I just turned 50 and may wonderful daughter gave me a bright green one. Its beautiful! It needed some picky work, i polished the frets, truss adjust, set up etc. Now that thats done, its AMAZING! I've only had it three days now, but i cant put it down!
Earlier this year, I needed a new "travel guitar" for practicing on business road trips (read: not too expensive, with split-able humbuckers for hotel rooms with loads of RFI). I picked up an SE Custom 24-08, and within a couple of months, I bought the Custom 24, too, just to see which I prefer. My plan was to sell one, but, they're both excellent and different enough from each other that I decided to keep both. Some of my observations, which may be at odds with the video presenter, here: - With tone at 10: In Humbucker mode, they are brighter than a Les Paul. In Single Coil mode, they are brighter than a Strat. But, in ALL modes they have a LOT of bass. You can reduce the bass by rolling off the volume a bit on the guitar, and you can tame the brightness by rolling back the Tone knob. With the stock treble bleeds in place, these guitars encourage the player to adjust the knobs. Think of "5" as "neutral." If you simply dime all the knobs out of habit, you'll miss out on much of the tonal versatility of these guitars. - I find the Single-coil tones on both guitars very usable. Do they sound like Stats or Teles? Not really, though the 24-08 comes closer. But they DO sound like single coils, and again, experiment with the knobs please! On some clean amp settings, the single coil middle position on the Custom 24 can sound like a plugged-in acoustic. A handy option to have available. - Both my guitars have the stock SE tuners, and I have had ZERO trouble with them AFTER making one minor tweak. The tiny philips head screws that hold the tuner buttons on ALSO serve to adjust the tension/resistance of the tuning machines. As the come from the factory, they are so loose that breathing heavily on them might knock them out of tune. (Hyperbole Alert) Just take a small screwdriver and add a tiny bit of tension (1/8 turn?). This will make the tuners hold tension much more reliably. Of my 13 guitars, these two are now tied for first place in terms of tuning stability. - I don't know what to do with the "Sound in my Head", comment. Kind of a pointless observation, since no one knows what that sound is. I don't care if it sounds like a Core, and, like most players, I have zero frame of reference for that, anyway. Do I like the sound enough to keep it? Yes. I have no plans on changing the pickups. I like them as is, and don't see the point in making all my guitars sound the same. - In the coil-split middle position, the Custom 24 seems to give you some of the out-of-phase quack of positions 2/4 on a Strat. Not so on the 24-08; it's more akin to the in-phase middle on a Tele. - Both guitars feel EXACTLY the same. If I couldn't hear them, I couldn't tell them apart by playing. - The stock 9-gauge strings are too light, and too bright (tinny). These guitars feel and play better with 10s. Also aids in tuning stability and rattle-free low action. - The visual quality of the maple veneers varies WILDLY. So much so that, I really think Mr. Smith should step in and require better judgement from the Indonesian plant. I stalked eBay, Reverb, Sweetwater, Wildwood, and Dave's for over a month for each guitar, waiting to pounce on one with an top that I liked. Honestly, there's no excuse. Some of the tops are so lame/mismatched that they should be priced as factory seconds. Even Harley Benton seems to have better consistency in this area. - No regrets. Lovely guitars, with thoughtful design features that truly make them a joy to play. If forced to sell one, I'd keep the Custom 24.
I agree about replacing the factory 9s with 10s. Playing 11s on my other guitars (except an SE DGT with 10s), I tend to be heavy handed. I felt like I was having a hard time playing this in tune. Feels more natural to me and plays in tune better with 10s.
I got the SE Standard 24 with the 85/15 pickups just about 2 years ago in 2020. I fiddled with the pickup height and I love the tones it gives. And the playability is amazing. The split coil sound is not a strat but it is a single coil tone. And I like that it gives different tones than my other guitars. I don't want all my guitars to sound alike. I like to learn what differences each guitar gives me. So yeah, I'm still in love with the stock SE Standard 24.
Tim Mahoney (311) has used PRS for ages. I'm 45 years old and he is the inspiration that made me want a PRS. Now, I have my PRS on order. I can't wait for it to get here. PRS is making it to order and is projected at the end of December. Merry Christmas to me! 🥰
I have the same guitar, and I love everything about it. Now, one thing I learned is that it's a bright sounding bridge humbucker and if you want it in a sweet rounded growl you have to turn the tone to 5 or 6. If you want to play punkrock then tone at 10. I never had a guitar where I'm dialing back the tone on a bridge humbucker. That's a plus in my books!
I'm mainly a SG player and I fell in love with a PRS SE Santana, and it was instantly comfortable to play both sitting down and standing. It has been had a new nut cut for it and set up for GHS strings. The circuitry has all been upgraded and the pickups were replaced. I used left over pickups - SD WLH in the neck and a SD 59 / Custom in the bridge.
Glad to see you got and like your PRS. Great guitars…I have three of them (all SE models). I changed the tuners not because of tuning instability but because locking tuners make changing strings so much easier.
PRS just released a video with Paul himself explaining bits and pieces around the pickups. Paul is actually very fond of singlecoils, and has a sort of testbed guitar that allows pickup changes on the fly, and he shows humcancelling pups that approach singles more truthfully. The standard PRS humbuckers are indeed fairly hot, which makes a coilsplit lose a lot of focus and output - which is why that trick usually fails to impress. If you going to change out these pickups as you're looking for a good singlecoil sound, then I'd suggest adjusting the current pickup heights to that sweet spot while in singlecoil mode.
I have an SE 24 Custom. Absolutely love it. I'm picking it up over my go to guitar of over 30 years. I actually do use the split coil feature in the middle position. Doesn't give a true strat single coil sound, but for certain songs, it gives me enough of that vibe that I don't have to switch to a strat. However, agree that sometimes you just need to use a strat if that's the tone you want. Also find it super comfortable. Had a 2 hour rehearsal wearing the guitar the entire time. Never got tired or sore. My SG2000 starts to kill my back after about a half hour. Also borrowed a PRS CE from a buddy. Honestly like the SE way better and it's half the cost. Didn't like the CE pickups, the rotary switch (older model), or the neck profile.
I have a 2021 Se Custom 24. I put locking tuners on it and the Wilkinson locking saddles (brilliant!) and it's a great guitar. With the locking at both ends, I can go crazy with the whammy and it stays perfectly in tune. Love the neck carve, the weight, everything. The newer SE's are brilliant.
Been loving my SE Standard 24-08 for six months. Build quality and playability are exceptional at this price point. I have no issue with tuners, try them before switching. Sound options are great. It is on par with my PRS core cu 24 and more flexible. I have a strat as well and it has a different set of sound options. Love them all.
I own this very model. While I still love my Les Pauls and my Stratocasters, my new PRS Custom SE 24-08 is currently doing most of the heavy lifting on my band's album. Fantastic instrument.
Have the Tobacco Burst standard version. I’ve been playing it at church for around 9 months. I find myself liking it more and more and more. (I put the SE locking tuners on mine as well). It does everything I need, is easy on my back, stays in tune and is easy on my fretting hand.
I have three guitars - Squier classic vibe tele, Epiphone Les Paul, and a PRS SE 24-08. The PRS is the most comfortable and easy to play of the three to me. I did put in PRS locking tuners and changed to the PRS lampshade knobs. Really love my PRS. I preferred the pickups in the PRS CE I owned for a while, but I’m happy with the sound as it. I like that it is a bit hotter and brighter than my Les Paul.
It’s impossible for a builder to make a guitar that suits everyones needs…I use PRS because they play and feel great, they are 100% reliable…they just plain work…great stuff my man!!!
The issue I think is that It doesn't sound like a strat or a Gibson, so when you're playing guns and roses it's not quite the same sound, when you play David Gilmore it's not quite the same ect so it feels like it's missing something but it's not. I feel exactly the same but do I swap pickups for some pearly gates and now it's a Gibson and all strat songs sound even more off or go low output and loose the rock sound? Think I'll leave mine in the middle where it belongs.
I added a .033 capacitor, wired the same as S2 that has the same pickups. You may also want to try lowering the pickups. I also changed the tuners, added a Graph Tech nut, the S2's knobs and pickup rings and a Pure Tone output jack.
I have an S2 with the same pickups and switching system. I don’t superlove the split coils on their own, but blending in the middle position delivers some really interesting tones. Especially neck humbucker + bridge split. That’s become a go-to clean sound for me.
I've been playing se 24-08 for the past year. I agree with the pros, so I'll share my thoughts on the cons: 1) tuners - same, immidiately switched to locking tuners. 2) coil split - I love it. that's the thing that brought my attention to this model and it works for me personally. 3) what this guitar does not work with for me is some heavy overdrive and distortion. Clear tone and crunch, some light OD - great, but for heavier sound I prefer my LP with 490R and 498T. All in all the SE 24-08 managed to replace a strat and a tele (but not an LP), it just works for me. In terms of sound, as a couch guitar player - these 2 guitars seem to be enough for me.
