Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

[WhoFan]

Re: Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

For me it's quite the opposite. Since I got it about a month ago it's all I use for gigs. Like I said, I didn't pick a 10 top, and the model I got doesn't offer bird inlays since its a bolt on maple neck (wich was the selling feature for me), so I concider it a player.

The guitar is going to get scratched and played. It wouldn't be worth the money to get a quality instrument if I wasn't going to play it, now would it.

oh i could see that using a more expensive axe for gigs myself at times... it's just i've seen some walk out of clubs and stuff get damaged baddly so i just use stuff that works good enough in bars... on more important gigs in the past i've pulled out the better stuff... but even then my better stuff is someones elses trash... It's weird my new axes i baby and take care of... even my cheapies... but the ones i buy used and pre dented and dinged i really use a lot... My 1988 American Standard Strat is one as is a few Jacksons and MIM strats..... i take them out in the ice cold, or in the high heat, i toss them in the back of trucks just in gig bags... then at gigs i have thrown them to the ground or left them screaming in feed back ontop of the amps... i could never see myself doing that with expensive stuff...

I know a few pros that have been backing up other singers and stuff.. this one guys 2003 Les Paul has had the headstock snapped off 3 times and his newer Marshall cabs look like they have been destroyed as they don't load the cabs in cases... must be bad roadies or something but they have rough looking gear!!!

I love the CE PRS line... nice axes... i'm a huge fan of Alex Lifeson and he has used a bunch of different PRS models over the last 18 years... using Custom Shop Les pauls these days but still the PRS era was great stuff..

 

[blueman335]

Re: Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

I think that is an over simplification. It's not always a simple question of changing the pups or mods to get a good guitar. Sometimes it's better to just get something great of the shelf and let it be as is. The overall feel of the guitar comes from the actual body and neck of it, things that if change make it a very different guitar.

I think when you find a guitar that you can pick up and feels right, right away, that's when you know you got a good instrument.

If you sit down with it and go " with new pups, tuners, pots and a better bridge, this guitar could rock!", I wouldn't be 100% sure the guitar is for you.

There's been plenty of threads about guys with a PRS that wanted to swap PU's; no matter what you spend there's no guaranatee that any "off-the-shelf" guitar is not going to need modding to fit your needs.

As far as what "feels right", that isn't dictated by the price tag or even brand name. We all have different tastes on neck thickness, body wood, tuners, etc, and that could all come togther on a $500 import or a $3,000 PRS. Price isn't a factor, it's ergonomics. I've played expensive guitars that didn't "fit" and didn't impress me.

I don't ever expect a guitar to be "ideal" from the factory. They're made to appeal to as many potential buyers as possible in their price range, and be suitable for as many kinds of music as possible, PRS included. That's not very personal. Proof of the one-size-fits-all approach is that a certain PU is spec'd for a certain model, no matter how it sounds in some of the woods. Wood is just too variable to let you do that & think you're going to have them all sound the same. If they were after a certain sound, they'd have to tailor the PU's windings and magnets to each piece of wood, and there sure aren't many companies doing that. If you can automatically connect with an expensive generic instrument, that's great. I go into it knowing almost every guitar is made to be one-size-fits-all out of economic necessity and I expect to make some changes to the electronics to fit me. It's like buying a new car off the lot; even though it's loaded with options and "speaks to you", there's plenty of others just like it, and many guys think another make and model is a better fit for them.

 

[phil_104]

Re: Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

As far as what "feels right", that isn't dictated by the price tag or even brand name. We all have different tastes on neck thickness, body wood, tuners, etc, and that could all come togther on a $500 import or a $3,000 PRS. Price isn't a factor, it's ergonomics. I've played expensive guitars that didn't "fit" and didn't impress me.

That's exactly my point, and you said it well, price isn't a factor. It's all about ergonomics. If the PRS fits, and is right, then in theory it is worth the money.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

Get your question straight.

Are high-end PRS guitars worth the money? No.

Are PRS guitars worth the money? Perhaps.

I'd venture to say that 0 "high-end" guitars are worth the money, Law of Diminishing Returns style.

 

[jimmy]

Re: Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

Wow, where do I start?

(1.) Just because a guitar costs 2K+ does not mean anything.

What do I mean by that?

Well, let's get right into it. . . first of all, I play guitars for their TONE.
Wow, imagine that?!
Playing a guitar for the. . . tone?!. . . of all things, L:OMG:L.

