Best S2 for blues

BigdaddyRN

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Sep 2, 2013
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Hello all, just wanted opinions on which S2 guitar has better stock PUPs for blues.
I have demoed the S2 Custom 24 but haven't seen a 22 around town yet. I can buy a used S2 24 for 895.00 US, not a mark on it, is that a good price?
I am not ruling out the Mire or Single Cut.

Thanks in advance
'Edit : I just learned that there are semi-hallow versions of the 22, Mira, and Single-cut!!!!! Decisions, decisions.
 
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I own a Mira but have had a chance to play the 24 and Starla, and for "blues" I'd have to go with the Mira if we're talking stock pickups but you could use any of these guitars for any kind of music - they are just so versatile. The price seems awfully reasonable to me, but I have not seen any used S2's around yet to gauge what the going rate is.
 
I figure it this way...

Albert King played blues with a Flying V. BB King plays blues with a semi hollow Gibby; Clapton played blues with a Strat and a Les Paul. SRV played a Strat. Robben Ford plays a Tele, a Baker, and an Epiphone; Scofield does blues on an Ibanez; Bo Diddley played a Gretsch, Muddy Waters a tele and a bunch of other guitars. Lots of blues giants played resonator guitars...I could go on.

Here's blues giant Mac Arnold with a...well...you tell me..



The blues isn't about which guitar.
 
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I figure it this way...

Albert King played blues with a Flying V. BB King plays blues with a semi hollow Gibby; Clapton played blues with a Strat and a Les Paul. SRV played a Strat. Robben Ford plays a Tele, a Baker, and an Epiphone; Scofield does blues on an Ibanez; Bo Diddley played a Gretsch, Muddy Waters a tele and a bunch of other guitars. Lots of blues giants played resonator guitars...I could go on.

Here's blues giant Mac Arnold with a...well...you tell me..



The blues isn't about which guitar.
I wonder if had trouble finding a hard shell case for that guitar.

Also, I have this hunk of wood in my garage that I'm totally turning into a cigar box guitar one day. It never occurred to me to use two broom handles.
 
My 2 cents- any of the S2 guitars can work well for blues (or _________ insert musical genre here). Same goes for the pickups, it's ultimately a matter of taste- i.e.- I could probably pull it off just fine with the 7's in the singlecuts, maybe you may prefer something a bit different regarding preferences of pickup voicings and whatnot. Your mileage may vary.
That aside, 895 USD for a pre-owned S2 Custom 24's not too bad of a deal, even considering that condition.
 
It's like people asking which guitar is great for punk rock, and the answer being what ever guitar you have. Guitar players have gotten into a mind set of genre X needs guitar Y when usually just about any guitar that stays in tune will do.

If the S2 Custom 24 sounds good to you and plays well in your hands then it's a good deal.
 
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It's like people asking which guitar is great for punk rock, and the answer being what ever guitar you have. Guitar players have gotten into a mind set of genre X needs guitar Y when usually just about any guitar that stays in tune will do.

If the S2 Custom 24 sounds good to you and plays well in your hands then it's a good deal.


Agreed.

ie- I mean, from personal experience, if I were to try to shred or play metal on a les paul, I have been told by others that I wouldn't want a les paul, or that an LP l is only good for blues or slashtone vibes.
Apart from that annoying closed-mindedness, and that I can play whatever I felt like playing, other players have also made this point of playing different styles beyond what others may have pigeonholed themselves in.
 
Agreed.

ie- I mean, from personal experience, if I were to try to shred or play metal on a les paul, I have been told by others that I wouldn't want a les paul, or that an LP l is only good for blues or slashtone vibes.
Apart from that annoying closed-mindedness, and that I can play whatever I felt like playing, other players have also made this point of playing different styles beyond what others may have pigeonholed themselves in.

Exactly. It's about finding your own voice and what works for you.
 
Uncle Ted playing a Birdland and a stack of Fenders, Ty Tabor a Fender Elite Strat and a SS Lab 5 amp are two using the "wrong" equipment for their style of music.
 
I agree that many types of guitars can be used and have been used. However I currently have 3 guitars a American Special Strat with Texas Spacial pup imo all 5 position of the selector switch can be used for blues, a epiphone LP 1960s Tribute with Gibson 1957 pups again all 3 positions are usable for blues, and a PRS Custom 24 SE only the neck pup is good for blues imo. I was just wondering if the 22s pups (both of them) are more usable for blues based music.
 
Maybe these will give you some ideas.

Here's a quick and dirty blues demo I put together last week, 57/08 bridge pickup, PRS Singlecut, PRS HXDA amp, no pedals. Delay at the console:

https://soundcloud.com/lschefman/blues-ii-hotg

In my experience a CU22 with a 57/08 bridge pickup full on will sound very similar, but maybe have a bit less "push". You shouldn't have a problem getting similar tones if the above kind of tones appeal to you, and you sport a similar amp.

Another short bluesy demo with a different, more laid back vibe from a few months ago, bridge pickup if I recall correctly (but might be middle position tho, it was a while back) PRS Artist V (CU22 body, Artist V pickup is between 57/08 and 59/09), volume rolled back to about 6 for tones like this one. Again, no pedals, not much amp gain on this recording, delay at the board, and you should be able to get these tones with a CU22 and the 5x/0y pickups, and a similar amp too:

https://soundcloud.com/lschefman/morganatic-blues

Different tones, different blues styles. Can't say which I prefer, actually. But...I'm mostly a keyboard player, not a blues guitar player. And of course the amp makes a big difference.

I don't have a CU24 to compare these, but had one a long time ago, and no problems getting blues tones I liked. Same with my 2008 24 fret Mira.

I do love the 5x/0y pickups PRS makes. A lot. But we're all different, and you might just prefer a Strat or Epi to create the blues sounds you like. Nothing wrong with that.
 
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I really dig that Singlecut clip - great, tasteful playing. Love the HXDA's crunchy plexi tone! Sounds so natural and touch-sensitive.

Thanks Skeeter, honestly that guitar/amp combination are just so easy to pull tones out of.
 
I figure it this way...

Albert King played blues with a Flying V. BB King plays blues with a semi hollow Gibby; Clapton played blues with a Strat and a Les Paul. SRV played a Strat. Robben Ford plays a Tele, a Baker, and an Epiphone; Scofield does blues on an Ibanez; Bo Diddley played a Gretsch, Muddy Waters a tele and a bunch of other guitars. Lots of blues giants played resonator guitars...I could go on.

The blues isn't about which guitar.

Perfectly said. I know I have been guilty in the past (probably still am!) of spending too long pondering over what guitar to play for any particular song rather than just grabbing any guitar and playing!
 
My semi hollow Mira covers all the bases just like les said any guitar will do whatever your comfortable with the blues comes from within.
 
I'd probably go with a Mira semi hollow if I were choosing.
 
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