Paul Reed Smith Guitars CE 22

i own a 1998 prs. flamed maple top vintage yellow. mine came with the Dragon II pickups and has a 5-way rotary selector. Maple body, maple neck, mahogany fingerboard. chrome hardware with a stop tailpeice. it came with a very heavy duty gig bag that has PRS Guitars embroidered on it.

i play anything from bluesy stuff like old santana and hendrix to metal; megadeth, metallica, slayer, system of a down... i use it with a crate gfx212 amp, a digitech rp2000, and a boss metal zone. the bridge pickup sounds good for the metal type stuff. i don't use the bridge pickup too much. you can get some fendery tones on this by messing around with the rotary and tone knobs. but i like the bridge pickup the most.

im not too picky about all that shit and i thought it was set up pretty good. its not too comfortable to play it sitting down but its very comfortable playind standing up. my fender is opposite. my guitar has a very nice finish and a very nice flamed top.

ive only owned it for about 2 months and it seems very reliable.

never had to contact them

I've been playing guitar for 5 years and its the best guitar i own. i also own a fender deluxe double fat strat, an ibanez rg120, and an applause ae-21 acoustic. i got this guitar as a christmas/graduation present and if were stolen or lost i would cry like a little bitch and after i was done crying i would save up to buy another one.

My PRS CE 22 was made in 1995. It features the maple top with the mahagony back and still has the old Dragon (1) pickups. It is equipped with gold hardware, the PRS tremolo and has a 10-top (quite uncommon for CE's) in vintage yellow.

I play rather rough music (references would be Tool, Taproot, Korn, Incubus etc.), which still requires a lot of versatality regarding sound. I use a MESA Rectifier top (new 3-channel), a Boogie Mark III top and a Marshall 6100 Anniversary top, all with 4x12 cabinets. No distortion pedals or other cheap crap! For clean sounds I sometimes use an old Roland Jazz Chorus 160.

I have some other guitars, among them a Gibson Explorer, some Custom Made Strat-type guitars and a marvellous PRS EG (build 1991, discontinued model....) with HSS-configuration.
I never liked guitars with humbuckers in neck position. The CE 22 is the first guitar that convinced me. Overall it offers a very transparent sound and is very "musical". I like it much better then the PRS-guitars with mahagony-neck. It offers more attack and a brighter sound which suits my style of music and playing. The in-between sounds from the 5-rotary selector are not as nice as a "real" strat-like sound but offer an interesting alternative as long as you are not playing really clean.

I have never played a guitar which sounds really better, but there a lot of other guitars which sound equally good (just different...). Even my PRS's (the CE 22 and my old EG)don't mark the end of my quest for the ultimate guitar. So I think a 7 is a fair rating...

I bought the guitar in used condition. From my other PRS I can say that they come well adjusted from the factory.

Well, for a guitar in traditional construction I would say that there is no way to make them more reliable...

Again: I have never played a guitar which sounds really better, but there a lot of other guitars which sound equally good (just different...). Even this guitar doesn't mark the end of my quest for the ultimate guitar. So I think a 7 is a fair overall rating..

I have a 1998 ce22. it came with all of the standard features like a solid mohogany body with a strawberry metallic color, bolt-on wide-fat maple neck, tremolo, locking tuners, dragon II pickups, dot inlays, etc. Mine had only the basic features, but that's the only way i could get it cheap so it works out fine for me.

This guitar fits me very well because I play many different styles of music. I am plugged into an old Fender amp and I'm playing blues, rock, jazz, etc. With the 5-way selector and dragon II pickups, you can get a great jazzy tone, a screaming lead sound, and even strat-like sounds. It's just like owning several guitars. If you're in the market for a quality guitar with an extremely versatile sound, this on is for you!

The guitar came set-up fairly well, but could have been better. But that's an easy adjustment to make. Other than that, no other adjustments were necessary. It was a little bit dirty when I recieved it, but that's what you get with a used guitar.

This is one tough guitar! One that you can trust. You will never have to worry about this guitar when playing live. As for the finish, it does show some wear, but that's mainly because it doesn't have a pick guard. Other than that, it holds up very well. The strap buttons that come on it are very nice. They're very big so there's almost no worry of your strap falling off, but i still recommend strap locks.

