Your DGT is stunning Robert. I've never played anything past the S2 model and it was a smooth player. Going to have to try the higher end models soon. Great vid!
I have three, A Santana, a very early Custom 22 with SD pickups (pre bird inlays), and a beautiful prism stained Al Di meola model, which are pretty rare, and the Di meola is the one I keep going to. It is the best sounding, most versatile guitar I've ever owned! I can literally play any genre or style with it at will.
I agree. I'm turning 62 and my hands are starting to hurt a bit occasionally when I play hard on my 11-49 standard tuned guitars. I'm starting to change down to 10-46 to help my ageing knuckles.
Thank you Robert. I purchased a CE24 because of you from Sweetwater. I had them put 9’s on it and do a set up. It’s exactly like Tim said. It practically plays itself. Can’t say enough good things about this guitar. The tuning blew me away. Even after dive bombs, it still stays in tune
Couldn't agree more about the tuning issue. Even with the heat waves we've been having here in Portugal, the PRS just stays in tune, whereas all the others suffer a lot. Speaking for myself, obviously. But it so pleasant to have a guitar that's just user friendly. No fuss, no gimmicks.
I went to a guitar show in Sydney Australia in the early nineties, heard a PRS through a Soldano, thought it was the greatest thing ever. 20 years, 20 guitars and 20 amps later, I had a 93 10 top custom and a 50 watt hot rod Soldano. Couldn't take to the prs, felt light and sort of flimsy compared to my 96 les paul custom, and didn't have the punch and warmth. The PRS went after a few years, the lp and Soldano are still here. Forever.
I put the strap button way out on the tip of the horn on an SG copy I have and the neck still dives. Found a strap with sheep wool padding that stops it sliding over my shoulder for the most part. One time before I hung 2 double D-cell flashlights off the bottom strap button to balance it. Made for an interesting light show on stage. Was easy to see the set-list to.😎😎
I have yet to own one, but I love PRS. I use to harvest maple blocks in high school as a side job and they were all for the PRS custom shops body’s. Very very high figured maple, we would travel all over western WA looking for good trees
That's a really cool story. Wood is such a beautiful material to work with. And look at the grey top on Robert's guitar. My mind got lost in that for 5 minutes, it's so beautiful. And this means you and I maybe connected. You may have harvested the wood for my guitar! Thanks! And if you're thinking of buying one, don't go on Sweetwater. They have some that are among the most beautiful guitars I've ever seen. It's like going to the grocery store when I'm hungry, I want to buy all the >$4,000 models. And twhile that is expensive, you're buying a future heirloom because properly cared for, they'll last forever. The same can be said for other first rate guitars, it's just that they're not PRS. : ) And I was kidding about not going to Sweetwater. It's a fantastic place to buy gear, IMO.
I’ve been a Fender player for most of my career and made the switch to PRS two years ago. Now, I truly have the perfect guitar. My choice was based on the design aspect alone and luckily enough I got a really great instrument. Thanks Paul!🎸🇺🇸
I always thought PRS guitars were nice but early on, was never a fan of the prices. Even the starting price. I was glad when they released the SE series because I could finally afford one. Somehow I got one with a flat top instead of the standard carved top, but it is the guitar that caught my eye and the one I wanted. It plays nicely and sounds great.
Torally agree about the SE. Having that quality of build and the beautiful playability in a guitar that cost me less than £500 new was just amazing. Love it.
Sometimes, I like, speak as if, like, everything is an approximation of, like, what I'm, like talking about. Like, it drives me f***ing crazy to hear this...LIKE LIKE LIKE all day. It is weak and annoying.
@@dragonpundit.6443 It's believe it's an age thing because nobody over 40 really speaks like that. "Literally" is also very popular, and when combined with "Like" can become doubly annoying. See below ⬇️ "I literally like bought this guitar" 🤔 "I bought this guitar "🙂
@@Mustaine1ify It drives me crazy...it makes them sound LIKE idiot Valley Girls. It's as if they aren't speaking specifically...its all Like something they are talking about, not exactly...it sounds stupid.
I played my buddy’s PRS and within 45 seconds I could tell it was the best playing guitar I had ever played. Not talking about sound or whether I felt inspired, I mean literally it played better.
Picked up my S2 last year. Dropped a set of 57/08’s and absolutely love it. Last week I got my first core. McCarty 594 silver burst. Doesn’t get any better
For your S2, how would you compare the 57/08 to the stock 58/15 "S" ? Was thinking about replacing mine as well. Did you look at other pickup brands/models? Thanks!
@@brianmckenzie1318 I don’t think I’ve heard anyone with buyer’s remorse for throwing 57/08 pickups in their S2. But they are pricey though. If you can drop the money, you won’t look back. But it’s also worth looking at some others, like Lollar Imperials or SD Antiquities. Regardless of which you choose, I doubt you’ll regret it, unless you have to eat ramen for the next 3 months. (Even then, maybe worth it.)
Got my ce 24 and it's now my favorite guitar. Followed up by my American strat, which is the guitar I put all my learning hours on. The prs just inspires me to pick it up and play, it stays in tune, the trem works well and doesn't lose pitch, the pickups and coil splitting options plus great pots leave so much room for tone variations and it just makes me smile
Not trying to be a troll or anything, but how are they "well engineered" as opposed to many other guitar models? For example, the strings don't go 100% straight from nut to tuner and the neck heel isn't the most comfortable or ergonomic in the market by a long shot. not bashing the brand, but that blanket statement just irked me XD I 100% agree...play many guitars until one just "feels right" in your hands. If I have 10 min to try a guitar I would spend 9 min unplugged just "feeling" the guitar and how it resonates...then I would care 1min about the easily replaceable pickups XD
The only problem is so few music stores have a decent collection of PRS guitars to try out. I've been fortunate enough to be able to buy and try a few (do a bit of selling as well on Reverb) to find the ones that "speak" to me.
PRS has even more benefits, I could keep this conversation going haha 😂 I absolutely love them. Paul is a good guy, works hard to bring the best product to the table for us to love. This is a company doesn’t stop at “good enough” they try to go into exceptional even on their SE line. I’ve got a few PRS guitars, and no matter if it’s my expensive “now somewhat vintage pre hollow body 2” or my Se... I love them. It’s easy to create and cut loose when you have something that rarely breaks a string & stays in tune 😂
Last December, after a multi-year hiatus from playing, almost on a lark really, I bought a PRS SE Standard 24. Sweetwater. New. $650 bucks. Lowest man of the PRS Totempole. I never looked back. Can't put it down. Playing now at a level beyond my ambitions without one shred of feeling like I have worked hard, even though I really have. The quality that Paul insists in his SE line should get him into heaven all by itself. A few weeks after I picked up the Standard 24 I bought a PRS SE Angelus a30e used on Reverb. Same story.
I saved money for a core PRS for ages, and when the time was right, I bought a limited series, pre BFR, EBMM Luke III. I'm not that smart. Anyway, I love my guitar, but now I'm saving again for the DGT. 😅 Nice to see both of you together. I'm gonna stop writing, 'cause I'm missing the video. Cheers! 🍻
I love PRS guitars for live playing, but I have two gripes. One is that they’re so well made they have a piano-like quality where there’s a total absence of the little variabilities that give guitars like strats their unique feel and sound. The second gripe is that they only occasionally release left handed guitars.
@@YesuAiNimenif they are so expensive get an se, I currently can’t afford a USA model and am saving it would be stupid of me to say because I can’t afford it that’s it’s expensive, all guitars are expensive nowadays
Head stock design is one of the reasons i purchased a PRS. Amongst many others . The higher end models you really do get your moneys worth . Im a shreadder but i do play a lot of blues with a lot of bends and it stays in tune. If you really look at the finer details you will start to notice just how meticulous they build . Just things like the nut channels . The way they did those inlays in the string channels on the nut is a perfect example . Been a fan from the first time i played one . Fine imstrument !
