Welcome to RatherBeRiffing! My name is Johnny Z and I'm all about chasing inspirational guitar tone from beautiful guitars. I’ll be posting regularly to demonstrate tone, writing, gear, influences, playing techniques, and more! Please subscribe, like, or comment. I’m just getting started and would love to hear from you!
Well after listening this on my best setup conclusion is the same. Lack of details on SE that I can hear on Core. Especially on low strings. SE has that low end but it sounds like it plays on rubber strings and Core sounds like acoustic standup bass wit hall details in it. On top end there is this top end thing on SE that is just not nice and it covers all the details. There is a top end but it is not refined. While that Core is a good one. Ten top? Anyways it looks and sounds great.
I’ve been very impressed with all of the SE models I’ve played. Put some locking tuners on them and why spend the extra money other than because you can?
I own two Les Pauls, a Classic Player Plus and a Tribute. Both have excellent tuning stability. My friend has an L6S and a special and his G string on both drift out of tune a bit. I believe it depends on the individual guitar and playing style.
I haven't found anything yet that recreates that Gretsch sound. Closest I have come is my Electra Phoenix HSH with 3x push pulls. Even that couldn't quite get it. The DGT is a nice guitar though.
I feel like the magic of your tone is that you have your amps sounding warm while still retaining clarity somehow. I need to figure out how to do this. Do you roll down the volume or tone on your guitars generally?
I do often use the volume controls on both pickups to adjust the feel, tone, and gain staging. I never use tone control on the neck pickup. I sometimes use the tone on the bridge pickup to warm up high gain lead tones.
I need to listen to it once more on my studio monitors setup. But already now I hear way more details on Core. Pickups on the SE sound plain Nd harsh. Almost as ceramic magnets while Core has all the details even on higher gain and even in the mix. Do not get me wrong, for the price SE is a monster. But to go further you will be hit by diminishing returns. That’s how it always goes. Yeah laminated wood is more stable, never made me want to have it though 😂😂😂
Nice comparison. I've got a few SEs, a few S2s and a few Core models. I have a Core McCarty (non 594) with a wraparound bridge. Fantastic. Don't have other McCartys, but all my PRS guitars are great and I'd play a gig with any of them.
Just imagine if the PRS 594 CORE were built in Indonesia? Guitar manufacturers know offshore luthiers can make great guitars with great components. The same guitar built part-for-part in the USA and Indonesia will cost YOU the customer so much less $$$$ built in Indonesia. My '80s MIJ Charvel guitars are unbelievable. And that's why Japanese-made guitars are highly sought after. Give a luthier the right stuff and limited cost restrictions and you've got diamonds.
Not yet. I’ve started to release some here (under ‘relaxing guitar music’ videos and ‘my guitar music playlist’). I plan to release more and expand to streaming platforms in time. Thanks for the interest!
Hi Jon, another great video! The production, sound, and execution are impeccable, as is your guitar collection. I've watched all your videos and really like your playing style. Do you happen to offer private guitar lessons?
Hey man ! Superb playing ! I just subscribed to ur channel! Is there a way I can swap my silver sky se pickups with a set of any fender single coil pickups ?
They have the stock pickups. The core has 58/15 LT. The SE has 58/15 LT “s”. I’m not sure what the “s” means but I think it signifies that the pickups are somehow different (e.g., in material, where manufactured, spec, etc, to meet the lower price point). Would be great if someone who knows for sure would chime in!
Personally straight into an amp with no effects and no mixing the SE models pickups are not good at all. Swap the 58-15 S pups for the American Made 58-15 pups. It’s a MASSIVE difference. There’s no way anyone can say the pickups sound and feel the same. But the SE is a great offering.
I'm not in the market for either, but I still really enjoyed your review. I hope your YT channel blows up soon. Your production value, playing, and insight far exceed the size of your channel (for now!).
I’ve had 7 SEs, and 5 core models over the last 15-20 years. I still have 3 core models, but that is largely because I love what Paul has done to the industry and just really vibe with the original factory made guitars. The SEs are just great, especially for new or gigging players, and can be made to be about 95% of a core if you run the racks, do just a touch more fretwork, replace the nut, and sometimes pickups. Honestly, the last run of SEs (this one and the DGT) don’t even need new pickups. I play the cores because I can, and because of sentimental value. Thanks for posting videos like this! Would love to see the custom shop in the mix!
My pleasure and thanks for sharing! Well said and agree! I can especially relate to the sentimental POV. When I saw Santana play one in the 90’s I was like what is that and I need one! Their guitars have only gotten better and better since.
