Just got an SE 24 08 from my daughter for my 50th birthday. I LOVE IT! I think its beautiful and i agree with the decisions PRS made to bring the price down to us regular guys. 3 piece neck i think is a good start. I prefer the 3 piece body over a two piece anyway! This means that the neck is set into one piece of wood instead of a seam running right through the neck joint. Im ok with the veneer especially considering i cant find a seam in the maple cap. Give me a mahogany body with a maple cap and i dont care if there is notebook paper glued to the top, the fact that its a beautiful high end veneer is just a bonus!
I love mine. I had it modded, though. Graph Tech nut, PRS locking tuners, standard tone knob as opposed to the push/pull and for pickups, the ODR Hot Set from Missing Link Audio. I'd like to get another and keep the push/pull but replace the pickups with either the Peacock set from Missing Link or the Celebration Set from Pariah, for various Jimmy Page inspired tones. Still, the SE Custom 24 is probably the most comfortable guitar I've ever played.
This is a great video comparison. I love it because I have both guitars and I also love them both! My LP Studio is from 1996 and is heavy, but it plays great. The PRS SE 24-08 is the blue Sweetwater exclusive, and it is about 1.5 lbs lighter so more comfortable to play. But it also plays great. I find the pickups to be different but both are powerful and you can get what you want out of either with the right effects. I certainly would NOT classify the SE pickups as "crap" because they are good quality. Both guitars cost me about the same, $1000 US. LP Studio: 9.58 lb/4.34 Kg. SE 24-08: 7.97 lb/3.61 Kg.
Hey! My trusty luthier made it for me, he’s an awesome guy (Alchimede Liuteria Mura, he build some guitars for the guitarist of Pestilence). It’s something that I did in the past by myself only with cheap guitars, it’s a crucial part in the sound, the playability and the tuning that should be handled by professionals :)
Exactly my reaction. Didn't really like the other color when I tried it and I didn't really know if I would like the green one but after seeing it, I bought it on the spot :D
From all the sound samples the PRS sounds incredibly subdued without much character. The Les Paul however pops through the mix and has some great characteristics to it and a rounder sound. The Les Paul also seems to fit better in the mix as the PRS sounds muddy at times.
I can hear a really big difference between these PRS imported pickups and the Gibson 498T! Now I know what the SE owners mean when they say that stock 85/15S sound cheap. The 498T sounds way more powerful and focused!
@@KeepChessSimple yes, the other PRSs were not good at all, I tried em in the store back to back and they were world apart. The issue is that the material of these nuts isn’t very strong so the slots for the strings tend to get deeper as you use the tremolo and mine got damaged in a month after changing the strings (probably my fault tho, i tend to keep them in the nut while I turn the tuner), bone is hard and can last a lifetime and to me sounds even better
I own both although my Les Paul studio is Ruby Red with the gold Humbucker. Weight: Studio is so much heavier. Neck: On the Studio it is thicker and you're fighting the neck when playing. You can feel the quality, but my thumb wants to sit over the fretboard. With the PRS playing is smoother, hurts fingers less, effortless and easier to play. I don't make mistakes on the PRS which I do with the Studio even after 10 years. The sound is cleaner on the PRS, rougher on the studio. The Studio sounds raw and the PRS is smooth and easier on the fingers.
Specifically for metal the studio sounds way better punchier, richer, power chords sound articulate… as much as i love the looks of the prs the sound quality in the bridge sounded muddy almost like epiphone. The cleans in the prs are really good but still fender even some squiers have that magic sound.
By default the Gibson strings are .010-.046 and the PRS are .009-.042, that will give a more solid sound to the Gibson. I would like to know if you changed the PRS to .010-.046.
@@sergioserramusic Did you have to adjust the neck on the PRS after the strings changed? It probably affected the action. I just bought one for my son and he plays an 1997 ES-135. Thanks....
Honestly, PRS's value is much more beyond what you can see on UA-cam (sound, looks, versatility ans such). With the samd price, Gibsons have no chance matching PRS's quality control, ergonomics, hardware quality, reliability and so on. Honestly Gibson and Fender are mostly lifestyle brands. No reason to get them when PRS, MM, Charvel, Suhr and even Ibanez exist.
