I have a pretty large guitar collection, have been playing over 50 years, and as a younger man was a Fender snob! As I matured I began to realize that different jobs ( tones) need different tools. As I broadened my collection, first to Gibson, then to PRS, I found that every brand has its pluses and minuses! Every time I pickup a different instrument I get a different inspiration, makes everything fun again! Now I don't understand people who only play one brand or model, very limiting! Thanks for your great content
Same. I was 12 when I started playing. Blink 182 was my bread and butter so naturally I played strats and fenders throughout high-school. Then I got into more progressive rock like coheed and cambria when i was at the end of high school/ begining college. So I switched to gibson. Now I own no strats, 1 Tele, 9 vintage gibsons and a few knaggs, schecters and odd Ball guitars. Would love a vintage strat but there is always something wrong with them... they are affordable to me and there's no shortage of them I just can't find one that suits me quite right yet. But gibsons and knaggs made me really fall in love with Guitars. Prs was like knaggs before they outsourced all their shit. I would get a private stock prs maybe but the knaggs I think are priced better, there are alot more of then out there that nobody wants, and I like the singlecut style as opposed to double cut so knaggs just works a little better for my taste, but a prs single cut mccarty private stock is a Wish list item of mine. My tastes always kinda change though. I play jazz, blues, metal, indie rock, progressive stuff so I like having a few diff options and tunings. My preferences were taking shape at 12-13. But they weren't defined until I was 17-19. And I would say they are still being tweaked slightly from time to time. I'm always trying new pedals, strings, styles, and songs.
I own a dozen guitars. No PRS. Thought about it but I always thought why buy a Strat copy? So no fake strats for me. Squiers are fine. Even own an SX guitar. But those guitars, unlike PRS, aren’t pretending they are something they aren’t.
@deeberdave8190, on the flip side, it’s puts me in mind of Tommy Tedesco sitting in his booth with his Tele.. “Tommy, that’s not quite the sound I’m looking for. Can you grab another guitar?”. Tommy leans over and pretends to grab another guitar, but comes right back up with his Tele. How’s that sound? “Yeah, that’s the sound, Tommy. Use that guitar”. For some players, one is enough.
I’m really impressed with the DGT SE…first PRS and I’m a teacher. I only mention that because I feel very thankful to PRS for offering that type of quality at what is a bit of stretch price for me. It feels respectful of folks like me who have less means. Not to criticize other guitars that are expensive, just feels good to be able to play something well made.
I recently purchased a PRS SE DGT. I upgraded the bridge and tuners because I can but the guitar is just fine as is. It sounds and plays great. I never play my custom shop LP anymore.
Yes, the SE line is a much better consistent value IMHO than what the other two heavyweights put out at the various price points that they service. It’s not that Fender/Squier and Gibson/Epiphone don’t make good stuff, it’s that their stuff is less consistently good in terms of QC, the pickups and hardware are not of the same quality as PRS, and the prices keep going up. I remain a Fender and Gibson fan but was turned into a PRS fan once I got a 24-08 SE and I’m slowly opening myself up to considering other brands like Reverend, Yamaha, East Coast, Heritage/Harmony, etc.
My SE custom hollow body (older flat top version) has been treating me very well as my primary guitar. I didn't like how the humbuckers played with my little valve amp, so I swapped them. I didn't need to, but for the sound I wanted, they weren't right. While I was in there, I replaced both pots, one needed replaced. I swapped caps for less highs cut. I added a push-pull to coil split, and it is a very versatile guitar, for well under $700 (paid about $400 used). I meticulously dialed in the setup, and polished the frets during a string change, and it plays perfectly!
@@randrothify "I remain a Fender and Gibson fan but was turned into a PRS fan once I got a 24-08 SE and I’m slowly opening myself up to considering other brands like Reverend, Yamaha, East Coast, Heritage/Harmony, etc." By when do you think you'll be fully opened? How slow are we talking? Are we talking months or years? Or perhaps decades.
I have a friend who is a Die-Hard PRS fan. I’ve never really connected with them. That being said, I find Paul endlessly fascinating, and his need to innovate is commendable.
Paul is so awesome, isn’t he!?! I have no interest in his guitars even though I know they’re mostly consistently great. But I could listen to him talk about music and guitars for hours.
@@ericwalters5382 TOTALLY. He’s so offputting and unlikeable. Kinda finished off my already 'not into PRS guitars’ feeling after seeing him interviewed.
Keith, you are a gem, seriously. You’ve put together some of my All time favorite RU-vid videos & I promise I’m going to buy a 5 Watt shirt one of these days. Your channel is one of my all time favorite channels, it’s diverse, it doesn’t play favorites & it’s MASSIVELY informative. I hope you get a million + subscribers this year!
