Paul Reed Smith

[Forest-of-October]

This is gonna sound strange and I'm not a hot shit guitarist (just shit) but I find getting a Metronome (or drum machine) out helps. The reason for that is that when I'm learning stuff I keep going back to a favourite riff or just a bit that I can play rather than learning something from beginning to end the way it's played on a record. Somehow getting the rhythm in the background improves my practise loads; I enjoy it more and really feel like I learned something. As to making stuff up, I generally share your despair and have no useful advice...

Actually, latley I've been trying out some faster, thrash like stuff, and your idea has really helped with keeping rhythm. The main ones Ive been working on are Primal Breath, Under a Serpent Sun, and Suicide Nation (all by At the Gates) and I've also been working on learning Forest of October in its entirety. I also really took a good listen to my Anti-Diluvian Chronicles set by My Dying Bride, and thats had me going on some of their stuff. Im taking a lot of general things I learn from these tabs and from the artists playing styles and incorperating them into my own songs. Thanks for all the help guys!

 

[Zlatan_Ibrahimovic]

Playability-wise, I'd agree with you...but I think for really fat and warm rhythm tones, the thick neck definitely adds a lot. Plus that ash body...

That's probably true. I use heavy strings though (12's) so the tension really makes the tone resonate through the wood compared to 10's or 9's although it takes a lot more strength to do bends and shit. It does make it easier to do fast picking though and you can REALLY attack the strings without getting any buzz or losing seperation in your chords. Mine is an alder body like most strats but I've heard a lot of raves about the ash body. maybe one day. right now I'm happy

 

[exposeenmity]

If I ever bought a PRS, it would be an 80's model. I refuse to buy a any current PRS. I can't stand the heels on them, look at how they changed the design of the heel from the 80's to the 90's. Plus, PRS doesn't offer ebony fingerboards, binding options, and their production has moved more towards machine made because of the high demand. All of their bodies are CNC made, okay, well maybe besides those custom ones that cost an arm and a leg. If I ever had enough to get a custom it would be an ESP.

LOL! I just saw HoWheels post after posting mine. I totally argee. I've never played a Carvin and really want to, but no one in OK carries them.

 

[Kenneth R.]

hotrails are gold. my jackson has 2 of them.

 

[For My Sweetheart the Drunk]

The thing with PRS is that, if you plan on keeping them forever, then they're great, but, if you plan on selling it in a couple of years and yearn for a profit, forget about it; they drop considerably in price because, let's face it, they aren't as popular as a les paul, a tele, or a strat, and they ain't never gonna be. Now is a good time to get them cheap secondhand. They aren't as popular as they were 4 or 5 years ago when Linkin Park and Disturbed and every Nu-Metal band had them. Nu-Metal is finally dead, and sadly, so is PRS' popularity in the guitar market. I see a lot of guys trying to get rid of them, and they can't. Why? Because they bought them for stupid prices, and now they want to get their money back and they can't; you're not gonna get 90% of what you paid for it, more like 50%; that's a huge loss.

 

[NFU]

The thing with PRS is that, if you plan on keeping them forever, then they're great, but, if you plan on selling it in a couple of years and yearn for a profit, forget about it; they drop considerably in price because, let's face it, they aren't as popular as a les paul, a tele, or a strat, and they ain't never gonna be. Now is a good time to get them cheap secondhand. They aren't as popular as they were 4 or 5 years ago when Linkin Park and Disturbed and every Nu-Metal band had them. Nu-Metal is finally dead, and sadly, so is PRS' popularity in the guitar market. I see a lot of guys trying to get rid of them, and they can't. Why? Because they bought them for stupid prices, and now they want to get their money back and they can't; you're not gonna get 90% of what you paid for it, more like 50%; that's a huge loss.

thats why you never buy a high end guitar new. you buy a good condition used one, and profit off the first owners depreciation value loss. i bought my PRS custom 24 artist series for $2000...when it was 5 months old. and i could EASILY sell it for the same price again. but had i paid retail, youre right...id be really fucked.

 

[Kenneth R.]

I agree. I don't understand why people *MUST* have new gear. Used sounds the same. And sound is what it's about.

 

[Zlatan_Ibrahimovic]

Wow - Those Carvins are beautiful. Thanks for the great post and extremely useful info.

I hate to rain on everyone's fire ... but a few observations and opinions

First of all, no PRS guitars are hand-made except for the "Private Stock" guitars (which generally have a price tag of over $10,000). This is of course, only the case for PRS guitars made after 1995.

Another funny thing happened in 1995. They started producing guitars with a monstrously horrible heel on them. check it out:

The guitar on the left is a 'modern' PRS. The one on the right is a Pre-95 PRS.

Some other general complaints about PRS guitars ...
Getting ahold of 'the one' that you actually want is no easy task. Sure you can go to Guitar Center and see a few hanging on the wall, but it's impossible to tell what you are going to get. The features they come with are not consistant. There's always the subjectivity of what exactly a "10" top is. Just because GC wants a premium for the "10 top" is it really a 10? Or a 9? Or an 8?

