In other words, water is wet, the sky is blue . . .

[Baba]

How can't you see it?

The SE is X dollars. For just a little more you can get better features on the next model up. Oh but the next model up has something not so great about it, so for just a little more you can buy the next model up. But then it's probably a similar situation again so if you just save a little more, BOOM, now you can get a core model. I've seen it discussed before by potential customers.

Upper tier and lower end core are the best bang for the buck IMO. YMMV

But they aren't being disingenuous about it, or hiding anything. That is a simple business model, it's not a personal attack, AND, it's no different than Fender or Gibson (for example).

There is a lot of assumption on your part, ("something not so great about it and probably a similar situation"), and no details, so I'm not clear on what you're getting at.

Have you ever shopped for a car? Ever notice how there is a "base" and least expensive version of a car, and a "loaded" version of that same car, and a couple of versions in-between, with cost differences to match? Same thing.

 

[Whizzinby]

Tiered spec pricing is not PRS exclusive.

I only find it gross if it’s obvious the company are boinking their lesser models specifically to entice you up the version chain.

It can be implemented tastefully though, by not forcing a buyer to pay for certain features that may not matter to them. But, it’s definitely done strategically, and some thread the needle better than others in terms of doing it in ways that’s not gross.

 

[DrewJD82]

Isn’t the jump from an SE to a Core like double the price of an SE?

The quality of the SE had me walking out of a GC with one 5 minutes after I laid eyes on it, had the price been over $1000 I wouldn’t even have considered it but they hooked me at $880. The only thing I changed were the guts but that’s because I wanted some switching options the existing guts weren’t capable of.

I have a hard time finding any fault with a company that puts out that much guitar for that cost. Comparing them to Ibanez, you’ve got to drop at least $1500 before you’re getting a guitar built that well, unless you get a Genesis model and really dig neon/bright colors.

 

[spawnofthesith]

"mid range" imports across the board have priced themselves out of being appealing for me. I know these imports from all the brands are better quality then ever, but whether its logical or not, I can't bring myself to spend over $1k on a guitar manufactured in indonesia or whatever.

And for me personally, again whether logical or not, once I'm spending over $1k, going even further up into the $2ks is a lot smaller of a step for me (then say $500 to $1200)

 

[Jarick]

Isn’t the jump from an SE to a Core like double the price of an SE?

The quality of the SE had me walking out of a GC with one 5 minutes after I laid eyes on it, had the price been over $1000 I wouldn’t even have considered it but they hooked me at $880. The only thing I changed were the guts but that’s because I wanted some switching options the existing guts weren’t capable of.

I have a hard time finding any fault with a company that puts out that much guitar for that cost. Comparing them to Ibanez, you’ve got to drop at least $1500 before you’re getting a guitar built that well, unless you get a Genesis model and really dig neon/bright colors.

Current price ranges are roughly:

SE ~ $650 - $900
S2 ~ $1450 - $1900
CE ~ $2500 - $2900
Core ~ $4000+

So you're roughly looking at S2's being twice the cost as SE's, and Cores being four times the cost of SE's.

Side note, I had not looked at prices for a few months and I'm amazed the CE's are now $2500. They were $2000 a couple years ago. My income increased about 5% over the last three years while inflation was up like 15% or more. No wonder we're running into a recession.

 

[Jarick]

"mid range" imports across the board have priced themselves out of being appealing for me. I know these imports from all the brands are better quality then ever, but whether its logical or not, I can't bring myself to spend over $1k on a guitar manufactured in indonesia or whatever.

And for me personally, again whether logical or not, once I'm spending over $1k, going even further up into the $2ks is a lot smaller of a step for me (then say $500 to $1200)

That's the kicker, a lot of our brains are stuck in the mindset that import guitars are about $500-800. But with cost increases, it's realistically closer to $700-1000. And we're only a year or two away from *base model* MIM Fenders being $1000+ (they have been $850-900 recently).

 

[spawnofthesith]

That's the kicker, a lot of our brains are stuck in the mindset that import guitars are about $500-800. But with cost increases, it's realistically closer to $700-1000. And we're only a year or two away from *base model* MIM Fenders being $1000+ (they have been $850-900 recently).