This is an interesting conversation. I really enjoyed the content. My bandmate is John Mann, the designer of the PRS Bridge. We practice in his PRS Store in NH and I am surrounded with PRS so how could I not own several. The thing is we play Motown and when I play with the band I play a Nile Rogers Hitmaker. For me, the guitar has to fit the vibe. I play PRS in every other situation. Most of the time John plays a 335.
You hit the nail on the head with the history being one of the reasons people throw so much shade on PRS guitars. We grew up watching the guitar gods with LP, strat, tele, ES335 and SG guitars and that is what most of us want. I have a PRS S2 Singlecut Standard and a PRS SE McCarty 594 Standard and they are my favorite guitars. I have a Heritage H535 that cost 3 to 4 times as much and I like the PRS guitars a bit more. I do wish PRS would give an option other than birds. My S2 has dot inlays and my SE McCarty has bird inlays. I actually like the birds but I know some people don't.
@wiseguy9202 -you should sell it. I've always been able to at the very least make my money back on my PRS guitars. That being said, I can see how they may not be for everyone. But I loved mine and hated to see em go but I had needed the money at the time.
I'm a PRS convert. For years I guess I resisted them because...I honestly don't know, because once I got my hands on a DGT I had to admit that it is the best guitar I own. It's the one I gig with, because it tunes up and holds tune so well, and the coil splits + 25" scale length make it a chameleon. You could play any show with it.
Do not own a PRS. Havent played one that really struck my soul. Love the looks of the DGT but I can get those sounds from my Les Paul or my Gretsch. Absolutely love see Mr Paul on youtube from time to time.
I have had a few PRS guitars and every one played amazingly. One was the best guitar I have ever played. It's almost as if they really care about their customers...
On the other side, the worst guitar I have ever played was a PRS SE custom 22. It felt awful, played awful and sounded awful - the only guitar I've ever picked up that I literally couldn't play. And ugly too. Ended up basically giving away to a local guitar shop. It's still there a year later, they can't shift it either. Never buying another one.
Shane , I wasn't aware he said that... I started out playing lefty and due to an injury and was forced to play right handed. Most guitar companies don't care about lefties due to the market, in general. Unfortunately, business is business... and of course...Hendrix made it work for him... so, be a Hendrix. I'm sure you've learned to innovate... lefties are pretty bright!
Excellent rundown. I have PRS in my blood and have been mentally agonizing these same concepts for decades. So thoughtful and well researched. Great job!
Flawlessly made, and I have never held one that wasn't well set up and had an immaculate fit and finish. That said, having owned 3 (including a Dragon V), I have never been in love with their pickups.
I was one of those that stayed away from PRS, and only bought Gibson, Fender, Gretsch, and boutique makers. But then one day I got to play a PRS Special semi-hollow and was blown away. Since then I’ve added a Modern Eagle and a Custom 24. They are amazing. They never go out of tune, and they sound more clear and articulate than my Gibsons or Fenders. They sound great with all my amps, where my other guitars definitely sound better with certain amps. I now play them far more often than my other guitars. They just work perfectly every time.
I also bought a semi hollow Special. I own/have owned countless Gibson (incl. Custom Shop), Fender, Gretsch, Rickenbacker, Tom Anderson (stellar instruments btw), Ibanez and Yamaha - all over the past 35 years of playing. By my personal experience, NONE of them matches the build quality and playability of the Core Series PRS Special. The sound/tone (to me) is on a different level as well. If I had to have only one guitar (heaven forbid!!), it would be the PRS - a no brainer.
As one who’s played nothing but Gibson and Fender until recently, I’ll tell you WHY PRS… (And I continue to play Gibson and Fender, it’s just that PRS is a 3rd option in the toolkit.) Why PRS: Intonation up the neck is impeccable Each note/string articulates so well Smoothest playing guitar out there If you have humbuckers as I do, there’s a great middle ground where you’re thick like a Gibson but never muddy, and thin enough as a Fender to really cut Stays in tune extremely well Scale length is perfect balance - hits the midpoint of a Fender & Gibson and to me feels the most comfortable
Soulless.. no. Ungodly consistent....yes. so consistent and well built that there isn't really the hidden gem. I never batted an eye buying one on line because if it's wasn't right I could make it right. Fender and Gibson? Good luck. I have 3 core 3 SE. They single-handedly made the entire industry better. Everyone is racing and retooling to keep up. Thanks Paul!
I love my prs se Santana. Played great from purchase in 2013 and was my first solid guitar. Still my fave guitar. I dont care if it's not an American prs.
agree 100% about us older folks who grew up with Page, Hendrix, SRV etc being our rock gods...I always think of them when I pick up the strat or les paul or SG (Angus!). Great video! Loved it.
