SeriesPRS SE

The SE line from PRS is one of the best line of import guitars. PRS is well known for their super high end Custom level guitars. Now they are getting more into the reasonably priced guitar market with the SE line of guitar. These guitars are quite similar to their USA made cousins but since they are made overseas so they are much less expensive. This is the singlecut model with their P90 soapbar pickups. It is mahogany with a maple top. It has the traditional 25 inch PRS scale length on a 22 fret mahogany neck with a rosewood fretboard. It has PRS's wide fat neck and two PRS P90 style pickups. There is a master tone and master volume with a 3 way toggle switch that is unusually placed. The bridge is PRS's wrap around stop tail design which is better than most wraparound designs. UTILIZATION These guitar have a lot of the playability you would find on a 3000 dollar PRS. They have great factory setups for being made overseas. This model has the PRS Wide-Fat neck which is now called the Pattern Regular neck. I guess Wide-Fat was scaring too many people off. It is a bit like a Gibson but with a much flatter radius so the the fretboard has more of a modern feel to it. PRS guitars always seem to have better intonation than other guitars even with their seemingly simple bridge setups. On many guitars with bridges like this the intonation is bad but PRS has figured out how to design their bridges to where the design is simple but the intonation is correct. The pickup selector is still off by itself. I dont know what the thinking is about this but I am not a fan. SOUNDS The PRS soapbar P90s give you that classic crunchy P90 sound. It is like the perfect mix of a humbucker and stratty single coil. They are true single coils but they have more beef and body to them. They can clean up and give the twang but you can also get really dirty with them and they dont sound harsh. The nice low end the pickups deliver give you a nice thick tone overall. You can really rock out on the bridge pickup. This guitar is very versatile with these pickups. You can go from country to rock and jazz with some tweaking on the tone control. OVERALL OPINION This guitar is a great alternative to getting an Epiphone or something with P90s. Now many guitars come with P90s nowadays and if they do they are usually vintage reissues that cost and arm and a leg. Even if you arent really looking for a P90 guitar its something you should consider. Not many people rock the P90s any more and its a sound that is still very usable. If you are looking for a good guitar with or without P90s you should consider the PRS SE. It is a good guitar overall with a currently neglected pickup selection.

PRS has been around for decades and for most of that time they were making super high end guitars for professional players. Recently PRS decided to expand their line up to include imported guitars so more players and specifically younger players could afford their guitars. Their imported guitars have much of the same specs as their USA made models and are sold at a fraction of the price. These import models are called the SE models. PRS SE guitars are like the Epiphone or LTD guitars for PRS. This model is clearly based off of the iconic PRS Custom 22 which is one of their most popular models. The SE's main difference is the lack of the carved top the USA model has. This saves a lot of cost in the production process. It has a mahogany body with a maple top and a set maple neck. It has a rosewood fretboard with 22 frets. It has PRS's wide thin neck and two PRS in house pickups. There is a master tone and master volume with a 3 way toggle switch which I hate the placement of. The most obvious feature of this model is its Camo finish. They would never put something like this on one of their USA made models but with these import models being marketed towards a younger crowd this is the type of thing you would expect. UTILIZATION These guitars play great like their USA made cousins. PRS guitars have a unique feel and these import models retain that feel. With the 25 inch scale you get the best of both worlds between the Gibson scale and the Fender scale. The Wraparound bridge is something PRS does best. Any other company putting out guitars with wraparound bridges and I would expect them to not intonate. Only PRS has figured out how to intonate a guitar with a simple wraparound bridge. SOUNDS PRS SE guitars come with some of the better no name import pickups I have heard in recent memory. A lot of guitars from overseas the pickups are the first thing you toss out. You sometimes have to equate the cost of a pickup swap into the price of a guitar. With these the stock pickups are actually usable. These pickups are decently hot but retain their clarity which is rare in a guitar in this price range. The lack of pickup covers give them a bit extra bite and crunch. I would live with these pickups. They are no where near what you get with a set of specialized aftermarket pickups but they are miles ahead of typical stock import guitar pickups. OVERALL OPINION For the longest time PRS guitars were out of reach of beginners or casual guitar players. They have a real professional only mantra to them. Now with the SE line normal players and beginners and experiance the great PRS feel and tone. These guitars retain the PRS DNA which makes their high end guitars so great. The price difference between the import models and the USA models is crazy. They probably could have gotten away with charging 1500 for these import models seeing as how their USA model are so expensive. But instead these guitars sell for 6 or 700 dollars which is right where they should be selling. They blow away any other guitar in that area as well.

