I worked for Godin for a very short time until Covid hit, I still have a good friend at Godin, great guitrars made in Canada, looking at geeting a Godin
My first guitar ever was a Godin seagull and I had just gotten saved at 21 and started leading worship. Didn’t know much about guitars but the guy selling it at my local music and arts store was this cool long haired guy with a blue jean jacket and he said this is a good entry model. He started to play some blues licks and I was in awe. It was cedar wood and looked and sounded amazing. Electronics were fire too!!
Hi Keith, you've become like a friend with your pleasant speaking, highly informative videos, and ideas that help us further our musical/guitar interests. Best Regards, James
All the gear snobs I play with make fun of my SE. I mean, what's wrong with an $800 dollar guitar that plays and sounds incredible? Best trem I've ever used.
100% agreed! They're incredible guitars! I mean, I still lust after the $4000 USA-made PRS, but realistically can't justify the money, even if the SE didn't exist. PRS is only gaining sales, not trading them as they feared.
While a core guitar is better, the big question is whether or not it’s worth it for you. I have SE, S2, and core. Each has its own special sounds, and they’re all excellent guitars. If they make fun, they’ve never played one for very long. Fuggem.
11:02 my grandfather gave me one of these, the last of the guitars he owned, saying that he had “retired from playing guitar”. It was a birthday present of sorts for me, and it is easily the best-playing (and indeed the best-feeling) guitar that I own! Needless to say, I think it needs an electric sibling.
2:24 fun fact: the album pictured here, Caravanserai, features a very young Neal Schon on guitar and Gregg Rollie on vocals and keyboards. Both Gregg and Neal, along with Carlos Santana’s then-manager Herbie Herbert, would quit the band shortly thereafter and found what became the band Journey.
I just bought a PRS se custom 24 in the dark brown flame maple top and it looks and sounds top notch. I can’t stop playing it and it sounds ultra high fidelity with my amp and pedals. If I could pick one I’d pick this. Thanks Keith for your videos!! 🎵📽️🎸
I am a player of 25+ years and was gifted a PRS SE custom 24 for Father’s Day last year and it’s fantastic. It very easily became my #1 gig guitar for its versatility and playability. Certainly no regrets
I think Ovation Guitars deserves a history video. Although not as popular as they used to be, one of the most innovative guitar makers with their designs and concepts. They did a lot of things with acoustic guitars before other companies did. Cutaways, shallows, electronics, etc... And, had a lot of major players endorsing their guitars over the years. Made in USA!
@@Clearview68 I saw old footage of Nancy Wilson playing an Ovation and was floored not just by her playing (which is still amazing even now!) but also by the guitar she was playing. It was an Adamas of some kind, the one with those composite soundboards and Lyrachord (?) backs.
I picked up one of the original Santanas on sale in '02 and have held onto it even though I've rotated through a bunch of other much more expensive guitars since. It might sit for a good stretch, but I'm always impressed by it when I pick it up and play, plus there are no worries letting the kids mess around with it. Easily one of the best value buys I've had.
Great video, Keith. I am a long-time fan of PRS guitars. Thanks for shining a light on this brand. I have had played and owned too many to list here and they are a special fiddle. It was cool that you had ole Blugubrious on your video. Way to reach out in the community. Thanks again.
Thanks Keith for some amazing content! As always! I’ve never owned or even played a PRS, so I found the show most interesting. Having begun playing in 1969, I’ve never strayed from the prominent and dominant Fender and Gibson. Even today, my only non-traditional guitar is a Schecter PT, which let’s face it, is basically a souped-up Tele. Your show today has most definitely made me want to explore PRS, they look and sound singularly sensational.
I’ve had 3 SE models over the years, the first one (and the only one still in my collection) being an SE Soapbar II with the maple top. I also have had a SE Custom Semihollow (which I regret letting go) and a Mike Mushok baritone that while fun, has been replaced by a more appropriate for my tone preference Squier Tele baritone.
Great stuff as usual - always interesting and informative ! However, as an owner of one, I was crying in my coffee at the omission of the SE 24.08 - a splendid guitar indeed !
PRS SE is one of my favorite brands/companies in the world. I admire everything they've done and obsessed over their history and mission. Really cool that you made this video :)
Yet another great video! I bought a PRS SE Standard 24 Tobacco Burst in October 2020. It is mahogany w/ no maple cap. I imagine that the mahogany is sourced from Indonesia or nearby. It has the double-cut body with the beautiful mahogany grain on display with binding on the slightly curved top and on the neck. I love the Pattern Thin neck and the glossy finish does not bother me in the least, although I realize some people might not like it. At first, I thought that the pickups were too bright, but after playing them for a couple days, I realized that having all that high-end was a good thing and I lowered the pickups a bit and I learned to use the Tone knob a bit. All in all, the SE Standard 24 is a great guitar! It might be the gateway to upgrading for some people, but I have no need to upgrade it or upgrade in the PRS line. I don't want all of my guitars to sound the same - I want different tones to use at different times.