My 1st instructor was a pro guitarist in a touring band that I liked. He had a PRS, this would have been 89' and it played like butter. Very lively and resonant. I had never seen one before and was mesmerized by the pearl diving bird. We would often switch guitars during the lesson because he liked my Les Paul as well.
Hi there! Great discussion on PRS. I sat in with Paul’s band in 1992 at the Hard Rock Cafe in NYC. I knew the other guitarist in his band who was PRS's east coast regional rep, who invited me to come down to the HRC to meet Paul. As a result, I still to this day, play my EG4(‘93) that I got as an artist. I have another EG from that period as well. Both great guitars that I use regularly. I loved how PRS incorporated strat features(bolt on neck)(Fralin pups) yet still had PRS signature quality during this period. I do dig the Silver Sky SE. Anyway, thanks again for this video.
I've had several early SEs, A core single cut, S2 Custom, and currently play a DGT SE and I love it. Fit and finish are perfect, it sounds great and very versatile.
I've never been a PRS guy, but I own a Silver Sky SE, and it's hands down the best strat I have ever played. The pickups are way above the price point that Fender offers you, and the build quality is too good to ignore.
Silver Sky SE has worse pots and switch than the Squier Classic Vibe at double the price. Imo, the Classic Vibe pickups sound better than both the Silver Sky and the Fender Player pickups, which giving you that flatter fretboard radius which makes it more playable than the Silver Sky that is a 7.25 radius. Overall, I don't see any reason someone would spend double the money on an Indonesian made Silver Sky SE when the Indonesian made Squier Classic Vibe exists.
@@manofthepeople2165 Yes, electronics parts are often I weak point on Asian guitars BUT as a builder/repairman I ditched the practice of gutting guitars to upgrade BEFORE the stock components actually fail. If it isn’t broken I leave it be.
@@RelicOnMaui when I play, I do care about the feel of my pots and switches. If I don't feel positive feedback or a click, I'm not sure if I was able to switch to the correct pickup. I also often adjust the volume pot while playing, so the pot having some resistence and not feeling loose does affect me. Overall, I don't understand why someone would pay almost $1000 for a pretty guitar with cheap electronics when you can get a Squier classic vibe that is everybit as good playing and sounding as any import guitars. Also compared to Epiphone inspired by gibson, you might pay $999 or more but at least you get quality electronics like CTS pots, and you get Gibson USA pickups, and a real hard case. Maybe 4-5 years ago, PRS SE made sense as a $500 import guitar that was setup relatively well from the factory and sounded 95% the same as a core PRS, but with all the price increases since COVID and both Squier and Epiphone improving so much with their above $300 guitars, it really doesn't make sense to pay for the PRS brand.
My electronics all went screwy after a year, they use the same junk as all the cort guitars, I’ve had a few so it’s actually expected, but annoying, love the guitar and often mod the electronics anyways, but the damn switch.
I have a collection of 21 guitars. I started playing in the 1970s, on VERY cheap guitars ( not inexpensive.... CHEAP). I am not a gear snob at all, but the flagships of my collection are Martin, Fender, and Gibson. As some have stated, each are tools for a different tone. I have played several PRS guitars over the years, and they are fine instruments. I dont own one simply because the opportunity has never presented itself. I love 5 Watt World! Thanks, Keith!
I had a 1991 CE 24 for several years that was originally my brother’s. (He sold it to me to use for several years when he needed money with the agreement that I would sell it back when he was in a better situation.) I gigged with that guitar, and loved how versatile and playable it was. I have always missed that guitar. I recently picked up a DGT SE, and have been blown away by the same quality and the unique tonal palette it possesses. I think I like it even more than the ‘91 CE. To me, Paul has picked up as an innovator where people like Leo Fender and Ted McCarty left off. I never understood the whole ‘mojo’ or ‘soul’ arguments people make against PRS. I think mojo and soul are in the hands, and certain instruments are more comfortable and or tonally aligned to different people than others. Different strokes…
I used to own a USA made custom 22 artist model. Sold it to helped pay for a new vehicle for my family when our first van died. Now I own a Starla SE. I’m not ashamed to say, I think love it just as much as I did my 22. (Even though I still miss that guitar 😢).
I have an SE McCarty 594 Standard. Got it on sale with another 10% off for new online customers for $593. It's a great guitar. Clean sound, articulate, can get dirty if needed, stays in tune and a very easy guitar to play. The neck is great.
I don’t own a PRS, but I do admire them. I also build guitars, and I made a 22 fret version of the Custom. It has a se trem, 408 wiring and switching, and Mojotone modern 59 PAF clones. It has an angled 6 in a line headstock, rather than 3 and 3. I even inlaid a hummingbird on the headstock, but left the fretboard blank, which actually is a cool look.