The PRS SE line of guitars is a great line of guitars. These guitars are helping to change PRS's Image from a super high end high priced guitar company only pros and dentists use to a guitar company that everyone can use. The SE line is made overseas but it is made to the same specs with much of the same parts that the USA made PRS models have. This is a interesting model. This is pretty much a Custom 22 with P90 pickups. I love the Custom 22 and I love P90s. I should love this guitar. This guitar has the dual cutaway prs body with the flat top. It is mahogany with a maple top. It has the traditional 25 inch PRS scale length on a 22 fret mahogany neck with a rosewood fretboard. It has PRS's wide fat neck and two PRS P90 style pickups. There is a master tone and master volume with a 3 way toggle switch that is unusually placed. The bridge is PRS's wrap around stop tail design which is pretty good. UTILIZATION These guitars have all the great playability of a normal PRS even though they are made overseas. The Wide-Fat neck isnt that fat. It is not like 50s Gibson fat. It is more of a normal profile compared to the wide-thin neck they put on some guitars. The fretwork is nice and even and the factory action is very good. The wrap around bridge is a great setup and matches well with the 25 inch scale. PRS guitars always seem to have better intonation than other guitars even with their seemingly simple bridge setups. On many guitars with bridges like this the intonation is bad but PRS has figured out how to design their bridges to where the design is simple but the intonation is correct. The setneck joint is nice and slim so you can play all the way up on the neck. The satin finish gives a smooth feel which is good on the neck. Again with all these PRS models I hate how far away the pickup selector is. I wish they would put them closer to the rest of the controls. SOUNDS P90s are my favorite vintage pickups. You can do just about any music with a set of P90s if you really try. The P90 has a pretty cool tone on its own and it comes out well on this guitar. The P90 single coils give you a nice crisp top end but unlike Fender single coils they have the balls in the low end to fill out the sound. You get the twang but the twang has a good thick bass to it to keep it from sounding harsh. So you get a thick full sound with the single coil clarity up top. OVERALL OPINION This guitar is great if your a normally a humbucker fan but want a guitar with something a little differe. The P90s have enough of the single coil twang to sound different but it isnt like going the opposite direction and playing a tele. It still has some thickness to it that humbucker fans will be use to. These PRS SE guitars are great. Everyone can afford PRS design and playability now. These guitars are very reasonably priced compared to the USA made PRS guitars. For around 600 dollars you can get a great playing mahogany guitar with P90 pickups what more could you want.

The PRS SE245 is basically an SE version (made overseas) of their ever popular SC245 model. Many of the specs are the same, but it doesn't have the price tag of the original model. This particular guitar has a mahogany body with a flamed maple top, a mahogany neck with a rosewood fretboard and 22 frets, the trademark PRS bird inlays, classic PRS wraparound bridge/tailpiece, and a pair of PRS designed humbuckers. It also offers a 24.75 scale length to go that extra mile. It's loaded with the PRS SC245 control layout of two volume controls and two tone controls with a 3 way selector switch. UTILIZATION The design of this guitar is fairly ergonomic considering that it's a mahogany guitar built in the general style of the classic Gibson Les Paul. The guitar sits well on the body due due to its reasonable weight which is definitely a great thing for any players of this type of guitar. The neck heel is molded differently than a standard Gibson and to me I can attain greater upper fret access with this design. The singlecut shape isn't the greatest guitar for playing uber fast on, but the PRS doesn't make things difficult by any means - it's quite a treat to play. Getting a good tone out of this guitar is pretty easy. Despite being an SE model PRS, it still sounds great. Picking it up and strumming it unplugged yields a very full and rich tone that is only bettered when the guitar is plugged into a good tube amplifier such as a Fender, Mesa Boogie or Dr. Z. SOUNDS I've tried this guitar through various different amplifiers and have been fairly impressed each time. The PRS designed pickups in this guitar are very nice and articulate, just the same as the pickups in the real SC245, and it definitely sounds wonderful for a whole host of styles. The clean sounds have a great complex sparkle that lends itself very well to clean tones using effects or to the heaviest of distorted tones a-la Porcupine Tree where clarity is of maximum importance. I've always liked the SE pickups and this guitar does not disappoint. There is a great vintage snarl to this guitar, with a lot of killer harmonics lurking inside for distorted work. Heavy rhythms are just awesome with this guitar, and it sings for fusiony lead work too. Though the pickups seem vintage at first, they can certainly handle modern tones quite well too. OVERALL OPINION All in all I think the PRS SE245 is a great guitar that is an excellent version of the famed PRS singlecut for those on a budget or who are apprehensive about buying a PRS for $2,000. Though its made overseas, it still is an extremely high quality instrument and it has the cosmetics and tone that are close enough to a real PRS to maybe even fool someone. For the sub $1,000 price bracket that these sell for new, it's really a no brainer if you want to get a guitar that has the PRS vibe for not a lot of cash.

