PRS SE Custom 22 Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar

I got a PRS SE guitar for this time review and, first thing I wanna tell you is, that we should give credit to PRS guitars for the hardworks. Paul Reed Smith has taken his guitars into world’s music library like a new vocabulary for distinctive sound and playability. This PRS SE Custom Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar is a wonderful balance between price, sound, action and finishing layout. yes, Paul Reed Smith did it..

PRS SE Custom 22 Semi-Hollow
PRS SE Custom 22 Semi-Hollow

lucky i got this guitar for my guitar review. At first I didn’t even know how to start, so i search on youtube about this guitar and I found few great things to make comparison. first interesting thing is, if we turn the volume down to about 80% we will get an acoustic-piezo-pickup-like sound. So tried it and it works as it said on the review. The warm, clean tone sound that came out from the middle switch position becomes very nice acoustic steel strings guitar sound if we turn down the volume knob a little. I guess this comes from the semi-hollow guitar body and the factory default PRS SE pickups for this guitar has succeeded in capturing the semi-hollow guitar body sound. Very good. The clean tone itself has a twang, although I can’t say it’s a tele twang. But it’s in between Fender and Gibson. It’s truly amazing. While I can’t say this is for my playing, but, definitely I’ll choose this guitar for recording purposes for its wide sound range.

>>  check my video review PRS SE Custom Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar <<

Next thing I wanna know about this guitar is, of course, how this guitar sound with overdrive and distortion effect. I have digital effects pedal and analog pedals for this, unfortunately my amp hasn’t come yet when i made this post, so i use Behringer ultra-G GI100 DIbox and an ordinary 1×10-inches speaker. The result is beyond expected. this guitar has warm overdrive and gritty distortion (I still can hear the note clarity in full distortion), while I can get a distinctive-fat and rich sound for lead guitar session as I use the booster. Overall, the sound is pretty amazing for medium grade PRS SE guitars.

PRS SE Custom 22 Semi-Hollow guitar
PRS SE Custom 22 Semi-Hollow guitar

If there is one thing that might people dislike about this guitar, my guess is only the matter of taste. there are few minors about the finishing layout, but definitely it isn’t about the playability and precisions. The neck is unique, it’s wide BUT THIN, perfect for shredders but it also give a secure and safe feeling when playing jazzy chords (yes, IT IS). the strings lay very low to the fretboard and no buzzed frets at all.  I guess the guitar neck is the thing which made PRS Guitars distinctive characteristics so bold.

I have Fender Special edition spalted maple and Gretsch electromatic for comparison, and i have to tell you PRS SE Custom Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar neck is very nicely different, yet you will get used to it quick and soon the fun begins. well, I did. 😀

this is a cliche but i got to tell you anyway,

“Semi-Hollow Electric Guitars are light-weighted and PRS SE Custom Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar IS NOT HEAVY AS IT SEEMS. not heavy at all”

about the price, unfortunately this guitar model is discontinued so the latest new price for this PRS SE Custom Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar model isn’t available, but, you might get lucky on eBay, and my suggestion is, take it. This guitar is the FIRST model for PRS SE custom semi-hollow, so consider if you have it, you got a historical stuff.

so far so good, if anyone have one, please share the information with me, thanks. have a good day 🙂

Is It That Great Gretsch Sound?

Today is a cloudy day and i can’t get bright picture of silver sparkle of my new guitar (but it’s okay though, my old cellphone camera can handle this), oh yes it’s a Gretsch guitar. The Gretsch G5236 electromatic pro jet 125th anniversary with silver sparkle finishing. It’s a beautiful pre-owned guitar with nice deal, no scratch and made in China. here are bunch of pictures about it:

Gretsch 125th anniversary guitar
Gretsch G5236 electromatic pro jet 125th anniversary
Gretsch 125th anniversary guitar
Gretsch G5236 electromatic pro jet 125th anniversary
Gretsch 125th anniversary guitar
Gretsch G5236 electromatic pro jet 125th anniversary

And I like it!! this electromatic pro jet defines overdrive and distortion effects in wide range although it seems i’ll never get tele twang sound or strat glassy tone from it (of course, it’s a Gretsch!). it has unique sound, yes that great Gretsch sound does exist. Its pickups and chambered body deliver tones nicely through amps, even direct input to mixer.

Gretsch 125th anniversary guitar
Gretsch G5236 electromatic pro jet 125th anniversary
gretsch mini humbucker pickups
Gretsch mini humbuckers pickups
gretsch mini humbucker pickups
Gretsch mini humbucker pickups

well, this series isn’t the perfect one actually. my first negative review is about the fretboard craftmanship. it has deadnote on 9th fret and it bothers a lot. i had to take it to my luthier shop to repair it. some say that the Gretsch quality decreases after they put their factory overseas and i think this is the prove. It’s made in China. but enough about it since that will be my only negative review.

overall this Gretsch came with gorgeous looks. it’s Gretsch 125th anniversary guitar, you can see the logo on its headstocks:

Gretsch 125th anniversary guitar logo
Gretsch 125th anniversary guitar logo plate
Gretsch 125th anniversary guitar logo headstocks
Gretsch 125th anniversary guitar logo headstocks
Gretsch 125th anniversary guitar headstocks
Gretsch 125th anniversary guitar headstocks

beautiful vintage accessories in affordable price. i should put this guitar in “on budget guitars” list.
can’t wait to take it on stage with me 🙂