I have three of them - late 94 Custom 24, late 80s employe model Curly Bass IV, and an early 2000s SE EG with the wraparound bridge. Honestly, the great thing about PRSs is the build quality and cohesive "feel" of their designs. These days that eye popping finishes and crazy wood patterns make me feel a bit queasy. They are nice, but way too turbo for my taste. I love how they play, maybe not as much how they look, as you mentioned. Also, bingo, late 80s college guy, gotta have one, "they're the best" etc but I couldn't afford any until I found a local guy selling off his "collection" of about eighteen similar Custom 24s in all the colors of the rainbow. I chose mine in scarlet red, maybe the least popular PRS color ever, and which hides the ten top, but it played the best out of all of 'em and it has a presence to it that all the others lacked. These days the neck is too thin for my taste, but the guitar is a keeper. Very nice video, Keith. Safe travels!
I play a Tokai. It's a rather nice Tokai. I actually had people get upset at me because I'm satisfied with what I have and don't feel the need to spend the money on a Gibson. I don't have much more than a neutral opinion on PRS. Played a few on occasions. They are really easy to play and I like the necks, at least on the ones that I've played, but I just can't get super excited about them for some reason.
Tokai builds lovely replicas , I have four lawsuit headstock versions and they are fabulous … my PRS collection is a touch bigger and love them as well … love well Built guitars I guess ….
PRS SE Singlecut (significantly mod'd), PRS Core McCarty 594, PRS Wood library Special Semi Hollowbody, PRS Core Silver Sky They make me happy and they play easy and well...
Same. It's frekin great! Straight outta the box it plays fantastic! No set up needed. Love the sounds you can get! Also love my CV 50 as well! It's a toss.
Right , hell Of a guitar and every position split or not sounds fabulous … I have some guitars that cost 10 times the dgt se and it gives em a serious challenge …
Love my DGT SE. I think older players are more rooted in the heyday of guitar rock and the instruments of that era. What they don’t get is those artists used a variety of everything that was available at the time, not some devotion to vintage instruments.
Great episode. I own a 2003 PRS CE . It's been my only electric guitar in 20 years. I've played jazz, prog and rock through the years, and I can tell that to me it's a very versatile music instrument. I really enjoy your throughts Keith, and comments from the five watt world community. Thanks!
I've been playing for forty + years. I played a friend's PRS Custom 24 in the 90s and thought it was a great guitar. I just got my first PRS a couple of months ago, the DGT SE, and have barely picked up any other guitar since, and I've got a couple of nice Strats, a Tele and an Epiphone Les Paul (which are great, btw). The PRS is just amazing. I get the fact that more classic legacy guitars may seem to have more "personality" or something , but I think you're right that this is due to there being an extensive canon of music by legendary players on those instruments. The whole "soulless" thing is really frustrating to me, and it sounds like something that someone more concerned about identity than making music would be saying. When I'm playing that PRS, it still sounds like me, just me playing a PRS instead of a Tele or a Strat. I'm the one with a "soul", if such a thing exists. A guitar is an inanimate tool. There was a time about fifteen years ago when I went through some extreme financial difficulty (more than my normal chronic financial difficulty) and the only guitar I had was a crap Peavey Strat copy that some dumb roommate who moved out owing me a bunch of money had abandoned. Guess what, when I played it still sounded like me, just with noisy pickups and some tuning instability. I still loved the music I was making, didn't stop making it, just kind of had a clunker of a tool for a while. So I couldn't be happier with the PRS. I'm not bailing on my other "classic" guitars, I still love them too. They're all just great tools, that's all.
Hi I bought my first PRS Guitar in 2000 a CE 24 Red, loved that guitar and like the 24 frets. Then in 2015 bought a PRS S2 another 24 fret guitar. Loved them all! I got my best sounds using a Line 6 POD unit and for stage used Line 6 HD with 2 cabs of 2x12's. Today though just purchased a Fender Player Strat HSS 70th Anniversary, it is wonderful too. Love all my guitars even have several Harley Benton's and they are great too! Anyway good show my friend, keep up the good work.
I almost sold my s2 Mcarty 594 and then I stopped using the setup specs on the PRS website. I set the guitar up like my Strat and adjusted the pickups to the Gibson specs and I love it now. It is a fantastic instrument and the difference is night and day!
