School me on PRS wouldya?

[lespaul3013]

I have a 20th Anniversary Singlecut Trem and a Hollowbody II w/ the piezo...they are incredible guitars!!

People always say that they don't compare to LP's or Fenders or whatever, but they are probably just close minded, old-school fan-boys that don't wanna acknowledge that there are any other guits out there that have their own voice/style.

PRSi are definitely unique pieces...I love everything about mine, I would definitely try some out and spend some time on a few different models to see what would work for you.

They've got models like the Singlecuts that are more in the LP vein, but they also have pieces like the Studio model that are super versatile, unique guitars that have tons of different tones in them...

My $0.02...
Jordan

 

[ewill52]

LOVE LOVE LOVE my custom 24. Wide\thin neck is stellar, best non-locking trem i've every used. Having said all that....I'm gassing HARD for the DGT. Would never sell my custom 24. EVER.

 

[rupe]

I have a few that are great guitars, 2 McCarty's and a Brazillian RW necked Eagle, one of the first run of them. They play great and stay in tune for months. They sound great too with the right pups in them.. Most of them I got used, I've got a thing about "if it rings really good not plugged in, it will sound good plugged in". The Eagle sounds like a Grand Piano acoustically. I've let go of the Custom 22's and 24's I had, the McCartys and the old Eagle sound much thicker to me than those ever did.
Just my 2 cents, everybody has their own favorites. I've had Gibsons, Fenders, Andersons, Ernie Balls and Charvels that I liked a lot too, but have stuck with these longer than anything else I've had.
I always laugh when people make all-encompassing statements about any guitar brand. There are good and bad of everything out there.
Your a Les Paul guy, I was too for around 15 years. I'm sure you've heard some that were great, and some that were beautiful turds
The same logic applies to all of them.

Good post...it really sums it all up nicely. Much like Les Pauls (or any guitars for the most part), they can be very "hit or miss" in my experience. I've played many over the years and although they were all fantastic from a fit and finish standpoint (FAR better than Gibson...I have yet to see a PRS with the finish issues that occur all too often with Nashville's finest), I've found that more often than not I don't care for the way they sound or feel/respond.

Of all the models, the McCartys are consistently my favorites, as well as the Modern Eagles. I also have yet to play a Hollowbody model that wasn't spectacular and wouldn't mind having one. Overall, I still have recommend playing one to make sure it meets your expectations up front...if it does, you should be quite happy with it moving forward.

 

[Ventura]

It ain't no chunky LP. If ya want a baby with back, keep steppin...

SO sig worthy....

 

[rupe]

They do have a voice of their own, and you either like it or not. Sort of like the Axe FX, which has a voice of it's own.

Help me understand what you mean by that...if ever a piece of gear failed to have it's own voice, the Axe-FX would certainly be in contention for that title IMO.

 

[pstar]

Bought a few when they first came out and saw them hanging, was going to commission a very similar custom build, but was going to take a year before competion, and was too horny to wait. But never bought any after that. Didn't feel the same. Scale is between standard short and standard long. Go play some, readily available. Let me know sooner than later on model preferrencel... (hint)

 

[Ventura]

Shout outs to everyone who's offered their 2 cents here. I appreciate this feedback.

One thing I am seeing here isn't the "polar opposite" points of view that I often read in threads about gear - where it's either all-fail, or all-win. Seems there's a respect for these guitars even if you're not entirely a fan of them. As mentioned, I know jackjimmyshit about these guitars. I've seen 'em in magazines and thought they were purdy and shit, but I have no idea outside of this. So this past weekend, was reading the latest "Guitarist UK" and they have a spread on the 408, which caught my eye and ear due to its pups and layout. I also know that PRS are the 3rd biggest production guitar company with Fender and Gibby 1st and 2nd respectively.