I own one CORE PRS and three SE models...all SEs are top notch guitars...indeed flawless. The SE Silver Sky will end up being THE guitar that helped turn the market to affordable made overseas. It is a wonderful axe and my daily player...but I still love my Les Pauls!!
I bought a PRS SE Standard 24 guitar 2 years ago and was so impressed by the value for money it offered that a few months later I bought the baritone version as well. I had wanted a baritone guitar for ages and never found a decent one. Both are superb guitars for the price. Thanks for the video.
Great video Keith. I brought a PRS Custom SE 24 back in 2019 and haven’t looked back since. Compared to my Gibson’s (335 / LP / SG) and Fenders (Strat / Tele) and at a 5th of the price it plays and sounds beautiful. Used it for many gigs favouring it over my Les Paul Standard. If I was on a desert island and could only take one guitar it would be my PRS SE due to its versatility.
Great PRS history lesson. Like many of us here I’ve owned many guitars during my life. Several PRS core and SE models, and to tell you the truth one of my favorite current guitars is a PRS se245 Fredrik Akesson (Opeth) model. I just love the shorter scale and how well the guitar resonates and sustains. It’s a guitar that I probably won’t part with any time soon, I love it that much.
I have and play a late first-generation Santana SE, which has a PRS logo on the truss rod cover from 2001. It’s a fantastic guitar, even before I modified it heavily. It’s been with me for about 20 years, except for a short period where I traded it to a friend, but later traded back for it. It amazes me how the SE line has grown.
Back in 2020 I found a 2006 SE Custom in a second hand shop - it was missing the pick up switch knob, had a shallow gauge in the neck and a very dirty body and neck. Cleaned it up and it’s become my ‘testbed’ guitar, having replaced the pick ups and wiring for split coils (not a feature on release). A very solid instrument!
I've got an OG '01 "Santana SE" in red that I picked up for next to nothing in about 2011/2012. Just dropped in some SE locking tuners I picked up for also next to nothing a few months ago and they dropped right in (which is pretty cool for 20+ years later). Just a fantastic guitar.
I've been playing guitar for 40 years, many of those years professionally, and over those four decades I've played and owned almost every major guitar brand out there. Except for a large sampling of Ernie Ball Music Man models, I have more Korean-made PRS SE's in my collection than anything else. They're just so hard to beat for the money - they look, sound, and play great. I've checked out a few of the more recent models being made in Indonesia and China, but I found that the quality control is not up to the Korean standard I've become accustomed to. I'm glad I bought the ones I have when I did. Thanks for the video, Keith, stellar content as always.
Hi Keith, enjoyed this video and it validated the delivery today to me of a brand new SE Silver Sky for a whopping $577. It was a "floor model" at a music store on Reverb but was in brand new condition and weighs just 7.0 lbs. It feels and sounds great. Have it paired with a new MIJ Aerodyne Tele I picked up recently for half of what it sold for originally, also from another Reverb store. Cheers from south Louisiana.
This video brings back fond teenage memories for me, Keith. Thanks for putting it together. Still have a stack of all the PRS ads I used to detach from my copies of Guitar World/Guitar One magazines.
I have a hollow body 2, and a Paul’s se guitar. I was floored with the Paul’s SE single coil sounds better than most singles I’ve played. I’m a bedroom rocker and the quality of instrument I get from the se line is nothing short of amazing. Though I love Fender the quality of the SE’s is hard to beat excellent customer service as well. Thank you for the video!
I remember commenting years ago after I think the second short history video. Les Paul, tele or strat….I don’t remember. But I remember saying that I loved these short history videos. But what happens when you run out of the big name guitars with the long lineage. I’m happy to see that there is a lot of history behind so many more guitars and brands than I had thought about. Breaking down the guitars into their respective subsets is a great idea. It opens the topic up for many more videos and more education on each model. Very cool! I’d like to see a video about Washburn. There beginnings as a very well crafted and respected manufacturer to the tough times of some lesser quality to where the company stands today I still have my basic Washburn mercury 2 series electric that I bought new back in 1993. Hardtail with a ABR style bridge. Full 24 frets that are very accessible. Slab rosewood fretboard and the guitar is just solid and strong. Of course I ripped out the bridge pickup and replaced it with an original DiMarzio super distortion and it sounds and plays great.
My first brand-new guitar was a flat-top SE Custom 24 with the moon-dot inlays and the G&B era pickups, and this was during their tenure being made in Korea. That guitar in my youth of learning to mod stuff received many mods and even my first attempt at a refret (for some reason my SE had VERY soft frets and I played them till flat, the refret worked by it was very sloppy in hindsight) Nowadays, a SE CE24 is its spiritual successor and a SE DGT, both are happily apart of my recording stable of instruments and I don't plan on letting them go anytime soon. As for the flat-top, it's currently a toasty (heat gun) naked husk, but now that I'm getting done with two project builds and starting to properly dedicate guitars for different tunings, I think I'm going to restore it (kind of) into a C standard sabbath-esque machine.
16:25 those baritones are so cool. I almost bought one back when they were first coming out. I bought one of the brand new Epiphone Coronet guitars though. Did a lot of upgrades and still have it.
