PRS CE Guitars! Opinions???

[KW89]

Hey guys I am looking at a 1996 PRS CE 24 Blue Holoflake. The guy is asking $800 and it has been pretty regularly gigged (some scratches/dings). Can you guys shed some light on this particular guitar and the CE series guitars in general? Components? Sound quality? Versatility?
Thanks,
KW89

[sleary]

I've owned a prs ce 22 since October . Mine was beat up a bit as well. Honestly, the ce's are a hit with any players. Versatility out the wazoo lol. Sound....that would depend on what pickups are in it. Could have dragon 2's or maybe HFS bass/treble. Also without seeing pics , a five way rotary could be in it or changed to a three way with a coil tap. Now for $ 800 , you may want to snag it quick. That's a great price however I'd post pics here and also send them to Prs's customer service just to make sure it's legit.

[KW89]

http://cdn1.gbase.com/usercontent/gear/2830899/p1_uldwq2ri5_so.jpgI found this image on Google but this is the same model/color.

[KW89]

http://images.craigslist.org/3oc3N23H65La5Na5F8d2f714ae02b6ab31650.jpgThis is a picture of the actual guitar. It is actually a 24 I made a typeo.
Thank for the advice!!

[John Beef]

$800 for a USA made PRS in playable condition is a steal no matter what the model, IMHO. Like sleary said, as long as it's not a fake.

As for whether it's the right PRS for you, that's another story. Some people greatly prefer them. They have maple necks that will give you a snappier sound than their mahogany necked brethren.

EDIT: looks legit to me. Probably has HFS/Vintage bass pickups and looks like a rotary. Is that a factory finish or a refin?

[sleary]

Ce24 for $800? Go play it and get on that quick ....geez that's a steal....

[sleary]

Actually it's called "blue hollow flake" nice finish ....

[KW89]

http://images.craigslist.org/3E83G53o25Gb5E25F1d2f051f910ca8ac1596.jpgIs there supposed to be 5 springs in the back? is this an issue?

[sergiodeblanc]

Ce's are great guitars, I own two and they are the most alive feeling guitars I have ever played! I would buy that in a second if I were you! I promise you won't be disappointed.

[John]

CE's are great guitars! They're so good that I have 2 of them. :)

[sergiodeblanc]

CE's are great guitars! They're so good that I have 2 of them. :)

Yup. Gotta have two.

[_pete_]

I bought my 95 CE24 (black) for $800 also and it was worth every penny plus more.
CE's are monster guitars. They play great, sound great, are very comfy, and extremely versatile.
Jump on it. At worst you could flip it for a profit.

[]-[ @ n $ 0 |v| a T ! ©]

CE's are fantastic guitars. $800 is a solid price. You'll even have enough cash left over for custom paint via the PTC if all the bumps and bruises bug you.

[jbird]

Is that not a rarity? A CE w/hollow flake finish? OMG!

[CE-man]

CE's are great guitars for the money. The early ones 88-95 are made from alder and starting in 89 may have a maple top. In 96 PRS started using mahogany for the body and capping it with maple. The necks are maple and topped with a rosewood or maple fingerboard. As you know they have bolt-on necks and come in 24 or 22 fret versions. Again the early versions came with a metal 3-way toggle switch later replaced by a 5-way selector. The 5 way will offer both humbucking and single coil sounds for a great range and variety in tone. They have been discontinued but there are many used ones for the taking. Used prices are all over the place, good clean early versions can bring up to 2K but an average price for most are about 1000-1300 dollars. The 96 you're looking at with holo-flake finish is a good find for $800.00. I think you'll find the CE to be a great value and a guitar that will serve you for years to come.

[Brad737]

CEs rock. If you don't buy that one, please forward the seller's info, cuz I'll take it.

[Brad737]

My 1994 CE-22 has a mahogany body with maple top.


CE's are great guitars for the money. The early ones 88-95 are made from alder and starting in 89 may have a maple top. In 96 PRS started using mahogany for the body and capping it with maple. The necks are maple and topped with a rosewood or maple fingerboard. As you know they have bolt-on necks and come in 24 or 22 fret versions. Again the early versions came with a metal 3-way toggle switch later replaced by a 5-way selector. The 5 way will offer both humbucking and single coil sounds for a great range and variety in tone. They have been discontinued but there are many used ones for the taking. Used prices are all over the place, good clean early versions can bring up to 2K but an average price for most are about 1000-1300 dollars. The 96 you're looking at with holo-flake finish is a good find for $800.00. I think you'll find the CE to be a great value and a guitar that will serve you for years to come.

[CantankerousCarl]

My 1994 CE-22 has a mahogany body with maple top.

I thought all pre 1996's were alder-bodied...is it different with the 22s vs 24s.

And agreed that CEs are like potato chips...you can't have just one. If I bite the bullet on anything else this year at all it will be another CE.

Agree with the consensus...at that price you are only a little higher than a new SE Custom 24, and while those are great guitars for the money, the CEs are truly special.

