USA-Made Pickups Now in PRS Guitars S2 Vela & Custom 24-08 | First Look
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- Опубліковано 12 тра 2024
- Shop the 2024 S2 Vela: sweetwater.sjv.io/Y9anVK
Shop the 2024 S2 Custom 24-08: sweetwater.sjv.io/MmLBKY
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USA-made pickups and electronics make the new S2 Custom 24-08 and S2 Vela elegant, outstanding, all-American instruments.
PRS S2 Custom 24-08:
The S2 Custom 24-08 shares many of the same specifications as the S2 Custom 24 but adds a new level of versatility with its intuitive switching system. The platform for this guitar is a maple top, mahogany back and neck, and rosewood fretboard with bird inlays. It boasts 24 frets, a 25” scale length, and a Pattern Thin neck. The Maryland, USA-made TCI pickups are paired with a 3-way toggle switch and two mini-toggle coil tap switches that individually tap the humbuckers into true single coils for a total of eight pickup configurations. For classic PRS feel with expanded flexibility, check out the PRS S2 Custom 24-08.
After ten years, the PRS S2 Series is being updated with USA-made pickup and electronics for 2024 (and beyond).
PRS S2 Vela 2024:
Anchored by PRS playability and craftsmanship, the S2 Vela is perfect for players who want PRS build quality and reliability with a fresh aesthetic. The Vela is the maiden voyage into an offset body shape for PRS and is both elegant and edgy. Loaded with a PRS DS-01 humbucker in the treble pickup position and the PRS Narrowfield in the bass pickup position, the Vela has a bright, punchy tone that sounds great plugged into your pedalboard or straight into an amp. A coil-tap on the tone control allows the DS-01 pickup to split into singlecoils and explore a whole new range of tones. The PRS plate-style bridge holds two brass saddles specifically designed for great sustain and perfect intonation so both rhythm and lead tones sound great no matter where you are on the fretboard. In the studio or on the stage, you won’t want to leave this guitar at home.
After ten years, the PRS S2 Series is being updated with USA-made pickup and electronics for 2024 (and beyond).
Shop the 2024 S2 Vela: sweetwater.sjv.io/Y9anVK
Shop the 2024 S2 Custom 24-08: sweetwater.sjv.io/MmLBKY
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0:00 - PRS S2 Vela & S2 Custom 24-08 Playing Intro
1:24 - John Bohlinger Intro
1:58 - Signal Chain
2:18 - PRS S2 Custom 24-08 Specs
3:21 - PRS S2 Custom 24-08 Single-Coil Tones
5:23 - PRS S2 Custom 24-08 Humbucker Tones
5:55 - PRS S2 Custom 24-08 Middle Position Tones
8:02 - PRS S2 Custom 24-08 Bridge Humbucker
9:04 - PRS S2 Vela Specs
9:21 - PRS S2 Vela Narrowfield Neck Pickup
10:36 - PRS S2 Vela DS-01 Bridge Humbucker
12:05 - PRS S2 Vela Both Pickups
13:00 - PRS S2 Vela Specs & Hardware
13:53 - Final Thoughts on PRS S2 Vela & Custom 24-08
14:56 - PRS S2 Vela & S2 Custom 24-08 Playing Outro
© Copyright Gearhead Communications LLC, 2024
#guitar #guitarist #prs #prsguitars #guitarplayer #paulreedsmith #newguitar
Shop the 2024 S2 Vela: sweetwater.sjv.io/Y9anVK
Shop the 2024 S2 Custom 24-08: sweetwater.sjv.io/MmLBKY
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Win Guitar Gear: bit.ly/GiveawaysPG
Don't Miss a Rundown: bit.ly/RIgRundownENL
Merch & Magazines: shop.premierguitar.com
Paul we need to talk, now is the time for a S2 Pauls Guitar!
Classic Black and White finishes, US Pups, reveal binding, gold hardware and pole pieces baby! Lets Go!
100% agreed.
I bought an S2 McCarty 594 last year and ended up spending quite a lot to get the American 58/15s and upgraded parts installed. The guitar is one of the most comfortable I own and sounds fantastic, but I always slightly resented feeling the need to upgrade components on an American-made guitar that was $2,000. The argument for simply buying an SE and doing what I ended up doing made more economic sense, but what's done is done, and the guitar's great, so whatever.
PRS needed to do this to further distinguish why you would buy an S2 over an SE with a sound (pun intended) justification for doing so. For people disinterested in an import but struggling to justify a $4,000+ price tag, now have the option to own a professional-grade guitar you will pick up and play anytime, anywhere, without wanting to treat it like a rare piece of art.
