Audio and Electrical Engineering
How To Make A PRS SE CE a Forever Guitar — Otherwise Known As, Dear PRS I Fixed Your Guitar Part 2
Dear Mr. Paul Reed Smith, I love my PRS Vela Semi-Hollow SE CE; however, the import pickups and electronics just don't live up to the quality of the actual guitar — not even close. So, I fixed your guitar for you. Again. — Sean
Let Us Get Started
First off I need to say that the PRS SE CE is the best value for dollar guitar you can buy at any price. There are no contenders, it's not even close. You will find nothing but glowing reviews for this instrument anywhere you look. And with good reason. I mean, I have an enviable guitar collection and it was good enough that I bought it and placed it with some very expensive guitars! The cheap import electronics and hardware:
But we are faced with the problem of this guitar is amazing, and easily can stand up with your Strat, Les Paul, fancy pants expensive PRS or any other guitar you may have. The instrument itself is sublime. So, what do we need to do to make this guitar a perfect, keep it Forever Guitar? The problem lies in the most common areas of trying to hit a low price point:
- Cheap imported potentiometers, jacks and wiring
- While PRS designed, still cheap imported pickups
- Again, while PRS designed, cheap imported tuning machines
Again, back to the dollar for value... these items are good enough and I wish I had had access to a guitar of this quality when I was a teenager and starting to play. That was not a reality many years ago. The parts we are going to use to fix this PRS SE CE:
- Seymour Duncan '59 Humbucker matched neck/bridge pickup set. Made in the USA.
- CTS potentiometers. Made in the USA.
- Pure Tone Multi Contact Output Jack. Imported I believe, but still very high quality. You can always use a Switchcraft jack too. I normally would, but some of these on hand.
Wired up with vintage correct wire and a Made in the USA Orange Drop tone capacitor. Note, the one part of the original electronics that is actually really nice: The pickup selector switch. No need to swap that on PRS SE upgrade:
Replaced the stock tuning machines, which are OK, with these amazingly great Gotohs, which incidently are not that expensive and are a fantastic buy. Highly recommend and I will likely use them again:
Wasn't a fan of the stock cheap, black Speed Knobs that came on the instrument. Replaced them with a set of knobs from the PRS Made in the USA line. Also removed the tremelo/vibrato cover as it looks and sounds better, and plugged the holes so it still looks nice. PRS never should have added this cover in the first place:
So how do you make a PRS SE CE a forever guitar? Easy: Replace the pickups, electronics and tuners and done. Your Forever Guitar is right here:
