513 vs Special Semi Hollow

televisual

New Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2013
Messages
6
So I'm eyeballing my second PRS. I've already got a 25th Ann. McCarty Narrowfield and, being a tele player at heart, find a lot of familiarity in that except that it can be overly woofy/mid-heavy at times. Looking now to have more of a "do it all" to bring as a back up to gigs and the 513 and SSH seem like perfect options but I'm eyeballing possibly finding a swamp ash backed to gravitate more towards the tones I'm seeking.

Point being, who here has currently or has experience with both models and would wanna to a pro/con comparison? You'd really help me out as videos of the SSH are obviously scarce. I'm primarily a country player but have recently started doing more corporate/party band work.

Thanks in advance!
 
Ok, I had a Swamp Ash 513 with a maple neck and rosewood board (until a month ago), and I have a SSH. The SSH is a desert island guitar, for sure. It covers so much tonal ground, and has so many good tones. The MT picks ups are sick. Split sounds are phenomenal. Love everything about this guitar.

I sold the SA 513 because I got in on the Wood Library run that Brain has going on. Artist Pack tops, 509. Swamp Ash body, maple cap, maple neck, maple board. Based on the SA 513 getting so close to the Strat sounds, I am hoping that the 509 WL run will be even closer (I love Strat sounds, but hate the feel).

I believe that I could live with the SSH, the 509 and a West St and be content.
 
Two completely different guitars
SSH is at its heart a CU22 its like its name says special !!! it is a PRS thru and thru, I can't compare it to other brands, Thats not its thing its a PRS that can play almost anything and sound great doing it !!!

The 513 with its longer scale and bigger neck ( on mine ) can run the table of different makers sounds , it has a nice compressed sound overall that can be clear to fat and works with any amp I have played it on

The other day I played all my guitars in a row and I could be happy with any one of them as my only guitar if I had to. Both guitars you mentioned are killer which is why I have both !!!
 
Anybody else put their hands on an SSH that want to share their thoughts? Any videos you're holding back from the interwebz??
 
Ok, I had a Swamp Ash 513 with a maple neck and rosewood board (until a month ago), and I have a SSH. The SSH is a desert island guitar, for sure. It covers so much tonal ground, and has so many good tones. The MT picks ups are sick. Split sounds are phenomenal. Love everything about this guitar.

I sold the SA 513 because I got in on the Wood Library run that Brain has going on. Artist Pack tops, 509. Swamp Ash body, maple cap, maple neck, maple board. Based on the SA 513 getting so close to the Strat sounds, I am hoping that the 509 WL run will be even closer (I love Strat sounds, but hate the feel).

I believe that I could live with the SSH, the 509 and a West St and be content.

Thanks for the great review of the 509 and SSH, I have a 513 MT and am head scratching as I played the SSH and was most impressed. The 509 I have not had the opportunity much, I prefer F to G and always look for a more suitable alternative to the 513MT. I know the SSH would sit well with me having a CU22 and CE24.
 
Thanks for the great review of the 509 and SSH, I have a 513 MT and am head scratching as I played the SSH and was most impressed. The 509 I have not had the opportunity much, I prefer F to G and always look for a more suitable alternative to the 513MT. I know the SSH would sit well with me having a CU22 and CE24.

Can't go wrong with the SSH! I say grab one!
 
They cover different ground but there is some overlap. I got rid of my 513 after getting an SSH, not because the SSH is a substitute good for the 513 but because it covered some sonic spaces that i couldn't match with my other pieces.
 
Back
Top