NGD - PRS S2 Custom 24

[napalmdeath]

Been playing guitar for a living for over 40 years and owned just about anything you can name I'm far from ignorant on instruments.

Apparently, you are. If you read my post, it wasn't addressed to you. But, while we're on the subject, what's all this WE asked for, and a BUNCH of us shit you continue to ramble on about? I see more happy owners on the PRS forums, than whiney babies like yourself & the other ignorant poster named above think PRS should cater to your requests. I've been playing over 30 years myself, and this is my second PRS in 2 years, along with a 2014 LP Studio, 2014 LP Classic, 2013 LP Standard, & 2013 LP Traditional, (with NO chambering, NO weight relief - the only model to do so since the 80's). I know instruments myself, and have been a Gibson guy for the majority of those years, once I broke the Floyd Rose days of the 80's & 90's. I'm sorry they don't meet your high standards for little money, ideally, all core model appointments would hike the price beyond $1500. I'm sure after 40 years, you'd realize, you can't have your cake and eat it too - I'm 44, and realized this 20 years ago. Maybe someday, you'll realize it too. I can buy an upscale PRS, but the fact is, they are overpriced. Quality, yes, but ramping up the S2 to a sub-$2000 guitar, and make the snobs happy with all core model hardware, paint process, carved top, and USA pickups w/case, would cause a loss of sales of the $3000 models for the many who would give two shits about a fancy top - economics 101. Whether it meets your approval or not, the S2 is a major seller, with the MAJORITY of the owners giving it high marks. I found mine to be nearly flawless out of the box, only needing a setup from NJ to 100 degree heat index here in Florida.

 

[engage757]

are those the same pickups that came with the SE series or did they change them?

 

[Ascension]

They took all the electronics and the bridge straight from the SE Custom 24 and added a new import locking tuner system to the new design US neck and body.
To the OP here when I first found this thread it was side by side with a PRS is it worth it or hype thread. I was not trying to dump on a new purchase for you and in hind sight should not have come off so strong on the S2 as they are not bad guitars. In fact in comparison to something like say a Les Paul Studio a step up and more consistent. It was true that the very 1st S2 I picked up had just come out of the box and was a mess but those i have seen after than one did not have those issues.
My beef is not with you bro it is with PRS as many of us who play these guitars had been asking for them to do a plain Jane working mans USA built PRS at around the $1500 STREET price point which would have put the MSRP up around $1800 or so. We wanted a guitar that was much like what they had done in the past and called the old Custom 24 Standard. A solid mahogany guitar with all the high end USA hardware, electronics and basic USA quality control but in a solid finish, with dot inlay and at a lower price for working players. THEY produced something else with a new US built body and neck using all hardware and electronics directly from the SE Custom 24 and only adding a import set of locking tuners and then marketed it as a working mans real USA PRS .

 

[JimmyBlind]

I'd expect the S2-to-PRS Standard to be more of a Les Paul Studio/deluxe-to-LP Standard comparison, where there's no real difference in playability, sound or craftsmanship. Evidence points to the S2 being more of an SE, built in Md. Not an affordable PRS.

I would rate them closer to LP Studio, than I would SE. Both say PRS on the headstock, so I still don't understand your point - Not sure if you're trolling, or ignorant? They cut corners to meet a price point, is that computing at all? I actually bought a 2014 Les Paul Studio, and sold it in favor of the PRS. Since I actually own one, and play it almost daily, I can attest to it's quality, and tone. For an extra couple hundred over the Studio, I'd do it again.

I would think an actual happy owner that did his homework, and read reviews on 6 different sites & minimum 4.5 star ratings across the board, in addition to accessing other resources with the majority at 5 star ratings, I would say that would hold more weight than a couple water heads that rudely jump in to piss on my thread, and rudely bash my recent purchase. Are you sure you don't think you're at The Gear Page? That's where the snobs hang out? And if you think there's no real difference in playability, sound, or craftsmanship between an LP Studio and an LP Classic, or Standard, you definitely, without a doubt, are ignorant.

I think PRS had an opportunity with the S2 to bring PRS standard quality instruments to the masses at a more affordable price point by not having the abalone, birds, binding, quilt top & paint job etc. That would cut a large amount of labor & material cost out of the construction process. The hardware & electronics should be left alone.
I mention the LP Studio because it was designed to be a studio guitar. ie, A gibson Les Paul that plays & sounds like a real gibson, but without all the eye candy.
Any PRS standard bodies that don't meet the demands of the QA could be donated to an S2 range rather than being destroyed, especially if they are painting over the maple top anyway.

I'm not sure why you've taken this so personally but hey, thanks for the unnecessary hostility and name-calling. Hopefully you appreciate the irony in what you have said.