PRS SE Special Review
My Verdict and Review Summary
The SE series never fails to deliver versatility and tone that makes you wonder how the Core models are so much more expensive. Paul Reed Smith's release of the SE Special Semi-Hollow version provides a ridiculous amount of onboard tones that can fit just about any style, along with aesthetics that you rarely see in guitars at this price point. And while SE electrics have gotten more expensive in recent years, they're still the single best-value series on the market. My full review of the SE Special Semi-Hollow is below.
BEST FOR: Flexibility, a wide array of gain levels, clean tones, guitarists who dabble in multiple genres, and lead/rhythm hybrids.
TONE
95
CONTROL
99
FLEXIBILITY
99
PRICE/VALUE
95
- Massive amount of onboard tone variance
- HSH pickup configuration is awesome
- Aesthetics
- Can handle just about any gain/distortion level
- PRS 58/15 "S" humbuckers
- Figured Maple top has some nice curvature and nuance
- SEs are getting more expensive, but that's not unique to the SE Special. There's truly nothing to complain about.
The SE Special's big seller is flexibility. Before you get to any pedals or preamp, you'll want to spend some time exploring the tones, perhaps trying a few different gain levels and tinkering with the five-way pickup selector. It's nuanced and gentile, but can also get really aggressive. I cover both extremes in the demo video below.
Read More: Our Favorite Electric Guitars Overall
The PRS SE Special Semi-Hollow going through my extremely sophisticated testing process (i.e. I play it).
The SE Special's Tone
Electric guitars with a Mahogany body and Maple top piece tend to sound darker, percussive, and more aggressive. While this is true of the SE Special, the Semi-Hollow design adds more nuance and an airy resonance that really brings out the character, especially with clean tones and light effects layering.
While I typically prefer heavier, modern gain levels, this guitar handled pretty well across the board.
On with the demo:
The contour on the top piece is beautiful, with a really distinct bevel that's similar to the Maryland-made Specials.
Onboard Control and Flexibility
In addition to the body design being naturally versatile, the HSH pickup configuration with a five-way selector lets you dial in some Stratocaster-esque dynamics that can bring out a little more brightness and pick response, especially when the mini-switches are engaged for coil-tapping. All told, this gives you a total of TWENTY different configurations. I highly doubt I made it around to all of them in the video, but hopefully you get the idea.
There are a total of 20 different configurations on the PRS SE Special, not counting the tweaking you can do with the tone and volume knob.
A total of 20 different control variations. I didn't even get to all of them.
Cost and Overall Value
There are a couple things pushing the prices of the SE models higher.
First, they're just getting nicer. Gone are the days of the Standard 24 and Santana SE being the main offerings. You now have signature models, Mayer's Silver Sky, Custom 24-08s, and tons of other choices. They're just better guitars and command a higher dollar.
So many sounds to work with.
But there's also simple economics, which has made materials more expensive and driven up the price of the guitar market at large.
But if you look at the big picture, the SE series has become the PRS lineup, more so than the Core models. So while PRS used to have a reputation of being this unattainable high-dollar custom shop, the SE series has made them very accessible and mainstream.
So the price point, being around $1200 at the time of this review, is fair market value and I have no issue with it.
Current SE Special Semi-Hollow Pricing (includes non-SE Core model)
Pricing updates from Sweetwater in real-time.
SE Special Semi-Hollow Review Summary
For what it's worth:
I used a simple setup with a Boss Katana 50 amplifier, an Amptweaker TightMetal distortion, Line 6 DL4 delay, TC Electronic HOF review, and a Morley Bad Horsie wah pedal for the demo.
I like using the Katana (my main amp is a Mesa/Boogie Rectoverb) to test guitars since it does a nice job of letting the guitar do most of the work. In that setup, without a high-dollar amp, the SE Special performed very well and leaves nothing on the table.
It's a great fit for any intermediate or experienced player needing a flexible electric, perhaps for studio work or dabbling in different genres.
Leave your thoughts, questions, and comments below.
One more look.
More Electric Guitar Reviews
Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Electrics & Reviews
Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Electrics & Reviews
We link to products on Sweetwater that help support our site and keep the lights on. If you click through our orange buttons, we might earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you all for your generous support over the years! ~ Bobby and Danielle
Our disclosure↬
Comment Policy: You're down to leave a comment? That's awesome. Keep in mind that comments are moderated and rel="nofollow" is in use. Please avoid any spammy keywords or a domain as your name, otherwise your comment will be deleted. Let's stay on topic, keep questions relevant and have a meaningful conversation. All the best.