I honestly don't get the hate against the bird inlays. I love them. I'm not bird fanatic or anything. I just think they look cool. Also it is a tribute to Paul's mother so they do have a significance to the brand.
I agree. Every other guitar has dots or blocks which are boring when everyone has it with a few having triangles or a simple design but almost all just dots and I like the added touch of birds because it makes the guitar brand unique in its own right.
The SE line has some of the finest import guitars with a little more attention to detail than anything else I've tried. The S2 line is made in the U.S. ....but it has the exact same import parts that the SE line has....not counting the woods. The "bird inlays" aren't that over the top in my opinion. No more so than the larger block or trapezoid style inlays that come on some of the "fancier guitars. I have one the SE Paul's guitars from the SE line. Rolled finger board edges. Exquisitely rounded and polished fret ends. The U.S. made wrap-around bridge and posts. The same little toggle switches for the coil taps. They are just in a different place and honestly easier to switch than grabbing and pulling up on a round control knob. It is just different, and really easier to use.
The reason for the switches vs more knobs is 1. You can split either of the two pickups vs all or nothing. 2 how often do you use the tremelo bar and switch from humbucker to single coil at the same time? Two fantastic reasons. there are other PRS's that have the feature you like. I have both types and I use the 24-08 the most.
Great demo! Agreed, I prefer my Korean SE crescent moon inlays over the birds. Did you know the bird inlays are a permanent memorial to Paul's Mother who was a bird watcher? There's a whole page about it at the PRS website. I didn't care for my 2008 Korean SE pickups but these new "TCI-S" ones sound pretty good, even tapped, provided your fingers are small enough to manage the switching. But PRS SE prices in Canada are ridiculous, no student can afford the base level "Student Edition" anymore, let alone the premium 24-08. I even bought a new US made Gibson for less than an SE.
Great review John. Wonderful to hear my guitar played properly. We disagree about the birds but no matter. On the price I was able to get a £100 discount, It is the most expensive guitar I have bought but I am waiting for PRS to produce a Kanami Tono signature Custom 24.
Agree with your views on price. I've just bought a 24 8 standard form PMT just over £500 so I wouldn't pay the extra. Nice guitar no quite into the sound of the pickup's yet as I'm a strat/telly fan but I'm getting there. The inlays, well don't know what to think but I don't notice when I'm playing so what the heck. Great video's always nice to watch, honest no bones reviews. Only thing for me is that I'm a novice and I listen with envy at your playing. Keep it up.
Great review and demo John. Like you I don’t like the mini switches but with me it is the appearance that grates. They look a bit too “home electronics” for an otherwise classy guitar. But it sounds terrific and although £899 is a lot if you can get most of the sound at less than half of the price of an equivalent core model maybe it’s not so bad.
I Love my PRS SE Custom 24 which has a push/pull on the tone pot and a three way blade switch. It was made in Korea and I paid (new) around $750.00 US for it. Great review!!
I would agree with you on the price. I got one of the Korean Soapbar PRS SEs for £250 second hand and its a brilliant guitar. I’ve now given it to my son for his music lessons because its so reliable and well set up. £900 for an SE is far too much.
Bought myself a PRS SE Paul's guitar (basically this one with hardtail a chunkier neck) for equivalent of 700£ and honestly never looked back. It is all the guitar I should ever need... Well, except for a semi-hollow 🙂
Nice job on the demo. I was wondering if you had a chance to try out the trem system! I was curious if it snaps back to pitch when used or if you can do a Drop D without throwing the strings out of tune?
Hi, first time visitor - thanks for the review! I bought this same guitar just a couple of months ago here in HK for HKD 6K, which = approx UKP 600. The PRS room was stacked full of US & Indonesian models but I just wanted this one for the 'split coil' convenience. I had been looking at the Duesenberg Falken, which is quite an eyeful and in their words a 'truer' approach - i.e. 2 x 2 single coils rather than a 'split humbucker' approach, but after spending an hour with the PRS it really did cover my Fender & Gibson needs (at almost a 1/4 of the price). I do own a 1968 LP and a lovely Roland / Fender Strat, FWIW, and this covers simple one guitar live needs. No problem with the birdies or the mini switches. Didn't come here to be contrarian - appreciate the review and have subscribed to follow this channel but thought I would throw my 2 bobs worth in. Thanks again!
