PRS Silver Sky USA Vs SE: Watch Before You Buy!
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- Опубликовано: 11 июл 2024
- Comparison of PRS PRS Silver Sky John Mayer Signature (USA) and the PRS SE Silver Sky
USA: sweetwater.sjv.io/4PWPEG
SE: sweetwater.sjv.io/vNZNVN
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0:00 Intro
1:40 headstocks & tuners
2:40 Nuts and Necks
6:26 Body
7:22 Bridge Big differences
9:12 Controls
9:38 Tone Demo Rant
10:50 Pickups thoughts
12:01 Pickups Test
12:45 rambling
16:55 Final Recommendations 
Видеоклипы
If you like JM you'll love this video: ruclips.net/video/-VywPbpmGvM/видео.html
Quickly becoming one of my fav guitar content pages. Keep it up man. These vids are high quality
Thank you :)
I don’t even play guitar and I watch his videos due to the way he orates information, though I’m a huge fan of music and I like to see people who have passion for certain subjects
I think they nailed what they were going for. There’s endless strat sounds. These sound like vintage 63-65 era strats without having to wait or pay the price tag. Exactly what their mission was. Pretending it’s not a strat is silly. Embracing that it’s a strat with PRS feel and build quality is what people should do.
Agreed!
I’d love a video where somebody re-milled and glued the headstock to make it Fender shape.
I keep trying to like them…but I don’t. I prefer the mij strats, luckily got a couple before the hype rose their prices. I honestly don’t think 90% of these guitars out there are worth 1/4 of their price tag. Don’t believe me? Look up Jack Pearson! That guy kills…oh yeah, Fuckkk John Mayer!
Oh I wish that was true. I've owned one and tried playing multiple others the quality control of everything was just not there, I found so many flaws with multiple PRS SE silver skies but the other PRS SE editions are way better. If you don't believe me next time you're at the music shop take a business card or credit card and stick it in the neck pocket. Every neck is 1/16th off the size. I went to other brands of equal value and not one did that. I guess it's hit or miss.
If it doesn't say Fender on it, it's not a strat. "Stratocaster" is a registered trademark and it was registered to Fender, not PRS :)
Extremely well thought out review. You Described the nuances of each guitar in great detail. Much appreciated! Love the videos.
Reached the end and I conclude the same as you !, getting the SE the next week and I was trying to convince myself.
if I'm spending over $2,000 it's going to look better than basic. I like pretty designs 🤣
me too! I wanted the nicer bird inlays. Maybe better paint jobs too.
Trouble is, for a US made guitar, it’s starting to feel like $2K is almost bare bones now. An American standard Strat (no frills) will set you back $2K. If you want something baller you’re looking like $4K to $5K on up. Seems pretty ridiculous too me.
2eechizone
Definitely a Strat Style guitar, but I think it is a much improved Strat. I love the look with that added PRS touch at the top of the body. I bought the SE version and love the neck better than any other Strat neck. I can't put this thing down.
@@maxwellblakely7952 $2500 used to get you close to a used Gibson Les Paul R7, a neck glued and carved top guitar, not a few pieces of flat CNC wood assembled in minutes using a few screws.
IV been wanting the SE version for months, finally got one. Brought me back to the strat world, love the tones. I'm having to adjust the string height. Thanks for your in depth review. I can't afford the USA version. Just happy with the SE for now. IV played since 1966 top 20 cover stuff , just copied anything I could. Like blues , thanks brother. Have to say ,your review is spot on. Much appreciated. I enjoy my SE more now because of it.
A very thorough and informative review. You answered the necessary questions. Keep up the good work...THANKS!!!
I’m really enjoying your reviews and perspective. Thanks. Looking forward to more.
Thanks :)
Not your typical response for a guitar review video… the thing that struck me the most about this review, the lighting!!! Bang up job dood! Each guitar having its own unique vibe to hang out in, the golden hues making your skin tones shine… everything is super vibrant and glowing!! The review speaks for itself great job comparing the two with no monetary influence:) I’ll be coming back for more!