Grew up playing Gibsons and Fenders in the sixties and seventies. Purchased a new PRS S2 Custom 24 in 2014 and I love how it feels and it sounds incredible. It’s lean and light weight too. I’ve priced used ones on eBay and they’ve maintained their value in fine condition. The new S2 Custom 24 pickups and electronics have been upgraded with US components. Purchasing a new S2 Custom 24 soon for a dedicated alternative tuned electric. Regarding acoustic guitars, I yearn for a Collings. I’ve never been attracted to ornate guitars (high end PRS). Keep it simple and functional. I don’t care about resale values. Feel, sound, reliability, and aesthetics are the deciding variables. Love your channel.
I tried every core PRS in my city. Not one was as good as a Gibson IMO. Nobody sees PRS as a status symbol, as more than half of them are SE models. Their new models are shit. Lesser woods, boring colour choices and prices keep going up. For the same price I can get a Custom Shop from almost any other brand.
@matthewmorrison3703 Have you tried them? The core line is Crap. It's dead wood. PRS was at a trade show here, and after hearing him talk, he's nothing more than a huckster that straight-up lies about stuff. I want to like the brand, and before I started buying high-end gear, they were my dream. But sorry, the new stuff is a letdown. The SE are good value, the S2 Vela was my personal favorite, but the Custom 24 have gone downhill.
I have an R7 Gold top which is a great guitar, but I play my two McCarty core 594s (Singlecut and double cut) at least twice as much. For me, the LP is the Rolex. I keep the R7 to have a Les Paul.
I have been customizing my Zach Myers SE with new wires and pups. The new pups have changed the tone in a super positive way, IMHO. All from your video a while back!
I'd disagree with the heritage/history/famous player thing. I didn't even know what Fender or Gibson are for a while when I started playing guitar. To me there were lots of guitar companies, I knew none, liked the look of an Ibanez, so I got one. A few years later (after getting to know the brands, and most of all, their prices) - I still didn't associate players with brands or specific guitars - I tried a PRS and I think I felt the 'soullessness'. Not because I didn't know the history or players or whatever (I don't know that sort of stuff and don't care much about it), but because it was 'boringly perfect'. A Strat, a Tele and a Les Paul all have certain weaknesses, which I think are what makes them inspirational. PRS's feel like perfected tools for musicians, but that perfection seems to diminish their 'personality'. I absolutely understand that people like them - heck I kinda want to buy one too - but a guitar that kinda fights you, sounds or feels 'unique' may draw out more creativity than a perfect do-it-all one
Consider yourself fortunate in that way. Let each guitar stand on its own merits. When I started out shopping for a pro model, there were many I would not even consider, based on others’ opinions rather than what “the guitar said”
I would definitely tune in for that one. I have a 1990 Chaparral Elite with a solid, all Maple(!) body. I was my first electric guitar purchase back in 1999 when I decided I'd better start learning as I'd always wanted to before I passed on.
I have a core custom 24-08 the 35 anniversary model. Absolutely love it, so many sounds in one guitar and it was flawless, now has almost 4 years of regular playing wear
Paul makes the old designs right and more playable, lighter, more responsive and tuning stable. I was looking at epiphone for my Gibson fix, after owning and selling a 7 1/2 lb 80's Les Paul, with a rare one piece unfigured top, in a beautiful iced tea burst. It was dropped, original pickups were microphonic. Dropped Seymour alnico pro in the bridge, and a pearly gates in the rythm. Sperzel lockers up to, graphtech nut and saddles. Sounded like God. But never sounded like it was in tune. Enter PRS Se Santana...early one...add Seymour Duncan handwired Gibson custom shop Pearly Gates overruns.
On the subject of PRS being soulless… I’m not a boomer. I was a teen in the 2000s during the height of what we call “Metalcore”. Bands like Killswitch Engage, As I lay Dying, Norma Jean etc… That was the dominant style of guitar music then.. I bought a PRS because all I heard is that they’re the best guitars ever made. It was a good guitar, but… It lacked… it didn’t have…. It didn’t inspire me at all. I owned a cheaper Telecaster and I MUCH preferred that. PRS has a problem with character. They lack character. They are the Infiniti of guitars, top notch, best quality, BORING.
It took me years to find a PRS I could bond with and oddly enough it was an SE. I now own a custom 24 and a 24-08 which has to be one of the most versatile guitars I’ve ever owned and since Paul wont make a lefty Silver Sky i made my own. I did a video on it if you’re interested. I’m a PRS fan for sure.
If PRS was around in the 60s instead of gibson and players like Clapton and Page played them, we'd 100% be complaining that Gibsons have no mojo. That shit is all in your head and totally depends on the associations you have between artists and the instruments they play.
