The Alder Satin offers a different way to get into a USA-made CE 24 for less
Paul Reed Smith has made a pretty bold move with the CE 24 line. The new PRS CE 24 Alder Satin is a Guitar Center exclusive that brings a USA-made PRS down to $1,999 while retaining many of the specifications found on the standard CE 24. The big question is what PRS had to change to get the price under $2,000, and whether those changes are worth it. I’ve been comparing the Alder Satin directly against a standard CE 24 to find out.
What Is the PRS CE 24 Alder Satin?
The CE 24 debuted in 1988 and has become one of PRS’s most recognizable guitars. It’s also one of the more affordable ways to get into a USA-made PRS. The new CE 24 Alder Satin takes that familiar design and changes some of the materials and finishes to bring the price down to $1,999.
It’s still made in the USA and shares roughly 80% of the specifications of the standard CE 24, but there are some significant differences. The Alder Satin is exclusive to Guitar Center and comes in several finishes that give the guitar a very different personality from the traditional CE 24.
Alder Body and No Maple Cap
The biggest change is the body construction. The standard CE 24 features the traditional PRS construction with a maple cap, while the Alder Satin uses an alder body without the maple cap. That change helps reduce the cost while also giving the guitar a completely different visual identity.
Instead of the figured maple tops and high-gloss appearance PRS is known for, you’re getting a much simpler finish that puts the focus on the color, hardware, and overall shape of the guitar. It’s a significant departure from the standard CE 24, but that’s also what makes the Alder Satin interesting.
Ultra-Thin Nitro Finish
The finish is another major difference. The standard CE 24 uses a high-gloss finish, while the Alder Satin gets an ultra-thin nitro finish. That’s an interesting choice because nitro finishes are often associated with more expensive guitars and can command a premium on other instruments.
Rather than looking like a stripped-down version of a CE 24, the Alder Satin has its own aesthetic. The finish gives it a much more understated appearance while still looking distinctly like a PRS.
Exclusive Alder Satin Colors
PRS and Guitar Center are offering the Alder Satin in several exclusive colors, including Mavis Mint, Metallic Blue, Pearl White, and Red Apple Metallic. All of these finishes use the ultra-thin nitro treatment, giving the guitars a very different look from the traditional high-gloss CE 24.
The blacked-out treatment continues onto the neck and hardware, which works particularly well with the metallic finishes. It’s a much more modern and understated look compared with the figured maple tops typically associated with PRS.
Blacked-Out Neck and Hardware
One of the coolest visual changes is the neck. The Alder Satin features a blacked-out maple neck with a black nitro finish. The satin treatment makes the neck feel smooth and avoids the sticky feeling that some players experience with glossy neck finishes.
The guitar also gets black hardware throughout, including the open-gear tuners, neck plate, and cavity covers. On the front, you’re getting a matte finish with a gold PRS logo and a steel truss rod cover. It’s a very different look from the traditional glossy CE 24, but it works particularly well with the darker hardware and unique finishes.
PRS Didn’t Strip Away the Important Specs
This is where the CE 24 Alder Satin gets interesting. While PRS made some significant changes to the wood and finish, the company didn’t simply remove the features that make the standard CE 24 what it is.
The Alder Satin still gets the familiar bolt-on maple neck, the same basic CE 24 design, and the same pickups found on the standard model. That’s important because the pickups, hardware, and playing experience are a big part of what people are looking for when they buy a CE 24.
PRS 85/15 Pickups
The Alder Satin comes equipped with the same 85/15 pickup set found on the standard CE 24. That’s a pretty important decision because pickups have a huge impact on the sound and versatility of a guitar.
The tone control also retains its push-pull functionality, allowing you to split the pickups for additional sounds. So while PRS changed the body wood and finish to bring the price down, it didn’t cheapen the electronics to hit the lower price point.
