Algemeen
The PRS SE One Korina – along with the mahogany version – is the most basic guitar that the company turns out. However, it’s not the cheapest. The mahogany body SE Ones – available in Vintage Cherry, Tobacco Sunburst or Black – actually cost quite considerably less than this Korina version and are indeed the cheapest PRS models available, so an obvious question arises. As I had all the SE One models to hand, it seemed only fair to make side-by-side comparisons to see where the extra one hundred and fifty quid goes for the luxury of the Korina guitar. Korina – or White Limba – has been used for guitar construction ever since Gibson made their ‘futuristic’ series of guitars in the late fifties. The Flying V, Explorer and Moderne were all made from Korina, possibly because Gibson wanted to finish them in a semi-transparent thin nitro, allowing full exposure of the attractive grain. It’s no different with this SE One which – although designated Vintage Amber as it’s official colour – has a definite yellow hue and inevitably invites comparisons with the limed-mahogany Les Paul Specials and the Les Paul TVs from the fifties on which the design of the guitar is based. This Korina SE One has 22 frets on a nice dark rosewood board. The fret ends – the first thing I look at when picking up a guitar – are beautifully finished, well rounded off and typical of PRS build quality, regardless of factory location. The neck is designated that PRS favourite ‘Wide Fat’, is totally comfortable to get to grips with straight away and there’s also unrestricted access to the top frets due to a well-designed body/neck join. The balance is good – even though the Korina body is lighter than the regular mahogany – and makes the SE One a remarkable instrument for the money, especially as there’s a good-quality PRS gig bag thrown in. Bridge and machine heads are PRS design in nickel – not cheaper-looking chrome – and the single soapbar pickup has the typical P-90 growl to it, cleaning up nicely when the volume control is turned down. The mahogany-bodied SE Ones have a slightly darker sound and a tad more output when compared to the Korina model, which makes them worthy contenders as alternatives to the current Les Paul Junior – and they’re half the price. To return to the cost difference between the SE One Mahogany and Korina, it seems that with the latter it’s simply a matter of supply and the fact that there’s a lot of wastage involved finding large enough pieces for guitar bodies without flaws. In conclusion, the Korina guitar is lighter, brighter and more ‘airy’ sounding than the Mahogany model, which is enough of a difference in my view to justify the price differential. Straightforward, no-frills guitars with single pick-ups are something of a rarity in these days of ‘more is better’. With one pick-up, one control knob and a non-adjustable bridge, the PRS SE One proves that it’s not always the case.