Question about Paul Reed Smith

[heymisterk]

A guy I worked with picked up a used '04 Paul Reed Smith McCarty and brought it in to show me. I have to say it was an exquisite instrument. It wasn't a "10" top that PRS likes to tout, but it played and sounded beautifully.

 

What really struck me was the quality of fit and finish. I mean, it had some nicks from playing, but I have to say that the execution of this instrument was FLAWLESS. I mean, EVERY build detail was perfect. I must admit - not being a huge PRS guy - that I was blown away.

 

My buddy told me that all U.S. made PRSs are, essentially, given the same build attention as ones that come out of the Gibson Custom Shop; thus, they are all "Custom" instruments.

 

Is this true? Based on the build quality I saw, I must say I am a believer...

[LarryUK]

I'd say that they are. Even the SE models are a match for the standard Gibson line. I played a Santana SE and it's neck was superior to any Gibson I've played.

[swleary]

I've followed Prs since they first came out. They've always had great qc and imo rival Gibson custom shop in every aspect. Great customer service as well, very prompt and will help in every s shape and form.

 

I had a prs se a few years ago and the thing had problems staying in tune. Emailed prs and within am hour, already had a solution. Long and Mquade in Canada were there to help as well.

 

Ok off topic.

Prs imo are the industry standard when it comes to finish quality, customer Service and playability quality. Hope that helps.

 

Ps...prs will probably be the second next guitar I buy.

[CoreyT]

I have bought two PRS SE guitars so far that are built in South Korea, and I have a third one which should arrive this coming week.

They are fast approaching the build quality of the American built ones, but cost less than $700 for most of the SE line.

 

Yes, the American built ones and even the South Korean built ones arrive flawless.

They are setup from the factory and play great right out of the box.

 

I can tell you also that the two SE models I have play just as well as my 2012 '61 SG Reissue.

I can only imagine how the American built ones play.

 

Here is a new model that is getting a lot of attention over on the PRS forum I am on.

 

 

Here is another one that has a special Piezo pickup system that can make it sound like an acoustic.

 

 

You can see my SE Santana and my sons SE Semi-Hollow in my link in my sig below.

[Markini]

Agreed. I have two Korean Ses and an American hollowbody, exqusite guitars, action, tone build quality is superb. Now I have played some PRS dogs both were signature models a Tremonti and a Santana. The Tremonti was brand new but would not intonate properly and the Santana was used and beat to hell.

 

I would recommend the SE series as a sure bet.

 

I am still a Gibson acoustic fanboy.

[heymisterk]

I'd say that they are. Even the SE models are a match for the standard Gibson line. I played a Santana SE and it's neck was superior to any Gibson I've played.

 

I used to own a PRS SE and it was awesome. I had to sell it because I needed a single-coil guitar in my arsenal. I miss it. The build quality was easily as good as most American guitars that I have played; better than some.

 

But my buddy's McCarty just oozed quality: every detail was properly done.

[CoreyT]

I would not even know which model of the American line to start with for classic rock tones like I like to play.

When I first got my SE Santana a few months back, I was concerned as it said it was a wide and fat neck, and I really like the slim thin neck of my '61 Reissue SG.

But no problem, it plays and feels just as good as the $2K Gibson.

 

Last weekend when I brought home my youngest sons SE Semi-Hollow, I did not touch the SG or the Santana, I was blown away by how well it played.

It plays even better than the Santana, and maybe better than my SG.

It also has a 25" scale compared to the shorter SG and Santana one.

I think it has the same wide/fat neck.

 

The SE Custom 24 which I hope lands this week is also a 25" scale one, but it has 24 frets instead of 22 like all of the other ones here.

It also has a wide and slimmer neck, so it may be more slim like my SG.

 

I would suggest checking it out if there is a PRS dealer near you.

It is actually a tad cheaper than my Santana.

The Semi-Hollow is cheaper than all three of the SEs.

 

Here is the guitar I am getting very soon...

It goes for around $709, and it now has many of the same features as the American built Custom 24.

Also the American line have locking tuners, while the SE line does not.

For drop in tuners that need no head stock work, the Grover 406C fit perfectly.

I am partial to the Planet Waves Autotrim tuners, so my SG, Santana, my sons Semi-Hollow, and my soon to be SE Custom 24 all have to have one hole re drilled, and the others ones filled.

 

 

A guy over on one of the PRS forums I frequent just put up a video too.

His is the second one for a 2012 model.

 

 

Here is the whole line including American and the SEs.

http://www.prsguitars.com/products/

They just released a 7 string SE model too last week, and there will be a video at the link under it.

http://www.prsguitars.com/secustom7string/

 

I love my expensive SG, but I love the SE line just as well.

From what I have read the company in South Korea makes guitars for many companies.

[James Allen]

I came into a PRS SE custom 24 in July and now use it exclusively. It is beautiful, sounds amazing and never goes out of tune.

There are two other guitarists in my band, one plays a Les Paul, the other a Strat, both of them constantly remark at how great my PRS SE sounds in comparisson to thier guitars. We all agree that while it doesn't sound BETTER, it does sound JUST AS great as theirs. They have also modded their guitars with pickups, the PRS SE is stock pickups.

 

We all agree that there is no real need, other than personal taste, to change out the stock PRS pickups.

 

I'm saving for a US made PRS. IF the SE sounds this good . . .

 

[heymisterk]

I came into a PRS SE custom 24 in July and now use it exclusively. It is beautiful, sounds amazing and never goes out of tune.

There are two other guitarists in my band, one plays a Les Paul, the other a Strat, both of them constantly remark at how great my PRS SE sounds in comparisson to thier guitars. We all agree that while it doesn't sound BETTER, it does sound JUST AS great as theirs. They have also modded their guitars with pickups, the PRS SE is stock pickups.