I've played bass in lots of bands and guitar in a few. Played with a pal who used a PRS and I used my Firebird. It was a great and sort of unique sound for a guy who spent decades hearing LP and Strat as a blend. Personally I don't care for PRS because I don't like the necks. They are great instruments regardless.
Recently got a 594 s2. The top contour is so comfortable (even if it’s not as aesthetically pleasing as the violin carves) and it plays incredibly well. I think the S2 line is really under rated. I wish they would match the output of the pickups like the core model but that was my only gripe. The neck pickup was perfect but the bridge was too hot (9k). Chords were muddy and never cut like I expected but it was great for lead. I put a matching 8.3k in the bridge and it fixed my problem. Now it does everything I want it to. Perfect guitar 👌
I completely agree about the DGT. I love mine. I have four core PRSi and the DGT is my favourite. I'm fundamentally a Stratocaster guy (I have nine!) but my PRS guitars are the best built guitars I own including my vintage Gibsons. No-one mentioned the MANN trem. Silky smooth and stays in tune better than any of my Strats.
Just pulled my 5 year old SG Special out of the case yesterday. It had been there 3 months. Still in tune. It's the only Gibson product I've ever had that could do that, though. Gibson QC has always struck me as pretty inconsistent. Too bad I've yet to run across a PRS as light as that SG. When your back is as worn out as mine, that gets to be a consideration.
I fell in love with PRS on my first play. It just fit. I can't explain any better. It fit me perfectly. They're right about the balance and weight, they're damn near perfect for me. But most important, they sound absolutely beautiful, and I love to play them. (Even though the guy at the store asked me not to touch the massively expensive one.)
I saw a video in 1989 or so on and by Paul Reed Smith. That only sold me, then I played one. I'd have bought one decades ago if my playing ability justified the cost. Keep playing!
If you have a DGT, try rewiring it to have 3 push pull pots, one to split both HB's, one for a phase reversal switch and one for a master series/parallel switch, lots of tonal variations.
I bought two PRS new, a 90 24 fret Signature and a 97 McCarty. Try as I might I could newer bond with either of them. Very well made for sure, just didn’t have “it” for me.
Nobody can bond with a PRS because they are synthetic and you are organic (as of yet). The two do not mix. This is why people bond with vintage guitars, no matter how imperfect they might be. Vintage guitars are organic (because they were hand made), like the player is.
Thanks for the video. I love my PRS Custom 24 SE, the way it sounds, plays, and looks. I am an older player who didn’t know how to play a single chord until 3 years ago but this guitar inspires me to play and play better. It feels great. And as I get better, I am exploring more and more of the tones. That it has both single coil and humbuckers expands the range.
I love whenb you guys talk about PRS guitars. I've got an SE 24 fret that obvioisly is not a PRS. But it's close. So it's cool hearing what players like you and Tim do to them to get them to sound good. I wasn't crazy about it when I got it, but it's getting there. And any video with Tim is great.
I can't afford the core models, or even the CE at this time, but the S2 are worth the price and I love my SE Custom! It's an excellent player guitar that does everything for under a grand.
I too have had my share of, “well this is nice, but it’s not a good fit for me” with PRS (that “I regret this purchase” feeling sucks so bad. I wish they did a CE with the middle pickup, like the 509 since I can’t afford a 509. 😞 I do like their acoustic parlor size model though.
I want to love them, I really do. As a MD resident, it's easy to demo all sorts of them- every decent store stocks them. But I have yet to bond with anything. Maybe I'm just so used to satin finish or gunstock finish necks, I just don't love the painted gloss thing? I don't know. In any case, given the prices, I need to LOVE it if I'm going to shell out like that because there is a world of boutique and custom options at this price point
I had an Artist 2 WAY back in the day. It was gorgeous with an Amber quilted top, it had a cool ass border along the neck & headstock, and it played & sounded AMAZING! I sold it to help buy PA gear to start a business and kick myself every day because I haven't seen one that nice in 20 years.
I have a DGT in that black and white stripe pattern. Love it. Much harder to play than my 84 strat but lovely sound and very good in many ways. And I’m going to try 9/10 now that I see you guys have had good luck with it. 11s are way too much. :)
Two of my favorite UA-camrs together! What more can you request? I have to say that it is taking me a while to love my PRS. It is an amazing guitar. It is a 35th Anniversary Custom 24 with mini toggles with so much variety between single and humbuckers. However, I come from a Fender background. Try as I might, I just have not fell in love with PRS. Yet, it is an amazing guitar when I pick it up. I agree on the tuning compared to a Gibson, but my Fenders stay in tune so much better. I think I could drop my Fender down steps, drag it behind the car and it would still be in tune.
I love PRS…have 5 USA models. My only criticism is I never can really gel with their pickups. I swap them and they come alive for me. I don’t think they are bad, just bland.
What did you swap yours with… i have an amazing looking custom 24 and have swapped the 59/09s for multiple seymour duncans and gibson burtsbucker pros as well as prs metals and now 85/15s and it always disappoints
@@ES335CD I’d probably just get rid of that guitar then haha I had a CE24 that sounds meh no matter what I put in it. Sold it. BUT, I put a custom 5 and 59 in one Custom 24, an Alpha Omega set in another custom 24(this one was for metal), Saturday Night specials on a singlecut, and bareknucke Mule set in my 594. My 408 is stock pickups, as you can’t really swap those. I use that one for clean tones and light OD exclusively, so it’s great…a bit disappointing on heavier sounds tho.
My next guitar is going to be a PRS. I've played quite a few, and I like my action crazy low. I'll keep playing them until I find "the one". Not something you wanna overthink. It's how I've bought all my guitars.
I love the engineering analysis here! PRS guitars are functional artworks. My motivation now that I'm getting back into playing music is to get good enough on my Squiers that I can justify moving up to a PRS. Rock on!
With a Classic Vibe model, if you like it enough, it may be as much "moving up" as you'll ever need to do. Even the Affinity line has become more than just 'good enough'.
When you add all that up that they mentioned, plus the fact there's so many other features that make a PRS so good like brass inserts on the saddles, the pickup ring screws are flush mounted, the carve of the body elevates the picking area in relation to where your arm/elbow rest. I am holding my Paul's Guitar right now and going over all the things I can see as I write this. The bottom line is if it's on one of PRS's guitars, Paul has given it some thought. Nothing has escaped his scrutiny.
Excellent video Robert! This really makes me want to go pick one up from sweetwater! I actually have a Harley Benton CST P90 model and it's very obviously designed to be a PRS clone, it's actually amazing they nailed it. I had played PRS in stores and thought these are great. When I got the HB I figured maybe it would be a decent clone, but it actually blows away a lot of my other (under $1000) price point guitars by miles and I think it's because of the design choices that were mentioned on this video. No neck dive. Perfect scale length stays in tune beautifully, HB manages to get you there too on the cheap and with good enough pickups and hardware too. Definitely the finish quality and pickups could never be totally on par with PRS but it's a reasonable clone or a 'cheaper clone with similar features' anyway. You may want to pick one up to see for yourself. I especially recommend that CST P90 model. Thanks again for another great video!
I had that guitar as well. Wonderful guitar worth at least two times what they ask for it. Loved it but sold it to buy a PRS SE Custom 24. You'd be surprised how small the differences are.
Great video. I've been playing guitar for many years and finally got my first PRS, an S2 and I love it. The sound, the quality, playability, the thing is flawless in my opinion. I don't see how any good guitar player wouldn't love a PRS. Just saying lol.
