The great Singlecut debate: Gibson LP vs PRS Singlecut

Apex1Rg7X said:
I'll throw a wrench into this debate....ESP Eclipse>PRS/LP ;)
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Yep. Consistently great feeling/playing guitars. I have a LP and a PRS McCarty sitting here collecting dust because of my 2011 Viper.

Everything about that guitar just works, and ESP has been the line that I’ve been able to pick up in almost any guitar store that carries them and they’re always plug and play.

Just great stuff.
 
I am lucky enough to own both a R8 and a 594.
They are both amazing.. PRS is more playable for me because of the taller frets.. the LP has a bit more mojo overall as you would expect, it is "the real thing" afterall.

PRS come with more interesting colors as well.. that might be something that could interest somebody instead of the usual variations of bursts.

At the end of the day we are talking about such high end instruments that none will come up as a clear winner.

EDIT: One more thing.. my 594 is heavier than my R8... whatever that could mean.
 
braintheory said:
Agreed, but those vintage guitars are just another level, not fair lol. My favorites I’ve tried have been my ‘57 Les Paul Jr, ‘64 SG Jr and my friend has a ‘57 Strat (best vintage Strat I’ve played) and he has an exceptional ‘56 Les Paul Standard that was retro fitted with PAF’s (it sent packing some real ‘59 LP’s he’s owned). Even the best newer made guitars I’ve played are cute at best compared to a great vintage guitar. The warmth and 3D quality they have just isn’t there with guitars I’ve played that were made within the last 30-40 years

I actually also tried about a year ago a late ‘60’s Les Paul Deluxe that was really great. It was retrofitted with humbuckers and I asked the guy at the store what pickups were in it because it sounded so good. I was guessing maybe PAF’s or early ‘60 pickups and turned out to be just regular ‘57 classics made today. Just goes to show a really great guitar like that can still sound great even with subpar pickups, while I’ve tried the best pickups made today and even some vintage ones in some just ok guitars I’ve had and still couldn’t save them. This would probably have also held true if I tried them in the PRS Custom 24 Wood Library I had, but it didn’t stay long enough to try lol. It did look beautiful though imo
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I agree vintage guitars are usually a different story, but one of my examples was a Norlin clownburst Deluxe (maybe 76-79) and I played it around 88-89, not exactly vintage. Also, to guys that buy ANY new guitar, you don’t pick through bunches of them to find the one ? Charvels, Jackson’s, ESPs, Gibsons, Fenders, Ibanez, PRS whatever ? I know I do...
 
It's all in what you like and are comfortable playing. If you play live, you figure that out pretty quickly.
I have had about 5 Les Paul Axcess guitars since they were first introduced. There were all different in form in some way but all similar in spec.
I know...these aren't anything near an R8 or Heritage or that type of guitar. I get those that have a special bond with them.

Out of those, one was sent back as the neck was twisted neck from the factory. The others had inlays lift, another had a poorly measured Floyd install. I would say out of all of those I had one really good one which I of course sold because I just don't like the control setup on that style of guitar. Contrast that with a couple of the PRS Floyd Custom 24s that I had and those were outstanding in build quality and playability.

I guess I am just more comfortable playing that style of guitar and again, it isn't a Les Paul. It's more of like a hybrid between one and a strat and for me, that works.
 
paulyc said:
I agree vintage guitars are usually a different story, but one of my examples was a Norlin clownburst Deluxe (maybe 76-79) and I played it around 88-89, not exactly vintage. Also, to guys that buy ANY new guitar, you don’t pick through bunches of them to find the one ? Charvels, Jackson’s, ESPs, Gibsons, Fenders, Ibanez, PRS whatever ? I know I do...
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’70’s is still vintage in my mind, although I’ve not yet tried any ‘70’s or ‘80’s Gibson yet that I’d put in the same league as the ‘60’s or ‘50’s ones, but maybe there are some out there. I should try more when I get a chance

With those newer guitars you’ve mentioned, I do have some really great examples of those like some Custom Shop Charvel’s and ESP’s that are keepers and have cool things to offer tonally compared to my vintage stuff, but still overall I wouldn’t put in the same league. For my taste, my ‘57 Les Paul Jr is the best guitar I’ve tried so far and the ‘64 SG Jr is also killer. I’ve not kept up with prices for those Jr’s, but for a while I think they were by far the best sounding guitars you could get for the money
 
Never heard of anybody using old growth mahogany,nitro,hide glue etc and spend months to meticulously carve an exact copy of a PRS....and be able to sell it for more than a new one. Just saying.