PRS customer support is great. I've e-mailed the company several times, and have gotten a quick response every time. Overall, i'm very satisfied.

Overall, it is a very solid guitar. I absolutely love it. It's a great player, looks great, and sounds terrific. The only thing I don't like about it is the price tag. Fortunately i found mine used at a reasonable price, but it is worth the money. If I were to buy another guitar, I would definitely choose PRS again, but get a better model. I would chose something with a set neck (the ce22 has a bolt-on) and a nicer top. But if those features don't matter to you, this guitar is made for you.

1998 Maple Top in trans yellow, 5 way switch, trem. Wide Thin neck (which is superb but does take some playing in). I have changed the stock strap buttons for some locking ones by Dunlop. Dragon II pick-ups.

I use this guitar for everything from delta blues to metal .. it has most bases covered. The bridge pick-up is superb with just the right amount of drive .. the neck pick-up is sublime!. It is smoother than a Gibson Les Paul, similar sustain but nowhere near is mushy. The in-between sounds are o.k but not as good as my Strat. Something I have discovered. This guitar does not suffer mediocre amps! . I have been using a Mesa Boogie DC3 and the guitar sounded excellent, however I have just started using a Cornford MK50H head and cab .. it now sounds 100% better and worth the money. Do not play this thing through a cheap Marshall .. you won't hear half of what it has to offer. It gets a 9 because of the slightly off beam in-between sounds.

The guitar was set up very well at the factory .. but why 9's guys? Putting 10's on it improved it straight away and the only adjustment necessary was to re-tension the spring claw. The finish is excellent but further to a previous review I have to say that the first cut is the deepest! .. I put a slight ding on the edge and sulked about it for a week! The top is very good .. it's figured as opposed to flamed but still looks brilliant. No-one further away than ten feet can ever tell whether a guitar has a ten top or not, and if it did I'd just be paranoid about using it. It gets a 9 because of the 9's!!

My biggest criticism of this guitar is the pick-up covers. They are chrome, and in common with most chrome fittings they tarnish very easily. There is no way to avoid it despite cleaning all the hardware down with a soft cloth everytime (well almost ..) I play it. Having gigged it for a while it has now got some marks on it, but that's rock n roll .. can't blame PRS for that. I always have a back-up (US Strat) because I break strings a lot (again, me not PRS).

Sent them an e-mail r.e the tarnish .. took them two months to respond. Nuff said really.

I have been playing for twenty years. I have owned nearly every make of guitar going at some point but my PRS is here to stay. I guess it says a lot that at one point I had 15 guitars, I now have just 3, the PRS, a Strat and a Martin accoustic. The closest I have owned to the PRS for overall build quality and sound was a Music Man Axis but that was a no hoper after a while because of the atrocious trem set up on it.(EVH might like it .. but why inflict it on the world!!).

2001 model - Black with nickel hardware
Tremolo
3-way pickup toggle switch
Wide-thin neck carve
+ all the other standard options (check out www.prsguitars.com)

I gave this section a 9 because although it doesn't have as many features as other guitars do, it has the ones you need and nothing more.

I play mostly metal and I couldn't be happier with the sound that i'm getting out of my PRS. I use a Korg A5 effects pedal along with a DOD death metal distortion pedal to create some insane sounding music. I play though a Peavy bandit 112 when I'm practicing at home, but when I get together with my band I play though a Randall 4x12 cab. The bridge pickup on the guitar is among the best i've heard, the neck pickup is only decent when running with the distortion pedal, but sounds much better clean. I also own a Gibson Les Paul Studio and a BC Rich virgin series. My PRS definitely puts my other two guitars to shame in the sound category.

I didn't have to make any adjustments at all to my guitar except installing some black pickup mounting rings and strap locks. The factory strap buttons worked better than any i've seen come standard on a guitar, but I don't want to take any chances. I liked the low action, something I was never able to achieve on my Les Paul without getting rattling noises. The construction of the guitar is second to none, I found no flaws whatsoever.

I'm sure i'll be playing this guitar for a long time. I've had the guitar for about a month now and there is no sign of wear at all to the hardware or anything else not caused by normal use. I haven't gigged with it yet, but i'm sure it would do fine. I probably would bring a backup along just in case I broke a string, but I haven't broke one since i've had it which says a lot for the tremolo and tuning system.

Haven't had to deal with it yet.