The cool thing is regardless of whether you buy an SE, S2, or Core, you're getting a damn good guitar that will play well and hold up over time. In this case, PRS is demonstrating the ability to listen and make changes that benefit the customer and not just the bottom line. I actually believe S2s may become hard to keep in stock. I really do love mine, and I would have loved it even more saving hundreds of dollars not upgrading the pickups and hardware, but I'm happy for people who were on the fence about buying an S2 over an SE and no longer have to be. Now you can just buy it and know you'll be very happy.
I absolutely love the pickups in my original Vela Semi-hollow satin. I've never once felt the need to change them. Great demo as always John, but I'll be sticking with my Vela, and I almost never leave my pickups stock on most of my guitars.
Sweet sounding, very nice!
I ordered the S2 McCarty 594 (have yet to see a review of those on UA-cam), and finger's crossed, it arrives today! I have the SE from this year, so I'm hoping the S2 and he get along. LOL
great review!
I think I like the Black Matte Finish Pattern Thin PRS neck the most of any guitar I've owned or played. Such an effortless neck to play
I've got a CE 24 with that neck and I completely agree. It ruined gloss necks for me.
I love the new prs pickups, they got spank and warmth. So u got fendery tones or full warm tones.
The S2 Vela Semi Hollow has my attention, though I wish I could get a 24-08 with a Pattern Regular neck.
Interesting. The original Vela has very unique pickups (especially the neck), to the extent that it's the main thing that that sets the model apart. Some might think putting more typical PRS pickups in it are an improvement but I wouldn't change anything about mine.
I'm thinking of buying this. What do you think of the playability in the guitar in general??
Love the Vela and John’s stylin’ jacket!
What backing track are you using? Your guitar playing is absolutely stellar, and so are these guitars! 🙂❤️🎸🎶
Locking Tuners ...Game Changer 🏁
that 24 sounds great
wow ok, those US 08 pickups are pretty special
Does John make you want to play or what? Sold my Vela but these new pups sound so good. May need to try one again Love that finish as well....
Nice!
Am I wrong for thinking the original Vela pickups sound better 🤷♂️
Thought the same thing
Hey John, do you think this new vela sound is close enough to the NF53 sound for someone not wanting to spend the extra money on an NF53?
I wouldn't be surprised to see an SE or S2 NF53 in the next year or two.
For me, yes, But you need to test drive both and see how they feel to you.
@@johnbohlinger that’s a good point. I will be on the look out for them in my local stores to try. Thanks so much for the video! I always look forward to your demos of new releases, and this one didn’t disappoint.
I have both (2024 Vela) and a NF53. There is some overlap but the narrow field pickups are quite different. You won’t be disappointed with either.
What makes USA pick ups better?
Practically speaking, the benefit is that PRS can make them as they like and check them throughout production. However, I would be surprised if PRS has started making the DS-01 humbucker themselves: previous Velas had their DS-01 humbuckers made by G&B Pickups in South Korea, and I do not think that pickup has been used in any US models.
I own a SE custom 24 with the import 85/15s pickups and a CE24 with the American 85/15 pickups. The American pickups are a bit tighter, more articulate, and a bit fuller and more even across the frequency range.
The import 85/15s pickups ( I do actually like them and would not swap them except for the American ones) are a bit less tight, a bit darker, not quite as balanced, but are also a bit less compressed.
I did find the imports sounded better in the S2 then the SE. Others halve said it, and last time I was at Sweetwater I tested it for myself and found the same. It may be that the S2 guitars use the nicer pots and switches and may that alters the tone some, maybe it is the construction of the guitar, idk but there was a difference. Eitherway I think moving to the American pickups in the S2 line breathes new life and relevance into them as the SE line (other than IMHO poorer Indonesian QC vs the QC on the Korean made ones) are so nice there wasn't much reason to pay over 2x as much for the S2.
Now I could see myself buying an S2.
@@shawnmcginnis2508 Switches do not affect tone at all. Higher-quality switches may improve feel and longevity.
@Robstafarian well then it's the wood 🤷♂️. Don't want to start that debate lol. All I know is something made a difference in tone and it's observable by multiple people.
@@shawnmcginnis2508 Pots affect tone. How did you go straight from "Switches do not affect tone." to "It must be the wood."?
😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
Often a simple EQ will do much more for sound than changing pickups will. And an EQ is a lot cheaper.
PRS are fantastic, I just want one without the birds or the silly top.