I agree on the QC, but also PRS relies on its name for SE models. The guitars are really well made of course, but they use many pieces of woods for the body and the neck, and they have their issues too, the standard tuners were at the level of 4/500€ guitars, maybe less. I agree that Gibson and Fender do sell with a higher price (especially the former, that’s why I went for a used one) compared to the value, but you’re mentioning big money brands, I mean MusicMan and Suhr can cost three times a USA Fender or a USA Gibson. Of course depends on the model etc, but we’re on a completely different price point! Charvels are great but they’re basically Made in Mexico Fenders 😂 The value of PRS to me stands in the neck, the fret job is amazing out of the box and the assembly is usually spot on! I was looking for a Charvel initially but couldn’t find one, when I played the PRS… oh man
@@sergioserramusic Like I said, when prices being equal, all of my points stand. I never compared things in different price points. You are doing that. Also, using many pieces of wood is really not inherently a bad thing, neither is being made in mexico. Some of the examples you list are actually examples WHY Fender and Gibson suffer. They are not making tools like engineers sometimes, and still stuck in the thinking that instruments need to fulfill its image & identity first. It works on a lot of people I guess. Also standard SE tuners are WAY above average of $1000 guitars, so that part is just wrong. Obivously still worse than the wonderful PRS locking tuners, but definitely not bad at all.
@@FuruHataNinzaburo-w8z maybe mine were bad, and i mean hard to turn, felt a bit uncertain. I get your point! I know I’m comparing two different price points, that’s why I compare to a used Gibson 😂
The Gibson sounds more closed and punchier. The PRS is more open. Overall, the PRS will offer more variety. But, for the classic LP crunch, go with the one trick pony!
I bought a PRS SE 24-08 but had the tremolo blocked. I hate trem systems… I have a Custom 24 that I’ve never enjoyed because every time I pull it out I spend 20-30 minutes tuning it up…(I’m really picky about being exactly in tune - lol)… So I had the 24-08 blocked and it stays perfectly in tune….
I bought the PRS specifically because I was searching for a 24 fret two humbuckers guitar with a perfect tremolo and I loved it from the moment I tried it. Mine stays perfectly in tune, it did out of the box and now with locking tuners and new springs it’s even better! Maybe you should check your nut, usually that’s the culprit of a guitar with tremolo not staying in tune
@@ScottDreyfus I totally agree. That’s exactly the point. If the damn thing would stay in tune I’d actually practice with it. It’s a beautiful guitar, just unplayable…..
I like the Les Paul but unless it was under 9Ibs I wouldn't even consider one. Anything over that weight and my back begins to ache after about 20 minutes.
Yeah the SE isn't made in the USA however its way better than a Studio Les Paul in my opinion. I have both and my SE Custom 24 is my go to guitar for everything
studio all the way. I bought studio 2011.. few years later PRS CU24 (US made, with beautiful 10-top flame). sold PRS.. then I had feeling I'm missing the PRS so I tried SE CU24 that was 2018. I must admit it was TOP quality, haven't look back for the USA-made one. PRS is one of the most playable guitar for me.. BUT. I sold it. I never liked those SE pickups. they sounded awful. And I was missing something... connection, mojo.. whatever.. I can't explain. It was perfect guitar but without any character. Same like motorbikes or cars.. I sill own my wine red studio and love it. The tone, feel, nitro.. yea.. that nitro to me feels more pleasant and natural compared to that plastic finish on PRS. I have no problem with my poly finish on mexi strat.. but that PRS felt too unnatural to me. I don't know whether thickness or the coating material itself was the reason. It just felt too plasticky..
The TCI “S” pickups are absolutely different sounding than the ones in the SE CU24 (85/15 “S”) and I think you'd see a considerable improvement with the 24-08. I agree the 85/15 "S" pickups sound cheap. The Les Paul Studio is called studio for a reason. It has great sound and feel. Also, I feel having the pickups 2 more fret positions down the neck make a worthy rich sound difference on 22 fret guitar.