Refreshing to watch an honest, independent guitar review. A PRS is the next guitar on my buy list. Still tossing up between an SE or spending more on a S2 or CE24 Semi Hollow. Currently have a Tele, Les Paul and a 335 copy
I've had an SE semi-hollow custom 22 (older flat top version) for years. I regularly stop in to the local guitar shop and tryout expensive guitars....none of them seem to do anything better. Some sound a bit different, but none play any smoother. I did my own setup work, and when a pot went scratchy, I replaced both and upgraded pickups to SD Pearly Gates. Next up is a coil split, to try it out. All this to say, I seen no reason to spend more than SE money to get a fantastic guitar.
Wow! You hit the nail on the head in this video. Perhaps we have similar taste, because I have the same exact pros and cons. I’m not Strat crazy, but I do have love for them, and know what they are supposed to sound like, specifically when playing in the neck position. My PRS custom 24 zebrawood doesn’t deliver ANYTHING like that chime that a Strat is renowned for. When the coil split control is engaged, the only change is in regard to the intensity of the pickups. It merely sounds like a weakened version of the same pickup, but the tonal characteristics stay exactly the same. Overall, the tones I get are not bad, but they’re also not familiar. That’s not bad, but when your guitar heroes all seem to play Fender and Gibson, the guitar doesn’t exactly give you what your looking for when you’re used to hearing classic tones on recordings and performances. I can say with all certainty, that PRS is it’s own thing for sure. I don’t mean that as an insult, it’s just the best way I can describe my experience with their instrument. For me it’s a little weird because I don’t have original material, so I’m always trying to make it do something that my other instruments just do naturally. I don’t know if this makes me sound like a dick, (or crazy), but the instrument doesn’t seem to have the same kind of life inside of it like that of it’s competitors, but it’s not lacking life either. Additionally, It’s a very bright sounding guitar. The electronics work beautifully, but if you’re the type of player who likes to turn your tone knob up to 10 and never look back then you’ll realize immediately that the natural voice of the instrument is BRIGHT! Even when playing on the neck pickup. Probably due to the 24 frets vs 22? I have no complaints there, but you do want to dial this guitar in to avoid shrill tones. Thats not an insult either, it just means that the tone pots have a large sweeping range from dark to light, and it’s best to use them to your advantage and experiment with them. Conversely, mine plays extremely comfortably, (more so than my Fenders and Gibsons), and it’s one of the most beautiful guitars I own, which we like to pretend doesn’t matter so much, but it really does. Honestly, the fit and finish are perfect, and it’s the lightest guitar I own. Even PRS’s strap that I bought was of a high quality, and the most comfortable one I own. PRS does an incredible job on their affordable SE line. Because I’d like a better single coil guitar, I’ve though of maybe selling it and going for an SE Silver Sky instead. Sorry for the long comment, but I couldn’t agree more with your points. Overall, I think that this is an incredible instrument and I do love it very much, but it would be best if I wrote original music so that I’m not forced to compare it to other brands simply because they are familiar. Thanks for the video!
PRS SE 245 is my first guitar since 2020. And I love it! Since then I try lot of guitars from other brand, but I don’t know why I always back to PRS. And last year I bought PRS SE Silver Sky and I don’t regret my decision. About the sound, for me (because most of the time I am a keyboard player) it not really bother me. Yes its sound different with the other brand but I still love it. I’m planning to buy other PRS guitar in the future and 24-08 eriza verde is one of them.
I've had many different brands of guitar but the PRS is the most comfortable and easy to play no matter the type of music I'm playing it's a pleasure to play can't say that about any other guitar I've owned.
glad you said this about it not being the sound in your head. I felt this too (just from watching vids, i don't own one) and thought I was being fussy but it's not the tone I'm looking for and you helped me realise that if I bought one i'd need to change the pickups, so thank you! I just like the look, smaller size/weight, and price tag over LP's but would like more of that classic PAF tone.
Had mine for a year or so now. First thing i did was change the tuners exactly as you did. I know what you mean about the sound but 2 weeks ago i put a heavy brass trem block on and brass saddles too. It's a whole new guitar now! Much more resonant and dynamic as a result. The sound is much closer to what was "in my head". Also, a little volume boost with a compression peddle really helps the split coils sound to my ears.
My PRS was gifted to me. . . ! I think it really sings. . . !! I love the sound this baby produces. . . ! It feels good in my hands, and I love the playability.
I had a 1989 CE 24, didn’t know what I had. Traded it for a Gretchen Country Gentleman, big mistake. Later on had a friend sell me his SE custom 24, fantastic. When PRS re-released the CE 24 in 2016 I snatched one up, love it. Then found a SE Santana(22 fret), love it. Found a S2 22 fret in matt black, love it. Finally found a used SE 35th anniversary 24-08, love it. Your fight weight and comfort count on the enjoyment of the instrument while playing on and off the stage. And I have played Les Paul’s, strats and telescope. The PRS line is a stand out.
Thanks for this video! I've exactly this model, with a proper setup it's awesome for the price. Stunning look, really fast neck! I've done 3 hardware upgrades in order to have the guitar perfectly usable in every condition: - PRS SE Locking Tuners - Graphtech Tusq XL nut - Switched to 2 USA PRS HFS + Vintage Bass (only for a personal taste, stock pickups are really good) Now the guitar stays in tune even with massive dive bombs with the bar! Last changes were cosmetic only: changed the rings to a more "USA look" + changed the knobs with USA Lampshade amber. With + 400€ more or less I have upgraded it to a really perfect axe. Out of box the only change this PRS SE need is tuners+nut or you can hear little tune issues. Awesome guitar, the frets are perfect (I had guitars with same price range with problems on frets...), not heavy, amazing.
I have the same guitar and I agree on most of the points. 1. It is extremely comfortable 2. Weight is just perfect - not too light, not too heavy 3. Addictive - I'm not sure I totally agree with this because I owned my for about a year now and it is my newest guitar so I might lean towards it because it's still "new", but I do lean towards it often 4. Looks beautiful 5. Tuners - not the greatest but didn't have real issues with it 6. Coil split - I didn't really like split sounds on mine so I changed switches to 3-way ones with Split/Series/Parallel and it is much more usable 7. Sound in my head - it sounded a lot muddier than my other guitars so I ended up changing pickups - I've put Suhr SSV+ in bridge and SSV in neck 8. 3-way pickup toggle - It is a total garbage. I'm having problems with mine every other day and I'll end up changing it. I've seen others have problems with that switch as well
I've had my PRS for 3 years. No issues with the 3-way toggle switch and the sound in my head. Everything else is spot-on! Also it is not my newest guitar. I've purchased a Gretsch solid body more recently a Charvel San Dimas Style 1. and I owned a Godin solid body and my original 2012 American Strat. I actually play them all: The Charvel took 2nd place from the Strat but the PRS is still the mos fun to play.
This is interesting. I have this exact model too and the switch seems a bit funky and the tuners are a bit lame. Seems like for the price they could at least put locking ones on it...
I have a custom 22 from the early 2000s, I changed the pickups and the rotary switch, now it’s just a two humbucker with a 3 way switch and sounds great.
I’ve only been playing for about 6 months but this was my first electric guitar (my only). Mine was used and it had an old wrap around bridge. The studs on it were worn out. Then the grooves on the nut were too deep. And I as well had to retune constantly. Well I got a new wrap around bridge with Intonation adjustments, and a new nut, locking tuners, switched to EMG pick ups and had the truss adjusted and I’ve got to say I love this instrument it sounds perfect and you can virtually play any style of music. Really what improved the sound the most was the new pick ups. The coil switches or what ever were alot more noticeable. I spent $799 and went a little over board for just starting out but as I’m getting better I can confidently say I’ll keep this guitar for ever it is amazing 10/10 would recommend with those tweaks
I own some high end guitars but I got an SE Custom 22, 6 months ago. The stock tuners were terrible, so I put on a set of SE locking tuners for €60 and it has transformed the guitar, no more tuning issues and it got rid of all the annoying creaks and pings with trem use. Even the strings seem to ring out a little better. I thought that the nut was part of the problem but it works perfectly fine now and there’s absolutely no need to change it. Getting a set of Tonerider Alnico II Classics or Alnico IV Classics as I’ve read great things about them, or a set of Bareknuckle Mules. It’s a superb guitar and yes very addictive and fun to play.
20yrs ago I worked at a guitar shop, and all the guys looked down on PRS in favor of Gibson because they associated PRS with all the nu-metal guys playing them. Looking back over the past 20yrs PRS has evolved and imho put out better overall consistency and quality control in their products. I think the stigma against PRS has faded over the years as they've established themselves as a consistent quality brand. I can't recommend PRS enough!
I have the same guitar and the tone isn’t quite right for me which is a shame as it’s stunning so looking at selling and getting an American standard strat or Vintera 60s Stratocaster
"Don't tell my wife!" Love it man. There's a walk-in closet in my wife's practice room that I use as a warehouse. All but one instrument has a hard case, and that includes mandolins, violins, ukuleles, basses and who knows how many guitars at this point. If you're careful and step over things you might make it to the back of this closet without injury. And then there's the issue with amps. Don't get me started. Meanwhile, she plays in 5 different orchestras and community bands, is out 5 nights a week at rehearsals. She plays flutes and piccolo. You could take my 335 case and fit everything she uses in it with room for a music stand and charts. We're all afflicted buddy. Anyway, I have a PRS Tremonti SE with the very same top and color. Super hot pickups which takes a little getting used to but I have done a fair amount of stuff that usually demands the LP with this instrument and I think the world of it. And yes, it's really comfortable! Have not done any mods at all as there is no need. If I want a Strat, I get the Strat out, etc. But this thing is a joy to play and it lives on a stand in the house where it gets picked up quite often. No need to compare it. Just appreciate it for the beautiful instrument it is.
