Review of the PRS SE Singlecut Electric Guitar

13 Oct 2009

Features of the PRS SE Singlecut

Tuners - PRS branded mini-tuners with quite large knobs. Worked well.

Headstock - The dainty and distinctive PRS headstock is fast becoming a guitar classic in its own right. I like its compact shape which fits well with the pseudo Les Paul vibe of the body.

Nut - The black plastic nut abuts the fretboard and is well finished. 

Neck - This is a fat, wide and chunky neck by design, perfect for fat fingers, large hands or people who just like a bit more to get hold of. Made of mahogany and finished in black lacquer the neck is set and joins the body at the 16th fret. 

Fretboard - The wide rosewood fretboard has a nice chocolate grain. The half-moon fretmarkers add a touch of PRS class.

Frets - The large profile frets are well-polished and provide a superb base for the most extravagant string bending antics. 

Action - Really good straight from the box.

Body - Is it a Les Paul or not? I must ask my lawyer. Whatever it is it's hewn from a slab of mahogany and finished with a maple top that sports a flamed maple veneer. The top is delicately carved which produces a graceful swell under the pickups. There is comfort contouring on the back and the cutaway is contoured for maximum comfort when playing the upper frets. The back of the body wears the same black lacquer as the neck and what looks like light brown binding is actually the edge of the maple top finished in clear lacquer.  

Bridge - Wrap-over stoptail with a fixed blade bridge saddle which has a compensatory stagger at the 3rd, 2nd and 1st string.

Pickups - Two black PRS designed open coil humbuckers sit in cream surrounds. 

Controls - Master volume, master tone both with Gibson style speed knobs and a three-way pickup selector. 

Strap-buttons - Large and secure buttons in the usual places.

Output Jack - On the lower edge in an oval chromed plate.

Finish - Excellent all round.

Accessories - One very sexy PRS gigbag

Sound of the PRS SE Singlecut

The PRS humbuckers are really interesting. The bridge pickup has a glassy treble bite that almost strays into Telecaster territory. This is excellent for clean playing or overdriven solos that cut through the mix. The neck pickup has a thick and creamy texture that works really nicely for heavy crunch sounds and heavy metal settings. The combination of the two delivers a solid all-round rock sound that you could happily gig all night.    

Overall Impressions of the PRS SE Singlecut

I have to admit I'm not a natural fan of PRS. But the more I played this guitar the more I grew to like it. Dare I say that the Les Paul vibe is very much what this guitar is about and the playing experience and authority of sound is at least as good as Gibsons that sell at twice the price. This is an excellent value, hard-rocking guitar with a bit more tonal variety on offer than might be had from a Gibson.  

Review of the PRS SE Singlecut by The Man in the Jar