That's right, baby.

Just because you pay a truckload of ca$h for a guitar does not mean it's going to sound like a vintage '59 Les Paul (Because, srsly, is there anything on earth that can beat a '59 LP? Seriously, I dare you to try to refute this.)

Let's take a look at the Dean Solterno:
http://www.funkymunkymusic.com/stor...3ff68f529742=307886b0053c84a2a9b0830aa664187e

What a cheap knock-off of a mongoloid-looking abomination! Do you srsly think that, by paying upwards of 3K, that yer getting a better-sounding, better-playing guitar then, say. . . I dunno, a 60's or 70's LP Custom or Standard, L:question:L

LOL, no.

Then what's the point?​

Which brings me to my next point:


(2.) Guitar companies like to think that customers think: "Huge price tag = huge penis!"

What do I mean by that?

It's simple. I kinda talked about it earlier. Why am I talking about it again?
Because some people didn't read it the first time.

It's easy, really. If you charge enough money for something, hype it up, then people will eat it up. Srsly. . . look at that stupid PRS Dragon Guitar. It looks rad-as-heck, but has anyone played one?

I have.

It sounds terrible.

d00d, I could crank out a bowl of diarrhea soup, and it would sound better. Really, now. I'd rather buy a cheap u$ed, car than that guitar.

PRS? More like POS! LOL!

Yes, my wit is totally radtastic.

All in all, you just have to try yer ears, or yer wallet.
If you think yer getting an amazing guitar just because you paid 3K for it, but it really sounds like the anus of a dying warthog, then more power to ya, buddy, LL!
If you really need that vintage Les Paul or Start because you need that tone, son, then rock out with yer wang out, L:cool2:L!

But even an amazing play can make that Fender Hello Kitty guitar scream like a mofo, so whatever, because all this stuff is super, super, super subjective, anyway.

Holla!

 

[sosomething]

Re: Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

Whoa. My mind is blown. None of that had every occurred to me, Jimmy, or I'm sure anyone else in this thread. What a revelation.

"No guitar will ever sound like a '59 Les Paul so what's the point? Let's all play Hello Kitty Squiers."

Brilliant.

 

[phil_104]

Re: Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

Jimmy, no offense, but I don't think you get what I was saying.

I'm not saying that because my prs had a bigger price tag than some guitars it's awesome. As a matter of fact, when I got it, I didn't know anything about prs or how much they cost. Assuming that I bought it because of the price tag is insulting to my intelligence.

Did it ever occur to you that perhaps, in some strange series of events, I actually picked up my prs because I compared it to some les pauls and other guitars and found the tone, feel, and construction to be superior? And if you seriously think that people only buy prs because of the name, and then tell me people should be buying other guitars like Gibsons, I have to question your jugement.

When I buy guitars, I trust my ears and my hands. They usually dont fail me.

And btw, phrases like " d00d, I could crank out a bowl of diarrhea soup, and it would sound better " don't add credibility to your argument.

 

[Captain Crunch]

Re: Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

I've played many PRS in my life. None of which had me crappin myself. They're simply NOT worth the money. If i'm paying over 2K for a guitar i'm going to a shop like Carvin. At a place like that, you can get anything you want done. It's that kind of personalization that you should get when paying that much money for a guitar. And for that matter, most guys who have enough cash and are buying the high end PRS guitar know at least a thing or two about guitar, so they're most likely going to add a few personal touches (pots, pickups, tuners, saddles...) to their guitars anyway. So, for my $2K+ i'm getting EXACTLY what i want. From paint, to neck shape, to fret size, to strap buttons.

 

[jimmy]

Re: Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

Hahaha, you guys need to stop catching feelings.

 

[phil_104]

Re: Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

I've played many PRS in my life. None of which had me crappin myself. They're simply NOT worth the money. If i'm paying over 2K for a guitar i'm going to a shop like Carvin. At a place like that, you can get anything you want done. It's that kind of personalization that you should get when paying that much money for a guitar. And for that matter, most guys who have enough cash and are buying the high end PRS guitar know at least a thing or two about guitar, so they're most likely going to add a few personal touches (pots, pickups, tuners, saddles...) to their guitars anyway. So, for my $2K+ i'm getting EXACTLY what i want. From paint, to neck shape, to fret size, to strap buttons.