No, it's a wall hanger now...............not a fan of the SE's, but, as they say, everything before the but is BS, I'm now dreaming of the new DGT SE.........I guess it never stops.
I too, put the PRS locking tuners on my SE custom 24-08 at the get-go as well. Oddly this is the FIRST PRS that has stuck with me. I've tried 4 others over the years. I never get along with the tone, until the 24-08. I'm a Humbucker guy. FWIW, going milder output PUPs, will make the coil tap tone even thinner and worse.
I own the Ezra green version and I adore it. I also changed the tuners but I did it post purchase from Sweetwater. I personally really love the split coil and my PRS sounds how I imagined. Esp when I put it in drop C tuning.
thank you for the great reviews about this guitar. I was wondering if you had any issues with the neck and the frets, due to humidity or temperature changes. How is the fret job ? thanks
Whereabouts in Aus are you located? Your comments on humidity have me wondering. I’m in Bris and have developed a serious PRS itch with the new SE releases. I’m most excited to try the DGT SE but also want to check the McCarty594 and the Hollowbody Piezo Standard Dog Hair. I will probably also try a 24-08 because why not and one of my favourite guitar players uses Custom 24s (various core models). I’m just not sure if the 24 will be for me but then again I need to try it. I did try a PRS SE going back quite a few years and didn’t “feel” anything. It seemed a bit lifeless to me. But that was then and this is now and I’m not even sure which model it was. I think it was Korean or China made prior to the solid body fabrication move to Indonesia. Not saying Chinese or Korean guitars are no good, just that one wasn’t good for me. It seems that recent Indonesian guitar releases from many brands have been excellent. They are doing something right there.
Gold Coast! I had the same feeling with SE's years ago, however they have definitely evolved. Also can't wait to try the DGT SE - all reviews so far are stellar!
@@TheMusicLoop - Practically neighbours! 😁 Hoping to get into one of my music stores this coming week to try some out. See if anything grabs me. Edit - They don’t have any SE DGTs in Brisbane that I’ve found yet. I even looked on the Gold Coast and didn’t see any. Perhaps more are on the way…soon. I did read something about next shipments being a few months away but if I’m honest, I’m really not in that much of a hurry.
I've owned a couple SEs and have one right now. I love it. Regarding locking tuners, I had them installed on my previous SE and they didn't do anyting for tuning stability. While locking tuners don't hurt, the main thing that causes a guitar with a trem to go out of tune is the nut. If you have friction it will go out of tune. I don't have locking tuners on my current SE which actually holds tune better than my old SE. I agree on the coil spliting, in that it really does not get you anything stratty. I like the pickups, but they area tad hot in some areas and I may change them to a DiMarzio PAF Pro set which has always worked for me as a good medium output hot but not too hot PAF tone. I just thin the stock pups are a bit one size fits all and PRS has leaned too much into higher output pups. The original PRS models that Paul was producing in the early 80s came with Seymour Duncans, I think the Custom, which is a hot pickup, so when PRS want to load a lot pickup into a model they go with what is sort of their own version of a Custom and I think it can be too much for some players. I used to love high output pickups when I was playing heavy rock and metal as a teen but fell out of love with high output pickups when I realized how much better medium to vintage output sounded with the higher gain amps of the time like the Boogie I was using. I go for a more 70s kind of tone so over the end of breakup but not over the top. I love the weight of this guitar even though it's a tad heavier than my last SE which was unusually light for any guitar. The balance is even better on this one too. And it plays like butter and looks awesome. I can't think of cooler looking ax. Rock on.
I had the issue of a guitar not matching the sound in my head too. Les Paul… just never bonded with the thing. Hard to get past it. Looking at a PRS or an Ibanez AR420 to replace it
I think the single coil feature is t really meant to be studio quality. It’s meant to emulate it close enough for live performances. Like, the purpose of it is to be a versatile tool. Paul even says this himself.
@@leodb3894 absolutely! I don't think any humbucker that splits could be classified as studio quality. I guess if you want that, then play a single coil
I am considering this guitar and just what demo videos I have watched the sound doesn't get it for me either. It is like a muddy mix in the middle, the humbucker loses it's full sound and the single coil sounds watered down. I"ll have to try one to know for sure.
I agree with your evaluation. I have an SE Paul's guitar and I changed the pickups out to Loller elroyo pickups and they're absolutely fantastic. I also changed the tuners out for locking tuners made by Gotoh. The original bridge was okay but I got a graph tech adjustable bridge that snapped right in that's amazing This is stain is amazing if you haven't heard of loller pickups I suggest you check them out online.
I have what I think is the next model down, in the SE Custom line. It has a three-way blade selector and a push-pull pot for coil split. I absolutely love it. I love the hotness of the pickups, I think they're quite well rounded, and even though the split isn't 100% single-coil authentic, it is one of the best sounding split humbucker sounds I've ever heard. It's full and not brittle, which has been my experience with other similar setups. It doesn't sound like a Strat, of course... My tuners are great. This is the most stable guitar in the whole house, in terms of tuning. It's the guitar I know is going to be in tune when I pick it up. My one gripe is that it suffers from the dirty electronics that seem to be the common bane for the model. You see guys complaining about this all over the internet. The pots and switch quickly get noisy if you don't play it for too long. One day, I'll just swap those out and be done with it. Thankfully, it is my go-to, so I play it enough that they clean out and the issue is minimized. As to sounding like I'd hoped, it does. I was aiming for something like a "woman" tone somewhere between Clapton and Santana, but that could Metal-up, if needed, and it does all of those things wonderfully.
I've got my SE 24-08 coming in next week! I don't have many options within the brand unless i want to drop a lot of $, but stoked all the same. It'll be a different kind of beast for me, as I've been a 22 fret, Strat-style / Les Paul player for the longest time. I do agree with what you said on not seeing the 24-08 as a jack of all trades guitar. It's got it's own vibe. It'll definitely handle a gig just fine, but I'm not gonna expect it play like my Schecter Johnston or Gibson Trad. Les Paul. Can't wait for it to come in
Love mine! I’m always turning down treble on my many strats anyway so this is fine w me when split. Couple suggestions. Move pups away from strings and compensate volume w amp or pedals, use 9s and/or an eq pedal to manage single coil sounds. I use 8.5 and backed off pups a bit and have 2 eq 7 band pedals. There’s nothing I can’t do with this baby. Rock on
Definitely worth the cons seeing as "SE" stands for "Student Edition" which is another way of saying "Not made in America and cheaper materials" lol. This line of PRS guitars were designed to be introductory rather than full time gigging musician. The craftsmanship on these "cheaper" PRS guitars are amazing for the price.
I have that exact guitar. Agree on every point. Switched to two Seymour Duncan pickups. Neck: '59 Model Humbucker (PAF) and Bridge: SH-5 Custom Humbucker. Got rid of the coil splits, was a pain to re-wire. The difference in sound was massive, now I completely love this guitar. Can get me anywhere from PAF sounds to TOOL riffs. I run this through a BOSS Katana 100 mk2 with the Diezel VH-4^2 as a preamp through the FX Loop and it sounds disgusting. I also run it through a Fender Blues Jr. and the PAF sounds great. Bonamassa/Cream vibes. Use my strat for strat tones.
I have been playing acoustic guitar for years and recently decided to migrate more toward electric. Had a few low end electrics that I play but really wanted to invest in a "Nice" guitar. After much homework and many UA-cam videos I ended up buying this same PRS SE Custom 24/08. I also found this guitar very comfortable to play and am loving the fretboard. Before I replaced the strings I also invested in the locking tuners as I heard others talk about the tuning issues with the SEs Anyway I Love this guitar and can't stop playing it daily, I feel I made the right choice and have no regrets! Thank you, excellent video
I have a 2015 SE Custom in Cherry Sunburst. The tuning stability is the fault of the nut. When I first got it it would stay in tune for as little as 5 minutes!!! I had a custom made bone nut installed and it now stays in tune for HOURS
i agree with the pickup swap. these are wild pickups. they wanna make noise. It definatly has that vintage sound. Remember...this is in essence a throwback to the first PRS guitars. I actually held one of pauls first built guitars, it was built from an old table or dresser rather as it had a hole in it where a knob for a drawer was placed. Its in Daves guitar shop museum ,upstairs in lacrosse wisconsin. plus when you split the coils their is a drop in volume. I need the consistancy of the volume. I just recently upgraded a late 90s fender showmaster with the scorpion inlay. I put a loller p90 in the neck positin and a suhr thornbucker in the bridge position. it is the most versatile guitar ive ever owned. balanced, punchy. it does all things that it should do very well and sounds great. The se 2408 sounds excellent when you have some dirt on it. All the coil splitting etc is right on. clean is another matter. if your recording and you dont have the luxury of a kick ass strat or tele...this guitar will do it for you. Itll do a whole lot more as well...if you take the time to adjust levels etc. live ...the clean tone volume is reduced. you will have to reliy on a volume pedal, boost or front of house and a good audio engineer to boost your signal in those areas that you play clean on those single coil pick up configurations. overall this guitar is great for home studio recording as its very versatile. Live gigs as long as you arent trying to switch from a strat to a les paul etc, your good. you get my drift. great video and great discussion.