The PRS single cut is one of their more popular designs but they do not make as many because of legal issues about the same. Now you can get one at a great price from PRS's SE import line. The SE line builds PRS guitars to very similar specs but since they are built overseas they are a fraction of the price of domestic guitars. What makes this guitar special is the extensive use of Korina wood in its construction. It has a Korina body and neck with a rosewood fretboard. The neck has 22 frets on a standard PRS 25 inch scale. The neck shape is PRS's wide flat profile. It has the tasteful moon inlays as fret markets. It has a standard PRS wraparound bridge. It has standard PRS humbuckers and standard controls. It has a master volume and master tone control with a 3 way toggle. What makes this guitar special is the Korina wood. Korina is sometimes called white mahogany. It sounds similar to mahogany but it is slighter and has more pronouced midrange. The PRS tone has always been a more refined tone. Their guitars are never super muddy or super bright they just sound balanced across the frequencies. The Singlecut has a bit of a vintage flavor that it doesnt lose even with high gain. The neck pickup has decent output. You can get a very smooth tone with it which is what I prefer. With the smooth tone from the neck position you can do anything from blues to searing metal leads. It also cleans up well so you can get good cleans or even a jazzy sound. The bridge pickup has more output and bite and it doesnt clean up as well. The neck pickup is perfectly tuned for this guitar. The pickup and the 25 inch scale work well to give awesome definition to all the notes being played. It may not be the best pickup for chugging metal riffs but it is a great all around pickup and give this guitar a great all around sound. If you are looking for a PRS Singlecut but do not want to spend thousand and thousands of dollars on a USA model these SE imports are a great alternative. You can get this guitar for around 600 bucks now while a domestic model will be at least 2000. When you are playing it you will hardly notice a difference.

The PRS SE line is their line of overseas made guitars. These guitars have similar specs to the American made models but come with a lot lower price tag. This guitar is a more metal version of the PRS SE line. It comes with active EMG pickups. It has an 81 in the bridge and an 85 in the neck the Zakk Wylde combo. The guitar also comes with a Floyd Rose tremolo system. Playability wise this guitar plays as good as any PRS guitar. It has PRS's wide-thin neck profile which feels a lot like a 60s Gibson profile. The Floyd Rose is a well known design and once setup it will be locked in tune pretty much forever. The setneck joint is nice and slim so you can play all the way up on the neck. The heel is very nice and it is almost like a neck through guitar. The action was nice and low across the neck. With PRS's unique scale the intonation just feels right where ever you are on the neck. This model has a deeper cutaway on the bottom horn. You can tell this guitar was designed for modern players. With the EMG pickups this guitar is pretty much as heavy as you are going to get. The 81 in the bridge has been an iconic metal pickup for decades. It has a high end crunch and distortion that gives it clarity no matter how much gain you are using or how low you tune. The 85 in the neck is a great pickup too. It has a more fuller sound than the 81 so in the neck position you can get fat lead tones. The 85 is also good too in the bridge. With EMG's quick connect system you can easily swap these pickups position without soldering anything. The 85 in the bridge produces a super thick tone and cleans up better than the 81. Speaking of cleans if you do the 18v mod on the EMG's. With the 18v mod you run the pickups on two batteries instead of one. This provides a more organic tone with more headroom. This tone produces better cleans than stock EMG's and clean tones are usually the weakest part of the EMG sound. With this guitar PRS is making roads into the world of super strats. Normal players may start looking at their guitars as a good alternative to Prestige Ibanez guitars or ESP's. PRS is showing people that their guitars are not just for dentists and lawyers anymore.