I've been playing guitar for about 7 years now. I've wanted to own a PRS ever since I first picked one up a few years ago. I've played customs, standards, and the new Santana SE import model. For the price and sound quality I chose the CE 22 because it sounds just as good as any standard or custom, but without all the options and high price tag. I've heard the debate about the pre-1995 small neck heel vs. the new larger heel. Well I can't comment on the pre-1995 heel since i've never played one, but I can tell you that the large neck heel doesn't get in the way that much. Sure it would be nicer if the heel was a bit smaller, but I can still reach the top frets without much difficulty. Overall, i'm extremely happy with my PRS, and i'll be using it as my main guitar for years to come i'm sure. If you can afford a PRS, it's definitely worth the money.

It is a 2001 model, made in the USA. It has 22 frets on a rosewood fretboard. It has a volume, tone, and 4 way selector in the shape of a volume control. Two humbuckers with chrome covers, PRS pickups, double cutaway, locking tuners, and hardshell case from PRS.

I enjoy jazz, clasic rock, and hardcore, and it fits perfectly!! I am using a Line 6 Flextone 2 XL with floorboard. Rich full sound. If nessisary, tons of distortion tone, but can kill in a clean setting. It is all good.

Action is low. Perfect fit and finish.

Withstands anything. Hardware will last. totally dependable in every way.

I have not needed to deal with them. Lifetime warranty.

I have been playing for over 6 years. I hate nothing about it. Perfect tone, durability, and price. I also own a Takamie acoustic electric.

Typical setup: Wide fat neck, Dragon II pickups, rotary switch, tremolo, vintage sunburst flame maple top, mahogany back, maple neck, Locking tuners.

Magical. Definitely the best sounding guitar I've ever played. This guitar makes me believe in tonewood--it just sings! Tones go from Les Paul creamy (okay, not quite but close enough) to Strat-like twang. Oh, yeah, it also gets some nice original tones, too. Going through my AX2, there isn't a sound I can't get. Granted, the amp is pretty versatile, but it covers a lot of ground with my less-versatile Tube Works amp. I did have to audition several instruments to find one that was worthy of plunking down a wad of cash, but the time was well-spent. The bolt-on maple neck seems to be a bit brighter than the set neck on the standard and custom.

Guitar was well set up, even though I got it at GC. :-) Seriously, the action was not as low as I might have liked, but it plays great. You need not worry about "wide fat neck" meaning you're playing a log. It's actually quite comfortable, even though I was used to playing a thinner neck. If you're used to a very thin neck (Ibanez or Jackson), the wide fat is definitely different but it's still a whole lot thinner than pretty much any Strat neck. Though Ed Roman may claim otherwise, the post-'94 neck heel doesn't obstruct access to the higher frets (though I'd just as soon have the smaller pre-'95 heel). Pickups and intonation were both flawless. The top wasn't particularly well bookmatched but I'd give it an 8/10. The trem was well setup and holds tune better than any non-locking system I've ever played. No need to worry about the stability of the bolt-on. It's as stable as any set neck guitar I've ever had.

Seems to be a very well-made guitar. All the components seem to be top notch. I expect to last at least a few decades. Would I gig without a backup? No, but only because it has a floating trem and broken strings really screw up tuning.

Nice folks and friendly. When you call, a human being answers the phone. 'Nuff said.

I've been playing for a little over 20 yrs. I have a '92 Strat (soon to be sold) and an old Aria. Sounds and plays like a dream. Looks gorgeous (probably a little too pretty--I'll freak when the finish gets its first ding) and great construction. Pretty pricy--you've got to play one to decide if it's worth it. IMHO the CEs are a much better value than the set neck models. If it were lost or stolen, I'd definitely get another. It would be a 10 if it cost <$1000, but I definitely can't describe it as a "Fantastic Value". It's worth it to me but a lot of people find it overpriced.

Its a brand spankin new PRS CE22 in birds eye mapel with a Cherry Sunburst finish (GORGEOUS!) bolt on Mahogany Neck and Rose Wood finger board. all chrome hardware, awesome patented tremolo system, PRS' own Dragon II pickups, 5 way rotary switch, 2 control knobs (volume and tone, both EXTREMELY Responsive). This is the only guitar you'll ever need!!

