Identified traditionally for its set-neck guitars, PRS has produced various killer bolt-ons, just like the CE and Silver Sky. A brand new model of its Swamp Ash Particular is one other.

First showing in 1996 as a Fender-esque addition to the PRS steady, this time it’s an import SE. Let’s hearth it up.

First, it’s exhausting to disregard the Swamp Ash Particular’s maple neck and fretboard – touches normally discovered on pricier planks from the Maryland maker. The SE is in-built Indonesia, however don’t let that idiot you – its scarfed neck is fantastically arrange, with low motion, 22 properly dressed frets, and their Extensive Skinny neck sample that resembles a shallow D carve. Scale is 25″ with a ten″ radius and fowl inlays. It’s neck is of unusual high quality for the guitar’s worth class.

The physique is a slab of swamp ash, a broad identify for North American ash timber discovered close to waterways. Some Nineteen Fifties Fenders have been made from swamp ash and have been fascinating for his or her gentle weight, however our tester SE weighed 9.3 kilos – within the territory of a ’70s Les Paul. The highest has PRS’ shallow-violin carve, together with various consolation cuts. Electronics are uncovered 85/15 S humbuckers and one AS-01 single-coil, the latter activated while you pull up the Tone knob. A 3-way toggle presents six tonal combos, with and with out the center pickup. For {hardware}, you’ll discover a extremely steady PRS vibrato and tuners, all completed in nickel.

Examined in a recording studio and rehearsal, the Swamp Ash Particular SE defied expectations, delivering luxurious humbucker and genuine single-coil tones. You may spend some huge cash to get such sounds from a solidbody, however this PRS delivered full of life tone for a minimal funding, reminding us of the significance of excellent wooden and exact development. Recordings from the session confirmed that the mix of woods and pickups produced that fascinating bolt-on “snap,” and its playability was excellent.

In the event you’re aware in regards to the weight of your solidbodies, you could not really feel as much as shouldering a Swamp Ash Particular SE all evening lengthy, however its stellar tone can have you considering it belongs within the rotation. As soon as once more, PRS has accomplished a wonderful job porting options from its high-end U.S. line to this groovy import.

This text initially appeared in VG’s January 2024 problem. All copyrights are by the creator and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.