£5000 PRS Guitar vs £700 PRS Guitar - Are the Expensive Ones Worth It?

[charliefrench]

I say yes they are

 

[godoy.rafa]

Yes if you can afford it along with other high end gear, like amps and pedals. No if you are going to spend all your budget on the guitar and buy crappy amps and pedals.

 

[Elliot]

I was just watching this. I think Rob should wait it out for a finish he likes. I'm with Lee. I'd probably never buy a guitar that I didn't like the look of, but I have grown to like something that I didn't think I liked the look of originally (not necessarily a guitar).

edit: For anyone thinking about watching this video. It's about 5% about the title, 90% about Rob deciding if he wants to keep his 594, and 5% about loving and playing all types of guitars.

 

[László]

The question of value for money is always entirely personal and subjective, because we don't all value things the same way. So "Is expensive guitar X worth the extra cost over less expensive guitar Y," is a fairly meaningless question.

A better question is, "Can you tell the difference, and, if so, does that difference matter more to you than the money?"

As to the looks, for me it's nice to love the look, but I bought a glorious sounding CU24 30th PS with a quilt top, even though I much prefer flame tops. I fell head over heels for the tone of that guitar. I love playing it.

I could've found one I liked the look of, but the tone of the one I have was exactly right for me. I think I'd have regretted passing it up based on looks.

 

[bodia]

A better question is, "Can you tell the difference, and, if so, does that difference matter more to you than the money?"

I could've found one I liked the look of, but the tone of the one I have was exactly right for me. I think I'd have regretted passing it up based on looks.

I am totally with you on these two statements. Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[Elliot]

The question of value for money is always entirely personal and subjective, because we don't all value things the same way. So "Is expensive guitar X worth the extra cost over less expensive guitar Y," is a fairly meaningless question.

A better question is, "Can you tell the difference, and, if so, does that difference matter more to you than the money?"

As to the looks, for me it's nice to love the look, but I bought a glorious sounding CU24 30th PS with a quilt top, even though I much prefer flame tops. I fell head over heels for the tone of that guitar. I love playing it.

I could've found one I liked the look of, but the tone of the one I have was exactly right for me. I think I'd have regretted passing it up based on looks.

I am totally with you on these two statements. Couldn't have said it better myself.

Call me crazy or vain or whatever. I need to like something 100% if I'm gonna buy; especially for that kind of dough. But I don't play and record for a living like you, Les. It's a subjective thing though. For some people, tone alone can get you the whole 100% of the way.

 

[dkilpatrick]

A better question is, "Can you tell the difference, and, if so, does that difference matter more to you than the money?"
.

Yes

 

[veinbuster]

The worst of the high end guitars I've played are much more fun to play than the best of the cheap ones I've played.

Since I started having enough cash to have a choice, I've chosen the higher end guitars.

 

[charliefrench]

Until the early eighties when the Japanese Squier Stratocaster reissues surfaced alongside similar copies made by Japanese Fernandes, etc I would have said the same thing as @veinbuster. Before this period, I wasted time and money buying cheap Asian imports which I later came to regret. I also wasted some but not so much time and money buying the genuine American made article. I am cheap by nature. I admit that, but I would say the best of the cheap guitars I have played, owned, or still own are more fun to play than the worst of the high end ones. With PRS (truly, I have never experienced a bad PRS), one shining example would be my Indonesian made SE Standard 24. Maybe I got real lucky with this guitar (another player might not feel the same way about this guitar as I do). That said, overall for me the expensive ones are usually "worth it". Wood selection, finish and hardware aside, it can be difficult to quantify exactly why this is. The best I can come up with is a great guitar will play along with you but to find one you usually need to pay more for it

 

[László]

Call me crazy or vain or whatever. I need to like something 100% if I'm gonna buy; especially for that kind of dough. But I don't play and record for a living like you, Les. It's a subjective thing though. For some people, tone alone can get you the whole 100% of the way.

Elliot, you should absolutely get 100% of what you want! I was only speaking for myself.

With my 30th PS, from the moment I plugged it in, the guitar sounded and felt exceptional, even for a PS. Had the tone voodoo. I was hooked right away. I'm still blown away by how great it sounds every time I take it out of the case!

