Help me chose my PRS

Diego

Fractal Fanatic
So I'll turn 50 on January 18th and I was thinking to get me a present (🤣🤣🤣). The only guitar that is missing from my collection is a PRS. Tried many at past NAMM shows but didn't pay attention to the models...
Can you please put me on the right direction since the PRS world is completely unknown to me.
I saw in the web site that there are different series (with different prices): I would stay on the CE 24 or on the S2 Custom 24. I'm not interested in piezo or Floyd (got too many guitars with these...).
Thanks in advance.
PS. I'm going to order also a SE Zach Myers Semi-Hollow Body (found one for 800€); never had a hollow or semi-hollow guitar so.... any tips on this too?
 
Exactly Ian, 24 frets and 25" scale. Budget about 3000€ (no Core). I'm used with different neck (shape, size and wood so no particular specs about that).
Thanks
 
I think the Custom 24 kind of defines the "PRS guitar sound". If that's the sound you want, that's where I'd steer you.

For that money, a DGT is probably worth a look as well. Still 25" scale, but it has a brightness to it that the Custom doesn't have.

I've never played a Paul's Guitar model, but it is what Paul considers to be the perfect balance of features. The custom pickup sizes turn me off a bit as I'm a bit of a pickup swapper. I think @yek has a Paul's Guitar model and thinks highly of it so he might be able to give more details on how those pickups sound. No trem on it, which I feel is a miss if you're looking for the "PRS experience" -- the PRS tremolo is sublime and another big piece of the OG PRS "sound" IMHO.

Unless you really wanted a maple neck and the bolt-on "snap", I'd probably say stay away from the CE24. Much of what it does can be had in a super Strat from other manufacturers for less.

My $0.02 at least.
 
I've never played a Paul's Guitar model, but it is what Paul considers to be the perfect balance of features. The custom pickup sizes turn me off a bit as I'm a bit of a pickup swapper. I think @yek has a Paul's Guitar model and thinks highly of it so he might be able to give more details on how those pickups sound. No trem on it, which I feel is a miss if you're looking for the "PRS experience" -- the PRS tremolo is sublime and another big piece of the OG PRS "sound" IMHO.

Right on the mark. Fantastic guitar, but I'd love to be able to swap pickups, which is a no-go.
 
I think the Custom 24 kind of defines the "PRS guitar sound". If that's the sound you want, that's where I'd steer you.

For that money, a DGT is probably worth a look as well. Still 25" scale, but it has a brightness to it that the Custom doesn't have.

I've never played a Paul's Guitar model, but it is what Paul considers to be the perfect balance of features. The custom pickup sizes turn me off a bit as I'm a bit of a pickup swapper. I think @yek has a Paul's Guitar model and thinks highly of it so he might be able to give more details on how those pickups sound. No trem on it, which I feel is a miss if you're looking for the "PRS experience" -- the PRS tremolo is sublime and another big piece of the OG PRS "sound" IMHO.

Unless you really wanted a maple neck and the bolt-on "snap", I'd probably say stay away from the CE24. Much of what it does can be had in a super Strat from other manufacturers for less.

My $0.02 at least.
All of this 100%.
 
The CU24 is a really nice guitar S2 or Core are both great and sound very similar. The McCarty is a nice guitar as well and actually has many "all around" features. There isn't much that could go wrong with a PRS and they will make it right if not.
 
Thanks for all the precious information.
Checked DGT and Paul but they are a little over budget.
McCarty: only 22 fret unfortunately
So I will search for a CE or S2.
Thanks again
 
Just to mention CE models have bolt on necks. S2 models less body sculpting USA built with cheaper hardware. PRS guitar quality and playability are great across all the models including most SE models. I have a $299 SE Standard with a pickup swap that plays and sounds Just as good as my USA Custom 24 FR. Ive only bought one PRS that wasn't up to my expectations and that was an SE Terror model with Floyd Rose tremolo. Seemed like they just took an off the line guitar and haphazardly threw a Floyd Rose on it, Main issue was radios of the neck vis much flatter FR nutt. Same issue on the bridge side, no shims under the saddles to make the radius match the neck.

The LOOK! naturally with PRS if you want a guitar that looks awesome your going to pay. Book match of maple tops in my opinion is shit till you get into the wood library category which is kind a crappy way of doing things but I guess that's what it takes to get someone to pay 10 grand for a guitar.
 
Thanks Tom, if I should spend 10K I will go with a custom guitar (as I have already done before).
There are not so many information about hardware for both the CE and S2… what do you mean with “cheaper HW”?
 
Might want to look at G-Brats Guitars in Texas. I got my Custom 24 there, and it's a great guitar....

IMG_20210804_004801.jpg
 
Thanks Tom, if I should spend 10K I will go with a custom guitar (as I have already done before).
There are not so many information about hardware for both the CE and S2… what do you mean with “cheaper HW”?
Cheaper asian hardware and pickups, not made in the USA.
 
Back
Top Bottom