Thank you :)! I do really appreciate your comment. I make these videos with a cheap camera in an old ugly basement. Since I don't have the gear of the big channels, I do my best to make it a little interesting.
I’ve been playing since the 70’s and amazed at the quality of todays under 1k guitars. Your honesty is refreshing and rare in todays social media
I just ordered the SE, great review!!! Thanks for the information!
I love the way you laid out the comparison and agree with your opinions. Just subscribed because I love somebody not afraid to give an open, honest review.
Thank you :)
I appreciate your honesty! It’s so refreshing. I love strats and have considered the PRS Silver Sky. But for $2700, I think most can find a used Fender custom shop strat which are awesome and quite special (harder to find but they exist). Or for that money one can get lots of other guitars. Great review! New subscriber after watching it. Well done.
Thank you! I totally agree. A used fender custom shop would be a great option
Great review and an honest comparison. Im actually seeing the se version going for $650 now on reverb. Absolute value compared to mim strats.
Agreed but I did grow up with a mim strat
I just got my PRS SS Se for $400 brand new. Wanted a fender but couldn’t pass up that deal
@@rickydossantosjr5840 Whoa! Where did you find a deal like that?
One thing with the strat is availability of parts and modability. Everybody and their mom makes drop in replacement parts for strat. Wanna change the sound and look? Drop in a loaded pick guard, wire it up and you're ready to go. Want to upgrade to locking tuners? There are tons of drop-in options that require no additional routing. Do you like your strat but the neck doesn't feel quite right. There are TONS of replacements at various price points with different specs that will be a perfect fit for the neck pocket and will intonate correctly without any additional work.
On the SE Silver Sky: want to upgrade to locking tuners? Hope you like the PRS ones, or else you're gonna be routing/drilling holes. You like the feel of the neck profile but wish it had a flatter radius? You're gonna have to live with the 1 neck that PRS offers or take it to a luthier and have them plane the fretboard. You get the picture
This is a great review - thanks man 🙏
That was a great review! Thanks man
Thank you for being honest. And Oh man, its such a relief to hear someone else say that they're basically stratocasters, I thought I was alone in thinking that. That's exactly how I felt when I tried that SE, it felt and sounded like a strat. and since I already have a couple nice strats, I didn't feel the need to get different looking one that sounds identical to my fenders.
They really are haha.
I think, everything taken into consideration, I'd sell a strat and buy an SE. The QC is better, and you actually get what your paying for. The US made are doing exactly what fender does and that's have u pay up for a name brand as much as what it's actually worth to you or I. Now that's just me and I'm only one guy. But I'd prefer an SE over a fender, don't care what country it's made in. Until u get to the custom shop level it does not make a 300% difference going from mim to mia, or mii to mia
The SS and Strat don't feel anything alike to me. I find Strats fairly uncomfortable. I can identify a SS just by putting my arm over it because it won't jab me.
@@micemr76 I agree with you but there are a few sticking points that keep me from switching sides:
First I hate the headstock. I'm not in love with the regular PRS headstock to begin with, but the reverse headstock looks particularly strange to me on this one, and I generally like reverse headstocks.
Also the 3 + 3 tuner orientation vs 6 in a line may seem insignificant, but it genuinely does change the feel of the guitar and negativity impacts tuning stability on the G string in my experience. Also wish the headstock was straight instead of angled. Beyond the fact angled headstocks are far more prone to snapping, the increased break angle can introduce additional friction at the nut.
Also the fretboard radius... Why would they not offer a 9.5 in radius option??? If John prefers a vintage 7.25 radius, that's cool, I get it. But for the mass-market version, aimed at the modern musician, why would you only offer vintage radius? The vintage strat purists are likely never going to opt for a SS over a Fender anyways. Why wouldn't you cater to your own fanbase and keep the 10 in radius as an option?