Same PRS Hardware and Tremolo
The Alder Satin also retains the PRS hardware and locking tuners found on the standard CE 24. The familiar CE 24 design is still here: a bolt-on maple neck, 85/15 pickups, coil splitting, PRS tremolo, and the familiar CE 24 feel and layout.
That makes this much more than a cosmetic variation of the guitar. The Alder Satin retains many of the specifications that make the standard CE 24 what it is, while changing some of the materials and aesthetics to reach the lower price.
How Does the CE 24 Alder Satin Sound?
This guitar sounds like a CE 24. During testing, I ran the Alder Satin through clean tones, heavier sounds, riffs, and different pickup configurations. The 85/15 pickups are extremely versatile and handle everything from clean tones to higher-gain sounds without feeling limited to one particular style of music.
The important thing here is that the lower price doesn’t come from replacing the pickups with a cheaper set. You’re still getting the same basic pickup platform as the standard CE 24, and the Alder Satin has the versatility you’d expect from the design.
What Did PRS Change to Get Under $2,000?
When you look at the two guitars side by side, the cost-cutting decisions become pretty clear. PRS changed the body wood, removed the maple cap, and used a different finish and aesthetic treatment.
Those are meaningful differences, but they’re also areas that allow PRS to bring the price down while retaining many of the specifications found on the standard CE 24. The pickups, neck construction, hardware, tremolo, and overall design remain largely the same.
That’s what makes the Alder Satin particularly interesting at $1,999. PRS has changed the areas that are most visible, while keeping many of the components that directly affect how the guitar plays and sounds.
Is the PRS CE 24 Alder Satin Worth $1,999?
$1,999 is still a significant amount of money for a guitar. But when you compare it directly to the standard CE 24, you have to consider what you’re actually paying extra for.
The standard CE 24 gives you the traditional PRS aesthetic, including the high-gloss finish and figured maple tops. Those are beautiful features, but they also come with a higher price. With the Alder Satin, you’re giving up that traditional look in exchange for a lower price and a completely different aesthetic.
If what you really want is a USA-made PRS CE 24 with the bolt-on maple neck, PRS tremolo, 85/15 pickups, and coil splitting, the Alder Satin gives you that familiar CE 24 experience for under $2,000.
Final Thoughts
I think PRS made some smart choices with the CE 24 Alder Satin. Instead of cutting back on the pickups, hardware, or functionality, the company focused the compromises on the body wood, maple cap, and finish.
That creates a guitar that is noticeably different from the standard CE 24 without giving up many of the specifications that make the CE 24 such a popular design. You’re still getting a USA-made guitar with the 85/15 pickups, coil splitting, PRS tremolo, bolt-on maple neck, and the familiar CE 24 design.
The $1,999 price also makes this a very interesting alternative to the standard CE 24. If you want the traditional figured maple PRS look, the standard CE 24 gives you that. But if you’re more interested in the CE 24 design and specifications and don’t need the figured maple top, the Alder Satin offers a different way to get into a USA-made CE 24 for less.
And the fact that you’re getting an ultra-thin nitro finish, 85/15 pickups, PRS hardware, coil splitting, and the CE 24 design for under $2,000 makes this Guitar Center exclusive worth a serious look.
PRS CE 24 Alder Satin Pros & Cons
Pros
USA-made construction, $1,999 price, 85/15 pickups, coil splitting, PRS tremolo, bolt-on maple neck, ultra-thin nitro finish, unique finishes, blacked-out hardware, familiar CE 24 design
Cons
No maple cap, alder body instead of the standard CE 24 construction, lacks the traditional figured PRS top, Guitar Center exclusive availability, still a significant $1,999 investment
Disclosure: Guitar Center provided the CE 24 Alder Satin to Music for Miles at no cost for review. The guitar was provided as a loaner and is not being kept. The standard CE 24 used for comparison was purchased personally.
Ready to Get One?
If you decide to purchase this gear, consider using one of my affiliate links below. It won't cost you anything extra, and your purchase helps support Music for Miles and future gear reviews.