Hello. I am a luthier and musician. I have the same guitar and…100% agreed with every single word you just said. I changed tuners at the first day of having it (I just had a set in my room as I’m a luthier), also changed belt lockers for a Shaller ones,I also suggest to use Mono gig bag as original one is not really good one (hard case also not so good quality). The pickups are pretty OK for a gigging around,but quite weak for a studio job or festivals. Considering to buy some SD. Rest of the things about PRS - it’s very cool guitar with a perfect playability and outlook.
Prs has a prs md. It had split coil. But has active witb 2 9 volts. It’s great. I think it was to be expensive to make. They stopped. But. U can find them
I just bought this guitar. And I found that if you just lower the neck pickup a little then everything is correct. My jack of all trades is a 2006 Fender American Deluxe with the fourth generation noiseless
I changed the pickups in mine. The JB in the neck sounds really good split. I also changed the tuners and the nut. Changing the nut improved the sound too. I bought the core nut
As a mediocre(at best) guitar player, and after owning a PRS Custom24SE for a few weeks now it is has become my favourite guitar to play. As bonus, instead of hearing “not another guitar” from my other half, she thinks it looks beautiful, and it does, with a turquoise quilted maple top and headstock.
I changed out the pickups on my S2 Custom 22 to Lollards Imperials. Night and day difference. I think there’s been enough comments about the harsh lower tier PRS bridge and slightly dull neck that they’d have taken some notice by now
This video is 1 year old. But i would just drop the pickups low... I still remember how i found the neck sound of my strat too harsh, one day accidentally i lowered it (wrong screw, i was moving the guard😅) and voila... Then i started noticing ALL my favorite strat players had the pickups just a few milimiters over the pickguard 😅
I've heard people complaining about the nitro painting on the latest models that make the guitar ageing and get scratched quite easily. What's your experience? Thanks.
Hey Claudio, I have had no problems at all with the finish. Gigged regularly and still looks as new. Mine also sits in the included SE gig bag all the time at home. Cheers
I have the regular SE without the extra switches. I took out the push-pull pots and replaced them with standard CTS pots. I replaced the pickups with the Peacock Set from Missing Link Audio. They're amazing pickups but more for vintage-y bluesy stuff. They're very open, organic, "alive" sounding pickups. Check out intheblues for a demo of them. I needed something similar but with more balls, so MLA made me a custom set. I'm hoping to get them installed in the next couple of weeks. I also replaced the nut and tuners. Mine has the PRS lockers like yours has. I'd love another CU24 though, in the eriza Verde color. It reminds me of the Kramer that Dave Sabo from Skid Row plays. I'd buy one of those, but I hate Floyd Rose tremolos. They're a headache. But definitely look into Missing Link Audio for pickups.
Gibson quality just isn't there and hasn't been for decades. I don't want to pay $3k plus and still have to work on the guitar after paying that price! Give me a PRS that's ready to play right out of the box any day of the week. Sounds great and performs exactly how I want and need and it looks great!
I have the same guitar in blue. The tuners were garbage, but changing to lockers did the trick. Mine didn't come with zebra pups, but all black. Maybe they're a different model, maybe not. I like the sound with the switch in the middle with the bridge split and the neck full.
I tried one yesterday. I thought the coil split sounded good - it worked better than on other guitars I have tried as in they actually sounded like single coils and were different enough to the humbucker config that it was easy to tell which was which. Sound in my head? I don’t really have one - probably as I’m primarily a bass and keyboard player. The picks up sounded good in humbucking config too - either with some crunch or some drive. I tried a Mexican strat at the same time - it just didn’t speak to me. Your cons didn’t apply to me - but I think this is probably a lot to do with where each of us have come from, and that I only want one guitar that gets close enough to everything.
I own a SE Custom 24. And, like you, I also am not a fan of split coil pots. So, I had mine removed, swapped out the pickups for 57/08s and changed the capacitors for 0.015 oil and paper Bumblebees. Now, the tone growls and howls like Eric Clapton’s Cream era ‘64 SG. Try it... The sound surpasses most Gibson Murphy Lab custom jobs for a fraction of the price.
I have the S2 version of the same guitar. It came with the locking tuners and is very comfortable to play. It looks amazing. What you say about it not being a jack of all trades is spot on. The single coil sounds aren't quite like a strat. I have found that I can really get close to the sound SRV uses on Cold Shot if I split the bridge PU and use the neck PU as a humbucker. But it will not cover all of the sounds that you can get with a strat. The PUs used as humbuckers don't get the humbucking sounds I want. They just don't sound like Gibson PAF style pickups. I really like the guitar it just doesn't cover all the bases like I expected it to do.
Got the s2 version recently that have the same pick ups and you’re so right re: coil split. Just grab the strat for single coil, but the feel of these guitars is incredible
Great honest review. Thanks. I'm looking at a used PRS Custom SE24... Have and had Les Pauls, SGs, strata, teles, Gretsch... And too many more...lol.. I revert back to my 70's Strat... But curious about the par.
I have a sunburst one .. I play it live ... I use the split coils to simulate a Tele sound .. doesn't get the strat quack at all ... But will get a close Tele mud position sound ..
Yeah. I get it. A two-humbucker guitar with 22 frets is the most likely thing to get you into believable Fender territory. TELE ONLY. A 24 fret model with two humbuckers in split coil mode is usually not very believable Strat OR Tele because the spacing between the pickups is just “off”. On a 24 fret guitar the neck pickup is usually closer to the bridge than on a 22 and in my opinion, doesn’t quite sound “necky”. But it’s not quite in the same position as a middle pickup on a Strat. So the 24 fret guitars seem to sound glassy and jangly, but still, artificial. Not really like a Strat and not really like a Tele. The 22’s do a somewhat better job due to pickup spacing, and the neck pickup sounds more “necky”. I’m primarily a Strat and Tele guy but PRS is definitely on the radar for a two-humbucker set-neck guitar…soon! Thanks for sharing great information!
I personally would look for a used S2. You'll have the same issues with the pickups as they are the same but overall quality is far superior and USA made. The necks on the USA models take like 2 weeks alone to complete. That being said the SE's are surely one of the best imported mid priced guitars available. The Strat however is king.
I just turned 50 and may wonderful daughter gave me a bright green one. Its beautiful! It needed some picky work, i polished the frets, truss adjust, set up etc. Now that thats done, its AMAZING! I've only had it three days now, but i cant put it down!
Happy birthday and what an incredible present from your daughter. Enjoy the new axe!
Earlier this year, I needed a new "travel guitar" for practicing on business road trips (read: not too expensive, with split-able humbuckers for hotel rooms with loads of RFI). I picked up an SE Custom 24-08, and within a couple of months, I bought the Custom 24, too, just to see which I prefer. My plan was to sell one, but, they're both excellent and different enough from each other that I decided to keep both. Some of my observations, which may be at odds with the video presenter, here:
- With tone at 10: In Humbucker mode, they are brighter than a Les Paul. In Single Coil mode, they are brighter than a Strat. But, in ALL modes they have a LOT of bass. You can reduce the bass by rolling off the volume a bit on the guitar, and you can tame the brightness by rolling back the Tone knob. With the stock treble bleeds in place, these guitars encourage the player to adjust the knobs. Think of "5" as "neutral." If you simply dime all the knobs out of habit, you'll miss out on much of the tonal versatility of these guitars.
- I find the Single-coil tones on both guitars very usable. Do they sound like Stats or Teles? Not really, though the 24-08 comes closer. But they DO sound like single coils, and again, experiment with the knobs please! On some clean amp settings, the single coil middle position on the Custom 24 can sound like a plugged-in acoustic. A handy option to have available.
- Both my guitars have the stock SE tuners, and I have had ZERO trouble with them AFTER making one minor tweak. The tiny philips head screws that hold the tuner buttons on ALSO serve to adjust the tension/resistance of the tuning machines. As the come from the factory, they are so loose that breathing heavily on them might knock them out of tune. (Hyperbole Alert) Just take a small screwdriver and add a tiny bit of tension (1/8 turn?). This will make the tuners hold tension much more reliably. Of my 13 guitars, these two are now tied for first place in terms of tuning stability.
- I don't know what to do with the "Sound in my Head", comment. Kind of a pointless observation, since no one knows what that sound is. I don't care if it sounds like a Core, and, like most players, I have zero frame of reference for that, anyway. Do I like the sound enough to keep it? Yes. I have no plans on changing the pickups. I like them as is, and don't see the point in making all my guitars sound the same.
- In the coil-split middle position, the Custom 24 seems to give you some of the out-of-phase quack of positions 2/4 on a Strat. Not so on the 24-08; it's more akin to the in-phase middle on a Tele.
- Both guitars feel EXACTLY the same. If I couldn't hear them, I couldn't tell them apart by playing.
- The stock 9-gauge strings are too light, and too bright (tinny). These guitars feel and play better with 10s. Also aids in tuning stability and rattle-free low action.
