“For the sophisticated player that wants it all: Strat-style slinkiness, the heartiness of a Les Paul and the open woodiness of a 335.” We review the PRS S2 Special Semi-Hollow

The S2 Special Semi-Hollow electric is a unique beast in the PRS menagerie. One of two new Specialty releases in the S2 line along with the S2 Studio, the Special Semi-Hollow is a real tweener, and having been one my whole life (Gen X, middle child, Libra) I’m intrigued for multiple reasons.

For starters, the whole S2 Series represents a middle ground between the flagship Core Series and the affordable SE Series built overseas. As the name suggests, the S2 Special Semi-Hollow also has a tweener body style. Its sleek double-cutaway emanates a solid vibe, yet the body is indeed chambered as evidenced by a single f-hole.

A unique triple-pickup configuration consists of two humbuckers plus a PRS Narrowfield, which is a sort of hummer/single hybrid, located smack dab in the middle. Equipped with a five-way blade selector and a pair of coil-tapping toggle switches, there are a whopping 12 pickup combinations at one’s fingertips for sonic adventuring. Also equipped with the PRS Patented Tremolo, it would seem no tone or microtone is beyond its sonic reach.

So is the S2 Special Semi-Hollow a jack of all trades and master of none, or a stringed Swiss Army knife capable of conquering practically any musical challenge in the hands of one who understands how to use its many tools?

The story starts with the build and pickups. For ages, players looking to maximize tone while minimizing cost have purchased more affordable bodies and upgraded particular elements, especially pickups. PRS mitigated that move a little over a decade ago with the introduction of the mid-priced S2 Series. It stands for “Stevensville 2,” as the guitars were manufactured on a second assembly line in Stevensville, Maryland, right alongside the flagship Core Series. S2 Hallmarks include a multipiece neck with scarfed construction (rather than a single piece), and a beveled maple top (rather than a fully arched top) with a subtler figure.

These days the S2 series is fully integrated into the same production line as PRS Core instruments, and beginning last year all S2 models feature American-made pickups and electronics. The S2 Special Semi-Hollow was recently introduced along with several other three-pickup models including the amazingly affordable SE Studio Standard, which received a five-star review from GP.

PRS COO Jack Higginbotham says, “The deep dive into our Narrowfield technology is obvious with this launch.” The PRS Narrowfield is essentially designed to deliver single-coil bite and punch along with the quiet power of a humbucker. The Narrowfield is physically svelte at about half the width of one of the 58/15 LT humbuckers it sits in-between on the S2 Special Semi-Hollow, and it adds extra intrigue to this modern electronic marvel. There are a dozen distinct pickup combinations, but interestingly, no way to isolate the Narrowfield on this guitar, as the middle position on the five-way selector combines the two outside humbuckers.

The Narrowfield’s situation on this S2 Special indicates its purpose to add extra nuance to the primary tones. It’s similar enough to work right alongside the humbuckers in the bass and treble positions, with their clear power and wide tonal breadth, yet the Narrowfield seems to have a more focused tone that works very well in combination with either one. It’s always complimentary and never overbearing, even when you split coils on in the bass or treble positions to enter distinctly S-style sonic territory.

It took me a while to get familiar with the whole setup and easy to forget what setting I was on during a jam, so here's a breakdown of pickup options along with a diagram:

Position 1 (switch down): Treble humbucker

Position 1 (switch up): Treble w/coil-tap

Position 2 (switch down) Treble + Narrowfield

Position 2 (switch up): Treble w/coil tap + Narrowfield

Position 3 (switches down): Treble humbucker + bass humbucker

Position 3 (switch 1 up): Treble w/coil-tap + bass humbucker

Position 3 (switch 2 up): Treble + bass w/coil-tap

Position 3 (switches up): Treble w/coil-tap + bass w/coil-tap

Position 4 (switch down) Narrowfield + bass humbucker

Position 4 (switch up): Narrowfield + bass humbucker w/coil-tap

Position 5 (switch down): Bass humbucker

Position 5 (switch up): Bass w/coil-tap

Considering how its carved maple top (generally bright sounding) and mahogany back (generally mellow sounding) add to the tonal equation — and factoring in how its semi-hollow body naturally adds air and depth while enhancing sustain — I think it’s obvious why the S2 Special can deliver such an array of dimensional, complex tones.

I mostly tested it through a 1983 Fender Super Champ. Designed by Paul Rivera as a sort-of Boogie killer for the era, it’s quite a versatile two-channel amp, capable of everything from classic Fender clean to girthy half-overdriven tones and searing leads. Between the PRS S2 Special Semi-Hollow and the Rivera-modded Fender, I was able to achieve pretty much any tone I could imagine. The bridge pickup cuts like a knife, while the same pickup placed in the neck position sounds downright balmy. My favorite sounds came from myriad combinations, which was no surprise.