Fun fact is that PRS doesn’t officially state what SE actually stands for. I have seen several recent videos and interviews and they always talk around it that it is up to anyone’s own interpretation. That being said, Student Edition doesn’t really do them justice. I own the cheapest SE possible (2022 SE standard) and it is absolutely beautiful and flawless. Great video by the way, stunned to see there were so many models ✌🏻
Student models are quite a bit better now than they were in the 80s and 90s 😂 probably regardless of instrument I was thinking of all the band instruments I played in high school!
Excellent video, Keith! I will forever think of those SE guitars as the Santana Edition now. I am firmly a fan, and my PRS SE Custom 24 was the only electric I owned for a long while. I loved the versatility of the tones you could get from it and the simplicity of the controls. I need to retire the old PRS SE and have my eyes set on the SE CE to replace it.
I purchased a core model custom 24 bird in gloss black in 1995 and slowly just stopped playing all my other guitars it's been around the world with me it still looks and plays like new and the old fashion locking tuners work great for me it's my Baby !!😊
I remember when the SE came out and compared to other Import guitars, it looked SO PLAIN! I tried one back in the day but at the time I had a Samick SG clone and that felt much better to me at less than half the price. Today I have a Schecter S-1 Elite that I jokingly call a "Tele in a PRS clothing" and have made several small changes to it but from the outside it almost looks the same. I swapped black speed knobs for Q Part acrylic dome Tele style knobs replaced the plastic switch tip with a black Gretsch style metal one. Under the hood I replaced both Volume knobs with CTS push pull knobs to individually split each pickup rather than just the tone being the original push/pull. For the Tone knob I tracked down a Shadow Killswitch pot (to bad it's Linear but I have a Killswitch on the guitar). I also swapped the original jack (nothing wrong with it) for a Switchcraft one. I mention all of this because the Schecter does fit much of the PRS aesthetic while being a bit more Metal. The Elite version is a 25.5 inch scale length but other S-1 models have a 24.75 inch scale. The other thing is that it is pretty easy to play and unlike my Teles, I never feel I have to fight this one. I also moved the strap button to the back center position like an SG and that solved the only comfort issue I had with this guitar. This guitar is interesting because while I use it as an SG stand in, it's a bit beefier in feel and tone than an SG but not quite in Les Paul territory. While not a PRS guitar I feel that this model was heavily inspired by US made PRS guitars in many respects and feel wise, this guitar does it for me. I pick up PRS SE guitars and while they are not bad, they feel a tad off compared to Gibsons or Fenders. I do really like the Single Cut Korina model and that is one of those guitars I plan to pick up one day. 😎👍✨
Yup, my first PRS was a Santana SE, still got it infact, got it in 2005, it's been a really good guitar for 600 I think it was then, pure butter is how I explain it, stays in tune, I just love it..stamped Korea, must be one of the first, as its the same as the black you showed with same strip inlays gloss finish, but not cream pick up rings, I'll never get rid of it, got 3 PRS guitars now...very cool, answer some questions I had, thanks...
Great video , I was fortunate enough to own de 25th anniversary model of the custom 24 , sold it and got a 1997 ce24 that is the best prs I’ve ever played
Loved this vid! I saw my Sandblasted Ash Limited edt in late 2019 and ordered it. Something I never did before, but Covid was "in the air" and I assumed I would have time the coming year. Never regretted it. And despite the new releases this summer, this version of Sandblasted Ash has not been released again. They are still unique and rare. And how it plays, and sounds ... well, you have to try one to know.
More music man guitars please I have 3 majesties and they are perfect. I both them not because it's petrucci signature but because of how they feeling and what features have Now I'm a fan of music man guitars
I am fortunate enough to own a 2003 Custom 22 Artist in blue matteo. It is, and will always be, my #1. But I have also owned a few SE's along the way. I currently have a Zach Meyers SE 594. I switched out the electronics and that has become my go-to guitar for local events. Its amazing in its own right.
I own 3 PRS's; an original 2001 SE which was my go to over a dozen other guitars I own and 2 22 fret ten tops, one with the rotary pup switch which is funky but ok. The only thing that sucks about PRS's is that every new guitar they come out with, I want! Looking forward to getting an SE Hollow body someday and maybe a Starla. Thanx for your great work at FWW, Keith, I love your channel...rock on!
I'll tell you this. I am an American made Fender and Gibson buyer. I'm a working class musician but I will pay top dollar for a guitar or amplifier Even if it takes me a long time to save up for it. Having said that, this PRS dgt SE is probably the first time I have ever purchased an instrument made overseas and have been mesmerized. This guitar could be sold at twice the price. If you take the SE off the headstock it would sell like crazy. I am a convert. PRS guitars sound amazing to get a good or let's say great sound with treble bleed on both volume controls and a single coil split is absolutely incredible on this guitar. It's just a fantastic instrument. I had to get the gold top because I don't like the birds. The mahogany body, Maple cap, neck and everything else about this guitar is magical.
Mahalo Keith. I liked the fact that Paul spec his standard and custom models as Gibson originally intended. PRS always had some models I considered buying. In June of 94, PRS Custom was price at $2278.50 for bird inlay and $1757.00 for moon inlays at Elderly Instruments. I like the fact that SE are more like US models.