- The visual quality of the maple veneers varies WILDLY. So much so that, I really think Mr. Smith should step in and require better judgement from the Indonesian plant. I stalked eBay, Reverb, Sweetwater, Wildwood, and Dave's for over a month for each guitar, waiting to pounce on one with an top that I liked. Honestly, there's no excuse. Some of the tops are so lame/mismatched that they should be priced as factory seconds. Even Harley Benton seems to have better consistency in this area.
- No regrets. Lovely guitars, with thoughtful design features that truly make them a joy to play. If forced to sell one, I'd keep the Custom 24.
I agree about replacing the factory 9s with 10s. Playing 11s on my other guitars (except an SE DGT with 10s), I tend to be heavy handed. I felt like I was having a hard time playing this in tune. Feels more natural to me and plays in tune better with 10s.
I got the SE Standard 24 with the 85/15 pickups just about 2 years ago in 2020. I fiddled with the pickup height and I love the tones it gives. And the playability is amazing. The split coil sound is not a strat but it is a single coil tone. And I like that it gives different tones than my other guitars. I don't want all my guitars to sound alike. I like to learn what differences each guitar gives me. So yeah, I'm still in love with the stock SE Standard 24.
Tim Mahoney (311) has used PRS for ages. I'm 45 years old and he is the inspiration that made me want a PRS. Now, I have my PRS on order. I can't wait for it to get here. PRS is making it to order and is projected at the end of December. Merry Christmas to me! 🥰
He is actually one of the original "artist roster" for PRS. Enjoy - what a present!
I have the same guitar, and I love everything about it. Now, one thing I learned is that it's a bright sounding bridge humbucker and if you want it in a sweet rounded growl you have to turn the tone to 5 or 6. If you want to play punkrock then tone at 10. I never had a guitar where I'm dialing back the tone on a bridge humbucker. That's a plus in my books!
Thanks for the review. It's so nice to hear the cons as well as the pros and the reasons behind your conclusions with the guitar. Good job.
@@nunyabusiness5075 thanks for watching!
I'm mainly a SG player and I fell in love with a PRS SE Santana, and it was instantly comfortable to play both sitting down and standing. It has been had a new nut cut for it and set up for GHS strings. The circuitry has all been upgraded and the pickups were replaced. I used left over pickups - SD WLH in the neck and a SD 59 / Custom in the bridge.
Glad to see you got and like your PRS. Great guitars…I have three of them (all SE models). I changed the tuners not because of tuning instability but because locking tuners make changing strings so much easier.
I have a core and an se - they both come to my gigs. The SE 24/08 mini toggle switches are effin awesome
PRS just released a video with Paul himself explaining bits and pieces around the pickups. Paul is actually very fond of singlecoils, and has a sort of testbed guitar that allows pickup changes on the fly, and he shows humcancelling pups that approach singles more truthfully.
The standard PRS humbuckers are indeed fairly hot, which makes a coilsplit lose a lot of focus and output - which is why that trick usually fails to impress.
If you going to change out these pickups as you're looking for a good singlecoil sound, then I'd suggest adjusting the current pickup heights to that sweet spot while in singlecoil mode.
I have an SE 24 Custom. Absolutely love it. I'm picking it up over my go to guitar of over 30 years. I actually do use the split coil feature in the middle position. Doesn't give a true strat single coil sound, but for certain songs, it gives me enough of that vibe that I don't have to switch to a strat. However, agree that sometimes you just need to use a strat if that's the tone you want. Also find it super comfortable. Had a 2 hour rehearsal wearing the guitar the entire time. Never got tired or sore. My SG2000 starts to kill my back after about a half hour. Also borrowed a PRS CE from a buddy. Honestly like the SE way better and it's half the cost. Didn't like the CE pickups, the rotary switch (older model), or the neck profile.
Glad you're enjoying it!
I have a 2021 Se Custom 24. I put locking tuners on it and the Wilkinson locking saddles (brilliant!) and it's a great guitar. With the locking at both ends, I can go crazy with the whammy and it stays perfectly in tune. Love the neck carve, the weight, everything. The newer SE's are brilliant.
Been loving my SE Standard 24-08 for six months. Build quality and playability are exceptional at this price point. I have no issue with tuners, try them before switching. Sound options are great. It is on par with my PRS core cu 24 and more flexible. I have a strat as well and it has a different set of sound options. Love them all.
Definitely agree re tuners. I check my tuning before playing each day and it rarely needs tuning and if it does, it's a minor tweak.
I got my first PRS a couple years ago, and I've absolutely loved it.
SE?
Before you change the pickups!
Lower them, and then raise the screwed in pole pieces. This will also help with the single coil sounds.
Yes, have definitely played around with the heights as well
I own this very model. While I still love my Les Pauls and my Stratocasters, my new PRS Custom SE 24-08 is currently doing most of the heavy lifting on my band's album. Fantastic instrument.
Excellent critique. Same observations here.
Have the Tobacco Burst standard version. I’ve been playing it at church for around 9 months. I find myself liking it more and more and more. (I put the SE locking tuners on mine as well). It does everything I need, is easy on my back, stays in tune and is easy on my fretting hand.
I have three guitars - Squier classic vibe tele, Epiphone Les Paul, and a PRS SE 24-08. The PRS is the most comfortable and easy to play of the three to me. I did put in PRS locking tuners and changed to the PRS lampshade knobs. Really love my PRS. I preferred the pickups in the PRS CE I owned for a while, but I’m happy with the sound as it. I like that it is a bit hotter and brighter than my Les Paul.
Sounds like all sonic bases are covered - nice!
It’s impossible for a builder to make a guitar that suits everyones needs…I use PRS because they play and feel great, they are 100% reliable…they just plain work…great stuff my man!!!
The issue I think is that It doesn't sound like a strat or a Gibson, so when you're playing guns and roses it's not quite the same sound, when you play David Gilmore it's not quite the same ect so it feels like it's missing something but it's not. I feel exactly the same but do I swap pickups for some pearly gates and now it's a Gibson and all strat songs sound even more off or go low output and loose the rock sound? Think I'll leave mine in the middle where it belongs.
Thank you sharing pro &cons,great review, i rely to your opinion
Thanks for watching!
I added a .033 capacitor, wired the same as S2 that has the same pickups. You may also want to try lowering the pickups. I also changed the tuners, added a Graph Tech nut, the S2's knobs and pickup rings and a Pure Tone output jack.
Have played around with the height of the pickups but not the capacitor. Will have a look - cheers!
Loving my PRS Custom 24. Did put the locking tuners on.
I have an S2 with the same pickups and switching system. I don’t superlove the split coils on their own, but blending in the middle position delivers some really interesting tones. Especially neck humbucker + bridge split. That’s become a go-to clean sound for me.
Definitely is fun discovering the different combinations of sounds, from the pickups
I've been playing se 24-08 for the past year. I agree with the pros, so I'll share my thoughts on the cons:
1) tuners - same, immidiately switched to locking tuners.
2) coil split - I love it. that's the thing that brought my attention to this model and it works for me personally.
3) what this guitar does not work with for me is some heavy overdrive and distortion. Clear tone and crunch, some light OD - great, but for heavier sound I prefer my LP with 490R and 498T.
All in all the SE 24-08 managed to replace a strat and a tele (but not an LP), it just works for me. In terms of sound, as a couch guitar player - these 2 guitars seem to be enough for me.
Refreshing to watch an honest, independent guitar review. A PRS is the next guitar on my buy list. Still tossing up between an SE or spending more on a S2 or CE24 Semi Hollow. Currently have a Tele, Les Paul and a 335 copy
Thanks Rob - would love to hear what you go with
I've had an SE semi-hollow custom 22 (older flat top version) for years. I regularly stop in to the local guitar shop and tryout expensive guitars....none of them seem to do anything better. Some sound a bit different, but none play any smoother.
I did my own setup work, and when a pot went scratchy, I replaced both and upgraded pickups to SD Pearly Gates. Next up is a coil split, to try it out.
All this to say, I seen no reason to spend more than SE money to get a fantastic guitar.
Wow! You hit the nail on the head in this video. Perhaps we have similar taste, because I have the same exact pros and cons. I’m not Strat crazy, but I do have love for them, and know what they are supposed to sound like, specifically when playing in the neck position.
My PRS custom 24 zebrawood doesn’t deliver ANYTHING like that chime that a Strat is renowned for. When the coil split control is engaged, the only change is in regard to the intensity of the pickups. It merely sounds like a weakened version of the same pickup, but the tonal characteristics stay exactly the same. Overall, the tones I get are not bad, but they’re also not familiar. That’s not bad, but when your guitar heroes all seem to play Fender and Gibson, the guitar doesn’t exactly give you what your looking for when you’re used to hearing classic tones on recordings and performances.
I can say with all certainty, that PRS is it’s own thing for sure. I don’t mean that as an insult, it’s just the best way I can describe my experience with their instrument. For me it’s a little weird because I don’t have original material, so I’m always trying to make it do something that my other instruments just do naturally. I don’t know if this makes me sound like a dick, (or crazy), but the instrument doesn’t seem to have the same kind of life inside of it like that of it’s competitors, but it’s not lacking life either. Additionally, It’s a very bright sounding guitar. The electronics work beautifully, but if you’re the type of player who likes to turn your tone knob up to 10 and never look back then you’ll realize immediately that the natural voice of the instrument is BRIGHT! Even when playing on the neck pickup. Probably due to the 24 frets vs 22? I have no complaints there, but you do want to dial this guitar in to avoid shrill tones. Thats not an insult either, it just means that the tone pots have a large sweeping range from dark to light, and it’s best to use them to your advantage and experiment with them.