Throw the five-way switch into position 3 and you get a great blend of humbucker tones right off the bat, thick and creamy with a bit of articulation and serious sustain. From there it’s interesting to experiment with coil tapping one, then the other, and then both humbuckers.

My favorite of those options is having the neck in full humbucker mode while adding just the coil-tap from the bridge pickup to reduce its bite to more of a soft edge. Positions 2 and 4 are endlessly fascinating as shaping these phasey tones using the Narrowfield in conjunction with a coil-tapped humbucker is like combining a hybrid with a different hybrid. All the laws you thought you understood about humbuckers and single coils kind of fly out the window and you simply go with the sonic flow that sounds and feels right for whatever you’re in the mood to create.

To make a cannabis comparison, it’s kind of like the indica verses sativa strain situation. In the old days, folks say that the former is heavier, and the latter is lighter, kind of like humbuckers and single-coils, but now we understand that there are so many variables in the cannabinoids and almost everything is a hybrid of some sort, so you throw the old rules out the window and find what works for you.

I found the S2 Special Semi-Hollow fabulous for playing everything from edgy classic rock to smooth blues à la J.J. Cale, and from percussive funk to silky jazz and clean pop. I appreciated being able to seek out and home in on them all in my own very customized way.

Playability on this instrument with its low factory action is almost too easy. If you know where to put your fingers, it practically plays itself. And the tremolo bar action is right there as well. You don’t have to fight it or finesse it much at all. It’s there if you want a little shake with your fries, and easy enough to leave on the side if you don’t. The trem floats ever so slightly, so you can pull up just enough to raise a note by a microtone, or up to a half step in the most extreme case, which is the open G string. Pull up all the way on that to achieve a G sharp.

Image 1 of 5

The locking tuners function well, and the whole system stays pretty darn well in tune. It’s also worth noting that the bridge is small and perfectly machined to be a cozy-feeling part of the guitar rather than some added piece of hardware that feels somehow extra or bizarre.

The Pattern Regular neck profile is nice and full and round, yet feels comfortable in even my rather small hand. I dig the easy playability on the 22-fret set mahogany neck, but I would raise the action a bit or put on heavier strings, just to make it a bit more of a challenge under the fingers for a cat that also plays a lot of acoustic and is used to a bit more of a battle. The volume knob is smooth and perfectly positioned for swells, so you can ditch the volume pedal too. The only issue was a bit of scratchiness in the pot.

I wouldn’t change a single thing about the aesthetic of this gorgeous guitar. It might not be quite not as stunning as some of PRS’s famously fancy and vivid instruments, but this duskier design is plenty gorgeous. I love this unit in Faded Gray Black Purple Burst with maple wood grains visible and some blue hues in the ripples. Add in Classic Birds inlays on the rosewood fretboard and PRS Phase III nickel locking tuners with wing buttons on the signature shaped PRS headstock, and this is a true beauty from top to bottom.

I’d recommend the PRS S2 Special Semi-Hollow to any guitarist looking for a super-flexible instrument, rather than the player who’s totally dedicated to a particular sound or style. The options here are simply too good and too tempting. For the sophisticated player that wants it all—Strat-style slinkiness, the heartiness of a Les Paul, the open woodiness of a 335, along with the hallmarks that have made the PRS electric a modern classic over the past 40 years such as its refined tremolo, systematic reliability, easy playability and appealing appointments—the S2 Special Semi-Hollow is especially for you.

S2 Special Semi-Hollow | Demo | PRS Guitars - YouTube

Watch On

SPECIFICATIONS

PRS S2 Special Semi-Hollow

CONTACT prsguitars.com

PRICE $2,599 with gig bag

NUT PRS proprietary material, 1 21/32" wide

NECK Set mahogany, scarfed construction

FRETBOARD Rosewood, 25" scale, 10" radius, “Old School Birds” inlays

FRETS 22, 25" scale length

TUNERS PRS Phase III nickel locking with wing buttons

BODY Carved maple top, mahogany back

FINISH High-gloss nitro

EXTRAS Available in Faded Gray Black Purple Burst (as tested), Black Amber, Dark Cherry Sunburst, Faded Gray Black Blue Burst, Fire Red Burst, Lake Blue

BRIDGE PRS Patented Tremolo

PICKUPS PRS 58/15 LT humbuckers in the bridge and neck positions; PRS Narrowfield in the middle

CONTROLS Volume and tone knobs with 5-way blade pickup selector and two mini-toggle coil tap switches

STRINGS PRS Signature, .010–.046

WEIGHT 7.4 lbs (as tested)

BUILT USA

PROS Fantastic tonal flexibility. Outrageously easy playability. Dusky good looks. Smooth volume knob perfectly positioned for swells

CONS No way to isolate the Narrowfield pickup. A bit of a learning curve to master so many other pickup configuration options. Volume pot a little scratchy