OK... PRS Guitars - School Me

tone1

That’s super nice 

photek

Were the older CE guitars core models, I had a couple that had 1 piece necks and recesses for the control knobs / switch?

chris78

The sterile thing basically means they’re not crap. They stay in tune, they’re well intonated, they don’t have significant design faults. 

Waz, what are you looking for from a prs? Something to cover Gibson bases, a jack of all trades, a modern style? They’re all there.

Shoot me a WhatsApp if it helps

RandallFlagg

photek said:

Were the older CE guitars core models, I had a couple that had 1 piece necks and recesses for the control knobs / switch?

Yes they were, my first PRS was a CE24 Mahogany from around 2006 and it was a really nice no frills guitar with the HFS/Vintage Bass pickups that sounded great with the volume rolled back and the treble bleed cap. It's was core build quality, S2 didn’t exist at the time.

chris78

Oh, and the dentist thing is so 1985.
A core PRS is half the price of a Murphy Gibson or a masterbuilt Fender and the SEs are way better value (and better made) than the budget ranges of the big brands.

Fishboy7

RandallFlagg said:

I've had a love/hate relationship with PRS over the years but I'm still enjoying my current 594, if you can afford it go core model, they can be superb. I like the Customs but not a big fan of the current pickups in them, I think they sound a little thin compared to the older pickups. The 58/15s work well in the 594 though, quite a hollow PAF tone that works with the thicker body wood. Neck pickup sounds a bit more 335 than Les Paul to my ears. This one is light too at 7.5lb

That is nice.  What colour do they call that ?  

RaymondLin

Old CE were just like core but bolt on, same carve.  I think the current CE loses the dimples in the knobs to make the core stands out even more.

oh, the rear cavity plates are flush to the body on the core, just like a Gibson.  They sit on top of the wood in the CE, S2 and down.

roberty

I'm a recent convert. I've played one SE and a few S2s. The S2s have all been astonishingly good, whatever they do to cut corners I don't detect any element of compromise. The SE holds its own

They do a partial coil split which I like it so much I implemented on my #1 LPC

As for no vibe, what is it they say about people in glass houses?

roberty

@RandallFlagg your 594 looks exquisite. So so nice

markj

Core model through and through if you can afford them.
I’ve had a Custom 24, DGT and a stripped 58.
The DGT and the 58 are fantastic guitars but I love my Custom shop Gibsons because my heroes played them.

guitargeek62

I’ve had a bunch* of PRS over the years and can safely say that the S2s are the pick of them, especially at the current sale prices. The SEs and Core models are great in their own right too, but the S2s are the best balance of cost, feel, spec, playability, and ‘vibe’ (YMMV).

I have never thought of them as ‘sterile’, but there are/were valid critiques of some of their earlier pickup models - easily remedied though, and not a requirement at all with current offerings!

*2x SE Soapbar MkIs, SE Soapbar MkII, SE 245 Soapbar, S2 Cu22 semi-hollow, S2 McCarty 594, 2x Cu22s, EG-II, ‘87 Cu24, Paul’s Guitar, SC245

TTBZ

S2 have the best body carve imo. They're really comfy and the best looking PRS guitars (again imo!) as they're pretty low bling. I just wish they'd do a hardtail S2 Standard 22, I don't like trems and decking it isn't the same as a proper hardtail. The Vela is a cool guitar and they're really comfy, but I feel like if I'm getting my first PRS I really want the classic double cutaway shape.

richardhomer

The biggest issue with PRS guitars is that 95% of the guitar music that is considered ‘classic’ was made before they existed. So if you want a guitar that looks like the ones your heroes play, they won’t do it for you.

If you want an instrument that is beautifully made, plays in tune and has great ergonomics, you should give the brand a try.

guitargeek62

TTBZ said:

S2 have the best body carve imo. They're really comfy and the best looking PRS guitars (again imo!) as they're pretty low bling. I just wish they'd do a hardtail S2 Standard 22, I don't like trems and decking it isn't the same as a proper hardtail. The Vela is a cool guitar and they're really comfy, but I feel like if I'm getting my first PRS I really want the classic double cutaway shape.

Agreed - it’s why I’d pick one over an equivalent Core model!

RaymondLin

My SE One has the same (or very close to) carve as a S2, it is the most comfortable carve.  The lip on the core whilst visually amazing with the contour up and around the central areal, is actually not very ergonomic under the arm.