Conversely, mine plays extremely comfortably, (more so than my Fenders and Gibsons), and it’s one of the most beautiful guitars I own, which we like to pretend doesn’t matter so much, but it really does. Honestly, the fit and finish are perfect, and it’s the lightest guitar I own. Even PRS’s strap that I bought was of a high quality, and the most comfortable one I own. PRS does an incredible job on their affordable SE line.
Because I’d like a better single coil guitar, I’ve though of maybe selling it and going for an SE Silver Sky instead. Sorry for the long comment, but I couldn’t agree more with your points. Overall, I think that this is an incredible instrument and I do love it very much, but it would be best if I wrote original music so that I’m not forced to compare it to other brands simply because they are familiar.
Thanks for the video!
Great insights and I definitely agree with what you are saying! Thanks for watching
PRS SE 245 is my first guitar since 2020. And I love it! Since then I try lot of guitars from other brand, but I don’t know why I always back to PRS. And last year I bought PRS SE Silver Sky and I don’t regret my decision. About the sound, for me (because most of the time I am a keyboard player) it not really bother me. Yes its sound different with the other brand but I still love it. I’m planning to buy other PRS guitar in the future and 24-08 eriza verde is one of them.
I've had many different brands of guitar but the PRS is the most comfortable and easy to play no matter the type of music I'm playing it's a pleasure to play can't say that about any other guitar I've owned.
glad you said this about it not being the sound in your head. I felt this too (just from watching vids, i don't own one) and thought I was being fussy but it's not the tone I'm looking for and you helped me realise that if I bought one i'd need to change the pickups, so thank you! I just like the look, smaller size/weight, and price tag over LP's but would like more of that classic PAF tone.
When I think of PRS, in my
mind it's all about Santana's smooth creamy tones that flow from the guitar like water. Good luck finding this.
The SE Standard 24 08 has the TCI pups vs the Customs 85/15. Interesting.
Had mine for a year or so now. First thing i did was change the tuners exactly as you did.
I know what you mean about the sound but 2 weeks ago i put a heavy brass trem block on and brass saddles too.
It's a whole new guitar now! Much more resonant and dynamic as a result. The sound is much closer to what was "in my head".
Also, a little volume boost with a compression peddle really helps the split coils sound to my ears.
That's a great idea!
My PRS was gifted to me. . . ! I think it really sings. . . !! I love the sound this baby produces. . . ! It feels good in my hands, and I love the playability.
Awesome man - sounds like you have found the perfect match! Thanks for watching
I had a 1989 CE 24, didn’t know what I had. Traded it for a Gretchen Country Gentleman, big mistake. Later on had a friend sell me his SE custom 24, fantastic. When PRS re-released the CE 24 in 2016 I snatched one up, love it. Then found a SE Santana(22 fret), love it. Found a S2 22 fret in matt black, love it. Finally found a used SE 35th anniversary 24-08, love it. Your fight weight and comfort count on the enjoyment of the instrument while playing on and off the stage. And I have played Les Paul’s, strats and telescope. The PRS line is a stand out.
Nice man!
Ive had mine for 4 months play through a katana 100 and love it plays and sounds great
Awesome Karl - glad you are digging it!
Thanks for this video!
I've exactly this model, with a proper setup it's awesome for the price. Stunning look, really fast neck!
I've done 3 hardware upgrades in order to have the guitar perfectly usable in every condition:
- PRS SE Locking Tuners
- Graphtech Tusq XL nut
- Switched to 2 USA PRS HFS + Vintage Bass (only for a personal taste, stock pickups are really good)
Now the guitar stays in tune even with massive dive bombs with the bar!
Last changes were cosmetic only: changed the rings to a more "USA look" + changed the knobs with USA Lampshade amber. With + 400€ more or less I have upgraded it to a really perfect axe. Out of box the only change this PRS SE need is tuners+nut or you can hear little tune issues.
Awesome guitar, the frets are perfect (I had guitars with same price range with problems on frets...), not heavy, amazing.
I have the same guitar and I agree on most of the points.
1. It is extremely comfortable
2. Weight is just perfect - not too light, not too heavy
3. Addictive - I'm not sure I totally agree with this because I owned my for about a year now and it is my newest guitar so I might lean towards it because it's still "new", but I do lean towards it often
4. Looks beautiful
5. Tuners - not the greatest but didn't have real issues with it
6. Coil split - I didn't really like split sounds on mine so I changed switches to 3-way ones with Split/Series/Parallel and it is much more usable
7. Sound in my head - it sounded a lot muddier than my other guitars so I ended up changing pickups - I've put Suhr SSV+ in bridge and SSV in neck
8. 3-way pickup toggle - It is a total garbage. I'm having problems with mine every other day and I'll end up changing it. I've seen others have problems with that switch as well
I've had my PRS for 3 years. No issues with the 3-way toggle switch and the sound in my head. Everything else is spot-on! Also it is not my newest guitar. I've purchased a Gretsch solid body more recently a Charvel San Dimas Style 1. and I owned a Godin solid body and my original 2012 American Strat. I actually play them all: The Charvel took 2nd place from the Strat but the PRS is still the mos fun to play.
This is interesting. I have this exact model too and the switch seems a bit funky and the tuners are a bit lame. Seems like for the price they could at least put locking ones on it...
I have a custom 22 from the early 2000s, I changed the pickups and the rotary switch, now it’s just a two humbucker with a 3 way switch and sounds great.
I’ve only been playing for about 6 months but this was my first electric guitar (my only). Mine was used and it had an old wrap around bridge. The studs on it were worn out. Then the grooves on the nut were too deep. And I as well had to retune constantly. Well I got a new wrap around bridge with Intonation adjustments, and a new nut, locking tuners, switched to EMG pick ups and had the truss adjusted and I’ve got to say I love this instrument it sounds perfect and you can virtually play any style of music. Really what improved the sound the most was the new pick ups. The coil switches or what ever were alot more noticeable. I spent $799 and went a little over board for just starting out but as I’m getting better I can confidently say I’ll keep this guitar for ever it is amazing 10/10 would recommend with those tweaks
@@justingrissom77 nice one - glad to hear you are loving your instrument!
@@TheMusicLoop how ever switching to emg made it an 04 not an 08 lol but it still sounds great
I own some high end guitars but I got an SE Custom 22, 6 months ago. The stock tuners were terrible, so I put on a set of SE locking tuners for €60 and it has transformed the guitar, no more tuning issues and it got rid of all the annoying creaks and pings with trem use. Even the strings seem to ring out a little better. I thought that the nut was part of the problem but it works perfectly fine now and there’s absolutely no need to change it. Getting a set of Tonerider Alnico II Classics or Alnico IV Classics as I’ve read great things about them, or a set of Bareknuckle Mules. It’s a superb guitar and yes very addictive and fun to play.
20yrs ago I worked at a guitar shop, and all the guys looked down on PRS in favor of Gibson because they associated PRS with all the nu-metal guys playing them. Looking back over the past 20yrs PRS has evolved and imho put out better overall consistency and quality control in their products. I think the stigma against PRS has faded over the years as they've established themselves as a consistent quality brand. I can't recommend PRS enough!
Great wisdom. One day, I'll afford a PRS. So true! Thank you for guiding me as I learn to play guitar.
Thanks for watching!
I have the same guitar and the tone isn’t quite right for me which is a shame as it’s stunning so looking at selling and getting an American standard strat or Vintera 60s Stratocaster
"Don't tell my wife!" Love it man. There's a walk-in closet in my wife's practice room that I use as a warehouse. All but one instrument has a hard case, and that includes mandolins, violins, ukuleles, basses and who knows how many guitars at this point. If you're careful and step over things you might make it to the back of this closet without injury. And then there's the issue with amps. Don't get me started. Meanwhile, she plays in 5 different orchestras and community bands, is out 5 nights a week at rehearsals. She plays flutes and piccolo. You could take my 335 case and fit everything she uses in it with room for a music stand and charts. We're all afflicted buddy. Anyway, I have a PRS Tremonti SE with the very same top and color. Super hot pickups which takes a little getting used to but I have done a fair amount of stuff that usually demands the LP with this instrument and I think the world of it. And yes, it's really comfortable! Have not done any mods at all as there is no need. If I want a Strat, I get the Strat out, etc. But this thing is a joy to play and it lives on a stand in the house where it gets picked up quite often. No need to compare it. Just appreciate it for the beautiful instrument it is.
I need to get my wife on the idea of a practise room!! Thanks for watching mate - cheers
I just bought a Les Paul and I love it. I still have a PRS on my list so the 24-08 looks to be a great option. Thanks for your video.
Enjoy the LP!
I'd be interested to see how you go after 18 months, that's how long mine lasted before required a re-fret.
Interesting as I can see how that would be the case. Are you still enjoying the guitar?
