Best PRS Surprise

[CantankerousCarl]

We all expect alot from our instruments...that's one of the reasons we're all here, right? But what is the best, or most unexpected, PRS guitar surprise you have had?

I'll start...picked up an 03 SE EG Trem a few weeks ago, just over $200, and the thing sounds phenomenal. It was described as very good condition, but the thing had only two knicks on it (not bad for an almost 10-year-old instrument), and the previous owner had even popped in Grover locking tuners - BONUS! It sounds even better than my stoptail EG, and with minimal investment.

 

[cjmwrx]

The way the fretboard edges are finished. The complete uniformity of the ends of each fret in relation to the next.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

The Alder body in my CE maple top.

 

[prsrocker1988]

The fact that my Limited Custom 24 w/ 57/08s is the only guitar out of almost 30 I haven't had to modify in any way, shape, or form. Those 57/08s are the ticket. I was I had more of 'em! The only thing I've thought about doing is changing the 5 way rotary to a 3 way toggle w/ coil taps for faster pickup changes and more familiarity but I'm too chicken to do it! The pickups are staying though!

 

[swede71]

The volumeknob and the trem was the first surprises.Now i really appreciate the way the body feels both sitting and standing up.Also perfect strapbuttons.

 

[Twinfan]

Single coil tones from 408s - coil splits done properly!

 

[dvlsadvc8t]

I picked up a CE-22 about a month ago. The finish was all black except for the maple binding. Well, I wanted a goldtop and couldn't find one so just refinished that one. After 3 days of carefully stripping the guitar, I was surprised to see that the guitar had a gorgeous 1-piece mahogany back and (probably) 2A flame maple top. I would never have expected that at all after having work on some other companies' guitars.

 

[dantedayjob]

I had one of the Second gen Santana SEs in tobacco burst with a stop tail... I was amazed at how well put together the guitar was and how good the stock pups sounded.. also loved the diagonal slash fret markers! When I got the thing home and plugged it in and A/B'd it against a '69 Les Paul that had been my #1 for nearly 20 years, I was astonished. It destroyed the Les Paul in every way. I had two Gibsons at the time, the Les Paul and an SG90 Single... Neither Gibson got played again and I sold them off about a year later.

 

[markie]

My Wife surprised me with an Artist IV Christmas before last. I had been trying to buy one for 3-4 years & just couldn't make it work. My good friend Clayton H had one & refused to come off of it. I always thought he got a bit of enjoyment from telling me NO! (Hehe). Anyway, Clayton & my Wife collaborated for a cruel trick......... which ended up being the most awesome gift I ever received! Clayton put his A IV up for sale & I told him I wanted it. Of course, he told be that it was already sold to JID in Hotlanta......... whom was also in on the gag. I was really bummed out about the whole deal. We unwrapped xmas presents with our Kids & Grandkids that xmas. We were all done with gifts when my oldest Grandson came walking out with a guitar case. I instantly knew what was in it. My wife used money that she had set aside for new carpet & bought Clayton's A IV for me. I actually cried. My wife made a huge sacrifice to get that Guitar for me.................. Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[László]

My Wife surprised me with an Artist IV Christmas before last. I had been trying to buy one for 3-4 years & just couldn't make it work. My good friend Clayton H had one & refused to come off of it. I always thought he got a bit of enjoyment from telling me NO! (Hehe). Anyway, Clayton & my Wife collaborated for a cruel trick......... which ended up being the most awesome gift I ever received! Clayton put his A IV up for sale & I told him I wanted it. Of course, he told be that it was already sold to JID in Hotlanta......... whom was also in on the gag. I was really bummed out about the whole deal. We unwrapped xmas presents with our Kids & Grandkids that xmas. We were all done with gifts when my oldest Grandson came walking out with a guitar case. I instantly knew what was in it. My wife used money that she had set aside for new carpet & bought Clayton's A IV for me. I actually cried. My wife made a huge sacrifice to get that Guitar for me.................. Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!

Sweet story, Markie! I love it.

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

My Wife surprised me with an Artist IV Christmas before last. I had been trying to buy one for 3-4 years & just couldn't make it work. My good friend Clayton H had one & refused to come off of it. I always thought he got a bit of enjoyment from telling me NO! (Hehe). Anyway, Clayton & my Wife collaborated for a cruel trick......... which ended up being the most awesome gift I ever received! Clayton put his A IV up for sale & I told him I wanted it. Of course, he told be that it was already sold to JID in Hotlanta......... whom was also in on the gag. I was really bummed out about the whole deal. We unwrapped xmas presents with our Kids & Grandkids that xmas. We were all done with gifts when my oldest Grandson came walking out with a guitar case. I instantly knew what was in it. My wife used money that she had set aside for new carpet & bought Clayton's A IV for me. I actually cried. My wife made a huge sacrifice to get that Guitar for me.................. Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!

Dawn is such a sweet lady. You're a lucky man, Mark.

 

[László]

So best PRS surprise...well, there was that first time I played one back in 1991, when I walked into a little guitar shop looking for a Gibson and the owner handed me this guitar by some company I'd never heard of...

Then again, any new thing is going to be a surprise, right?

Most PRS models have been wonderful, but the real stunner for me is the SC and Stripped 58 model. I can't explain why, it's a gestalt thing. But to my ears and hands, perfection.

 

[22Frets]

Most pleasant surprise I've had recently was popping off the control cavity cover of my PRS SE 245 and finding ... a coating of conductive shielding paint! Brilliant! Goes to demonstrate the quality and foresight of construction and build. Especially after the trouble I had with grounding/shielding issues in my Les Paul. I actually breathed a sigh of relief when I saw this. I plan on upgrading the pots and caps in the PRS soon.