Also I don't live the birds... I guess I really just wish I could have a SS with a Fender neck
Very honest and fair review, Andre. I have the same exact impressions - so you saved me some time in doing a review myself :) Thanks a lot for the great content. Cheers from Spain!
Thank you! I hope to visit Spain one day. Beautiful country.
Great stuff. I've noticed the editing is getting smoother! Good job!
Thank you for noticing :).
I appreciate the thorough review!
I love these honest reviews. Keep them coming Andre. I have the core Sliver Sky with a MAPLE neck. That's the key for me. The SE doesn't come with a maple neck. I much prefer that maple-feel over rosewood or ebony. Also, the thicker neck just fits into my palm nicely and feels awesome for days! (Disclaimer: I bought the core before the SE existed).
I also like thicker necks
But here comes SE version which with maple neck!
Great review. This is a better take than anyone else. I feel like nobody has been honest enough about this guitar.
Thank you :)
One of the BEST reviews I've seen! Great job illustrating the differences between the two! Cheers!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Very honest video. Thanks for taking the time to compare these two wonderful guitars.
Love your reviews Andre. It's so rare to find an honest reviewer on RUclips nowadays.
Thank you :)
There was a very noticeable difference between the two guitars. I love blindfold tests. I picked A sounding better immediately, however I found the middle pickup on B to sound better. Just interesting to note
Def interesting
Love your content man! Your analysis is therapeutic for me.
Thank you :) I have 90mins of therapy for you tomorrow haha big video coming
Excellent review, thanks! I have a PRS Custom 24 SE, am interested in the SIlver Sky...probably the SE. Your review helped.
UPDATES:
1) I grew up a pretty big John Mayer fan, especially Continuum and everything that came before it. When I was 16, if I had the money to buy the USA version, I would totally choose it over a different $2,7000 strat solely for the fact that it's John Mayer. Sometimes, I forget that people often buy gear of their favorite guitar players. Nothing wrong with that! In fact, I'm considering buying a Jeff Beck strat for that exact reason.
2) I was wrong in my assumptions. About 75 - 80% were able to guess the right guitar. That being said, I think if I added some eq, I could make them identical. And without the A/B test, or with them in a mix, I doubt anyone would notice or care. Nonetheless, you all have some amazing ears.
I've always wanted a David Gilmore strat for the same reason 😊
I have played a Jeff Beck strat, never owned one great sounding guitars ,Beck likes a chunky guitar neck too. I'd even say the old versions with lace pickups are killer guitars
For me it would be the billy Corgan strat but they don't pop up. Often any more
I kind of did the opposite. I bought a Schecter Nick Johnston “Strat”, having never heard of Nick Johnston prior to that. I love Strats, I love Schecter’s quality and price, and I love the specs of the Nick Johnston model…. especially the 2-knob arrangement that gets that dang volume knob out of the way!
The colours on the U.S. version are better than the SE's, but I don't truthfully think the SE colours are that bad, During the sound test I preferred A actually over B on all samples, but despite that, the difference of price for something minimally better is not worth it, Unless you want the visual of the colour finish and better headstock badge plate, Paying $3,000 dollars more for something so similar but minimally better, is absolutely not worth it, the SE is far better value, Also like the satin neck and slimmer neck profile
My take, the price difference probably can be chalked up to materials (e.g., number of pieces of the body, cut of the wood for the neck) manufacturing labor, scale of production, and snob appeal to a Made in the USA model vs Asian origin). Great to hear your perspective! I recently had a similar experience when considering to “upgrade” my Epiphone Les Paul to a Gibson. I went into the store and spent significant time playing a bunch of LPs. Yes, they were a bit nicer than my current Epiphone, but the differences were not earth shattering. I kept my Epiphone.
Good for you! Epiphone makes some nice stuff. They are def more than “cheap Gibsons” imo.
Loving all your in depth reviews and discussions about the things noone talks about🤘👍 Great channel!
Thank you!
Great video! Makes makes me want to try the se! Genuinely appreciate the attention to detail and practical advice eg locking tuners.