And it's a lovely guitar, regardless of whether I'd ordinarily have gone for the look; in fact, I get more compliments on that one than my others.

I feel very lucky to have found the amazing instruments I get to play. Very lucky, indeed.

 

[DuncanCE22]

For me there are 3 things I look at when buying a guitar,

1. How the guitar sounds.
2. How the guitar feels.
3. how it looks.

I have passed up great sounding guitars because they just didn't feel right to me. I've played poor sounding guitars that have felt well built and comfortable to play. it does seem though that when in a guitar ship I will tend to be drawn a good looking guitar, may be vain and I may be missing out on loads of great guitars because they are not as attractive to me but I need a guitar to have all of the 3 above. I think thats what draws me to PRS so much, most of there guitars have all three qualities, I don't think I can say that about another manufactures entire range.

 

[László]

Back to the OP's topic, I thought it was pretty interesting that, even with high gain on the amp, it was easy to hear the differences between the guitars that were played.

Sometimes higher gain tones obscure differences between guitars, but not these.

I thought that Chapman's new 594 sounded stellar. Something that wasn't discussed was the fact that it has a Brazilian Rosewood fretboard. Perhaps that's one of many reasons why it sounded so absolutely great.

If he doesn't want to keep that guitar, I hope someone grabs it, because, wow. Sounded awesome.

 

[JonW]

I found it rather interesting that Lee appealed to all viewers to not hate against each other in the comments. I've never seen that for PRS and SE since I follow the brands (that's for about a year and a half or so), for example in the German musicians forum "Musiker Board", it's common that SE owners post in the PRS Userthread and PRS owners in the SE one. The harshest I've ever read about an SE by a PRS owner was "it's just a SE" - which was a joke in the end. That's different for example at the G/E-brands. Could be because SE are really great guitars for the money, could be that PRS players of whatever flavour are just better humans...

On topic: When I still was on the hunt for my own PRS, I played about 20 to 25 different PRS Core guitars (pretty much all Custom 24 and 22 they had, three or four Pauls Guitars and a 513) and already after a couple guitars there was one guitar which was giving me a better feeling than all the other ones. All were sounding like brothers and sisters and just judging the sound and quality of the guitars, I could have taken any one and be happy. But even my dealer noticed I was gravitating to this one 30th Anniversary Custom 24 10 Top in Azul - but it had hybrid hardware and I don't like gold at all. So it didn't come with me that day and I prayed to anybody who would listen (so mostly myself ) that another one would come along and give me the same feeling.
And another one came along, although a bit "forced": Thankfully, the German sales rep offered to meet me at my local dealership and bring some guitars to choose from. The first one was a 100% hit - but even worse, it had gold hardware... So I passed, we opened the next case and out came one with hybrid hardware. All happened in May 2016 and the most common Core PRS here in Germany was still the 30th Anniversary. The first 2016 spec guitars had just arrived - luckily not too late for me, as there was an unremarkable green Custom 24 with natural back and 2016 specs in the third case. Exactly one note was necessary and I knew "that's mine". Interestingly, every time I pick it up and play a single note, I'm instantly reminded of that moment

Sometimes you have to pass one to find "the one"

 

[Rider1260]

This is what brought me to PRS they just sound great and make me play better and I could hear the difference in his playing the 594 just sounds killer with him.
Lots of really cool points in this vid

 

[Milchschnitte]

The cheaper PRS is probably not going to sound 7 times worse than the more expensive one.

In a blind test (mind you not youtube), with a good player an honest playing, I doubt one could justify the significant amount of money on top.

Even if you play them yourself side by side, the high-spec one is not going to feel 7 times better. It is going to feel better though.

But, and this is a big "But": we don't play with our eyes closed all the time, do we now?

For me personally, not being a professional touring musician, the guitar has to speak to me if I look at it sitting on a stand.
I get much more enjoyment out of the things if it looks cool, and it inspires me to pick it up an play a couple of licks, even if I didn't really want to play guitar in that exact moment.


Having said all that, a core model would probably do it for me, and all of the new ones I,ve handled felt exactly as good as their Private Stock counterparts......... but a Private stock almost always looks way nicer.