A year or so I decided I wanted a 24 fret Floyd Rose guitar. After going through a lot of instruments at a lot of price points I landed on an SE Custom 24 Floyd Rose model and I don’t regret the decision. I did change the pickups but even stock the guitar punched well above its price point.
Love the info keith on PRS, I got a great deal on a Snatana se,2001a few years back, $400 Cdn, new about $1200 Cdn,what a great guitar, I will never part with it.
I got the hardtail version of the first run of Santana SE’s in red for my 15th birthday. The one similar to the one featured in the SE 20th anniversary video. Crazy to think it’s held up so well after 20 years
I have been in love with PRS customs body shape ever since I saw a purple one hanging on the wall in Steve's music store in Montreal back in the late 80's. Every time I walk into a long & McQuade or a guitar center in the US, I pick up the prs guitars in search of one that feels good in my small hands. I think the custom 24 SE neck is about the best feeling. I would love to see a special semi hollow SE version with that neck profile. Great video Keith, thanks.
Great video. I have a Dave Navarro SE. At the time I was looking for a new guitar after my JEM 555 died. I looked at so many mid priced guitars but the neck on the SE felt so good in my hands. I've toyed with selling it over the years as I play my tele more often these days. But when I pick it up I can't part with it. I tried a Silver Sky SE in a store recently. That may just be my next purchase. The neck on that is heaven.
I had se 277 with p90s , bought for 499 on a blowout at the end 2019. Sold in 2020 during the guitar boom for 900. Wished I still had it. But, had to keep the lights on
I picked up an SE Hollowbody II for GBP600 2 years ago - it’s a real good guitar for that money. Easily sits alongside guitars 5-10x the cost both in quality and how it sounds. I’d say my old 2002 Lucille edges it on tone just, and it’s finished in poly so feels a bit ‘cheaper’ , but for the money they are superb.
Sometime ago i played an SE Starla, and that was the first and only PRS that i had played, i loved how the pickups sounded, very much in the 60's Gibson T-Top/Guild HB-1 territory, but the neck was huge, i think that if i had to buy that guitar, i will definitely send it to a luthier to make it slimmer, more like a D-Shape type of thing.
Obviously bias here because I am in the video, but honestly, with all of the options with imports out there - and I have had my share - PRS SE is top notch and I love that this video shines a light on that. Thanks for including me, Keith. And thanks for showing not all great guitars are on the top shelf.
I own two SE acoustics. The p20e and the p50e. In a room full of Martins, Gibsons and Taylors they have more than held their own. Not bad for a couple of little parlours!
Great video! I'be glad to see a short history obout Godin guitars!
Yeah. I’d be interested in that. Great value in North America made guitars.
I worked for Godin for a very short time until Covid hit, I still have a good friend at Godin, great guitrars made in Canada, looking at geeting a Godin
I second this! Love my Godin’s!
Love my Godin’s Montreal Premiere!
My first guitar ever was a Godin seagull and I had just gotten saved at 21 and started leading worship. Didn’t know much about guitars but the guy selling it at my local music and arts store was this cool long haired guy with a blue jean jacket and he said this is a good entry model. He started to play some blues licks and I was in awe. It was cedar wood and looked and sounded amazing. Electronics were fire too!!
Hi Keith, you've become like a friend with your pleasant speaking, highly informative videos, and ideas that help us further our musical/guitar interests.
Best Regards,
James
Another great short history, I really, really enjoy these and look forward to the next one!
Well done, Keith. Always enjoy your short history videos.
All the gear snobs I play with make fun of my SE. I mean, what's wrong with an $800 dollar guitar that plays and sounds incredible? Best trem I've ever used.
100% agreed! They're incredible guitars! I mean, I still lust after the $4000 USA-made PRS, but realistically can't justify the money, even if the SE didn't exist. PRS is only gaining sales, not trading them as they feared.
They just want to justify the money they spent. There's no reason a guitar needs to cost more than 1k.
They just don’t know. Some of the best gear period.
While a core guitar is better, the big question is whether or not it’s worth it for you. I have SE, S2, and core. Each has its own special sounds, and they’re all excellent guitars. If they make fun, they’ve never played one for very long. Fuggem.
It's the player, not the guitar that matters. I'd rather gig with a cheaper guitar.
11:02 my grandfather gave me one of these, the last of the guitars he owned, saying that he had “retired from playing guitar”. It was a birthday present of sorts for me, and it is easily the best-playing (and indeed the best-feeling) guitar that I own! Needless to say, I think it needs an electric sibling.
I have a PRS Angelus AX20E that I love its my go to acoustic guitar.
Ive had my SE Custom 24 for 11 years and its been flawless throughout, i love it..
2:24 fun fact: the album pictured here, Caravanserai, features a very young Neal Schon on guitar and Gregg Rollie on vocals and keyboards. Both Gregg and Neal, along with Carlos Santana’s then-manager Herbie Herbert, would quit the band shortly thereafter and found what became the band Journey.