 

We all agree that there is no real need, other than personal taste, to change out the stock PRS pickups.

 

I'm saving for a US made PRS. IF the SE sounds this good . . .

 

 

Wow, great minds think alike! Here is my old one:

 

 

It was a GREAT guitar! The only reason I got rid of it was a needed a single-coil in my arsenal, and something had to go. I still miss it!

[damian]

Yes.......USA PRS guitars are uber top notch.......ALL PRS guitars are given multiple QC steps during the manufacturing process........

 

No flaws are ever allowed......Remarkable........Their prices remain within reach as well.........Both USA and SE models.........................

 

What is also great is that PRS USA guitars can be found used for reasonable prices........

[rocketman]

I always wanted a PRS, but I'm one who always takes his time before buying a new guitar. I like to check out various models too. I can't even count how many PRS guitars I played. What I found out is exactly what you state. Every guitar was perfectly set up and in tune. I couldn't find a single flaw. It seems like every time Guitar Player reviews a PRS they say the same thing and usually finish by saying "that's what we expect because it's a PRS."

 

What I didn't realize until I started playing mine on a regular basis is the great tones you can get from them and the ease in playing them. I truly think that PRS thought about every mm when he designed his original.

 

I never bought a guitar sight unseen. PRS was the first guitar I did though because I knew it would come to me in perfect condition. I waited to get the 25th anniversary model and it surpassed my expectations. A PRS is a must have for any guitar player IMHO. Here's mine:

 

[heymisterk]

Holy sh*t, Rocketman...That guitar is absolutely beautiful!

[CoreyT]

My new SE Custom 24 came in yesterday, will pick it up today.

May not get pics up for a few days, my main PC is going to the shop today.

 

Those are really nice looking guitars guy's.

[LarryUK]

I always wanted a PRS, but I'm one who always takes his time before buying a new guitar. I like to check out various models too. I can't even count how many PRS guitars I played. What I found out is exactly what you state. Every guitar was perfectly set up and in tune. I couldn't find a single flaw. It seems like every time Guitar Player reviews a PRS they say the same thing and usually finish by saying "that's what we expect because it's a PRS."

 

What I didn't realize until I started playing mine on a regular basis is the great tones you can get from them and the ease in playing them. I truly think that PRS thought about every mm when he designed his original.

 

I never bought a guitar sight unseen. PRS was the first guitar I did though because I knew it would come to me in perfect condition. I waited to get the 25th anniversary model and it surpassed my expectations. A PRS is a must have for any guitar player IMHO. Here's mine:

 

How do you find the 5 position switch? They've dropped it now.

[James Allen]

Wow, great minds think alike! Here is my old one:

 

 

It was a GREAT guitar! The only reason I got rid of it was a needed a single-coil in my arsenal, and something had to go. I still miss it!

 

Wouldn't it be something if I had your old guitar. Small world. Found this one in a guitar shop run by an old hippie. The shop was about the size of my bedroom. Small and packed full of crap. This was the one guitar worth anything.

 

 

Holy sh*t, Rocketman...That guitar is absolutely beautiful!

AMEN!

[crowdaddy]

I've been bragging about prs for years. (Just picture ivory black, moons, 24 frets, double cutaway, trem arm, and an instrument that stays in tune, sounds great), (mine is the old prs standard 24, now the custom 24). It does not have all the flash of the newer, but sounds great. It is a 91, used when I bought it and finally, I wore the frets out not from premature metal problems, but because it got used all the time. I'm currently looking for fret replacement.

 

However, when I started using the gibson es 345, I slowly bonded to its larger size. It's tone can break up earlier at lower volumes, but I'm just as pleased with this great guitar as the prs. I feel so lucky to have both. I'm in no hurry to get the frets replaced on the prs, because I won't know which one to play. Bonded to both, fabulous guitars!

[heymisterk]

Wouldn't it be something if I had your old guitar. Small world. Found this one in a guitar shop run by an old hippie. The shop was about the size of my bedroom. Small and packed full of crap. This was the one guitar worth anything.

AMEN!

 

That would be really cool, though yours and mine have a different bridge. Also, the previous owner swapped out the bridge PU for a Seymour Duncan JB. But boy, they have the same burst and everything.

[rocketman]

How do you find the 5 position switch? They've dropped it now.

 

First, thanks to all for the complements. I guess I forgot to mention the other great thing about PRS...they are all simply beautiful!

 

The 5 position switch takes some getting used to. But then again I got the thin wide neck and the strings felt like they were miles apart compared to all my other guitars. I got used to both. Each position gives a very unique sound so it's actually quite easy to know the position without having to remember where you put it.

[Zeppelinguy]

I've played a couple. They were "meh."

[fingers galore]

Here is my PRS SE Custom. I am mostly a Les Paul guy but this is a great guitar. I use it often as my travel guitar along with a Roland Microcube. I got it coil tapped which works really well. The one thing I don`t like about it is the neck pickup. It sounds dark/muddy even with the volume rolled off. Anyway, I walked away from a PRS Custom 24 25th Anniversary because I didn`t like the rotary switch. I was pissed because otherwise the guitar was killer!

 

 

[CoreyT]

Here is my new SE Custom 24 finally.

http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/91608-ngd-9-11-2012/

 

The neck on it is very similar to the '61 SG Reissue.

 

[fingers galore]

Congrats!

 

Just wanted to mention that there are also PRS SE acoustic guitars. Don`t know if they are new but it is the first time I have seen then.

 

PRS SE Acoustic

[CoreyT]

Thanks!

 

I knew they had regular acoustics, but I had never looked at the SE line except for the electrics.

[heymisterk]

Beautiful guitar!