S2 Standard vs. Mira vs. Mira semi hollow

[Tiger1016]

I am looking for an all mahogany guitar without the usual maple cap and am eying some of the new S2s (S2 Standard Singlecut, S2 Standard Custom 24, Mira, and Mira semi hollow). These particular models are so new that I can’t seem to find much info about them in reviews, discussions, or clips, so I am hoping that someone might have enough knowledge to know what the subtle differences in tone should be between them.

I am looking for the option that is expected to stand out from the others with a relatively beefier/fuller/heavier, better low-mid growl, and relatively flatter/warmer mid and treble (compared to maple capped PRSs) kind of tone. I plan to install different pickups, so I am just looking for a raw tone comparison. I play mostly mid and high gain 90s and early 2000s rock through a Mesa Mark V, Roadster, and Axe Fx with big tone influences from Stone Temple Pilots, Muse, Foo Fighters, and Chevelle.

I would expect the Mira and Standard Custom 24 to be very close in tone to each other. However, I have never played a Mira (do own a core Custom 24 and recently sold an older Custom 22 with a wraparound stoptail bridge), so I assume it would compare the same way a CU24 w/ trem and CU22 w/ stoptail with identical pickups would, which is more of a preference in feel and a slight tonal difference on the bridge pickup because of location. I also assume the single cut would have a touch more beef in the low end than the double cutaways, but never had a chance to witness a truly fair apples to apples comparison on something like this. The real question I have is how is, with everything else virtually held constant, would the semi hollow aspect help to mold the tone closer to what I am looking for or further away. Part of me thinks the extra resonance would help to accentuate the low end resonance and sweeten the mids and highs some, but the other part of me is concerned that it could thin out the overall tone. I am also open to considering other options that might be a better fit for what I am looking for.

Any helpful guidance would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[garrett]

Well, the S2 Standard 24 has the vibrato bridge, so I'd expect a little more oomph from the Mira in comparison. The semi-hollow version should be a bit warmer, but with a softer attack. If you want a tight, crunchy, palm mute metal type thing, I don't think it's the way to go.

Based on the second paragraph, I'd go S2 Singlecut Standard to trend more towards STP and Muse, or the Mira Semi-hollow or even the S2 Singlecut Semi-hollow to trend more towards the Foo Fighters. I would think the CU24 should rock the Chevelle tones already, so any of those three would make a nice stoptail complement.

 

[Tiger1016]

Thanks for the input, and assuming no one else has a different opinion on the semi hollow part I think you have helped to cut that one off my list.

One thing I should have mentioned in the original post is the current guitars I have are a CU24, Gibson Les Paul Standard, Mike Mushok SE Baritone (Chevelle definitely covered with this), Clint Lowery SE, and Fender Strat. Out of all of these I never touched the Lowery because it was quickly replaced with the baritone for Drop B stuff and used the LP for most everything else because the CU24 was just a bit too bright for my taste. However, I was getting around to wanting to sell the Lowery and decided to try it with .10-.52 gauge strings tuned to standard and Drop D, and holy crap I stumbled across a tone I have been lusting for. The thing has exactly what I described earlier with the rich, full, and balanced tone that is not too bright and has a freaking mean low-mid growl and huge bottom end on palm mutes. It basically has the Les Paul bottom end with a bit of the quintessential PRS midrange but lacks the bright high end that I don’t want all the time. It is also noticeably louder acoustically than any of my other guitars.

The issue with the Lowery though is I am not comfortable on a 25.5 scale and I don’t get along with the wide fat neck. Also, hate the inlays and not the biggest fan of gloss black. I really don’t care about tonal variety as I already have that covered with my existing arsenal, and I just want to nail this one particular tone. I was leaning towards the standard single cut and Mira. Just wish I had the ability to directly compare the two myself.

 

[NomadMike]

A few of us here are Mira owners and they'll probably be checking in soon.
I find Mark's videos to be accurate to what the Mira sounds like, at least to the way I play.

 

[garrett]

A few of us here are Mira owners and they'll probably be checking in soon.
I find Mark's videos to be accurate to what the Mira sounds like, at least to the way I play.

I don't know if it's the difference in what he's playing, recording setup, or whatever, but the semi absolutely slays the solid body to my ears.

 

[Therinx]

I'm looking at the Mira's too, and so far everything i've read indicates there isn't as much sound difference between the two as one would think. Anyone with both that can vouch or debunk that? (Besides the two vids up there)

 

[NomadMike]

I don't know if it's the difference in what he's playing, recording setup, or whatever, but the semi absolutely slays the solid body to my ears.

But not to mine, which disappointed me about the semi. Most of the differences I hear seem to be from the setup as I can still hear in the SH Mira the same qualities of my S2 Mira solid. Of course others may disagree.

 

[gball]

I own the solidbody. Don't own the semi but have played one in the store and I felt the difference was mostly what you would expect: the solid has a bit more punch and immediacy, the semi is a little more full and woody sounding, but overall they sound very much the same and you would have to play them side-by-side to really hear the nuances. Not at all the kind of difference you get going from, say a Les Paul to a 335.

 

[NomadMike]

Not at all the kind of difference you get going from, say a Les Paul to a 335.

That's what I was thinking. Considering that the DNA of a Mira and SH Mira are mostly the same I'd think that would be expected and that I shouldn't have been surprised that they were similar.

 

[garrett]

But not to mine, which disappointed me about the semi. Most of the differences I hear seem to be from the setup as I can still hear in the SH Mira the same qualities of my S2 Mira solid. Of course others may disagree.

I'll chalk it up to the many variables of recording video/sound demos. I generally don't like Mark's tone in the N Stuff videos, so I thought maybe the Mira Semi had some magic mojo. It stands to reason they wouldn't be too far off from each other in tone, based on the construction being rather similar.

 

[garrett]

Ah, I just re-watched the videos and learned he's using different pedals. Video comparison is thus rendered null.

Seeing as how I love playing with gain, the first time through I quickly skipped to the overdrive section and thought "meh" with the Mira and "aw yeah" with the Mira SH. :top:

 

[NomadMike]

Ah, I just re-watched the videos and learned he's using different pedals. Video comparison is thus rendered null.

Always a pitfall when trying to compare two guitars. I figure they're also trying to sell a few pedals.