Well, the busy folks over at Paul Reed Smith (PRS) agreed to send me an SE One for review a few months back, but unfortunately the guitar has never materialized, and to be honest, with the chaos I’ve been through recently I probably won’t have time for another hands-on review for at least the next few weeks anyways.
So seeing as how I’ve gotten a number of inquiries about these new, lower-cost, imported instruments, I thought I should at least point you towards Guitar Player Magazine‘s new review, which is available in PDF format from the PRS website.
Models covered include the seriously stripped-down SE One (I’m diggin’ that single soapbar pickup,) SE Custom Semi-Hollow, and the strikingly purple Paul Allender Model.
You can also catch all three of these guitars in action via Paul Reed Smith’s customarily short but sweet video demos––SE One, SE Custom Semi-Hollow, and Paul Allender Model. Street prices are starting at a very reasonable $499 for the SE One…
- Vintage Guitar Magazine Reviews The PRS SE Custom Semi-Hollow
- NAMM ’07 Preview: Eight New Guitars From PRS
- Modern Guitars Magazine Reviews The PRS Mira Maple Top
- PRS 305 Takes MIPA Award & Guitar Player Magazine’s ‘Editor’s Pick’
- Premier Guitar Reviews The PRS Starla
- Vintage Guitar Magazine Reviews The PRS 513
- Guitar Player Reviews The Washburn Idol WI66PROG
- Guitar Player Reviews Gibson’s HD.6X-Pro Digital Les Paul
October 21st, 2007 at 6:09 pm
the SE semi-hollow sounds great to me. So, how much better is an Amerian-made PRS? How much of the tone we hear on these demos is the result of the guitar player’s ability, the amp being used, etc.?
February 23rd, 2011 at 5:02 am
Wow played an SE double cut last night, what a piece of crap!!Much rather play my Squire Strat and I don’t like strats. I have a Cort Classic LP that buries this guitar. The PUPs are dead and the tone is bad, not only that it’s ugly. The neck is not very fast and even though it’s a set neck not good sustain. I’m aware the high priced American made guitars are great but man the SE’s are an embarrassment. Squire, Epiphone, cheap Ibanez, go for these first! Oh, been playing for 30yrs and have owned many guitars including Fender, Gibson, Epiphone, Ibanez, Vox, and so on so I may know what I’m talking about not just some hater.
March 3rd, 2011 at 6:55 am
Well Tom, far as I’m concerned you’re dead wrong unless you picked up a dead fish by mistake after a few too many tippy cups. Im no longer in retail, but I had the oppurtunity to see…hold…do marginal set-ups if needed… play…evaluate… around 40 or more different SEs over a two year period and not one, not one single PRS SE came even close to the description you post above. Ive played well over 40 years and have owned 27 top flight USA 50s and 60s guitars over the years. Glad to know you love Corts, Epis and Squires, buy’em up!!
December 17th, 2011 at 8:41 am
WOW…I don’t think Tom has ever played anything but a squire. The PRS SE Semi-hollow si one of the finest guitar ever made. I’ve been playing for over 30 years and you couldn’t GIVE me a squire. Good to know the 13 year olds can read though. Maybe mommy will by him a squire amp to go with his beloved Squire. Opinions like his are worthless. I highly doubt he’s ever played anything but a squire and I highly doubt he even has a guitar