NGD! (Further PRS content)

[The Scarecrow]

After much, waiting, it arrives.... PRS Mark Holcomb SE!

Only had about 25 mins jamming in the shop with it, but it's got some great tones, and very high quality build; the PRS quality assurance must be tight, as out of the box (literally got to unpack it in the store) it was in tune and well set up.

The SD Alpha & Omega pickups are very nice as well... rarely I find pickups that do great leans and awesome dirty tones, but definitely feeling those vibes. 25.5" scale feels long, but I can hear the benefit in the Drop C tuning... way less bass flub and more clarity. Full barred chords = hear every note.

Will jam it out at band tonight and find out how it fares. sorry for the rubbish iPhone pic at desk! The finish is actually much nicer in person and the satin neck is way better than a gloss finish.

[xCaptainx]

Very nice! I love the look of these. Stoked the SE has the alpha/omega pickups! Alot of their work is in Drop C, so no doubt this would play perfect for that tuning!

I think every single owner of this is in the FB group haha. There's been a huge influx of NGD pics of these. Very cool.

[The Scarecrow]

Very nice! I love the look of these. Stoked the SE has the alpha/omega pickups! Alot of their work is in Drop C, so no doubt this would play perfect for that tuning!

I think every single owner of this is in the FB group haha. There's been a huge influx of NGD pics of these. Very cool.

I was really impressed they kept the SD set in them... they're like $300 USD a set from the SD Custom Shop. Plus, coil tapping actually sounds good on this guitar, so often it's a gimmick that doesn't actually sound like a single coil.

[jeremyb]

He's also a helluva nice guy and epic guitarist, majorly jealous!!!

[sirvill]

Those are awesome pickups, it'll sound mint. And yeah, looks beastly too

[stuu]

Perhaps it's actual coil splitting instead of coil tapping? I had the two terms confused for nearly 10 years with my McCarty. World of difference between the two terms as it turns out.

Splitting makes it a single coil, tapping just takes away a percentage of the copper coil winds, giving it different tonal characteristics and lower output.

[bender]

Perhaps it's actual coil splitting instead of coil tapping? I had the two terms confused for nearly 10 years with my McCarty. World of difference between the two terms as it turns out.

Splitting makes it a single coil, tapping just takes away a percentage of the copper coil winds, giving it different tonal characteristics and lower output.

I'd hazard a guess that there are very few guitars out there with actual coil-tap though. Certainly rare in aftermarket pickups.

[slash-ed]

Nice. That looks almost nicer than one of the first USA Holcomb sigs that I saw at NAMM a few years back. I was a touch disappointed with it in person for some reason. But for SE money, with upgraded pickups already stock - can't lose!

[The Scarecrow]

Nice. That looks almost nicer than one of the first USA Holcomb sigs that I saw at NAMM a few years back. I was a touch disappointed with it in person for some reason. But for SE money, with upgraded pickups already stock - can't lose!

Interestingly I note the SE has binding, and the USA model doesn't... personally I prefer it with.

First impressions at band last night were very impressive. The longer scale length actually feels a bit nice to play in a lower tuning, and retains a really clear, tight low end. The fretboard is super flat and lends well to large chording.

The SD Alpha & Omega pickups are probably the highlight though. Could quite possibly be the best pickups I've ever played (well, for my style of music anyway) - Somehow they’ve managed to design a pickup set that sounds almost perfectly clear when using my clean channel on the Splawn, which is that typical ‘Marshall’ clean sound… yet somehow I’m getting into more Fendery tones now. Then with high gain, you can pick up almost every note and very little bass flub. I can see why these were sold out quickly at the SD custom shop.