heymisterk Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 I was never much of a fan until I bought my PRS SE. Anyway, when I was in the Local Guitar Store, they had a used Paul Reed Smith McCarty for sale. The guitar was damn near exquisite. It was very expensive - near the $2K mark - but what an amazing guitar. The sound was amazing, much like really good PAFs. I have found some PRS 'buckers to be kinda dead, but these were rich, creamy, and full. What impressed me most, probably, was the incredible fit and finish. Everything - the lacquer, the wood, the frets - spoke of complete precision. I dunno. I was looking for a Les Paul, but this was a fab guitar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 I love LPs but you can't go wrong with a good PRS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Ditto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisnorthw Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 I would love to own a good PRS, not necessarily the McCarty, but find PRS prices too expensive. I know the build quality etc is second to none but still think they are over priced. Maybe one day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 PRS are great guitars I have a Singlecut a McCarty Soapbar and a Narrowfield and love them all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FennRx Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 neh Les Pauls for me please. I've played a few nice PRS guitars, but none were worth (to me) the price tag. Maybe if I got a good deal on a used one..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heymisterk Posted October 3, 2010 Author Share Posted October 3, 2010 neh Les Pauls for me please. I've played a few nice PRS guitars, but none were worth (to me) the price tag. Maybe if I got a good deal on a used one..... Actually I did look at a couple online. I found a couple that were priced near the $1,700 mark; that isn't much more than a nice used LP Standard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryUK Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 I've just looked at them on Wildwood guitars site. Nearly all of them look the same apart from pickups. What differeciates the models? I think for the money a Gibson would be better value. The PRS' are really expensive. Why do makers all use the same shape? It's about time someone moved guitars forward. The current design has been around for 60 years now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieman15061 Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 If it speaks to you and you can afford it by all means get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 If it speaks to you and you can afford it by all means get it. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZenKen Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Why do makers all use the same shape? It's about time someone moved guitars forward. The current design has been around for 60 years now. They don't. But you and I won't buy one of these: We all want guitars that look like Les Pauls, SG's, Strats or Teles. They will meet that demand. B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 I've just looked at them on Wildwood guitars site. Nearly all of them look the same apart from pickups. What differeciates the models? I think for the money a Gibson would be better value. The PRS' are really expensive. Why do makers all use the same shape? It's about time someone moved guitars forward. The current design has been around for 60 years now. The PRS shape is basically a hybrid Strat & LP Junior design. Custom 22s and 24s are essentially the same. The CU22 has 22 frets and the CU24 (obviously) has 24 frets. CU22s come with either a hard tail or trem, CU24s now only come with trems. They're both the same scale length; so, the bridge pickup and bridge of the CU24 is placed closer to the neck to keep the scale length the same. CU24s also don't come with a Wide/Fat neck. A McCarty is a CU22 with a 1/8 thicker mahogany body. A Modern Eagle is a McCarty with a solid rosewood neck (Brazilian or Indian, depending on the year/model). A 513 is basically a McCarty with unique pickups and neck shape. It's also weight-relieved. The others listed here are not. PRS is more expensive because, in my opinion, their regular USA made guitars are on par with Gibson Custom Shop. Compare prices to Gibson CS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Why do makers all use the same shape? It's about time someone moved guitars forward. The current design has been around for 60 years now. Seriously, in the decades I've been playing guitar there have been innumerable "NEW!" designs. How many have succeeded? Not very many. In 1978, Peavey did the T-60 to combine features of the Strat and Les Paul and got closer than anybody else. It was their first electric guitar, and damned well-made even by today's standard. Here's my T-60 and T-40 bass that I finally sold a couple months ago. You can find NICE ones for $400. 1985, PRS did an excellent job combining elements of the Strat and Les Paul in their Custom 22/24 line. Even gave you a choice of bolt-on neck to save a few bucks and attract the Fender guys. The Gibson guys will accept nothing less than a set neck, so you could git 'er done that way too. In my not-so-humble opinion, I believe the Strat is the basic design that works. The Les Paul is, frankly, a stupid design where ergonomics are concerned - but I still love 'em. Getting the best of each in one package has been the way to sell a gazillion guitars. This goes back all the way to the seventies when the copycat stuff started and EVERYBODY started replicating the Strat. PRS allows you a veritable a la carte menu now, and even Taylor has a cool thing going now. http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/electric/ There are many people who want something different, always will be. It's out there if you want it. The electric guitar and its "ancient" technology survived synthesizers and MIDI bullsh!t in the eighties. It has survived active electronics. It survived stupid white suburban kids bustin' a move to Vanilla Ice. It has been revived with dreaded horrors of Rock Band/Guitar Hero. These are good times for the electric guitar. And if you b!tch about the prices, I challenge ANY of you to build one yerself. I mean, I'd love to have a Lear 35 but I just can't afford it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff-7 Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Off topic but Neo I got a chance to play a Taylor T3 when I was shopping for my white SG. Very nice guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 ... I got a chance to play a Taylor T3 ... Very nice guitar. A T3 with a Bigsby already has a reserved spot in my collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heymisterk Posted October 3, 2010 Author Share Posted October 3, 2010 The PRS shape is basically a hybrid Strat & LP Junior design. Custom 22s and 24s are essentially the same. The CU22 has 22 frets and the CU24 (obviously) has 24 frets. CU22s come with either a hard tail or trem, CU24s now only come with trems. They're both the same scale length; so, the bridge pickup and bridge of the CU24 is placed closer to the neck to keep the scale length the same. CU24s also don't come with a Wide/Fat neck. A McCarty is a CU22 with a 1/8 thicker mahogany body. A Modern Eagle is a McCarty with a solid rosewood neck (Brazilian or Indian, depending on the year/model). A 513 is basically a McCarty with unique pickups and neck shape. It's also weight-relieved. The others listed here are not. PRS is more expensive because, in my opinion, their regular USA made guitars are on par with Gibson Custom Shop. Compare prices to Gibson CS. Sweet post, R9, with lots of good information. Unfortunately, my hot water heater seems to be about ready to bite it, and Northern Ohio without hot water would be a challenge, regardless of how amazing a LP or a McCarty would sound! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 Um, Tim (R9)... Not wanting to kick you in the nuts here, but are you sure about that fancy animated pic? I could be wrong (It could happen - really!) but I don't think it accurately represents the differences. My understanding is the basic difference between the 22/24 fret guitar is the neck pickup placement. Bridge, its associated pickup, and the control cavities are the same. The neck joins basically the same way, but the two extra frets force the NECK PICKUP rout to be moved back. Other'n that, the bodies are very similar, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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