No, it's a wall hanger now...............not a fan of the SE's, but, as they say, everything before the but is BS, I'm now dreaming of the new DGT SE.........I guess it never stops.
I too, put the PRS locking tuners on my SE custom 24-08 at the get-go as well. Oddly this is the FIRST PRS that has stuck with me. I've tried 4 others over the years. I never get along with the tone, until the 24-08. I'm a Humbucker guy. FWIW, going milder output PUPs, will make the coil tap tone even thinner and worse.
Appreciate the feedback!
I own the Ezra green version and I adore it. I also changed the tuners but I did it post purchase from Sweetwater. I personally really love the split coil and my PRS sounds how I imagined. Esp when I put it in drop C tuning.
Good honest review mate fair play.
2.2k resistor to ground...beefs up the split a bit, plus gives it a slight phase twist. Or Not.
Honestly it was between this 24-08 and the McCarty and you saved me with this video. McCarty it is! No slips pickups for me
@@sgt_loeram1933 Enjoy!!! The McCarty is killer
thank you for the great reviews about this guitar. I was wondering if you had any issues with the neck and the frets, due to humidity or temperature changes. How is the fret job ? thanks
@@franckrichard8077 thanks for watching! No issues with frets at all. Humidity here also has not had any negative effect on the guitar 👍🏼
Whereabouts in Aus are you located? Your comments on humidity have me wondering. I’m in Bris and have developed a serious PRS itch with the new SE releases. I’m most excited to try the DGT SE but also want to check the McCarty594 and the Hollowbody Piezo Standard Dog Hair. I will probably also try a 24-08 because why not and one of my favourite guitar players uses Custom 24s (various core models). I’m just not sure if the 24 will be for me but then again I need to try it.
I did try a PRS SE going back quite a few years and didn’t “feel” anything. It seemed a bit lifeless to me. But that was then and this is now and I’m not even sure which model it was. I think it was Korean or China made prior to the solid body fabrication move to Indonesia. Not saying Chinese or Korean guitars are no good, just that one wasn’t good for me. It seems that recent Indonesian guitar releases from many brands have been excellent. They are doing something right there.
Gold Coast! I had the same feeling with SE's years ago, however they have definitely evolved.
Also can't wait to try the DGT SE - all reviews so far are stellar!
@@TheMusicLoop - Practically neighbours! 😁 Hoping to get into one of my music stores this coming week to try some out. See if anything grabs me.
Edit - They don’t have any SE DGTs in Brisbane that I’ve found yet. I even looked on the Gold Coast and didn’t see any. Perhaps more are on the way…soon. I did read something about next shipments being a few months away but if I’m honest, I’m really not in that much of a hurry.
I've owned a couple SEs and have one right now. I love it. Regarding locking tuners, I had them installed on my previous SE and they didn't do anyting for tuning stability. While locking tuners don't hurt, the main thing that causes a guitar with a trem to go out of tune is the nut. If you have friction it will go out of tune. I don't have locking tuners on my current SE which actually holds tune better than my old SE. I agree on the coil spliting, in that it really does not get you anything stratty. I like the pickups, but they area tad hot in some areas and I may change them to a DiMarzio PAF Pro set which has always worked for me as a good medium output hot but not too hot PAF tone. I just thin the stock pups are a bit one size fits all and PRS has leaned too much into higher output pups. The original PRS models that Paul was producing in the early 80s came with Seymour Duncans, I think the Custom, which is a hot pickup, so when PRS want to load a lot pickup into a model they go with what is sort of their own version of a Custom and I think it can be too much for some players. I used to love high output pickups when I was playing heavy rock and metal as a teen but fell out of love with high output pickups when I realized how much better medium to vintage output sounded with the higher gain amps of the time like the Boogie I was using. I go for a more 70s kind of tone so over the end of breakup but not over the top. I love the weight of this guitar even though it's a tad heavier than my last SE which was unusually light for any guitar. The balance is even better on this one too. And it plays like butter and looks awesome. I can't think of cooler looking ax. Rock on.
Nice one mate, thanks for sharing
I had the issue of a guitar not matching the sound in my head too. Les Paul… just never bonded with the thing. Hard to get past it. Looking at a PRS or an Ibanez AR420 to replace it
I've owned many Ibanez guitars over the years. The AZ series are incredible instruments
I think the single coil feature is t really meant to be studio quality. It’s meant to emulate it close enough for live performances. Like, the purpose of it is to be a versatile tool.
Paul even says this himself.
@@leodb3894 absolutely! I don't think any humbucker that splits could be classified as studio quality. I guess if you want that, then play a single coil
I am considering this guitar and just what demo videos I have watched the sound doesn't get it for me either. It is like a muddy mix in the middle, the humbucker loses it's full sound and the single coil sounds watered down. I"ll have to try one to know for sure.
@@johnhepbean4346 definitely worth while trying
Put two Vaughn Skow PAFs in my SE Custom 22. It's a completely different animal now. What a great instrument. And yes... split works beautifully ;)
Love it!
I agree with your evaluation. I have an SE Paul's guitar and I changed the pickups out to Loller elroyo pickups and they're absolutely fantastic. I also changed the tuners out for locking tuners made by Gotoh. The original bridge was okay but I got a graph tech adjustable bridge that snapped right in that's amazing This is stain is amazing if you haven't heard of loller pickups I suggest you check them out online.
@@hfentonmudd hey man, thanks for watching. Funny, I nearly out Lollar Imperials in this a while back but never got round to it!
I have what I think is the next model down, in the SE Custom line. It has a three-way blade selector and a push-pull pot for coil split. I absolutely love it. I love the hotness of the pickups, I think they're quite well rounded, and even though the split isn't 100% single-coil authentic, it is one of the best sounding split humbucker sounds I've ever heard. It's full and not brittle, which has been my experience with other similar setups. It doesn't sound like a Strat, of course... My tuners are great. This is the most stable guitar in the whole house, in terms of tuning. It's the guitar I know is going to be in tune when I pick it up. My one gripe is that it suffers from the dirty electronics that seem to be the common bane for the model. You see guys complaining about this all over the internet. The pots and switch quickly get noisy if you don't play it for too long. One day, I'll just swap those out and be done with it. Thankfully, it is my go-to, so I play it enough that they clean out and the issue is minimized. As to sounding like I'd hoped, it does. I was aiming for something like a "woman" tone somewhere between Clapton and Santana, but that could Metal-up, if needed, and it does all of those things wonderfully.
Sounds like you have yourself a beautiful guitar!
I've got my SE 24-08 coming in next week! I don't have many options within the brand unless i want to drop a lot of $, but stoked all the same. It'll be a different kind of beast for me, as I've been a 22 fret, Strat-style / Les Paul player for the longest time. I do agree with what you said on not seeing the 24-08 as a jack of all trades guitar. It's got it's own vibe. It'll definitely handle a gig just fine, but I'm not gonna expect it play like my Schecter Johnston or Gibson Trad. Les Paul. Can't wait for it to come in
Enjoy man! The Schechter Johnston HSS are also great guitars!
If you haven't already, check out Brendan Bayliss from Umphrey's Mcgee. 2x2 is a good place to start.
One of these axes can be pretty good at covering all the bases if you throw in some Fluences.
Love mine! I’m always turning down treble on my many strats anyway so this is fine w me when split. Couple suggestions. Move pups away from strings and compensate volume w amp or pedals, use 9s and/or an eq pedal to manage single coil sounds. I use 8.5 and backed off pups a bit and have 2 eq 7 band pedals. There’s nothing I can’t do with this baby. Rock on
Awesome George - thanks for watching!
Definitely worth the cons seeing as "SE" stands for "Student Edition" which is another way of saying "Not made in America and cheaper materials" lol. This line of PRS guitars were designed to be introductory rather than full time gigging musician. The craftsmanship on these "cheaper" PRS guitars are amazing for the price.
Best guitar I've ever played. It's unbelievable it costs only 900. It's perfect
I have that exact guitar. Agree on every point.
Switched to two Seymour Duncan pickups. Neck: '59 Model Humbucker (PAF) and Bridge: SH-5 Custom Humbucker.
Got rid of the coil splits, was a pain to re-wire.
The difference in sound was massive, now I completely love this guitar. Can get me anywhere from PAF sounds to TOOL riffs.
I run this through a BOSS Katana 100 mk2 with the Diezel VH-4^2 as a preamp through the FX Loop and it sounds disgusting.
I also run it through a Fender Blues Jr. and the PAF sounds great. Bonamassa/Cream vibes.
Use my strat for strat tones.
Sounds like the perfect combination!
I have been playing acoustic guitar for years and recently decided to migrate more toward electric.
Had a few low end electrics that I play but really wanted to invest in a "Nice" guitar.
After much homework and many UA-cam videos I ended up buying this same PRS SE Custom 24/08.
I also found this guitar very comfortable to play and am loving the fretboard.
Before I replaced the strings I also invested in the locking tuners as I heard others talk about the tuning issues with the SEs
Anyway I Love this guitar and can't stop playing it daily, I feel I made the right choice and have no regrets!
Thank you, excellent video
Love this!! Thanks for sharing!