Today is May 27, 2024, in Canada this exact PRS Guitar costs $1279 plus 5% taxes here in Alberta, Canada. Your Gibson Les Paul Tribute costs $1749 plus 5% taxes, your Gibson Les Paul Is just the Entry Level Les Paul, the Baby of the bunch, Anyways, they have this exact guitar used in mint condition on sale for $850 plus 5% taxes, less than 1/2 the price of your Gibson tribute Les Paul, so I just might buy this guitar, we will see??? Anyways good video, and don't let those birds drive you crazy, Ha ha ha!
Wow, great demo again. Sounds like Mark Knopfler in his younger days. I like the PRS style of guitars, however, dont understand the neck heel bump, it is not necessary.
Your observations were all fair and reasonable and some individual/personal. I don't think you'll offend anyone (too badly). On the price obstacle there are savvy cost saving options if theres flexibility on exact specs. The 08 regular price is £899 UK it seems but it's not hard to find at sub £850, and that's before unbritish haggling and pre Xmas sale deals. There's an 08 premium simply because they can - its a new 2021 model. Canny buyers could tiptoe through the lineup and save a chunk on the non 08 model currently as low as £700, the Paul's SE £700 (same 08 switching, hardtail, different neck), or if the 08 toggles don't appeal the SE Standard 24 (plainer jane workhorse finish) can often be found sub £500. Once or twice seen at £350 on stock clearance deals. It isn't really necessary to spend £900.
$900 is a barrowful of money? Literally same price at Fender Player with MUCH better quality, way more features, and $300 less than Gibson... This is insane value for $900
Hi John, I've just ordered a harley benton cst 24t (tremolo) as I'd seen some good reviews and I wanted a guitar with a good trem. I really just wanted to try the cheaper option before spending more money on something like the prs (good trem?). What guitars would you recommend with a good trem for around £500? I have a 2015 Mexican standard strat that I don't want to upgrade as I'd prefer to have the extra guitar really 😅
I must admit that I agree with you about the birds, and the price. A couple of years ago I bought a second hand SE Tremonti first generation in mint condition for £180 - a steal at that price and a lovely guitar (and no birds) but I wouldn't want to pay big money for it. I seem to recall offering it to you to demo but I'm old so I might have forgotten 🙂
Heck John, I like the bird inlays excepting that the bird should fly away from the pickups instead of looking like it is crashing into it. Like a musical note flowing away from the guitar. Mind you, PRS has never grabbed my attention for their looks. Loved that Reaper vid. Great insight into how you work.
Interesting what you say about the price. Many other people say that with PRS you get way more quality than modern Fenders or Gibson for the same price. I also don't get why people are so obsessed with guitars that are built in the USA. Why should USA guitars be better? Isn't that also mainly a marketing/image thing?
i am very late to the prs party but have pre-ordered the standard version of this (the se standard 24-08 in tobacco sunburst) it will be my first prs both to own and play. i saw it on special offer from peach guitars for £499 so was a no brainer to me. am very much looking forward to getting/playing it as i have always like prs (just the lack of funds-never see a prs in any guitar store i go to).
I just bought a S2 24 standard satin finish in McCarty burst. It' s a fantastic guitar but you see....what makes me sad, it's that I don't have the birds inlays....i love them... should add that I'm a fender lover. I own a strat Am pro II and a telecaster Am std 2012. It's my first try with PRS, but I'm quite impressed with the overall instrument.
You aren't alone on the bird inlay thing at all John, there's atleast two of us, surely many more. For what I get out of my Harley Benton CST-24, I don't feel the need to pay 700 more euros just to make it a PRS, lovely as it must be judging by what the knockoff Harley gives me. I reckon you know exactly what I mean 😁 Oh and, nice Knopffler impression you did on that piece there 👍
Not sure if anyone else covered this... but the problem they solved is flexibility of splitting coils for the neck pickup while not splitting the coils in the back pickups... can't do that with the push pull version. I don't own a PRS but I have been looking into the SE models and trying to figure out which one I would buy if I were to go down this route.