I get what you’re saying. I had an identical SE Custom 24-08, and felt the pickups were cold and lifeless, and the guitar itself was plasticky, as you put it, and had no personality. So I sold it. Got a SE Standard 24 recently, and had the same initial reaction, until I plugged it in and rolled off both the volume and tone below 5. It was then that I got it. I’ve had my feet in both camps-Fender and Gibson. I think it take some adjustment to realize and appreciate the character of a PRS. So yeah, I get it. What I’d really like to try is putting some P-rails or Phat Cats into an SE Custom 24. Maybe double down on the “best of both worlds” thing.
I think the LP studio would be more comparable to a PRS S2. The SE guitars are good but they are “Student Editions”. Even though they’ve gotten more expensive recently, they’re still not the same quality as the USA models. The SE to PRS is what the Epiphone is to Gibson
Yes, but the S2 has the same hardware as the SE range, so it sounds more or less like an SE (the wood is better of course, but the recipe and construction is similar). Then you're comparing 2K guitars with SE hardware to 1300 all USA made ones. And the used market offers even more value!
@@sergioserramusic I have a 2003 PRS SE Santana with locking tuners and cts pots...pearly gates will be joining the party soon, I also have 1st gen Mexican Fender strat modded with a freeway 10way switch and fender lockers and strap locks and a Slick Tele also upgraded with a brass stop tail.... I love all the axes but the onstage guitar would always be the PRS.....It seems to cover all the bases where as the others are one trick guitars......but they all sound great and the slick tele has grit and takes to alternate tunings better by not having a trem.
For years, I've tried to justify buying a PRS SE, primarily because I like the company and respect the passion and innovation of the founder. What always stops me is the sound. Brittle, harsh, and characterless. I refuse to buy a guitar with the intent to immediately change out the pickups. Maybe someday I'll find one I want to take home...
Fair enough! I’d suggest trying it tho, I like the stock pickups, but I wasn’t searching for a Les Paul sound. It has its sound and it’s very suitable for some genres
Just got an SE 24 08 from my daughter for my 50th birthday. I LOVE IT! I think its beautiful and i agree with the decisions PRS made to bring the price down to us regular guys. 3 piece neck i think is a good start. I prefer the 3 piece body over a two piece anyway! This means that the neck is set into one piece of wood instead of a seam running right through the neck joint. Im ok with the veneer especially considering i cant find a seam in the maple cap. Give me a mahogany body with a maple cap and i dont care if there is notebook paper glued to the top, the fact that its a beautiful high end veneer is just a bonus!
I love mine. I had it modded, though. Graph Tech nut, PRS locking tuners, standard tone knob as opposed to the push/pull and for pickups, the ODR Hot Set from Missing Link Audio.
I'd like to get another and keep the push/pull but replace the pickups with either the Peacock set from Missing Link or the Celebration Set from Pariah, for various Jimmy Page inspired tones. Still, the SE Custom 24 is probably the most comfortable guitar I've ever played.
This is a great video comparison. I love it because I have both guitars and I also love them both! My LP Studio is from 1996 and is heavy, but it plays great. The PRS SE 24-08 is the blue Sweetwater exclusive, and it is about 1.5 lbs lighter so more comfortable to play. But it also plays great. I find the pickups to be different but both are powerful and you can get what you want out of either with the right effects. I certainly would NOT classify the SE pickups as "crap" because they are good quality. Both guitars cost me about the same, $1000 US. LP Studio: 9.58 lb/4.34 Kg. SE 24-08: 7.97 lb/3.61 Kg.
Oi... moro no Brasil, e estou na dúvida entre uma PRS se ce24 e uma IBANEZ RG 470 DX ... você poderia me ajudar nessa escolha ???
Hello friend!What caliber of strings do you use on the PRS
Hello! I like 10-46 on all my guitars :)
Just can’t never beat the Gibson sound the studio is hella underrared
Great video, right now I am considering buying that SE custom 24, this video has convinced me more that it will be worth each penny great review
Thank you! 😃 You won’t be disappointed! 😎
I see you put the SE Locking tuners on it. Do you think it's worth the upgrade? Did you notice an improvement in tuning stability?