I have this dilemma. I have a SC 594 Core. I tried a HB 594 last year. For some reason the neck was quite a bit thicker, and I didn't get it. Weird since they are both vintage carve. So now I'm thinking Hollowbody II Piezo. They have the Pattern neck. Even if the neck on the 594 HB was ok, I kept asking myself, what does this offer that my solid 594 doesn't have. The only answer I came up with, it's lighter. Not enough to justify the money. This is the problem with owning a lot of PRS (probably any brand) I have a few PRS, and at some point, you start asking yourself how much of a difference is there really between one model to the next and is it worth it to get another? So, no I'm trying TAG. I just couldn't find a HBII Piezo, and here in Canada, they are near 10 grand, and you can get a custom TAG for quite a bit less. That's nuts. PRS Core models have gone into lunacy price territory in Canada.
I perceived the HB neck to be bigger as well which I also wasn’t expecting. I found a subtle tone difference, but agree that the weight is the main difference (and resonating more acoustically). Too bad about CA pricing - that’s getting into private stock territory.
@RatherBeRiffingi t is PS pricing. Hence why I'm trying Anderson. If I'm paying 8 or 9k Canadian I want a custom order. Last 10 top HB II I found on reverb was 11k.
Over YT I can tell that the SE is Brighter like you mentioned. ( you mentioned that the Pick-Up Height & Screws were different height & position) You didn't mention the TYP of PIC-UPS used on both GTr's. Im sure there is where it can make a difference in Tone? Thank you for making this Video Jonathan, George :)
Your sustain test is just individual guitars against each other. I've certainly encountered specific Gibsons that sustained longer, and certain PRS guitars that didn't sustain as long. And vice versa. Comparing only three guitars in this respect is hardly enough data to draw any conclusions on typical sustain performance of any model or brand. I've personally built guitars that sustain so long it's often required to dampen the notes because they will sustain longer than is appropriate for some passages. I've consistently found that I prefer a good Les Paul over a good PRS Singlecut. Despite the high quality of execution and workmanship of the PRS, the Les Paul has a feel and tone to it that just isn't matched by the PRS. I've never really warmed up to PRS pickups and electronic, either. They try to be too versatile, at the expense of getting a single BEST tone.
What a video! 🙏 Are you using an amp simulator since you’re using headphones? I live in an apartment so unfortunately I can’t play with a real amp. How’s the sound and what do I need to get to have the same rig as you? Amazing video!
Thank you! I’m using a real amp but with a Suhr reactive load so I can record silently. I use a 4x12 cab impulse response for speaker simulation in Cubase. For info on my gear, check out my video called, “my guitar signal chain and lead tone breakdown”.
As an owner of one of the first SE Korean made, best of 24, which still plays absolutely beautifully. And sounds really really good. I am an owner of an original Gibson, Les Paul, and know that that sound is hard to duplicate, but I think the 594s come damn close. They’re also exquisite instruments. And the SE range, you can tell that they keep an eye on the productivity and quality of the product. It comes out. Especially for underground.
TL/DR at the end. I have the SE and the new S2, which as of 2024 includes all of the electronics, hardware, and pickups of the SE. So barring the violin carve, as the S2 is carved differently, I can speak to the guitars that are priced about $1400 apart. To be specific, the SE I have is a faded blue, which has a $50 upcharge from the other colors, and the S2 I have is lake blue. Both were purchased from Sweetwater. I was able to snag my SE before the price hike and paid $850 whereas the S2 ran a whopping $2349. The SE now sports a shallow violin carve with the 58/15 LT "S" pickups, Kluson style tuners, and 4 speed knobs. The neck carve is identical on all McCarty models, referred to as "Pattern Vintage". The neck/headstock is more specifically 6 piece as the neck is 3 piece with a glued heel and there are two wings on each side of the headstock. The bound fretboard is a 10" radius rosewood. Fretwork is superb with no fret sprout. As mentioned, the finish is poly, and since I'm used to playing Gibson guitars for the most part, I noticed the feel difference immediately, though it's not something that bothers me at all. The body is 3 piece mahogany with a maple cap and a veneer top. The S2 has a bound, carved, 2-piece maple top (though not violin) with a mahogany body (can't tell the pieces because it's a solid color), but it's likely at least 2 pieces. The neck is 4 pieces as it has a one piece neck with a glued heel and the two wings. (The wings are a PRS thing that Gibson also does. A good way to tell a fake.) It sports core Kluson style tuners with the new plastic "tone" wings, core electronics and hardware, and 58/15 LT pickups. The finish is high gloss nitro. The necks feel very similar, as PRS doesn't do the same heavy, hard poly finish many companies do; and the playability of both guitars is hardly worth mentioning. The days of having a different neck for the SE, S2, and core are gone; giving the players of all budgets a very similar feel throughout the line. I remember having a Custom 24 core and Custom 24 SE, and the feel was night and day. So what's the real difference and is it worth the $$ to upgrade? That's really up to the individual. I think the SE is fine for most players, and PRS has finally made it so that the S2 is a fine entry to the core series rather than only being an SE built in Stevensville, MD. I play my guitars live, and the thought of having a $5k core art piece on a stand in a club gives me chills. I play a Gibson Les Paul Custom in alpine white for suit and tie occasions and that's a hard sell and only when I know I can keep it under close watch the whole time. TL/DR: the sound of the SE is slightly brighter than the S2, and this likely comes down to the pickups and electronics. There's nothing wrong with the pickups in the SE, and some people might prefer the tone. In some situations, I know I do. I had intended on purchasing a set of 58/15 LT pickups and core electronics for the SE, but now I'm on the fence. The current cost of the pickups would be $500 and electronics and about $150 in electronics would nearly cost the value of the guitar in the first place. Then should I ever decide to sell it, I would have to return it to stock and I'd have those electronics and pickups to resell. The difference in tone is not worth the headache of going through all that.
