Why PRS guitars cost so much

[Jessie's ghost]

I goof on PRS and their fans, but I really have a lot of respect for them. I've never owned one, but I've played a few, and I can see how, in time, I might eventually gravitate to them as my go-to guitar type for doing 90% of my playing. I've been very resistant, partly because I love those archetypal guitar designs that it would replace for me. The real crux of the issue is that a nice SE would be a lot cheaper than a 22-fret archtop Jackson Soloist. That's the territory where I'm heading in my tastes, I think. PRS would get me there first, dollar-wise, and I know they're good enough I'd like them better than anyone else's imports in that price range.

[3'scompany]

I love their necks, I love their quality, and I really like the way that mine sound. Once you get over the fact that they don't sound like Gibsons (and aren't meant to), they're great guitars.

I just wish that PRS was less concerned with flame-y tops. I'd love to own an SC58, but I don't need a book-matched top. I know you can opt not to get a 10-top, but even their standard tops are often as good as, if not better, than other companies' premium tops. I get that people like fancy tops, but it's just not my deal. Give me a guitar with a plain top, a paint job (not a stain), and lop off $500-800 from the price. Until they do that, I won't own another one. I'm not going to pay for a premium top only to have them cover it in gold paint and finding a used PRS with a paint job (instead of a stain) is rather difficult - which I guess goes to show why they don't really offer them.

[RayBarbeeMusic]

Having worked on them and played them, I can't figure for the life of me what the big deal is. They aren't as good in quality as a USA Hamer, which is a similar guitar, have odd shaped necks that, while they seem to work for some, are cramp inducers for a lot of others, limited choices in radii, haven't used real mahogany in years.

The real reason is that PRS is marketing genius who sticks a PRS into the hands of any kid on MTV with a video and then some, which gives them high visibility and creates demand.

Do they suck? No. Do they deserve the hype? Maybe the ones made in the 80s do, those were damn fine, but nothing recent does.

[phil_104]

I had a great CE24 for a few years. Cool guitar with great wood, components, and an amazing quality.

If you can dig the features of theirs guitars, they are hard to beat.

[aleclee]

Owned a bunch over the years. Still have a few. Now Music Man is my go-to brand. They're just as well made, suit me better, and are a heckuvalot less expensive.

[Ashurbanipal]

I played a 1989 CE24 once and it was cool; pups were replaced with Mick Brierley PAF types though. Only thing I didn't like was the rotary switch, but apart from that, it was a very nice axe.

Generally I don't like the aesthetics of them - too much flame or quilt maple, birds and whatnot. The CE did have quite a flamey top, but it was a fairly understated guitar otherwise.

The SE Torero does look cool too, though I'd ditch the EMGs.

[jmh151]

Actually, if you compare the price of a PRS to an EVH, either the PRS seems to be a bargain or the EVH has a very inflated price.

Compare the PRS video to this EVH video. So much more care is given by PRS to wood selection and each step of the guitar making process. You can see that EVH is clearly nothing more than a mass produced Fender, made alongside Jacksons and Charvels.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYfKO...eature=related

[Mr 9finger]

After watching all the PRS vids, the EVH vid is completely uninspiring.

Oh yeah! Fender stole my idea! I built a King V with a locking nut and a fine tuning tailpiece 4 years ago!

[Filipe Marquez]

I love how the design of a PRS matches with any style of music, from Death Progressive Metal (Opeth), to blues, to fusion, hard rock...I just wished they didn't cost U$ 6000+ in Brazil, otherwise i'd get one. ^^

[Jessie's ghost]

I love how the design of a PRS matches with any style of music, from Death Progressive Metal (Opeth), to blues, to fusion, hard rock...I just wished they didn't cost U$ 6000+ in Brazil, otherwise i'd get one. ^^

U.S. guitars have always been super-expensive in Brazil. Do you know why that is?

[Quencho092]

I agree with the choice picking that PRS does. They have the right to charge whatever they want really, but they are very meticulously built, woods are great. In the end it boils down to trying out guitars, I played a new LP studio model with mini humbuckers (899 I believe) that really impressed me (despite the floppy strings!!!) fresh on the floor and the strings were still stretching in, before buying a PRS I would first want to try more of those new LP studios.

I've really enjoyed jamming out every PRS ive picked up, except for 24 fretters, just not my thing. PRS hard tails make me very happy as well, I've been curious about their hollowbody, but for the price it makes me wonder if a sadowsky jimmy bruno (full hollow compact body) would just blow it out of the water.

[Ascension]

This is from the morning service at my Church today.
https://www.box.com/s/6400bf0494e6da051ca8
I'm running my stock 07 PRS Custom 24 with a 5 way rotary and HFS/VB set up through my Jet City JCA22H.
The Jet City is set for a solid crunch and the OD Channel is set up for solo-boost only with the gain on both sides set right around 6 or so. The only effects I have on my board are a Dan Echo Delay and a Boss Chorus in the loop + a wah on the front end. I am getting all the different electric tones just using the 5 way volume control and picking dynamics. There is no other guitar I have ever owned or played that could pull this song off like this.

[jmh151]

What impressed me most was PRS hiring a guy that worked for years for for their top wood supplier, and hired him just to pick out the best wood that meets their standards. What that tells me is EVERY instrument is getting the top quality tone wood possible, as compared to Gibson where you have to go Custom shop.

