First piezo-equipped SE model boasts 58/15 humbuckers, LR Baggs/PRS Piezo system and dual output jacks for a wealth of sounds
For two decades now, PRS’s SE range has been one of the guitar maker’s most popular and beloved lines, offering high-quality builds and appointments at affordable prices.
And even with the wide variety of models available in the series, we’ve never seen something quite like the SE Hollowbody II Piezo, one of the most stunning and versatile SE’s to date.
As guitarist Ruben Wan explains at the top of this demo video, “If you’re unfamiliar with piezo guitars, they are basically your normal electric guitar with magnetic pickups, and at the same time they have something called a piezo system, which basically turns your electric guitar into an acoustic sounding guitar.”
Meaning, essentially, the Hollowbody II Piezo is two guitars in one. The guitar is loaded with a pair of PRS 58/15 “S” humbuckers and an LR Baggs/PRS Piezo system, and designed with two discrete volume controls (magnetics and piezo).
(Image credit: PRS)
“One knob controls the magnetic pickups and a second controls the piezo,” Ruben explains. “And the cool thing about this is you can get a nice blend between electric guitar and acoustic guitar at the same time. Or if you just want either electric or acoustic, you can max out one knob while fully turning down the other.”
Additionally, there’s two output jacks (mix/piezo and magnetics), so players can plug into the “Mix/Piezo” jack and use the individual volume controls to blend the 58/15 “S” pickups with the piezo’s acoustic tones, or plug into the jacks separately, so the guitar can run magnetic pickups into an amp and run the piezo through an acoustic amp or DI into the soundboard.
What’s more, Ruben says, “it’s a beautiful-looking guitar.” Features include a beveled maple top and back with flame maple veneer, mahogany sides, a Wide Fat mahogany neck and an ebony fingerboard with Bird inlays.
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
There’s also a PRS Piezo Adjustable Stoptail bridge, PRS designed tuners and nickel hardware.
Ruben’s favorite features? “The biggest pro is that it’s so light,” he says. “It’s real easy on the shoulder. Being able to play and practice with a light guitar is a huge plus to me. Another thing I really like is it has two humbuckers. So there’s no hum, and really loud output. And they’re really reactive and really dynamic.”
Essentially, he says, "the guitar sounds great live, and it looks really pretty onstage.”
To hear the SE Hollowbody II Piezo in action, check out the video above.
Rich is the co-author of the best-selling Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion. He is also a recording and performing musician, and a former editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine. He has authored several additional books, among them Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, the companion to the documentary of the same name.
