VIPER 400 vs Billy Martin SE PRS

[FELIX57]

Ive waited 3 months for my ltd viper 400, and i was told its been delayed another month. So i was thinking of another guitar, perhaps billy martin se prs which one would you choose and why.

VIPER 400 features:

Set neck
EMG-81 active humbuckers
Mahogany body
Bound maple neck has a rosewood fretboard featuring extra-jumbo frets and flag inlays
Volume, tone, and 3-way selector
Extreme contour on the upper side of the body provides playing comfort
fairly heavy

Billy Martin SE PRS

Solid mahogany body and neck (i think set neck)
Rosewood fingerboard
Matte black finish complemented by black hardware and green dot inlays
Special bat design on the 12th fret
2 PRS-designed humbuckers
thinking about switching with jb bridge and 59 neck(green if possible)
3-way pickup selector plus volume and tone knobs
lightweight

 

[TattooedCarrot]

Re: VIPER 400 vs Billy Martin SE PRS

I have the SE Soapbar and just sold my hot rodded Viper 400. I like the SE better because it has smaller 22 frets and a beefier neck vs the 400's 24 jumbo frets and thin neck. Both are worth the price, just different. And I've never played the Billy Martin specifically.

 

[TattooedCarrot]

Re: VIPER 400 vs Billy Martin SE PRS

I got the best of both worlds, I got the SE and added EMG's to it.

 

[FELIX57]

Re: VIPER 400 vs Billy Martin SE PRS

wow dats hot do you like its playability better, also is yours incredibly light i played the se in guitar center and it was so light i was thinking theres no way this can be mahogany, i feel like im gonna snap it, do you know what kind of mahogony is used could it be south american mahogany

just for knowledge purposes do you know if duncan designed is better then prs designed just wondering

 

[TattooedCarrot]

Re: VIPER 400 vs Billy Martin SE PRS

I do prefer the playaboility, because like I already mentioned, I prefer the fatter neck and smaller frets, and the 22 vs 24. Mine is also light, as was a Warmoth mahogany guitar I built. I think its safe to say the mahogany used is likely African and not Hondurous.

 

[Rotten Guitar String]

Re: VIPER 400 vs Billy Martin SE PRS

Why not look at a different Ltd that comes with the JB and 59 stock?

H-400
EC-400

 

[krankguitarist]

Re: VIPER 400 vs Billy Martin SE PRS

I'd go with a different SE if I were you. Never liked the idea of a signature axe, too easy for people to make assumptions about you before they hear ya play based on who's signature model it is.

That, and I've aways felt that its better to make a style for yourself, but its all up to you bro.

 

[GuitarGuru88]

Re: VIPER 400 vs Billy Martin SE PRS

I have the SE Soapbar and just sold my hot rodded Viper 400. I like the SE better because it has smaller 22 frets and a beefier neck vs the 400's 24 jumbo frets and thin neck. Both are worth the price, just different. And I've never played the Billy Martin specifically.

Ive played the Billy Martin and personally I think its crap...that is the SE version...the pickups are S**T so if you get it change it thats all I have against it

 

[FELIX57]

Re: VIPER 400 vs Billy Martin SE PRS

Why not look at a different Ltd that comes with the JB and 59 stock?

H-400
EC-400

the ltds with jb 59 stocks are more like 735 and se is 500 plus its lighter and the playing is really great i dont know if i want the pickups to be coil tapped im still not sure 100% as to what that is my other dilemma is getting them in green bobbins

about someone elses signature i felt uncomfortable with the association at first. If you think about it les paul is a signature thats got out of hand and sg is a les paul that les paul hated. My music is pop punk but more of a metal influence to it. I think most people wont notice if they do what ever but i do plan still on getting the viper in the future maybe ill treat myself before tour.
Also about the association my guitarist was so dead set against the guitar because whose signature it was i made him play it and he was really blown away to the point in where he doesnt care either anymore

 

[ex-250]

Re: VIPER 400 vs Billy Martin SE PRS

id go with the viper. theyre great guitars, and while i havent played the PRS, i wouldnt go anywhere near anything with billy martin's name on it so i cant help you with that one

 

[Bones]

Re: VIPER 400 vs Billy Martin SE PRS

I can't tell you which is a better play or which one is best for you. But just look at this green inlay, I mean this is really ****ing gay bro. I dunno who the hell this asshat is, but he looks like an emo kid.