I just bought a PRS se custom 24 in the dark brown flame maple top and it looks and sounds top notch. I can’t stop playing it and it sounds ultra high fidelity with my amp and pedals. If I could pick one I’d pick this. Thanks Keith for your videos!! 🎵📽️🎸
I am a player of 25+ years and was gifted a PRS SE custom 24 for Father’s Day last year and it’s fantastic. It very easily became my #1 gig guitar for its versatility and playability. Certainly no regrets
I think Ovation Guitars deserves a history video. Although not as popular as they used to be, one of the most innovative guitar makers with their designs and concepts. They did a lot of things with acoustic guitars before other companies did. Cutaways, shallows, electronics, etc... And, had a lot of major players endorsing their guitars over the years. Made in USA!
@@Clearview68 I saw old footage of Nancy Wilson playing an Ovation and was floored not just by her playing (which is still amazing even now!) but also by the guitar she was playing. It was an Adamas of some kind, the one with those composite soundboards and Lyrachord (?) backs.
I picked up one of the original Santanas on sale in '02 and have held onto it even though I've rotated through a bunch of other much more expensive guitars since. It might sit for a good stretch, but I'm always impressed by it when I pick it up and play, plus there are no worries letting the kids mess around with it. Easily one of the best value buys I've had.
Great Video and detailed info as always Keith. Thanks a mill!
I think the SE line are fantastic guitars. Not "good for the money," they are just good. Period.
I have a mid 2000 single cut and soap bar. Both great guitars! You can't go wrong with the SEs
Thanks for the video, it's always good to have a prs video out in the world, about the se line.
Extremely detailed video and timeline of models and features. PRS is a universe unto it's own and PRS guys will love this.
I would still love to see a short history of Guild guitars!
Outstanding video as usual!!
Great video, Keith. I am a long-time fan of PRS guitars. Thanks for shining a light on this brand. I have had played and owned too many to list here and they are a special fiddle. It was cool that you had ole Blugubrious on your video. Way to reach out in the community. Thanks again.
Thank I enjoy your short history videos keep it up thank you
Thanks Keith for some amazing content! As always! I’ve never owned or even played a PRS, so I found the show most interesting. Having begun playing in 1969, I’ve never strayed from the prominent and dominant Fender and Gibson. Even today, my only non-traditional guitar is a Schecter PT, which let’s face it, is basically a souped-up Tele. Your show today has most definitely made me want to explore PRS, they look and sound singularly sensational.
I’ve had 3 SE models over the years, the first one (and the only one still in my collection) being an SE Soapbar II with the maple top. I also have had a SE Custom Semihollow (which I regret letting go) and a Mike Mushok baritone that while fun, has been replaced by a more appropriate for my tone preference Squier Tele baritone.
As someone who owns an SE Kestrel Bass, that bass has a magic to it. The second that bass was in my hands I couldn't leave without it.
Another great video. I do really like the figure on the Core/Private Stock PRS lines. The SE line is starting to look really good. 😊
Love this as always!
311 is pronounced ‘Three Eleven’
(I’ll see myself out . . . )
Thank you! ❤️🤘🏻👽
miT appreciates you too 😁
Where are those fall tour dates? I’m ready to go!
I like the tone of the Silver Sky and the David Grissom models. Also, I ❤love the amber look of the Santana.
Great stuff as usual - always interesting and informative ! However, as an owner of one, I was crying in my coffee at the omission of the SE 24.08 - a splendid guitar indeed !
I have a limited edition SE custom 24 with a roasted maple neck. It's still one of my overall favorite guitars to play after 5 years.
I’m just impressed you shouted out Tim Mahoney. And Navarro respect 👊
I'd love to see a short history of Dean guitars
PRS SE is one of my favorite brands/companies in the world. I admire everything they've done and obsessed over their history and mission. Really cool that you made this video :)
Yet another great video! I bought a PRS SE Standard 24 Tobacco Burst in October 2020. It is mahogany w/ no maple cap. I imagine that the mahogany is sourced from Indonesia or nearby. It has the double-cut body with the beautiful mahogany grain on display with binding on the slightly curved top and on the neck. I love the Pattern Thin neck and the glossy finish does not bother me in the least, although I realize some people might not like it. At first, I thought that the pickups were too bright, but after playing them for a couple days, I realized that having all that high-end was a good thing and I lowered the pickups a bit and I learned to use the Tone knob a bit. All in all, the SE Standard 24 is a great guitar! It might be the gateway to upgrading for some people, but I have no need to upgrade it or upgrade in the PRS line. I don't want all of my guitars to sound the same - I want different tones to use at different times.
Magnificent Keith & team! Always worth the time I save to watch short histories on Saturday morning time. ✌️😌🎸
I own one CORE PRS and three SE models...all SEs are top notch guitars...indeed flawless. The SE Silver Sky will end up being THE guitar that helped turn the market to affordable made overseas. It is a wonderful axe and my daily player...but I still love my Les Pauls!!
I bought a PRS SE Standard 24 guitar 2 years ago and was so impressed by the value for money it offered that a few months later I bought the baritone version as well. I had wanted a baritone guitar for ages and never found a decent one. Both are superb guitars for the price.
