The anti-PRS brigade

[spirit7]

I guess this is a bit of a rant, but here goes anyway. All the below caveated by the fact that I am (as plainly evidenced by my signature) a PRS acolyte.

Why is it that people hate on PRS's for no logical reason? Not so much at this forum, but in others they are commonly referred to as "dentist guitars" or otherwise chastised for the simple reason that they are ornate and expensive?

The constant comparisons to Gibson irritate me. People need to get it into their heads that PRS is not trying to emulate Gibson. They have a unique tone - it's somewhere in between. Yet I constantly hear them slagged off for having "no soul" (whatever that means) or as otherwise tonally lifeless. Nothing could be further from the truth! I absolutely understand people not getting on with PRS's tonally (I personally don't click with Suhrs as much as I'd like to), but to suggest that PRS's either have bad tone or don't play well is wrong.

I get the impression that because they are expensive and look good, they're an easy target. Fantastically well-made guitars which play like butter and sound great. What's not to like (other than the price)? The fact that they aren't chipped/reliced plaintops with "mojo" (again, whatever that means) is irrelevant. They play, and sound awesome.

Contrary arguments welcomed

-C

 

[spirit7]

I should also add that Ibanez, ESP etc don't sound like Gibsons or Fenders but nobody lays into their tones for being boring!

-C

 

[Code001]

I guess this is a bit of a rant, but here goes anyway. All the below caveated by the fact that I am (as plainly evidenced by my clips) an EMG acolyte.

Why is it that people hate on EMGs for no logical reason? Not so much at this forum, but in others they are commonly referred to as "overly compressed" or otherwise chastised for the simple reason that they are active pickups?

The constant comparisons to Bareknuckle pickups irritate me. People need to get it into their heads that EMG is not trying to emulate BKP. They have a unique tone - it's somewhere in between. Yet I constantly hear them slagged off for having "no soul" (whatever that means) or as otherwise tonally lifeless. Nothing could be further from the truth! I absolutely understand people not getting on with EMGs tonally (I personally don't click with BKPs as much as I'd like to), but to suggest that EMGs either have bad tone or don't play well is wrong.

I get the impression that because they are inexpensive and are used by so many metal heads, they're an easy target. Fantastically well-made pickups which play like butter and sound great. What's not to like (other than the lack of "forum cred")? The fact that they don't have chipped/reliced covers with "mojo" (again, whatever that means) is irrelevant. They play, and sound awesome.

Contrary arguments welcomed

-C

 

[bigdaddyd]

I am not disagreeing, but perhaps people compare PRS to Gibson because got his original idea from Gibson and then refined it. The Singlecut didn't help either.

http://www.hansenguitars.com/engine/ins ... er=Archive

 

[spirit7]

I guess this is a bit of a rant, but here goes anyway. All the below caveated by the fact that I am (as plainly evidenced by my clips) an EMG acolyte.

Why is it that people hate on EMGs for no logical reason? Not so much at this forum, but in others they are commonly referred to as "overly compressed" or otherwise chastised for the simple reason that they are active pickups?

The constant comparisons to Bareknuckle pickups irritate me. People need to get it into their heads that EMG is not trying to emulate BKP. They have a unique tone - it's somewhere in between. Yet I constantly hear them slagged off for having "no soul" (whatever that means) or as otherwise tonally lifeless. Nothing could be further from the truth! I absolutely understand people not getting on with EMGs tonally (I personally don't click with BKPs as much as I'd like to), but to suggest that EMGs either have bad tone or don't play well is wrong.

I get the impression that because they are inexpensive and are used by so many metal heads, they're an easy target. Fantastically well-made pickups which play like butter and sound great. What's not to like (other than the lack of "forum cred")? The fact that they don't have chipped/reliced covers with "mojo" (again, whatever that means) is irrelevant. They play, and sound awesome.

Contrary arguments welcomed

-C

Haha. I am not a fan of EMGs, and yes I have called them "lifeless" in the past but I can't deny they have their own unique "thing" that other pickups won't do.

-C

 

[spirit7]

I am not disagreeing, but perhaps people compare PRS to Gibson because got his original idea from Gibson and then refined it. The Singlecut didn't help either.

http://www.hansenguitars.com/engine/ins ... er=Archive

True, but surely Paul wasn't trying to emulate the tone of a Les Paul, for example? That's plainly not what the Custom 24 (for example) is designed for.

-C

 

[Valtyr]

You think PRS owners deal with hate? Try being a Parker Fly owner.

I don't own one, but I like PRS guitars.

 

[Code001]

Haha. I am not a fan of EMGs, and yes I have called them "lifeless" in the past but I can't deny they have their own unique "thing" that other pickups won't do.

-C

Some hate them because the model they picked up didn't sound good, some hate them because they didn't fit in their hands, some hate them because they look fancy, some hate them because they're expensive, some hate them because people better off can afford them when they themselves cannot, some hate them because someone on the forum said so and so on. The same applies with Ibanez, Fender, Gibson and tons more. Fender can't stack up to Suhr, GIbson's QC is atrocious, Ibanez guitars always sound thin, etc. Some are valid complaints, other are parroting what people have said on forums. The more time you spend worrying about it, the less time you spend playing.

 

[bigdaddyd]

I am not disagreeing, but perhaps people compare PRS to Gibson because got his original idea from Gibson and then refined it. The Singlecut didn't help either.

http://www.hansenguitars.com/engine/ins ... er=Archive

True, but surely Paul wasn't trying to emulate the tone of a Les Paul, for example? That's plainly not what the Custom 24 (for example) is designed for.

