I have one with an HFS in the bridge and a Vintage Bass in the neck, it's incredible. Literally everything about the S2 is perfect, they're super underrated
Great playing! I have been considering buying this guitar. I have a CE24 that is road weary that I bought in 2005 and want a newer updated guitar. Love the Tobacco.
I have a s2 24 std satin as well. It’s a beast of a guitar. It stays in tune with heavy trem abuse and is a workhorse. I too like the pattern regular neck shape more than the thin. Great review.
Wood is just a small part of the many variables of the electric guitar sound. It's mostly in the person playing it. And, what you're playing it through.
That thing looks awesome man. Super super clean, I think the chrome pickup covers totally makes the look. And man, that intro track. Clearly, it's playable :P
these go for 1400 now, the SC Custom 24 is around 1600. they are nice, but black is too plain for me. it's good thing it's a matte finish, but it also makes it look cheaper than it is.
Is the pattern regular significantly thicker than pattern thin? And is the string spacing much smaller on the pattern regular because of the narrower nut?
The S2 nut width is 1.65-ish but a little deeper rounder carve. Pattern thin is 1.689-ish (1 11/16) One will slightly vary from another in thickness. I've had really thin, pattern thin profiles and some fairly thick! So... kinda hard to say. At least the ones I've owned and to played. They both feel great, though.
Nice review, but tell me how does the whammy bar sound? Does the guitar go out of tune easily when you use it? I play a lot classic rock, AC/DC, Beatles, Stones, Metallica, Poison, and some but not a lot, of metal like Van Halen, not much of Whammy guy. I don't like Floyd Rose guitars.
Thanks. The tremolo is really stable. I had mentioned that in the video I did before this one with my CE 24 which has the same bridge. It’s tagged on the screen at the end of this video.
just recently bought the 22 fret version of this one .. but not for me . i am surprising a friend of mine with one . bought one brand new for her and hope she loves it .
@@josuesorto3453 she plays in a gigging band and her LTD Flying V finally call it quits and she was without a guitar on her last gig and she had to borrow a cheap copy dime bag guitar . so i came to the rescue and bought her a PRS .. she has never played PRS before and i am sure she will enjoy it . the PRS is currently on its way to her house . she does not know i bought it for her yet . it will be a surprise
Yup. Just sharing my thoughts for those interested. Brian Ewald, from PRS has already covered the clean tones with this model. It’s a review, not a tone demo. Thanks for watching ✌️
@@tonlarj37 sorry, that might have been harsh. Brian’s review is of an older version with the coverless buckers, so I’m trying to find a review of the modern version. You do good stuff… sorry I was a troll!
@@jasenkinart oh, no worries, dude. It’s all good. Sometimes I just barely have time to put these vids together. I should always add some clean tones. And, thanks ✌️
dunno if anyone gives a shit but if you're bored like me atm you can stream pretty much all of the new series on instaflixxer. Been binge watching with my brother recently =)
I have this guitar in cherry sunburst. 2015 model I got in clearance in 2016 for $649 brand new. Amazing workhorse guitar. The HFS and Vintage Bass pickups sound great in humbucker mode and in split coil mode. Not a significant volume drop in single coil mode like there are on so many coil split humbuckers. Guitar is a total workhorse. Satin neck feels very nice. Frets are impeccable. PRS is amazing quality wise. Everything from their SE series to their core models have amazing quality.
Great video. You mentioned the neck is a little thicker than the Thin. Does it have a good amount of shoulders? I find it helps to have something to hang on to, especially when bending.
@@tonlarj37 I read that you sold this guitar and bought a higher end PRS. Any particular reason? Which model did you upgrade to? Will you make a video demo and review of the new one? I am really liking the quality of these PRS guitars. I am new to PRS, but it's exciting, as I believe these guitars are in another league in terms of quality components and QC.
@@willman100 yes. I sold both S2 and CE24 and another guitar to upgrade to a custom 24. Only because I found something on the rare side. I hope to do a video. Honestly, it was a wishlist want, not a need. I can do the same thing with all of them. Quality is outstanding on all, but the Custom 24 has the best features PRS makes.
