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PRS 35th Anniversary SE vs. Core


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Hey all,

New member.  First post.  I'd been wanting a Custom 24 since high school in the 80's when they first hit the scene and when the 35th anniversary editions came out with the individual coil split toggles as is on the Paul's guitar I got really interested.  Particularly since the SE version came in Black Gold which is the finish I always wanted.  I figured that was the SE for me. But even at $1000, that was more than I've personally spent on a guitar.  I'm a bedroom guitarist with a nice collection of $500-$750 guitars.  That's my comfort zone. 

Reverb, being the dangerous place that it is, showed me a 35th anniversary edition Core, 10 top, in Black Gold.  It was "used" in that I wouldn't be the first player, but from a seller that was just a buyer, seller, trader.  For all intents and purposes, it was new, and it had a used price.  A too good to believe price, but the seller had hundreds of positive ratings.  I told my wife, "I'm about to do something stupid." She just said, "do it!"  So I did it.  That's the guitar on the right and I couldn't be more pleased with the outcome.  He even shipped it in the original box that it was shipped in from PRS to the dealer and had all the case candy, amazing.  I finally had one of my no compromise bucket list guitars!

A few weeks later my Reverb feed shows me a used SE in "very good" condition for $650.  I had difficulty finding an SE originally because many of the retailers weren't showing the actual guitars and, at the time, Sweetwater didn't have any.  I noticed that for many that I was seeing there were dead spots in the figuring of the veneer.  Doesn't affect the tone but you want a pretty top, right?  This one was the actual one being sold, again for a reasonable price for a current model so I bought it.  I don't intend for the Core model to live in its case, but I am super nervous handling it because, well, it's the most expensive guitar I've ever owned and it's a work of art. I figured the SE could be a daily driver and I'll pull out the Core on weekends.  

I wanted to share my experience because I know that there have been some questions about PRS moving to Cort in Indonesia.  I was worried too.  The World Music SE's that I've seen and played were all quality instruments with great fit and finish.  This is the first Cort SE that I've personally played so take that for what it is.  Maybe this one is just a bad copy.  But then again, it's not. 

Issues with the Core:

None.  From a fit and finish perspective it's the most flawless guitar I've ever purchased.  If I was really wanting to nitpick the output jack is just the tiniest bit off square with the body.  Other than that it's incredible. That's it.  Looks perfect.  Plays great.  Sounds amazing.  You get what you pay for and this guitar was worth every penny. 

Issues with the SE:

If I had been the original purchaser and I had paid full price for this guitar, I would've been pissed.  I'd read that the black gold finish is more of a tobacco sunburst.  Comparing them side by side, I have to concur.  It's just not the same finish.  But it's not an ugly finish, just not what they said it would be.  The tuners are sticky, one so bad I'm guessing that the shaft is bent, making it difficult to get to pitch because it alternates from extremely stiff to smooth.  A look at the back of the headstock and they didn't even take the time to put the tuners on level (something PRS even has a youtube video showing you how to do).  Seriously, it only takes a couple of extra minutes, if that.  The pickups are inexplicably mounted at a slight angle.  Guessing, if there is a template or a jig that they are using it was off. 

Then to top it off there's a pretty blatant flaw in the veneer. This is a clear tear in the veneer.  There's no escaping it and there's literally no way that the guys working the factory or the final QC in Stevenville MD didn't see it.  They all made a call because, as I understand it, these were behind schedule for delivery.  This guitar should've been sent back, sold as B stock, or maybe just sanded down and re-veneered, but every step in the QC process failed.  Yeah, if I'd been the first purchaser and paid $1000 for this guitar I would've been pissed. 

One other issue is the nut was sticking and clearly filed down wrong (see pics)  I have to believe that this wasn't done at the factory.  It's mangled.  I posted pics comparing the SE vs. the Core nuts.  It's night and day.  I've ordered some SE locking tuners and a new nut.  I've adjusted the trem as best I can and it is returning to zero for the most part.  I'm pretty sure the culprit is the nut.  Once I get the nut and the tuners replaced I think the tuning issues will be fine. 

The good: The neck is great.  The fret ends are dressed well and nicely rounded to give it that lived in feel.  Intonation was spot on. 

Here's the thing about this SE.  It's crazy resonant.  It sustains for days and effortlessly slips into those sweet feedback induced infinite notes.  It's super harmonically active.  This is a nice playing and sounding guitar.  Part of me wonders if part of the QC process is checking for that x factor that some guitars have and if they have it just ignoring the flaws and running with it.  I can live with the finish flaw.  I'm not going to straighten the pickups because, yeah, it bugs me, but maybe that's part of what's making this guitar sounds the way it does.  I am going to fix the nut.  I can change out the tuners and straighten them out. 

