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The SE Custom has additional stages
Also, the SE Custom is made in a very highly regarded factory in Korea.
The Standard is made in Indonesia; I don't know anything about the factory, I'd imagine PRS would have chosen well.
The price difference will reflect the actual differences in the guitars. The same company is unlikely to have a price structure that would allow for such a bargain.
Looking at the Dawson's advertisement images, I notice that the SE Standard has something around the body edge where binding would be expected to go. Either PRS is using pallid mahogany family timbers or the thing that looks like binding is yer actual glued-on plastic strip. (There go some of the excuses for the price difference.)
My anecdotal experience with PRS SE guitars is that they work especially well with P-90 style pickups. Hence, my bias is towards the all-mahogany models - even before any monetary considerations.
This brings us to the actual monetary considerations. The asking price of a brand new SE Custom should land you a pre-owned US-made S2 Series instrument. All of the parts that you might wish to upgrade on the Asian instrument are already present and correct on the S2 range.
I have an S2 Vela, S2 standard 24 and a USA Custom 24 the difference between the S2 24 and the core tone wise is marginal, touch less sustain , definition and treble but the last one is due to the standard being all mahogany.
The difference between an SE and a S2 is quite large.
- a pure mahogany based guitar will have a tighter more focused voice - warm and thick - The maple cap adds more articulation as well as of course the trimmings that make it easy on the eye
PRS SE models offer great value for money - build quality tone and playing performance - look out for used and look out for any end of line deals based on slow selling colours and/or end of line models as well
The SEs I've played have been good guitars, if unspectacular, but surely nearly £1k for one is missing the point of a budget range?
They're surely as good as anything else at that price.
That aside though, it doesn't make sense to compare the new price of one to a used price of another - the SE used would be significantly less than the S2 used.
If the buyer is happy going used then he can get either model used where the price difference goes back to a similar ratio to comparing both new.
We all agree the difference in quality is reflected in the new price of both guitars but the argument here is that a better quality guitar can be had for the same price (albeit ones new and the others used).
I've not played the SE versions, but based on my experience of the full US line I'd take the Standard over the Custom any day of the week. I think the all mahogany ones sound a lot better.
For those who are talking about prices, I picked up an S2 Satin Singlecut new for £799 the other week in a sale.
The Satin finish guitars are great. I have a Vela and the Singlecut I just bought. All my "Core" US PRS are long since gone and I don't really miss them.