According to the PRS website, it’s Stevensville: “Meaning “Stevensville 2,” the S2 Series is named for a second manufacturing line created inside the PRS Stevensville, MD shop that blends new manufacturing techniques with practiced quality control and workmanship to create instruments at a new price point for players.”
@@allanjcarpenter Paul Reed Smith himself said "I caught the ferry over to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for my shoe, so I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days." So, you're wrong.
Absolutely killer playing and great review. I wish more companies would do stuff like this, USA made with overseas parts to keep the cost at $999. I had an S2 Mira that I picked up for $700, one of my favorite guitars I've ever had but the body and finish were just too retro for me...sounded and played better than $1500+ guitars I've played though. I'm thinking of picking up one of the S2 Standard 22 fret Satin versions in either the Black or White, do you think those pickups could handle heavier stuff in lower tunings? My channel is primarily playing stuff in Drop B so that's the only thing I'm worried about. At that price though especially if I got one used, I could probably get a PRS Metal pickup or a Duncan Distortion for the bridge if they wouldn't cut it.
Thanks! I actually have this guitar setup in drop C# for heavier music. I'm sure there are better pickups, but I actually like these pickups for the heavier stuff, too. It's subjective. But yeah, for the price... hard to beat.
Picked up one of these 6 Nov 2020 it's the same as yours but in antique white and with black pickguard very enjoyable to play I would recommend this guitar to anyone that loves good frett work locking tuners and lightweight make my Gibson Les Paul standard fill a ton weight :-) oh yes and subscribed PS I'm in England UK
I picked up a '21 made one of these in Antique White, its gorgeous and sounds great! I use it more for drop Bb tuning (my Am Pro II Tele I keep in standard tuning), but it can go toe to toe with my more expensive Telecaster. The satin finish is great, and above all it resonates SO well unplugged, a good indicator of a well-made instrument. When you can pick one of these up for just south of $1k, this is the guitar that really bridges the gap between the learner "1st guitar" and an actual professional tool.
Nice video and guitar. I first found your channel in a Kiesel solo contest video and was immediately blown away by your playing. You’ve become one of my favorite TH-cam guitarist because you’re very informative and get right to the point. I’ll still be watching when you’re channel gets the recognition it deserves.
For some reason, I’ve resisted PRS guitars for decades but I’m starting to go down the PRS rabbit hole. I have yet to hear one that doesn’t sound amazing. It really seems to be a workhorse and a player’s guitar. Only problem is there are far too many choices!!
Those S2 satins are super underrated. I got an s2 singlecut and a standard 24 both below $800 new. The 58/15s in them sound very good, the ones with HFS or 85/15s are a bit worse IMO.
6 pounder? Hope once I get mine it's a good under 7 at least, my new semi hollow Vela sparkle green is a 6.1, and my DC3 a good 7.1 which has always been the best prs ever and best neck it's like a slimmer pattern reg
I have a ce24 with the pattern thin neck and i love it, I've been looking into getting one of these but I'm a little worried the neck will be too thick. How does it compare to the neck on the CE24? I had a Gibson les paul with a 59 style neck and really hindered my playing and speed.
It’s a personal thing. I like the pattern regular neck better. I actually play faster on a CE thin neck, but play cleaner arpeggios on the regular pattern neck that’s a little thicker. The S2 isn’t a 59 LP thick, though. I’m planning to do a video on this topic in January.
Good video, I'm thinking about buying one of these guitars, but I have small hands, so I'm wondering if this would be a good guitar for me. I guess that I'll have to try one out in person to be sure.
They are now $1400 and I paid $1400 today for my first PRS guitar. It plays awesome.
The fact you can consistently find these used for under 1k US is such a great deal
I have one with an HFS in the bridge and a Vintage Bass in the neck, it's incredible. Literally everything about the S2 is perfect, they're super underrated
The 58/15 pickups sound great cranked up but pretty much terrible at low volume. Make sure you play one of these guitars before you buy one.