Yeah, I was seriously considering a Vintera (especially because of the finishes), but when an american pro was only 4 or 500 more it seemed silly. Not that I have a problem with the MIM stuff (and in fact, I hold less of a psychological stigma against them than indonesian or chinese stuff)

 

[dk_ace]

How can't you see it?

The SE is X dollars. For just a little more you can get better features on the next model up. Oh but the next model up has something not so great about it, so for just a little more you can buy the next model up. But then it's probably a similar situation again so if you just save a little more, BOOM, now you can get a core model. I've seen it discussed before by potential customers.

Upper tier and lower end core are the best bang for the buck IMO. YMMV

I think you’re seeing it backwards, it’s more likely to work like this:

- sees core model, wants it
- looks at bank acct, nope it ain’t happening
- looks at SE and S2 lines to see if they can get the same kind of thing within their budget

D

 

[Holden Afart]

@Holden Afart - not sure how PRS is different from other companies in terms of feature creep. Fender and Gibson do the exact same thing, offering cheap imports at the $200 range all the way up to their custom shop $5k+ instruments. I can't think of many brands that don't do that, outside of high end builders that cost $3k or companies like Reverend/Duesenberg where all the guitars are imports.

Also, PRS pickups are almost all standard shaped, outside the narrow field ones which are only on a couple core models. All the pickups on the SE, S2, and CE line are standard shape.

I guess I'm just used to the old days when it was just cheap SE guitars and a big jump to get to the core models. There was no sucking someone in for an extra $600 to get to the next step. Then once you get there you think hell if I save another $600 or whatever then I can get this better model until eventually you finally decide to spring for a core. In the old days if you didn't have much money you'd just get the SE and be done and playing your new guitar sooner.

There is a lot of assumption on your part, ("something not so great about it and probably a similar situation"), and no details, so I'm not clear on what you're getting at.

Yeah it's been a while since I've looked at PRS so I don't remember the details I just remember the situation being as I described. I can say though, TBF some of what I consider not so great was personal opinion. Some wasn't, like the cheap white plastic birds on the S2 whereas the SEs have nice looking birds. To get nice looking birds you either pay $800 or $5000, nothing in the middle. IIRC there were other things along the same lines that make no sense as a consumer but definitely benefit the manufacturer by sucking you into the next model up, then the next, and the next etc.

Sorry if I'm not being very articulate guys, I've been up way too long and have a good amount of brain fog happening.

 

[Holden Afart]

I think you’re seeing it backwards, it’s more likely to work like this:

- sees core model, wants it
- looks at bank acct, nope it ain’t happening
- looks at SE and S2 lines to see if they can get the same kind of thing within their budget

D

I didn't notice this post but I think the contents of post 29 applies to it. :)

 

[DrewJD82]

I dunno man, I’ll take having great guitars available at all price points opposed to nearly every other company out there- budget line you’ll need to drop another $250 into for hardware/pickups/fretwork then a huge gap from $950 up to $1700-$2300.

Aesthetics are probably the last thing I’d take issue with just because a quality guitar is going to be more important to someone without as much money than a really nice looking guitar is.

 

[dk_ace]

I dunno man, I’ll take having great guitars available at all price points opposed to nearly every other company out there- budget line you’ll need to drop another $250 into for hardware/pickups/fretwork then a huge gap from $950 up to $1700-$2300.

Aesthetics are probably the last thing I’d take issue with just because a quality guitar is going to be more important to someone without as much money than a really nice looking guitar is.

Totally agree. While I’m a big proponent of waiting until I can get the thing I really want, I am really impressed with the quality of the SE guitars. Every time I play one, I’m shocked at just how good they are for what they cost.

I have a squier tele that is really great… after I did a lot of setup work, refinished the neck, replaced the hardware and electronics, etc….

I have zero hesitation recommending one of those SE guitars to someone, I’ve yet to play one I didn’t like or at least find serviceable off the shelf.

D

 

[Jarick]

I guess I'm just used to the old days when it was just cheap SE guitars and a big jump to get to the core models. There was no sucking someone in for an extra $600 to get to the next step. Then once you get there you think hell if I save another $600 or whatever then I can get this better model until eventually you finally decide to spring for a core. In the old days if you didn't have much money you'd just get the SE and be done and playing your new guitar sooner.