You CAN do it with push/pull pots. You simply require two of them. Both volume and tone pots can be used to switch each pickup between single coil and humbucker mode. I had a Gordon Smith in the 90s which was like this. Much easier than those tiny PRS switches.
Nice review John. Not sure I'd spend the money on the S2 though, while I am somewhat of a traditionalist when it comes to looks but that thing looks like it would be at home over my grandad's mantlepiece 😂
A refreshing change....an honest review. Thank you. I'd be interested as to why you think an S2 standard is a better guitar it cant be simply because its made in the US and not Indonesia?
Cheers mate. Nothing to do with the country of manufacture. I just prefer the look of the S2 guitars. Also, the elephant in the room is the "brand attributes" thing. If you want a well made guitar of this type you don't need to spend the money on a PRS SE... you can get something comparable for a lot less. The fact that you're buying a PRS means that you're (at least partially) buying into the brand. If that's the case, then why not pay a little more for something that bit more "prestigious"?
@@JRobsonGuitar thanks John, personally I don't like the S2 carve, It feels like a step, I prefer the gentle slope of the SE. What others would you recommend in this price bracket, I'm just about to pull the trigger on a SE 24-08!
Whilst PRS’s seem to get great reviews for sound and playability as per yours John, I think it’s the lack of big names from my classic era / playlists using a PRS that has prevented me from purchasing one. With a Tele I can think “this is what Keith Richards plays” and the same for a Strat, Les Paul, SG or a 335 and the guitar heroes that played them.
You need to try them out! They weren’t around back then. If they had been, I’m sure a lot of “classic” guitarists would have played them. Absolutely amazing guitars. I have 3, and they do very well at covering a lot of stuff I play, Alice cooper, KISS, Dokken, J priest, Molly Hatchet, J Hendrix, etc.
Just wish Paul went back to the original shorter heel design. I own a PRS and I agree with you John on the bird inlays, but luckily my singlecut has the older moon inlays, much classier. The main thing for me is that they generally lack any personality, not having their own definable sound, kind of doing a sort of interpretation of a Strat and a Les Paul without managing to get close enough. I agree about the pricing which is why I tend to go down the second hand route.
At Thomann there's a PRS standard 24 for £489. So for the custom, your paying £400 for a flamed maple top (and upgraded pickups as corrected in the comments).
I totally agree (though not quite as articulate in my opinion on this) with your disapproval of the ostentatious bird inlays....... leave the birds as an option on the high-end models .......I love birds ....but give me straight forward dots on my fretboard .
You can get an almost identical instrument (specs, finish, etc) from Cort - who make these PRS anyway... Cort brand guitars punch way above their weight; I have 3, the oldest since 2003 and they are excellent.
So you have fender that charge £600-£650 for a strat and people say that’s a great value and than you have a great company like Prs charging that much and it’s bad?
Where I live (Canada), the S2 is more than double the price of this guitar. I'm liking the G & L Tribute guitars. They are good value for money but incredibly hard to find.
I bought a Bernie Marsden PRS SE and the toggle switch needed replaced. Sent it back to big A you know who..... site and when I got it back they never checked it because the bridge volume was not working so that got replaced. Back again first strum and the high E broke. Ok I can deal with that it happens but the bloody tuner fell out. So bought new tuners with cocktail stick and glue in the old holes and then changed the nut as it buzzed due to not being cut correctly. Now the neck volume pot needs replaced. Can't be bothered just play my tele or Harley Benton which apart from tuners plays just as good as the PRS SE
I own a green 24-08 and it's a lovely guitar. The gripe I had was the nut binding and it staying in tune. I replaced it with a graphtech nut and it transformed it.👌 The 24-08 uses the american pickups I believe unlike the normal custom 24. Apart from the nut issue, the build quality is fantastic.
TOTALLY agree with you on the inlays John. PRS guitars are superb sounding instruments but I have never wanted to buy one because, to me, they just look too " tarty " ( PRS lovers the world over will be hating on me now - sorry chaps and chapesses lol ) I am sure there are plenty of people who adore the way they look ( and I reiterate, they sound fantastic ) but it would be a sorry world if we all had the same taste, aesthetically speaking.