Thank you :)
The B Pickups have a little less clarity, but a bit more body. But the difference A to B, in my opinion, could also be "before/after Amp finetuning", or "before/after pickup height adjustment". They are really close to each other, in my ears.
mine too!
Appreciate your dedication to your work more than you'll ever know. Love the SE version.
Also, yes. The rambles always pay off and it's a main part of why we're here.
I appreciate you more than you know! It’s the loyal viewers that keep this channel afloat.
@@andrefludd Thank you so much.
Fantastic video, your personal opinion is much needed,thankyou
Thank you for your amazing comparison!
At the PRS USA price point, you’re absolutely right that there are so many other brands offering boutique strat-style guitars at a very similar, if not more competitive, price point. I feel like you’d either have to fall in love with the neck to justify it, although the strong resale value of the silver sky also probably attracts buyers!
Also the John Mayer thing. I’m a big fan of his early stuff. If I was 17 and rich, I’d totally choose his USA model over a different boutique guitar. I wish I remembered to mention this point in the video
I own both the Silver Sky SE and the Silver Sky made in America. First, let me say you did a great job in the compare and contrast of the two instruments. The PRS Silver Sky has a solid alder body. The PRS SE Silver Sky has a solid poplar body. The two differences for me is the American version has the 7.5 radius vs the 8.5 on the SE. I like the 7.5! The second is the finish on the neck: The PRS Silver Sky has a gloss polyester (body), clear nitrocellulose (neck) finish. The PRS SE Silver Sky is painted with a gloss polyester (body), satin (neck) finish. The feel of the SE neck is nice for me because it has a satin finish but I prefer the fatter American neck with the 7.5 radius. The voicing on both are great and a matter of personal preference. The best of both worlds for me would be to have the American Silver Sky with a satin finish neck. Hope this makes sense.
Yep! Makes a lot of sense. Thanks for sharing. What color is your usa? I feel like they should have better colors for the price
@@andrefludd It's white and with age hopefully it will yellow a bit. Time will tell.
Interesting as my maple neck usa silver sky has a nitro body .. sure of that as i gave it a minor wound … and see the wear under my arm yet early days and still looks complete … what i kinda don’t care but did find annoying is the shoulder on fretboard … nitro wear was fast and top and bottom 1-22 almost you can see soiling marks from hand wear … that was quite a bit faster than I expected but I accept it as a sign I’m playing it often enough to do that 😉
Good perspective you shared owning both. Personally, I think 98% of guitar players wouldn’t notice the slightly rounder radius of 7.25 vs 8.5. From 7.25 to 9.5? Yes. I think Andre’s closing remarks are spot on and I said the same thing on another video. PRS has devalued the USA one and made it harder to justify when their SE offering is basically 90% the guitar it’s “trying” to be.
I love this review. Thank you for making it
Great , very honest review ,you do a great job keeping your viewers engaged into what you are presenting.
thank you :)
Nowadays we can have great guitars between $600 and $1000. I've tested some great Schecters around this price. But depending of the niche, players are forced by this specific community to use expensive gear. Congrats for your channel. Cheers from NJ.
NJ!
Kudos to PRS for making the SE versions so good.
Agreed!
they aren’t that good actually
@@Stringprodigy really? Too bad. I prefer classic Fenders anyway, but I welcome quality instruments from anyone.
@@Fugettaboutit they aren’t quality though. many players have reported quality control issues with these guitars and for around the same price you can get a higher quality Fender.
@@Stringprodigy Got it, too bad. I've checked out other 'SE series' PRS's before and they seem solid for the money, almost got a semi-hollow years back.
I'm from Jersey too! Excellent review!
Love hearing from my fellow Jersey people
Excellent review!! Really good insight about price and "being special". That is a great way to explain what expensive guitars need to deliver.
Thanks!
Such a big difference when its really your money on the line. It's clear in your expressions - that's your money at risk, not a relationship with a builder you are trying to protect. Regardless of how unbiased paid promoters try to be, there's a degree of bias that cannot be suppressed when someone's income is part of the equation. Thanks for taking the risk Andre!
