JM-PRS Strat....coming soon?

[sergiodeblanc]

The sonzera isn’t so expensive as far as PRS amps go. Maybe the relationship of the new s-style and the super eagle will be like the relationship between the sonzera and the J-mod.

The sonzera doesn’t have anything to do with John Mayer though.

 

[pac90]

Yep it will be interesting where they pitch it as the f company has several price points for the same S type. American ones aren't that expensive compared to other brands I guess

and yeah on john having a premium, but if you ever start to feel sorry for him, check this out - I went snooping for more guitar pictures and saw this

living the life

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bau39HLnfR1/?taken-by=johnmayer

 

[Elliot]

The sonzera doesn’t have anything to do with John Mayer though.

Really strange. I wonder why I thought he had a hand in it...

 

[drdoom8793]

Really strange. I wonder why I thought he had a hand in it...

The only artist I remember hearing about having anything to do with it was Chris Robertson, who was using a prototype on tour pre-release.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Yep it will be interesting where they pitch it as the f company has several price points for the same S type. American ones aren't that expensive compared to other brands I guess

and yeah on john having a premium, but if you ever start to feel sorry for him, check this out - I went snooping for more guitar pictures and saw this

living the life

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bau39HLnfR1/?taken-by=johnmayer

Poor JM looks a bit sleepy, maybe he’s hypnotised by something!

Good choice in shirt though!

 

[greatrankini]

I talked to John Mayer about this in August. I told him that many of us were hoping for a production model of this guitar at an affordable price. I told him we were all hoping it would be priced more like his signature Strat used to be - around $2,000, or at least in the $2,500 range. John said "that's what we're shooting for," or something to that effect. I just sold my Monty Pop Strat in anticipation of buying one of these. If anyone at PSR is listening, please make this guitar affordable for us fans that cannot afford a Super Eagle. And make enough of them so people can actually get one. Thank you!

 

[Fro]

It’ll need to be priced $1400-$1800 to sell outside of the PRS faithful. I’ll buy one at $1400. Anything above that I’ll have to really be persuaded.

 

[andy474x]

I could see them selling well at around the CE price, maybe a little more. I get the price of the Super Eagle, it's a much more complicated build, fancy electronics, made in Private Stock all that jazz, even the J MOD amp. But I reckon an S type guitar is significantly less complex from a manufacturing point of view, unless there's something really unexpected in the build there doesn't seem to be a reason they couldn't make that on the regular production lines. The Brent Mason sig was a similar build and not terribly expensive by PRS standards. Will be interesting to see if they use the S2 manufacturing line to make the necks, as they do on the CE's.

 

[jfb]

This makes me think of the PRS SE EG model. Those had hog body with a glued neck, also hog, if my memory serves. Those were really cool guitars. Nicky Morach slays on his! Granted, Nicky could make a brick a sing. I assume that these will be different lumber with a bolt neck.

 

[Ovibos]

It’ll need to be priced $1400-$1800 to sell outside of the PRS faithful. I’ll buy one at $1400. Anything above that I’ll have to really be persuaded.

People pay a lot more than that for Suhr and various non-F relic copies.

 

[drdoom8793]

People pay a lot more than that for Suhr and various non-F relic copies.

Maybe so, but nowhere near the number of people buying American Strats. I love PRS, but I won't lie; Fender knocked it out of the park with the American Professional series. If this JM model isn't at least pretty close to that price, I'll probably just opt for one of those.

 

[mojo1fan]

This makes me think of the PRS SE EG model. Those had hog body with a glued neck, also hog, if my memory serves. Those were really cool guitars. Nicky Morach slays on his! Granted, Nicky could make a brick a sing. I assume that these will be different lumber with a bolt neck.

I have one of these, with EMG SL pickups.

 

[andy474x]

Maybe so, but nowhere near the number of people buying American Strats. I love PRS, but I won't lie; Fender knocked it out of the park with the American Professional series. If this JM model isn't at least pretty close to that price, I'll probably just opt for one of those.