Got back into guitar after 15 year absence (original 8 were on a different continent). Restarted with an SE22 (now my son's)...a core Santana, and CE24 Standard quickly followed. But that's where it stayed with PRS. Probably because the Santana is so sweet, and another core would just cost too much without adding a lot of variety. That said, there's 6 Les Pauls, but with a tad of variety: LP Studio Lite ('91 - first LP), LP Std Faded ('05), LP Std Gold Top (chambered '08), LP Custom ('73), LP Special ('11), LP R9 ('18) The rest is 2 Strats ('08 Std & AVII61), Revstar Std, ES335, Yamaha RGX521, Yamaha Image Custom, and 5 self built from scratch in the 90s.
It's almost like a drink is required before listening to him go off. He's always going off. I like Dave Friedman, that man has ice running through his veins.
This really hits the spot. I own a LP Studio 2010 and a Strat American 2014. The strat I bought because I wanted SRV in the room, as you say. I loooooove how it looks and sounds, but I don´t like how it feels on my hands. So I end up playing it on and off, tweaking this and that, to make it feel more like my LP. I am warming up to selling it and getting an SG or a PRS... but I just love so much how it sounds, specially in E flat tuning.
The “Steve Jobs” effect of Paul Reed Smith is what draws me to the brand and guitars. PRS puts passion and innovation into their designs, unlike big corporations that only recycle vintage designs.
I fail to see that argument. PRS core shape is just Ted Mcarty's design for a double cut LP and their best selling guitar is a Stratocaster. Companies who have innovated I would say are people like ibanez, Yamaha,, Strandberg, Steinberger; guitars like the Parker Fly or Uli Roth's Sky Guitar; the builders who championed extended ranges and multi scale designs. That's innovation, whether those are to your taste or not, they've taken the guitar beyond it's original blueprint. Making a hybrid of a Les Paul and a Strat where all the specs sit somewhere between the 2 just creates a mashup that has the personality of neither.
By “Steve Jobs” effect I mean there’s a single marketing spokesperson that lives the brand identity. Fender and Gibson only have sponsored “paid” artists.
I have the PRS Silver Sky ( born 2 days after my 48th birthday ❤), PRS SE DGT ( looking at a Core DGT now), PRS SE Chris Robertson Blueberry, and a PRS SE 22 with FloydRose ( not sure why I bought that 😊). I also have a ‘06 Gibson Les Paul Std, and a few Fender ( US and MIJ) Strats from ‘90s, and finally a Fernandes strat from late 80’s. Love PRS! They are perfection!
I bought an SE McCarty 594 singlecut last year and it is a tremendous guitar. I paid $150 more for it than I paid for my 1986 Gibson Les Paul Custom back in 1987. The Les Paul has Shawbuckers in it, so it definitely beats the 58/15 LT's that are in the 594. But that's easy enough to rectify later on if I want. Of course, the Les Paul now is worth several thousand dollars now. At some point I'd love to get a Core McCarty 594 Hollowbody like Jeff McErlain has, it just sounds amazing in his videos.
I have two PRS cores. One is a 594 Semihollow double cut and the other is a DGT. I love them. I used to have an original CE22, but I sold it to my brother.
Late post but I have owned a PRS Custom 22 since 1999 and out of all of the 18 guitars I own it is by far the best feeling and playing one. It has the access to the high frets that an SG does and the attributes of a Les Paul in the carved top. It has the whammy of a Strat but it absolutely stays in tune. Granted, to get the sound of a Tele or Strat, I have to play one but a PRS with a “wide fat” neck carve can’t get any more comfortable. Also have a DGT SE that is amazing. The only thing I would change about it is the fingerboard edges are a little sharp and I wish they had taken the couple of factory minutes to roll them but this is a minuscule and personal issue. Fabulous, great quality, wonderful sounding guitars. Fenders and Gibsons of the same quality (custom shop) cost just as much so I’m not sure what the beef aimed at PRS is all about.
I own 2 prs. A 2004 custom 22 artist stock stoptail with hb and a 2007 first year mira. Bought second hand. First class builds. I have never had to do anything to them except change strings.
After a Cort and a Schecter, my PRS SE Standard 24 was my first ‘real’ guitar and to be honest, I can’t imagine how I would need any other (more expensive) guitar after this one, it’s really up there in terms of quality. And regarding ‘soul’: I do believe the guitar has character (since every piece of wood is unique) and in fact I’m glad that there is still place to put MY soul in it, instead of having to put my soul next to Jimmy, David etc…
I purchased a Paul’s guitar se and returned it. I couldn’t believe it, it looked great. Very hard to put my finger on it. It had zero mojo. It was like it never evolved from the pieces of wood it had been built from. It was weird. I kept thinking the pickups sounded sterile. Sent it back. Gibsons that I have felt and played never felt that way, I always loved my gibsons and mojo bursts out of them. Why??????