Yes. The stock ones were really cheap to turn and didn’t hold tune. I think they should go with the locking ones from factory
Hi Sergio, where did you get the bone nut for your PRS? and what was the model? did you have to do any cutting or it was just slot in? Thanks!
Hey! My trusty luthier made it for me, he’s an awesome guy (Alchimede Liuteria Mura, he build some guitars for the guitarist of Pestilence). It’s something that I did in the past by myself only with cheap guitars, it’s a crucial part in the sound, the playability and the tuning that should be handled by professionals :)
That PRS is beautiful, I didn't like the green at first but wow! it pops and makes you feel good after a while 😆
Exactly my reaction. Didn't really like the other color when I tried it and I didn't really know if I would like the green one but after seeing it, I bought it on the spot :D
From all the sound samples the PRS sounds incredibly subdued without much character. The Les Paul however pops through the mix and has some great characteristics to it and a rounder sound. The Les Paul also seems to fit better in the mix as the PRS sounds muddy at times.
Awesome! I have the SE custom 24 now, and I'm looking at getting the Gibson Studio this weekend. Both sound great, but feel much different. Thanks!
Yes! That’s the point, very different playing experience, both great tho! Ps. Thanks :)
Les paul studio emphasis more lower frequency and the prs is more balanced i would say.
What year LPStudio is that? 490R/498T?
96! Yes, 490R and 498T, killer pickups!
Wonderful playing! Beautiful
I can hear a really big difference between these PRS imported pickups and the Gibson 498T! Now I know what the SE owners mean when they say that stock 85/15S sound cheap. The 498T sounds way more powerful and focused!
Those aren't even 85/15s on those.
I like the PRS better. Did you change the nut?
Yes! I changed the nut (the original was ok but I wanted a bone nut) and I changed the springs for the tremolo, they weren’t that good actually
Nuts from 2021+ PRS SE's are actually pretty good
@@KeepChessSimple yes, the other PRSs were not good at all, I tried em in the store back to back and they were world apart. The issue is that the material of these nuts isn’t very strong so the slots for the strings tend to get deeper as you use the tremolo and mine got damaged in a month after changing the strings (probably my fault tho, i tend to keep them in the nut while I turn the tuner), bone is hard and can last a lifetime and to me sounds even better
I own both although my Les Paul studio is Ruby Red with the gold Humbucker. Weight: Studio is so much heavier. Neck: On the Studio it is thicker and you're fighting the neck when playing. You can feel the quality, but my thumb wants to sit over the fretboard. With the PRS playing is smoother, hurts fingers less, effortless and easier to play. I don't make mistakes on the PRS which I do with the Studio even after 10 years. The sound is cleaner on the PRS, rougher on the studio. The Studio sounds raw and the PRS is smooth and easier on the fingers.
Yes! The Studio is more simple but it sounds big, the PRS is more precise
Specifically for metal the studio sounds way better punchier, richer, power chords sound articulate… as much as i love the looks of the prs the sound quality in the bridge sounded muddy almost like epiphone. The cleans in the prs are really good but still fender even some squiers have that magic sound.
By default the Gibson strings are .010-.046 and the PRS are .009-.042, that will give a more solid sound to the Gibson. I would like to know if you changed the PRS to .010-.046.
Yes, from day one I switched to 10s on the the PRS ! But I have to mention the Gibson is on 10-52 for lower tunings :)
@@sergioserramusic Did you have to adjust the neck on the PRS after the strings changed? It probably affected the action. I just bought one for my son and he plays an 1997 ES-135. Thanks....
@@alexfalcao yes, I had it professionally set up by my luthier :)
@@sergioserramusic I did myself on my Fender Stratocaster and it's a pain to adjust to get the correct intonation right. Thank you.
Nothing like a PRS.
Rad playing
Oof man that les Paul coming in swinging
Idk, I'd take the PRS over the Les Paul any day. Both are cool guitars though!