Someone has to do it haha
I tried the SE Silver Sky at GC today. It's an amazing guitar. The satin finished neck is perfect. I know that the SE version neck is fatter compare to the USA made PRS but the SE Silver Sky is not as fatter as other SE guitar, instead it feel comfortable. The only upgrade need to do just swap the tuner to the SE locking tuner.
You confused the model and thickness. The SE Silver Sky is thinner and more generic in keeping with guitars at this price point. The PRS Silver Sky (expensive version) is thicker. Rewatch the video, timestamp 03:13 onward.
The SE definitely has a thicker neck than the core, I own both. If I'm being totally honest, I prefer the SE on all counts.
Loving this channel!
Thank you!
Congrats for the content bro, really nice.
Thank you!
I'm surprised PRS haven't roasted the maple necks on either version, esp. given that this is such a commonplace feature across premium strats (LSL, Xotic, Suhr, Anderson) and that it's becoming increasingly standard practice with premium OEM instruments (Sire, Fender, Schecter NJ Series), too. Surely the increased resonance and stability that come with 'roasting' would be welcomed plusses, right?
Me too.
most of that is because PRS spends so much time drying their woods for guitars. There is probably a little less time at the SE factory but USA model. There is not need they dry them to stability, which is all roasting does but quicker, PRS just chooses to take the time.
I don't have a Silversky but I do have a PRS SE. It's so well built that I don't see a single reason that could make a USA version of it 3 times more expensive. Also, pickups sounded exactly the same, and that's with me fully paying attention to every nuance, meaning there's not a single way anyone can hear a difference in a mix.
No way you’d hear it in a mix that’s for sure
Thank you! I've been thinking about a Strat, but I love the PRS quality, so I've been thinking about a SE version of the Silver Sky. This is really good information.
I think you’ll like it! Great guitar
Excellent review! Cheers
Thank you!
I'm listening through a phone speaker, so not only did RUclips compression hurt this comparison, my listening devices are also fairly poor. With that being said, there was definitely a noticeable difference on what are some of the middle position and bridge position variations. I tended to like a for most of the middle positions, and I actually like B on the bridge because it was a little less bright.
me too!
I’ve had both, I give them high praise but nothing can beat the original Fender Stratocaster.
Fair enough
I disagree. There's plenty of smaller companies that build a strat as good or better than Fender. K-Line, Danocaster, even Suhr build Custom Shop quality guitars.
You've gotten so fluent in the videos! So cool to follow you and see you get better 😊
The funny thing is, when I recorded this video I was absolutely exhausted. It was like 5:00am and I hadn’t slept in a couple of days. I think maybe the sleepiness didn’t give me the ability to over think.
@@andrefludd the problem start when we think too much 😭🤣
Thank you! Excellent breakdown.
You need to try the Yamaha Revstar Standard. Best value of any guitar right now in my opinion. So blown away by mine, it has become my main guitar even though I have a lot of more expensive guitars.
It’s on the list for 2023! Someone recommends it almost every day haha that says a lot to me
@@andrefludd cool. Thanks for great content as well. And I do agree that sound samples doesn’t say much on you tube. I watch your channel and reviews even when the guitars are not really something I would buy myself.
Also interested in the Strandberg videos. I have a Standard one that I get a long with great.
Thanks for this suggestion, been wondering about the Revstars, especially the P90 equipped model. 👍🎸
Yamahas are the red headed step children of the guitar world. Always overlooked.
That Revstar feels like $2000 instrument !
I have a bigger problem with these two guitars - I can't quite understand why one would pick either of them up over an actual Strat (or a partscaster).
one of the many wonderful things about a Strat is the versatility that it possesses thanks to its modular design.
there is just a insane plethora of aftermarket options that make changing practically any part of a Strat (neck, body, pickups, electronics, etc.) an absolute breeze.
heck, you can even change the scale length of your strat by getting a conversion neck.
and because of the endless availability of aftermarket options, one could even build a partscaster for around the same price as the SE Silver Sky, with specs and options that can't be found on any of the Silver Skys or even a traditional strat direct from Fender.
the very existence of these Silver Skys (other than the fact that it was their way of snagging John Mayer, and the huge marketing boost that resulted thanks to said acquisition) feels like PRS's attempt at reinventing the wheel.