 

[Alan Manning]

Is It worth it ?. Here's my take!!!
As like most I couldn't afford a top end guitar what with kids growing up mortgage etc!!!
but I could dream. Kids have now flown, mortgage payed do I consider I'm worth it ! Hell Yeah!!!
I had my WL sent over from the states and every time I pick it up it feels special.
A friend of mine is a very respected luthier in my county and iv'e known him many years.
I offered to leave it with him one evening for a noodle. Next day I walk into his shop and he's playing it.
he looked up at me and said " AL this is the Best Guitar I have ever played ".
This man has played and worked on many guitars in the last 50 odd yrs I respect his input so is it worth it.
( For Me )
Bloody Right Bro.!!! Obviously I chose it first.!!!

 

[starscream67]

The best part of this video is at 10:35 where Lee says that PRS are discontinuing the SE Standard range from Indonesia and focusing on the Korean SE Customs - that's the best news I've heard in a very long time.

We've never had so much choice in the range but I don't want to buy any of them. I'd like to see an SE Custom 22 with stop tail and 3 way toggle in 2018 with more colour choices and without zebra pups. The SE Custom 22 when it came out with the beveled top up to 2016 was the best version - they just need to improve neck profile (not a fan of wide thin, I liked the wide fat profile) pickups and colour choice year on year (imho) and I will keep buying them year on year.

 

[László]

Having said all that, a core model would probably do it for me, and all of the new ones I,ve handled felt exactly as good as their Private Stock counterparts......... but a Private stock almost always looks way nicer.

First, the Core models are fantastic. I love mine as much as my PS models.

With PS, there are a few differences beyond looks and trim; when you live with both and play them a lot, you notice that the PS feels a little more posh and polished in a few details - even the frets are slicker - it feels more like a custom suit, as opposed to off-the-rack.

Plugged in, they have a slightly different tone character. I don't know if it's the nitro finish, or the accumulation of details and quality woods, or a little bit of everything, but the result is...different.

I won't get into the issue of relative value; too personal, too subjective. But I don't keep them out to look at, and didn't buy them for looks.

When I'm not playing them, they are in their cases, as are any Core guitars I own. When I play them, I'm not looking at them, either. I'm busy making music. While I appreciate that they look great, the truth is I wouldn't pay the extra dough for a PS for the looks or trim. For me, that's just the icing on the cake.

To be clear, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with buying for looks, but I love the PS guitars I have for other reasons.

 

[Jimi D]

"Are the expensive ones worth it?" You know, guitarists are the cheapest musicians in the world... A keyboardist I play with occasionally loves to rant about how it costs nothing to be a guitarist; how my entire rig might cost what two of his keyboards cost him, and he has to support a lot more gear than I do (he play(s)(ed) in Pink Floyd and Supertramp tributes among other professional ventures)...

My wife plays the Celtic harp. You know that a good, solid, entry level Celtic Harp costs about what a core model PRS costs... maybe a little more... She has a couple harps that would easily buy me a Private Stock...

Honestly, guitarists are spoiled rotten. Look at what a decent violin or cello costs - most professional classical musicians have more invested in one instrument than the average guitarist has in every piece of gear he owns, I'm sure... I think the best guitars are relative bargains in the musical instrument world; and I think I'm worth a bargain or two

 

[veinbuster]

You have a point.
I think I'm worth a couple of bargains too.

"Are the expensive ones worth it?" You know, guitarists are the cheapest musicians in the world... A keyboardist I play with occasionally loves to rant about how it costs nothing to be a guitarist; how my entire rig might cost what two of his keyboards cost him, and he has to support a lot more gear than I do (he play(s)(ed) in Pink Floyd and Supertramp tributes among other professional ventures)...

My wife plays the Celtic harp. You know that a good, solid, entry level Celtic Harp costs about what a core model PRS costs... maybe a little more... She has a couple harps that would easily buy me a Private Stock...

Honestly, guitarists are spoiled rotten. Look at what a decent violin or cello costs - most professional classical musicians have more invested in one instrument than the average guitarist has in every piece of gear he owns, I'm sure... I think the best guitars are relative bargains in the musical instrument world; and I think I'm worth a bargain or two