PRS SE Hollowbody II Piezo - Black Gold Burst Review

Tone machine

This is one of the most versatile guitars I've ever owned/played. The combination or the magnetic pickups and the Piezo system is outstanding. When I play the Piezo through an acoustic amp it sounds better than my Taylor. I also love the ability to send the Piezo to a separate amp from the magnetic pups. Playing both together is like having 2 guitarists in the band. As for… read more the rest of the guitar. The playability and neck feel are fantastic. The aesthetics and attention to detail with all of the bindings, tone woods and finish are top notch. Something I would have only expected from a domestic build. My sales engineer Dave Hoffman was on the money when I asked him what he recommended in a budget hollow body. First thing he suggested was the PRS especially with the Piezo. He was very reassuring that the SE line was built with the highest quality standards and he was right. Very happy with this choice and thanks to the entire (sales, luthier's, shipping) Sweetwater team for recommending and delivery high quality gear.

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Simply Amazing!

I got this guitar 3 days ago and can't stop playing it. I also have a Fender Ultra and Taylor Academy. This guitar is the best of both worlds and even better. While the acoustical unplugged sound is not that of acoustic guitar, it is plenty loud enough to practice that way. The other day my wife texted me from across the house through several closed doors, "Am I going to have to… read more listen to that from now on?" She sure didn't say that while playing my Fender. Also means she thinks I suck and need to practice more. On to quality of this foreign made PRS. As I said, I have a Fender Ultra which is considered their higher end American made guitars. While the fret work and pickups are great, the guitar was poorly set up (got from local store) the tremolo back was sticking about 1/2 up from guitar and the frets had a horrible buzz. I paid to get it reworked and set up to fix it. This was not the case with the PRS. Out of box the guitar was amazing with a quick tune. Impressive for the cheapest line of PRS'. Makes me wonder why I would ever need to buy or want a core PRS. Well, if Paul wants me to have one I'll take it off his hands! /wink /wink Sweetwater /wink! The pictures do not do the guitar justice. It is so much more amazing in person. I like just touching it before I go to bed. You know a slight tickle of the F holes as a nigh cap. Only thing I didn't care for was that the pickups seemed a bit loose. I think that is because it is a full Hallowbody so not much holding them in place. Just used to solid body mounting. I'm can't knock PRS for that. Locking tuners at a $ price tag would've been nice. All-in-all PRS has an amazing guitar and if I ever get another guitar (which my wife said no I don't need another one) it will definitely be PRS. As for FedEx, they suck! Here is a picture of the box after I got it from those Neanderthals.

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Beautiful Guitar

I called my sales engineer, Chris Mosely,(more bout him later), and asked him how long it would be before he could get one and he told me for the black and gold it would be September 2022, so we put my name on the list. Lo and behold Chris called me early May 2022, and told me he got his hands on an early one and did I want it? I said yes, and haven't, and won't look back.This is… read more one great looking axe. Great color, beautiful binding, just all around sweet looking guitar. Okay, now we play it. Plays perfect, sounds great. I ran the pick-ups through a Mesa-Boogie, and the Piezo through a Fishman Loudbox. Wow, what sound.This thing is PERFECT! Now for Chris Mosely. Great Guy, He remembers everything I'm interested in, And calls me When he has something I want. Friendly as can be. All round great guy. And of course Sweetwater's 55 point inspection, and free 2 day shipping. Sweetwater and Chris Mosely are the best.

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Love it!

This guitar is beautiful and sounds great. Fit and finish is excellent. Smallish lightweight. The piezo by itself sounds as good plugged in as any acoustic/electric I have, or dang close, and I have Matins, Taylor's and a Hummingbird. The only thing that sounds better is the single coil Seymour Duncan Woody in the sound hole (single sounds better than humbucker, imo). That's plugged… read more in, can't compete unplugged, of course. The 58/15s are really sweet too but I've only had it for just over 24 hours so I've really been mainly playing with the piezo side. This is a pretty unique electric. I bought a T5 years ago which was supposed to be what this is. It just wasn't. Now I can sell it. Much thanks to Ian Lemberg at Sweetwater for making this possible since this thing was on serious backorder. Great service as usual.

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Holy mackerel … this is one awesome guitar!

So I saw the video demo by Bryan Ewald first on the PRS Facebook page. Then the articles started showing up. Reverb started posting some of the early batch. I alerted Sweetwater and Justin Dunbar was able to help me select a fantastic sample. These are amazing guitars. I am a bit of made in China snob since my last bad experience with the PRS SE Angeles AE60E – cracks by the nut,… read more contaminated finish, and real bad neck set. This guitar does not reflect any of my past quality issues with Chinese made guitars. PRS got it right with this guitar. I had passed on a beautiful PRS Hollowbody McCarty with piezo that I saw decades ago at Lighthouse Sound. The guitar was light and just felt right. Why I walked away from that one I will never know. So here was an opportunity to purchase a similar guitar with similar features. The SE is definitely a heavier guitar than the McCarty but not objectionable. Guitar and included hard-shell case were well packed unlike other PRS retailers try and save money by not double boxing and throwing away the PRS box. The case is a nice hard-shell case with very good padding and rigidity. They could have used a nicer storage door tab but it is functional. The case ships with two pieces of foam that cradle the headstock from impacts. For a Chinese made case it was well done. The guitar's finish was well done with only one microscopic dimple that I am only able to see. Frets were well dressed and my micro-fiber cloth was hard pressed to sang anywhere on the fretboard. Abalone (yes the real deal) inlays were well done. Nut was cut and set properly. There was just miniscule neck relief and no buzzing what so ever. There were no tools marks on the fretboard like my Gibson Standard and Classic exhibited. The flamed maple purfling was awesome. The purfling was even installed in the S holes. Unlike my recent Gibson Les Pauls, the trim around the neck was even and well applied. Yeah …. look at the flamed maple purfling! Top wood exhibited a beautiful AAA flame. Back was more like an AA and half but still awesome. Again not a big fan of the back of the neck and body sides being black but that must be part of the cost cutting. PRS tuners held in tune very well. One tuner had a little bit of play which a tightening would likely solve. Guitar was a real player … real easy playing with access to the upper frets. The piezo was nicely executed and could be blended with the magnetic pickups for a fuller sound. As with all hollow-body electric this guitar will get feedback squelch if gain is not keep under control. Very happy with this purchase … five stars … workmanship wise this guitar beat my Gibson Les Paul Standard and Classic. Nice job on these Paul! Thanks again to Justin for helping to make this happen. I knew the minute that I saw the video that these would be flying off the shelves … Sweetwater sold out in just two days during Gearfest. Booyah!

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