Buying my first PRS

[HNSFury]

Howdy folks

A long time Les Paul and strat aficionado here, who just got his first PRS GAS attack a few weeks ago. I loved the playability, attention to detail, and quality of these instruments.

Having lived in Bethesda, MD for years, everyone around that area remembers Paul Reed Smith very well when he was a techie, but for some reason, I never seriously gravitated towards a PRS guitar until now. I tried visiting the factory in 2007 (something we do with Martin) but I never got a reply.

I play classic 60-70's rock, blues, and some Jazz, but more often than not I play a fusion style with many influences, ethnic and ambient included. High gain (metal) isn't my thingy.
The guitars I liked were:
Mccarty 594 fattest sounding PRS I played.
Custom 22
Modern eagle (I played one 10 years ago and it was fabulous)
custom 24 (sounds great clean... nice with ambient swells)

I read through the forum, this one here and others, watched youtube but I have a few questions

1- Has anybody been through this phase before on the forum (just for discussion, I'm over 50).
2- What model would you recommend, they're just too many these days.
3- What tonal difference does a rosewood neck have ? I know maple from my strats.
4- How would you describe PRS Tone.
5-Best dealers on the net (I now live abroad).

Any response to any question(s) above would be highly appreciated.

Cheers and sorry for the long post
HNS

 

[HNSFury]

I'm sure many have a lot of expertise here to chime in !

 

[AP515]

1- Has anybody been through this phase before on the forum (just for discussion, I'm over 50).
2- What model would you recommend, they're just too many these days.
3- What tonal difference does a rosewood neck have ? I know maple from my strats.
4- How would you describe PRS Tone.
5-Best dealers on the net (I now live abroad).

Welcome HNS,
1. Not sure what phase you mean but there are many of us over 50! I also play mostly 70's-80's and blues. Jazz is too complicated if done right.
2. If you still play your other brands, I'd say a Cu24. If you are thinking of replacing one or both I'd say the SC594 and a Hollowbody2 with piezo.
3. A rosewood neck will emphasize the mids IMO. Compared to maple it will sound warmer and fuller.
4. Balanced
5. I've only used local to me retailors...sorry

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Can't really go wrong with a ME...

 

[Lee B.]

1 - You just described nearly every PRS forum member.
2 - I know it's not helpful, but whichever one floats your boat the best? Current model-wise, I think you might check out the Singlecut 594, though. The singlecuts are even ballsier than the doublecut McCartys. The 58/15s sound great full on or split. That model line (or the Hollowbody II, or the Custom Piezo...) is probably going to get me divorced if I go play one again at a local store.
3 - Can't help you there.
4 - When I think PRS tone, I think midsy and present, harmonically rich, yet well-defined.
5 - Sweetwater is of course fantastic, no experience with either of the following aside from their YouTube demo videos, but I have only read good reviews of Andertons and Thomann. I am intrigued by Pascal Waisapy in Breda NL, he keeps listing reasonably-priced, very droolworthy used PRS instruments on Reverb, always described in fine detail and with full CITES documentation on hand. Seems to both know his stuff and have it together, too.

 

[HNSFury]

Thanks, everybody ... That good advice. I do a lot of shopping on Thomann and Andertons, but I ill check Pascal Waisapy. Thanks for the tip. I'm currently exploring the custom 24 (given that it's the quintessential PRS) and the Mccarty 594 with the RW neck.

Whats the difference- tone wise - between the Mccarty 594 with the toggle switch on the upper arm and the normal McCarty with the switch in the control area? I know it's the scale length but has anybody a/b-ed them?

 

[Cocorosa]

1 - You just described nearly every PRS forum member.
2 - I know it's not helpful, but whichever one floats your boat the best? Current model-wise, I think you might check out the Singlecut 594, though. The singlecuts are even ballsier than the doublecut McCartys. The 58/15s sound great full on or split. That model line (or the Hollowbody II, or the Custom Piezo...) is probably going to get me divorced if I go play one again at a local store.
3 - Can't help you there.
4 - When I think PRS tone, I think midsy and present, harmonically rich, yet well-defined.
5 - Sweetwater is of course fantastic, no experience with either of the following aside from their YouTube demo videos, but I have only read good reviews of Andertons and Thomann. I am intrigued by Pascal Waisapy in Breda NL, he keeps listing reasonably-priced, very droolworthy used PRS instruments on Reverb, always described in fine detail and with full CITES documentation on hand. Seems to both know his stuff and have it together, too.