Robert, I think the 24-08 configuration gives you the independent coil splitting functionality you are looking for. I know it’s available in an SE and S2 model. And after being a PRS holdout for a long time (I am really only an SE level player and I thought a lot of the SE pickups sounded kind of generic) I got an SE Starla at a no-regrets price and just love it. The 25 inch scale, the balance, the tuning stability, the overall build quality, all the things you guys mention are 100% true.
I've played guitar for some 50 years. I've owned Fenders, Gibsons, Epiphones, Gretsch guitars. I currently have several PRS SE guitars and they are IMO better guitars than my 60's Gibsons or 60's-70's Strats. The fretwork alone puts those guitars to shame. SE might mean lower cost, but not low quality.
I have the PRS SE Custom 24 in a Tobacco Burst and I LOVE it. I did put locking tuners on it that I purchased from John Mann Guitar Vault USA and it stays in tune better that my MIM Fender Strat and I could be wrong, but I think the PRS style tremolo bridge helps it to stay in tune too. Great video!!
Honestly, PRS wise, Fiore + Silver Sky 2021 Zach Meyers SE S2 Mccarty 594 SC Hollowbody 2 Piezo Personally I think they nailed the Strat, and I was always a fan of the Gibson LP replacement, aka Mccarty Single cuts modified with the firebird controls, quality wise PRS just blows them out of the water.
for a long time I didn't know about PRS... when they were on my radar I was very interested in them and eventually got a brand new SE. shortly after getting it I tried to open the truss rod cover; the screw broke in half and was stuck in the guitar, which put me off of PRS. Maybe one day I'll try another one, but for now I'm happy with the guitars I have.
The first time I ever held a true PRS was in the early 2000’s and it was Jeremy Camp’s and I got to fiddle around with it. It was a holy grail guitar that I always wanted to try. I HATED it lol but to be honest I was still early on in my playing but now I’m a bit older and man I really want a prs! Sorry about my autobiography 😂
I was lucky to get a PRS SE Custom 24-08 in Blue Burst from Sweetwater in May 2022. It's a Sweetwater exclusive, and they go fast. Not only is the guitar gorgeous, but it plays great and stays in tune, even without locking tuners on this model. I love the pickup options, the balance, and the weight. It's almost 2 pounds lighter than my Les Paul, and about a pound heavier than my Strat. The body and fretboard binding are a great touch at this price. Fabulous value.
Yes. 25" scale length. It splits the difference. Very nice. Strings aren't as taut as a Fender, so are easier to bend, and don't ever have that harsh clang that Fenders can sometimes have from how taut they are. When it's working it's awesome, because you get that chime and clarity. But push it too hard, or if I'm a little off, I fight a harsher tone. Gibsons are wonderfully fat when my touch is right on them, but they can also lack authority and clarity sometimes, at least for me. PRS hits right in the middle. Always clear. Fiddle with the knobs and they can be either wonderfully fat, or ringing and chimey, especially with a coil tap, like on mine. Never too harsh or too soft-twang. The 25" really does seem to hit the best of both worlds.
Grew us as an SG guy who switched to strats for a while. Then I saw a PRS on craigslist at a great price and figured if I didn't dig it I could flip it. Gorgeous guitar and the feel ... there would be no flipping this guitar! It's now my favorite. My only beef is the wiring, it's a 1990 so original five way rotary and sweet switch which paradoxically offer lots of discrete tone choices but also limit your flexibility without a real tone knob. You are forced to learn to use the volume knob better.
Lemon burst is always a great place to start. Years ago when I was first learning about the various guitar brands from my dear friend who'd been playing for years at that point. As we walked through the Guitar Center and he was talking briefly about the various makes,..he pointed to a PRS and said " Thats PRS , they are the Cadillac of Guitars",.
I own about 90+ guitars (early eBay GAS buyer). All are high quality imports, some brands are out of business now. I always wanted the real deal in American guitars but I thought they are way too much for almost the same quality of a good import. I'm a Santana fan. I finally pressed the button 4 years ago on a PRS Santana 25th anniversary, 10 top, and white case, all for $1,500. It's a pleasure playing it. Plays flawlessly, always in tune, and most of all, it has that brown Santana sound I so admire. It's my best investment. Especially because it has actually tripled in value. It will one day be inherited, as an heir piece, by one of my grandchildren who wants to play guitar. Give him/her a head start in playing. It's that special.
My first guitar was a Santana se, bought back in 03. I got heavily involved with the p and w scene and bought into the fender and Gibson hype. After years of playing anything from asat, to sg’s to lespauls to portlander I picked up a silver sky to compare to my strat. I was blown away. It’s a year and a half later and I now have 3 and am trying re acquire my first guitar lol.
My favorite PRS so far is the 513. I haven't been able to try a DGT but I think the neck would be too thick for my tastes. I love the Pattern Thin necks from PRS.
I'm Tele guy and I love big, fat, chunky necks. PRS' never caught my eye, but I needed Les Paul style guitar for a project and a friend loaned me his PRS single cut with a Suhr HB in the bridge and that guitar was amazing. Super comfortable to play, light, well balanced and more resonant than any guitar I ever played. I could do feedback solos with it with so much sustain it sounded like an ebow or a sustainer. Just endless sustain through a 50 watt Mesa Stiletto. I ended up buying that single cut and had it for years until I traded it for a killer Strat because of a couple nitpicky personal gripes (I also picked up a Les Paul to cover my LP needs and never liked it). It didnt have a big neck, I wanted a hard tail, even though the trem was quite good, and even though it had a great Suhr HB in the bridge position, the stock neck pickup was actually much, much better. I'm a single coil guy, even for high gain and metal stuff, and the neck HB was clear and bright, unlike your standard mudbucker in the neck. But overall, there just wasnt a lot low end in that guitar at all, it was bright and clear but not in a single coil way. I still keep my eye out for the perfect PRS single cut, hard tail with a big 50s style neck though. If you havent given PRS' a try, go to some stores and try them out. You might just be pleasantly surprised. Theres tons of different models and configurations. They are expensive, but they're worth checking them all out.
As someone who is always trying to tweak and modify different features of guitars to make them play like an extension of my body, I love PRS guitars and the thought they put into the subtle changes from the rest of the brands out there. Also, anyone who hasn't been to Sweetwater needs to make a trip to the mecca. The only thing that took the place of my PRS for gigging was a Ron Thorn SoCal R/S which is not an easy guitar to replace. PRS are sooooo consistent... I have a few that are getting some mods and then they will probably be on stage as much as my Thorn.
I have 3 CE models and absolutely love them. They are so good out of the box it's insane. I've never had to do any work on them other than string changes and action to my taste. I admittedly absolutely love my Les Pauls though, they speak to me a bit more. So I need to audition a McCarty and compare.
I bought a Les Paul and an SG Supra. I liked them, but each had its own issues. LP still had tuning issues after having a new nut put on. The SG was nice if I was sitting but if I stood up and moved, the neck flexed too much and wouldn't stay in tune. So, after about $6k of Gibson, I'm done.
I have a PRS S2 singlecut satin. They no longer make this model and it was the most inexpensive American made PRS at the time I bought it. It is my favorite guitar. The neck fits my hands perfectly. I lowered the action a smidge and it is super easy to play. No buzzes and no dead spots. I have a 1997 Heritage H535 and the PRS is 1/3 the money and plays better. They both sound really good but I really like the sound of the PRS #7 S pickups. I have 4 electric guitars but the PRS gets the most play time by far. I probably will never by a custom but I could see getting another S2 someday. Great guitars.
I love the look and sound of the the PRS guitars and I tried many of them, but the feel just wasn't right for me. I ended up getting a Tom Anderson Bobcat which solves all the same problems the PRS models do. The great thing about today's guitar market is that we have so many wonderful builders to choose from.