This is a PRS SE singlecut, in the antique white. Made in Korea. specs: 22 frets - wide fat neck carve mahogany body mahogany neck maple top w/maple veneer set neck rosewood fretboard 25" scale moon inlays PRS designed stoptail 2 PRS designed humbuckers 1 volume, 1 tone with a 3 way toggle UTILIZATION I have to say that the fretwork on these guitars are amazing! I would say 80% as good as any USA made guitar. And fretwork is to me, the most important thing in a guitar as it's expensive to change and a hassle to dress. The body is light also, I don't know if it's chambered but has a good balance. The way the set neck is done on these PRS singlecuts makes the upper fret access easier than it would be on a traditional LP type. It also has a stomach contour which I usually expect nowadays in modern guitars. The 1 volume and 1 tone and the 3 way switch are simple to use and make the guitar look sleek. The tuners are fine and stable. It's a stop tail bridge, the intonation is not adjustable. So that's a bit of a downer. My only beef is the neck, though I can play it comfortably, it is not what I'd prefer. I like a slightly thinner profile, this is *supposedly* (more on that later) PRS's wide fat neck carve which isn't PRS's most popular neck profile. The wide thin is definitely the most popular of all. SOUNDS I've played the singlecut through a bunch of different amps, from a koch studiotone to an egnater renegade to a fryette pitbull, through a voodoo amps witchdoctor. I have a good idea of this specific guitar sounds, though the amp DOES play a bigger role in how a guitar sounds than the actual guitar itself. neck pickup: This is probably my favorite tone I get out of the stock pickup. It's great, very smooth, clear and not muddy. I would think it's the perfect jazz pickup actually. Distorted it sounds a bit generic. It is smooth, and not sterile, but it has no real character of it's own either. Most PRS pickups in my experience have that sort of quality, where it's transparent, but too transparent where it's almost bland and flat. bridge pickup: The clean jangles a bit which is nice. It doesn't break up either. With distortion it sounds fluid and smooth also and could be a tad muddy if not EQ'ed properly from the amp. Though it can't get overly bright either. Overall the pickup is decent, both are very similar to PRS's actual pickups from my experience, where they're all smooth and fluid as a positive thing, but again, to my ears, because of that, it's just generic sounding to me with no significant character. the inbetween sound: I don't use this much. I don't really know anybody that does, but to me it sounds ok. The clarity of the bridge pickup is there, and so is the bass from the neck pickup. You would imagine the combination would be good though I find (as I do with most humbuckers in the middle position) that it's generally too bassy and doesn't cut through on clean or dirty with a drummer or a band. OVERALL OPINION Overall the guitar is excellently built. Very good fretwork, good weight, comfortable. I've played many many guitars, I've been playing for just over 10 years. My reviews are not comparisons, that's not how I like to judge guitars. I judge guitars on what I feel would suit as a guitar player, and critique the longevity of the product. The pickups are decent at best however. And the stoptail not being adjustable is a bit of a hindrance if specific players wanted to set the guitar up for lower or higher gauge strings. Though it is a great guitar for the money in terms of build quality. And PRS choosing their least popular neck profile as their ONLY profile available on these guitars? Not a good idea. I've also noticed, that though the SE necks vs the USA PRS guitars are different. If you took a USA PRS with an SE that both had wide fat necks or wide thin you can notice they're different. I don't know why that is, but it is. Just so you know!

It wasn't too long ago when PRS boomed in sales. To keep up with their demand they made their first line of off shore guitars in Korea and refer to them as the SE line. The SE is usually well marked on the headstock of the instrument. I saw this at my local Guitar Center and thought I would give it a shot. Brand new with a PRS factory gig bag the PRS SE Custom 24 sells for $679.99 What makes this instrument unique to me is the fact that it has a killer tremelo and whammy bar on it. This is uncommon to come stock on most Gibson or PRS guitars. Definitely a big plus. The maple trim around the guitar really sets of the visual appeal. It makes a cheaper imported instrument look like a higher end model. I feel the pickups are almost too diverse. The black and white Zebra striped bobbins definitely look cool, but the bridge is very bright and the neck is very bassy. I was able to roll the tone knob back too kill some of the brightness, but I am ultimately thinking about upgrading the pickups. No shortcuts taken here. The body is mahogany and the top is a maple veneer finished in sunburst to let just enough wood grain show through. 25' scale, the neck is thinner compared to a Gibson. 24 frets and the infamous PRS bird mother of pearl inlays. A sharp looking axe that plays like a dream. A big plus was the tremelo system yet I was a little letdown by the stock pickups. Definitely no shortage of the quality and craftsmanship you've learned to expect from Paul Reed Smith. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