Honestly, PRS's value is much more beyond what you can see on UA-cam (sound, looks, versatility ans such). With the samd price, Gibsons have no chance matching PRS's quality control, ergonomics, hardware quality, reliability and so on. Honestly Gibson and Fender are mostly lifestyle brands. No reason to get them when PRS, MM, Charvel, Suhr and even Ibanez exist.
I agree on the QC, but also PRS relies on its name for SE models. The guitars are really well made of course, but they use many pieces of woods for the body and the neck, and they have their issues too, the standard tuners were at the level of 4/500€ guitars, maybe less.
I agree that Gibson and Fender do sell with a higher price (especially the former, that’s why I went for a used one) compared to the value, but you’re mentioning big money brands, I mean MusicMan and Suhr can cost three times a USA Fender or a USA Gibson. Of course depends on the model etc, but we’re on a completely different price point!
Charvels are great but they’re basically Made in Mexico Fenders 😂
The value of PRS to me stands in the neck, the fret job is amazing out of the box and the assembly is usually spot on! I was looking for a Charvel initially but couldn’t find one, when I played the PRS… oh man
@@sergioserramusic Like I said, when prices being equal, all of my points stand. I never compared things in different price points. You are doing that.
Also, using many pieces of wood is really not inherently a bad thing, neither is being made in mexico. Some of the examples you list are actually examples WHY Fender and Gibson suffer. They are not making tools like engineers sometimes, and still stuck in the thinking that instruments need to fulfill its image & identity first. It works on a lot of people I guess.
Also standard SE tuners are WAY above average of $1000 guitars, so that part is just wrong. Obivously still worse than the wonderful PRS locking tuners, but definitely not bad at all.
@@FuruHataNinzaburo-w8z maybe mine were bad, and i mean hard to turn, felt a bit uncertain. I get your point! I know I’m comparing two different price points, that’s why I compare to a used Gibson 😂
Mm?
Ok I'm guessing Music Man, after some thought.
The Gibson sounds more closed and punchier. The PRS is more open. Overall, the PRS will offer more variety. But, for the classic LP crunch, go with the one trick pony!
I bought a PRS SE 24-08 but had the tremolo blocked. I hate trem systems… I have a Custom 24 that I’ve never enjoyed because every time I pull it out I spend 20-30 minutes tuning it up…(I’m really picky about being exactly in tune - lol)… So I had the 24-08 blocked and it stays perfectly in tune….
I bought the PRS specifically because I was searching for a 24 fret two humbuckers guitar with a perfect tremolo and I loved it from the moment I tried it. Mine stays perfectly in tune, it did out of the box and now with locking tuners and new springs it’s even better! Maybe you should check your nut, usually that’s the culprit of a guitar with tremolo not staying in tune
PRS is famous for staying in tune forever, unlike Gibson which is exactly the opposite. If you really still have trouble, switch to locking tuners.
If it takes you 30 minutes to tune a guitar you are doing it wrong. That's valuable practice time.
@@ScottDreyfus I totally agree. That’s exactly the point. If the damn thing would stay in tune I’d actually practice with it. It’s a beautiful guitar, just unplayable…..
@@FuruHataNinzaburo-w8z I hadn’t considered the tuners as the possible source of the problem. I think you’ve just given me some good advice. Thanks.
I like the Les Paul but unless it was under 9Ibs I wouldn't even consider one. Anything over that weight and my back begins to ache after about 20 minutes.
Totally get that, as a Strat player the Les Paul is only for the studio, live the PRS is a much more bearable weight!
The 2021 Epiphone Custom Koa Les Paul over both of them all day long
Haven’t tried it!
Yeah the SE isn't made in the USA however its way better than a Studio Les Paul in my opinion. I have both and my SE Custom 24 is my go to guitar for everything
studio all the way. I bought studio 2011.. few years later PRS CU24 (US made, with beautiful 10-top flame). sold PRS.. then I had feeling I'm missing the PRS so I tried SE CU24 that was 2018. I must admit it was TOP quality, haven't look back for the USA-made one. PRS is one of the most playable guitar for me.. BUT. I sold it. I never liked those SE pickups. they sounded awful. And I was missing something... connection, mojo.. whatever.. I can't explain. It was perfect guitar but without any character. Same like motorbikes or cars.. I sill own my wine red studio and love it. The tone, feel, nitro.. yea.. that nitro to me feels more pleasant and natural compared to that plastic finish on PRS. I have no problem with my poly finish on mexi strat.. but that PRS felt too unnatural to me. I don't know whether thickness or the coating material itself was the reason. It just felt too plasticky..