Awesome chat!! I am the same..didn't love them years ago (for some reason I can't even explain) but one month ago I got a 513 used (like new) ... from 2012 actually and is just a killing guitar. Wish the radius was 12" but I can live with 10" I guess. Certainly PRS are one of the top 5 guitars in the world. Cheers to that!!
The standard coil split and versatility is another thing these fix. I had my first encounter with one in 2002 at college, when I did a setup on one, and fell in love with it. I was sad to give it back. CE24 in whale blue. I'm going to buy one from that era once I save the money because I truly have always wanted one.
How about 8th decade and I'm getting my Custom 24-08 end of the month and I'm as excited as I was when I got my 3/4 Fender Mustang in 1964 :) Rock on dudes, NEVER stop playing.
I have two McCartys (one is a one piece slab of mahogany) both with solid Indian rosewood necks & a Singlecut with a solid Brazilian rosewood neck. Awesome, awesome guitars.
I got a new core model custom 24 from GC hollywood in 1995 still have it and it still like new having been around the world with me a few times. Best investment i ever made i find it hard to play my other guitars im so spoiled un loke all the fancy ones mine is black try finding a 95 in black i dont think they made many cheers ps it has the old pointer locking tuners and they work fine if you know the trick paul told me about !
I’ve owned many a PRS. Core models and one S2. I could never bond with one like I do with a LP. Both have their issues for sure. The tone of a PRS never got to the LP level for me. But the playability is equal and the luthier work is better on a PRS. I couldn’t bond with any of them though not for lack of trying. Guess I’m just a LP fan. I’ll prob buy another one some day though and try again
I really liked this video, and I love PRS guitars. I own two of them, both from the S2 line: The Vela and the McCarty 594 single-cut. They sound, feel, and look beautiful. After watching this video, I'm ready to check out other PRS models. It's my dream to own a core model, but I gotta save up a little more cash for that purchase.
I have an '09 DGT that I acquired through trading with a friend. Great playing guitar, in not even really qualified to play it, my playing is crap for this kind of instrument. That being said, the only issue I've had with playing my PRS is the high E string pulling off the edge of the neck very easily. The push/pull pot on the volume is s cool feature but I haven't gotten a chance to really open it up through a proper Amp yet. The neck is otherwise great. Smooth, consistent tuning is a blessing especially since my Les Paul studio needs relief adjusted and a refresher setup on the bridge which I'm not the most qualified for performing myself. The only major issue I have with my PRS is the color. I didn't have s choice on that, I'm just not a big fan of gold guitars, lol. Great video, and, I might add that you're probably the coolest guitar guy on here. Down to earth, friendly and just plain cool. Thanks for the great content!
I have had several PRS guitars, core, CE and a couple of SE i got in trades-super well made-but never bonded with them and hence they were sold off while "lesser" guitars have been kept for decades. That being said PRS acoustics are just great-everything that makes PRS great- but with tone!
I've literally only ev er played 1 PRS, and I came this 🤏 close to buying it too. if it had a normal toggle switch instead of that dial they did, I would have. It was a great feeling neck and gorgeous looking instrument. My Mayones is a 25.4"scale, with 9.5's it's still got that chunky/girthy midrange while you can still easily do Gilmour bends.
It’s easy to have independent coil splitting, you just need to add a second push/pull pot (replace an existing one)and wire each pickup to a separate one. I have a Chapman Ghostfret with master tone and master volume, both push/pull with neck pickup switched on volume pot, bridge pickup on tone pot
My favourite is a custom 22 with a thick neck, but I also like the custom 24 with a thin neck. The best thing about PRS is that they stay in tune and intonate, unlike the other two big names.
On the tuning thing: I had my Custom 22 in its case as we went from warm to cold weather between plays. Pulled it out and it was in tune with itself still, just a half tone sharp due to the cold. Every other guitar I've had will have one or two strings that are way off. My PRS made me a better player.
I have a '95 Custom 24 and a '98 McCarty. I can set them both up with paper thin action but I also have a '15 Hollowbody II and that one doesn't set up as low. The irony is I use 9 - 46 on the first 2 and the OEM gauge 11s on the HBII. Even with a higher action (comparatively), it plays like butter. I picked up a Silver Sky when they came out and that one doesn't have a low action either. It's set up with 10-52 (tuned down 1/2 step) and has a beautiful, silky smooth feel as well. If I could only keep 2, it would be the McCarty and the Silver Sky. They are completely stock and perfect right out of the case. But that would be a fight. The Custom 24 was my first PRS and I played many gigs and studio sessions with it. The HB II is so sweet, I would be plotting and scheming to get another. Ok, I give up! I ain't pickin' just one favorite!
I bought a 2021 SE custom 24/ ash top (used -$550), put Wilkinson WLS 130/S locking steel saddles on the trem bridge ($89), and it's damn near perfect. Easy to play, not too heavy, and will not go out of tune even with heavy trem use. The new SE's are very good build quality - good enough where it's hard for a working-class stiff to justify the extra $3K for an American-made version.
What's your favorite model of PRS? You know I'm going with the DGT.
Your DGT is stunning Robert. I've never played anything past the S2 model and it was a smooth player. Going to have to try the higher end models soon. Great vid!
My DGT and CU22 are great. Love the versatile tones of the DGT.
My new to me 594 single cut
The S2 Standard 24, I love the matte nitro finish with the pick guard. It’s a GREAT guitar.
I have three, A Santana, a very early Custom 22 with SD pickups (pre bird inlays), and a beautiful prism stained Al Di meola model, which are pretty rare, and the Di meola is the one I keep going to. It is the best sounding, most versatile guitar I've ever owned! I can literally play any genre or style with it at will.
"I'm just ready for it to be easy!" No truer words. For those of us that are approaching our 6th, 7th, decades, easy action is key. :)
Right with you on that. Well into my 6th decade and looking for what is easy on the hands.
Easiest playing guitar out there. I'm approaching 60 and the old hands need all the help they can get.
I agree. I'm turning 62 and my hands are starting to hurt a bit occasionally when I play hard on my 11-49 standard tuned guitars. I'm starting to change down to 10-46 to help my ageing knuckles.
I’m a beginner in the middle of my 4th decade. Hope I can carry a tune by my 6th.
Tim is such a humble cool guy. Especially putting it in context of his enormous musical contributions.
Thank you Robert. I purchased a CE24 because of you from Sweetwater. I had them put 9’s on it and do a set up. It’s exactly like Tim said. It practically plays itself. Can’t say enough good things about this guitar. The tuning blew me away. Even after dive bombs, it still stays in tune
Couldn't agree more about the tuning issue. Even with the heat waves we've been having here in Portugal, the PRS just stays in tune, whereas all the others suffer a lot. Speaking for myself, obviously. But it so pleasant to have a guitar that's just user friendly. No fuss, no gimmicks.
I went to a guitar show in Sydney Australia in the early nineties, heard a PRS through a Soldano, thought it was the greatest thing ever. 20 years, 20 guitars and 20 amps later, I had a 93 10 top custom and a 50 watt hot rod Soldano. Couldn't take to the prs, felt light and sort of flimsy compared to my 96 les paul custom, and didn't have the punch and warmth. The PRS went after a few years, the lp and Soldano are still here. Forever.
I put the strap button way out on the tip of the horn on an SG copy I have and the neck still dives. Found a strap with sheep wool padding that stops it sliding over my shoulder for the most part. One time before I hung 2 double D-cell flashlights off the bottom strap button to balance it. Made for an interesting light show on stage. Was easy to see the set-list to.😎😎
I have yet to own one, but I love PRS. I use to harvest maple blocks in high school as a side job and they were all for the PRS custom shops body’s. Very very high figured maple, we would travel all over western WA looking for good trees
That's a really cool story. Wood is such a beautiful material to work with. And look at the grey top on Robert's guitar. My mind got lost in that for 5 minutes, it's so beautiful.