Just checked the PRS website & it seems that ALL the SE guitars have the bird inlays. I reviewed an SE Singlecut a few years ago which had the moon inlays, but these days, you have to have the birds apparently. I'd rather spend the extra & get the more tasteful S2 standard.
@@JRobsonGuitar My bad. I thought there were still some SE Standard variants with dots, but you're right. The SE dots crop up pretty regularly on the used market though. My one very slight hesitation on their kinda "step up to the US made" S2 pr fanfare messaging is that the nerdy smallprint still uses the same SE pickups/trems. Their full fat components don't appear until US Core. A slight marketing/mindset disingenuity for the unwary (I fell in it! Lol). But you're spot on, the 08 has pushed the span of SE Custom models/prices upwards into the territory of £9xx clearance deals on S2 Standards ... and even knowing the shared SE componentry there's still an aura and allure with Maryland S2 build/specs that make that a real buyers dilemma, not just for the understated dots.
Idk to me part of the whole point of buying a PRS is for the bird inlays. They're so beautiful. PRS are my favorite guitars, from the SE's all the way up to the Core models.
Great video mate and yeah it's all horses for courses some people love the prs some people would prefer your signature like me lol 🙄😁 there's nothing wrong with anyone's decision on a guitar as long as they are happy with it my mates all love bmws whereas I prefer to drive a van everyone's different that's waht makes the little ball spin
You are being politically correct. You obviously do NOT like the guitar. Comparing it to an import Epiphone is Insulting to PRS quality standards and the pride of all of their employees. In a word... Thems fighting words. They inspect their imports in Maryland BEFORE sending them out for sale. Who else does that? Certainly not Gibson (even for their $3k guitars). I have 5 Fenders and 2 Prs guitars and 1 PRS tarts caster (Ode to the Silver sky). Quality costs and you would be hard pressed to find someone that got a New Prs with any faults that are not Shipping related. The price you are looking for is available on the Standard with is a single color, (mine is Blue) vs the beautiful matched custom top. BTW? You did not play it during the review like you do for other guitars, so no. you do not like this particular guitar model and that is OK. The Only Epiphone I have ever kept was the DOT. I adjusted the pickup height and for over ten years. viola!
I honestly don't get the hate against the bird inlays. I love them. I'm not bird fanatic or anything. I just think they look cool. Also it is a tribute to Paul's mother so they do have a significance to the brand.
I agree. Every other guitar has dots or blocks which are boring when everyone has it with a few having triangles or a simple design but almost all just dots and I like the added touch of birds because it makes the guitar brand unique in its own right.
Love the birds
The SE line has some of the finest import guitars with a little more attention to detail than anything else I've tried. The S2 line is made in the U.S. ....but it has the exact same import parts that the SE line has....not counting the woods. The "bird inlays" aren't that over the top in my opinion. No more so than the larger block or trapezoid style inlays that come on some of the "fancier guitars. I have one the SE Paul's guitars from the SE line. Rolled finger board edges. Exquisitely rounded and polished fret ends. The U.S. made wrap-around bridge and posts. The same little toggle switches for the coil taps. They are just in a different place and honestly easier to switch than grabbing and pulling up on a round control knob. It is just different, and really easier to use.
I love the birds. Actually it makes want the guitar more.
The reason for the switches vs more knobs is 1. You can split either of the two pickups vs all or nothing. 2 how often do you use the tremelo bar and switch from humbucker to single coil at the same time? Two fantastic reasons. there are other PRS's that have the feature you like. I have both types and I use the 24-08 the most.
Great demo! Agreed, I prefer my Korean SE crescent moon inlays over the birds. Did you know the bird inlays are a permanent memorial to Paul's Mother who was a bird watcher? There's a whole page about it at the PRS website. I didn't care for my 2008 Korean SE pickups but these new "TCI-S" ones sound pretty good, even tapped, provided your fingers are small enough to manage the switching. But PRS SE prices in Canada are ridiculous, no student can afford the base level "Student Edition" anymore, let alone the premium 24-08. I even bought a new US made Gibson for less than an SE.
