When the DragonForce shredder launched his first-ever signature guitar collaboration with PRS in the summer of 2025, it caused quite the stir online. Its bold style was completely different from anything Paul Reed Smith had put out before, with an all-new body design, Fishman Fluence Signature pickups, and even ditched the birds-in-flight inlays for a brood of dragons. It doesn’t get more DragonForce than that!
Speaking of his new model, Herman Li said, “With the PRS SE Chleo, we set out to create the best affordable professional-quality guitar unlike anything out there. It delivers a unique combination of effortless playability, outstanding craftsmanship, and versatile tonal range.
“It combines modern innovations with classic style, giving players the tools they need to create everything from classic tones to cutting-edge, new sounds,” he continues. “The SE Chleo was tour-tested to withstand night after night of intense live shows, in any touring conditions.”
The model is currently available in a trio of eye-catching finish options, from the striking green and yellow Mantis Burst to the pink Orchid Dusk and the gothic Charcoal Purple Burst, all of which show off a fierce flame maple top – but today there’s a new finish option being added to the list.
Sweetwater has just announced an exclusive Black Satin colorway of the SE Chleo. As expected, all other specs remain the same, with only the color difference being the distinguishing factor. So you can expect figured maple-topped mahogany beneath that jet-black paint job, a bolt-on maple neck reinforced with carbon-fiber rods, and a 20-inch-radiused ebony fingerboard.
The pickups are also the same, with a duo of Fishman Fluence Omniforce humbuckers onboard. These unique active, multi-voice pickups feature a copper-free, layered PCB design and, along with a 5-way pickup selector with push-pull functionality, generate a wealth of tonal options. The guitar is available now at Sweetwater for $1,949, that’s $50 cheaper than the originals.
In other Sweetwater news, the company has just kicked off its Guitar Month sale, where customers can access limited-time discounts, special financing options, and some tasty six-string bargains. In case that wasn’t enough, there’s also a Labor Day sale running now, with up to 50% off selected items. So we highly recommend heading to the site to see what goodies you can grab while the offers last.
