Are there any PRS guitars that successfully delve into stratocaster territory?

Jupiter Tarts

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I used to own a PRS when I first started playing guitar, and selling it to get into acoustics was one of my biggest mistakes. It was a PRS SE Singlecut Semi-hollow and I remember it being one of the nicest feeling, nicest looking guitars. A little more than a year later, I've made a shift back into electrics and after trying out several guitars, realized that I really really like Strats.

I was all set on buying one until I remembered how much I loved my old PRS before I sold it. I was wondering if there is a line of PRS guitars that can get bright, funky, and with a chimey attack while still being able to get dirty and bluesy like my old PRS did. I'd also like a fat neck for rhythm since my other guitar, an ESP EC-1000 does everything I need as far as leads go but the thin neck makes barre chording a more fatiguing experience. I feel that a PRS can cover more territory but I just don't know which lines out there are good for my needs. I plan on going to guitar center in the next week to see if I can start weighing in my options.

My budget is around $1000 at used prices.
 
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My NF3 gets extremely close to the Strat's 'in-between' tones when it's 'in-between' itself. But the single pickup positions (1/3/5) aren't very Stratty at all. Personally, I don't really feel like there's a PRS out there that is at all to be fair - I think their strengths lie elsewhere and there's little point in competing with the over-saturated S-type market.
 
You might find a used 305 or DC3 for somewhere just above that price range. A DC3 probably the closest to a strat in terms of wood used, neck style, shape and feel.

A 513 or Brent Mason are current-model options too, but are HSH configured, not SSS like a traditional strat, and the 513 doesn't seem to have a maple-neck option - maybe find one of those used.

the new S2 Standards might also be something to look into...
 
The DC3 and NF3 in natural finish is incredibly beautiful. On a completely superficial level, I may want either just because of the finish. The DC3 looks to be up my alley. Gotta get lucky and either find one in person, or find a store with a generous return policy.
My comfort with the neck will probably be the deal breaker since based on the demos, I can't imagine being disappointed. I've got a Mesa Lonestar Classic to pair it with for goodness sake.
 
I love my two American Strats. My S2 Custom 22 feels and sounds totally different from my Strats even in its single coil mode. Since you really like the Strat, why don't you buy a Strat?
 
I suppose there's no harm in buying a strat now and then a PRS later for that different flavor. Just exploring other options since I've treaded the path of owning multiple guitars, reaching probably 10 at one point in terms of acoustics. I'm down to about 3 now (2 acoustics, and my ESP) and was just a little wary of going down that road again with electrics so I was looking to get something that does it all and wasn't the stereotypical strat. Alas, maybe the reason its a popular guitar is because it sounds good.
 
Finished up an hour session today at Guitar Center tried out a few guitars. I asked for their PRS guitars and they pointed me to 3 on the wall: a PRS SE Singlecut, and PRS S2 standard, and a PRS S2 Custom 24. They were all pretty high up so I decided to just ask for the standard and the Custom 24. Impressions were the necks were very nice! They were just the perfect fatness that I was looking for and everything. I played out of Fender Deluxe Reverb reissue.

They both felt incredibly nice but the S2 standard, even when coil tapped would break up too fast, even with the gain way down on the amp. Perhaps I'm a little heavy handed? Not quite the sound I was looking for.

Plugged in the Custom 24 with the 57/08 pickups and this was definitely up my alley. It sounded like a Strat that had a baby with a Les Paul. It could get both thick and dark and coil tapped to be bright enough for funk tones. Not exactly a Strat sound, but it's whole own signature, and an amazing one to boot. The rep explained that these were some of PRS's best pickups. I really liked the guitar.

A/Bed them along with the strats I originally eyed. While the American standard was nice, the Custom 24 displaced it on my spot for preferred guitars. However, after playing the comparably priced John Mayer Strat, I simply can't deny that it was the guitar I really wanted. The PRS felt nicer than the Fender in a number of ways, but when I played a bunch of the songs from my repertoire, it was the guitar where it just sounded the most "right". I realized why I loved the S2 neck so much. The fat wide neck that PRS offers felt a tad fatter than a standard American neck, but comparable to the Mayer neck which was a tad thicker than the standard American.

Looks like I've got a wait list for guitars I want to get, and a PRS will definitely be near the top. But the Mayer Strat was simply where it was at.

Quick question though, does the DC3 and the NF3 have the fat and wide neck found in the standard S2s?
 
If you can find one there's an SE EG with either SSS or HSS. You can get some with a trem also and usually can be had for a couple hundred used.