They make those too. Dot inlays and swamp ash bodies. They're good guitars but I have owned two custom 24s and they're just not for me. I like beater guitars I don't have to worry about 😂
Because where a pickup is made makes all the difference......😂
In the case of PRS, yes it does. The company is transparent about the Indonesian pickups being made with parts sourced elsewhere. The USA and Indonesian pickups are not made of exactly the same materials and specs.
That’s not the only difference but if that’s what you gotta tell yourself to justify your gatekeeping, have at it champ!
@@StupidGuitarhey stupid guitar. Same applies to those who keep telling themselves that American made means its better. 😂😂😂
@@damham5689 I didnt say that but just like OP you do whatever you need to do to get through the day. There's a lot of spec differences between the SE Indonesian guitars and, now, the S2 Stevensville guitars, but by all means don't let facts get in the way of your ignorance bud. That wasn't true before. If you knew your shit, you'd recognize the SE in my profile pic but...
It's not because it's built in this country or that, it's because they're built differently there, with different materials. There's a difference between, say the 58/15 LT & 58/15 LT-S, they're different pickups.
Liked ya better in yer guitar nook sofa playin' space....
USA made doesn't have the same luster as 30 years ago.
I hope this CU24 means that they're going to be forgoing the blade style switch for the traditional toggle. I don't know why they went with the blade, it detracts from the rest of the aesthetic.
The control layouts were always PRS' Achilles heel, they've had a long history of baffling choices. From the fact that still use the master volume/master tone (even on hollow bodies, where players tend to play in the middle pickup position), to the way the extra volume control on the piezo equipped models look like they just threw a dart at it blindfolded and decided to put it there, and the cheap looking mini toggles, the proverbial "bumper sticker on a Bentley." Though all that pales in comparison to the five way rotary pickup selection switch they use for the CU22 and 24s for over a decade. I've been repairing guitars for 25 years, and hard as I try, I can't think of worst pickup switching.
You could never know what position it was on by looking at it, because the control was identical to the volume and tone, and though they had coil splitting, you could only use it with both outside in parallel, or the two inner coils in series. There was no way to use just the neck or bridge pickup the way most people use the coil split.
You aren't wrong, but... counter point at least in my opinion. The Core Custom 24 with 85/15 pickups (pre tci in my case) sounds amazing and the 5 positions are very useful IMHO. I also have a CE24 that PTC converted to a 24-08 setup. I also have a SECU 24 with a P/P switch.
You are right the CU24 can't do a single pickup split sound only, but the sounds it can do are great and the switch is fast to hit on the fly mod song. My SE with the P/P is fine, bit that's 2 things to hit. Potentially depending on the setup same with my CE. A big toggle and a mini toggle. Each setup has its own advantage and disadvantage. I thought after owning essentially a 24-08 setup I would be disappointed with the lack of choices the CU24 has... but honestly after owning one and playing it I can see the advantage for live work. For studio or bedroom playing Ican see the advantage of the 24-08 setup or P/P switch.
@@shawnmcginnis2508 you can do the same things with a three way toggle in the middle position and a coil split..
@timwhite5562 not sure I follow your response. Probably on my end since I just woke up.
How are you proposing to access the coil spilt on the 3way toggle option?
@@shawnmcginnis2508 with the push pull coil split that every PRS except for some of the Hollowbody models have.
@timwhite5562 right, agreed. I just think that personally I prefer the mini-toggles over a push pull or for live use I'd rather the 5way blade for quickness and ease of use in a time crunched environment.
Contrary to years of marketing BS in the US, American made doesnt equate to better. But it does equate to more expenaive.
I own a core CE and an SE. The SE is very nice, the CE is even nicer. Could the SE be made just as good as the American guitar is. Sure. It's a skill and people can learn skills. People also have to care enough to apply the skills they learn to the highest degree. The American made PRS are much nicer than the imports, but not because of anyother other than standards, training, and cost.
I will add I am part of American mfg. I am a CNC machinist. I can say that we have had a few companies drop the company I work for as a supplier and go to China... guess what they came back to us whining their China made parts sucked and we "gotta bail them out". Can China or anywhere else make parts just as good as I can? Sure with the same quality of machine, the same training, and the same attitude. Do they have those things... well idk.
i owned easily 80 guitars ..had everything ..never had a guitar better then a usa made guitar...EVER...not once...just my experience
I dont like the new tuners the core series has. I prefer the look of the old ones.
Guess ill be looking for “cheap” cores from pre-2024
get rid of the effects and just have the guitar with the gain stages and pickup selection!!! this is garbage it is getting saturated with the BS slapback echo!!!