And I also hear many people say the newer Les Paul's are often hit and miss,a complaint that has gone back for decades. Tho I don't pay much attention to PRS much,I don't hear that complaint about the stuff from their USA shop.

If I asked PRS for a custom the way I want it(single pickup,Floyd,killswitch,jumbo stainless steel frets),they would make it. I tried for years to get that from Gibson....no joy.

I gave up on Gibson a while back. Got a replica made in Phoenix that crushes,everyone who has borrowed it agrees.
 
Les Pauls are not the be-all end-all. There's absolutely nothing special about them IMO. My Yamaha Weddington is better in every way than my 2013 LP Standard. My PRS S2 Single Cut plays just as nice as my Les Paul and sounds better. Even my Xaviere XV-500, which is a $350 guitar plays as nice and sounds much better than my Les Paul. Don't get me wrong, I like my LP just fine. It's just not the holy grail some people think.
 
I’ve got 2 PRS SC250s from the early 2000s that absolutely kill. I’ve owned a SC245 which sucked and an ‘82 Standard which is great but heavy as hell. Both PRS and Gibson make dreams and turds but a PRS SC will never sound like an LP or vice versa so don’t expect it.
 

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I guess my opinion is just that, but i wonder, are we talking a cherry picked guitar of each build. If we are talking production off the shelf and hope for the best who could even begin to prove that one. PRS has not had the production issues Gibson has over the past several years, Gibson seems to be back to what everyone should expect currently tho. Is it reality to expect any guitar to sound like the one you just put down? I like LPs and PRS, is one better.. depends on whos playing it and thats again , preference. PRS prices are beyond stupid , and used even, shit going for 4k for a used 10top. Both great guitars. I want both. I like both. Do a blind test with a 594 and a LP , i believe thats supoosed to be the closest to a LP, however not a DC IMHO. I owned one for a bit. Nope. Play wise was really cool. Tone wise not. Want to try the SC with the right p/us
 
braintheory said:
’70’s is still vintage in my mind, although I’ve not yet tried any ‘70’s or ‘80’s Gibson yet that I’d put in the same league as the ‘60’s or ‘50’s ones, but maybe there are some out there. I should try more when I get a chance

With those newer guitars you’ve mentioned, I do have some really great examples of those like some Custom Shop Charvel’s and ESP’s that are keepers and have cool things to offer tonally compared to my vintage stuff, but still overall I wouldn’t put in the same league. For my taste, my ‘57 Les Paul Jr is the best guitar I’ve tried so far and the ‘64 SG Jr is also killer. I’ve not kept up with prices for those Jr’s, but for a while I think they were by far the best sounding guitars you could get for the money
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My point was, at the time, it was just a +- 15 year old guitar, hardly vintage (at that time)
 
Apex1Rg7X said:
I'll throw a wrench into this debate....ESP Eclipse>PRS/LP ;)
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I’ll throw another, and I’m not kidding Schecter Custom Solo II, the one I have now I like better than 2 ESP Eclipse’s I owned. I look at the Schecter like the perfect “shred-Paul. Once setup up, they absolutely rip. And they actually stay in tune unlike a Gibson. But don’t expect the Gibson thump and roar.
 
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Had a Les Paul for about 15 years and sold it. Had a PRS for about 10 years and sold it. I don’t miss either one at all. The only ‘single cuts’ I seem to keep around are teles. ;)
 
Love both but the weight of the LP is what finally converted me to a PRS for live shows, at least. There's nothing like the chunk of a LP, though
 
Always felt like the original PRS was trying too much to be a Stratocaster/Les Paul mashup - and it does neither exceptional well.
Then the whole '10 Top' thing became the drawing factor.
 
SkaakS said:
Love both but the weight of the LP is what finally converted me to a PRS for live shows, at least. There's nothing like the chunk of a LP, though
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The Tremonti sig series is a full size LP thickness. Both of mine are as heavy as my LP standards.
 
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