 

[Mewmender]

Re: VIPER 400 vs Billy Martin SE PRS

On any normal occasion i would reccomend the PRS.... but since u mention the Billy Martin model, i would have to say get the viper instead or any other PRS SEs

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: VIPER 400 vs Billy Martin SE PRS

I agree with Bones. The inlays on the Billy Martin PRS SE's are lame. I don't mind the green dot inlays so much but the green bat inlays HAVE to go. I played one of them a while back and honestly I don't recall anything good about it.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: VIPER 400 vs Billy Martin SE PRS

I'd say look into a Tremonti SE or Santana SE instead of the Billy Martin SE. The Tremonti SE and Santana SE look better and don't have the ugly green bat inlays and I believe they are in the same price range. I think the Tremonti SE and Santana SE have been discontinued but I'm sure you wouldn't have any trouble finding a used or NOS (new old stock) one on Ebay.

 

[Imp]

Re: VIPER 400 vs Billy Martin SE PRS

anyone whos not seen the BM sig before - Billy Martin is one of the guitarists from good charlotte..

thats one signature i wouldnt want on my guitar, dudes.. tho its a nice reversal on the 'if i get my fave guitarist's sig model, will i play like him?' temptation..

tom

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: VIPER 400 vs Billy Martin SE PRS

yeah dude you don't wanna rock like good charlotte. Vipers look way sinister and EMGs are better for that super-clean-distortion poppunk sound anyway...when i saw Tsunami Bomb at warped tour a couple years back their tone pretty much definied 'poppunk' rockin, and he had a white viper with EMGs into some sort of Mesa...

-X

 

[Imp]

Re: VIPER 400 vs Billy Martin SE PRS

it depends on the type of punk you're after really, though mesas are very popular...

Blink 182 went from Invaders and JCM 900s to rectifiers
Green Day went from JB to the LP junior pickups
Bad religion have custom in one and JB in the other, i think?

either way, punk covers a lot more tonal ground than people give it credit for its best to select about half a dozen of your favourite tones and write down what you like +dislike about each one.. this will get you closer to the sound in your head..

tom

 

[FELIX57]

Re: VIPER 400 vs Billy Martin SE PRS

im supposed to be recording for our 1st album and demo and i dont want to lay down the tracks on the piece o cr@p i have (ill post pics of it 1 day)

about the bat i dont mind it, i think its kinda rad, its not emo (emo is too sad to have cartoons) its kinda funny too. the bat makes us look poppier than we are which gives us the element of surprise (thats why the vipers gonna be white) i know im not gonna be trying to emulate good charlotte i just dont want the prejudice assosiation with GC sound or otherwise

i tried looking for the tremonti model a couple of times because i wanted a les paul studio and i couldnt afford it and i heard it had pretty good sound,price, and feel. im scared to buy guitars off of ebay im afraid theres gonna be a slight warp or imperfection thats gonna affect my sound that im not gonna notice in time and with me sound imperfections increasingly p!ss me off

if you want to know more of the sound im looking for or try to compliment its more on the second song PANIK CONTROL

 

[prsman25]

Re: VIPER 400 vs Billy Martin SE PRS

I love my PRS Santana SE with the hardtail. The Billy Martin guitar is ugly and plus its got his name on it dont get that one but why dont you go down to Guitar Center and check them both out. I was going to get a Shector C1 untill i played the SE and im happy with my choice.

 

[FELIX57]

Re: VIPER 400 vs Billy Martin SE PRS

gc doesnt carry esp at least around here, unless its used, and the probability that they have 1 is minimal. i played the billy martin guitar it had a better feel and sound than most of the guitars there and even with its pickups had a higher tonal range than most of the guitars in the area jackson included and it was light almost super light i felt i was gonna break it, i really wish it didnt have his signature, i kind of wish i could pay for the lack of association aside from the viper probably being slightly higher quality the association is the only other thing that really bothers me.

i tried looking for the mark tremonti prs on ebay couldnt find it exept in the multi g level

thanks to rotten guitar string i made a viper 400 clone
they used to sell the viper in green but they stopped if they still did it would be no contest. part of the reason i got white is after my warranty ends im gonna have it painted that green so LUCIFER will turn into SLIMER