PRS guitars

[Rockstar216]

Anybody here plays or owns or owned one. What did you or do you think of it. I was looking at the Custom 24 model and it looked sweet especially in the green which Ive always wanted but never could find the right color of green. Plus I have never really looked into PRS guitars are they good/bad? And how are their trems can you go crazy on em like a floyd or are they more like a fender trem and only for moderate use?

 

[TheProphet]

Re: PRS guitars

I own a 2010 (IIRC) Dave Navarro which as far as I can tell is a white Custom 24 with Gold Hardware.

TBH I had a real hard time investing in a PRS as all the models I got my hands on had the Wide Fat neck which I really didn't like. However the body style of the Custom and CE series were the most comfortable I've ever played. Once I got my hands on the Wide-Thin and Pattern Thin I bought one.

Alongside my Gibson Les Paul Custom Lite it's a go to guitar and probably my mainstay if I'm playing somewhere where the Gibson might get damaged. My only beef was the stock Vintage Bass and HFS pickups which I found to be super generic sounding. I'd also prefer an ebony board as a stock option.

I'm not a huge trem guy, but it feels really stable. I've kept it setup similar to stock with a little float going on and I do a little vibrato by resting and varying the pressure on the back of the bridge.

I apologize for the rambling ... quite drunk right now.

Hope this helps

 

[jmh151]

PRS guitars

I have a limited edition solid Korina Custom 24 stop tail which came with their 245 pickups, which are supposed to be on the vintage end. The pickups are super versatile with the controls, PRS uses a special taper pot, caps, and coil split that allow you to get a wide variety of tones, but at the expense of sounding a little generic and flat, but not enough for me to change the pickups yet.

Mine has the traditional neck carve, which is a little narrower and thin, similar to an old strat with a 1 5/8" nut, but a little beefier.

The DGT model I like ALOT, and if I was looking for another PRS that would be my pick, and probably the all mahogany DGT Standard. Bigger neck, bigger frets, pickups similar to Duncan antiquities, etc

 

[d1dsj]

Re: PRS guitars

I have a PRS and the build, fit and finish are exceptional. The playability is first rate and it is the most resonant and organic feeling guitar I've ever picked. The only thing I am not sold on is the bridge pick up, it's got RP pick ups and whilst the neck is pretty good the bridge has to go. I'm hoping to get either a Brobucker or PRS 59/09, or may be try Seth's as I already have a bridge. I just need some brushed nickel covers as per the originals. The neck is a wide/ fat but it doesn't feel like it, it's nothing like the neck on my R7, it's very comfortable and feels solid. As with all guitars it's best to play as many as possible to find one that ticks all the boxes.

 

[youngthrasher9]

Re: PRS guitars

I played a duo of DC3s at guitar center one time and I liked them sound wise and feel wise. Top notch, and they weren't even super high end models.

 

[LReese]

Re: PRS guitars

Got my 1st one a few weeks back. Its a McCarty stoptail from 1997.

A well-built instrument. No complaints.

 

[JeffB]

Re: PRS guitars

I have had 7 of them since 1987. Customs, singlecuts, mccarty, and a Starla. Amazing quality and playability. I can never get sounds out of them that I can live with, regardless of what pups are in them, it is inherent to how they are constructed.

His trem is my fave on the market from a feel/use standpoint. Awesome stuff.

 

[loversmoon]

Re: PRS guitars

I cant speak for the higher end PRS but I do have a prs 245se and I would say its one of the best built Korean guitar I have ever played. Def way more guitar than the money. If you judge from that Id say the american PRS would have to be freaking amazing.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: PRS guitars

Owned a USA made PRS CE-24 and loved it. Beautiful looks, played like butter and had a unique lively and bouncey tone. But the neck pickup was moved to closer to the bridge pickup to allow space for the 23rd and 24th frets and I couldn't get used to the tone that the change in the placement of the neck pickup made. I sold it.

But I've been jonesing for a 22 fret PRS ever since. I'm pretty broke these days. Had to retire early and doing all right but no extra income. So I've been selling things I don't need or use and keeping my eye out for a 22 fret USA PRS with a nice top that I can afford.

 

[SlyFoxx]

Re: PRS guitars

The 24 is pretty much the guitar that put PRS on the map. You won't find a better built instrument for the money. Versatile tones though getting used to the selector knob is a problem for some. The trem feels very fender like and does the fender thing well but you can get waaayyyy more crazy with it than a fender unit without tuning issues.