I play in an Emo/Punk band in a small Southern Californian city (Bakersfield, home to the worlds one and only KoRn). I play my PRS straight through the new Crate BV-120 HB Head, and matching Crate Cabinet (no preamps or pedals). My set up is amazing!! I have a HUGE think, crunchy distortion that is perfect for all my rythms, this guitar also sings on leads. It doesn't bite at all, on the right settings of course. It also cleans up beautifully, I couldnt be happier. Eventually Im going to purchase a Boogie Dual Recto (but, I gotta pay off the guitar first). I guarantee you this guitar will make any amp sound amazing.

Paul Reed Smith, in my opinion, makes the worlds most BEAUTIFUL guitars. I've been in love with them ever since I saw Ross Childress of Collective Soul playing on them back in 1997 on their Silent Parade tour. I was 14 at the time and had just started playing. My PRS is a Cherry Sunburst, an absolutely gorgeous finish...PRS has a HUGE array of different finishes too choose from, all to suite your desires. beautiful instruments.

PRS' all come with a life time warranty, who can argue with that?

I've only had the guitar for a few weeks...I havent had to deal with the support yet. But it's PRS...I dont think I'll experience any problems.

I will back PRS for the rest of my life. Never will I need another guitar again. Much props to Paul for making QUALITY instruments. If you're willing to put a some money into your guitar...I highly highly highly recommend PRS. They have alot of models that are sure to fit your desired sound.

Mine is a 1996,flamed maple top,Mahogany body,rosewoodboard,bolt maple wide thin neck w/ abilone dot inlays & trem in a Amberburst w/ vintage red back & natural binding. Made in USA,new factory. Neck is Great,pickup are very nice but I have heard better(Carvin Holdsworth & there cheap!),Very good fit & finish, nice locking tuners, nice old PRS case, The Trem, is as good as my Favorite(Wilkinson VS100) PRS really did a great job on these

I use a Roland amp & a Arion Octave pedal & a distortion pedal some times. I play Jazz/Blues & Metal(hows that for weird). Great metal,blue & rock guitar & can get some pretty good jazz tones out of this baby! I have a 5 way rotary & all the setting are really nice & rather versitile! Goes from real fat bassy to almost strat like, but can't get quite that guttless!

GREAT action fit & finish,but to pricey!!! I give it a 9

Have to say this thing is made to be here a LONG TIME!!!! It's all good here!

I have asked PRS tons of stuff in researching before I bought this guitar! They will bend over backwards even if your planning to buy used as I did & I told them up front! GREAT!!!!

I have only played for 4 years & have many Carvin guitars which I love! I also have 5 Fenders & alot of other names! I am getting rid of my Fender garbage to finance more PRS's but I have to say dollar for dollar Carvin KILLS PRS, but they just don't have the following YET!!! The only thing I dislike is the high prices on used gear but I will be buying more so you deside! Will be buying more & would rebuy if stolen! Great guitar!

1997, USA
22 Fret
Maple top, with quilt option
Volume, Tone, % way selector
dragon 2 humbuckers
Mahogany back, quilted maple top, maple neck
royal blue finish
wrap around style stoptail bridge
locking tuners
wide/thin neck carve
came with hard case

Plays unreal for what i do which is a mix between funk, rock, jazz, and blues.
I play through a marshall 100 watt head and a Mesa caninet.
Has a really rich sound to it.
This guitar can make any sound imaginable.

Action is good and low, but not too low.
Pickups adjusted well.
Top is fenominal.
No flaws.

This guitar has withstood plenty of gigs.
The hardware has faded a little, but still looks good.
Finish seems really deep, no problems with it yet.
Strap buttons are awsome, no strap-lock needed.
Very dependable.
I do use it at gigs without backup.

Prs is very friendly and helpful, when i had questions for them, they emailed me back within a few days with thourough answers.

I have been playing for 9 years.
I have another PRS guitar(98 standard 22 semi-hollow), and Alvarez acoustic electric, Marshall 100 watt head, Marshal 4x10 cab, Mesa 4x10 cab, and a bunch of effects.
I would definatly buy this guitar again if it was stolen.
I compared this guitar to the Les Paul that I owned before it and after i purchased the PRS I basically threw the Les Paul out the window.
I want all of the PRS dragons in emerald green and two Mesa Dual Rectifier full stacks.