PRS' new S2 series

[InAbsentia_]

Can someone explain to me why someone would want to buy one of these as opposed to an SE considering:

a) Same grade body/top woods as the SE series
b) Patented SE series bridge
c) Patented S2 pickups
d) Tuners 'based on' patended Phase II tuners
e) Smaller body with veneer like finish

The only thing that seems to be different is that it's made in Maryland. Really? That's it? Why would you pay more than double the price for a guitar that is nearly the same as an SE?

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Because the guys in Mayland make kickass guitars?

 

[InAbsentia_]

Because the guys in Mayland make kickass guitars?

I know they do, but surely the raw materials would affect how kickass it is? I mean if you give them some plywood and nails they're not going to give you an Artist Pack are they? (Not saying the S2 is plywood, but yeah, they say on their own website they use the same grade wood as an SE).

 

[The Grief Hole]

Assurance of having one of the highest quality production guitars around.

 

[InAbsentia_]

Assurance of having one of the highest quality production guitars around.

With a standard PRS, I'd definitely agree with you. That's because you'd get a grade AAAA top with an exotic tonewood body, a bridge you wouldn't find on an SE, PRS pickups, etc.

This one seems to be more like 'let's take an SE, build it in maryland and sell it for more than double the price'

 

[bouVIP]

Have you played one yet?

I went to go try these out before, and honestly I think there are better guitars at the same price range as these. Compared to the SE Models though, there is better quality control and more consistency to the guitars.

You are paying for a cheaper version of a core PRS rather than paying for a more expensive SE model.

 

[InAbsentia_]

Have you played one yet?

I went to go try these out before, and honestly I think there are better guitars at the same price range as these. Compared to the SE Models though, there is better quality control and more consistency to the guitars.

You are paying for a cheaper version of a core PRS rather than paying for a more expensive SE model.

Exactly, that's the thing that's putting me off even considering this as an option. Even though I love what PRS stands for, this doesn't seem to be even close a PRS core at all, more like an SE with a cheap suit on.

I was just about to go down to my local PRS dealer and then thought better of it. It seems like a waste of money considering the amazing guitars I could purchase in the $2000/£1300 range.

I can't think of another manufacturer that has that level of class though. A j.custom Ibanez would be nice I suppose.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Is this how people felt when Gibson released the Studio line?

People complain because a USA PRS is almost $2500 - $3000. We finally get some that are half that price and people STILL want to complain. What were you expecting; a perfect 10-top Custom 24 artist package for the price of a Rondo Agile?

 

[MaxOfMetal]

a) Same grade body/top woods as the SE series

PRS has done a great job of keeping the timber quality on the SE line pretty high. Do they have super awesome tops? Nope, but there's not a single production guitar in the S2's price range that has a real, high quality top.

b) Patented SE series bridge

By all acounts the SE bridge is 90% as awesome as the real deal PRS USA model. I've worked on quite a few now and besides the block being a little smaller and the saddles seeming a little cheaper it was perfectly fine. It's a cheaper unit, but it's 100% functionally the same as the USA PRS bridge.

Then again, I prefer swapping the saddles on PRS guitars no matter what the origin.

c) Patented S2 pickups

By all accounts, as well as several videos now, the S2 pickups sound killer. PRS doesn't just make awesome guitars, they make awesome pickups. If anything it's a good thing they custom voiced the pickups for this line, as the construction is a different than the regular USA stuff. An HFS/VB pair doesn't mean anything if it doesn't sound right in the guitar.

d) Tuners 'based on' patended Phase II tuners

Not sure what the issue is here, they're making a simplified PII tuner. It's better than basing it off the winged models.

e) Smaller body with veneer like finish

Since when is a smaller body a bad thing? Then again, I think the term "thinner" is what you're looking for. Since these (Specifically the CU24 variant) don't have full carved tops, the bodies are a tiny bit thinner.