And this means you and I maybe connected. You may have harvested the wood for my guitar! Thanks!
And if you're thinking of buying one, don't go on Sweetwater. They have some that are among the most beautiful guitars I've ever seen. It's like going to the grocery store when I'm hungry, I want to buy all the >$4,000 models. And twhile that is expensive, you're buying a future heirloom because properly cared for, they'll last forever. The same can be said for other first rate guitars, it's just that they're not PRS. : )
And I was kidding about not going to Sweetwater. It's a fantastic place to buy gear, IMO.
I’ve been a Fender player for most of my career and made the switch to PRS two years ago. Now, I truly have the perfect guitar. My choice was based on the design aspect alone and luckily enough I got a really great instrument. Thanks Paul!🎸🇺🇸
I always thought PRS guitars were nice but early on, was never a fan of the prices. Even the starting price. I was glad when they released the SE series because I could finally afford one. Somehow I got one with a flat top instead of the standard carved top, but it is the guitar that caught my eye and the one I wanted. It plays nicely and sounds great.
Every price point of theirs is good. You really can't go wrong.
Torally agree about the SE. Having that quality of build and the beautiful playability in a guitar that cost me less than £500 new was just amazing. Love it.
Sometimes, I like, speak as if, like, everything is an approximation of, like, what I'm, like talking about. Like, it drives me f***ing crazy to hear this...LIKE LIKE LIKE all day. It is weak and annoying.
@@dragonpundit.6443 It's believe it's an age thing because nobody over 40 really speaks like that. "Literally" is also very popular, and when combined with "Like" can become doubly annoying. See below ⬇️
"I literally like bought this guitar" 🤔
"I bought this guitar "🙂
@@Mustaine1ify It drives me crazy...it makes them sound LIKE idiot Valley Girls. It's as if they aren't speaking specifically...its all Like something they are talking about, not exactly...it sounds stupid.
I played my buddy’s PRS and within 45 seconds I could tell it was the best playing guitar I had ever played. Not talking about sound or whether I felt inspired, I mean literally it played better.
You never tried a Vigier, Leduc or Parker
Picked up my S2 last year. Dropped a set of 57/08’s and absolutely love it. Last week I got my first core. McCarty 594 silver burst. Doesn’t get any better
Not too often you see a silver burst PRS!
@@mikeomatic9905 I reached out to PRS about this. Gave them my serial number and they replied it was a custom color in their records
For your S2, how would you compare the 57/08 to the stock 58/15 "S" ? Was thinking about replacing mine as well. Did you look at other pickup brands/models? Thanks!
@@brianmckenzie1318 I don’t think I’ve heard anyone with buyer’s remorse for throwing 57/08 pickups in their S2. But they are pricey though. If you can drop the money, you won’t look back. But it’s also worth looking at some others, like Lollar Imperials or SD Antiquities. Regardless of which you choose, I doubt you’ll regret it, unless you have to eat ramen for the next 3 months. (Even then, maybe worth it.)
Got my ce 24 and it's now my favorite guitar. Followed up by my American strat, which is the guitar I put all my learning hours on. The prs just inspires me to pick it up and play, it stays in tune, the trem works well and doesn't lose pitch, the pickups and coil splitting options plus great pots leave so much room for tone variations and it just makes me smile
The four knobs is one of the reasons that I still love Gibson's style guitars . Can't wait to acquire a single cut PRS !
594 SC !
They are incredibly consistent and well engineered. If you are a player, always play examples until one speaks to you, then buy.
Agreed 👍
Not trying to be a troll or anything, but how are they "well engineered" as opposed to many other guitar models? For example, the strings don't go 100% straight from nut to tuner and the neck heel isn't the most comfortable or ergonomic in the market by a long shot. not bashing the brand, but that blanket statement just irked me XD I 100% agree...play many guitars until one just "feels right" in your hands. If I have 10 min to try a guitar I would spend 9 min unplugged just "feeling" the guitar and how it resonates...then I would care 1min about the easily replaceable pickups XD
There are just as much defective PRS as there are defective epiphones and gibsons and fenders.
The only problem is so few music stores have a decent collection of PRS guitars to try out. I've been fortunate enough to be able to buy and try a few (do a bit of selling as well on Reverb) to find the ones that "speak" to me.
PRS has even more benefits, I could keep this conversation going haha 😂 I absolutely love them. Paul is a good guy, works hard to bring the best product to the table for us to love. This is a company doesn’t stop at “good enough” they try to go into exceptional even on their SE line. I’ve got a few PRS guitars, and no matter if it’s my expensive “now somewhat vintage pre hollow body 2” or my Se... I love them. It’s easy to create and cut loose when you have something that rarely breaks a string & stays in tune 😂
Last December, after a multi-year hiatus from playing, almost on a lark really, I bought a PRS SE Standard 24. Sweetwater. New. $650 bucks. Lowest man of the PRS Totempole. I never looked back. Can't put it down. Playing now at a level beyond my ambitions without one shred of feeling like I have worked hard, even though I really have. The quality that Paul insists in his SE line should get him into heaven all by itself. A few weeks after I picked up the Standard 24 I bought a PRS SE Angelus a30e used on Reverb. Same story.
I saved money for a core PRS for ages, and when the time was right, I bought a limited series, pre BFR, EBMM Luke III. I'm not that smart. Anyway, I love my guitar, but now I'm saving again for the DGT. 😅
Nice to see both of you together. I'm gonna stop writing, 'cause I'm missing the video. Cheers! 🍻
Oh dude the Lukes are AMAZING. And you will love the DGT when you get it.
I love PRS guitars for live playing, but I have two gripes. One is that they’re so well made they have a piano-like quality where there’s a total absence of the little variabilities that give guitars like strats their unique feel and sound.
The second gripe is that they only occasionally release left handed guitars.
A third gripe..................waaaaaaaaay too expensive.
@@YesuAiNimen they aren't too expensive at all lol
@@choomanji Lol core lol models lol are lol expensive lol LOL LOL LOL LOL
@@YesuAiNimenso expensive. The Paul's Ego Premium.
@@YesuAiNimenif they are so expensive get an se, I currently can’t afford a USA model and am saving it would be stupid of me to say because I can’t afford it that’s it’s expensive, all guitars are expensive nowadays
Head stock design is one of the reasons i purchased a PRS. Amongst many others . The higher end models you really do get your moneys worth . Im a shreadder but i do play a lot of blues with a lot of bends and it stays in tune. If you really look at the finer details you will start to notice just how meticulous they build . Just things like the nut channels . The way they did those inlays in the string channels on the nut is a perfect example . Been a fan from the first time i played one .
Fine imstrument !
I've played bass in lots of bands and guitar in a few. Played with a pal who used a PRS and I used my Firebird. It was a great and sort of unique sound for a guy who spent decades hearing LP and Strat as a blend. Personally I don't care for PRS because I don't like the necks. They are great instruments regardless.
Recently got a 594 s2. The top contour is so comfortable (even if it’s not as aesthetically pleasing as the violin carves) and it plays incredibly well. I think the S2 line is really under rated.
I wish they would match the output of the pickups like the core model but that was my only gripe. The neck pickup was perfect but the bridge was too hot (9k). Chords were muddy and never cut like I expected but it was great for lead. I put a matching 8.3k in the bridge and it fixed my problem. Now it does everything I want it to. Perfect guitar 👌
I completely agree about the DGT. I love mine. I have four core PRSi and the DGT is my favourite.
I'm fundamentally a Stratocaster guy (I have nine!) but my PRS guitars are the best built guitars I own including my vintage Gibsons.
