PRS SE Soapbar - Any Good?

[mikeluke]

One for the PRS fans out there - I know that these are at the bottom end of the range but does anyone have any experience of the PRS SE Soapbar (Mark 1 version)? Are they any good for the money? What sort of neck profile does it have?

Thanks

Mike

[Matt77]

I've not owned one but I've noodled on one unplugged.
The neck was quite wide and chunky as I remember; seemed ok for the money

[Will]

Yeah, good for the money. I found the neck a bit small personally, but thats just me. Not particularly thin though.
Quite impressed by the pickup considering the price but there is room for improvement there. Go out and try one, the is ok, but I think they look a bit cr@p

[dave_mc]

you mean the doublecut with 2 p90s? with the flamed maple veneer? i didn't really like the one i tried. it could have been that it had been sitting in the shop for years, but the one i tried was very mediocre indeed. EDIT: i think the neck was quite chunky.

[Simon D]

The neck will be the SE version of the wide fat - quite a chunky neck, but not as big as a 50s Gibson profile. Build quality on the SEs is very good for the money (I've got an SE Singlecut). However, it's worth noting that the tuners suck, and the fretwire is quite soft.

[hamfist]

I had an original SE Soapbar. The neck profile was PRS's wide fat neck - I liked it, but it comes down to personal preference really.
  As someone already stated, the tuners are not great. I replaced with Grovers - a significant improvement.

I also replaced the pickups with BKP's, which was a huge improvement.

Overall, a reasonable guitar for the money, although hardware upgrades will improve it.

[GuiTony]

All the mag reviews I read were pretty positive.  I was thinking of getting one, but ended up with my JJ Jr instead.

I think there was a mk1 (without maple cap) and a mk2 (with maple cap and a higher price!).

[dave_mc]

^ based on the couple of JJs i have tried (not the junior, unfortunately, though i have my eye on one, maybe, if it comes up at the right price), it should destroy a PRS SE. :)

[GuiTony]

^ based on the couple of JJs i have tried (not the junior, unfortunately, though i have my eye on one, maybe, if it comes up at the right price), it should destroy a PRS SE. :)

Not wanting to hijack this thread, but as a quick reply ... they are very different instruments.  I have an SE Santana, and an SE Singlecut.  Both of which are (IMHO) excellent vfm instruments in terms of fit & finish, feel & sound.  But the JJ (I think I posted pics somewhere here) is in a different league, probably reflecting the fact that it came out of a workshop rather than off a production line.  Far less glossy, but loads more feel.  I'd sell the SEs before I sold the JJ.

[dave_mc]

haha, i put my foot in my mouth there, i didn't realise you had an SE too :oops:

:drink:

[juansolo]

I had an original SE Soapbar. The neck profile was PRS's wide fat neck - I liked it, but it comes down to personal preference really.
  As someone already stated, the tuners are not great. I replaced with Grovers - a significant improvement.

I also replaced the pickups with BKP's, which was a huge improvement.

Overall, a reasonable guitar for the money, although hardware upgrades will improve it.

Absoloutely love mine. It's an SE Soapbar II. But I've also replaced the tuners with Grovers, the bridge with a Tonepros intonateable jobbie and of course BKP-91s. Sounds far better than it has any right to for the money I paid.