What first prs to buy?

[sergiodeblanc]

Funny you say that, but I'm starting to realize that the wood library models seem to always sound the best to me. A new prs core gets a used wood library.

It doesn't make any sense to me logically since you would think the sound doesn't care how much flame is on the top as much as how thick the top is. Custom shop strats usually sound amazing as well, but I'm sure a lot of them don't have nicer flamed or quilted tops if at all. For whatever reason, the higher end models do have that little extra magic in the sound to me. I'm getting pretty obsessed with trying to figure out why.

Well, I can sum up in one word why some of the WL guitars I’ve been attracted to sound so good: Korina.

 

[bodia]

Truth.

Just look on reverb and buy the most upscale model you can with the amount of money you have, then repeat until you die.

Working on it!

 

[bodia]

Well, I can sum up in one word why some of the WL guitars I’ve been attracted to sound so good: Korina.

Truth!

 

[Telemesa]

That is a gorgeous axe

Body shape and pu configure look very Santana-ish. Nice

 

[Sculptair]

Custom 24 Piezo

 

[Tonart]

I once had this genius idea to buy the top of the range for the first. The idea being that once I had the best, I would subsequently not need any other guitar, and economically it would make sense at the end.

It did not work. Some genius.

 

[Ironwolf]

I think reading your original post, you should buy the PRS 594. it's high on buyers satisfaction.
very few have regretted buying it. might not be perfect for everyone as there is a decent turnaround supply on reverb. but there usually wanting a tremolo or further upgrading to a wood library, usually has nothing to do with the guitar not being amazing.
especially if you like the custom 22 vibe, this is all that and more.

https://reverb.com/item/13294694-paul-reed-smith-mccarty-594-2016-gold-top

here's one that I think you can stretch into for example. the only other
question you really have to answer is tremolo or no tremolo?

or buy a brand-new one from a dealer. that you can return. for that extra level of safety.
very few return them they're that good.
good luck

 

[Karan D. Taktawala]

I'd like to stay around 1500, but would be willing to stretch to 2k for something I loved. I'm having problems because there aren't any prs's in this range for me to try out, even within a 200 mi driving distance. The other problem is that I want a blade pickup switch, and I don't like the sound of the custom 24's on the neck pickup in any of the clips I've heard. I also didn't fall in love with any of the ce clips I've heard for whatever reason, which really sucks because a hard-tail ce seems amazing on paper.

My two fav guitars to play are my epi lp, and my american tele. I have way too many other guitars that I've gotten decent deals on and are good for the money, but only in hindsight I realize it's better to have something really nice. Now I'm craving for a prs.

I played a used custom 22 the other day. I fell in love with the neck. It felt amazing and the entire guitar was so balanced. But, the guitar didn't resonate well at all. The high e-string wasn't lined up correctly from the nut to the bridge. It was at too much of an angle at the 5-7 fret so that when I bent a note up and when it came back down the string would tend to jump off the fretboard. I noticed this in the first minute and it was an instant deal killer.

I've been looking at the core mira because it's so cheap, but I'm leary of buying a guitar without playing it first. I keep bouncing back and forth between a satin s2, mira core, or custom 22.

There's actually a pre-2013 custom 24 a few miles away from me for a decent price, but it has a rotary switch. I know I could replace it, but I figure I should just wait for a CU22 with blade switch. I debate just buying it anyway just because it will hold its resale value, but I feel like I should wait longer for something I like if I spend that much.

I'm hoping to get some advice from other people, especially lp and tele people. I'm pretty frustrated because there's hardly any prs's to try here, even from the s2 line.

Reading most of the stuff you mentioned later on as well.

Did you look at the rest of the guitar's setup? If you hate the neck profile it may well be that the action isn't really well set in conjunction with the relief so you not truly getting the real picture there.

I've had unnamed major Asian equivalents of major US brands that I've setup/string changed regularly for people and they say the tuning and neck never slipped in between changes.
Conversely I've had "Custom Shop!" instruments dropped with owners swearing at them with everything just off whack! Necks off, action self adjusted to oblivion, intonation that of a cardboard box with strings.

A lot of playability actually lies in the way it's strung & setup. Something tells me the store didn't quite maintain/take an interest in that at all.

PRS' are rock steady instruments that hold setups for close to a year or more (barring neck adjustments) if played and kept well. usually have amazing fret jobs so you can get that neck fairly straight. I keep my 594 round .008" with no buzz.

Hear a good S2 acoustically before plugging in.
I also recommend you try your guitar in person or buy off Sweetwater if circumstance prevents otherwise, Their 22 point check is pretty amazing.
Moreover, they pretty much setup the guitar the way you want with your preferred string gauge for not so much $$$$