Paul Allender - SE Review

The Paul Allender SE is a 24 fret guitar with gold hardware and specially wound pickups that were designed for Paul. Paul’s PRS guitars can be heard on Cradle of Filth’s new album, Godspeed on the Devil’s Thunder.

Features:	9
Sound:	9.3
Action:	8.3
Reliability:	8.7
Impression:	9.3
Overall rating:	8.9
Users rating:	8.7
Comments:	27

overall: 7.8

Featured review by: dennis4rock, on june 26, 2009

Price paid: $ 800

Purchased from: Guitar Center, Orlando,FL

Features: Made in 2007, in Korea. Has a maple set neck with wide-thin carve, 24 frets, 25"scale lenght. Mahogany back with maple top and quilt maple veneer. The purple burst finish is unique to this signature model. Gold PRS-designed tremolo and sealed non-locking tuners. Volume and tone with three-way toggle pickup selector, and PRS-designed Paul Allender treble and bass humbucking pickups. No accessories were included. // 9

Sound: It really suits my music styles, Hard Rock, and Metal. (with some effects you can even have Blues sound). I use it with a Marshall 30dfx\Line6 Spider3 amp and a Boss GT-10 effect processor. It has a terrific attack clarity, creamy response and rampant sustain. This made clean tones almost too bright on the bridge humbucker but fat and defined throught the neck-positioned 'bucker. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar was fairly well set-up. The pickups are a bit loose, but don't affect the sound. The top was properly bookmatched, and bridge properly routed. I would say that the guitar contained flaws. Like the pickup selector always changes directions, at the end I don't know what way is the neck pickup or the bridge pickup. And one tuner seems not stable. // 5

Reliability & Durability: This guitar withstands live playing. It looks like the hardware will last. The strap buttons are solid. I would say that you can depend on it, I do, I use it really often on gigs without a backup. I have it now for 2 years, and the finish is still perfect, like from the store. I think it will last. // 8

Impression: I play Hard Rock, Metal, Heavy Electric Blues, It's a pretty good match with this guitar (of course I use effect pedals, but without them the sound stays cool). I have been playing for 3 years, the other equipment I own is: a Fender Custom Classic Stratocaster, a Gibson 80' Les Paul, a Dommenget 90 custom, a Master Caster 2008 White Zebra. If it were stolen\lost, I would not hesitate buying it again, but because I like changing equipment I won't. There are many things I like about it, the sound, the finish, the inlays, the price... The thing I don't like is that the tuners are non-locking, and the pickup selector is not well placed (behind the whammy bar) it's really unconfortable because every time I want to switch the pickup I hit the whammy. I compared it to many other products like the PRS Santana model, the Ibanez Universe, the Gibson Melody Maker, but I choose this one because it's the best guitar for the price (I think). I wish it had a Floyd-Rose tremolo and locking tuners. // 9

Reviewed by: unregistered, on april 16, 2009

Price paid: $ 750

Features: First of all, I have never listened to Cradle Of Filth and really don't know much about it. Anyway, got this for Christmas last year. No complaints out of the box. A little tuning and it was almost perfect. My guitar guy gave it a once over and now it is Stellar! Stays is tune really well. // 9

Sound: Pups are a bit bright. I play through an MG 100 stack and with good distortion I can get really close to early Metallica (Kill 'Em All). Good sustain and the clean is unbeleiveable! Beautiful sound. The Tone knob works well as it should. The lower you go the warmer the sound gets. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: You can set the action to whatever you want really. I have it set low and there is no buzz and I don't expect any. It hangs really comfertable and is light on your shoulder. Fit's nicely in your lap also. Pictures do not do this guitar justice. The purple is very pretty. It has a binding around the body that looks like dark maple and looks good also. The black and gold hardware really complement the purple. The bats are awesome! They are very detailed and really intricate. The neck is fast, smooth and not too wide. A little thinner (From E string to E String) than the Ibanez Wizard necks, but not as chunky as a Gibson or as frail as a telesacter neck. // 10

Reliability & Durability: Haven't played Live but when I pick it up it is always ready to rock. No reason to beleive that it will fall apart any time soon, seems pretty rugged. Strap buttons are good, very thick. It will take some effort to get your strap on or off. Very dependable, not sure I fI would use it with out a back-up cause you never know. Haven't noticed any scratches throught the finish. Sometimes I get carried away but so far so good I guess. Gave it an 8 only because it hasn't really been stage tested. // 8

Impression: I play everything from Metallica to Willie Nelson. Turn the tone knob and you can get whatever you need. Playing for about 13 years and this is pretty sweet. It is a flat top and the finish is much better than any picture. If it was stolen or lost I would probly get another one. I love everything from the way it looks to all the sounds that I can tweek out of it. The gig bag that it comes with is great. Nice and thick, big straps and a decent pocket for cables, flask or whatever. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on may 22, 2009

Price paid: $ 700

Purchased from: Martin Music

Features: I got this a few months after they first came out back in 2007. Its Korean made, and extremely high quality. The neck is what PRS calls a "Wide-Thin", which is pretty much what it is. Mahogany body, with a mahogany neck. Strat style body with a PRS trem, which I don't use because I'm not a tremolo guy. 3 way pickup Switch, custom Paul Allender pickups. Came with a nice PRS padded gig bag, but its in a hardshell case now. // 9