Great review John. Wonderful to hear my guitar played properly. We disagree about the birds but no matter. On the price I was able to get a £100 discount, It is the most expensive guitar I have bought but I am waiting for PRS to produce a Kanami Tono signature Custom 24.
I am waiting patiently for a Kanami signature PRS too!
Agree with your views on price. I've just bought a 24 8 standard form PMT just over £500 so I wouldn't pay the extra. Nice guitar no quite into the sound of the pickup's yet as I'm a strat/telly fan but I'm getting there.
The inlays, well don't know what to think but I don't notice when I'm playing so what the heck.
Great video's always nice to watch, honest no bones reviews.
Only thing for me is that I'm a novice and I listen with envy at your playing.
Keep it up.
I’m about the get the custom 24 on sale for £500
Hi John. How does that prs compare to your sire. Which is the better guitar?
Great review and demo John. Like you I don’t like the mini switches but with me it is the appearance that grates. They look a bit too “home electronics” for an otherwise classy guitar. But it sounds terrific and although £899 is a lot if you can get most of the sound at less than half of the price of an equivalent core model maybe it’s not so bad.
I Love my PRS SE Custom 24 which has a push/pull on the tone pot and a three way blade switch. It was made in Korea and I paid (new) around $750.00 US for it. Great review!!
I would agree with you on the price. I got one of the Korean Soapbar PRS SEs for £250 second hand and its a brilliant guitar. I’ve now given it to my son for his music lessons because its so reliable and well set up. £900 for an SE is far too much.
Bought myself a PRS SE Paul's guitar (basically this one with hardtail a chunkier neck) for equivalent of 700£ and honestly never looked back. It is all the guitar I should ever need... Well, except for a semi-hollow 🙂
Nice job on the demo. I was wondering if you had a chance to try out the trem system! I was curious if it snaps back to pitch when used or if you can do a Drop D without throwing the strings out of tune?
Hi, first time visitor - thanks for the review! I bought this same guitar just a couple of months ago here in HK for HKD 6K, which = approx UKP 600. The PRS room was stacked full of US & Indonesian models but I just wanted this one for the 'split coil' convenience. I had been looking at the Duesenberg Falken, which is quite an eyeful and in their words a 'truer' approach - i.e. 2 x 2 single coils rather than a 'split humbucker' approach, but after spending an hour with the PRS it really did cover my Fender & Gibson needs (at almost a 1/4 of the price). I do own a 1968 LP and a lovely Roland / Fender Strat, FWIW, and this covers simple one guitar live needs. No problem with the birdies or the mini switches. Didn't come here to be contrarian - appreciate the review and have subscribed to follow this channel but thought I would throw my 2 bobs worth in. Thanks again!
Today is May 27, 2024, in Canada this exact PRS Guitar costs $1279 plus 5% taxes here in Alberta, Canada. Your Gibson Les Paul Tribute costs $1749 plus 5% taxes, your Gibson Les Paul Is just the Entry Level Les Paul, the Baby of the bunch, Anyways, they have this exact guitar used in mint condition on sale for $850 plus 5% taxes, less than 1/2 the price of your Gibson tribute Les Paul, so I just might buy this guitar, we will see??? Anyways good video, and don't let those birds drive you crazy, Ha ha ha!
Great sounding PRS SE and an excellent demo track.
Will you bond with this one John?
Wow, great demo again. Sounds like Mark Knopfler in his younger days.
I like the PRS style of guitars, however, dont understand the neck heel bump, it is not necessary.
Your observations were all fair and reasonable and some individual/personal. I don't think you'll offend anyone (too badly).
On the price obstacle there are savvy cost saving options if theres flexibility on exact specs. The 08 regular price is £899 UK it seems but it's not hard to find at sub £850, and that's before unbritish haggling and pre Xmas sale deals. There's an 08 premium simply because they can - its a new 2021 model. Canny buyers could tiptoe through the lineup and save a chunk on the non 08 model currently as low as £700, the Paul's SE £700 (same 08 switching, hardtail, different neck), or if the 08 toggles don't appeal the SE Standard 24 (plainer jane workhorse finish) can often be found sub £500. Once or twice seen at £350 on stock clearance deals. It isn't really necessary to spend £900.
