Thank you so much, everyone. These comments are all so helpful. I’ll get the blue whale McCarty then
that guitar is just so gorgeous, it completely turned me away from the others (when I already thought I had made up my mind)!
Story time: at first, when I came up with the idea of buying a new guitar, I was set down on getting myself a Music Man’s Majesty, John Petrucci's signature. I’ve been a fan of Dream Theater for quite a few years, and I was decided I wanted to buy that guitar. But the price tag on that instrument was just too high for me to feel I wasn't somehow exaggerating on that purchase, going way beyond what I would consider reasonable, given our family's expenses. So, I decided to find other, more affordable options.
That's when it all started for me, the PRS iceberg (or rabbit hole, for those more fantasy inclined). At first, I found the Swamp Ash Special, and thought to myself 'wow, what an excellent guitar for the price point! An excellent 2nd option to the Majesty'! Then, as I always do with everything I like, I started obsessing over it. The guitar specks, the woodwork and wood types, the fretboard, the frets themselves, the tuners, the bridge, the pickups, the neck's dimensions, the finishing coat, the sound and tones, the colors, the markings... I was convinced I was going to get a Swamp Ash up until that point.
Then... I saw a video comparison of the SE product line with the S2 one... and it all started again for me! Once again I was baffled by just how much the S2 seemed to be that much a better instrument when compared to the SE! I was floored... both by just how pristine the S2 sounded, and by how I was cornered to justify to the sergeant (wife) the higher expense. I always feel this sense of guilt when it comes to treating myself with a gift. It doesn't happen often that I do, but when I do, they tend to be quite expensive =)
So, I started looking deeper into the S2 models. As per usual, I was first astounded by the 'regular' S2 Custom model, but then quickly gravitated towards the S2 24-08, due to its versatility, full with split switches. I thought that was the greatest feature for an S2, at least from what one can gather only from a computer screen, and headset. But that was the point in time when I realized just how much I was missing something that I never even touched! I've never played anything more expensive than $500, still, after listening to the sounds these PRS's make, I discovered just how blinded I was by the Music Man Majesty previously! I wasn't downgrading at all... on the contrary! PRS S2's are an underrated step UP from that instrument, while being cheaper!
Of course, nothing lost on the part of Music Man, they are an awesome company, and Majesty is an excellent instrument. But something about the design of the PRS... I just put two pictures side by side, one of the Majesty I wanted to buy, another of a Red Burst S2 24-08... and it clicked for me just how much more subtle, classic, elegant the PRS is in comparison. There's something about them that just escalates them to another level, I can't say exactly what. They truly are classical instruments of the modern day. I've seen $8000 Gibsons before, I've seen highly expensive Fenders hanging on walls of music shops, being a show piece more than anything. I go past them like nothing. Couldn't care less about them. I've never felt so gutural about an instrument as I've now come to feel about PRS. I cannot explain why, but it's so obvious when I look at both instruments side to side, it's funny how obvious, yet difficult to describe it is =D Anyway, that was the time when I made up my mind about the 'Red Burst' color, which in the highest definition videos I found looked amazing. I was sold on it! I had convinced the sergeant, it was done!
Then......... I saw the PRS video demo on a McCarty Blue Whale.......... along with a few YouTube shorts displaying that instrument. Oh my God... the tones that guitar made!! The single coil split in middle position just sounded so perfect, it rendered completely obsolete the piezo technology (in my opinion). I mean, having that kind of acoustic sound quality just from a coil split, why would you ever need an expensive piezo system, with a battery, on a guitar?? I was amazed by it, and to me, that alongside just how wonderful the Blue Whale looked in the McCarty, just took away the crown from the 24-08. I confess I still would like the tuners on that guitar to be locking tuners, but that's just a minor detail, given that it doesn't even use a whammy bar.
I'm just so excited about getting my first PRS now, I just hope I can find one just like I want it. There's no local store with one in stock, but apparently they can order it from PRS itself if I put a downpayment. I'm planning on buying it around Aug-Sept, I probably won't be able to do it before then. I just can't wait to get it! Anyway, thank you everyone for your help, and for reading the post. =) I hope you liked the story.