-C

Did you click on my link? In the early days, he surely was. He refined his designed over the years and made it his own though by changing things that he thought needed work. He mixed in the best of Fender and Gibson in his own way and did it very well, but your damn straight he copied the piss out of the LP in the beginning, and if you don't think the Singlecut was influenced by Gibson, you are delusional.

 

[chunktone]

I have tried to like PRS. IMO they are not worth half what they cost. I have asked this before, can ANYONE tell me why they have that big, rediculous block of a neck joint? There are many companies that have found ways around that. Is there any reason for it?

 

[Code001]

I have asked this before, can ANYONE tell me why they have that big, rediculous block of a neck joint? There are many companies that have found ways around that. Is there any reason for it?

Yes. It's because Paul likes it and wants it on the guitar. Anderson won't do certain things with his guitars, too. It's just how they are. If you like it, great. If you don't, I'm pretty sure Paul doesn't care.

 

[rockify]

I think people have a tendency to group PRS & Gibson guitars as cousins because of the mahogany bodies & necks. I'm yet to try a readily available mahogany bodied strat style guitar. I agree with them having their own sound. Scale length works well for me.

 

[racerevlon]

I've played MANY a PRS guitar. Most of them sounded good/great. All of them played like dog shit. I've never found a PRS neck I find to be anywhere near playable. All their neck profiles suck and there's also something off about the string spacing. I can go from Gibson to Fender to Suhr to Ibanez to Riszanyi to Moser to Epiphone to ESP to BC RICH to Charvel all day long, but give me a PRS and I become Edward Scissorhands. If someone gave me a $10,000 custom PRS I would sell it and buy 2-5 guitars I REALLY like.

Which brings up the final point. His prices are ludicrous and based solely on perceived value <cough>Gibson<cough>.

 

[glassjaw7]

I love PRS. They look, feel and sound great to me and are consistent.

 

[blackba]

It seems to me that PRS guitars are either a lot them or hate them thing. The PRS owners I know usually have more than one and swear by them and go on and on typically about how great PRS guitars are. Its kind of like they work for you or they don't.

I have never played a PRS guitar. My friends who are PRS players won't let me touch their PRS guitars to try out. I guess they want their PRS guitars to remain elusive. I don't make it to the music store very often, once every few years. I would like to try one at some point, but am in no hurry to make the drive to the music store (closest music store is about an hour away).

 

[MKibanez]

I am not disagreeing, but perhaps people compare PRS to Gibson because got his original idea from Gibson and then refined it. The Singlecut didn't help either.

http://www.hansenguitars.com/engine/ins ... er=Archive

True, but surely Paul wasn't trying to emulate the tone of a Les Paul, for example? That's plainly not what the Custom 24 (for example) is designed for.

-C

Did you click on my link? In the early days, he surely was. He refined his designed over the years and made it his own though by changing things that he thought needed work. He mixed in the best of Fender and Gibson in his own way and did it very well, but your damn straight he copied the piss out of the LP in the beginning, and if you don't think the Singlecut was influenced by Gibson, you are delusional.

Yes you are right and I saw an interview on youtube with Paul that say so! He tried to build something starting with a LP junior ans a Strat. But what difference does it makes if it's good for you? There is so many brands that copied the Fender Stratocaster starting with Charvel and so many more (everything that looks like) and peoples doesn't do the same talking about them as they do to PRS. It's funny to see how people buy, like or don't just because some others like or not!! I personnaly think that the best guitar in the world is the one that you like the most! When I was young I bought so many guitars and brands only because people liked or didn't or whatever but I founded that maybe 95% didn't fit what I liked and probably many of you did also.

 

[lespaul3013]

I love PRS...haters gonna hate

 

[Mokaccino]

I dunno why you folks get your panties in a bunch over that... I've played good and bad Gibsons, good and bad PRS and the list goes on...

This is very simple: you grab the guitar, you like it, you get it. Play whatever melts your butter, regardless of what's written on the headstock.

My 2 best guitars at the moment, my go-to guitars, my do-it-all guitars are a cheap Fender Blacktop Strat (swapped the pups for some that I had home) and a Franken-Floyded-Strat with some Warmoth neck that plays incredibly good. I think I got both instruments for less than 500$ as previous owners thought they were unplayable junks. Gave them a little love and bingo here we are at sunny times.

Play what you like, why would you care about what others think?

 

[GuitarGoat]

I am not disagreeing, but perhaps people compare PRS to Gibson because got his original idea from Gibson and then refined it. The Singlecut didn't help either.

http://www.hansenguitars.com/engine/ins ... er=Archive

True, but surely Paul wasn't trying to emulate the tone of a Les Paul, for example? That's plainly not what the Custom 24 (for example) is designed for.

-C

Did you click on my link? In the early days, he surely was. He refined his designed over the years and made it his own though by changing things that he thought needed work. He mixed in the best of Fender and Gibson in his own way and did it very well, but your damn straight he copied the piss out of the LP in the beginning, and if you don't think the Singlecut was influenced by Gibson, you are delusional.

Dang, look at the inlays on that thing. Not tight at all! Kind of cool seeing what things started out like and then how they are now...

 

[Skrapmetal]

Re: "Dentist guitar"... No matter what brand, I'm not a fan of guitars that get into the $10k (and higher) price range, especially ones that are priced that high simply because of all of their cosmetic adornments. I've never actually used the term "Dentist guitar" myself, but I see what it means. The guitar is less an instrument and more a piece of art to be looked at but never played for fear of dinging it and ruining the value.

I don't have any use for that in a guitar, but it's not specific to PRS.