what does PRS make you think?

[aleclee]

A guy i know who owned both USA PRS's and the new imported CE's sold his USA ones saying that the CE he has is almost just as fine a guitar and 1/4 the price..... Anyone find that too?

The import models are SEs, not CEs. CEs are made in the USA.

I've owned a number of US-made PRS guitars and a Tremonti SE and have played a dozen or so SEs in stores. I recently composed some thoughts after trying out one of the new SE Customs. Long story short: I was unimpressed.

Your friend's idea of "almost just as fine" must very different from mine. If you try out a bunch of SEs, you can find a very good instrument but on average, they're just well-made imports. That's not to say that they're not good guitars but in my book they're nowhere near the quality of a US-made PRS.

[J Moose]

excuse my ignorance but what in thw world do you mean by saying the PICKUP DIED" ?

I mean it stopped working!

Too many hours of sweat & pounding on the guitar probably did the deed. One day it was fine...then it started getting mircophonic...then it was dead.

[zionstrat]

Interesting- Appears there is a lot more variability on PRS than I would have guessed-

My experience is mainly with my current CE24 and it's absolutely perfect when I need to spend a lot of time somewhere between an LP and a tele- As others have said, the workmanship is flawless, I absolutely love D necks, but the variety of sounds is what makes this a real classic- I'm surprised not to hear more about this last point-

When a gig or the studio mainly requires LP sounds I often take the PRS by itself- It can get the vast majority of timbres out of the box- It isn't quite as thick as an LP, but more than close enough 95% of the time- But when it's time to grab some twang and to thin it out (yet keep the sustain) most other guitars don’t have a chance- I wonder why most other vendors dont provide PRS like coil combinations as an option.

Complaints? Just one- Whoever invents the first 5way replacement knife switch that fits in the same hole will get rich really really fast It's just too hard to jump 2 or 3 notches on the knob quickly and accurately-

And as far as pups, I will replace them someday because I'm always trying to tweak the sound a little bit closer to my sound. But here's a big point...out of all my primary electrics, this is the only one that still has original pups ...after 5 years-

In other words, out of the box, these guitars are brilliant. Add Alex Lifeson and enough said-

Cheers
Z

[JeffB]

The import models are SEs, not CEs. CEs are made in the USA.

I've owned a number of US-made PRS guitars and a Tremonti SE and have played a dozen or so SEs in stores. I recently composed some thoughts after trying out one of the new SE Customs. Long story short: I was unimpressed.

Your friend's idea of "almost just as fine" must very different from mine. If you try out a bunch of SEs, you can find a very good instrument but on average, they're just well-made imports. That's not to say that they're not good guitars but in my book they're nowhere near the quality of a US-made PRS.

Heh..far more eloquent than what *I* would have said making the comparison

SE's are great guits for the budget minded! and one of the better imports out there, IMO.

USA PRS are upper echelon. No comparison IMO. Sometimes I can see a certain guitar just "fitting" the individual, regardless of price. My Dean ML is like that...it's a $475 korean import. It sounds decent, and is well made. But it's no USA Dean or USA hamer or USA PRS, or R8. However, it fits, and I play it the best out of anything I've owned in a long long time.

[MCG]

To my mind PRSi are a morph of Gibson & Fender concepts in one guitar. This is why some folks love them and others hate them. To some they aren’t close enough to one style or the other. And to others they are just right, the best of both worlds.

The Customs & CE’s were born in the 80’s and in my mind reflect the direction many Rock guitarists were taking at that time. In as much as these were 24 fretters with a lot of clarity that can handle high gain and remain defined.

The McCartys and Swamp Ash Specials seem to be more vintage derived, and perhaps the all mahogany Standards fall somewhere in between.

I myself have finally obtained a McCarty after wanting one for years, and I can tell you it really floats my boat. Tone wise (mine has Seths instead of McCarty pups) it’s very much like a Gibson, but the 25” scale adds a little more zing. So I get the warm full humbucker tones I love, with a little extra clarity. Ergonomically the volume and tone are placed right ware I need them (via Fender) and I can make adjustments very easily on stage. And the response and action couldn’t be better. I’m happy!