$900 is a barrowful of money? Literally same price at Fender Player with MUCH better quality, way more features, and $300 less than Gibson... This is insane value for $900
PRS haters gonna hate man.
How much is the Scott guitar? In my opinion, the PRS sounds better but it is my own opinion
very very well done played and explained
wow, that's a real tele/strat sound at the start of the tune... very impressive..
Hi John, I've just ordered a harley benton cst 24t (tremolo) as I'd seen some good reviews and I wanted a guitar with a good trem. I really just wanted to try the cheaper option before spending more money on something like the prs (good trem?). What guitars would you recommend with a good trem for around £500? I have a 2015 Mexican standard strat that I don't want to upgrade as I'd prefer to have the extra guitar really 😅
Try the Sire Larry Carlton S7 mate 👍
@@JRobsonGuitar sound john. Thought you might mention that one. Will definitely keep it in mind. Cheers
I must admit that I agree with you about the birds, and the price. A couple of years ago I bought a second hand SE Tremonti first generation in mint condition for £180 - a steal at that price and a lovely guitar (and no birds) but I wouldn't want to pay big money for it. I seem to recall offering it to you to demo but I'm old so I might have forgotten 🙂
Heck John, I like the bird inlays excepting that the bird should fly away from the pickups instead of looking like it is crashing into it. Like a musical note flowing away from the guitar. Mind you, PRS has never grabbed my attention for their looks. Loved that Reaper vid. Great insight into how you work.
Interesting what you say about the price. Many other people say that with PRS you get way more quality than modern Fenders or Gibson for the same price. I also don't get why people are so obsessed with guitars that are built in the USA. Why should USA guitars be better? Isn't that also mainly a marketing/image thing?
I ended up going for the SE standard 24 08 fantastic guitar just this one was a bit out of my budget but overall really happy
Good video JR. Put it up against your CST24....would be interesting
Another great honest review
i am very late to the prs party but have pre-ordered the standard version of this (the se standard 24-08 in tobacco sunburst) it will be my first prs both to own and play. i saw it on special offer from peach guitars for £499 so was a no brainer to me. am very much looking forward to getting/playing it as i have always like prs (just the lack of funds-never see a prs in any guitar store i go to).
I'd like to see Paul Reed Smith in a partnership with TV Jones just so that the new company could be called Alas Smith & Jones 😆
I just bought a S2 24 standard satin finish in McCarty burst. It' s a fantastic guitar but you see....what makes me sad, it's that I don't have the birds inlays....i love them... should add that I'm a fender lover. I own a strat Am pro II and a telecaster Am std 2012. It's my first try with PRS, but I'm quite impressed with the overall instrument.
You aren't alone on the bird inlay thing at all John, there's atleast two of us, surely many more. For what I get out of my Harley Benton CST-24, I don't feel the need to pay 700 more euros just to make it a PRS, lovely as it must be judging by what the knockoff Harley gives me. I reckon you know exactly what I mean 😁 Oh and, nice Knopffler impression you did on that piece there 👍
Worth every penny i think
Excellent demo track. If I was you I'd do a deal for the PRS and flog all the rest of your guitar collection.
Not sure if anyone else covered this... but the problem they solved is flexibility of splitting coils for the neck pickup while not splitting the coils in the back pickups... can't do that with the push pull version. I don't own a PRS but I have been looking into the SE models and trying to figure out which one I would buy if I were to go down this route.
You CAN do it with push/pull pots. You simply require two of them. Both volume and tone pots can be used to switch each pickup between single coil and humbucker mode. I had a Gordon Smith in the 90s which was like this. Much easier than those tiny PRS switches.
I'm with you on the bird inlays John!
Thank you for the video
Nice review John. Not sure I'd spend the money on the S2 though, while I am somewhat of a traditionalist when it comes to looks but that thing looks like it would be at home over my grandad's mantlepiece 😂
A refreshing change....an honest review. Thank you. I'd be interested as to why you think an S2 standard is a better guitar it cant be simply because its made in the US and not Indonesia?
