NGD PRS Semi Hollow Wood Library Speical 22

PhilKing

I saw these a while ago and really liked them, but the price was a lot more than I really wanted to pay for a guitar.  I like the idea of the H-S-H pickups with the multi-tap for the humbuckers.  I also have been fancying a PRS with a maple neck, since I saw the Dweezil Zappa private stocks several years ago.  Anyway, this one came up on Reverb and was actually local to me, though with Covid, I wasn't sure about picking it up, so I passed on it the first time it was listed, but then got a note to say it was back and it was priced a bit lower.  It seemed like I was being told something, and after warning the wife that I was going for another guitar, I made an offer on it.  The guy messaged me back and we arranged a pickup in a local supermarket car park, about 7 miles from my home.

The pickup couldn't have been better, the guy was all masked up (as was I), and he didn't touch the guitar or case.  It was everything I expected and I am very happy with it.  I did tell the wife that I would sell some guitars and have listed a few on Reverb, but what she doesn't know, is that I was going to list some anyway, as I have way too may and I'm not playing some of them.

It is a very interesting color, River Blue, with a blackwood fingerboard and headstock face.  In artificial light, it actually looks like it is more green than blue, but hopefully these shots give the real color.

guitars4you

Looks a might fine bit of kit - And just what you needed to enrich that collection - Best wishes

MattP

Absolutely effing gorgeous. Play that in good health.

PhilKing

Thanks guys.  It's very much what I want in a gigging guitar.  You have almost strat tones, as well as some tele and les paul.  Also it is nice and light, which as I get older is another big plus.

Roland

That is nice, and I like the pickup options

ToneControl

Looks great, not used to stained neck yet

pickups look good, is the neck a low output?
I have the H / NF / NF set on a PRS studio, which is very flexible. Do you get a P90 vibe on the NF on 10?

How is the combined pickup tones when splitting HBs? Good strat tone?

PhilKing

This is the sales blurb on the guitar:
The PRS Special Semi-Hollow Limited Edition guitar offers players a versatile hum/single/hum configuration with two PRS 58/15 MT (Multi-Tap) humbuckers and a PRS Narrowfield middle pickup. The 58/15 MT’s offer all the tone of the originals while compensating for volume loss when split to single coils. The Narrowfield pickup delivers the bite of a single coil – without the hum but with plenty of clarity and punch. Paired with a 5-Way blade switch and two mini-toggles that tap the humbuckers, this guitar can handle myriad sounds and styles, and the semi-hollow body with single f-hole provides a welcome airiness and depth to the guitar’s tone.

The foundation of this guitar is very much like a Custom 22, but this Wood Library version has some special features otherwise only available in an Artist Package or Private Stock build – hand-selected artist grade flame maple top, mahogany back, 22-fret 25” scale length hand-selected artist grade flame maple neck, and an African Blackwood fretboard – but the versatile electronics truly carry it to new sonic territory. The bow around this pretty package is the gorgeous paisley hardshell case

Pickup Switching Positions:
Position 1: Treble
Position 2: Treble and Middle
Position 3: Treble and Bass
Position 4: Bass and Middle
Position 5: Bass

With the multi-tap, you can select either pickup as pseudo single coil.  I think they sound fatter than a strat pickup, more like a clean Gretsch HiLoTron.  They are not the low output, like the LT, they are supposed to be in the PAF range.  They may be the first PRS pickups that I've actually liked quite a lot.  You can't have the NF solo, the pickup switching doesn't allow that,  I think you have to get the John Meyer special to have all of those options, but the combo split sounds are very nice and overall will be great for live work.

chris78

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, that’s amazing.
Ive got a wood library version on order which I hope to get next year, but I’m a sucker for stained necks. Great colour and that neck is just the most incredible bit of wood. Congratulations.

DrJazzTap

That's a cracking guitar! Congratulations, that neck is gorgeous!

I was incredibly lucky to win a PRS CE 24 Semi Hollow in a raffle this year, it has fast become my number one guitar. I had a Tokai ES130 but the 335 shape felt a bit cumbersome and delicate for me. This guitar has scratched the semi hollow craving that was missing in my life.

ICBM

That’s actually really like combining my two - a Swamp Ash Special with Dragon II pickups and customised split switching, and a Hollowbody I - into the same guitar... I’d prefer it with moons rather than birds, but that blue is amazing!

richardhomer

Good Lord.....

PhilKing

Thanks everyone, I'm still getting into it.  I will change the stings and set it up how I like it over the weekend and then really play it a lot more.  I'm liking it a lot at the moment and think it will be great for live use (if ever we get back playing), and will probably be better than my Teye's, which I have been using.  You might see me sell one of the Teye's, that's how much I like this guitar.  The only thing that I wish it had is the ability to use the NF alone whenever you need it, though I like the Bridge/Neck combo's and the different sounds you can get with the splits.  This was the video from PRS that made me go for the guitar:


The other thing I'll do at the weekend is try it against my MEII with BK VHII's and see how the 58/15's come out.