PRS Guitars

[justin220]

Whats the general opinion on the PRS range?

I've been promising myself I'd learn guitar for years and this yeah I've finally got round to it. I went into my local and bought a cheapish acoustic, thinking that if I don't like it or it ends up being a dust collector, I've not wasted too much money.

Thing is I'm really starting to enjoy it and fancy adding an electric.

Originally I was thinking about an Epiphone Les Paul (would love a Gibson ) but the PRS SE has caught my eye.
Would I notice any difference? Or are they all much the same? I'm planning on playing both before deciding

Any advice would be much appreciated

Thanks in advance

[Jaykaybi]

I've found PRS SE models pretty 'un-special' to be honest. For £450 to £700 you can get a USA Gibson.

Santana SE - http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/electric_guitars_det...

Gibson SG Special - http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/electric_guitars_det...


In the price range you're getting at, you can't go wrong with this.

Epi LP Standard - http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/electric_guitars_det...

[Justin Cyder]

I would disagree with that. Having owned an American LP, an Epi LP & a PRS SE, I would say the PRS is a decent guitar & easily keeps up with a USA LP.

Tonally they're humbuckered guitars so they'll be beefy, but the key difference for me is the LP & the Epiphone have raised bridges & the PRS has a flat bridge like a strat.

For me, that's a clincher - flat bridge = much nicer experience. These things come down to individual taste. Try a few & make your own mind up.

[AdeTuono]

I've got a PRS SE Paul Allender and three Epiphone Les Pauls. I reckon it's a step up from two of the Epi's, and probably on a par with the other (a pearl Custom) and my Japanese Strat. As always, try a few and pick what suits you best. You get good and bad (subjectively) of all models.

[kiteless]

I'm about to reach 10 years with my PRS SE, and having owned a Gibson LP Studio / Ibanez JS (various models) / Telecaster I do love the PRS.

But, as others have said, try before you buy.

[BorkFactor]

I have an Epiphone Les Paul Custom, is is a beautiful guitar apart from the electrics. I have had them all replaced, and Gibson BurstBucker Pros (1959 vintage or something) put in to replace the crap Epiphone pickups

It has totally transformed the guitar, and I really like it.

Having said that, I am a Fender man at heart so I play the Strat and the Tele more! Try before you buy

[singlecoil]

At your stage you would be well advised, unless you intend to build up a collection, to consider second hand because then, should you want to change whatever you buy now in the future you won't lose so much on the deal.

[justin220]

Good point singlecoil. Although I'd like to think I won't sell the guitar I end up buying.

Thanks all, my plan is to try first, just thought I'd ask incase there were any horror stories

[Justin Cyder]

If you do buy 2nd hand, be sure to check it over. People drop them, they fall over - check for neck damage, fret wear, crackly electrics, wonky tuning pegs. Just take a bit of common sense along with you & if necessary, negotiate accordingly.

[singlecoil]

Justin Cyder said:

If you do buy 2nd hand, be sure to check it over.

A good point, and one which with my background I am inclined to forget.

[Baryonyx]

The build quality of the top-end USA models is often stunning. Priced to match too. The tone though, I wouldn't say is anything special. Al Di Meola used his PRS Rainbow guitar on the Return To Forever reunion show and it wasn't particularly amazing, especially compared to Stanley's bass tones.

[Jaykaybi]

Baryonyx said:

The build quality of the top-end USA models is often stunning. Priced to match too. The tone though, I wouldn't say is anything special. Al Di Meola used his PRS Rainbow guitar on the Return To Forever reunion show and it wasn't particularly amazing, especially compared to Stanley's bass tones.

Agreed. The number of times 'the idea' of owning a PRS has appealed to me, only to be left distinctly uninspired when I give it a try, is frankly comical.

[singlecoil]

Bearing in mind that so much of the 'tone' depends on the strings, the pickups (which can of course be changed), the controls, the effects, the amp set-up, and last but not least, the player, how can any one guitar be considered not very good in this respect?

