PRS SE custom 24 or gibson sg

Yeah I know but like I said before I can't try them, there is no shop selling PRS there :( I spend a lot of time on YouTube trying to find good demos with a fender amp (it seems a lot of people play with Marshall or boogie :) and I like the heat of Fender's amp)
I love blues and rock, blues with a creamy sound like b.b king (dot) and rock like Gary Clark(casino,SG), Marcus king(335), Greta van Cleef(SG) (all Gibson player in fact...)but it seems that gibson's guitar are overpriced And suffers random quality.
I know PRS are doing great guitar with an incredible neck and the quality is always top.
I think for me the Mira or the custom22 are the best suited.
I don't want a LP guitar style (I already have one and the access to lower fret is not nice).

So new I just have to decide : Mira or c22.... Hard choice :)
 
Seems like the Mira has more bass, big sound that I'm wanting..but how is the neck ? Really fat? I only tested slim neck like epiphone slim tapper or strat.
 
It was trying to buy a Gibson LP that put me on the slippery slope to PRS ownership. I really wanted a Les Paul guitar, to make *that* sound. I tried so many of them that were either shoddy quality / too heavy to play for long periods of time / just didn't suggest even one song, let alone a moment of bonding. Finding unicorns turned out to be easier.

Then someone suggested a PRS, and picking one up, all those problems just fell away. I became spoilt for choice. And of course I should, PRS have made it their mission to be better than the competition consistently. It's a very difficult task and to achieve it to this level means that the decision becomes obvious in the end if you want happy times and no buyers remorse.
 
Still haven't buy my guitar.

The more I hear PRS guitar the more I love them, sosnow I'm trying to decide :
PRS s2 custom 22
PRS s2 Mira
PRS SE custom 22
The s2 custom seems more versatile and the look is gorgeous but it's twice the price of the SE ...
 
Still haven't buy my guitar.

The more I hear PRS guitar the more I love them, sosnow I'm trying to decide :
PRS s2 custom 22
PRS s2 Mira
PRS SE custom 22
The s2 custom seems more versatile and the look is gorgeous but it's twice the price of the SE ...

If you can get a Satin Standard the price difference will be a lot less - that is assuming you are fine with not having a maple cap and with having a satin finish.

That being said, my Bernie is a great guitar and upgrades only cost me 100 Eur (nut and tuners). It is a great guitar in its own right and while the S2 Singlecut Satin Standard does have some nice upgrades, I only notice them if I look for them. Either will be a great guitar.
 
I agree with Lister about playing them both, but you can only go mail order.

You say your Epi LP sounds muddy? To me SGs lack definition, though I have always admired them, especially the 24 fret ones. As for neck dive, its a minor thing IMO, You play using both hands. My Ric 650 is neck heavy but its unimportant really. I gig it regularly.

Its a shame you cant play both to compare, but your choice of SE Custom 24 is a good one. I have one and its handles beautifully. It also has an articulate voice. I have used it in the studio and live with no modifications (other than changing to 10-46 strings). Good luck.
 
for some reason i do not like SG s and Studios. the prs SE is better quality any day of the week.
Yes also the neck is like a tree trunk. the body is like a 2X6 with strings. .other than that its up to you.
 
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Have you asked for advice on any other forum? Such as TheFretboard or Gibson?
Because you realize that advice here is always going to be skewed towards PRS?
 
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Merciful-evans : I'm really not anymore interested in Gibson SG but now I'm trying to decide which PRS I want :) SE s2 custom or Mira...
 
Merciful-evans : I'm really not anymore interested in Gibson SG but now I'm trying to decide which PRS I want :) SE s2 custom or Mira...

Well since you are going mail order, you stand a much better chance with PRS. Gibson can be wonderful, but their QC is far less consistent.
I suggest following more YTube reviews & demos such as Alnus Rubra has provided. Use some good speakers or earphones. Try to find demos without FX/pedals etc. as they colour the sound.
 