And what's up with the premiums on the Artist series? Artist is supposed to have a "superior" top to the 10 top? Isn't "10" supposed to be the highest on a scale of 1-10? LOL
Honestly I think the Artist series is a horrible value. In fact, I honestly don't feel that the Custom's have a great value at ~$2,200.
I think the SE's have a great value, but of course you don't get a beautiful carved top with them, or figured maple.

With that said, I believe PRS is a great guitar. Although I think that 99% of the appeal of them comes from the sparkle of seeing big names (a hem .... OPETH) weilding them.

As a matter of taste, I think the flying birds on the fingerboard is TACKY!

If you want a decent alternative to PRS, check out the Carvin California Top's. Many have done head-to-head shootouts of them versus PRS, and the general consensus is that it is difficult to justify the $1500+ price difference.

Check them out here:
http://www.carvin.com/products/guitars.php?CID=GTR

Galleries:
http://www.carvin.com/products/gallery.php?ItemNumber=CT6M
http://www.carvinmuseum.com/playersgallery/carvedtop.html

Plus you can order a Carvin to any exact spec that you want, down to the fingerboard radius. Plus they have a 10-day deciding period where you can have your axe returned and completely rebuilt to your spec if you want!

My 2 cents ...

-a

PS, I have seen great values in PRS on the used market ... with "10 tops" going in the $1500's ... Still would be a difficult choice between one of those, and a brand new Carvin to my exact spec

 

[AmirH]

As long as you're all talking other alternatives- I've absolutely loved every Tom Anderson I've had a chance to play. They don't stock em at guitar center anymore

 

[exposeenmity]

As long as you're all talking other alternatives- I've absolutely loved every Tom Anderson I've had a chance to play. They don't stock em at guitar center anymore

Never played a Tom Anderson before. You must be near where Tom is, because my guitar center sucks ass. They only have low end Jacksons, low end BC Rich, Gibson, Fender, and PRS. I wish someone around me carried ESP's and high end Jacksons and BC Rich's. Anyway, I'll probably get flamed for this, but you should check out, Ed Roman Guitars. It'll start you out on the Tom Anderson page. I would love to go to Ed's place, but there's no way I'm going to be in the Las Vegas area anytime soon.

 

[AmirH]

Ed Roman is full of shit more often than not

 

[danmog]

the carvin california carved tops are well worth checking out. i'm planning to purchase one myself. i own a custom built carvin (different model), for which i paid about $1100. i couldn't imagine anyone else selling it for less than $2000, especially considering all the custom features and upgrades i was able to get. direct from factory is the way to go, get rid of all those price bumps for the middle men. i purchase used guitars from time to time, but i can't imagine i'll buy a new guitar from anyone but carvin.

 

[Sphinx]

when i was last in america i bought a Prs Custom 24 for 2200US which is not cheap. im from australia. it sells for a lot cheaper in america, but it is Still expensive as hell

 

[Heckelgruber]

Ed Roman is full of shit more often than not

I just discovered the Ed Roman site as well. He certainly has some strong opinions, strongly stated as well as quite an uncompromising view of PRS. One thing he does say on the site that is very interesting is what Paul Reed Smith has done to the guitar market since the 1980s: geatly raised the bar for quality and price of a high-end guitar (to around $2,700 to quote the site). What this has done, according to Ed, is to make it possible for small-time luthiers to bring their hand-made products to the market at prices that can compete with the big producers (like what PRS have become). If these guys can compete on price, there could be some very interesting and unique instruments available built completely to an individual's spec rather than the same guitar that anyone else with $3000 has.

 

[Xi-luth]

Instead of starting a new topic, Ill just bring this one up.

There has been lots of praising of the expensive end PRS guitars and so forth, but I have yet to hear if the cheaper models, ranging from 700€ to 900€ (817-1,050 USD) are worth a try?

SE SOAPBAR II
SE EG
SANTANA SE

This kinda stuff.

Edit: I currently have a Ibanez Gax70 with a bad neck, so a new guitar inside the 500-900€ range is what I need, and want.

 

[Smilari]

I don't know about the cheaper one's quality...

.

But I'd like to know what can I do:

I'm from Brasil and I need a pre-95 Custom 24. Obviously I can find used ones on the internet BUT... It's outrageous to pay like 60% plus(international fee). Since its very hard to find a pre-95 on the market HERE, all I could think on is to buy online and ship people I know who live outside the country, like in the US or Europe... Still, I don't know exactly how the stuff would come out.

please, any suggestions? im really willing to it. thanks

 

[affinityband]

Les Paul Custom me anyday.

 

[NFU]

i just sold my PRS actually. i loved it, but i found my dream guitar instead, which is more suiting to my tastes and playing style, as well as desired tones, etc. but i still swear by PRS as one of the best (if not the best) feeling guitar ive ever owned/played. indeed expensive, but very much worth it if you have the means. and importantly, they do well retaining their resale value much unlike most guitars these days.

 

[affinityband]

Which one did you have dude?

 

[NFU]

Which one did you have dude?

Custom24 artist model...this was it...