Thinking about buying a PRS SE guitar, good choice?

[Xenopethgears]

All my guitar playing experience has been on an acoustic, Seagull M6. I have little familiarity with electric guitar but want to get into it and possibly take lessons. I have no idea what brands are thought of as good for metal. I thought a good place to start was one of the guitar's my favorite band plays, although all but the SE are 2000$ plus heh. In your opinion's is the PRS SE worth the 500$, or are there alternative brands more worth the price. Obviously I like Opeth's sound, and although I know it's hard to recreate bands sounds I'm just looking for good general metal sound to work with for now until I know what I'm doing. Thanks for any thoughts/advice.

PS: just remembered I'm even more lost on a choice of amp, so any opinions on that as well would be appreciated.

 

[IamReptar]

If you are on a budget, personally, I think Ibanez makes the best budget metal guitars. Just be sure to swap out the pups and put some money down on good effect pedals if you want a similiar Opeth distortion sound. Ibanez aren't all that great "clean" wise IMO.

 

[AFairJudgement0]

id say buy an ibanez if u want a metal guitar... Ive had my RG for 2 years now and its been amazing... I still want to try out a PRS one day and see if its really as good as they say, but i wouldn't go buying an electric blind unless you do some research first... Do yourself a favour and go try out some different guitars and get the feel down.. It's just like playing an acoustic, some feel great and some just aren't for you.

An amp is also a big part of buying an electric.. If you want a metal guitar, your gonna want an amp that can support it well. Id wait on the PRS and make sure its something you really want, because there's nothing worse than spending a lot of cash on something and not giving it the attention it deserves.. just my 2 cents! GL with whatever choice you make!

 

[ever dying]

go to your local guitar shop, try a PRS SE, i dont really like them because it has a short neck, i believe only 25". Like ^^ said try an ibanez they rock
you could also try some LTD/ESP guitars.. but its up to you

 

[Moobaa]

careful with ibanez's tremolo systems though, avoid the floyd rose ones (type of whammy bar) for a beginner electric player those can be a pain and you'd have to get them set up and stuff.. tough to change tunings too. theyre just a pain unless youre sticking with one tuning

 

[Demilich]

I love Les Pauls but I guess they're probably not the best for metal. The guitar I learned on was an Epiphone Les Paul that I bought for $200 from another UM poster, and it was great!

 

[Stimuli]

Les Paul is a good all around guitar...Epiphone makes great stuff for the price

 

[Lothlorien]

PRS all the way. if i had the money to afford one I'd buy one. when im out of college im buying one.

 

[affinityband]

its a good choice.
total @ the fact that my custom 24 feels like the tremonti se. I pretty much paid for the name like a brand whore.

 

[Erion]

I have an Epiphone Les Paul Custom and well... it's not very metal, and way too muddy. ^^'
This year I'll probably get a new guitar: an Ibanez maybe, but I'm thinking of getting a PRS SE Custom and change pickups, tuners, bridge and tremolo. I've been playing for 7 years now, but my budget can't go further than 1000€.

Does any of you know how does the PRS SE Custom neck feel? Is it wider, thinner and flatter than a Les Paul's??

(*Thinking on a PRS Custom 24 that I can't afford* ^^')

 

[Weakness]

BC Rich mockingbirds are cool metal guitars

 

[Jupetus]

I don't have any experience from PRS guitars but I would try PRS Santana SE 'cause what I've heard and read they are very good.

And if you're looking for amp a good choise is Peavey Valveking where you can get pretty nice cleans and brutal distortions if you boost it with overdrive pedal.

 

[headbanger1547]

I'm only fond of the higher-end PRS's, like what Opeth plays on for example. The cheaper ones around $500 have never really pleased me or come across as anything special.

I'll also voice in support of Ibanez. My buddy has a $600 Jackson and a $400 Ibanez, and the Ibanez sounds and feels way better than the Jackson. Ibanez makes great stuff for the price, though as said the clean is lacking a wee bit.

 

[Kenneth R.]

SE = Shitty Edition

get a real guitar or save money for a real PRS

 

[affinityband]

it doesnt feel any different trust me. My custom24 feels no different to my friends tremonti se. except its a lil heavier and looks better. but you gotta ask yourself is it worth that extra £1800?

and in any case, if you are to go to a main prs dealer like soundcontrol, you will find there is very difference between any of them. Plus, its scary for about 2 weeks playing a recently purchased prs...still its probably one of the most beautiful looking instruments ive ever seen.
But lets face it, if you dont have £2300 the se is a fucking solid choice, because like i said, it feels far to similar to my custom 24. or maybe something like a mexican strat? thats a fantastic guitar for the money.

 

[Kenneth R.]

as someone who has studied guitar construction, i have to disagree that they are similar in any way. i do however, agree that the massive price on the real ones is excessive.

 

[affinityband]

I have sat there and played one after the other. And the difference is next to nil. I dont know about guitar construction. But i can definately tell with my hands that there is very little change between the two. I almost regret not going for the les paul standard simply because i could bought that and an se and have two fucking beautiful guitars. The custom was a bit of a waste of money, even though i adore it. But i think im gunna for the les paul standard in march and be in debt for another 6 months.

 

[Kenneth R.]

Where in my posts does it say Les Paul, Chris? come on dude, I'm talking about PRS. Their SE construction is bogus compared to their actual line of instruments. When talking Gibson/Epiphone and their "SE" models, that's a different story. My point is, the guy should snag, as many have already replied, a quality axe or save up and get a real PRS rather than settling on a wananbe

 

[Conspiracy Chronicles]

Get whatever you like, I have played on some high end PRS's and they sound great.I dont know anything about the SE's. IMHO I would NOT buy a ibanez every Ibanez I have played on sounds like crap.The ones that are made in Japan even sound like crap. You could buy a American Fender Fat Strat they are very good all around guitars IMO.Go with whatever you feel is the right guitar for you.

 

[Zed Leppelin]

get Gibson Les Paul :L)