I need to try one of those. Have tried a variety of their other Strat models but not that one, and they look like a good thing. Reasonable price too. My only beef with Fender is that the guitars I've tried aren't always sonically consistent - some will ring like a bell, some are dead. But their QC to me has been much better than Gibson, don't find blatant poor workmanship on their instruments.

 

[Casi1]

Because speculating is fun:

I'm hoping it will do for the Strat what the 594 did for the Les Paul: Capture the best of the feel and sound from the vintage instruments, but with modern quality and reliability.

• Alder is a lot quicker/easier to finish than ash, and is the classic Strat wood, so it makes the most sense.
• The prototypes looked like they might have had Gotoh 510 series bridges. These cost around the same as the SE bridge aftermarket, are all-steel (as a classic Strat bridge should be) and widely accepted as high-quality. The two post version is used on $2200 Suhr guitars. Plus, PRS has used Gotoh for tuning keys for years, so they could leverage that relationship to get good pricing.
• I'd be cool with the S2 style Phase II tuners, but Phase III would be more in line with a vintage sounding approach.
• Pickups and electronics, who knows? But you get a full USA kit on the CE, so you better get the same here.
• Some people will groan about a gig bag, but to mention Suhr again, that's what you get with a Classic Pro at $2200.
• It's gotta come in at $2200 or less and compete toe-to-toe with Suhr or any other boutique brand, or it's sunk.

But, like you said, what do I know?

I think if this thing comes in around the $2k mark AND has various neck/board options AND that pickguard accepts standard strat pups... Then that other company will quickly lose a great portion of its strat customers. If that happens, I'll give it 60 days before a core model hits the market then flies off the shelves. I'll give it 6 months after that for the same exact scenario to happen with a tele and a popular tele player (S2 version/$2k -> Core/$4k).

With the 2018 lineup so 'unexciting' this potential strat and tele takeover explains where all the missing energy may have gone to. Very nicely played. Lol.

But these new models gotta accept standard strat and tele pickups. That gets them in the door. Once past that hurdle, the opportunities are endless. The future is so bright, you gotta wear shades in Maryland at night.

 

[Casi1]

It’ll need to be priced $1400-$1800 to sell outside of the PRS faithful. I’ll buy one at $1400. Anything above that I’ll have to really be persuaded.

I agree with this approach but I'm thinking the JM signature alone will push it above the S2 price.

Heres a thought: maybe PRS could cut a deal with a certain struggling guitar store (that happens that stock WAY more 'other brands' than PRS) so that they'd accept trade ins for a discount on these new JM strats. So if you bring in an American Professional or a late model Standard (strat or tele), you get a crazy good price on a new JM strat.

So say you got a 2017 Professional Series strat. You paid $1800 for it. Because you are bringing it in to trade against, the price of the new JM strat just dropped from $2200 to $1350 just for you buddy and you pay the difference between the trade and new price. You might end up paying $500 but now PRS has a shot of converting a die hard F fan to their team, and the struggling chain just created an in-flow of late model strats for their used gear wall.

 

[alantig]

I think if this thing comes in around the $2k mark AND has various neck/board options AND that pickguard accepts standard strat pups... Then that other company will quickly lose a great portion of its strat customers.

I don't think that's going to happen. This is why (some oversimplifications ahead!):

You essentially have three types of buyers.

- Those who want a Strat but can't afford one. They're going to buy copies or import version (including the Fender versions).
- Those who want a Fender Strat, and only a Fender Strat. Because SRV played one, or Mayer did, or Hendrix did. Or because Fender is the name they grew up with. This is the problem PRSH has referred to several times, that one of the problems he has selling guitars is that he can't get Jimi Hendrix to play one. Or SRV.
- Those who want a Strat-type guitar that is more suited to their wants or needs than a regular Strat. Think Suhr, Anderson, etc.

Out of those, you're probably never going to win over the second type. And it doesn't sound like they're going to target the first type. So the market is likely going to be people who want a Strat-type guitar and a Strat-type sound. Which is not going to take away a great portion of Fender business.

I do think you're right about the pickups. If they're a regular Strat-style that allows for easy swapping and experimenting, that will eliminate a barrier for some people.