I have a 2015 SE Custom in Cherry Sunburst. The tuning stability is the fault of the nut. When I first got it it would stay in tune for as little as 5 minutes!!! I had a custom made bone nut installed and it now stays in tune for HOURS
i agree with the pickup swap. these are wild pickups. they wanna make noise. It definatly has that vintage sound. Remember...this is in essence a throwback to the first PRS guitars. I actually held one of pauls first built guitars, it was built from an old table or dresser rather as it had a hole in it where a knob for a drawer was placed. Its in Daves guitar shop museum ,upstairs in lacrosse wisconsin. plus when you split the coils their is a drop in volume. I need the consistancy of the volume. I just recently upgraded a late 90s fender showmaster with the scorpion inlay. I put a loller p90 in the neck positin and a suhr thornbucker in the bridge position. it is the most versatile guitar ive ever owned. balanced, punchy. it does all things that it should do very well and sounds great. The se 2408 sounds excellent when you have some dirt on it. All the coil splitting etc is right on. clean is another matter. if your recording and you dont have the luxury of a kick ass strat or tele...this guitar will do it for you. Itll do a whole lot more as well...if you take the time to adjust levels etc. live ...the clean tone volume is reduced. you will have to reliy on a volume pedal, boost or front of house and a good audio engineer to boost your signal in those areas that you play clean on those single coil pick up configurations. overall this guitar is great for home studio recording as its very versatile. Live gigs as long as you arent trying to switch from a strat to a les paul etc, your good. you get my drift. great video and great discussion.
That's so cool about holding one of Paul's early builds! Thanks very much for your input and watching - appreciate it
Hello. I am a luthier and musician. I have the same guitar and…100% agreed with every single word you just said. I changed tuners at the first day of having it (I just had a set in my room as I’m a luthier), also changed belt lockers for a Shaller ones,I also suggest to use Mono gig bag as original one is not really good one (hard case also not so good quality). The pickups are pretty OK for a gigging around,but quite weak for a studio job or festivals. Considering to buy some SD. Rest of the things about PRS - it’s very cool guitar with a perfect playability and outlook.
Good luck with the SD's. Would be keen to hear what you think of that combination
Prs has a prs md. It had split coil. But has active witb 2 9 volts. It’s great. I think it was to be expensive to make. They stopped. But. U can find them
I just bought this guitar. And I found that if you just lower the neck pickup a little then everything is correct. My jack of all trades is a 2006 Fender American Deluxe with the fourth generation noiseless
Enjoy the new axe!
Tone and the split coil issue can be fixed with pickups and wiring changes... Lots of people on here show their PRS SE mods
Nice job! We strive to make the best guitars we can and glad they are appreciated. #WeMakePRS
I changed the pickups in mine. The JB in the neck sounds really good split. I also changed the tuners and the nut. Changing the nut improved the sound too. I bought the core nut
As a mediocre(at best) guitar player, and after owning a PRS Custom24SE for a few weeks now it is has become my favourite guitar to play. As bonus, instead of hearing “not another guitar” from my other half, she thinks it looks beautiful, and it does, with a turquoise quilted maple top and headstock.
Awesome to hear you are enjoying it. Even better that the other half is on board!! Enjoy
I changed out the pickups on my S2 Custom 22 to Lollards Imperials. Night and day difference. I think there’s been enough comments about the harsh lower tier PRS bridge and slightly dull neck that they’d have taken some notice by now
Great information here Des thanks man👍🏻
Good review. I've had one for a good few years. Changed pick ups Suhr Thornbuckers 👍
This video is 1 year old. But i would just drop the pickups low...
I still remember how i found the neck sound of my strat too harsh, one day accidentally i lowered it (wrong screw, i was moving the guard😅) and voila...
Then i started noticing ALL my favorite strat players had the pickups just a few milimiters over the pickguard 😅
I've heard people complaining about the nitro painting on the latest models that make the guitar ageing and get scratched quite easily. What's your experience? Thanks.
Hey Claudio, I have had no problems at all with the finish. Gigged regularly and still looks as new. Mine also sits in the included SE gig bag all the time at home. Cheers
Have You Swapped out the Pick-ups? If not, Have you heard of Zex Coil Tri-Bucker?
No I haven't but will definitely check them out! Thanks
I have the regular SE without the extra switches. I took out the push-pull pots and replaced them with standard CTS pots. I replaced the pickups with the Peacock Set from Missing Link Audio. They're amazing pickups but more for vintage-y bluesy stuff. They're very open, organic, "alive" sounding pickups. Check out intheblues for a demo of them. I needed something similar but with more balls, so MLA made me a custom set. I'm hoping to get them installed in the next couple of weeks. I also replaced the nut and tuners. Mine has the PRS lockers like yours has. I'd love another CU24 though, in the eriza Verde color. It reminds me of the Kramer that Dave Sabo from Skid Row plays. I'd buy one of those, but I hate Floyd Rose tremolos. They're a headache. But definitely look into Missing Link Audio for pickups.
Will do, that's awesome - thanks for the heads up
Gibson quality just isn't there and hasn't been for decades. I don't want to pay $3k plus and still have to work on the guitar after paying that price! Give me a PRS that's ready to play right out of the box any day of the week. Sounds great and performs exactly how I want and need and it looks great!
The Music Loop When you first got your PRS, what did you notice about the tone, is it better sounding than other guitars?
Not better, just different! However for the price range, definitely a high quality instrument. Worth checking out!
Lol… Dundee got me. Great vid mate thanks for the info. Can’t see the point in an S2 on these…
Maybe trade it for a McCarty 594, with the 58/15 pickups instead of the 85/15s.
I have the same guitar in blue. The tuners were garbage, but changing to lockers did the trick. Mine didn't come with zebra pups, but all black. Maybe they're a different model, maybe not. I like the sound with the switch in the middle with the bridge split and the neck full.
Thats great- I wonder which pckups they are?
@@TheMusicLoop i haven't taken it apart yet. I eventually will tho.
It's supposed to have 85/15 "S" pcups.
I tried one yesterday. I thought the coil split sounded good - it worked better than on other guitars I have tried as in they actually sounded like single coils and were different enough to the humbucker config that it was easy to tell which was which. Sound in my head? I don’t really have one - probably as I’m primarily a bass and keyboard player. The picks up sounded good in humbucking config too - either with some crunch or some drive. I tried a Mexican strat at the same time - it just didn’t speak to me. Your cons didn’t apply to me - but I think this is probably a lot to do with where each of us have come from, and that I only want one guitar that gets close enough to everything.
Great to hear it was working for you. Thanks for sharing
i also put it on a pedestal since 05'
I own a SE Custom 24. And, like you, I also am not a fan of split coil pots. So, I had mine removed, swapped out the pickups for 57/08s and changed the capacitors for 0.015 oil and paper Bumblebees. Now, the tone growls and howls like Eric Clapton’s Cream era ‘64 SG. Try it... The sound surpasses most Gibson Murphy Lab custom jobs for a fraction of the price.
Love it - sounds perfect!
I put locking tuners the day I brought it home. Then I changed to Pearly Gates. Big difference.
I have the S2 version of the same guitar. It came with the locking tuners and is very comfortable to play. It looks amazing. What you say about it not being a jack of all trades is spot on. The single coil sounds aren't quite like a strat. I have found that I can really get close to the sound SRV uses on Cold Shot if I split the bridge PU and use the neck PU as a humbucker. But it will not cover all of the sounds that you can get with a strat. The PUs used as humbuckers don't get the humbucking sounds I want. They just don't sound like Gibson PAF style pickups. I really like the guitar it just doesn't cover all the bases like I expected it to do.
Got the s2 version recently that have the same pick ups and you’re so right re: coil split. Just grab the strat for single coil, but the feel of these guitars is incredible
Agree - amazing value for money instrument!
Great honest review. Thanks. I'm looking at a used PRS Custom SE24...
Have and had Les Pauls, SGs, strata, teles, Gretsch... And too many more...lol..
I revert back to my 70's Strat... But curious about the par.
Good luck with the purchase!
I have the same guitar. All my points are your points, except I like the pickups. Somewhere between my HHS start and my Ibanez RG. TY for the vid!
Great guitar to have in your arsenal - thanks for watching!
I have a sunburst one .. I play it live ... I use the split coils to simulate a Tele sound .. doesn't get the strat quack at all ... But will get a close Tele mud position sound ..
Yeah. I get it. A two-humbucker guitar with 22 frets is the most likely thing to get you into believable Fender territory. TELE ONLY. A 24 fret model with two humbuckers in split coil mode is usually not very believable Strat OR Tele because the spacing between the pickups is just “off”. On a 24 fret guitar the neck pickup is usually closer to the bridge than on a 22 and in my opinion, doesn’t quite sound “necky”. But it’s not quite in the same position as a middle pickup on a Strat. So the 24 fret guitars seem to sound glassy and jangly, but still, artificial. Not really like a Strat and not really like a Tele. The 22’s do a somewhat better job due to pickup spacing, and the neck pickup sounds more “necky”.
I’m primarily a Strat and Tele guy but PRS is definitely on the radar for a two-humbucker set-neck guitar…soon!
Thanks for sharing great information!
I personally would look for a used S2. You'll have the same issues with the pickups as they are the same but overall quality is far superior and USA made. The necks on the USA models take like 2 weeks alone to complete. That being said the SE's are surely one of the best imported mid priced guitars available. The Strat however is king.