 

[uOpt]

Re: PRS guitars

Well built and no-nonsense hardware (e.g. 6-point trem), useful choices of neck parameters (as opposed to Music Man).

Some of them can sound a bit nondescript. They lack the mass of a Les Paul and the floppyness of a Strat and they can come out too straightforward.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: PRS guitars

I have a USA made CU22 and 513, as well as a Korina SE and Singlecut 'Soapbar' SE. None of them are going anywhere soon. All are very well made, set up well and play very easily. The 513 is about as versatile as you're ever going to get with single-coil, 'vintage' and modern humbucker tones available. I've found that the trem is very stable and does appear to be a more solid unit than a standard Fender one would be - that said I'm not really one for dive-bombing a la Floyd. The key difference I've found between the MIA and MIK models is in their weight, the Korean ones are both thinner and lighter than their US counterparts. That said they are very resonant and very easy on your back if you spend a long time on stage. The only one that's had it's pickups changed is the SE Korina, which now sports the 'Whole Lotta Humbucker' set; that said, with some amps, they can be a little too bright at times and would perhaps suit a heavier, darker sounding guitar (e.g. a Les Paul).

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: PRS guitars

From what you all have said Ive heard some of the same from others especially about their tone and sound that some say its not bad but not great but the playability and feel are fabulous. I wonder how are they so bright even with a mahogany body but maybe its just their built. I love the looks of them but I would have to try one to see if I like it enough to have one.
This vid is what made me take a look at them which I like his playing but his tone sounds very bright but thin which im not sure if thats his amp or the guitar or pups. Im one of those players who prefers a bright tone but thick at the same time and if I need a lil darkness or roundness just roll down the tone knob. Any body know which model his PRS is?

 

[tonello]

Re: PRS guitars

I've been using one of the Mike Mushok baritones. I have no complaints about it, except maybe I wish it had 2 colume knobs stock, rather than me having to get it drilled.

 

[gman128]

Re: PRS guitars

No-body has addressed the trem question properly yet so I will. I played a friend's PRS custom 24 extensively, and the trem is better than anything fender make in terms of feel and stability. That said it pales in comparison to the Edge tremolo I have on my Ibanez RG550/570s. You can't go nuts on the single locking PRS trem in the way you can on a double locking Floyd rose design, without pulling your guitar out of tune. The most I managed with the PRS trem was a moderate divebomb - don't expect Dimebag or Steve Vai style squeals and trem flutters from it.

As for the custom 24 in general - pickups aside (they sounded a bit neutered to my ears) - this is the best value non custom shop guitar for a guitar in its price range by FAR! - Smacks any Gibson, ESP, Musicman or Fender out of the park!

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: PRS guitars

I'm pretty sure that's a CU22 - it looks to have an identical setup to my own; locking tuners, 22 frets, rotary switch, standard bird inlays. Mine looks like this for you to compare with it.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: PRS guitars

I'm pretty sure that's a CU22 - it looks to have an identical setup to my own; locking tuners, 22 frets, rotary switch, standard bird inlays. Mine looks like this for you to compare with it.

Nice. Does yours sound neutral to your ears? does it sound like the one the guy in the vid had?

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: PRS guitars

I knew I'd forgotten to comment on something. I can't really comment on whether mine sounds like that video, as I don't think that's a very good recording at all. To me, it sounds like he was recording with the mic built into the camera, and not with a mic set up as you would in a recording studio - the is way too much room sound in that video to tell what the guitar sounds like. That said, I would say that mine is pretty neutral sounding, but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing, as you can use amps/effects to easily tweak their sound in any direction. That happens to suit me for the most part, as I play quite an varied mix of music.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: PRS guitars

I thought that it might of been bad video recording but neutral isnt a bad thing for what I do. The only big named people ive ever seem played them are Myles Kennedy "Alter Bridge" and Orianthi "Michael Jacksons Guitarist right before he passed".

 

[uOpt]

Re: PRS guitars

There isn't anything too special about the tremolo. Like a Strat trem the tuning stability is mainly determined by the nut, lubrication in the nut, wind on the tuner and how stable the mount is, that means how accurately it returns to the original position after use. The angled headplate is usually better for tuning stability than a string tree setup. And the high quality of these guitars will often see the stability work in favor the PRS versus a random strat.