PRS SE Santana!

[msteeln]

Havn't seen a mention here, but after reading a new review about this pretty baby with it's unique to PRS 24 1/2" scale and the high score it was given, this may be the '11 hot-ticket item at maybe $500 street, if lucky. I guess these came out well before Christmas... so me and Santa need to talk. MIKorea, standard maple cap w/thin figured veneer, 3 piece mahagony body w/no abalone inlays, has the bird markers, PRS PUs, vibrato, non-lock tuners, and is about 90% killer sound/play compared to the real McCoy.
:happy

As read...
The locking tuners and carved top have been eliminated and the guitar has SANTANA instead of PRS on the headstock but other than that there really isn't an overly large gap in quality bettween the american and korean models. While cut from an entirely different stock of mahogany( a less extravagant grain with a much lower density), the SE retains all of the warmth and sustain of the PRS namesake while bringing the price ludicrously down. The action on the SE is comparable to other PRS guitars and the SET NECK is completely unheard of on a guitar with this price. If you've ever dreamed of owning a PRS or you simply need another guitar but don't want to spend $3,000+ then the SE should be your very next purchase. This is the only PRS guitar that I've found that I could afford, and it was worth every penny paid. This guitar is comparable to any Gibson special I've ever tried out, and even better than a high end Ibanez.

More user reviews...
http://www.musicgearreview.com/reviews.php?man=PRS&cat=Electric_Guitars&mod=Santana%20SE

Pix...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Paul-Reed-Smith-PRS-Santana-SE-2010-Birds-Leather-Case-/250754217902?pt=Guitar&hash=item3a621db7ae

[Beerman]

Now I feel awful for spending $1600 14 months ago on mine! Well, I know mine was made in the U.S. but does that really mean it's better nowadays? Mabye it's my tastes but I'm not crazy about the colors but that's a real sweet price either way.

[msteeln]

I'm not too hot over the colors from viewing on the net, and there may only be three options, nor am I a fan of the tight tiger-striping grains, but in person it might look nicer on both counts. I'd like to see more variations in both, and maybe they'll bust out some eventually, but there's always black which we know will sound even better...

[msteeln]

Last year they busted out more colored tops, but all I've seen in person and on the net don't do anything for me. The black top always looked classier/better, incredible to think, but the colors kinda lacked pizzazz. And assuming they'd be available on the street for $500 was wishful thinking, but not by much. So when I had the $ and saw the blackies at 6 something, new, on ebay, some with 'offers', I lowballed two dealers at $500, and each bit. One chumped out with only paypal, then got really stupid rude in a reply (these guys http://www.ebay.com/itm/2011-PRS-SE-Santana-Solidbody-Electric-Guitar-Black-Gig-Bag-Nearly-New-/170759065892?pt=Guitar&hash=item27c2089124 - it's supposedly actually new), but the other allowed snail mail, and now I'm waiting for Santa to come back. This may be it http://www.ebay.com/itm/PRS-SE-SANTANA-Signature-Guitar-BLACK-w-bag-NEW-Free-6-sets-Strings-/280800528552?pt=Guitar&hash=item41610408a8 but can order newer ones for me should it be sold. So if you want a new one for $500, check the nice guys out and they'll also offer good deals on all items.