This is the only prs that make sense, very original, has its own character. The rest of the prs models lack character.
Great playing! I have been considering buying this guitar. I have a CE24 that is road weary that I bought in 2005 and want a newer updated guitar. Love the Tobacco.
$999? Two years later this now retail for $1699 !!! 70% increase in two years.
Yup! It’s ashamed. Wonder who all are to blame? :/
Black and chrome. Outstanding.
I have a s2 24 std satin as well. It’s a beast of a guitar. It stays in tune with heavy trem abuse and is a workhorse. I too like the pattern regular neck shape more than the thin. Great review.
The only thing I don't like about these are the loose knobs. If I wanted to upgrade to better pots/knobs, what should I get? Thanks!
Maybe CTS pots?
I know this guitar is all mohagany -do guitars really need that maple top to sound good?
Wood is just a small part of the many variables of the electric guitar sound. It's mostly in the person playing it. And, what you're playing it through.
The simple answer is. no.
Great playing too!
Unfortunately, there's no way of picking one of these up in Europe for the prices you've seen.. Must be import taxes etc...
Any complaints about the volume knob placement? Seems super close to where I'd strum/rest my pinky.
That thing looks awesome man. Super super clean, I think the chrome pickup covers totally makes the look. And man, that intro track. Clearly, it's playable :P
Thanks! It feels really good!
these go for 1400 now, the SC Custom 24 is around 1600. they are nice, but black is too plain for me. it's good thing it's a matte finish, but it also makes it look cheaper than it is.
Is the pattern regular significantly thicker than pattern thin?
And is the string spacing much smaller on the pattern regular because of the narrower nut?
The S2 nut width is 1.65-ish but a little deeper rounder carve. Pattern thin is 1.689-ish (1 11/16) One will slightly vary from another in thickness. I've had really thin, pattern thin profiles and some fairly thick! So... kinda hard to say. At least the ones I've owned and to played. They both feel great, though.
@@tonlarj37 which one do you prefer for lead playing?
@@seyhuns9802 I like wider necks
@@seyhuns9802 but, also prefer wider necks with 25.5 scale length. Even though they’re amazing, that excludes PRS.
I got one for under a Grand before Covid Era!!! Love it..all black and Satiny!
Now $1399. Sigh
Yeah, prices are crazy!
Which do you like more the ce? Or s2? I have a 2018 s2 satin with 85/15s and debating on going ce.
The CE feels a little higher quality, but I like them about the same.
The pickups sound awesome
its now 2022 i still want that :(
Tony your playing is off the charts!!!
It is a resto-mod version of the SG. The perfect riff machine
Man, that's a great way to describe it. I love mine. It's white.
Nice review, but tell me how does the whammy bar sound? Does the guitar go out of tune easily when you use it? I play a lot classic rock, AC/DC, Beatles, Stones, Metallica, Poison, and some but not a lot, of metal like Van Halen, not much of Whammy guy. I don't like Floyd Rose guitars.
Thanks. The tremolo is really stable. I had mentioned that in the video I did before this one with my CE 24 which has the same bridge. It’s tagged on the screen at the end of this video.
th-cam.com/video/cd4GDl-Xa5U/w-d-xo.html
Can you share your signal chain? Great tone and playing!
Think I was using my Kemper profiler. Going into interface an protools. Thanks
Do you still have this guitar? I'd buy it off you.
I sold it and got a custom 24
That’s a really competitive price for the quality! Looks cool, too. I’ve tried the 2020 CE24 and it also felt great.
just recently bought the 22 fret version of this one .. but not for me . i am surprising a friend of mine with one . bought one brand new for her and hope she loves it .
Holy shit, can I be your friend? haha jk! I'm sure she'll love it!
@@josuesorto3453 she plays in a gigging band and her LTD Flying V finally call it quits and she was without a guitar on her last gig and she had to borrow a cheap copy dime bag guitar . so i came to the rescue and bought her a PRS .. she has never played PRS before and i am sure she will enjoy it . the PRS is currently on its way to her house . she does not know i bought it for her yet . it will be a surprise
No clean tones and 8 minutes of talking to a little over a minute of playing?