Yeah it's been a while since I've looked at PRS so I don't remember the details I just remember the situation being as I described. I can say though, TBF some of what I consider not so great was personal opinion. Some wasn't, like the cheap white plastic birds on the S2 whereas the SEs have nice looking birds. To get nice looking birds you either pay $800 or $5000, nothing in the middle. IIRC there were other things along the same lines that make no sense as a consumer but definitely benefit the manufacturer by sucking you into the next model up, then the next, and the next etc.

Sorry if I'm not being very articulate guys, I've been up way too long and have a good amount of brain fog happening.

Yeah I hear ya.

I had a big post written up, but deleted it and will try and summarize my thoughts.

While I understand that PRS (and others) need to increase their prices as wages and materials have gone up, I would like to see them offer some improvements to their product lines. When the CE-24 jumps from $2000 to $2500 in two years with literally no improvements to the product, that's a disappointment. And when the "budget" USA line starts to approach $2000, it's not really a budget product anymore.

What I'd like to see is the S2 Customs and McCarty models get some upgrades like carved tops (shallow like the CE), USA pickups, and recessed flush mount control covers. That would bring them in line much closer to Gibson Tribute and Studio models and at least give you some benefit to paying $500 more for the same guitar as a couple years ago.

And from there, I'd like to see the S2 line simplified back more to the "budget" models of things like the Standards, Miras, and Velas. I'd like to see them hold the line on prices there if they keep the top routs and pickguards, otherwise things like rear routed controls with pickup rings instead of pickguards would be nice to have. This would line up these models more like the old school "budget" Gibsons like LP Specials and Juniors. Also, having a couple P90 options there would be nice.

 

[metropolis_4]

I’m just glad I never played a PRS I liked well enough to worry about wanting to drop the kind of money they go for now. Especially the Core models

I briefly really wanted one because of a picture I saw of Larry LaLonde with one in a guitar magazine. But when I finally got a chance to play one I was disappointed.

 

[laxu]

I’m just glad I never played a PRS I liked well enough to worry about wanting to drop the kind of money they go for now. Especially the Core models

I briefly really wanted one because of a picture I saw of Larry LaLonde with one in a guitar magazine. But when I finally got a chance to play one I was disappointed.

I've never quite gotten along with their neck profiles even though I do like the design visually. Well, except the Silver Sky which is just a Strat with a mismatched headstock.

 

[littlebadboy]

I started playing in the 80s, and came across a guitar magazine PRS ad. Eversince, I wanted one bad. But, the cost was too much for me living in a third world. When I got here in America, I still couldn't afford one. I owned an SE Singlecut briefly because I couldn't gel with it. It wasn't what I was expecting from a PRS (no disrespect to SEs). I heard about the S2 line. Looked for the cheapest Standard 22 on Reverb, then changed all the parts to American (German switch), and my Darth Paul was born! It is like having my own custom US PRS! I love it so much!




How does he sound like?

 

[Jarick]

That's a slick blacked out guitar!

I kind of want to route my S2 for a middle pickup and turn it into an HSS.

 

[Baba]

I’m just glad I never played a PRS I liked well enough to worry about wanting to drop the kind of money they go for now. Especially the Core models

I briefly really wanted one because of a picture I saw of Larry LaLonde with one in a guitar magazine. But when I finally got a chance to play one I was disappointed.

It was the opposite for me. The first time I played one, it was like the heavens opened up, and it was spiritual.

It was as if someone was listening to all the thoughts in my head about ergonomics, weight, neck shape, etc, and made a guitar for ME.

I have since come to realize that I prefer the shorter scale sound of an LP type guitar and no vibrato, so, most of the PRS line is out, (which goes back to the OP . . .)

 

[dk_ace]

So after this thread has been out here and we’re talking about SEs, I see last night that there’s a DGT SE coming out…. Will this make me eat my words on buying an SE instead of the guitar I really want? Maybe…

D

 

[DrewJD82]

I've never quite gotten along with their neck profiles even though I do like the design visually. Well, except the Silver Sky which is just a Strat with a mismatched headstock.

The neck profile on my SE is exactly why I’m selling it. I loved it before I got my Strats, it felt like a thin-C, pre-Strats, but now it feels like a very thin D-shape with really flat shoulders and now feels really uncomfortable and foreign to play. That and I was mostly going for split-coil tones with it when I dig actual single coils considerably more.