After laying off playing for decades, the first guitar I bought was the at the time new McCarty 594, a black 10 top. I was blown away and it totally grabbed me and got me going again. But! It was toooo nice, which caused me to baby it and feel uncomfortable I was gonna ding it. So I sold it and bought a bunch of hard used or relic’d guitars instead. Thanks, Paul.
2019 PRS SE 245 standard purchased in 2019. Love it. I own A Fender 2000 Fat Strat Texas Special. But I reach for my PRS way more than my Strat that I've owned since 2000.
I’ve had strats over 30 years, as my heroes all played them! I’ve had my Prs custom 22 over 20 years now, and love it, and it’s the one id take with me if my house was on fire. And after a long time of saying “id never have a silver sky as nothing could better my American Strats”, i got one, its the best S style guitar I’ve ever played, and the one I can’t put down. PRS are just so consistent and reliable.
My 2008 American strat spent 10 years under my bed. I didn’t have the knowledge or time to tame its tuning challenges. My son sent me a 2008 Core CU24 hand-me-up. I was hooked. I’m now an SE fan. I have overcome the strat issues but I play the SE Silver Sky.
I own about 22 guitars, and my favorite is my PRS SE Custom 24. To be fair, I put a Pearly Gates in the bridge because I dislike the SE pickups. But it's my favorite body shape (very comfortable), my favorite scale length (it just seems right), and my favorite neck shape (it's very thin.) If I had another brand guitar that had those same elements I'd probably like it, too. I have a PRS S2 Satin 24, which is American, but I like the SE better because I like the neck profile better. These days they make an S2 Satin 24 with a thin neck, but they didn't in the past. Still I see no point in "upgrading." The SE is great. Done a lot of gigs with it.
My journey with PRS guitars was all about finding the right model. I owned a few custom 24 and never bonded with then. Then I got a Core Mira, still didn't get along with it. Then I got my hands on a Custom 22 with a wrap a round bridge.... and everything changed! The best guitar I have ever played or owned! Totally different feel and response than the 24 fret trem models.
My 2 cents "PRS": First Santana comes to mind. His "tone" pre-PRS always seemed more interesting to me. 2nd is Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree). An "original" PRS player.. Now he seems to be grown into leaning towards less gain, loving Telecasters and stuff for that... But No.3 is myself: I couldn´t resist buying a blue single cut PRS SE (Zack Myers Model, first editon solid body with 3 humbuckers). A showroom wallflower! I love its perfect build. Some "lack of personality" is easily outstripped by its easy playability, the big, big sustain and warm, fat sound - that all my other axes with "more character" are sort of lacking! So...all good for me! Best of both worlds: Some guitars for the comfort zone, some guitars for to struggle with.
Great video Keith..I got my PRS SE in 2006 when I started learning. I wanted the best guitar I could afford to learn on and that was it at the time. I had no idea what I was doing and I got lucky. In my five watt world if I am going to buy another guitar (and I did last year, DGT) I want to it to be the best guitar it can be without the constraints of history and form etc. PRS and Paul and the team does that better than anyone else.
I bought the DGT SE and liked it so much I wanted a hardtail to go with it. The Paul's guitar happened to be on sale for $729 so I jumped on it. Both are outstanding in tone and playability. I actually like them better than my Vela s2.
I have a few PRS guitars, a few Gibsons, a few Fenders, some Epiphones)...custom shops and standards (might be cool to try a Strandberg someday solely on your recommendation, Keith). I own one PRS SE that is near the top of my favorites list. I bought the guitar because of the incredible aesthetic (beautiful quilt maple) and swapped out pickups, nut, and tuners. The build quality of the SE is as good as the USA made Gibsons and Fenders in my studio. All that said, I used to be a bit of a Gibson snob ("play authentic"...lol) but over the years came to realize just how much more important it is that the gear suits YOU, inspires YOU, checks YOUR boxes, and makes YOU energized to play. A really well made and beautiful instrument does that for me. PRS does that for me, Gibson does that for me, Fender... I like them all.
The 1st person I ever saw playing a PRS was Kazumi Watanabi at The Bottom Line (which is no longer there) in 1988. They are perfect guitars indeed. I use to have a 2015 SE spalted maple finish with ebony fretboard, two humbuckers. I hope to have another PRS at some point.