Everything about the Cort built SE tells me it was rushed and that is upsetting.  I definitely wouldn't recommend buying one unless you can put your hands on it and give it a thorough inspection.  When you buy a $300-$500 Indonesian guitar you expect to see some of this stuff, once you hit that $1,000 price mark, import or not, you expect the factory to take the time it needs to build the guitar right.  I feel like I lucked out with this one because it plays and sounds great but can't help but be a little indignant about the fact that the Jackson Soloist I have (An SL2Q), which is also made in Indonesia and in the same price range as this SE was flawless.

I understand why PRS moved to an Indonesian facility.  That's fine but they need to hold Cort's feet to the fire to raise their QC standards.  They also need it to be okay for their QC folks in Stevensville to kick guitars back to Cort if they don't meet PRS's standards.  So many people dropped the ball in this process. 

I hope you fellow GAS sufferers find this info helpful.  Like I said, the SE will be great.  It plays and sounds awesome.  But I'm not buying another SE unless I can touch it.  Cheers!

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Unless the guitar has a "photo flame" top, you're dealing with a living product (aka a tree)

You will find wood does not grown exact perfect

That little swirl in the top would not bother me.

Fix/replace your tuner, get them working,  don't look back

It's a guitar, they're meant to be played and chances are dinged, nicked and scratched. 

 

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Yeah, the photo may not show it well but it's clearly damage the occurred while working the veneer.  This wasn't a dead spot in the veneer, it's that the veneer was damaged after they put it on the maple cap.  What you're seeing is a hole in the veneer and the maple cap underneath.  And, although I'm okay with the veneer not being perfect, it's the fact that they marred the veneer and then made the decision to continue with staining and spraying it and selling it as an A stock instrument.

I think my more general point was that there were a whole list of QC issues that maybe you'd expect from a budget import, but not a $1,000 PRS.  I have a Chinese made Squier classic vibe tele with better fit and finish than this guitar.  But, it sounds and plays great so I'm holding onto it because, and that's all that really matters. 

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Oh, and yeah, guitars get dinged and scratched.  Definitely.  I'd just rather not buy them new that way.  I didn't mention the retailer but a lot of the stuff I mentioned should've been mentioned on their website and in the Reverb listing, especially the finish flaw.  It's small and you can't see it from a distance but you can't miss it if you pick the guitar up. 

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I'm there with @Eracer_Team-DougH   Play it and enjoy it - and trust me, that comes from a guy that is the poster child for being OCD.    I hear good things about the SE replacement locking tuners, so that might be a good $95 investment.    Once you cover the back with belt buckle scratches, you'll probably forget about the other imperfections!  And congratulations on that Core!    I purchased a Korean made SE Custom 24 (after I laid hands on it at a Guitar Center).    I had never played electric previously and frankly just didn't feel like dropping the coin for the Core model.    I got lucky I suppose - no obvious flaws, but then again, I haven't placed it alongside a core model.

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Oh, I forgot to add this photo of the tuning machines that were apparently installed by a drunken sailor. 

 

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Eclectophile: Sorry to hear about the disappointing SE experience. Glad it"s a player in any case. I'll keep this as a precautionary tale. I've been lusting over the new SE Hollowbody II Piezo model for someday. Last year I got a new SE Custom 24 that looks and plays great. Later I unexpectedly found a used core Starla that also looks and plays great. However, the fit, finish, feel--everything--is in a different league than the SE line. Given adequate money, I would get a core model without a second thought. Yum.

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Indeed, that Hollowbody II Piezo looks amazing.  It may be my next.  If I buy any more SE's I'm buying from a place like Sweetwater so I can see detailed photos of the one I'm picking and that has a decent return policy.  Yeah, I got a new core nut and the SE locking tuners on this one and it's super stable tuning wise now.  I have a little more fine tuning to do with the action.  It could've been worse.  Definitely will make me think twice about ordering a used SE though.  The thing that kills me is that I ordered from Dave's in WI and they have such a good reputation. 

The Core model is amazing.  I don't regret that purchase one bit.  I suppose if I was going to have a bad purchasing experience I'm glad it was on the import and not the Core. 

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Yes. I highly recommend Sweetwater. I bought my SE Custom 24 from Sweetwater on clearance. I love the hot pickups and it plays and feels great! Stays in tune too. Before the PRS, I had purchased a Blackstar Artist 10 AE also on clearance. So I had my first tube amp, which I still love, and a killer guitar for the price of either item at regular price.

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