I can respect that, but still, the point is : "For some people, PRS is exactly what they are looking for".

If it was exactly what you were looking for, it would be worth the price. I find it strange that people say they aren't worth the money. I wouldn never buy a Gibson custom shop. But if someone spend 4k on one because it is what he is looking for, then yes, by all means, it is worth it. Same goes for every other brand.

 

[jimmy]

Re: Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

Guys, just stop the foreplay, and quit catching feelings.

 

[JordanM82]

Re: Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

...contrarily, those rich famous bands like Creed and Sum 41 who all rock PRS Artist guitars into sweet Mesa / Boogie rigs all sound really bland and 'vanilla' to me...

...... if you've got a sweet pro rig and you just need a sweet pro guitar to ice the cake with, and you've got an extra two grand hangin out, by all means, get that guitar. I just think I would do a lot more with two grand than buy ONE guitar, heh.

+1 my thoughts exactly, I had a similar scenario (had some bonus cash from work), bought a custom shop Carvin Bolt-T (which is phenomenal) bought SD pickups to put in it and still barely topped 1k.... I can't justify the PRS personally... but some people can, they may not have a wife and 3 kids tho too... it's personal taste and financial situations that dictate our decisions on this type of stuff... that being said if I had gobs of money laying around, my viewpoint could easily change...

 

[TheArchitect]

Re: Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

Wow, this forum is really letting me down with the short sidedness....You guys are better than this.

I cut my teeth playing low end guitars and making whatever upgrades or changes I could afford to make them better. Later I worked through mid grade instruments like the MIM's and Studios. They were better starting points but still required/benefited from certain upgrades. Through this phase I also built a dozen or so Warmoth guitars from the ground up. Finally I was able to work my way up to an LP Std and Various PRS models.

As such, I have paid the dues and have the experience from top to bottom to say this:

While there are certainly winners and losers at every level, the high end guitars have a much higher percentage of winners. While top end guitars do represent spending big to get the last 10% of performance/feel, you are in fact getting the best available. Anyone who claims otherwise either doesn't truly have the seat time to really know the difference or has an axe to grind of some sort. High end guitars may not represent the best value, but overall they do represent the best available. Midrange guitars can do amazing things but to suggest they are as good across every measure is just ridiculous.

Finally, my first hand experience with guys claiming all the high end guitars are no better than their mim's is that they are playing them through substandard amplification or using so much gain they couldn't tell the difference between any 2 guitars you handed them. Both of which pretty much discount those findings in my mind.

 

[sosomething]

Re: Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

I agree with some of what you have said, TheArchitect, but coming from the same experiences as you, I might cap the returns on performance/feel just below that final 10% in price (for production-line instruments) because that last 10% usually represents aesthetic upgrades like additional inlay or highly figured woods, which have no quantifiable impact on feel or tone in a blindfold test.

Otherwise, a big +1.

 

[sosomething]

Re: Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

>$99
item that visually resembles guitar but not a viable instrument

$100-$299
Chinese / Indo-made, mystery wood, drywall nail frets, refrigerator magnet pickups, welcome to Wal Mart

$300-$499
Korean / Chinese-made, agathis and sapele, cheapo hardware, "Duncan Designed", Musician's Friend catalog fodder, starting to be a decent platform for mods

$500-$799
Korean, some asian wood, african mahogany, alder, basswood, decent hardware, sometimes w/ Duncans / EMG / DMZ pickups, a prime platform to be modded into a much better instrument

$800-$1499
From Korean to USA, Biggest segment in terms of variety, manufacturers, etc. All woods, hardware, pickups, guitar styles are possible. This price range will yield a giggable, perfectly serviceable instrument 90% of the time. However you will almost never see Honduran Mahogany, Brazilian Rosewood and if there's a flamey top it's probably thin or a veneer.. And most of what you will find will be light on fancy figured woods and binding / inlay, etc. Not many sig. models either. Your best bet here is to go for a utilitarian instrument made from quality materials, which may or may not need a mod or two to make it just right. With this mindset you'll never be sorry buying from this group.

$1500-$2999
"Top end" to most players and rightly so. Many sig. models live here. Guitars at the upper range of this group are nearing CS-level in terms of materials. All top-level hardware and electronics. Lots of boutique options as well. Honduran Mahogany and AAA - AAAAA tops starts popping up. Expect flawless set-ups, fret work (though it should have been present at the level below this, it often isn't) with a few exceptions. Here come the unpopular vintage guitars as well. If there's a mod here it's preference, not quality.