Thanks for the video.
Great video Keith. I brought a PRS Custom SE 24 back in 2019 and haven’t looked back since. Compared to my Gibson’s (335 / LP / SG) and Fenders (Strat / Tele) and at a 5th of the price it plays and sounds beautiful. Used it for many gigs favouring it over my Les Paul Standard. If I was on a desert island and could only take one guitar it would be my PRS SE due to its versatility.
Great PRS history lesson. Like many of us here I’ve owned many guitars during my life. Several PRS core and SE models, and to tell you the truth one of my favorite current guitars is a PRS se245 Fredrik Akesson (Opeth) model. I just love the shorter scale and how well the guitar resonates and sustains. It’s a guitar that I probably won’t part with any time soon, I love it that much.
I have and play a late first-generation Santana SE, which has a PRS logo on the truss rod cover from 2001. It’s a fantastic guitar, even before I modified it heavily. It’s been with me for about 20 years, except for a short period where I traded it to a friend, but later traded back for it. It amazes me how the SE line has grown.
Recently purchased a used DGT SE in gold and it is great! It even had upgraded knobs and locking tuners.
Back in 2020 I found a 2006 SE Custom in a second hand shop - it was missing the pick up switch knob, had a shallow gauge in the neck and a very dirty body and neck. Cleaned it up and it’s become my ‘testbed’ guitar, having replaced the pick ups and wiring for split coils (not a feature on release). A very solid instrument!
I've got an OG '01 "Santana SE" in red that I picked up for next to nothing in about 2011/2012. Just dropped in some SE locking tuners I picked up for also next to nothing a few months ago and they dropped right in (which is pretty cool for 20+ years later). Just a fantastic guitar.
I've been playing guitar for 40 years, many of those years professionally, and over those four decades I've played and owned almost every major guitar brand out there. Except for a large sampling of Ernie Ball Music Man models, I have more Korean-made PRS SE's in my collection than anything else. They're just so hard to beat for the money - they look, sound, and play great. I've checked out a few of the more recent models being made in Indonesia and China, but I found that the quality control is not up to the Korean standard I've become accustomed to. I'm glad I bought the ones I have when I did. Thanks for the video, Keith, stellar content as always.
Hi Keith, enjoyed this video and it validated the delivery today to me of a brand new SE Silver Sky for a whopping $577. It was a "floor model" at a music store on Reverb but was in brand new condition and weighs just 7.0 lbs. It feels and sounds great. Have it paired with a new MIJ Aerodyne Tele I picked up recently for half of what it sold for originally, also from another Reverb store. Cheers from south Louisiana.
I ordered my SE DGT today. I can't wait for it to get here.
My PRS Custom 24 SE is my favourite, Maple top and deep blue finish. Love it.
Interesting stuff! Thank you. I have two 2012'ish SE's. Both just great guitars. Especially the SE Santana model.
This video brings back fond teenage memories for me, Keith. Thanks for putting it together. Still have a stack of all the PRS ads I used to detach from my copies of Guitar World/Guitar One magazines.
Love that Silver Sky pickguard! Thanks for all the great videos Keith!
As an owner of both Core and SE PRS guitars I have to say you’ve done a fantastic job of discussing a dizzying are of instruments.
I have a hollow body 2, and a Paul’s se guitar. I was floored with the Paul’s SE single coil sounds better than most singles I’ve played. I’m a bedroom rocker and the quality of instrument I get from the se line is nothing short of amazing. Though I love Fender the quality of the SE’s is hard to beat excellent customer service as well. Thank you for the video!
I remember commenting years ago after I think the second short history video. Les Paul, tele or strat….I don’t remember. But I remember saying that I loved these short history videos. But what happens when you run out of the big name guitars with the long lineage. I’m happy to see that there is a lot of history behind so many more guitars and brands than I had thought about. Breaking down the guitars into their respective subsets is a great idea. It opens the topic up for many more videos and more education on each model. Very cool! I’d like to see a video about Washburn. There beginnings as a very well crafted and respected manufacturer to the tough times of some lesser quality to where the company stands today I still have my basic Washburn mercury 2 series electric that I bought new back in 1993. Hardtail with a ABR style bridge. Full 24 frets that are very accessible. Slab rosewood fretboard and the guitar is just solid and strong. Of course I ripped out the bridge pickup and replaced it with an original DiMarzio super distortion and it sounds and plays great.
Nice review of the PRs line thnx
Great video! It made me look into the SE line in a different light.
My first brand-new guitar was a flat-top SE Custom 24 with the moon-dot inlays and the G&B era pickups, and this was during their tenure being made in Korea.
That guitar in my youth of learning to mod stuff received many mods and even my first attempt at a refret (for some reason my SE had VERY soft frets and I played them till flat, the refret worked by it was very sloppy in hindsight)
Nowadays, a SE CE24 is its spiritual successor and a SE DGT, both are happily apart of my recording stable of instruments and I don't plan on letting them go anytime soon.
As for the flat-top, it's currently a toasty (heat gun) naked husk, but now that I'm getting done with two project builds and starting to properly dedicate guitars for different tunings, I think I'm going to restore it (kind of) into a C standard sabbath-esque machine.
