How Has the SE Series Changed Over the Years?

The SE Series was first introduced in 2001 with the launch of the SE Santana. Over the last 25 years we have grown our SE offerings to include over 20 models, and made several improvements to the specs and features of the SE Series as our goal has always been to give players an affordable option without compromising the quality of the instrument. In this blog let's take a deeper look at some of the changes we've made over the years, ranging from the addition of Paul Reed Smith's name on the headstock, to our latest pickup ring and tuning peg appointments.

The very first guitar made outside of our Maryland factory was the SE Santana, which retailed for $738. Though it is instantly recognizable as a PRS SE model, there are a few details that are a bit different than the guitars we make today! For starters, Paul Reed Smith's name doesn't appear on the headstock, it instead featured "Santana SE." In lieu of dots or birds the inlays were instead slashes and the all mahogany body was a flat-top. You can watch our from the archives episode covering this first SE model in the video below!

Over time we have continued to inject more and more PRS DNA into our SE models, introducing new manufacturing processes along with improved specs and features! See the strides we have taken over the last 25 years in the images below, highlighting the addition of things like wing button tuners, to the first SE guitar with a maple veneer top in 2003.