This is the SE Custom Semi Hollow model by Paul Reed Smith. Paul Read Smith has been making guitar since the 80s and has stressed quality over quantity. The SE is part of a newer import line from PRS. I found this locally and fell for the eye catching Blue Matteo finish. I didn't have a semi hollowbody guitar at the time so I felt it was worth checking out. The price was $599 and included a nice tweed PRS gigbag. It does the semi hollow tone well. Feedback is not an issue but it has a very fat sound to it. I like to play this through a slightly overdriven Fender Twin Reverb. The set neck is rare to see on an imported guitar. I feel that offers sustain to the design. The SE pickups sort of grew on me. At first I thought they were muddy, but I think I was just looking for an excuse to mod the guitar. I replaced the strings and got a nice setup and it plays and sounds great. I mentioned it needed a setup, but most guitars do. Climate changes and playing preferences I can't hold it against PRS. Beautiful. The blue finish and pointy cutaway remind me of Rickenbackers in a way. The top of the guitar is a mix of real maple and maple veneer (that is how they get the flame) the back of the guitar is mahogany. The neck is also mahogany and the fretboard is a wide rosewood board. Not sure if it is mine or the whole line, but the rosewood fretboard is gorgeous. Some guitars have a real thin ratty looking fingerboard, but this is deep and dark. PRS is known for their quality craftsmanship and this statement speaks true even on their import SE line. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

This is a beautiful, Tobacco Sunburst hi-gloss finish PRS student edition. The May 2007 Edition Guitar Player Magazine reviewed the best 35 guitars available for under $500.00. The PRS S.E. Soapbar II model received top honors, including the 'Editors Pick' and the best ratings for 'Sound', 'Vibe', 'Workmanship' and several other categories, as well as being selected as the preferred guitar by the Guitar Player Forum members brought in to review the 'roundup' of guitars. Every one of the 9 reviewers picked this guitar as their favorite guitar under $500.00. This guitar features: Solid mahogany body 22 fret set mahogany wide-fat neck curve 10 radius-rosewood fretboard. Has a beautiful top w/figured maple veneer, Moon inlays, 2 Special Design PRS Soapbar P90 pickups, 1 volume/1 tone and 3-way toggle pickup switch, 25 scale, PRS-designed stoptail bridge, and and the best gig bag imaginable. I've played for about 30 years as an amateur: rock, Jazz, R and B, praise and worship. This guitar can do it all. I bought this lightly used, 2007 PRS SE Soapbar II on ebay for $ 350 after seeing it reviewed in the May 2007 Guitar Player Magazine. It has a stunning, yet subtle high-quality tobacco sunburst finish,tiger striped top, with black back and neck. One of the lightest guitars I have ever played. Super-comfortable to play. It will not weigh you down like a Les Paul, yet still retains decent sustain, not LP-esque, but better than I expected from a guitar with single coils that retailed for less than $500.00. Fantastically warm, scooped-out neck pickup sounds great on the clean channel of my Peavey Delta Blues. The bridge pickup is snarly, surly, bites, growls, and will penetrate through your band mix. Tons of tone with these things. They have a meatier sound with more bottom end, than Strat single coils, and much higher output signal (volume and breakup), yet they retain more high end clarity than humbuckers. If you are not familiar with single coil P-90 pickups, you will get some minor humming in the bridge and neck positions. I wish it had individual tone pots for the two pups, and one thing PRS can do better is add a higher quality volume pot. When my amp volume is 12 0'clock or higher, the guitar volume will jump from zero to too Loud for bedroom playing. Not a linear increase, but I guess for $350, I shouldn't complain, but it is something to mention. No doubt the Koreans have done a great job in crafting this guitar, under PRS's watchful eyes. This guitar, while extremely light in weight, is built to gig. The gig bag is the best i have seen, but if youre gigging regularly, get a good hardshell case. Strap buttons and tuners are chrome, yet high quatity. I would use it on a gig w/o backup, without thinking about a backup. I would recommend this guitar for anyone who does not want to spend a grand or more on a guitar, but wants the same quality as one at 1/3rd the price. Awesome tonal qualities, from sensuous to snarling, this baby can do most genres, and do it well.It is a real Blues, Hard Rock, Jazz, Pop slugger. Metal Heads: Stick to your Humbuckers. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