The point of these is to have a bridge between the sub-$1k import line and the $2k+ regular USA line. Folks who want the quality and attention to detail in fretwork, finish, and construction as the USA stuff but might not mind making a couple small tweaks and settling for a more pedestrian finish.

Price wise, these top out at $1400 (for the CU24, which is half of what a new standard line CU24 will run you) and can be had for as low as just under $1200, considering they're pretty much ready to rock out of the box, that's far from a bad deal. You can't even get MIJ ESPs for that much anymore, and Ibanez has been pricing thier MIJ stuff out of that range too. Gibson has some great options at that price, but I wouldn't say "better".

 

[InAbsentia_]

Is this how people felt when Gibson released the Studio line?

People complain because a USA PRS is almost $2500 - $3000. We finally get some that are half that price and people STILL want to complain. What were you expecting; a perfect 10-top Custom 24 artist package for the price of a Rondo Agile?

Not really. The core components of the guitar are the same as the SE. It's the woods that are the most disappointing. Their own website says the grade is similar in quality to the SE line. Also, in the UK a CU24 is for around £2,500/$4,000. You get an S2 for £1,200/$2,000. So I feel like I'm paying $2,000 for an SE if you get what I mean.

Other guitars are mostly priced in the same ballpark as in the US - such as Ibanez, Suhr etc. and those are pretty premium.

 

[InAbsentia_]

PRS has done a great job of keeping the timber quality on the SE line pretty high. Do they have super awesome tops? Nope, but there's not a single production guitar in the S2's price range that has a real, high quality top.



By all acounts the SE bridge is 90% as awesome as the real deal PRS USA model. I've worked on quite a few now and besides the block being a little smaller and the saddles seeming a little cheaper it was perfectly fine. It's a cheaper unit, but it's 100% functionally the same as the USA PRS bridge.

Then again, I prefer swapping the saddles on PRS guitars no matter what the origin.



By all accounts, as well as several videos now, the S2 pickups sound killer. PRS doesn't just make awesome guitars, they make awesome pickups. If anything it's a good thing they custom voiced the pickups for this line, as the construction is a different than the regular USA stuff. An HFS/VB pair doesn't mean anything if it doesn't sound right in the guitar.



Not sure what the issue is here, they're making a simplified PII tuner. It's better than basing it off the winged models.



Since when is a smaller body a bad thing? Then again, I think the term "thinner" is what you're looking for. Since these (Specifically the CU24 variant) don't have full carved tops, the bodies are a tiny bit thinner.

The point of these is to have a bridge between the sub-$1k import line and the $2k+ regular USA line. Folks who want the quality and attention to detail in fretwork, finish, and construction as the USA stuff but might not mind making a couple small tweaks and settling for a more pedestrian finish.

Price wise, these top out at $1400 (for the CU24, which is half of what a new standard line CU24 will run you) and can be had for as low as just under $1200, considering they're pretty much ready to rock out of the box, that's far from a bad deal. You can't even get MIJ ESPs for that much anymore, and Ibanez has been pricing thier MIJ stuff out of that range too. Gibson has some great options at that price, but I wouldn't say "better".

Thanks for this. Makes me consider having a look at one before making any judgments solely based on specs.

That said, are you saying this is one of the best guitars currently available in this price range?

 

[MaxOfMetal]

You have two options when making a cheaper guitar:

1) Use cheaper materials, but make sure the quality of build is very high.
2) Use the same materials, but reduce overall QA/QC.

They went with the first option, which is the way to go in my opinion. I'd take a very well made instrument with okay woods over something breathtakingly beautiful, that sucks to play. In a perfect world you'd have both, but that means paying more than $1400.

That said, are you saying this is one of the best guitars currently available in this price range?

In the USA, for the specs offered, yes.

I'm talking about new, production instruments in the sub-$1.5k range.

 

[jephjacques]

In my experience PRS are way more consistent in quality than even high-end Gibsons, too. If you find a particularly good LP Studio or SG Standard, go for it. But if I were buying online, sight unseen, I'd be much more comfortable spending my money on a PRS.