I think it's another good option in the strat world.
According to your comparative sound samples the I hear the SE version to be a bit more flat and dumped , less chime like sounding, it is most likely not because of pick-up specs differences but due to the cheaper body wood.
Well said! I do not understand this at all. Here in Australia, they're completely outrageously over priced. You can get an EJ signature for way less. I made the mistake of getting into an online argument with a moron over this on the new light solo clip.
I don't get why the 'inspired by' guitar was even thought to be a good business venture for the prs team.
If John Mayer had nothing to do with it, we wouldn't be looking at it. It simply wouldn't exist.
I love the pickup comparison rant, spot on!
Thank you :)
Best review of these incredible Strats!
Thank you :)
I hear a lot of difference. "A" lacks character, sounds a little hollow. "B" is full and deep. Fantasizing what could have cause that tone difference, I'd say that "B" is fuller because of a thicker neck. So my bet is that "B" is the pink strat, because it sounds rich. But I hope I'm wrong :D
Interesting
You’re awesome, man. Subscribed 👍🏻
After playing only acoustic for the last 12 years, I just bought this silver sky se last week in the green color. I love it!
-Christian
Thanks for supporting :)!
Great review. Thank you
Great conclusion man! One of the best comparison I’ve ever seen between the 2 PRS Silver Sky.
Thank you :)
Great review!
This review of both axes helps me decide the one I'd invest in.
Glad I could help!
I’ve been constantly researching what i want my next guitar to be and wanted to try a brand im not very familiar with. Had my eye on a PRS for decades (santana and 311 in the 90s)
Definitely going for the SE. having the John Mayer endorsement helps. But your vid gave me that push. And you got a new subscriber. Your candor is appreciated.
Hey thanks for this. I'm a bassplayer with a Dingwall and Bongo and wanting a nice electric guitar to add some spice. Currently going back and forth between the EH Wolfgang and the Silver Sky SE. Was glad to find this video.
I love the honesty.. Great video 🎉
very nice review sir.. thank you very much ! !!
Thank you for the support
Fantastic gear show analysis
Thank you :)
Also in NJ, both my guitars had trouble with this weird transition into winter lol. Great video!
Thank you :). Love hearing from NJ folk
Great, and honest, review!
Thanks me :)
Thanks for your honesty🙏❤️
New to the channel. Appreciate your insights!
Thanks for watching!
Fantastic Video Andre!
Thank you!
Appreciate the candor, thank you. I watched your review and many others. Listened to demos and most important, I played both. I agree, as a life long Strat player for more than 30 years, these are strats. They maintain both the most important traditional aspects in appearance and sound, but for the price, they are both very good strats. Better than the “F” ones I have played except for custom shop, but these beat the production models of any other Strat style guitar. One thing, I do love the heel truss rods in the Charvels. Schecter have that but they are all slim necks. I preferred the wider frets, and I would rather spend the money on other guitars, so I bout the SE rosewood. I have no regrets. Mine, too, had high action from the factory and shop. I adjust all my guitars to my preferred set up so I didn’t care about this. Think about this: with the difference in price, I bought a hand-wired 27 watt boutique tube amp. Now that felt very, very good because the Silver Sky sounds sublime through the new rig. 😊
Very accurate review, keep on the good job, you ROCK !
Thank you :)
Love the honesty. Bluntness. No nonsense. Subscribed
Thank you!
17:45 lmfao well put, creds for being straight up about it 😄
Yeah, I sub'd. Good overview of the two. My SE version arrives tomorrow.
Great honest video!
Thank you!