To me PRS is yet another choice we guitarists have to choose from. The truth be told there are quite a few good guitars to be had these days. As for myself, I have played Les Pauls, Strats, Teles, SG’s, and PRS. And it’s the PRS that I enjoy the most.

Rock on!

MCG

[TheArchitect]

I love PRS's finnishes.... they came up with the most amazing stains long before anyone else.... in the late 80's i wanted a blue one with the birds... Today i still would like one.... or a green one...

A guy i know who owned both USA PRS's and the new imported CE's sold his USA ones saying that the CE he has is almost just as fine a guitar and 1/4 the price..... Anyone find that too?

Not a ****ing chance. The imports are good guitars but they are not in the same league as their USA made cousins.

[Lewguitar]

I didn't really have any preconceptions about PRS guitars (other than thinking they're beautiful and high quality) until I saw Paul Reed Smith himself at the Dallas Guitar Show. Now I think of a nice guy playing a dreadful version of Cause We've Ended As Lovers with so much overdrive that he couldn't play any chords at all! Sounded like Santana. Lew

[the guy who invented fire]

Funny you say that Lew...I have seen a video of Paul playing that same song and to be honest it was terrible...not only was the playing lackluster his tone was horrid...

[zero element]

Whaaaat...no one thinks breaking benjamin when they har PRS...

[Lewguitar]

Funny you say that Lew...I have seen a video of Paul playing that same song and to be honest it was terrible...not only was the playing lackluster his tone was horrid...

Well that's not so "funny" Christian...we seem to agree on darn near everything we hear in the same way!

[the guy who invented fire]

Well that's not so "funny" Christian...we seem to agree on darn near everything we hear in the same way!

We do seem to have a good bit in common as far as tone goes.

you can see a video of Paul doing that song on you tube and it's just terrible...

[PUCKBOY99]

Honestly.....when I think of PRS, I think of going to the guitar shop, seeing this beautiful axe on the wall, thinking "Ooh, pretty" & then moving on down the line to the Tele sections!....

They're not for me & I couldn't tell ya' who does or doesn't play one.

[Lewguitar]

Honestly.....when I think of PRS, I think of going to the guitar shop, seeing this beautiful axe on the wall, thinking "Ooh, pretty" & then moving on down the line to the Tele sections!....

They're not for me & I couldn't tell ya' who does or doesn't play one.

Sure you can. I don't play one...you don't play one. That's TWO right there!

You know, I had a real nice PRS. I put a new Duncan 59B in my single HB Fender Squire Strat and compared the two guitars and the $180 MIJ Squire won. Goodbye PRS...

[PUCKBOY99]

I didn't even read the thread other than the initial question, so I'm not trying to bag on them....just not my thing.

[Butch Snyder]

What do I think of when I think of "PRS"? I wish I could afford one....

[the guy who invented fire]

The truth is, I wanted to love them but never cold even feel "right" playing one...sorry

[Butch Snyder]

It figures that the model that appeals to me most is the 513. It usually sells for > $4000...

[J Moose]

Funny you say that Lew...I have seen a video of Paul playing that same song and to be honest it was terrible...not only was the playing lackluster his tone was horrid...

LOL

Back in '99 or 2000 I got stuck doing product demos at the Digitech booth (LOOOOOOOONG story) during a guitar show at the Hammerstein in NYC. The koolest part of the day was meeting Vernon Reid for the first time & some other players I loved.

Anyway, I remember hearing Paul play on stage with a few other guys & all I could think was that there really is a reason we know his name for building guitars & NOT for playing them...

Meanwhile...I was walking around the hall at one point & heard PHAT & nasty guitar coming from the next aslie over...SURELY some guy playing a Paul or something through a dimed tube amp of the boutique variety right?

Nah. Not even close!

Leslie West with a cheap import & a small solid-state combo.

[Jackson Distortion]

The Waterfowl Festival- straight up decoy shows.

I think PRS is 40 minutes away from me.

Mark Tremonti, 'snobs', and folks who like them.

[seafoamer]

what's a PRS?