No-one mentioned the MANN trem. Silky smooth and stays in tune better than any of my Strats.
My 81 Firebrand SG will stay in tune sitting in the case 6 after months. It's amazing and the only guitar I own that does that.
Just pulled my 5 year old SG Special out of the case yesterday. It had been there 3 months. Still in tune. It's the only Gibson product I've ever had that could do that, though. Gibson QC has always struck me as pretty inconsistent. Too bad I've yet to run across a PRS as light as that SG. When your back is as worn out as mine, that gets to be a consideration.
I bought my first PRs a couple months ago. I love it. Love it. Love it.
Robert and Tim bringing wisdom to the feel of scale length! Love you guys
I fell in love with PRS on my first play. It just fit. I can't explain any better. It fit me perfectly. They're right about the balance and weight, they're damn near perfect for me. But most important, they sound absolutely beautiful, and I love to play them. (Even though the guy at the store asked me not to touch the massively expensive one.)
I saw a video in 1989 or so on and by Paul Reed Smith. That only sold me, then I played one. I'd have bought one decades ago if my playing ability justified the cost. Keep playing!
The notes sound really clear on these pickups.
I have done the wiring on one of my PRS guitars that Tim is talking about at 10:10. It was the movement of one wire. Look it up. It was very simple.
If you have a DGT, try rewiring it to have 3 push pull pots, one to split both HB's, one for a phase reversal switch and one for a master series/parallel switch, lots of tonal variations.
@@RoadkillPinata great idea
Both you guys are amazing players who make the PRS sound come to life, unfortunately it has never worked out for me.
1. Weight balance
2. String angle at headstock
3. Scale length between Strat and Les Paul
4. Good quality control
5. Awesome pickups
I bought two PRS new, a 90 24 fret Signature and a 97 McCarty. Try as I might I could newer bond with either of them. Very well made for sure, just didn’t have “it” for me.
Nobody can bond with a PRS because they are synthetic and you are organic (as of yet).
The two do not mix. This is why people bond with vintage guitars, no matter how imperfect they might be. Vintage guitars are organic (because they were hand made), like the player is.
Thanks for the video. I love my PRS Custom 24 SE, the way it sounds, plays, and looks. I am an older player who didn’t know how to play a single chord until 3 years ago but this guitar inspires me to play and play better. It feels great. And as I get better, I am exploring more and more of the tones. That it has both single coil and humbuckers expands the range.
I love whenb you guys talk about PRS guitars. I've got an SE 24 fret that obvioisly is not a PRS. But it's close. So it's cool hearing what players like you and Tim do to them to get them to sound good. I wasn't crazy about it when I got it, but it's getting there. And any video with Tim is great.
I can't afford the core models, or even the CE at this time, but the S2 are worth the price and I love my SE Custom! It's an excellent player guitar that does everything for under a grand.
A thoughtfully and properly upgraded SE custom can hang with any similar spec S2 IMHO for about $1k +- vs $1,800 - $1,900.
@@RaptorV1USA What upgrades would you make?
I too have had my share of, “well this is nice, but it’s not a good fit for me” with PRS (that “I regret this purchase” feeling sucks so bad. I wish they did a CE with the middle pickup, like the 509 since I can’t afford a 509. 😞 I do like their acoustic parlor size model though.
Their parlour acoustic blew me away. Never had an acoustic that player so easily/smoothly. If i wasnt broke i woulda bought it for sure.
I want to love them, I really do. As a MD resident, it's easy to demo all sorts of them- every decent store stocks them. But I have yet to bond with anything. Maybe I'm just so used to satin finish or gunstock finish necks, I just don't love the painted gloss thing? I don't know. In any case, given the prices, I need to LOVE it if I'm going to shell out like that because there is a world of boutique and custom options at this price point
Same here. They're great guitars and they have their beauty, but they just don't connect with me. For some of those reasons.
I haven't picked it up in a couple weeks, but I just walked over to my CE to check whether it's in tune. Lo and behold, it is!
I had an Artist 2 WAY back in the day. It was gorgeous with an Amber quilted top, it had a cool ass border along the neck & headstock, and it played & sounded AMAZING! I sold it to help buy PA gear to start a business and kick myself every day because I haven't seen one that nice in 20 years.
I have a DGT in that black and white stripe pattern. Love it. Much harder to play than my 84 strat but lovely sound and very good in many ways.
And I’m going to try 9/10 now that I see you guys have had good luck with it. 11s are way too much. :)
Two of my favorite UA-camrs together! What more can you request? I have to say that it is taking me a while to love my PRS. It is an amazing guitar. It is a 35th Anniversary Custom 24 with mini toggles with so much variety between single and humbuckers. However, I come from a Fender background. Try as I might, I just have not fell in love with PRS. Yet, it is an amazing guitar when I pick it up. I agree on the tuning compared to a Gibson, but my Fenders stay in tune so much better. I think I could drop my Fender down steps, drag it behind the car and it would still be in tune.
I love PRS…have 5 USA models. My only criticism is I never can really gel with their pickups. I swap them and they come alive for me. I don’t think they are bad, just bland.
Agreed, PRS is bland as can be.
I only like the dragon ii but have also thought about swapping to my preferred lp set like a custom5 and jazz
I agree when it comes to most of their newer guitars. My 02 McCarty has some of the best sounding pickups I’ve ever heard though
What did you swap yours with… i have an amazing looking custom 24 and have swapped the 59/09s for multiple seymour duncans and gibson burtsbucker pros as well as prs metals and now 85/15s and it always disappoints
@@ES335CD I’d probably just get rid of that guitar then haha I had a CE24 that sounds meh no matter what I put in it. Sold it. BUT, I put a custom 5 and 59 in one Custom 24, an Alpha Omega set in another custom 24(this one was for metal), Saturday Night specials on a singlecut, and bareknucke Mule set in my 594. My 408 is stock pickups, as you can’t really swap those. I use that one for clean tones and light OD exclusively, so it’s great…a bit disappointing on heavier sounds tho.
My next guitar is going to be a PRS. I've played quite a few, and I like my action crazy low. I'll keep playing them until I find "the one". Not something you wanna overthink. It's how I've bought all my guitars.
I love the engineering analysis here!
PRS guitars are functional artworks. My motivation now that I'm getting back into playing music is to get good enough on my Squiers that I can justify moving up to a PRS.
Rock on!
With a Classic Vibe model, if you like it enough, it may be as much "moving up" as you'll ever need to do. Even the Affinity line has become more than just 'good enough'.
When you add all that up that they mentioned, plus the fact there's so many other features that make a PRS so good like brass inserts on the saddles, the pickup ring screws are flush mounted, the carve of the body elevates the picking area in relation to where your arm/elbow rest. I am holding my Paul's Guitar right now and going over all the things I can see as I write this. The bottom line is if it's on one of PRS's guitars, Paul has given it some thought. Nothing has escaped his scrutiny.
Excellent video Robert! This really makes me want to go pick one up from sweetwater!
I actually have a Harley Benton CST P90 model and it's very obviously designed to be a PRS clone, it's actually amazing they nailed it. I had played PRS in stores and thought these are great. When I got the HB I figured maybe it would be a decent clone, but it actually blows away a lot of my other (under $1000) price point guitars by miles and I think it's because of the design choices that were mentioned on this video. No neck dive. Perfect scale length stays in tune beautifully, HB manages to get you there too on the cheap and with good enough pickups and hardware too. Definitely the finish quality and pickups could never be totally on par with PRS but it's a reasonable clone or a 'cheaper clone with similar features' anyway.
You may want to pick one up to see for yourself. I especially recommend that CST P90 model.
Thanks again for another great video!
