PRS Brought back the CE24

[Miek]

I'm not saying I don't see the market for these, I guess I'm just saying it's not for me...or anyone that is willing to buy used gear. I'm sure they'll be good guitars at least.

 

[A-Branger]

I wonder how long til full carves are coming out of a far East OEM.......

that would make me and a LOT of other people really happy

not everyone has 3-5k$ to blow up on one guitar

 

[A-Branger]

I recon there are two different sides of what these could have been.

one being a "cheap" CU24, and the other being a CU24 with a bolt-on neck option. (Its the sound difference THAT much in order to this be a "feature" ??)

for me I was looking forward to the first. I love PRS the looks, the full carve shape, and the amazing stains. BUt I do not have 3-5K$ for just one guitar. Yes, I know theres the S2 line, but for me the S2 its a different animal/shape/model, rather than an "affordable" PRS. The beauty of a PRS for me is the full carve of the top. The S2 its a flat top with a bevel, and most of the models come with the pickguard, even the SE its way more appealing to me than the S2 line. Plus the colors/tops are nothing close to the CU line either.

So for me I was looking forward a CU24 look in a S2 price range and both models have they differences in shape enough to appeal difference people. But they resulted to be a "in between" model of the S2 and the CU, leaning more towards the CU, till the point that it makes more sense to buy a second hand CU, unless you are really into a bolt-on neck for some reason

So I would stick with my hopes of a cool SE, or a custom build kit guitar copy thing.

I know most of you wanted a CU with a bolt-on neck and most of you have lots of money to buy these regulary, but I think PRS is still trying to please you guys as much as they can, but they also are trying to please to the other side of a big audience by making these bit more affordable. Hey, at least these are still made in the USA, I bet you if they had these made in a indonesian country but with the "real" bridges, most of you would be crying saying "hell no" to these

pRS needed a way to make these more affordable so they wont clash with the CU line. A tinner top/carve is one way. The only other way was to grab the cheap hardware. I think it was a good move. As they still retain the core sound by keeping their good pups. Not many ppl tend to to make the changong pups a regular thing. The neck construcktion for the way PRS does their set necks vs bolt ons its very similar. So the necks are pretty much build equal, same as the boddies. If not their bolt ons should be more expensive as it requires the bolts, metal sleeves in the neck and the metal plaque in the body, plus the couple of steps extra in the cnc for routing the body holes, instead of just glue. So the only way they could cut cost was by the hardware

and I think I said it before, but the natural headstock looks soo out of place with most of those colors imo

 

[Unleash The Fury]

I want me a CE with a maple fingerboard with black abalone birds or just not mother of pearl colored birds

 

[kuma]

The problem I think a lot of us are having is that a CE model was, for over a decade, a Custom with a bolt-on maple neck. The bolt on neck and lack of options (no birds, no top upgrades, no neck shape choice, satin black then natural headstock) were what kept the cost down. So telling us the CE is back, and then giving us a guitar with so many cut corners doesn't sit well with some of the older fans of the brand. I think it might have been a bit better received if it had a different name, as shallow as that may be.

Personally, I'd have preferred a return of the Standard (no maple top) with a full carve in some cool colors, or even satin finishes.

The import hardware on a "core" model really is penny-pinching at its finest though. Imagine the uproar if Ibanez tried putting an Edge III on a Prestige.

 

[wannabguitarist]

Two general questions:

1. Is the trem really Korean, or just a cheaper version of the regular US unit?

2. Why is everyone upset about the carve? If the carve is the same as the CU then wouldn't the CE just be a CU with a bolt-on neck? If they're the same model outside of neck construction how could you expect the CE to be cheaper?

I know the old CEs were pretty much CUs with bolt on necks but PRS got rid of those because they were eating into CU sales. I don't see why they'd release it again under those circumstances

 

[LTigh]

Two general questions:

1. Is the trem really Korean, or just a cheaper version of the regular US unit?

2. Why is everyone upset about the carve? If the carve is the same as the CU then wouldn't the CE just be a CU with a bolt-on neck? If they're the same model outside of neck construction how could you expect the CE to be cheaper?