I’ve managed to pickup several of these… SE Standard, 245, Soapbar II, and McCarty 594 Singlecut. The SEs are great value!
16:25 those baritones are so cool. I almost bought one back when they were first coming out. I bought one of the brand new Epiphone Coronet guitars though. Did a lot of upgrades and still have it.
Fun fact is that PRS doesn’t officially state what SE actually stands for. I have seen several recent videos and interviews and they always talk around it that it is up to anyone’s own interpretation. That being said, Student Edition doesn’t really do them justice. I own the cheapest SE possible (2022 SE standard) and it is absolutely beautiful and flawless. Great video by the way, stunned to see there were so many models ✌🏻
Student models are quite a bit better now than they were in the 80s and 90s 😂 probably regardless of instrument
I was thinking of all the band instruments I played in high school!
SE: Standard edition
S2: Standard 2.0
CE: Cutaway edition
Core: Professional/Ultra
Private Stock: Custom shop
@@romeou4965 CE = Classic Electric, referring to the bolt-on construction.
@@romeou4965 CE stands for Classic Electric.
Signature electric I thought, or standard electric...
Excellent video, Keith! I will forever think of those SE guitars as the Santana Edition now.
I am firmly a fan, and my PRS SE Custom 24 was the only electric I owned for a long while. I loved the versatility of the tones you could get from it and the simplicity of the controls. I need to retire the old PRS SE and have my eyes set on the SE CE to replace it.
Totally agree with your opinion on the SE Hollowbody II w/piezo. It’s an amazing guitar that is very versatile.
Awesome video! Paul is thinking guitars all the time and there's nothing he wouldn't do to improve his merchandise, kinda like the Porsche factory.
The 2020 SE Mira is absolutely fantastic!
I purchased a core model custom 24 bird in gloss black in 1995 and slowly just stopped playing all my other guitars it's been around the world with me it still looks and plays like new and the old fashion locking tuners work great for me it's my Baby !!😊
I remember when the SE came out and compared to other Import guitars, it looked SO PLAIN! I tried one back in the day but at the time I had a Samick SG clone and that felt much better to me at less than half the price.
Today I have a Schecter S-1 Elite that I jokingly call a "Tele in a PRS clothing" and have made several small changes to it but from the outside it almost looks the same. I swapped black speed knobs for Q Part acrylic dome Tele style knobs replaced the plastic switch tip with a black Gretsch style metal one. Under the hood I replaced both Volume knobs with CTS push pull knobs to individually split each pickup rather than just the tone being the original push/pull. For the Tone knob I tracked down a Shadow Killswitch pot (to bad it's Linear but I have a Killswitch on the guitar). I also swapped the original jack (nothing wrong with it) for a Switchcraft one.
I mention all of this because the Schecter does fit much of the PRS aesthetic while being a bit more Metal. The Elite version is a 25.5 inch scale length but other S-1 models have a 24.75 inch scale. The other thing is that it is pretty easy to play and unlike my Teles, I never feel I have to fight this one. I also moved the strap button to the back center position like an SG and that solved the only comfort issue I had with this guitar. This guitar is interesting because while I use it as an SG stand in, it's a bit beefier in feel and tone than an SG but not quite in Les Paul territory.
While not a PRS guitar I feel that this model was heavily inspired by US made PRS guitars in many respects and feel wise, this guitar does it for me. I pick up PRS SE guitars and while they are not bad, they feel a tad off compared to Gibsons or Fenders. I do really like the Single Cut Korina model and that is one of those guitars I plan to pick up one day. 😎👍✨
Yup, my first PRS was a Santana SE, still got it infact, got it in 2005, it's been a really good guitar for 600 I think it was then, pure butter is how I explain it, stays in tune, I just love it..stamped Korea, must be one of the first, as its the same as the black you showed with same strip inlays gloss finish, but not cream pick up rings, I'll never get rid of it, got 3 PRS guitars now...very cool, answer some questions I had, thanks...
I picked up an SE CE 24. Great bang for the buck.
Correction about the Silver Sky SE radius at 18:47 of the vid. The SS SE has an 8.5" radius not the vintage 7.25" the Core SS has. Cheers. 🍻
I absolutely love my 35th Anniv Custom 24!
Currently shopping for my fourth SE. Build quality is hard to beat at the price point.
Great video , I was fortunate enough to own de 25th anniversary model of the custom 24 , sold it and got a 1997 ce24 that is the best prs I’ve ever played
Loved this vid!
I saw my Sandblasted Ash Limited edt in late 2019 and ordered it. Something I never did before, but Covid was "in the air" and I assumed I would have time the coming year.
Never regretted it. And despite the new releases this summer, this version of Sandblasted Ash has not been released again. They are still unique and rare.
And how it plays, and sounds ... well, you have to try one to know.
More music man guitars please
I have 3 majesties and they are perfect. I both them not because it's petrucci signature but because of how they feeling and what features have
Now I'm a fan of music man guitars
My SE Custom and Tremonti are my Go-To guitars in almost every case.