I like that I'm reading they "stay in tune". I like the comment about throwing some RRs in there to "rough in up a bit". Maybe I'll do some research on 'em, maybe not. I am just interested from a players-point-of-view. JTyson and jlbaxe - excellent input. Steinnetzify, awesome. Glassjaw - who's in your avatar? Marshall Law, Reza, Geese, Spirit7, Shark, Hunter Rup - the list goes on and on - this was a really helpful bunch of replies.

Keep 'em coming Folks!!
Mojo

 

[jcj]

I have a 245 that's a fantastic instrument; maybe I just got lucky, but that thing sounded better (to me) than any LP I've tried it against.

My oldest son has it these days (I'm a diehard superstrat guy), but it is a wonderful guitar.

BTW- Pickup swap made it even better (Godwoods).

 

[H Golf Sport]

I like the short scale stuff they make. Especially the Santana model. Gets you into LP land. Way more playable and consistent than Gibsons. Control placement takes a little while to get used to. The dgt is nice also.

 

[fluff191]

Alot of people get great tones out of PRS guitars. I personally don't like them because they are simply too damn small and sound a bit thin in my hands most of the time. Not sure why. But guitars are like women: there is something for everyone.

 

[Shark Diver]

They do have a voice of their own, and you either like it or not. Sort of like the Axe FX, which has a voice of it's own.

Help me understand what you mean by that...if ever a piece of gear failed to have it's own voice, the Axe-FX would certainly be in contention for that title IMO.

Well, it sounds like an Axe Fx. The fx are too clean for me. Some people love that. It doesn't color your sound as a TC 2290 would. But I like that color. It's digital. It has that. You obviously don't think it does, I'm not saying it sounds bad, but it doesn't sound like a real SLO, BE 100, VH4, Cameron, etc. But that's ok, it still sounds good.

Can you recored a PRS and convince some it's an LP? Sure. Can you recored an Axe FX and convince someone it's a VH4? Sure. But if you are there, with them in hand, there are certain things in feel and tone and just flat out mojo you will notice isn't the same. Notice I said, "isn't the same". Not trying to start the whole PRS/Axe doesn't have it's own voice debate.

 

[rupe]

They do have a voice of their own, and you either like it or not. Sort of like the Axe FX, which has a voice of it's own.

Help me understand what you mean by that...if ever a piece of gear failed to have it's own voice, the Axe-FX would certainly be in contention for that title IMO.

Well, it sounds like an Axe Fx. The fx are too clean for me. Some people love that. It doesn't color your sound as a TC 2290 would. But I like that color. It's digital. It has that. You obviously don't think it does, I'm not saying it sounds bad, but it doesn't sound like a real SLO, BE 100, VH4, Cameron, etc. But that's ok, it still sounds good.

Can you recored a PRS and convince some it's an LP? Sure. Can you recored an Axe FX and convince someone it's a VH4? Sure. But if you are there, with them in hand, there are certain things in feel and tone and just flat out mojo you will notice isn't the same. Notice I said, "isn't the same". Not trying to start the whole PRS/Axe doesn't have it's own voice debate.

I hear ya. I just think overall that the Axe has almost every voice EXCEPT its own but I follow your logic. When I think of something as having its own voice, I think in terms of it being instantly recognizable...I don't feel the Axe qualifies under that criteria. I used to own the Ultra and agree with your assessment though...I made the switch back to tubes about two years ago and haven't looked back. I still wouldn't mind trying out an Axe II but I have no plans to do so at this point.

 

[Shark Diver]

They do have a voice of their own, and you either like it or not. Sort of like the Axe FX, which has a voice of it's own.

Help me understand what you mean by that...if ever a piece of gear failed to have it's own voice, the Axe-FX would certainly be in contention for that title IMO.

Well, it sounds like an Axe Fx. The fx are too clean for me. Some people love that. It doesn't color your sound as a TC 2290 would. But I like that color. It's digital. It has that. You obviously don't think it does, I'm not saying it sounds bad, but it doesn't sound like a real SLO, BE 100, VH4, Cameron, etc. But that's ok, it still sounds good.