Yup. Just sharing my thoughts for those interested. Brian Ewald, from PRS has already covered the clean tones with this model. It’s a review, not a tone demo. Thanks for watching ✌️
@@tonlarj37 sorry, that might have been harsh. Brian’s review is of an older version with the coverless buckers, so I’m trying to find a review of the modern version. You do good stuff… sorry I was a troll!
@@jasenkinart oh, no worries, dude. It’s all good. Sometimes I just barely have time to put these vids together. I should always add some clean tones. And, thanks ✌️
I'm glad you like your latest purchase. Enjoy it.
Thanks!
Another fantastic intro Jam - sounding great!!
Thanks!
dunno if anyone gives a shit but if you're bored like me atm you can stream pretty much all of the new series on instaflixxer. Been binge watching with my brother recently =)
@Douglas Jamison Definitely, been watching on instaflixxer for since november myself =)
I have this guitar in cherry sunburst. 2015 model I got in clearance in 2016 for $649 brand new. Amazing workhorse guitar. The HFS and Vintage Bass pickups sound great in humbucker mode and in split coil mode. Not a significant volume drop in single coil mode like there are on so many coil split humbuckers. Guitar is a total workhorse. Satin neck feels very nice. Frets are impeccable. PRS is amazing quality wise. Everything from their SE series to their core models have amazing quality.
Dude, you're on fire!! how low is the action?!
Hahaha. Thanks! It's really low, but not quite as low as it can go.
Great video. You mentioned the neck is a little thicker than the Thin. Does it have a good amount of shoulders? I find it helps to have something to hang on to, especially when bending.
Thanks. Yes, plenty to hold on to.
@@tonlarj37 one more question. How is the trem on these. Is it smooth and how is the tuning stability? Thanks.
@@willman100 very smooth and solid tuning
@@tonlarj37 I read that you sold this guitar and bought a higher end PRS. Any particular reason? Which model did you upgrade to? Will you make a video demo and review of the new one? I am really liking the quality of these PRS guitars. I am new to PRS, but it's exciting, as I believe these guitars are in another league in terms of quality components and QC.
@@willman100 yes. I sold both S2 and CE24 and another guitar to upgrade to a custom 24. Only because I found something on the rare side. I hope to do a video. Honestly, it was a wishlist want, not a need. I can do the same thing with all of them. Quality is outstanding on all, but the Custom 24 has the best features PRS makes.
You look happiest playing Prs'...
Actually the S stands for Shelbyville (formerly known as Morganville)
No, it’s Stevensville.
@@allanjcarpenter No, Morganville is now known as Shelbyville.
According to the PRS website, it’s Stevensville:
“Meaning “Stevensville 2,” the S2 Series is named for a second manufacturing line created inside the PRS Stevensville, MD shop that blends new manufacturing techniques with practiced quality control and workmanship to create instruments at a new price point for players.”
@@allanjcarpenter Paul Reed Smith himself said "I caught the ferry over to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for my shoe, so I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days." So, you're wrong.
@J L That doesn’t have any bearing on what the S in S2 stands for.
Absolutely killer playing and great review. I wish more companies would do stuff like this, USA made with overseas parts to keep the cost at $999. I had an S2 Mira that I picked up for $700, one of my favorite guitars I've ever had but the body and finish were just too retro for me...sounded and played better than $1500+ guitars I've played though. I'm thinking of picking up one of the S2 Standard 22 fret Satin versions in either the Black or White, do you think those pickups could handle heavier stuff in lower tunings? My channel is primarily playing stuff in Drop B so that's the only thing I'm worried about. At that price though especially if I got one used, I could probably get a PRS Metal pickup or a Duncan Distortion for the bridge if they wouldn't cut it.