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I'm already liking what I'm earing from PRS :)

Actually I'm not sure the S2 is a big upgrade from the SE. And it's hard to find some good Intels.... here I see a lot of people buying SE but not s2 :( so I'm not sure if the upgrade is worth it
 
Hello I'm checking this forum since a while and I can't find an answer.

I'm currently in GAS mode for a new guitar. I'm trying to decide if I take a PRS or a Gibson. My choice are PRS SE custom 24 or gibson sg standard .

I already have two guitar :
- Epiphone LP standard pro top plus : I like the sound but the pickup are muddy
- G&L legacy tribute : a strat

At first I was in love with my LP but I find the strat to be easier to play (scale length maybe?) But the I love the tone of my LP BUT (sorry again) I want a sound more precise.

So what to do ? Go with the SG and the same neck profile and length than the LP or go for the PRS wich feel different and don't have the LP sound ?

and what to think about a PRS S2 ? They are at xxxx euros here, the SG cost xxxx and the SE only xxx.

Help me decide please !


As an S2 owner and someone who shopped for an SG for years, unsuccessfully.... I'd suggest the S2. It's the best build and value of the lot. I love SEs, but if you want a good American made guitar the S2 is the perfect entry point. Well made, stable, great necks, decent parts.

Gibson on the other hand.... anything below the SG standard is usually pretty rubbish. Even the standards can be a bit hit and miss. I certainly would go to a store in person and play every item they had in stock if you are going that route. They really can be inconsistent at best. The spec on an S2 from a construction and material point of view is better, and the workmanship is measurably better

I've been flamed on other forums for bad-mouthing Gibson before but I honestly really, really want a good SG. I love them. I spent about 7 years on and off shopping for the right one and I just never found it. Many, especially the faded and tribute lines, had glaring flaws and strange issues that frankly should never have made it to store racks.
 
I had a 2017 SG standard and a 207 se custom 24. I ended up selling the SG and holding onto the custom 24. I really liked both, but the SG was collecting dust. it was off balance compared to the custom 24. didn't have coil taps (could have added this, but still). it just wasn't very inspiring to play. the custom 24 felt at least equal in quality, was better balanced, cost less, and was fun to play. I also liked having the trem bridge. I don't use it a lot, but it's there if i'm feeling it. SGs are also super common and it seems like everyone goes through a phase of craving one but then moving on for one reason or another.
 
I know I'll get booed, but since I'm an SG fan, I'll chime in. The SG is probably the best bang for the buck guitar out there, nowadays. Yeah, I know they are up to $1500 now, rather than $1200 like last year. But a set neck, mahogany, American made (including electronics), and a hardshell case. I actually own 2 of them. Bought one (2013 - so very, very simliar to the 61 RI) to set up for slide, and when I was having my Les Paul's pickups changed and sorted out (probs with coil split controls), I changed the tuning on the SG to standard and played it that way. Loved it so much I bought another one (2017). I hadn't intended for it to replace my PRS (CE22), but to be honest, I have barely picked up it since then. Tone isn't quite as thick as the Les Paul, but I would say it is much moreso than the PRS, and certainly has more sustain. That said, both of mine have the 57's (I HATE the 490/498 combo - that's what had been in my LP until I changed them), so that makes a big difference. But as far as playability goes....just wow. So much easier to play than anything else out there. I thought the PRS was easy until I played my SG without the slide. Before I got the CE22, I had looked at several S2's, and a few single cuts (245's and 594's). The SG is just more comfortable for me than any of them.

On the neck dive, a good thick leather strap with a suede back takes care of that completely. I have Franklin straps on both of mine. Without that, then yeah, it can be a deal breaker.
 