Can you recored a PRS and convince some it's an LP? Sure. Can you recored an Axe FX and convince someone it's a VH4? Sure. But if you are there, with them in hand, there are certain things in feel and tone and just flat out mojo you will notice isn't the same. Notice I said, "isn't the same". Not trying to start the whole PRS/Axe doesn't have it's own voice debate.

I hear ya. I just think overall that the Axe has almost every voice EXCEPT its own but I follow your logic. When I think of something as having its own voice, I think in terms of it being instantly recognizable...I don't feel the Axe qualifies under that criteria. I used to own the Ultra and agree with your assessment though...I made the switch back to tubes about two years ago and haven't looked back. I still wouldn't mind trying out an Axe II but I have no plans to do so at this point.

Yeah, I haven't tried the Axe II either, but want to give it a try. I've been using the Two Notes for IRs, and love it, but would at least like to hear the Axe again just to see...

 

[mindseye]

Besides Hamer USA PRS guitars have been the most solid guitars I've owned.
I've never had another guitar that stayed in tune as well as my PRS guitars, we did a tour threw TX. in August and I had three guitars with me 2 PRS and a Gibson and after being in the trailor all day in 100 plus temp's the 2 PRS would almost always be in perfect tune while my Lester would be all out of wack when we'd get to the gig.

All in all I really dig them, their wide fat neck is my all time favorite neck carve and as others have said the build quality is really awesome!!

To me in the past their biggest weak spot was their pickups but they have gotten way better in the last few years with the 57/08 & 59/09 pickups.

 

[RSRD]

PRS are quality built guitars that look incredible and have plenty of tonal options. They sit between a strat and tele most of the time, in terms of tone...for me. I really love how smooth and easy a CU24 plays. Just don't expect the thick body tone of a Les Paul. PRSi definitely sound on the thiner side in comparison. Many have said the DGT gets close. Not really. DGTs are really nice in their own right but they dont sound as ballsy as a good LP.

I really do like PRSi but they seem to make the way around my revolving guitar door while my historic Les Pauls don't. Or another way to put it is, as nice a guitar as the PRS is, I can live without one. I could not live without a Historic LP in my stable.

On a side note, I don't think anyone makes as nice a top or color scheme as PRS. And, like John Suhr, the PRS is an amazingly great guitar to feel in your hands and they have such great tonal RANGE.

 

[gibson08]

Well, I will add the same, very high quality instruments, fit and finish second to none. PRS def has its own thing going on and I would call it somewhere between a Tele and LP as far as tone (IMO) which is wht I have always liked them, def owned a few. Coming from LP love I tend to pick the wide fat necks and 22 frets, but I am no blazing lead player either (not much of a lead player period ) but they always felt comfy to me. I would second the vote to def try a IRW necked McCarty, probably the perfect guitar as is nothing needed. A PRS thru a Mesa or Diezel is perfection they have this natural resonance/sustain thing going on that makes it really fun to play. I think a man such as yourself that enjoys some of the finer things in the musical world owes it to himself to have at least 1-2 PRSi hanging around adding to your variety, you wont be disappointed.

 

[jwhitman]

Shot you a PM bud. I deal with them day in and day out as a guitar whore and a dealer. I'm also pretty unbiased as I play hundreds of different guitars that come through my store on a monthly basis.

 

[jlbaxe]

The only thing I didn't like about mine was the electronics. Mine was an '07, put SD jazz pups in it but still wanted to change the vol/tone pots but never got to it before I sold it. Play and feel were great.

Never understood the rotary switch knob for changing pup position. Glad they started putting blade switches in.

 

[petejt]

I personally couldn't give two hoots about 'em.

 

[splatter]

I've had 2 . The first was a santana II which was nice but the tone was kinda bland . The second was a single cut that I really liked . It played great and had a great tone only problem was that you couldn't look at the trem or it would go out of tune . I tried every thing to get it to work right but couldn't so I sold it . Funny thing is that the trem on the santana worked great . SO I would not recomend buying a trem model because it is apparently hit or miss with them . I would like to have another SC with a fixed bridge . Or one with a good trem