I found and bought a 1989 CE24 in the late 90’s and played it for 8 years and stupidly traded it for a Gretchen country gentleman. Have regretted it ever since. A friend sold me his 2009 SE custom 24 and I still love it. Then came the 2011 Santana, a 2015 S2 22, I had to get a CE 24 when they started building them again in 2016 in Whale Blue, and then the Anniversary SE 24-08 in 2019. I am now saving up for my Se mahogany SE 594 in red. Not a brand snob either, sold my Les Pauls ( afraid to have them on stage) and replaced them with upgraded epis, have my strats and teles. And had a custom tele and a double cut Les Paul made for me by a local luthier. Love them all. 7:36
Happy PRS owner here: Satin S2 and SE Soapbar II. The S2 is my primary guitar, beating out my Bonamassa Les Paul, heavily customized Strat, and all others I've sold. I play in a modern-country cover band and in my church's music team regularly. The S2 has greater clarity, presence, and balance; or so our sound guy says ;)
I've had ~9 PRSii over the years: 2 Cores, 6 SE electrics, and an SE acoustic. I still have two, an SE Bernie Marsden and an SE 277 baritone, and the Bernie has been my #1 since the day I bought it ~10 years ago.
from Leo: a custom 24 and a hollow body, both SE. They play great and I have no regrets. I have plenty of other brands and the SE guitars hold their own just fine. Santana played PRS right from the start. The music from 1972 still feels natural, but I still have a sweet spot for Jazz on archtops and blues on Telecasters. Lots of flavors in life, I don't limit myself by corporate logos.
My friend bought a PRS SE a few years ago. It's been sitting in my garage ever since. Gorgeous guitar, but he prefers his Standberg. I'm not crazy about PRS pickups, to perfect sounding.😂 seriously. They sound surgical. I prefer that tele tone.❤
Got my first PRS 3wks ago...love it and love the fact they finally made an affordable model for those who simply cannot spend $1k or more... Got the new SE CE 24 Satin. Nice guitar at any level !
"The guitar that disappears" is a good analogy! Right now im playing a core DGT (moons) and an SE Silver Sky Maple board, and as instruments they are flawless. Also, they sound good both in a mix and on their own. As tools they are perfect and do the job best to me. History and nostalgia is another dimension that PRS have not reached yet, and to fully appreciate other brands than nostalgia brands, it is helpful to focus on playing first, and try to let go of the "FOMO" of vintage lore. Great video! 🎉
I have a beautiful McCarty 594 SE, G&L asat classic bluesboy, squier strat and epiphone les Paul. The PRS just feels amazing in my hands. G&L is a close 2nd. I don’t care what the headstock says or looks like, it’s a feel thing for me. As long as I can afford it and it just feels great in my hands I’m gonna get it.
when i started playing again 15 years ago my eye caught a prs SE singlecut.....played better than any other guitar i had back in the 70s...(gibson and fender)....and what a bargain.....put dragon II pickups in and recently some vintage faber tuners....lovely...bought a prs SE 594 Mccarty together with a Gibson SG61 faded....but the "old" SE singlecut is still my fav guitar....cheers,
I have played or owned just about every guitar made. In 1988 I bought a PRS CE 24 in midnight blue. I couldn't afford the fancy top. It was the perfect guitar for me and fit my hands like a glove. I still have it today and it's still my #1 guitar, although I own 20 or so. The tone is awesome and I've played most styles of music with it. I'm taking it to my grave. I still love a good Gibson or Fender, if it's a good one. The PRS can have plenty of soul if the player connects with it, but it's really the same for any guitar.
I had a custom from 85 vintage yellow, STUNNING TOP! Just got a DGT SE, changed the global coil split, to 2 push push pots, on the vols! A Silver SE, THE BEST STRAT! A PAULS SE, AMAZING NECK, REALLY FAT! Another SE, model with an ebony board! I love them! Yes I have had a Gibson Les Paul standard, so I have had some gorgeous guitars! I always want a guitar to be mine, so want options that aren't on the guitar, so my local tech gets my thoughts and quite often he sighs when I walk in the door!
At one point I had a McCarty 10 top with a solid rosewood neck and still to this day it's the best guitar I've ever played and that was the sentiment of ever player I knew that picked it up.
I have two PRS guitars, an S2 Semihollow Custom 22, and a Hollowbody SE Piezo. Both are awesome guitars! That being said, my main guitar now is an NK 7 String multiscale.
I am wondering what Keith and others think of the newer D'Angelico guitar line? I bought one a few years ago and like it. It's beautiful and sounds good to me. Maybe I just got lucky?
I bought on eBay … after a bit too much wine… a used, and hacked SE PRS Soapbar. Someone had tried to put a different nut on it and the wrap bridge was messed up. I bid 100 and won. I reassembled this thing, tuned it, and it’s an incredibly stable and good sounding instrument. For me, the Revstar and a PRS SE of your choice are amazing values.
The first guitar I played in band was an Epiphone SG Special with humbuckers. I was twenty years old. I went through a Fender stage but landed on Gibson about three years ago. Good timing! I find myself coming full circle with the SG, now Gibson and with P90s. But you may be right about our coming-to-age guitars.