Nice post--thank you! :)
I had that guitar as well. Wonderful guitar worth at least two times what they ask for it. Loved it but sold it to buy a PRS SE Custom 24. You'd be surprised how small the differences are.
I have a custom 24 Floyd Core that is absolutely amazing. It’s the perfect blend of ‘classic’ and modern features. Just absolutely amazing!
I bought a singlecut S2 in 2020 and have loved it ever since.
Great video. I've been playing guitar for many years and finally got my first PRS, an S2 and I love it. The sound, the quality, playability, the thing is flawless in my opinion. I don't see how any good guitar player wouldn't love a PRS. Just saying lol.
Robert, I think the 24-08 configuration gives you the independent coil splitting functionality you are looking for. I know it’s available in an SE and S2 model. And after being a PRS holdout for a long time (I am really only an SE level player and I thought a lot of the SE pickups sounded kind of generic) I got an SE Starla at a no-regrets price and just love it. The 25 inch scale, the balance, the tuning stability, the overall build quality, all the things you guys mention are 100% true.
I've played guitar for some 50 years. I've owned Fenders, Gibsons, Epiphones, Gretsch guitars. I currently have several PRS SE guitars and they are IMO better guitars than my 60's Gibsons or 60's-70's Strats. The fretwork alone puts those guitars to shame. SE might mean lower cost, but not low quality.
I have the PRS SE Custom 24 in a Tobacco Burst and I LOVE it. I did put locking tuners on it that I purchased from John Mann Guitar Vault USA and it stays in tune better that my MIM Fender Strat and I could be wrong, but I think the PRS style tremolo bridge helps it to stay in tune too. Great video!!
Honestly, PRS wise,
Fiore + Silver Sky
2021 Zach Meyers SE
S2 Mccarty 594 SC
Hollowbody 2 Piezo
Personally I think they nailed the Strat, and I was always a fan of the Gibson LP replacement, aka Mccarty Single cuts modified with the firebird controls, quality wise PRS just blows them out of the water.
for a long time I didn't know about PRS... when they were on my radar I was very interested in them and eventually got a brand new SE. shortly after getting it I tried to open the truss rod cover; the screw broke in half and was stuck in the guitar, which put me off of PRS. Maybe one day I'll try another one, but for now I'm happy with the guitars I have.
These are all the things I like about my Ibanez SZ.
The first time I ever held a true PRS was in the early 2000’s and it was Jeremy Camp’s and I got to fiddle around with it. It was a holy grail guitar that I always wanted to try. I HATED it lol but to be honest I was still early on in my playing but now I’m a bit older and man I really want a prs! Sorry about my autobiography 😂
"Autobiographies" are fine! :)
I like your post: it's interesting!
Custom 24-08 covers everything you'd ever need. LOVE mine. Great video!
My CE24 had an issue so it went back for warranty work. Had them rewire it to 24-08. Very sweet!
I was lucky to get a PRS SE Custom 24-08 in Blue Burst from Sweetwater in May 2022. It's a Sweetwater exclusive, and they go fast. Not only is the guitar gorgeous, but it plays great and stays in tune, even without locking tuners on this model. I love the pickup options, the balance, and the weight. It's almost 2 pounds lighter than my Les Paul, and about a pound heavier than my Strat. The body and fretboard binding are a great touch at this price. Fabulous value.
Yes. 25" scale length. It splits the difference. Very nice. Strings aren't as taut as a Fender, so are easier to bend, and don't ever have that harsh clang that Fenders can sometimes have from how taut they are. When it's working it's awesome, because you get that chime and clarity. But push it too hard, or if I'm a little off, I fight a harsher tone. Gibsons are wonderfully fat when my touch is right on them, but they can also lack authority and clarity sometimes, at least for me. PRS hits right in the middle. Always clear. Fiddle with the knobs and they can be either wonderfully fat, or ringing and chimey, especially with a coil tap, like on mine. Never too harsh or too soft-twang. The 25" really does seem to hit the best of both worlds.
My main gigging axe is a PRS 513. It's absolutely fantastic.
Grew us as an SG guy who switched to strats for a while. Then I saw a PRS on craigslist at a great price and figured if I didn't dig it I could flip it. Gorgeous guitar and the feel ... there would be no flipping this guitar! It's now my favorite. My only beef is the wiring, it's a 1990 so original five way rotary and sweet switch which paradoxically offer lots of discrete tone choices but also limit your flexibility without a real tone knob. You are forced to learn to use the volume knob better.
One day I will own a PRS..... love them since Alex Lifeson used them. Now Mark Tremonti. Great stuff. Best mix of the two techs and they look great
Lemon burst is always a great place to start. Years ago when I was first learning about the various guitar brands from my dear friend who'd been playing for years at that point. As we walked through the Guitar Center and he was talking briefly about the various makes,..he pointed to a PRS and said " Thats PRS , they are the Cadillac of Guitars",.
I own about 90+ guitars (early eBay GAS buyer). All are high quality imports, some brands are out of business now.
I always wanted the real deal in American guitars but I thought they are way too much for almost the same quality of a good import.
I'm a Santana fan. I finally pressed the button 4 years ago on a PRS Santana 25th anniversary, 10 top, and white case, all for $1,500. It's a pleasure playing it. Plays flawlessly, always in tune, and most of all, it has that brown Santana sound I so admire. It's my best investment. Especially because it has actually tripled in value.
It will one day be inherited, as an heir piece, by one of my grandchildren who wants to play guitar. Give him/her a head start in playing.
It's that special.
My first guitar was a Santana se, bought back in 03. I got heavily involved with the p and w scene and bought into the fender and Gibson hype. After years of playing anything from asat, to sg’s to lespauls to portlander I picked up a silver sky to compare to my strat. I was blown away. It’s a year and a half later and I now have 3 and am trying re acquire my first guitar lol.
My favorite PRS so far is the 513. I haven't been able to try a DGT but I think the neck would be too thick for my tastes. I love the Pattern Thin necks from PRS.
Thanks for the latest video featuring Tim Pierce and the PRS guitars. Great video and helpful. Now I know why I love my PRS ;-)
I'm Tele guy and I love big, fat, chunky necks. PRS' never caught my eye, but I needed Les Paul style guitar for a project and a friend loaned me his PRS single cut with a Suhr HB in the bridge and that guitar was amazing. Super comfortable to play, light, well balanced and more resonant than any guitar I ever played. I could do feedback solos with it with so much sustain it sounded like an ebow or a sustainer. Just endless sustain through a 50 watt Mesa Stiletto.
I ended up buying that single cut and had it for years until I traded it for a killer Strat because of a couple nitpicky personal gripes (I also picked up a Les Paul to cover my LP needs and never liked it). It didnt have a big neck, I wanted a hard tail, even though the trem was quite good, and even though it had a great Suhr HB in the bridge position, the stock neck pickup was actually much, much better. I'm a single coil guy, even for high gain and metal stuff, and the neck HB was clear and bright, unlike your standard mudbucker in the neck. But overall, there just wasnt a lot low end in that guitar at all, it was bright and clear but not in a single coil way.
I still keep my eye out for the perfect PRS single cut, hard tail with a big 50s style neck though. If you havent given PRS' a try, go to some stores and try them out. You might just be pleasantly surprised. Theres tons of different models and configurations. They are expensive, but they're worth checking them all out.
As someone who is always trying to tweak and modify different features of guitars to make them play like an extension of my body, I love PRS guitars and the thought they put into the subtle changes from the rest of the brands out there. Also, anyone who hasn't been to Sweetwater needs to make a trip to the mecca. The only thing that took the place of my PRS for gigging was a Ron Thorn SoCal R/S which is not an easy guitar to replace. PRS are sooooo consistent... I have a few that are getting some mods and then they will probably be on stage as much as my Thorn.
