PRS SE: 245

The first PRS SE model was one that latched onto a formidable name that it was forgivably devoid of a concrete identity- the Santana SE (circa 2001). A decade or so later, the SE tag became an acknowledged nod towards a quality non-American PRS build only because the manufacturer had strict prerequisites when it comes to what should bear the 'PRS' tag regardless of the people handling the production. Fast forward 2014, the manufacturer announced a shift in production venue for the SE makes late in the year; Indonesia (goodbye Korean QC...). This was a big deal because the Korean WM plant bacame a formidable name in representing quality output. Ibanez & PRS helped put Korea on the quality map but both brand names have since departed the vicinity in search of a less costly affair.

Build/ fit/ finish

The PRS SE 245 on appraisal here represents the Indonesian manufacture so all eyes are on quality; a decent, presentable standard is just not PRS enough. The mark has to be higher. This SE 245 passed the initial quality exuberance test; there's a feeling of class there, no doubt about it. There were no anomalies to report in any aspects except for the following minor considerations:

1. Untidy nut finish. The nut was left prickly in many places. I was thinking, there is a simple procedure in getting this done, ie. the factory hands could have simply scraped the leftover bits using basic hardware (eg: blade/ string cutter) but it was omitted. I couldn't help but form a negative impression with regards to working philosophy.
2. Untidy binding terminal. This is perhaps the Achilles Heel of instruments sporting edge binding but we understand that at this price point, the binding is most likely a faux version. Regardless, the one displayed by this SE 245 is a little amateurish. It's no different from the hurried workmanship in some Chinese Charvels I've come across.
3. Action: The instrument in question manifested fret buzz at the upper frets but be assured that it wasn't a product of warping issues. The situation was attended to in the store promptly during the appraisal & a little higher action proved to be the perfect cure; no issues thereafter.

Playability/ tone

The SE 245 isn't a shred machine per se but with a little help from some high gain sources, speed shouldn't be an issue here; just bear with the rather substantial neck profile. On a personal note, I feel this is a deserving neck profile for the instrument, a wide & wide-fat D-carve suitable for many applications. More importantly, the neck matches the overall heavy affair, yes, the instrument is 3.8kg & it isn't too friendly when one plays standing up most of the time but this made the SE 245 a downright winner in terms if sustain & low frequency push. Special mention goes to the tuners for being responsive & holding tuning well despite being in-house models.

Tone-wise, the manufacturer had gone for inherent attributes as opposed to pleasing specific campers. The default humbuckers aren't high output affairs so a good degree of vintage warmth could be had from the neck pickup. In fact, the neck pickup is a good reference for all things 'nice' (cleans especially). If there's any post-purchase considerations, you might be bent on replacing the bridge humbucker (not that it's a dud to begin with) to fulfill a more specific distortion attack, especially for those with prog inclinations & a very calculated opinion of what a preferred distortion-oriented humbucker should be.

Conclusion

You'd read some derogatory comments in cyberspace pertaining to the mere switch from Korean to Indonesian manufacturing when it comes to the PRS SE. These trolls equate the country of manufacture with quality & that's one of the most uneducated thing to do when it comes to standard appraisals. What we should acknowledge is reputation- yes, some countries have a more established reputation when it comes to QC but that is a general affair. To sum up: When 4 out of 5 doctors from Country A are sub-standard practitioners, we often overlook that 1 that stands out from the rest. 

Price-wise, this generation of Indonesian SEs would prove to be a headache when it comes to value for money. It retails for nearly 50% off its Korean counterparts & without showing a proportionate deterioration in quality. In fact, I would be implying disrespect to the PRS name should I allude to quality issues just because the SEs now hail from Indonesia. If you are in the market for a budget instrument with substantial QC attached to one, may I suggest you look at the PRS SEs first.

Overall rating: 80%

PRS SE 245

Product availability: Davis GMC

Price: $495 (bag included)

Thanks to Ram, Chris & Janet for the assistance.