Waiting for an SE version of the NF 53! 🤪 Absolutely love my SE CE bolt neck.
Thanks Keith was going through the 5 Watt DTs! Cheers
I am fortunate enough to own a 2003 Custom 22 Artist in blue matteo. It is, and will always be, my #1. But I have also owned a few SE's along the way. I currently have a Zach Meyers SE 594. I switched out the electronics and that has become my go-to guitar for local events. Its amazing in its own right.
I own 3 PRS's; an original 2001 SE which was my go to over a dozen other guitars I own and 2 22 fret ten tops, one with the rotary pup switch which is funky but ok. The only thing that sucks about PRS's is that every new guitar they come out with, I want! Looking forward to getting an SE Hollow body someday and maybe a Starla. Thanx for your great work at FWW, Keith, I love your channel...rock on!
I'll tell you this. I am an American made Fender and Gibson buyer. I'm a working class musician but I will pay top dollar for a guitar or amplifier Even if it takes me a long time to save up for it. Having said that, this PRS dgt SE is probably the first time I have ever purchased an instrument made overseas and have been mesmerized. This guitar could be sold at twice the price. If you take the SE off the headstock it would sell like crazy. I am a convert. PRS guitars sound amazing to get a good or let's say great sound with treble bleed on both volume controls and a single coil split is absolutely incredible on this guitar. It's just a fantastic instrument. I had to get the gold top because I don't like the birds. The mahogany body, Maple cap, neck and everything else about this guitar is magical.
I do love my PRS DTG gee-tar. it is a work of art.
Mahalo Keith. I liked the fact that Paul spec his standard and custom models as Gibson originally intended. PRS always had some models I considered buying.
In June of 94, PRS Custom was price at $2278.50 for bird inlay and $1757.00 for moon inlays at Elderly Instruments. I like the fact that SE are more like US models.
Always the best videos
A year or so I decided I wanted a 24 fret Floyd Rose guitar. After going through a lot of instruments at a lot of price points I landed on an SE Custom 24 Floyd Rose model and I don’t regret the decision. I did change the pickups but even stock the guitar punched well above its price point.
Love the info keith on PRS, I got a great deal on a Snatana se,2001a few years back, $400 Cdn, new about $1200 Cdn,what a great guitar, I will never part with it.
I just bought two se 24 standards...one used in the blue with matching headstock and one brand new in the turquoise satin finish
I got the hardtail version of the first run of Santana SE’s in red for my 15th birthday. The one similar to the one featured in the SE 20th anniversary video. Crazy to think it’s held up so well after 20 years
I have been in love with PRS customs body shape ever since I saw a purple one hanging on the wall in Steve's music store in Montreal back in the late 80's. Every time I walk into a long & McQuade or a guitar center in the US, I pick up the prs guitars in search of one that feels good in my small hands. I think the custom 24 SE neck is about the best feeling. I would love to see a special semi hollow SE version with that neck profile.
Great video Keith, thanks.
Great video. I have a Dave Navarro SE. At the time I was looking for a new guitar after my JEM 555 died. I looked at so many mid priced guitars but the neck on the SE felt so good in my hands. I've toyed with selling it over the years as I play my tele more often these days. But when I pick it up I can't part with it. I tried a Silver Sky SE in a store recently. That may just be my next purchase. The neck on that is heaven.
At the end of the day, even masters are students of the craft.
I had se 277 with p90s , bought for 499 on a blowout at the end 2019. Sold in 2020 during the guitar boom for 900. Wished I still had it. But, had to keep the lights on
Great video. Should have included when they started introducing the few lefthand models that they now offer.
I love the 5-Watt/ JNC Joint!
I picked up an SE Hollowbody II for GBP600 2 years ago - it’s a real good guitar for that money. Easily sits alongside guitars 5-10x the cost both in quality and how it sounds. I’d say my old 2002 Lucille edges it on tone just, and it’s finished in poly so feels a bit ‘cheaper’ , but for the money they are superb.
My Chris Robertson single cut SE is my #1.
Sometime ago i played an SE Starla, and that was the first and only PRS that i had played, i loved how the pickups sounded, very much in the 60's Gibson T-Top/Guild HB-1 territory, but the neck was huge, i think that if i had to buy that guitar, i will definitely send it to a luthier to make it slimmer, more like a D-Shape type of thing.
Dear Kith in minute 14:11 is not a Kestrel that is GG 4 String on the left, minute 14:21 is a GG4 core model too.
Obviously bias here because I am in the video, but honestly, with all of the options with imports out there - and I have had my share - PRS SE is top notch and I love that this video shines a light on that. Thanks for including me, Keith. And thanks for showing not all great guitars are on the top shelf.
Hey Blu 👋
Cool little spot 😊
Peaked my interest in the narrow field pu's 👍
@@rainfieldmusic Thanks RFM... if you any questions, shoot me a note.
I own two SE acoustics. The p20e and the p50e. In a room full of Martins, Gibsons and Taylors they have more than held their own. Not bad for a couple of little parlours!
I'd love to see a history of Alvarez's long discontinued electric guitar range
Great content as usual