I have 3 CE models and absolutely love them. They are so good out of the box it's insane. I've never had to do any work on them other than string changes and action to my taste. I admittedly absolutely love my Les Pauls though, they speak to me a bit more. So I need to audition a McCarty and compare.
I bought a Les Paul and an SG Supra. I liked them, but each had its own issues. LP still had tuning issues after having a new nut put on. The SG was nice if I was sitting but if I stood up and moved, the neck flexed too much and wouldn't stay in tune. So, after about $6k of Gibson, I'm done.
I have a PRS S2 singlecut satin. They no longer make this model and it was the most inexpensive American made PRS at the time I bought it. It is my favorite guitar. The neck fits my hands perfectly. I lowered the action a smidge and it is super easy to play. No buzzes and no dead spots. I have a 1997 Heritage H535 and the PRS is 1/3 the money and plays better. They both sound really good but I really like the sound of the PRS #7 S pickups. I have 4 electric guitars but the PRS gets the most play time by far. I probably will never by a custom but I could see getting another S2 someday. Great guitars.
I LOVE my PRS Woodlibrary CS. Definitely my favorite of my guitars, and will be REALLY hard to beat.
I love the look and sound of the the PRS guitars and I tried many of them, but the feel just wasn't right for me. I ended up getting a Tom Anderson Bobcat which solves all the same problems the PRS models do. The great thing about today's guitar market is that we have so many wonderful builders to choose from.
I pulled my custom 22 trem out after 3 months, and it was still in tune!!
Awesome chat!! I am the same..didn't love them years ago (for some reason I can't even explain) but one month ago I got a 513 used (like new) ... from 2012 actually and is just a killing guitar. Wish the radius was 12" but I can live with 10" I guess. Certainly PRS are one of the top 5 guitars in the world. Cheers to that!!
The original PRS guitars had a ‘sweet switch’ that works great for taking the edge off the bridge pickup.
Man to have a tenth of the talent that’s in this video!! Great watch👍🏻👍🏻
The standard coil split and versatility is another thing these fix. I had my first encounter with one in 2002 at college, when I did a setup on one, and fell in love with it. I was sad to give it back. CE24 in whale blue. I'm going to buy one from that era once I save the money because I truly have always wanted one.
How about 8th decade and I'm getting my Custom 24-08 end of the month and I'm as excited as I was when I got my 3/4 Fender Mustang in 1964 :) Rock on dudes, NEVER stop playing.
I have two McCartys (one is a one piece slab of mahogany) both with solid Indian rosewood necks & a Singlecut with a solid Brazilian rosewood neck. Awesome, awesome guitars.
That DGT you bought is my favorite PRS ever. Good choice.
I love my PRS 24-08 I got from Sweetwater over a year ago. I can get any tone I want from this guitar and the Helix. The build quality is awesome!
I’ve owned a Custom 24 SE for 2 months, and it is now my favourite.
I got a new core model custom 24 from GC hollywood in 1995 still have it and it still like new having been around the world with me a few times. Best investment i ever made i find it hard to play my other guitars im so spoiled un loke all the fancy ones mine is black try finding a 95 in black i dont think they made many cheers ps it has the old pointer locking tuners and they work fine if you know the trick paul told me about !
I’ve owned many a PRS. Core models and one S2.
I could never bond with one like I do with a LP. Both have their issues for sure. The tone of a PRS never got to the LP level for me. But the playability is equal and the luthier work is better on a PRS. I couldn’t bond with any of them though not for lack of trying. Guess I’m just a LP fan. I’ll prob buy another one some day though and try again
Same here dude
I really liked this video, and I love PRS guitars. I own two of them, both from the S2 line: The Vela and the McCarty 594 single-cut. They sound, feel, and look beautiful. After watching this video, I'm ready to check out other PRS models. It's my dream to own a core model, but I gotta save up a little more cash for that purchase.
Love the intro licks. Was moving my emotions
I have an '09 DGT that I acquired through trading with a friend.
Great playing guitar, in not even really qualified to play it, my playing is crap for this kind of instrument.
That being said, the only issue I've had with playing my PRS is the high E string pulling off the edge of the neck very easily. The push/pull pot on the volume is s cool feature but I haven't gotten a chance to really open it up through a proper Amp yet.
The neck is otherwise great. Smooth, consistent tuning is a blessing especially since my Les Paul studio needs relief adjusted and a refresher setup on the bridge which I'm not the most qualified for performing myself.
The only major issue I have with my PRS is the color. I didn't have s choice on that, I'm just not a big fan of gold guitars, lol.
Great video, and, I might add that you're probably the coolest guitar guy on here. Down to earth, friendly and just plain cool. Thanks for the great content!
I have had several PRS guitars, core, CE and a couple of SE i got in trades-super well made-but never bonded with them and hence they were sold off while "lesser" guitars have been kept for decades. That being said PRS acoustics are just great-everything that makes PRS great- but with tone!
I agree , my son has a 25" Danelectro and I olve the 25" scale length. To me it's perfect. I have Fenders and a Taylor at 25" so Paul got that right.
I’m right there with Tim, my action is so easy to play and low low.
I've literally only ev er played 1 PRS, and I came this 🤏 close to buying it too. if it had a normal toggle switch instead of that dial they did, I would have. It was a great feeling neck and gorgeous looking instrument. My Mayones is a 25.4"scale, with 9.5's it's still got that chunky/girthy midrange while you can still easily do Gilmour bends.
It’s easy to have independent coil splitting, you just need to add a second push/pull pot (replace an existing one)and wire each pickup to a separate one. I have a Chapman Ghostfret with master tone and master volume, both push/pull with neck pickup switched on volume pot, bridge pickup on tone pot
these 2 cats are so good at what they do and even better as GENTLEMAN. Thanks, Fellas for always keeping it classy and interesting.
My favourite is a custom 22 with a thick neck, but I also like the custom 24 with a thin neck. The best thing about PRS is that they stay in tune and intonate, unlike the other two big names.
On the tuning thing: I had my Custom 22 in its case as we went from warm to cold weather between plays. Pulled it out and it was in tune with itself still, just a half tone sharp due to the cold. Every other guitar I've had will have one or two strings that are way off. My PRS made me a better player.
Right at the end of last year, splurged on the PRS SPECIAL and no regrets. Best guitar I've ever touched!
I have a '95 Custom 24 and a '98 McCarty. I can set them both up with paper thin action but I also have a '15 Hollowbody II and that one doesn't set up as low. The irony is I use 9 - 46 on the first 2 and the OEM gauge 11s on the HBII. Even with a higher action (comparatively), it plays like butter. I picked up a Silver Sky when they came out and that one doesn't have a low action either. It's set up with 10-52 (tuned down 1/2 step) and has a beautiful, silky smooth feel as well.
If I could only keep 2, it would be the McCarty and the Silver Sky. They are completely stock and perfect right out of the case. But that would be a fight. The Custom 24 was my first PRS and I played many gigs and studio sessions with it. The HB II is so sweet, I would be plotting and scheming to get another.
Ok, I give up! I ain't pickin' just one favorite!
I bought a 2021 SE custom 24/ ash top (used -$550), put Wilkinson WLS 130/S locking steel saddles on the trem bridge ($89), and it's damn near perfect. Easy to play, not too heavy, and will not go out of tune even with heavy trem use. The new SE's are very good build quality - good enough where it's hard for a working-class stiff to justify the extra $3K for an American-made version.
Love the OCD here on table, all the picks and patch leads lined up just so, a man after my own foibles ;)
I’m sure your Core subscribers will love this chat.
It's so true. I have mid 90's PRS but really want a new one. Can't say that for any other brand. Maybe kiesel or some smaller builders.