The TCI “S” pickups are absolutely different sounding than the ones in the SE CU24 (85/15 “S”) and I think you'd see a considerable improvement with the 24-08. I agree the 85/15 "S" pickups sound cheap. The Les Paul Studio is called studio for a reason. It has great sound and feel. Also, I feel having the pickups 2 more fret positions down the neck make a worthy rich sound difference on 22 fret guitar.
I get what you’re saying. I had an identical SE Custom 24-08, and felt the pickups were cold and lifeless, and the guitar itself was plasticky, as you put it, and had no personality. So I sold it.
Got a SE Standard 24 recently, and had the same initial reaction, until I plugged it in and rolled off both the volume and tone below 5. It was then that I got it.
I’ve had my feet in both camps-Fender and Gibson. I think it take some adjustment to realize and appreciate the character of a PRS.
So yeah, I get it.
What I’d really like to try is putting some P-rails or Phat Cats into an SE Custom 24. Maybe double down on the “best of both worlds” thing.
nice video
The problem with Prs guitars, is they dont sound like a strat, tele or les paul, so therefore not worth having.
LP Studio is $1700 - PRS 594 Mcarty single cut is $1900 TBH that is a more apt comparison
But you can buy a used one below 1k!
@@sergioserramusic well tbf I am sure you can find used versions in different conditions for various prices of all of them.
I think the LP studio would be more comparable to a PRS S2. The SE guitars are good but they are “Student Editions”. Even though they’ve gotten more expensive recently, they’re still not the same quality as the USA models. The SE to PRS is what the Epiphone is to Gibson
Yes, but the S2 has the same hardware as the SE range, so it sounds more or less like an SE (the wood is better of course, but the recipe and construction is similar). Then you're comparing 2K guitars with SE hardware to 1300 all USA made ones. And the used market offers even more value!
I want an epiphone😂SG maestro vibrola.
PRS is the more versatile instrument and lighter.. but the lest paul is thicker and grittier....
That’s why I need both 😂
@@sergioserramusic I have a 2003 PRS SE Santana with locking tuners and cts pots...pearly gates will be joining the party soon, I also have 1st gen Mexican Fender strat modded with a freeway 10way switch and fender lockers and strap locks and a Slick Tele also upgraded with a brass stop tail.... I love all the axes but the onstage guitar would always be the PRS.....It seems to cover all the bases where as the others are one trick guitars......but they all sound great and the slick tele has grit and takes to alternate tunings better by not having a trem.
@@k2dave1969 yes, the PRS is the one I'd bring onstage since I usually carry only one guitar!
It's a les Paul..Amen...
i think by doing an update with some seymour duncan jb, PRS can sound even better ;)
Gibson les paul studio like My guitar ahaha
For years, I've tried to justify buying a PRS SE, primarily because I like the company and respect the passion and innovation of the founder. What always stops me is the sound. Brittle, harsh, and characterless. I refuse to buy a guitar with the intent to immediately change out the pickups. Maybe someday I'll find one I want to take home...
Fair enough! I’d suggest trying it tho, I like the stock pickups, but I wasn’t searching for a Les Paul sound. It has its sound and it’s very suitable for some genres
Gibson la mata!
0:15
I've owned many guitars over the last 40 years. My go-to is my PRS CE 24.
I'd love to try one of those!
I have the same Gibson Les Paul Studio and don’t need an Indonesian made PRS guitar at all 😎
Quella Les Paul 😍😍😍
Oi... moro no Brasil, e estou na dúvida entre uma PRS se ce24 e uma IBANEZ RG 470 DX ... você poderia me ajudar nessa escolha ???