+1 for Andertons. I go in store as well as use their mail order and they know their stuff. Give them a call and talk to them, they are always helpful and knowledgeable and they know their PRS's. It's entirely their fault that I bought my first one.

 

[JSanta585]

I think everyone has had great points so far.

I'm just about 32, but kind of cover a little of everything. I studied jazz for a long time, and love prog metal, so I have a guitar for each, but my Hollowbody II is my best all around guitar, no question. I have a Carvin and a Parker Fly for the really heavy stuff.

A good friend of mine lives in England, and he told me his favorite shop for PRS is Music Street in East Anglia. Obviously a vote for Anderton's because I love their social media content.

 

[garrett]

1- Has anybody been through this phase before on the forum (just for discussion, I'm over 50).
2- What model would you recommend, they're just too many these days.
3- What tonal difference does a rosewood neck have ? I know maple from my strats.
4- How would you describe PRS Tone.
5-Best dealers on the net (I now live abroad).

1. I've been drooling over them since I was a teenager. I haven't owned a single Gibson.
2. 594 if you want to lean more towards the LP sound, with low output pickups, but still great split tones. Custom 22 for a great mid-ground between Strat and LP, and with their great tremolo.
3. No real first hand experience.
4. For the current crop of guitars, balanced and clear. Best split coil sounds around.
5. Check with the Signature dealers listed on the PRS site. Several of them post here and a lot of guitars from those dealers have come to forum members!

Thanks, everybody ... That good advice. I do a lot of shopping on Thomann and Andertons, but I ill check Pascal Waisapy. Thanks for the tip. I'm currently exploring the custom 24 (given that it's the quintessential PRS) and the Mccarty 594 with the RW neck.

Whats the difference- tone wise - between the Mccarty 594 with the toggle switch on the upper arm and the normal McCarty with the switch in the control area? I know it's the scale length but has anybody a/b-ed them?

I compared the 594 with the regular McCarty last year. The regular version had more of a bright snap to the tone, while the 594 had more of a vintage growl. The neck pickup on the regular version has a more pronounced midrange (wooly to my ears).

 

[markd21]

I dabble in the fusion genre quite often, and when doing so I find I gravitate to my CU22 or my McCarty 58. The CU22 is a bit more midrangey and "raw", while the MC58 is smoother and more balanced. If I am doing a lot of lead work, I grab the CU22....cleaner playing, or more chord-based playing I grab the McCarty. My CU22 has Dragon IIs while the MC58 has 57/08s (for reference).

In the end you can't go wrong with any of the models you listed. Play what you can and buy what makes you the happiest.

 

[HNSFury]

Thanks a million

I saw the website for Music Street and they have a few nice ones. Thanks
Coming from Les Pauls I gravitate more towards the more vintage 594, and given the shorter scale length (vs a Les Paul) it intrigues me, but maybe I should consider a guitar to represent the PRS tone. Still, haven't made my mind.

I talked to salesmen from Washington Guitar (Wheaton, MD) a few days back, great help, I visited the store many times but it seems that they're not willing to ship overseas due to the Cites II agreement.

The shorter scale length of the 594 will give it something special compared to longer scale lengths especially in the context I play in.

If anybody knows of a shop that is willing to ship, please post it here.

all great comments thanks a million !

 

[JSanta585]

Thanks a million

I saw the website for Music Street and they have a few nice ones. Thanks
Coming from Les Pauls I gravitate more towards the more vintage 594, and given the shorter scale length (vs a Les Paul) it intrigues me, but maybe I should consider a guitar to represent the PRS tone. Still, haven't made my mind.

