L
likitlikeyoulikeit
Guest
I always thought it was the other way around. I thought they were all bolt ons.
PRS SE - Amazing Consistency & Playability
- Thread starter banned
- Start date
- Messages
- 4,527
The opposite! CE is the specific designation of the bolt on models
Original run was from sometime in the 90s to 2008
These are the “core” CEs
The line was relaunched in 2016(? I think) but not quite considered core. In between S2 and Core when it comes to US built models
- Messages
- 4,527
Correct! Custom, often abbreviated to CU22 or CU24 are set necks, CE are always bolt on
- Messages
- 4,527
And this is why I asked.
I've been a PRS fan from a distance for years, but I've never been serious enough to get in the weeds
Those older CEs are pretty much the best value you can find for a “core” too. For whatever reason they usually go for even less than current production models. I’d say it’s a killer entry into PRS land
L
likitlikeyoulikeit
Guest
Ive wanted one since seeing Jimmy's Chicken Shack and reading that they worked for PRS and that PRS was highly supportive of them...And this is why I asked.
I've been a PRS fan from a distance for years, but I've never been serious enough to get in the weeds
Maybe I am misremembering again.
- Messages
- 2,055
"I used to make em, now I break em" - Jimi Haha
JCS, the urge, 311.. lot of late 90's bands turned me on to them for sure
- Messages
- 4,527
Lol, my ex got me into them. Love some quirky 90s alt rock vibes
L
likitlikeyoulikeit
Guest
Baba
Shredder
- Messages
- 1,331
I have 3 cores and a Tremonti SE that the previous owner heavily upgraded, and I gig that next to any other guitar I own, including the cores.
He put a Mann bridge on it, DiMarzios, a new nut, new pots, and locking tuners. Basically, only the bones are SE, the rest is upgrades.
He put a Mann bridge on it, DiMarzios, a new nut, new pots, and locking tuners. Basically, only the bones are SE, the rest is upgrades.
- Messages
- 3,723
Necks are way to slim and sticky, even on the Cores I've played. Satin S2 though 
- Messages
- 4,527
Necks are way to slim and sticky, even on the Cores I've played. Satin S2 though
My satin s2 vela neck is fantastic, many don’t but I’m a huge fan of the lack of wood filler. Neck profile is a bit different than most PRS too
When it comes to slimness, only my ce24 is particularly slim and I actually like that profile the most lol. My others are all slightly chunkier than the 60s profile on my LP. The se silver sky is actually the chonkiest out of all of them
0XI0
Roadie
- Messages
- 476
there is none better hither or thither for $1200
Eagle
Rock Star
- Messages
- 3,781
Over here UK you can usually find a used USA for around £1200 and up. S2 for less than £1k which make a far better bet than any SE.
Last edited:
As a point of reference, I bought a Core non-CE for about $1400 at a guitar show about a year and a half ago. I thought that was a great deal and this guitar looks very clean as well. I'm not very familiar with CE pricing but I say good deal!
If you're sensitive to weight, don't forgot to ask how much it weighs! (mistake I've made more than once before)
greatmutah
Roadie
- Messages
- 353
I’ve got two SEs and a S2. My S2 is awesome. It’s a fantastic instrument. I wasn’t a fan of the stock S/import versions of the HFS and VB pickups so I put in a Duncan 59 and SH-5 Custom in that guitar. Added the Mann Trem and it’s a lifer. Some folks don’t like the Pattern Regular neck but I love it.
That being said, my SEs are great. My Santana SE is an excellent MII instrument. I actually really like the Santana S pickups in it and the trem is solid. Works even better once I upgraded to locking tuners. Zero binding issues at the nut also. It shipped with 9s and was planning on doing 10-46 on it in standard with the 24.5” scale neck, but I liked the feeling of 9s on that scale (incredibly slinky to play) that I went 9-46.
My Starla SE is also great. The DS-02 pickups have some Gretsch vibes to them. I did have a vibramate and B5 on it for a bit to get some vibes similar to the S2 and Core versions but I recently took it off. I like it better without the weight of the Bigsby and I didn’t like where the bar would sit in relation to the pots. Seemed to get in the way if I had it in a playing position. Still, great guitar as is. Bummed they discontinued this model as I thought it was a more unique guitar.
I think my next PRS will either be a Core Mira (prefer the Cores vs S2 and SE) or a S2 Vela. But yeah, SEs are no slouch. Still kinda want the SE NF3.
That being said, my SEs are great. My Santana SE is an excellent MII instrument. I actually really like the Santana S pickups in it and the trem is solid. Works even better once I upgraded to locking tuners. Zero binding issues at the nut also. It shipped with 9s and was planning on doing 10-46 on it in standard with the 24.5” scale neck, but I liked the feeling of 9s on that scale (incredibly slinky to play) that I went 9-46.
My Starla SE is also great. The DS-02 pickups have some Gretsch vibes to them. I did have a vibramate and B5 on it for a bit to get some vibes similar to the S2 and Core versions but I recently took it off. I like it better without the weight of the Bigsby and I didn’t like where the bar would sit in relation to the pots. Seemed to get in the way if I had it in a playing position. Still, great guitar as is. Bummed they discontinued this model as I thought it was a more unique guitar.
I think my next PRS will either be a Core Mira (prefer the Cores vs S2 and SE) or a S2 Vela. But yeah, SEs are no slouch. Still kinda want the SE NF3.
Abe
Groupie
- Messages
- 61
my PRS guitars. ☯︎ ☾★ 
The crescent and star symbol for me is just celestial. I'm not a religion follower. Just like the Yin-Yang for me is about self-perpetuation of interconnected oppositeness, rather than me being Chinese. (The guitars were made in China though.)
MeoW. ᓚᘏᗢ 【≽ܫ≼】
One set up for lighter roundwounds and the other with heavier semi-flatwounds. Different relief, action, intonation, pickups heights, and strings.
I found this model to fit like a glove after having played a 335, an Ibanez Artcore and an EKM10T for hollowbodies that just never fit me. So the blue one now has the darker jazzier sound of flats and is good for making the rhythm tracks in recordings. A solidbody Gibson Les Paul is what I mostly learned on for many years and I like these so much better. The hollow PRS helped me retrieve the spark. I'm done buying axes now for a good 10 years or so before I can have dollars squirreled away for consideration of a Core PRS.
Last edited:
SillyOctpuss
Shredder
- Messages
- 1,926
Necks are way to slim and sticky, even on the Cores I've played. Satin S2 though
The original core CE necks are satin nitro so aren't stick at all. The wide fat isn't very wide or fat though but I still find them pretty comfortable.
Eagle
Rock Star
- Messages
- 3,781
No nitro on the original one.
But all USA parts and electrics, better than the newer versions. The best ones are when they changed the body wood to mahogany from Alder. My all time favourite CE was the Gold Top they released in the late 90s.
