PRS guitars - Lost their appeal?

[Moshe]

Is Paul Reed Smith guitars washed up? I remember when these were one of THE guitars to own. I just dont hear about them anymore...

[hubberjub***]

They aren't bad guitars. There are just better guitars for the money.

[Fab4]

I've had a couple three PRS guitars and I keep selling them...still, I like the David Grissom model with the nitro finish and the two volume controls. I love the body shape. The Custom 22 I had was the most beautiful object I've ever owned, but I could never hang with just the master volume and tone...that's why the Grissom is appealing.

[Rx Tone]

Washed up?...ummmm....no...
They're some of the highest quality U.S.A. made guitars.

They aren't bad guitars. There are just better guitars for the money.

"better" in what way? Which ones are better and why?

[mrmudcat]

"better" in what way? Which ones are better and why?


Carvin comes to mind!!!:




PRS as well as Gibson are really getting on the overpriced bandwagon!


My cali carve top carvin came in at under $1500 built to my specs ............PRS would of charged about $3000-4000 :


I do want the prs swamp ash model but doubt ill be buying one anytime soon


Have you checked out these guitars made in your own backyard,now id spend $3500-4000 on one of those voodoo custom


They really are a great lil southern enviremently conscious company

http://www.neworleansguitar.com/

[M29]

I like mine

[mrmudcat]

I am in no way saying they are not great built guitars

It is getting harder and harder to find good american built guitars that are not overpriced:

Carvin is one of those companies but I know firsthand the electronics (pots, caps) are inferior to prs and others .......carvin pups I like!

[tot_Ou_tard]

Send me all your flotsam & jetsam.

[pes_laul]

I know what you mean, though they are some of the nicest guitars I've played. I think it was a custom 22 my friends dad had and it was probably the nicest guitar I've ever played.

[hubberjub***]

Washed up?...ummmm....no...
They're some of the highest quality U.S.A. made guitars.




"better" in what way? Which ones are better and why?

I don't think they are washed up. They aren't the company they started out as. The guitars are beautiful. They have made some choices in terms of design that I don't care for. I know this is an Ed Roman complaint but it's legit. The neck heel is inexcusable. There's no reason it should be as big as it is. The hardware has also gone downhill. The original bridge they used was by Manne but now they use a much cheaper unit. My all time favorite PRS was the EG series from the early 90's. It was handmade in the US and was cheap. They were great guitars. They still make great guitars but many companies are building superior guitars that far undercut PRS prices. You aren't going to find them in the Musicians Friend catalog. Google luthiers in your area. You'll find someone who builds a quality product that costs way less that the equivalent PRS and you won't look like every other guitar player on the block. There is no reason that these threads should be taken so personally. It shouldn't be a crime for people to express their opinion. We're all here to have fun and further our playing.

[TS808]

All the folks I know who bought a PRS either loved them or hated them. It seems that the majority of people I know who didn't like PRS guitars were former strat players who bought a PRS and then went back to their strats.

PRS guitars are sweet, but in my opinion, way overpriced. Especially considering that the neck heel (as someone mentioned) is a real design flaw, as well as the fact that contrary to popular belief, most of the PRS models are not hand machined.

But I agree...you can get some guitars built to the same quality for much less. It seems that the major manufacturers, whether PRS, Gibson, and Fender, are doing their best to price themselves out of the market.

[Plank_Spanker]

I'll take heat for this but:

PRS builds a great guitar - that I wouldn't be caught dead with one on stage. For years, every one finger, two string power chord poser was on video and print making guitar faces with a PRS guitar..................and espousing their "solos are wanking, it's all about the song" excuse for their utter lack of talent. But they had their PRS endorsements...............................

Call it vanity, but I will never play a PRS. My mind equates them with all of the talentless morons that played them and droned on with the "solos are wanking" ( I suck but I'm in a magazine) mantra.

********Putting on flame proof suit now********************

[markb]

I'll take heat for this but:

PRS builds a great guitar - that I wouldn't be caught dead with one on stage. For years, every one finger, two string power chord poser was on video and print making guitar faces with a PRS guitar..................and espousing their "solos are wanking, it's all about the song" excuse for their utter lack of talent. But they had their PRS endorsements...............................

Call it vanity, but I will never play a PRS. My mind equates them with all of the talentless morons that played them and droned on with the "solos are wanking" ( I suck but I'm in a magazine) mantra.

********Putting on flame proof suit now********************

But other than that, they're OK, right?

[wingsdad]

I don't think they are washed up. They aren't the company they started out as. ...

They've even resorted to a series of 'affordable' Asian imports, the SE series...now you can have a PRS that's on a par with a Chinese, Indonesian or Korean Samick, Cort, Ibanez or Epiphone...

[Spudman***]

I think they are beautiful looking and sounding guitars. However, I have played close to 25 brand new top of the line PRS guitars and didn't get a single bonding urge with any of them. But then...I tried the SE import model and found it to be a better set up and playing instrument than any of the 25. Go figure. That's my 2 cents worth.

I don't know if they are loosing it or not. Some people really like them and that's great. I'm sure they will always have a market but with the current economy they might not be moving the number of units they have in the past.

And for what it's worth...I always see many many used PRS guitars for sale. I'm not sure what that means. It's just something I've noticed.

[helliott***]

Count me as one of the people wondering. I have a CE-22 and 24, and like them both. But when I challenged myself to figure out which of my axes I'd use in a new band, I settled on the US Strat. And am very happy. The PRS 22 sits on the stand in case I break a string in midsong. Not a noble place, but the Strat with S-1 switching and a ballsy amph gives me more choices.

[M29]

I still like mine.

[oldguy]

I would love to have one.........I would also love to have a new Carvin California carved top. There are so many excellent guitar and amph builders out there right now it's staggering. Along with many established builders.....but it depends on what you want and how much you can afford.
I say go with what you can afford and what you like..........

[Jimi75]

I haven't played a lot of PRS guitars, but those that I played where good guitars. A friend of mine has a CE22 and there's nothing wrong with this guitar. A few years back I have played the Swamp Ash model and it was a great guitar with great sound. PRS might be expensive, but they have kept up their quality all the time also with the SE series. PRS never had quality issues. I don't know if all the endorsement they gave to younger bands was "perfect" publicity though, on the other hand it is normal for a company to do marketing and increase the turn over - I think PRS was successful with their strategy.

For a Strat player like me, a PRS can not substitue the Strat and deliver Paul sounds in one. But never say never, PRs is always worth a check when being in a guitar store.