I talked to salesmen from Washington Guitar (Wheaton, MD) a few days back, great help, I visited the store many times but it seems that they're not willing to ship overseas due to the Cites II agreement.

The shorter scale length of the 594 will give it something special compared to longer scale lengths especially in the context I play in.

If anybody knows of a shop that is willing to ship, please post it here.

all great comments thanks a million !

Where are you located now that you've moved abroad?

PS - Love Chuck Levin's too. I didn't venture there much when I lived in the area because it was still out of the way, but always enjoyed visiting.

 

[HNSFury]

Where are you located now that you've moved abroad?

PS - Love Chuck Levin's too. I didn't venture there much when I lived in the area because it was still out of the way, but always enjoyed visiting.

Switzerland
Yes they were a bit out of the way, but still close

 

[garrett]

Thanks a million

I saw the website for Music Street and they have a few nice ones. Thanks
Coming from Les Pauls I gravitate more towards the more vintage 594, and given the shorter scale length (vs a Les Paul) it intrigues me, but maybe I should consider a guitar to represent the PRS tone. Still, haven't made my mind.

I talked to salesmen from Washington Guitar (Wheaton, MD) a few days back, great help, I visited the store many times but it seems that they're not willing to ship overseas due to the Cites II agreement.

The shorter scale length of the 594 will give it something special compared to longer scale lengths especially in the context I play in.

If anybody knows of a shop that is willing to ship, please post it here.

all great comments thanks a million !

Paul says the 24.594" scale length is based on his measurements of vintage Gibson guitars. Gibson calls their scale length 24.75", but if you measure inside of nut to center of 12th fret and multiply by 2 (standard scale length calculation), you will find it's more like 24 9/16" (24.563) or 24 5/8" (24.625).

Long story short: the 594 is about the same scale length as a Les Paul, give or take a few hundredths of an inch.

 

[HNSFury]

Thanks for the info! what would you recommend a custom 24 or a 594 as a first PRS ?

 

[AP515]

Thanks for the info! what would you recommend a custom 24 or a 594 as first PRS ?

My first was in 2006. It was the green Cu24 in my avatar. Love, Love, Love that guitar. Highly recommended. Course they did not have the 594 series in that time, but I still love that guitar!

 

[garrett]

Thanks for the info! what would you recommend a custom 24 or a 594 as first PRS ?

The Custom 24 is the standard bearer and the quintessential PRS. The 594 is the ultimate evolution of the LP concept (to me, at least). So if you're looking for a unique voice in the mix of your F and G guitars, the CU24 is a great choice.

 

[ArnaudS1979]

What I love about my first PRS SE CU24, which I just bought last weekend is hos it felt and sounded when I tried it in the shop. They had a few CU24 on the wall and I played them. While all were good guitars, they all were a variation of the same theme but only one was bliss. The one I bought. My point is I personally don't think it is a good idea to buy a guitar online. You need to be able to try, get to know it and bond with it. PRS are such quality instrument that it is just about personal preference for a voice, a feel, that will depend on the different finish, different wood used... Let us know which country you live in. There may be a decent store in your area that someone here would know about.

 

[Elliot]

I've heard great things about Thomann from our European forum members. They seem to carry quite a large range of PRSi

 

[Guitpicky]

Thanks for the info! what would you recommend a custom 24 or a 594 as a first PRS ?

I don't feel overly qualified to respond here never having owned a Custom 24, but I did recently buy a 594 and absolutely love it. Also my first PRS. Mine has the rosewood neck (assuming you mean the neck and not the fretboard) and I think it's a really nice feature. Not sure about any tonal differences.

In trying different 594s there were subtle differences in all of them, but it's hard to attribute those differences to any single feature. Even between the SC and DC it was more up to the individual guitar than any definitive trend one way or the other.

With all that out of the way, the "feel" of the rosewood neck is biggest reason I went with it. It really helps to try one but the feel of it is amazing. Soft, cool, smooth, and slick, moving up and down the neck is effortless and just feels great.

My two cents and that's about all it's worth but I hope it helps