[_pete_]

As I understand it, CE's went to the mahogany/maple combo in 1995.
From the PRS site:
"CLASSIC ELECTRIC (CE BOLT-ON): 1988 - Current. 24-fret maple neck, unfaced headstock, dot inlays, alder body, PRS Vintage pickups, tone control, and 3-way toggle selector. Rosewood fretboard, wide-thin neck options by ’89. Black headstock face and 5-way rotary switch by mid-’89. HFS Treble/Vintage Bass finalized by ’91. Maple top version- the CE Bolt-on Maple Top- added in ’89. Mahogany body/ back from ’95 as well as stop-tail option. Solid Mahogany body discontinued in 2000, stop tailpiece & regular neck profile discontinued in 2001. Offered as wide thin, tremolo only from 2001."

My 95 CE has a mahogany back & maple top.

[DirtyMoonsRJT]

I have an all mahogany ce22 from 1994.


BTW...I think that holoflake is a great find...I would grab it.

[sleary]

Mine is beat up, scarred and very well loved. One guitar I can't see myself getting rid off....

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk18/swleary/20130105_145834.jpg

[claythomas]

I have 6 CE's dating from 1988-2000!!! I love these! They have never let me down and I have abused and loved them all in the same night!!
Any holoflake is a great guitar to have and play!!

[CE-man]

I always equate the switch to mahogany bodies with the move to Stevensville, so if that was 95 then that's the same time it occured.

[Brad737]

If I may, I'd like to give very brief descriptions of the two CEs I've owned. The first was a 99% mint, used CE-24 I got from Guitar Center. Vintage Yellow finish, rosewood board, HFS and Vintage Bass pickups, 5-way rotary. This had an alder body and unfortunately the Wide-Thin neck. If it had the Regular neck carve, I'd still own it. That guitar SANG! I was totally shocked by the tone of that particular instrument. If you've ever heard "John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton", THAT'S the tone of that guitar on the bridge pickup, especially on "All Your Love" and that G in "Hideaway". If I run into another one like that, but a Regular carve, I'll snag it in a minute.

By comparison, my 1994 CE-22 has a mahogany body with maple top, Wide-Fat neck, and Dragon 1 pickups. The 22 sounds awesome, but it's a thicker, more "rock" sounding guitar. I love it too, but it's a very different animal. Granted, the different number of frets, body wood, and pickups are very different, so I wouldn't expect them to be very similar.

[AP515]

... The first was a 99% mint, used CE-24 I got from Guitar Center. Vintage Yellow finish, rosewood board, HFS and Vintage Bass pickups, 5-way rotary. This had an alder body and unfortunately the Wide-Thin neck. If it had the Regular neck carve, I'd still own it. That guitar SANG!

...By comparison, my 1994 CE-22 has a mahogany body with maple top, Wide-Fat neck, and Dragon 1 pickups. The 22 sounds awesome, but it's a thicker, more "rock" sounding guitar. I love it too, but it's a very different animal. Granted, the different number of frets, body wood, and pickups are very different, so I wouldn't expect them to be very similar.

We found very similar guitars. I found a 1st year CE24 with alder body and you describe it well. It Sings. The pickups/electronics were damaged in mine so I put 245's in it and I am still amazed at how it sounds. Like no other.

Then I found a CE22 Standard with Dgaron 1's. Different sound but still amazing. I love both of them. I'm just glad I have two of them. I don't know why people think a PRS needs to be a set neck and at the same time everyobdy raves about the CE's. One or the other folks! I'd like to see the CE's make a comeback but if nobody buys them....

[auriemma]

CE's are great! $800 is a steal. If you don't get it, tell us where it is. Someone here will find it a good home!

[tfancil]

http://images.craigslist.org/3E83G53o25Gb5E25F1d2f051f910ca8ac1596.jpgIs there supposed to be 5 springs in the back? is this an issue?
4 springs are the stock setup for 9's or 10's I don't know why the 1 spring is in the center hole of the trem block? Normally the center hole is left open on the block and on the claw because that is where the ground wire is soldered to.
tfancil

[CE-man]

4 springs are the stock setup for 9's or 10's I don't know why the 1 spring is in the center hole of the trem block? Normally the center hole is left open on the block and on the claw because that is where the ground wire is soldered to.
tfancil

Maybe it's a replacement spring and it's just too long, so it was put in at an angle. (?)

[VHTStark]

LOVE CE's. Yet another I will have to add to the collection someday. One of the best sounding electrics I have played is a friends old alder bodied CE with a maple board.
Also like the mahogany/maple combo ones.....great rock guitars IMO. To my ears, they sound like a custom with more 'tude! A little brighter, tighter and upfront.

[HighGain510]

That's a fantastic deal on a cool finish, bumps or not! CE's are a great value, $800 for a guitar built in the USA is always a good deal and having owned a dozen CE's I'm confident that you'd end up with a winner. I've had some sound/play better than others but they've all been very solid! :D