For a couple hundred dollars I consider these an excellent deal, though you will almost certainly want to get better pickups for it.

That said, it doesn't compare with my other PRSs which include a McCarty with 57/08s and an original '87 that's been my #1 for nearly thirty years now.

As with any guitar the individual pieces of wood are highly variable in terms of both tone and feel, so every one is different. I strongly recommend playing a few of them (or a bunch of them) to find one with a character that suits you.