I know the old CEs were pretty much CUs with bolt on necks but PRS got rid of those because they were eating into CU sales. I don't see why they'd release it again under those circumstances

The trem is Korean, or rather, the same trem on the Korean SE models and American S2 models.

As to the carve, it looks reminiscent of the carve on the SE series-- which in the minds of some people would be a "downgrade" from the S2 models for a guitar what costs more than said S2 models.

I think these days, people are willing to pay CU prices for a CE with the original specs if they were reissued as such, but this seems to be some sort of in-between abomination clone thing to folks hoping for an exact reissue.

We'll see how it goes. The original SE series were pretty bleah for the first couple of years before they started adjusting it. I remember being severely unimpressed with them when they first came out, yet years later my 2013 CU24 SE was my favorite guitar thanks to the improvements in features and quality.

Hopefully PRS will modify as needed due to customer feedback, but you never know.

 

[budda]

The original CE's were Alder guys, it was not a Custom 24 with a bolt-on neck .

and re: complaints about them expanding to the import market: that's called smart business. They know damn well that not everyone has a few grand to drop on a brand new guitar, they also know the used market exists, so why not try and recoup some of their money by offering an offshore line? It's not like SE's suck, and SE's are definitely not schecters (they are spec'd way too similar to the core line for that).

You can't please everyone. I'd just be happy they're re-releasing something that a lot of people really dig. I didn't see the "McCarty" thread

 

[A-Branger]

As to the carve, it looks reminiscent of the carve on the SE series-- which in the minds of some people would be a "downgrade" from the S2 models for a guitar what costs more than said S2 models.

I dont see how this is a "downgrade" from a S2??.. the S2 is a "Flat Top" with a bevel, at least the CE has a full 3D carve.

the SE is more of a arch body (like one continuous arch), the CE seems to be more of a 3D shape carve like the CU but in a thinner top, but I do see why someone could compare those two although they are quite different.

IMO the worst top is the S2, and I would consider those the "cheap" option

 

[LTigh]

I dont see how this is a "downgrade" from a S2??.. the S2 is a "Flat Top" with a bevel, at least the CE has a full 3D carve.

the SE is more of a arch body (like one continuous arch), the CE seems to be more of a 3D shape carve like the CU but in a thinner top, but I do see why someone could compare those two although they are quite different.

IMO the worst top is the S2, and I would consider those the "cheap" option

I don't see how it's a downgrade either (then again, I like the SEs more than the S2s), but some other people (on the PRS forums) seem to think so.

For these people, Core > S2 > SE

Therefore, anything with characteristics of an SE automatically makes it less than an S2 by that ridiculous "logic." Then again, you have people there arguing that the SEs aren't "real PRS guitars" because dirty foreign manufacture or some such jingoistic silliness (also quite silly, considering most of the ones arguing such are Europeans).

Perception is everything.

Even if, in this case, it's completely borked.

 

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

Wow, really surprised to see these making a return. Kinda bummed to see the heels are still big as hell. The heel on my SE isn't nearly as large as the ones I've seen so far but I'm partial to the smaller nineties heels. The bird inlays are ok, but I'd like to see some of the older moon inlays making a comeback as well.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Then again, you have people there arguing that the SEs aren't "real PRS guitars" because dirty foreign manufacture or some such jingoistic silliness (also quite silly, considering most of the ones arguing such are Europeans).

I think you're taking it the wrong way.

I don't care where, geographically, the SE models are made, as long as the conditions of labor are at least fair. In the case of South Korea, and WMI specifically, that's pretty much the case. You're not really going to find better, and I'll go ahead and say, at this point in time, South Korean OEMs are just about on par with similar North American and European factories on a similar scale.

What I do care about is the quality of materials used and the level of QA/QC rendered.

In many folk's opinion part of what makes a PRS a "PRS" in our minds is the level of quality on offer in conjunction with the signature specifications.

If you want to be overly literal, and say "everything that says "PRS" on the headstock is a PRS", you sure wouldn't be wrong, but that's not exactly what I, and others, are getting at.

On their own, I'm sure these "New CE" models are fine instruments, PRS knows what it's doing when it comes to building guitars. But they're not the "Old CE" that first introduced a lot of us to PRS guitar before we could afford the fancier Standard and Custom models. I still have my first CE and love it to pieces, and it's a shame that PRS is so worried about losing $4k+ AP buyers to these to do them justice.