The biggest difference is where they are made and the amount of time spent to build each instrument. But I give PRS a lot of credit for building a lower cost instrument to new players. It's pretty smart business sense too, it creates PRS players who will save up for a USA guitar in the future.
The SEs are definitely catching up… here is David Grissom using the SE rather than a core for his clips. Just grabbed the nearest one.. sounds good to me ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-0yfPIq6k8JM.htmlsi=E3N4ic44J1tqNIFu
Both are beautiful guitars, and that core model is a work of art. But I must say, that SE isn’t too shabby either. My ears are getting older and are not as sensitive to higher frequencies, so I actually appreciate the slightly brighter tone of the SE. For my money (which ain’t much), the SE is the wise choice. Also, I’ve said similar things before, but I’ll say it again. Your channel is the class of RU-vid. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the comments, kind words, and encouragement! Well said and agree. I tend to like brighter sounding tones/guitars so the SE’s voice appeals to me as well.
I have the SE 594 and love its sound. I hear the difference between the two and think your core model sounds better. But not 4K better.l guess I will stay with my SE
I‘m totally happy with my two SE guitars (594 and Custom 24). While the core being a piece of art is attracting me nevertheless. I remember somebody online comparing both ranges and was even preferring the SE because of the its shallow violin carve and the improved comfort for his right arm resting on the body. Would you agree or does this difference not really matter to you. Thanks for the review. Both guitars look and sound great!
Thank you! I see the lure of the core - the temptation is real! I didn’t notice any comfort differences between the top carves. I’ve played various carved top PRS’s for 25+ years and never experienced any discomfort personally.
As the Core was way more guitar than I needed I bought the 594se Single Cut and upgraded all of the internals to get as close to the Core as possible. This included the wiring harness, switches, pickups, plastics and bone nut-all done by PRS here in the USA. Does it sound like the Core? I have no idea. 1) I don't own a PRS Core guitar and 2) I am not a good enough guitarist to play well enough to really know the difference. Would love to see you compare it though.
With the core being out of my reach, I’m very happy with my SE and tonally it’s definitely close enough for me. That core is a thing of beauty though. Btw the SE also has the full maple cap, but with the veneer. It’s probably a little thinner because of the shallow carve. As for the different look of the mahogany, it’s likely they are using an Asian alternative to mahogany to keep the price down. There are multiple wood species that are marketed as “mahogany,” and I highly doubt they are using Honduran mahogany on non-USA models.
Exquisite playing today. I chose an S2 594 as the best balance, for me, of sound and cost, notwithstanding how gorgeous the core model is. One small difference from your comments is that I didn’t like the feel of the polyurethane finish nearly as much as the nitrocellulose. But I’m less experienced and that could be a placebo effect!
Thank you, Michael! I’ll have to checkout the S2. It’s funny, 99/100 times I notice and prefer the feel of Nitro over Poly. For some reason it wasn’t that apparent to me among these two examples. Maybe it was just a fluke.
Can you walk through your signal chain, recording equipment and approach to playing? Seriously some of the most inspired playing, I have seen on here! Legit this channel should have 100k+ subscribers
Thanks for the kind words and interest! I do plan to make videos on the subjects. In the meantime, I do have a couple of videos that touch aspects of my signal chain (“soaring Strat lead tone” and “how I get my lead tone”).
Right before reading this comment I was thinking to myself about how you chose the your sound setup… Was there a ton of study or just playing through what you liked or maybe influenced by someone with ton of experience… Anyway I really appreciate your reviews. Very logical and show what the guitars are capable of.
My ears heard the prs core captures more of the airyness of the playing and sustained longer. The SE loses some of the sound quality when the note rings out. But that's all I could hear. I just ordered a Eastman PCH1 gace acoustic guitar, so excited to see how this affordable acoustic holds up
