Another one joins the family

[RJB]

Just picked this up yesterday. PRS SE (Student Edition) Soapbar II Maple.

Started saving for it at the end of August, I'm about 1/2 way there. But read online over the weekend that it was being discontinued. So Saturday I get in the mail that the national music superstore is having a 20% off sail next Friday (day after thanksgiving). hmm discontinued..., big sale? Nah! just don't have the cash right now.

After mentioning to my wife she calls the store on Sunday about layaway plans. They mention 0% credit card special for 14 months. She works out that Monday (4 days before sale) we go down. Try out the 2 they have in stock, apply for credit, get the 20% off, and take it home! Merry Christmas to me!

I know you'll say that one shouldn't buy luxuries on credit, and I'll agree. But the 1/2 way savings has just been in quarters ($0.25) acquired from delivering pizza part time. So I can easily pay this off by Feb/Mar, which is when I was planning on buying it anyway.

Anyway the review:
Really good value for the money. It's lighter and smaller bodied than the Tele I usually play. Wider/fatter neck than my Gibson LP Studio (about 1mm/0.025"). With the installed 9's on the 25" scale I can bend a full whole step and then some on the 2nd fret of the G string. The other model in the store had prettier figuring in the maple veneer, but had a small amount of fret sprout, while this one is smooth.

It has a nice focused crunch that the LP doesn't have, (LP gets a bit muddy) but doesn't clean up as nice as the Tele. It seems to lack a bit of "fullness", but can be almost a ice picky as the Tele, especially in the middle position. I'd guess the lighter body is to blame for the fullness. I might try 10's in the future, the extra mass may help. There are a couple of minor finish flaws near the neck joint, that were not apparent on it's sibling. I bought this one because it felt and sounded better. Is IS one of the most comfortable guitars I've played. Hand fatigue is minimal. It was set up near perfect, and the wraparound bridge feels great under your hand. Not a sharp edge on it, and it's INTONATION is spot on on with a non adjustable bridge! It's manufactured in Korea, and inspected in the US.

Not much as far as upgrades possible. Possibly better tuners, maybe a bone nut. I'm not sure if a pickup swap would change much. Overall a good value for a moderately priced guitar. Would not hesitate to buy one online/mailorder.

Ron

[mlrpa]

Nice player, I agree. But I hated the Pickups! Made more noise that a mexi strats!

[ChrisK]

I think that these are a great value for a moderately priced guitar. I have bought a few SE's and modified them for folk since, at the $400 price, one can't buy a body and neck for less and these have set necks.

I view the SE's as reasonably-priced industrial-strength SG's.

Not much as far as upgrades possible. Possibly better tuners, maybe a bone nut.

Yep. I'm adding a wider nut to mine since the neck measures 1 3/4" there. I like the fatter neck as well.

I'm not sure if a pickup swap would change much.

I've heard folk complain about the pickups. I'd only extensively tried mine with the EPI 5 Watt single-ended class A amp and it is pretty nice sounding. It wasn't too bad thru the Mark IV either.

I kinda liked the both pickups together.


However, I have a pickup addition planned:

Move the bridge pickup into the new middle rout.

Add a DiMarzio Virtual P-90 or DLX-Plus (mid-scooped Steve's Special in P-90 form) into the bridge.


I posted a fall-out (it "fell out" of the theme whilst I was working on something else) wiring scheme for adding a third pickup into a two pickup guitar with a master volume and master tone.

Add Pickup and Modes to HH Three-way

It will probably get a third push pull pot for futzing with the bridge coils.
My/Some Blend a Pot Modules

[ux4484]

I like PRS guitars, I've had a couple scratch and dent ones in my hands at GC for the right price, but I just couldn't make the plunge. I'm just too darn cheap.

[RJB]

ChrisK
That's a great look. A Soapbar III&1/2?
You said you had it planned? So is that picture a photoshop?

I did change the original strings off and it brought out a bit more fullness out. After some quality time with it I'm thinking it needs a treble bleed cap. Played clean it can seem a bit "boomy". Would be nice to turn down just a bit and not lose so much of the highs as well.

The nut (delrin i think) is really tall with deep slots, so I may have to file it down at some point. But for the moment I'm trying to concentrate more on playing than modding

[ChrisK]

So is that picture a photoshop?

Nah, just pastes in "paint".