$3000-$6999
Absolute ceiling for production-level instruments. Beyond this point you shouldn't be seeing anything built on spec. Brazilian rosewood. '60s Gibson Juniors and Specials. You're seeing tons of custom shop and boutique models here as well. Everything should be absolute top-quality and beyond this point only pieces involving ridiculous amounts of time-consuming artistry or super-rare pieces should be out of reach. If you're modifying anything at this point or beyond, you're either a severe malcontent, insane, or both.

<$7000
Can you check out this weird mole on my back and tell me if it's cancer?

----------------------------

That's my gross estimation. There are numerous exceptions in every group, and that's OK. I'm just kind of thinking of the median trends. Based on that, just about anybody could find something totally rad and giggable in the 5th group and often even the 4th group. The 6th group is where I think you'll find the last real, measurable improvement in a blindfold-type test, and beyond that we're talking about custom instruments and investment pieces.

IMO

M2C

YMMV

ETC

 

[Yngwiestein]

Re: Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

for an old dude with disposable income? sure

for a young, working guitarist? fffffffffffffffffffffforget that. You'll get a comparable tone from a Schecter or a Les Paul Studio or something nad have about $1200 for a killer amp.

I'm sorry man but that just sounds so ignorant. Try playing up on the 21st fret on a Les Paul studio vs a PRS. LOL! Schecter vs PRS, not even worth the argument. Don't take offense. Seriously though, from what you have said about PRS in the past I have to conclude that you never spent quality time with PRS guitars. There's a great PRS out there for everyone.

I'm a young dude that works hard for average pay, pays for school and is tight on cash. I saved a crapload of money to get my prs CE24, and it is worth every penny.

It's simple. I wanted a well made guitar, with great tone, and feel I loved, all in a guitar that would stand the test of time and look great. I didn't know anything about prs when I was guitar shopping, as a matter of fact, my intention was to pick up a gibson custom shop goldtop.

PRS are expensive, but like in any field, you gotta pay the cost of quality. Some people don't like them, and that's a question of taste, but for someone who digs the instrument, they are as worth it as any other guitar in that price range.

Bingo! Buy what makes you happy. If a $3000 PRS singlecut does the trick or if it's a $300 Schecter. To the person it fits it's always worth the dough!

 

[metlking]

Re: Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

I have a beautiful 10 top McCarty with birds....I guess you'd consider it a "high end PRS" Is it worth it? YES! I bought it used for less than half of what it probably cost new and it puts a big smile on my face when I play it........can you put a price on that?

 

[blueman335]

Re: Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

While there are certainly winners and losers at every level, the high end guitars have a much higher percentage of winners. While top end guitars do represent spending big to get the last 10% of performance/feel, you are in fact getting the best available... Midrange guitars can do amazing things but to suggest they are as good across every measure is just ridiculous.

Agreed. For some of us, and our financial situations, mid-priced guitars do all we need, especially by up-grading PU's and hardware. Our investment is still much less than a high-end guitar. We can live with that & make no apologies. They're not quite as well-made, obviously, but we get a much greater bang for the buck.

I'd love to have nothing but high-end gear, but we'd really probably sound better by being more disciplined in our practicing, than by spending another $1,000 to get that last 10% of performance out of a guitar. Its so easy to get hung up on gear, and we forget that it's our fingers and minds that set the limits of what we do.

 

[Yngwiestein]

Re: Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

Agreed. For some of us, and our financial situations, mid-priced guitars do all we need, especially by up-grading PU's and hardware. Our investment is still much less than a high-end guitar. We can live with that & make no apologies. They're not quite as well-made, obviously, but we get a much greater bang for the buck.

I'd love to have nothing but high-end gear, but we'd really probably sound better by being more disciplined in our practicing, than by spending another $1,000 to get that last 10% of performance out of a guitar. Its so easy to get hung up on gear, and we forget that it's our fingers and minds that set the limits of what we do.

Yes great point but give a dedicated player a PRS and you might get something like this:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=f9imuLRcCEI

 

[Sanford]

Re: Are High end prs guitars worth the money?

When one ounce=$45, $2000 and the guitar I already have makes for an amazing lost weekend.
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