 

[myampslouder]

I ended up canceling my ce24 pre order. Good friend of mine just became a prs dealer. Having him order me a custom 24.

I still think the new CE24s look like. They are at a fair price point and that people are worrying too much about little stuff. The trem on the CE he been in use for quite a while on the SE models and is considered to be pretty much as good as the Mann made bridge on the higher end models just not finished as nicely. Any tuning issues on the SE can usually be traced to the lack of locking tuners.

 

[MattThePenguin]

The trem on the CE he been in use for quite a while on the SE models and is considered to be pretty much as good as the Mann made bridge on the higher end models just not finished as nicely.

 

[mbardu]

Well the PRS SE trem is pretty damn good actually.

But yeah, it's not a Mann. Even the contemporary PRS are not quite there, let alone the PRS SE one.

Besides, tuning issues on an SE are usually neither the bridge nor the tuners (unless there's an absurd number of string turns around the tuner). More often than not it's the nut.

An SE with a good nut, stock bridge, and (really mostly if you like convenience) upgraded tuners will be 85-95% of the way there. So the CE WILL be there too.

But while that may be a great deal at 500-800$ for an upgraded SE, for 2k on a CE that really looks like a low cost-saving measure, and almost a 'disgrace' to a very 'classic' (pun intended) PRS.

 

[bigswifty]

I was really excited for the reintroduction of the CE line but I agree with the points in this thread about PRS cutting corners..

It's too pricey.

I'm hoping this will force some avid PRS buyers to put up a few older CE's at great prices so I can scoop one

 

[MattThePenguin]

Well the PRS SE trem is pretty damn good actually.

But yeah, it's not a Mann. Even the contemporary PRS are not quite there, let alone the PRS SE one.

Besides, tuning issues on an SE are usually neither the bridge nor the tuners (unless there's an absurd number of string turns around the tuner). More often than not it's the nut.

An SE with a good nut, stock bridge, and (really mostly if you like convenience) upgraded tuners will be 85-95% of the way there. So the CE WILL be there too.

But while that may be a great deal at 500-800$ for an upgraded SE, for 2k on a CE that really looks like a low cost-saving measure, and almost a 'disgrace' to a very 'classic' (pun intended) PRS.

The SE bridge is second to none for a $700 guitar. It sounds good and it stays in tune very well. I used the SE bridge for a long time before upgrading to the Mann bridge, and it made a massive difference in tone and feel. The guitar resonates more, has greater sustain, and a killer attack. It made enough of a difference to justify the price.

I'm pretty picky about sound though, some people might not understand or care about the difference. It's sort of like those people that say "I would never spend 3k on a guitar when my Ibanez GS121 sounds and plays great"..... gives me a rash.


P.S. I'm not salty or anything I can't afford the CE line anyway.. which actually makes me more upset about the bridge malarky.

 

[Unleash The Fury]

if you can wait, wait for these new CE models to go on the used market. Does anyone know are these actually out on the market yet new?

 

[Cheap]

^^ i've seen a few posts already about people getting the first batch of new CE's. nothing on here yet though.

seeing such an uproar about these being inferior to the original CE's and having the SE/S2 hardware makes me laugh. guys, the guitars stay in tune just fine. for years, major players have lived with tuning instability and somehow they were still able to make music and enjoy the instruments.

i've seen too many people throw fits for things not being made in the usa without spending real time acclimating to an instrument. yeah there can be problems and QC issues, but are you really letting korean hardware get in the way of a potentially awesome guitar?

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

for years, major players have lived with tuning instability and somehow they were still able to make music and enjoy the instruments.

I hate this cop out. They dealt with it, they weren't ....ing overjoyed to have out-of-tune instruments. So, if we have the option to have perfectly tuned instruments, why go for something that goes out of tune? Just because pros did as well?

i've seen too many people throw fits for things not being made in the usa without spending real time acclimating to an instrument. yeah there can be problems and QC issues, but are you really letting korean hardware get in the way of a potentially awesome guitar?

Because there was already a CE series made back in the day that has legit US-made hardware and almost to the exact specs of a Core series, and can be had for almost $900 - 1000 cheaper than the new CE on the used market?