Cheers mate. Nothing to do with the country of manufacture. I just prefer the look of the S2 guitars. Also, the elephant in the room is the "brand attributes" thing. If you want a well made guitar of this type you don't need to spend the money on a PRS SE... you can get something comparable for a lot less. The fact that you're buying a PRS means that you're (at least partially) buying into the brand. If that's the case, then why not pay a little more for something that bit more "prestigious"?
@@JRobsonGuitar thanks John, personally I don't like the S2 carve, It feels like a step, I prefer the gentle slope of the SE. What others would you recommend in this price bracket, I'm just about to pull the trigger on a SE 24-08!
@@Clive007 Just purchased the 24-08 Custom 24 in faded blue burst and it is a phenomenal guitar! If you haven't bought it yet, you should!
I'm totally with you on the bird inlays, for the same reasons. Tree of life puts me off the jem as well.
I agree with John's view re the price and the preferability of getting a S2. I'm not bothered by the 'birds'.
Agree about the birds- Ive had quite enough of them!
What did you say about PRS´s inlays!? Boy we are gonna hava a talk ... hahahaha nice video man , thanks for sharing
Whilst PRS’s seem to get great reviews for sound and playability as per yours John, I think it’s the lack of big names from my classic era / playlists using a PRS that has prevented me from purchasing one. With a Tele I can think “this is what Keith Richards plays” and the same for a Strat, Les Paul, SG or a 335 and the guitar heroes that played them.
You need to try them out! They weren’t around back then. If they had been, I’m sure a lot of “classic” guitarists would have played them. Absolutely amazing guitars. I have 3, and they do very well at covering a lot of stuff I play, Alice cooper, KISS, Dokken, J priest, Molly Hatchet, J Hendrix, etc.
Santana?
I have a Silver Sky SE on order. This could be my way into PRS 🎸😀
Joe Walsh, Howard Leese, Carlos Santana, Al DiMeola, Martin Barre, Neil Schon, Alex Lifeson... No?
Only after they came out. I’m 55. Classic guitarists to me are Hendrix, Page, Clapton, Beck, etc…! Late 60’s to mid 70’s. That’s all I meant.
Just wish Paul went back to the original shorter heel design. I own a PRS and I agree with you John on the bird inlays, but luckily my singlecut has the older moon inlays, much classier. The main thing for me is that they generally lack any personality, not having their own definable sound, kind of doing a sort of interpretation of a Strat and a Les Paul without managing to get close enough. I agree about the pricing which is why I tend to go down the second hand route.
The inlays are an o mage to Paul's mother, she was I believe on ornithologist, it's his tribute to his mother.
At Thomann there's a PRS standard 24 for £489. So for the custom, your paying £400 for a flamed maple top (and upgraded pickups as corrected in the comments).
... and the "S"-Pickups, the 2 additional sound combinations and the new and better violin carved body.
@@sammallone733 both 85/15 s pickups.
@@stefaanverstraeten9291 No... the SE Custom 24/08 has PRS TCI "s" Pickups
I totally agree (though not quite as articulate in my opinion on this) with your disapproval of the ostentatious bird inlays.......
leave the birds as an option on the high-end models .......I love birds ....but give me straight forward dots on my fretboard .
You can get an almost identical instrument (specs, finish, etc) from Cort - who make these PRS anyway... Cort brand guitars punch way above their weight; I have 3, the oldest since 2003 and they are excellent.
So you have fender that charge £600-£650 for a strat and people say that’s a great value and than you have a great company like Prs charging that much and it’s bad?
Dire Straits-esque! I like it John.
Where I live (Canada), the S2 is more than double the price of this guitar. I'm liking the G & L Tribute guitars. They are good value for money but incredibly hard to find.
I bought a Bernie Marsden PRS SE and the toggle switch needed replaced. Sent it back to big A you know who..... site and when I got it back they never checked it because the bridge volume was not working so that got replaced. Back again first strum and the high E broke. Ok I can deal with that it happens but the bloody tuner fell out. So bought new tuners with cocktail stick and glue in the old holes and then changed the nut as it buzzed due to not being cut correctly. Now the neck volume pot needs replaced. Can't be bothered just play my tele or Harley Benton which apart from tuners plays just as good as the PRS SE
You’re entitled to your opinion but the bird inlays are their logo.