 

[Casi1]

I don't think that's going to happen. This is why (some oversimplifications ahead!):

You essentially have three types of buyers.

- Those who want a Strat but can't afford one. They're going to buy copies or import version (including the Fender versions).
- Those who want a Fender Strat, and only a Fender Strat. Because SRV played one, or Mayer did, or Hendrix did. Or because Fender is the name they grew up with. This is the problem PRSH has referred to several times, that one of the problems he has selling guitars is that he can't get Jimi Hendrix to play one. Or SRV.
- Those who want a Strat-type guitar that is more suited to their wants or needs than a regular Strat. Think Suhr, Anderson, etc.

Out of those, you're probably never going to win over the second type. And it doesn't sound like they're going to target the first type. So the market is likely going to be people who want a Strat-type guitar and a Strat-type sound. Which is not going to take away a great portion of Fender business.

I do think you're right about the pickups. If they're a regular Strat-style that allows for easy swapping and experimenting, that will eliminate a barrier for some people.

Yeah you are right but I think the group that is only buying a strat because of Hendrix and or Stevie is a group that nobody can touch... Until they walk to the light on their own. These are the same guys who see my PRS at the tech desk and have to be asked if they want to play it because they, to quote several of them, are scared that they will like it. Lol. One guy was a Fender player for 40 years but he finally touched a PRS because his last 4 Fenders wouldnt stay in tune. These are the same guys who have no comeback when you show them videos of Hendrix playing a Gibson, SRV playing a Japanese version of a no name guitar and BB playing a strat. PRS himself needs to make his best effort to show these folks that they are missing out. Whether they choose to jump ship or not is up to them but he can certainly make it a harder choice.

 

[greatrankini]

The last two posters are very astute! Confession - I've never seriously considered playing anything but a Fender Strat because .... Clapton, Hendrix, SRV, and Mayer played them. Granted, I've picked up a Les Paul, but it just wasn't as comfortable to play. I've admired the beauty of PRS guitars, but never considered buying one until Mayer started playing with the Dead. The idea of a Strat-shaped body on a PSR neck has me convinced to take the plunge. Fingers crossed it's $2,500 or less ... Please and thank you, Mr. Smith!

 

[Casi1]

The last two posters are very astute! Confession - I've never seriously considered playing anything but a Fender Strat because .... Clapton, Hendrix, SRV, and Mayer played them. Granted, I've picked up a Les Paul, but it just wasn't as comfortable to play. I've admired the beauty of PRS guitars, but never considered buying one until Mayer started playing with the Dead. The idea of a Strat-shaped body on a PSR neck has me convinced to take the plunge. Fingers crossed it's $2,500 or less ... Please and thank you, Mr. Smith!

I sincerely hope it comes in between $2k and $2.5k. They can always try to produce a SE version in the $500 to $800 range after this one hits customer hands and gets decent reviews. Business strategy 101 is the belief that every competitors customer base is acquirable for your brand. Just gotta get those customers to tell you what they want... and you deliver at a fair price. That competitor customer feedback is like gold, lol.

I started out buying Fender strats because I wanted to be like Hendrix, SRV, and Clapton... And I'm still chasing the Fender strat tone but if you give me a 'PRS strat' with PRS quality control (which equals the ability to, as PRSh states, to gig with it immediately after pulling it out of the box) that I can make sound like a Fender strat by putting Fender pickups in it...I'm sold. Gimme that guitar. Like right now. Me want. Especially if there's a SE price tag, a S2 price tag, and a Core price tag thats comparable to Fender prices. I will buy the one that I can afford and you will have the opportunity to acquire a new customer. BUT I'm not going to buy it if the price is not comparable to Fender. If its more expensive than a Fender strat, then I will just keeping buying Fender strats. Boom.

 

[greatrankini]

If its more expensive than a Fender strat, then I will just keeping buying Fender strats. Boom.

Right - but if its quality is better (as you say), then you'd certainly be willing to pay just a little more for the PRS guitar. For example, if the Fender model you like is $1800 but the PRS better version is $2000 ... I'm not familiar, BTW, with the prices ranges people here are quoting - what are prices for SE, S2, and Core? Thanks!