[AdeTuono]

Jaykaybi said:

Baryonyx said:

The build quality of the top-end USA models is often stunning. Priced to match too. The tone though, I wouldn't say is anything special. Al Di Meola used his PRS Rainbow guitar on the Return To Forever reunion show and it wasn't particularly amazing, especially compared to Stanley's bass tones.

Agreed. The number of times 'the idea' of owning a PRS has appealed to me, only to be left distinctly uninspired when I give it a try, is frankly comical.

Santana, Tremonti, Navarro, Marsden, Lifeson, thousands of others; what do they know? Nothing!

[Dr Z]

PRS SEs are well respected that can apparently hang with Gibsons/High-end Epiphones, particularly in terms of their build and wood quality. The Gibsons in the price range of PRS SEs are a bit so-so, PRS definitely have the edge there. The SEs come with a few neck profiles (Wide Fat and Wide Thin?) which you may want to try an example-each of, to have an idea of what feels the most comfortable. Personally I've only had a play with an SE Custom 24 and the neck was too wide and big for me (and that was their wide thin!). Plus they are not 'satin' finished at the back so not my type of thing. Electronics can be changed if you wish any way, so wouldn't worry about how it sounds when you're trying them out in a shop. Would focus on how it feels and other playability aspects (bridge, pickup switching etc).

[Justin Cyder]

I've lost count of how many guitars I've owned over the years. I've always played Fenders & now have four in the collection. I've had Gibsons, Parkers, Hofners, a Gretch, Ovations and I acquired my first PRS a couple of months ago.

It's easily one of the nicest guitars I've owned. The action is set well from the factory, the neck is fast, the tone is fat like it should be & it's reassuringly heavy. I've not owned a guitar so easy to bond with but I did it with the PRS in a night.

To me, it's the feel of a strat with the tone of a Les Paul - perfect combination for my needs.

[singlecoil]

I daresay things might have changed since I was last heavily involved with guitars, but from what I remember the PRS at a scale length of 25" is a compromise between the 24.75" scale length of Gibsons and the 25.5" of Fender.

[Mastodon2]

singlecoil said:

Bearing in mind that so much of the 'tone' depends on the strings, the pickups (which can of course be changed), the controls, the effects, the amp set-up, and last but not least, the player, how can any one guitar be considered not very good in this respect?

Because you generally don't pay £3000 for a guitar expecting to fork out another £200 for a set of pickups. Above the £1000 mark, I can't think of many guitars that have pickups that are frankly substandard. I'm not suggesting that PRS guitars need to come with BK's as standard (which frankly are the watermark for excellent live tone these days) and the professional recording artists mentioned by Ade Tuono have mammoth recording budgets, and could pro-tool a good tone out of a Squier. It's true, that when you are recording your setup matters a lot more than just the pickups in your guitar, but when you are playing live, or playing on your own in real time, your tone will always be bottle-necked by sub-par pickups.

I'm not saying that PRS's dont sound good, but their tonal quality has never matched the price tag in in all the models I've played.

Oh, and the neck joins some of them have, jesus, like something you'd expect to see on a $200 Chibanez.

Still, I wouldn't say no to a PRS Allender SE.

[AdeTuono]

Mastodon2 said:

Because you generally don't pay £3000 for a guitar expecting to fork out another £200 for a set of pickups. Above the £1000 mark, I can't think of many guitars that have pickups that are frankly substandard. I'm not suggesting that PRS guitars need to come with BK's as standard (which frankly are the watermark for excellent live tone these days) and the professional recording artists mentioned by Ade Tuono have mammoth recording budgets, and could pro-tool a good tone out of a Squier. It's true, that when you are recording your setup matters a lot more than just the pickups in your guitar, but when you are playing live, or playing on your own in real time, your tone will always be bottle-necked by sub-par pickups.

I'm not saying that PRS's dont sound good, but their tonal quality has never matched the price tag in in all the models I've played.

Oh, and the neck joins some of them have, jesus, like something you'd expect to see on a $200 Chibanez.

Still, I wouldn't say no to a PRS Allender SE.

Here's my Allender...



Not a fan of the band, but it's a cracking guitar.

[justin220]

Thanks again all, interesting reading..