This is the new SE in Tobacco Sunburst. 6 strings, 24 frets. I've been playing for about 20 years and have been in a few bands, but haven't really gigged out that much. Maybe a few parties here and there but nothing major. Normally I end up doing little acoustic sets at cookouts. I also play acoustic, bass, harmonica, piano/keys, and a little drums, but I'm not very good - can just keep a beat basically. I've always been a fan of the Tremonti and Santana model PRS guitars, and almost laid down the case for the swamp ash and the se custom, but didn't have the cash. I paid $600 online at Guitar Center for this guitar. I really wanted to finally get a PRS (Paul Reed Smith) electric guitar, but didn't have a lot to spend. For as much as I play now, I really couldn't justify several thousand dollars so I figured I would spend less than a thousand and maybe if I got into it more I'd drop the cash at a later date. Guitar Center had this guitar to me in about 5 days, which was great and their customer service seemed to be great. Well, for starters, I like the fact that it's a PRS (Paul Reed Smith). I just think these guys build great guitars, and even the less expensive models are well made and sound great. The single cut is a nice feature as it allows access to some of the higher frets on the fretboard, and the color is great. This guitar comes with the PRS humbuckers and actually has some moon inlays. A nice feature that I was surprised would be included in this price range. I also love the tone on this guitar. It's deep, bassy, and has tons of sustain - exactly what I was looking for. While I like the fact that a PRS gig bag was included, it's sort of cheap, so maybe that is one thing that I think could be done better. I also, and this is just me being picky, don't like how the SE on the headstock is so big and noticeable. I know this is stupid, but it makes the guitar feel kind of cheap. Sort of like having a C class Mercedes or something. Although this is a more cost friendly guitar, the construction seems really well done and the guitar is definitely high quality. It has a mahogany neck and back and a flamed maple top in the tobacco sunburst pattern. Fit and finish are near perfect. I'm not sure where they make the SE models (probably China), but the quality standards must be in place because the guitars are extremely well made for the price. Overall, I think I got a pretty good deal. For $600 I have a real Paul Reed Smith, and some great tone for a great price. Oh, don't let me forget to rave about the neck! I have slightly chubby fingers and the wide, fat neck on this PRS SE works very well for fingering. There's plenty of space and I play much more smoothly than I did on my old Ibanez RG470, which I thought had the strings placed a little too close together. While PRS prices can sometimes be high, the SE Single Cut is proof that you can find this guitar in a cost effective model that has all the features you need. Plus, it's a real PRS. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

PRS is a high end guitar maker known for their expensive guitars. They have been around since the late 70s making professional level guitars and many big names have taken to them. They have pretty unique design and their fit and finish is excellent. They are always evolving their guitar designs and that separates them from other big guitar makers who just constantly reissue the same models year after year. They recently introduced their SE line of guitars made overseas. These guitars sell for about 700 bucks and have a lot of the same features has the USA made models. This is the SE model based off of the PRS Custom 22 one of their most popular models along with the 24 fret version. A lot of cost is saved with the tops of these guitars. The tops are flat for ease of construction and the flame is from a veneer instead of having to use a thick piece of flamed maple. It has the traditional 25 inch PRS scale length on a 24 fret maple neck with a rosewood fretboard. It has PRS's wide thin neck and two PRS in house pickups. There is a master tone and master volume with a 3 way toggle switch that is unusually placed. The bridge on this model is the PRS style wraparound bridge. If any other company put out a guitar with a bridge like this I wouldnt expect it to intonate but PRS makes it work somehow. UTILIZATION These guitars are some of the best playing guitars for less than 1000 dollars. They may not look like it but they can be real shred guitars. All the parts work well together. The 25 inch scale with the wrap around bridge intonates perfectly which is pretty amazing considering its such a simple design. The feel of the 25 inch scale is nice and gives you a bit reduced string tension without losing much clarity and snap. One thing I dont like is where the pickup selector is placed. I wish it was closer to the rest of the electronics. SOUNDS PRS uses their own pickups in these SE models. They are alright but a swap with some aftermarket pickups might be needed. The pickups are hot and clear but are nothing special. The guitar overall has a slightly bright tone to help with the clarity. The bridge pickup is nice and crunchy. You can get a wide open classic rock tone with it in this guitar, kind of like a hot rodded PAF. The neck pickup is also pretty bright. It is not the type of neck pickup I prefer I usually prefer a smoother neck pickup, but the brightness helps keep the clarity going. So many lower end guitars come with muddy pickups. With this you can still hear whats going on even if they may be a little bright. OVERALL OPINION These guitars are great for a beginner or even intermediate player looking for a great all around guitar without having to shell out big bucks for a USA made PRS. Most of the parts that effect the tone and feel of the guitar are pretty much the same. Having a veneer doesnt make a guitar sound bad but it can save tons of money. With a swap of decent pickups this guitar can give any USA made PRS a run for its money.