Thanks! I actually have this guitar setup in drop C# for heavier music. I'm sure there are better pickups, but I actually like these pickups for the heavier stuff, too. It's subjective. But yeah, for the price... hard to beat.
@@tonlarj37 Oh awesome, good to know! Thanks for the reply, I'll definitely give them a fair shot before swapping anything out.
Picked up one of these 6 Nov 2020 it's the same as yours but in antique white and with black pickguard very enjoyable to play I would recommend
this guitar to anyone that loves good frett work locking tuners and lightweight make my Gibson Les Paul standard fill a ton weight :-) oh yes and subscribed PS I'm in England UK
Thanks. Absolutely agree!
great video. I didn't know PRS makes a USA guiter under 1k $
they ain't 1000 anymore. in one year they went up 400
I picked up a '21 made one of these in Antique White, its gorgeous and sounds great! I use it more for drop Bb tuning (my Am Pro II Tele I keep in standard tuning), but it can go toe to toe with my more expensive Telecaster. The satin finish is great, and above all it resonates SO well unplugged, a good indicator of a well-made instrument. When you can pick one of these up for just south of $1k, this is the guitar that really bridges the gap between the learner "1st guitar" and an actual professional tool.
Cool! I actually have mine in drop C# at the moment. Totally agree... Such great guitars! Congrats!
GREAT REVIEW AND LEAD PLAYING !!! I would have enjoyed hearing the chunk rhythms too because right now my main interest is rhythm metal playing.
Thanks! I actually have another jam with a little of that ready to go. Just trying to find time to shoot the video.
Nice video and guitar. I first found your channel in a Kiesel solo contest video and was immediately blown away by your playing. You’ve become one of my favorite TH-cam guitarist because you’re very informative and get right to the point. I’ll still be watching when you’re channel gets the recognition it deserves.
Wow! Thank You! And, thank you for the kind words.
This may very well be THE video that drives me to finally buy one of these. Thank you, Tony.
For some reason, I’ve resisted PRS guitars for decades but I’m starting to go down the PRS rabbit hole. I have yet to hear one that doesn’t sound amazing. It really seems to be a workhorse and a player’s guitar. Only problem is there are far too many choices!!
Those S2 satins are super underrated. I got an s2 singlecut and a standard 24 both below $800 new. The 58/15s in them sound very good, the ones with HFS or 85/15s are a bit worse IMO.
i have the walnut one from a couple years ago. 85/15s pickups uncovered . i am still a beginner guitarist but i really like it.
6 pounder? Hope once I get mine it's a good under 7 at least, my new semi hollow Vela sparkle green is a 6.1, and my DC3 a good 7.1 which has always been the best prs ever and best neck it's like a slimmer pattern reg
I have a ce24 with the pattern thin neck and i love it, I've been looking into getting one of these but I'm a little worried the neck will be too thick. How does it compare to the neck on the CE24? I had a Gibson les paul with a 59 style neck and really hindered my playing and speed.
It’s a personal thing. I like the pattern regular neck better. I actually play faster on a CE thin neck, but play cleaner arpeggios on the regular pattern neck that’s a little thicker. The S2 isn’t a 59 LP thick, though. I’m planning to do a video on this topic in January.
@@tonlarj37 Great, thanks for the reply, looking forward to the video.
Good video, I'm thinking about buying one of these guitars, but I have small hands, so I'm wondering if this would be a good guitar for me. I guess that I'll have to try one out in person to be sure.
Have you looked into deangelico guitars?
Is it a floating tremolo? I mean, are you limited to dives only or you can also pull the bar for a slight higher pitch on a note?
It's a floating Trem. I've installed a Trem stopper, though. To engage for dropped tunings.
@@tonlarj37 thank you very much. Can you tell me what tools are included with this instrument?
@@DevanArya basic wrenches and tremolo bar.
Just one last question before I actually buy it.
Is the beveled tremolo cover plate on the back of the guitar annoying or it goes barely unnoticed?
@@DevanArya I personally never pay that much attention to it. I almost always take it off and keep it off. That's just me, though.
Damn why did they make the lower body cut so big