Also, to keep their employees happy, I hear that after working there 3 years each employee gets to have a custom guitar built, if they choose. I hear tgeyre not serial numbered or logo'd , so they're not worth much to anyone but the employee, but it shows how they treat their employees compared to Gibson

[Filipe Marquez]

U.S. guitars have always been super-expensive in Brazil. Do you know why that is?

I do, it's like, our taxes are THE MOST ABUSIVE in the world. It's like, for me to import a guitar from the U.S.A., i have to pay the original price of the guitar and shipping, plus 78% of the total price of the product+shipping.

And that's insane, cause only NOW our industry is TRYING to compete with the U.S.'s, in the electric instruments area. It's like we have top notch stuff, but the prices are still very abusive, compared to what an equivalent instrument costs to a U.S. citizen...

It's very very sad. :/

[jalguitarman]

This is cool to see since I finally own a PRS Hollowbody. A work of art designed to create works of art!!

[darthphineas]

they cost so much because people will pay that much for them. people pay that much for them because they want to believe they are worth it. I say they are not. why do I say that? well, beside being true... the company behind it is not worth it. why? because they do not have an open ear to customer input... they do not take it well. an empty sense of arrogance, based on the conversations I've had with them - meaning, they act as if their $hi7 doesn't stink as much as it actually does... probably something to do with the impression they put out there to try to get people to believe their product is so much better when it is not. I've personally have conversations with them about changes or options that they ignored or shot down or literally said they'd never do. I've come to see at least 2 of them come in to play on different models since them... I'm certain they will expect people to believe it was soley an interal decision and not at all based on customer input/feedback. so... although I liked my SingleCut and how it played and how it sounded, the experience with the company was such that I just got rid of it last year. I'd like to say that maybe if Paul actually ran the company, it'd be different... but I expect the arrogance started somewhere.

there are guitars out there that are of better quality for a more cost-effective price from a company that really does care about the customer. go find them... and buy them... and play them.

[SlyFoxx]

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa huuuh.

Fixed.

[jmh151]

they cost so much because people will pay that much for them. people pay that much for them because they want to believe they are worth it. I say they are not. why do I say that? well, beside being true... the company behind it is not worth it. why? because they do not have an open ear to customer input... they do not take it well. an empty sense of arrogance, based on the conversations I've had with them - meaning, they act as if their $hi7 doesn't stink as much as it actually does... probably something to do with the impression they put out there to try to get people to believe their product is so much better when it is not. I've personally have conversations with them about changes or options that they ignored or shot down or literally said they'd never do. I've come to see at least 2 of them come in to play on different models since them... I'm certain they will expect people to believe it was soley an interal decision and not at all based on customer input/feedback. so... although I liked my SingleCut and how it played and how it sounded, the experience with the company was such that I just got rid of it last year. I'd like to say that maybe if Paul actually ran the company, it'd be different... but I expect the arrogance started somewhere.

there are guitars out there that are of better quality for a more cost-effective price from a company that really does care about the customer. go find them... and buy them... and play them.

I'll have to disagree. If you want small changes to be made, go to a small guitar maker or have a lutheir custom make you a guitar. PRS has turned into a big company, and when you're dealing with a big company it's harder to make design changes for a one off guitar, unless the buyer has the money.

I met the Paul Reed Smith Team last year in NYC during a 2 day event- I met Paul Reed Smith, Len Johnson, the head of the PTC team, Doug Sewell, and David Grissom. It was at Rudy's Music, Soho, NYC, and it was a very small event where you could walk in with your PRS, meet Paul himself, have him sign your guitar, and have Les- the master tech that does all the setups on all the stars guitars including Carlos Santana- set up your guitar with new strings FOR FREE.

Paul was busy with buisness alot, always on his cell phone, but when he was off, you could easlily approach him and he was extremely friendly. He does have a Bill Gates/ nerdy personality meaning he is friendly but quirky at the same time, but he took the time to just hang out and talk for 2 straight days, discuss guitars, help you place orders, answer your questions, etc- not for 2 hours, but for 2 days. Though he has the whole line of new SE amps out, at no time was Paul being a salesman and get you to buy anything. If you tried badmouting the competition or say how his guitars were so much better than others, he wouldn't say anything.

Doug Sewell was there performing amp mods on the spot, modding an amp for David Grissom.

Paul respects David's input ALOT, and was probably there to discuss a new guitar. They were talking alot about what Dave wanted in his next guitar- which I suspect were discussions for the new all Mahogany DGT Standard model. Dave was evidently very demanding with what he wanted, both in his guitars and amps, and Paul was bending over backwards to make Dave happy with the guitar he was designing and amp Doug was modifying. So from what I saw, Paul is still very involved, though has maybe taken on the role of CEO or President of the company rather than lutheir. He is still very actively involved in every aspect of the company.

If you REALLY wanted to talk shop and setups, Len was there to answer all of your questions while doing a setup on your guitar.

As far as being expensive, I spent $1599 for my Korina KL1812. No fancy top, solid Korina but rare. More people, including Paul and Len, ooo'd and ahhh'd over that guitar that day than their own expensive Artist series Artist top guitars. PRS has come out with budget lines- the Mira, and even the Korina Limited- if you want even cheaper, their import line are excellent quality for the money.

[Archer_of_Fish]

I think they cost so much because they are designed by a magical nerdy guy.

In all seriousness their quality control and design is second to no maker out there. While I DO think they are overpriced they are excellent and should be expensive guitars.

[ImmortalSix]

GOLL-LEE

I bet you wouldn't see a Gibson video jumping up and down on a neck!