I know I'll get booed, but since I'm an SG fan, I'll chime in. The SG is probably the best bang for the buck guitar out there, nowadays. Yeah, I know they are up to $1500 now, rather than $1200 like last year. But a set neck, mahogany, American made (including electronics), and a hardshell case. I actually own 2 of them. Bought one (2013 - so very, very simliar to the 61 RI) to set up for slide, and when I was having my Les Paul's pickups changed and sorted out (probs with coil split controls), I changed the tuning on the SG to standard and played it that way. Loved it so much I bought another one (2017). I hadn't intended for it to replace my PRS (CE22), but to be honest, I have barely picked up it since then. Tone isn't quite as thick as the Les Paul, but I would say it is much moreso than the PRS, and certainly has more sustain. That said, both of mine have the 57's (I HATE the 490/498 combo - that's what had been in my LP until I changed them), so that makes a big difference. But as far as playability goes....just wow. So much easier to play than anything else out there. I thought the PRS was easy until I played my SG without the slide. Before I got the CE22, I had looked at several S2's, and a few single cuts (245's and 594's). The SG is just more comfortable for me than any of them.

On the neck dive, a good thick leather strap with a suede back takes care of that completely. I have Franklin straps on both of mine. Without that, then yeah, it can be a deal breaker.

SGs definitely have their strengths and they just have an instantly recognizable tone (especially with 57s). Neck dive can also be taken care of by using coiled leads.

In terms of playability, I just don’t get along with the 60s slim taper neck profile when playing root-six blues chords. My left thumb starts cramping up in record time. Until I got the crazy idea to play a Status Quo song, I never would have thought of looking at other guitars.

I think my SG is set up pretty well, and therefore plays pretty well, but compared to my PRSi I just fumble around more. Frets are different size and pretty flat (think it is the Plek job), I struggle more with G chords (high-E gets caught in binding during the fretting motion), and I can’t get the action as low as my core PRSi (not necessarily a bad thing tonewise).

Most of these items are just my issues and I still have my SG. When the mood strikes and when I am looking for those tones, it delivers in spades. For everyday practice though, I grab either the Bernie or the S2 Singlecut.
 
I had an SG for a spell. Loved it at first, then the honeymoon ended. More power to those that dig 'em. Nothing against them at all. If I were thinking about getting another, I'd look for a good deal on a used Core Mira. That's just me though.
 
in an attempt to be fair and balanced in our biased forum, I've been playing the SG specials faded (minihumbuckers) in the guitar Center the last two or three visits,
I've been very intrigued with Gibson redesigned mini humbuckers, the extra articulation the extra string attack,a little extra brightness, and yet with gain, it sounds like a full massive humbucking guitar. for less than $1000. I almost bought it after playing it for an hour, and the particular one I had was just a beautiful piece of mahogany, I'm sure I would not have regretted buying it, but it was closing time. I exited with no purchase.

but I continued to see who else made mini humbucker's, lo and behold PRS does as well, I'm about to get my mini humbucker fix with a Paul's guitar, 2 mini-humbucker's, which is definitely out of your league pricewise.

I really didn't have a problem with the quality of the SG faded for that price, quite solid impressive amazing guitar, you can find the 2016, 2017 and 2018 model. I think they do come with 57 classics as well.
something to consider very flexible machine, but I do find my LP can cover most of it. the 24 3/4 scale, gives that unique Gibson sound.
I really liked the minihumbucker's, they are currently excellent.
it does sound to me like you would be much happier with the custom 22 version.
you might have a look at the CE 24, I also played that same day I was playing the SG, and they were very similar excellent rock and roll machine
good luck,

I really do think it's important to play the guitar's, your guitar will find you
with many of the online stores you get 14 days to return it, you just call them up and tell them, it didn't sound anything like you'd hoped it would , it just did not fit your playing style, and you need to return it no problems, I've done it twice, in my 40 to 50 guitar purchases, you just tell the online dealer it was horrible and you didn't like it, so check their return policy many of them have a no questions asked return policy all you have to do is pay the shipping usually, especially PRS dealers, try the PRS if you don't like it send it back,
99% guaranteed you won't send it back.
 
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