Wow, you hit it right on the nose, great review, what you said makes sense, great video, you explained it perfect, thank you 👍✌️
Great review ..👍
I am buying that exact American pink model as a gift for my son’s birthday. He is going to be thrilled. He is in it for the long haul, so am banking on durability and quality of workmanship to justify the cost. Cool video.
First time viewer and first subscriber, love the honesty of the opinion! This was so refreshing on such a hotly debated topic!
Thanks for the support :)
Sold me. Just ordered a new SE off Reverb and very much looking forward to getting it. Thanks for the honest review!
Great comparison! Thank you. Thinking on swap my G&L Legacy Tribute to one of these….obviously the SE
Fully agreed, they are all just Stats.
This is the realization that led me to embrace a partscaster my brother had built as a main guitar. Feels great and sounds cool.
Thanks for the honest review. Happy weekend to everyone! 🤙🎸🎶
Thanks :)
Awsome review. Thank You. (Ps I bought the SE)
Thank for your honesty
Thanks for the support!
So well done.
Thank you :)
sorry I'm a bit late
but, man oh man, I knew it, you're totally the best guy for these type of reviews, you're not leaving one stone unturned, you're going through all the details and I was so happy when you said you were going to compare those two beasts
Thanks for the Great job, Andre !
Glad it was helpful!
Man the honesty is great
You’ll always get that from me.
Such and excellent review! Just found your channel…subbed immediately. I have the USA verision Silver Sky. I identified the USA version immediately…like most others. I got my PRS SS when they first came out and before the SE SS was made…I have played the SE’s now…I would have still bought the USA version had the SE been available. Rarely see someone who plays a Parker. I love mine.
Thanks for the support!
I own a '96 American Standard Strat and sometimes think about replacing it, so this video is intriguing to me. Thanks for the unfiltered analysis! I did prefer the tone of the USA model here but tend to prefer a thinner neck. Given that both have such a good factory finish and components, for the price I couldn't justify the USA model. I'd get the SE, upgrade the pickups and put the rest towards an amp!
Love your videos! One of my favorite guitar channels as of lately! I just wish the SE version would release some new finish options I guess....
Thank you! I think the USA and se both need better Colors…
Excellent review Andre! I got the SE after watching this video and also got a Kemper Stage instead of just getting the US Silver Sky. Appreciate your honest review! :D
Very insightful. I waited for the SE (or S2 if it had come) version. As with all guitars the expensive versions can feel better in some ways. In this case I agree with you that they did such a good job with the SE that it makes you question if the USA version could possibly be worth it. Well done analysis. Thanks for not heading down the tone rabbit hole.
Hi Andre! Thanks for a great review. PRS's SE lines have always punched above their weight when it comes to pricing and bang for the buck. It's not a surprise that the Silver Sky is also that way. For the record, I liked the B pickups more. When playing Fenders, I usually back off on the tone knobs a little if it has stock pickups. I replaced the ones in my tele with a Duncan Five-Two in the bridge, and a Duncan Alnico II Pro for tele in the neck. This was specifically to roll off the highest frequencies.
I feel like Mr. Smith can justify making the SE model so good because I think he knows that there are enough people out there that will buy American no matter the cost. I'm glad that you decided to A-B them anyway despite the RUclips limitations. Even with the limitations, you can get an idea of the differences when done thru the same setup. I haven't played a Silver Sky before, but I've played other PRS guitars enough to know how well the SE line compares to it's more expensive domestic counterparts.
I understand that both pickups sounded good. I'm wondering though. Have you played them with clean sounds only? I'm curious to hear how they would respond with gain. For example, how they would respond to a gain setting if you tried to clean them up with the volume knob, and how articulate they would be in those settings. That would probably be a good tie-breaker between the two guitars.
I enjoyed the review, Cheers Andre!
Imo they sound even more similar dirty for every pickup expect the bridge. With the bridge they sound more distinct with over drive. I prefer the USA bridge with dirty. But I like the se more clean. Thanks for your comment! I was on a time crunch but in the future I’ll do a/b for both tones.