Devil#20

RandallFlagg said:

I've had a love/hate relationship with PRS over the years but I'm still enjoying my current 594, if you can afford it go core model, they can be superb. I like the Customs but not a big fan of the current pickups in them, I think they sound a little thin compared to the older pickups. The 58/15s work well in the 594 though, quite a hollow PAF tone that works with the thicker body wood. Neck pickup sounds a bit more 335 than Les Paul to my ears. This one is light too at 7.5lb

I think that's the nicest looking PRS I've seen. The bounded fretboard really does make it stand out. 

Aornic

The 58/15LT TCI pickups in my 594 have made it the first humbucker guitar I've really connected to. I don't get that sterile thing at all. Sounds like the PAF thing to me! 

crunchman

RaymondLin said:

A real brief version….

PRS SE

Indonesian made, Multi part body, poly, and Indonesian hardware too (or Far East).  I think the hollowbody is Chinese made? (Correct me if i am wrong).  The main thing is that they are not made in the USA.  SE guitars are sent to Maryland to be checked over before sent out to distributors, i suspect the same thing happen with European stocks too, perhaps too PRS Europe? Again, correct me if I’m wrong.

PRS S2

Body is USA, hardware is a mix of USA and far east, the pickups is same as SE in a lot of cases.  The body is carved and put together in Maryland.  The neck however is multi piece, the bridge used to be same as SE but lately they look the same as the Core to me.  You can get Nitro on these now.

CE & Bolt on like the Silver Sky

These are all USA made, but they save money in the carve being simpler than the core, hardware are USA.

All the above are gigbag, Core onwards are cases.

Core

The biggest thing here is the neck, it’s 1 piece, apparently it takes a month to make.  There is a dimple dip where the knobs are in all core models.  Glued on neck, nitro, cases etc, starts at about £4k.

Within the Core where it goes up is cosmetic and more exotic (expensive) wood.  Next level up is 10-top, then Artist Pack, then Wood Library (or is it the other way round?) and then above all is Private Stock where it is essentially Made to Measure and Custom Shop.

This is good.  A few things to add.

I've heard it said the the SE guitars have softer fretwire than the US.  Not got personal experience of that, but it might be worth bearing in mind.

The S2 is almost two series.  There are the traditional gloss finished guitars, and the Satin Series.  The Satin ones are great.  Once you've played them in a bit, the necks feel great, and the thin finish seems to help them tonally.  The Satin series ones I've played alongside a gloss finished one always seem a bit more responsive.  I've owned 6 "Core" series guitars over the years, and the only PRS I have now is an S2 Standard 22 Satin.

roberty

crunchman said:

RaymondLin said:

A real brief version….

PRS SE

Indonesian made, Multi part body, poly, and Indonesian hardware too (or Far East).  I think the hollowbody is Chinese made? (Correct me if i am wrong).  The main thing is that they are not made in the USA.  SE guitars are sent to Maryland to be checked over before sent out to distributors, i suspect the same thing happen with European stocks too, perhaps too PRS Europe? Again, correct me if I’m wrong.

PRS S2

Body is USA, hardware is a mix of USA and far east, the pickups is same as SE in a lot of cases.  The body is carved and put together in Maryland.  The neck however is multi piece, the bridge used to be same as SE but lately they look the same as the Core to me.  You can get Nitro on these now.

CE & Bolt on like the Silver Sky

These are all USA made, but they save money in the carve being simpler than the core, hardware are USA.

All the above are gigbag, Core onwards are cases.

Core

The biggest thing here is the neck, it’s 1 piece, apparently it takes a month to make.  There is a dimple dip where the knobs are in all core models.  Glued on neck, nitro, cases etc, starts at about £4k.

Within the Core where it goes up is cosmetic and more exotic (expensive) wood.  Next level up is 10-top, then Artist Pack, then Wood Library (or is it the other way round?) and then above all is Private Stock where it is essentially Made to Measure and Custom Shop.

This is good.  A few things to add.

I've heard it said the the SE guitars have softer fretwire than the US.  Not got personal experience of that, but it might be worth bearing in mind.

The S2 is almost two series.  There are the traditional gloss finished guitars, and the Satin Series.  The Satin ones are great.  Once you've played them in a bit, the necks feel great, and the thin finish seems to help them tonally.  The Satin series ones I've played alongside a gloss finished one always seem a bit more responsive.  I've owned 6 "Core" series guitars over the years, and the only PRS I have now is an S2 Standard 22 Satin.

The satin ones look cool when they're worn in

duotone

I couldn’t get my head around the variety/naming of their pickups a couple of years ago, so did a list with a lot of input from others on here.  It might be a couple of years out of date, but many of the things haven’t changed.

https://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/180836/