What does PRS’s $499 guitar mean?

[Jarick]

I think the big name brands are pricing themselves out of a market place and the vacuum that its creating is being filled with the low end market soon to be the mid priced market.

It's already happening with Epiphone they are starting to breach the $1499 mark with artist signature models. I'm quite positive other brands will be following suit.

Very true. I just bought one of those guitars too, the Bonamassa Epiphone 335. Considering Gibsons are now past $3k and even the former bargains like Eastman are approaching $2k, have to look at the MIC guitars. I’m hoping they continue to improve the quality.

 

[Sixstring]

Very true. I just bought one of those guitars too, the Bonamassa Epiphone 335. Considering Gibsons are now past $3k and even the former bargains like Eastman are approaching $2k, have to look at the MIC guitars. I’m hoping they continue to improve the quality.

I think the quality is getting there because of building practices and social media reviewers like Phili McKnight of KYG that are really looking at these guitars with a microscope with respect to setup, fretwork and over all playability. I do think the one thing that is not being looked at very close is the quality of the woods that are being used! That is the one thing that really sets an instrument apart from a potential problem.

I'm sure as the overseas manufactures hone there quality control that to will no longer be an issue. U.S. made guitars are well on there way to becoming so expensive they will be impossible for the average person to be able to buy.

Personally I would rather buy something that is made in my country (4 of the 5 guitars I own are) if anything just to support the economy but if U.S. made guitars are going to cost 5-8k for something that is comparable I don't see how that would be conducive for average Joe.

 

[Jarick]

I think the quality is getting there because of building practices and social media reviewers like Phili McKnight of KYG that are really looking at these guitars with a microscope with respect to setup, fretwork and over all playability. I do think the one thing that is not being looked at very close is the quality of the woods that are being used! That is the one thing that really sets an instrument apart from a potential problem.

I'm sure as the overseas manufactures hone there quality control that to will no longer be an issue. U.S. made guitars are well on there way to becoming so expensive they will be impossible for the average person to be able to buy.

Personally I would rather buy something that is made in my country (4 of the 5 guitars I own are) if anything just to support the economy but if U.S. made guitars are going to cost 5-8k for something that is comparable I don't see how that would be conducive for average Joe.

Totally agree! The QC is improving, probably because there's a lot more automation involved, and just more attention to detail. But you're right, I doubt the quality of the wood is on the same level as USA guitars. If that gets solved, then it's a big shift.

RIght now I've got 8 electrics, 5 USA guitars, 2 MIC, and 1 MIJ. The Japanese guitar is definitely the best quality, with my USA PRS CE-24 close behind it. My two MIC guitars are more of my change of pace / variety models (Epiphone 335 and Squier JM Jazzmaster). If I were completely starting from scratch, I'd likely have 3-4 high quality USA guitars. But like you said, those are often $3-5k and up. Even the humble USA "Standard" Strat is nearly $2k nowadays.

 

[Sixstring]

Totally agree! The QC is improving, probably because there's a lot more automation involved, and just more attention to detail. But you're right, I doubt the quality of the wood is on the same level as USA guitars. If that gets solved, then it's a big shift.

RIght now I've got 8 electrics, 5 USA guitars, 2 MIC, and 1 MIJ. The Japanese guitar is definitely the best quality, with my USA PRS CE-24 close behind it. My two MIC guitars are more of my change of pace / variety models (Epiphone 335 and Squier JM Jazzmaster). If I were completely starting from scratch, I'd likely have 3-4 high quality USA guitars. But like you said, those are often $3-5k and up. Even the humble USA "Standard" Strat is nearly $2k nowadays.

Totally agree with you on the MIJ stuff! My Gretsch Sparkle Jet is really nice build wise! Both of my Carvin guitars with respect to craftsmanship are on par with any reputable builder. The only thing that was sub par on the Carvins at the time was the electronics which I have completely gutted! I would put them up against any high end builder right now.

The 2 Gibson LP Classics I have are surprisingly good! But I am offing the P-90 Paul in favor of finishing a home build parts caster that I have been wanting to do for a year or so now. I have a really nice body of Spalted Alder that I have started on and need to get all of the jigs to do routing. Going to go with a Warmoth neck and probably do Nashville style electronics! Tele style bridge and pup, neck pup and Strat middle pup but I want to do surface mount instead of pickguard, this way it shows off more of the wood... that's the plan anyway.

 

[skolacki]

Yeah MIJ is excellent. The Japanese value craftsmanship. My 1st guitar was an Ibanez Artist made in 1978. It’s still here but I gave it to my son. I picked up a MIJ Ibanez AZ2204N that is flawless in construction although the electronics don’t agree with me. So I’m doing my own thing with it. I won’t do MIC, that’s where I draw the line. It’s pretty much impossible to not buy things MIC but for guitars I won’t do it. I have 2 US built guitars and 2 MIK, and 1 MII. I do have a Epi Dot 335 MIC, but it was gifted to me by a friend who found out learning to play requires work. I’d like to have all USA guitars but I’m close to retirement. I could go nuts but I’m trying to look ahead.

 

[Dave Merrill]

2 USA here - Fender and Collings, 1 France - Vigier, one quite old parts guitar I have no idea the origin of its bits.

In the back of my mind I'm considering scaling back to a couple of PRS SEs - DGT and Silver Sky, since they're fairly reasonably priced and I hear good things about them both. Logic says I should be ok with that level of instruments, especially done I'm not gigging any more.

Kind of odd that that's on my mind, since I've never actually loved any PRS I've ever played, even US ones.

(But in my heart I'd really like to at least try this, and this, and this. But what if I like one, or better yet, like them all? That's not scaling down to more humble guitars, it's scaling significantly up. Pffft.)

 

[fcs101]

Haha I didn’t realize PRS actually put out a $499 guitar. Made in Indonesia. Kinda mugly with that finish. Probably some will suck and most are ok. I’m baffled that they can actually make money on this but they do. Indonesian labor must be super cheap. Good for young players starting out. I’ll pass on this one, satin and me don’t get along.

Hey there! Sorry I didn't see this sooner. I actually just watched a Phillip McKnight video where he ranked Indonesia as being just behind Japan and Korea for the best consistency in production. Guess who the top two countries with the worst consistency are? China followed by the USA. I've gotta say I'm thoroughly impressed by my Indonesian-made Starcaster. If something were to happen to it, I'd definitely have to replace it.

 

[skolacki]

Hey there! Sorry I didn't see this sooner. I actually just watched a Phillip McKnight video where he ranked Indonesia as being just behind Japan and Korea for the best consistency in production. Guess who the top two countries with the worst consistency are? China followed by the USA. I've gotta say I'm thoroughly impressed by my Indonesian-made Starcaster. If something were to happen to it, I'd definitely have to replace it.

Dang he thinks US guitars are that bad? I think PRS is putting out good stuff. When I went LP hunting a long time ago I was seeing finish issues on every one I touched. I was looking at standards. Wound up with a PRS. Is it Fender and Gibson he was referring to?

 

[fcs101]

Dang he thinks US guitars are that bad? I think PRS is putting out good stuff. When I went LP hunting a long time ago I was seeing finish issues on every one I touched. I was looking at standards. Wound up with a PRS. Is it Fender and Gibson he was referring to?

He didn't specify which brand was the biggest offender, only country of origin (but Gibson did pop into my mind b/c of lots of comments posted here and elsewhere).