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The return of PRS’ Swamp Ash Special made headlines last year as the much-loved HSH design was reprised and refined as an exclusive addition to the firm’s affordable SE series. Now our intrepid demo guru, Paul Riario, has got the bird in his hands…
A model with a cult following, the Swamp Ash Special was part of PRS’ core line-up from 1996 to 2009 (and again in a brief reappearance from 2011-2012) and is prized for its unique construction and tonal flexibility.
The 2024 SE model builds on that base, still championing the tonewood to which it owes its name – and that is so admired for its open-pored resonance – with a solid swamp ash body shaped to a shallow violin carve.
It’s paired with a bolt-on maple neck (in PRS’ Wide Thin profile – Paul’s favorite) with a 22-fret maple fingerboard and 25” scale length, plus a set of the brand’s renowned bird inlays, which really pop against the light maple fretboard.
(Image credit: PRS Guitars)
As we’ve come to expect from the SE models, the build quality does not cut corners, despite the lower price. Indeed, there is even an embellishment here that you find on the original PRS builds – in the form of a scarfed neck joint, offering improved comfort and access to the upper frets.
Of course, alongside the tonal characteristics of the wood itself, one of the reasons the previous Swamp Ash Specials built a dedicated following was the variety of tones on offer and, as Paul demonstrates above, the SE model does not disappoint on that front.
First up you have the HSH pickup configuration, offering a pair of 85/15 “S” humbuckers in the bridge and neck and a new PRS-Designed AS-01 single coil in the middle. The ‘AS’ denotes the Alnico and Steel core, which PRS says “adds mass… helping to create a more powerful sound.”
Then there’s a three-position toggle switch, plus a push-pull tone control – offering a total of six different pickup combinations.
You can hear them put through their paces by Paul above and in PRS’ own demo, too. However, it’s safe to say you’re going to have no trouble rustling up everything from T-style twang, to blues, country and chunky rock tones.
“The PRS SE Swamp Ash Special delivers percussive attack, lively dynamics and the distinctive resonance that swamp ash is known for,” concludes Paul Riario.
“Add to that PRS’ unparalleled craftsmanship in its SE series, refined playability, and the versatile variety of having full humbucking and single coil tones … make the SE Swamp Ash Special the total package in one guitar. Definitely check it out.”
For more information, check out the PRS YouTube channel or head to PRS.
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