I own a green 24-08 and it's a lovely guitar. The gripe I had was the nut binding and it staying in tune. I replaced it with a graphtech nut and it transformed it.👌
The 24-08 uses the american pickups I believe unlike the normal custom 24.
Apart from the nut issue, the build quality is fantastic.
Nice Tones
Good Show!
Excelente 🛎
Wait a year or two for a sale.
TOTALLY agree with you on the inlays John. PRS guitars are superb sounding instruments but I have never wanted to buy one because, to me, they just look too " tarty " ( PRS lovers the world over will be hating on me now - sorry chaps and chapesses lol ) I am sure there are plenty of people who adore the way they look ( and I reiterate, they sound fantastic ) but it would be a sorry world if we all had the same taste, aesthetically speaking.
You can get them with dots too.
Just checked the PRS website & it seems that ALL the SE guitars have the bird inlays. I reviewed an SE Singlecut a few years ago which had the moon inlays, but these days, you have to have the birds apparently. I'd rather spend the extra & get the more tasteful S2 standard.
@@JRobsonGuitar My bad. I thought there were still some SE Standard variants with dots, but you're right. The SE dots crop up pretty regularly on the used market though.
My one very slight hesitation on their kinda "step up to the US made" S2 pr fanfare messaging is that the nerdy smallprint still uses the same SE pickups/trems. Their full fat components don't appear until US Core. A slight marketing/mindset disingenuity for the unwary (I fell in it! Lol). But you're spot on, the 08 has pushed the span of SE Custom models/prices upwards into the territory of £9xx clearance deals on S2 Standards ... and even knowing the shared SE componentry there's still an aura and allure with Maryland S2 build/specs that make that a real buyers dilemma, not just for the understated dots.
Idk to me part of the whole point of buying a PRS is for the bird inlays. They're so beautiful. PRS are my favorite guitars, from the SE's all the way up to the Core models.
Great video mate and yeah it's all horses for courses some people love the prs some people would prefer your signature like me lol 🙄😁 there's nothing wrong with anyone's decision on a guitar as long as they are happy with it my mates all love bmws whereas I prefer to drive a van everyone's different that's waht makes the little ball spin
I think this might be your best review. Absolutely agree a good guitar but come on, 900 quid for an SE is ridiculous.
I have one - nice guitar
Make that a minority of 2! I have never liked the birds. They just don't look right to me and it WOULD stop me buying one.
Bird inlays only look bad when they are just plain plastic inlays. I love the "moon" inlays but love abalone birds, hate plastic.
Fly, Fly, fly.....Fly, fly, fly, fly, fly....
I just bought it last week $729 + tax ...well 4 the price its really just right...Prs is a Prs ..looks like a european car vs japanese....
Yeah , the birds r 4 the birds. Me no likely.
You are correct about the birds. They are plastic and they are vulgar.
You are being politically correct. You obviously do NOT like the guitar. Comparing it to an import Epiphone is Insulting to PRS quality standards and the pride of all of their employees. In a word... Thems fighting words. They inspect their imports in Maryland BEFORE sending them out for sale. Who else does that? Certainly not Gibson (even for their $3k guitars). I have 5 Fenders and 2 Prs guitars and 1 PRS tarts caster (Ode to the Silver sky). Quality costs and you would be hard pressed to find someone that got a New Prs with any faults that are not Shipping related. The price you are looking for is available on the Standard with is a single color, (mine is Blue) vs the beautiful matched custom top. BTW? You did not play it during the review like you do for other guitars, so no. you do not like this particular guitar model and that is OK. The Only Epiphone I have ever kept was the DOT. I adjusted the pickup height and for over ten years. viola!
Footballers wives! LOL 😂. I’ve had a few PRS (Se, S2, Core) and they’ve all gone. I find them a bit bland and over priced. Well made, though
Epiphones are made in China though, and these are made in Indonesia.
For what it's worth I don't like the bird inlays as well!!
I'm not a fan of the look of PRS, they always look like a pimps toilet seat to me.