PRSseWhite.jpg
 
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of the ones I have the 305 and nf3 can get pretty close (especially if you drop the pickups down ) at their normal pisition they tend to be much hotter than the average strat
 
Plugged in the Custom 24 with the 57/08 : The rep explained that these were some of PRS's best pickups.

S2 Custom 24's shouldn't come with 57/08's. They should be "S2 HFS and Vintage Bass". Just for clarification before you buy something thinking it's something else. Regardless if you love the sound then go for it!
 
Ah... actually, Guitar Center does have a PRS S2 Custom 24 with 57/08's in it... I was seriously considering one. They apparently got PRS to make some just for GC, they only come in a color called 'Sapphire Smokeburst', the color and the fact that it has 57/08s in it, are exclusive to Guitar Center, as I understand it. They are only in a the GC's with a 'platinum' room... It's a little unclear if you can order one, or if you have to find one locally. However, aside from this one GC exclusive, other S2s don't have 57/08s, in fact the pickups they do have in them are not made in the USA at all.

I found one of the PRS S2 Custom 24 'Sapphire Sunburst' guitars locally, played it a little, I really didn't like setup on it, I had expected it to play a lot nicer. So, I kept looking around and in the end bought a used 2006 Standard 24 Satin, that plays like a dream and cost me $700 less then the $1600 they want for the Sapphire Smokeburst S2.

Part of me still questions if I should have bit on that S2 with the 5708s in it, I've heard that they may have made as few as 50 of these. ( not entirely sure that's a accurate number ). I'm pretty sure I could have found someone to get the neck/action setup more to my liking.

I can tell you this... aside from the 5708 pickups in that Sapphire... there's really very little that interests me about the S2 Custom 24 vs my used Standard 24. Everything about the Standard 24 feels way better, tuners, frets, pots, and 3-way switch.

Now, I will also say that the S2 feels 'way' better then the SEs do. :) that is what surprised me most. I had thought that the SE and S2 guitars were quite similar aside from the fact that the S2 is assembled in the USA. It turns out, the necks, frets, and fretboard feel a lot nicer to my hand on the S2.

S2 Custom 24's shouldn't come with 57/08's. They should be "S2 HFS and Vintage Bass". Just for clarification before you buy something thinking it's something else. Regardless if you love the sound then go for it!
 
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As I understand it, one of the reasons Strats sound as they do is due to the pickups being mounted on the pick guard. That PRS looks about as close to a Strat as your going to get... but then you do need that wammy bar to really complete things. You say you can potentially pick these up cheap used... hmmm


If you can find one there's an SE EG with either SSS or HSS. You can get some with a trem also and usually can be had for a couple hundred used.

PRSseWhite.jpg
 
My budget is around $1000 at used prices.
At this price range, you might be able to get a 1990's EG.
IMG_0997.jpg


PRS's first interpretation of the Strat design, I think they can be found at about $1,000, if you can find one. There aren't many out there. I've never plugged one in. Maybe there is an owner here who can comment on how well they do the Strat thing.

I've found the DC3 and 305 to be guitars unto themselves. Only loosely comparable to a Strat. I love the 2 and 4 position cluck that they do. But I will echo Whitecat's thoughts regarding the single pickup positions.

I also got a PRS with the Narrow Field pickups, believing the ad type that they were like single coils but beefier. Don't believe it. They sound like vintage humbuckers, not like single coils.

Something I am curious about: How Stratty does the Paul's Guitar or the Brent Mason sig model sound with the neck and bridge 408 pickups coil tapped?
 
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Looks like I've got a wait list for guitars I want to get, and a PRS will definitely be near the top. But the Mayer Strat was simply where it was at.
I just read this now. I briefly plugged in a John Mayer Strat a week ago. I agree, it is a really fine guitar, with a very cool version of the classic Strat tone from the Big Dipper pickups.
 
If you can find one there's an SE EG with either SSS or HSS. You can get some with a trem also and usually can be had for a couple hundred used.

PRSseWhite.jpg

does anyone have any more info on the SE EG model such as
how do you rate the single coil pups ?
are the pups mounted same as a strat ?

I have a number of PRS SE guitars but hey are all humbucker models and since I am into Gilmour and floyd stuff at present I don't feel I am getting quite the right tone from split coil humbuckers .
So I have an itch for a single coil guitar, either a strat ( not squire ) or prs didn't realise until 5 min ago that prs did a single coil guitar

cheers
G \../
 
Ah... actually, Guitar Center does have a PRS S2 Custom 24 with 57/08's in it...

Fair enough, I wasn't aware of those. Good to know. I love 57/08's I was pleasantly surprised at the output they have.
 
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