PRS SE Custom 24 vs Fender Player II Which to Buy

Around 850 dollars the field narrows to three guitars that players argue about more than any others. The PRS SE Custom 24, the Fender Player II Stratocaster and the Fender Player II Telecaster all cost about the same and all get gigged for decades. They are not interchangeable. Here is where they differ.

Pickups

This is the biggest difference. The PRS has two 85/15 S humbuckers with a coil tap on the tone knob, so it covers thick rock tones and gets close to single coil sounds when you pull the knob. The Stratocaster has three alnico V single coils and a five way switch, the brightest and most varied of the three. The Telecaster has two single coils, the bridge pickup with the twang that defines country and the neck pickup that is warmer than people expect.

Neck and frets

The PRS has a 25 inch scale, 24 frets and the Wide Thin neck, a flat and fast profile. Both Fenders have a 25.5 inch scale, 22 medium jumbo frets and the Modern C with rolled edges, a touch rounder in the hand. The PRS fingerboard is rosewood with bird inlays. The Fenders come in rosewood or maple depending on the color.

Tremolo

The PRS molded tremolo and the Stratocaster two point tremolo both stay in tune well when set up properly. The Telecaster has a fixed six saddle bridge with the strings through the body, which many players prefer for tuning stability and sustain. If you never use a tremolo arm, the Telecaster takes that variable away.

Body and weight

The PRS has a carved maple top on a mahogany back and feels the most like a Les Paul in weight and sustain. The Fenders are alder and lighter. All three are comfortable for a long set, the Stratocaster with its belly and arm contours the most.

Sound in one line each

• PRS SE Custom 24. Thick, smooth, modern. Rock, metal, worship, fusion.
• Player II Stratocaster. Bright, glassy, in between positions. Blues, pop, funk, classic rock.
• Player II Telecaster. Twang and bite. Country, indie, rock, anything that needs to cut through.

Which one

If you play with gain most of the time, the PRS. If you want the widest range of clean tones, the Stratocaster. If you want simplicity and cut, the Telecaster. Read Stratocaster vs Telecaster for the two Fenders head to head, and Les Paul vs Stratocaster if the PRS has you thinking about humbuckers.

What comes in the box

The PRS ships with a gig bag. The Fender Player II models do not. Budget 65 to 100 dollars for a bag or case for the Fenders. See case vs gig bag.

Every instrument we ship is set up by hand on our bench in Athens, Tennessee first. Read what a guitar setup is to see what that covers. Browse all electric guitars. Questions? Call the shop at (423) 462-1894 and a real person will help you choose.