Sound: I never have and never will listen to Cradle Of Filth. This is an amazing guitar anyway. You can play anything on it. I play a lot of blues and classic rock and a bunch of the old Memphis STAX soul hits like "Midnight Hour" and "Knock On Wood". Right now I'm playing through a limited edition "White Lightning" Fender Hot Rod Deluxe with a Ibanez Turbo Tube Screamer and a Marshall Bluesbreaker. This guitar is nice and quiet, even with lots of gain. Since I play slide in open E tuning, I can get TONS and TONS of sustain from this guitar, and I can get it to sound like derek trucks on the neck pickup or that a electrified harmonica tone from duane allman on the neck pickup. I play with a big mojo medicine bottle slide, and this guitar will SING when that hits the strings! Before I started playing slide, I could and did play everything from jazz to metal on this guitar and it sounded great. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: This guitar was perfect right out of the factory. Action was right where I liked it. I did raise it a bit after a while, just to make it easier for slide. All the hardware is still in great shape. Originally, I had some trouble keeping it in tune when I would use the tremolo, but I just stopped using it because I got tired of the sound. Occasionally it has a bit of trouble going out of tune if you use light strings, but if you use.10s or thicker you'll be fine. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This is a PRS. Their craftsmanship is amazing. I've seen flaws in Gibson Custom SHop guitars that the cheapest PRS model won't have. In 2 and a half years of gigging, I've never had a problem. Everything is rock solid and works all the time. I use this guitar all the time without a backup and I've had no problems. // 10

Impression: Like I said, I play a lot of blues and soul, and this guitar is great for that, and any other style. I've only been playing for three and a half years, but this is my favorite guitar, out of this, a 1980s japanese Telecaster and a Jimmy Vaughan Strat. If this were stolen, I would definitely buy a replacement. The only thing I wish it had were locking tuners, but they're not really necessary. // 9

Comments

[octopec]

Good review, thanks!

[stephen_rettie]

13 years but you play through an MG, i find this hard to believe

[axez_steve_jam]

beautiful guitar

[Paraiyan]

stephen_rettie wrote:

13 years but you play through an MG, i find this hard to believe

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.....nice

[guitar968]

i was thinking about getting this guitar but i already have a prs se custom so would this be worth it do you think

[Paraiyan]

it does look like a nice guitar still

[Thrash_fire666]

was looking at this one but got a les paul instead

[J.J.G.]

Paraiyan wrote:

stephen_rettie wrote:

13 years but you play through an MG, i find this hard to believe

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.....nice

the 100 stack is actually not so lame. still an MG sure...

[haz_uk]

review is suck.

[MLilienthal]

a 100 watt mg

Oh man.

[urnonav]

I just bought this guitar a few months ago. Lovely guitar - both in terms of aesthetics and utility. It's incredible how varied the tone can be if you play with the tone knob and with the pickup selection. However, if you want a thick tone, this might not work. I so far managed to cover Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth, Opeth and also some old school less heavy stuff (e.g. Aerosmith) with this and a Line6 PodXT Live. All tones worked out beautifully.

[archie2k2]

finally, prs se paul allender model review~
thanks

[againsteternity]

That is by far one of the coolest looking guitars i've seen

[Riser]

just need the money now, looks and sounds like a sweet guitar

[Patterson93]

iv had mine for a few months and i i havnt stopped playing it, its great for almost anything the colour really catches the eye aswell, probably one of the most beautiful guitars iv seen

[guitargod1965]

This is one fantastic guitar...looks are so hot that I almost don't want to take it out of its case but plays so well that I have trouble putting it down.

[guitargod1965]

only thing it needs is a locking trem...other than that it is perfect...

[Nirvanarien]

both people to review this don't listen to Cradle Of Filth? So you own a signature model of a guitarist you don't even like?

anyway sounds like an amazing deal and it just entered my list o interesting guitars :P

[dennis4rock]

I have this guitar it's really COOOOOL

[guitargod1965]

i have already posted comments on this guitar but it is now time for an update. I have now had this guitar for a while and can tell you that it is quite simply put one of the most amazing guitars I have ever played. At risk of sounding obsessed with this guitar I can tell you that it puts most guitars costing 3x as much to shame. I was playing it today (like most days) and felt like I was playing a guitar built by GOD. It really is that good. Any style, it sings like an angel. This guitar inspires me to play ridiculous amounts of guitar for periods of time that are starting to tick my wife off. Whether you are playing through solid state or tube, the tone is awesome and the overall playability of this guitar is truly unbelievable. Sorry if I sound like I am in love with this guitar, but hey, I AM!!!!!

[guitargod1965]

a Note to Nirvanarien...try and get yourself one of these beautiful guitars, you will not be disappointed. I promise.

[guitargod1965]

and just to clarify, I DO NOT WORK FOR PRS.

[iMetallica]

You need to buy a locking tuner for this guitar...

[whencowsfart101]

This looks really nice, is it worth the money?

[dennis4rock]

Yeah!

[HannibalX]

hate allender love the gat!!!

[GunLeatherGuy]

I had one of these...great guitar..just dont like vintage trems. Never really knew who Allender was until I looked on youtube. Holy Shit...I will never be a cradle of filth fan...who does falcetto screamo stuff anyway?