Credit Card At The Ready... But Which One?

[Monahan]

Recently I was forced to let go of my two guitars (DGT & CE24) due to their heavier weights. Last year I aggravated an old lower back injury which left me with some nerve damage. It became too painful to rest either guitar on my leg when practicing, and when playing with the band I lasted about 15-min with it on the strap. So the chunky-monkeys found new homes...

The first replacement was an NF53 weighing in at a mere 6 pounds!

The second, and my #2 will be a Silver Sky (Core). However, I'm torn between the satin maple neck/board and the glossed neck rosewood fingerboard version.

Question:
As I understand there is a difference in carve between the two (current models). So at the first fret, is one thicker front to back, and/or wider?

The NF53 neck shape is my favorite so far-- even more so than the DGT (no contest). I know the Silver Sky will be a different/smaller carve, but whichever (maple/rosewood) is larger will likely be the one I go with

Thanks!

 

[direwolf08]

From your description, it sounds like weight might be a key factor? If so, check out the Vela Semi-hollow. Mine clocks in at ~5.5lbs and is one of the most comfortable guitars I own, standing or sitting.

 

[Birdsofprey]

How bout a CE24 Semi Hollow or Vela Semi as mentioned above?? I should add, S2 Mira’s are really light and they are also available in semi hollow versions.

 

[Monahan]

Thanks guys!
The Vela is on my list… especially since the ‘24 updates.
However any kind of semi-hollow is off the table; just not my cup-o-tea

 

[Monahan]

From your description, it sounds like weight might be a key factor? If so, check out the Vela Semi-hollow. Mine clocks in at ~5.5lbs and is one of the most comfortable guitars I own, standing or sitting.

5.5lbs?! Nice!
Can’t believe I’m asking this (always roll my eyes when I see someone else ask- LOL), but do you have problems with neck dive on a guitar that light?

 

[nussbajh]

Silver sky with Rosewood. The added warmth is fantastic.

The Vela would also be great if you check that out.

 

[DISTORT6]

Weight issue? Nothing hollow?
Core Mira.

 

[Birdsofprey]

^ And the S2 Mira like the one in my avatar it’s just over 6lbs no neck dive.

 

[direwolf08]

5.5lbs?! Nice!
Can’t believe I’m asking this (always roll my eyes when I see someone else ask- LOL), but do you have problems with neck dive on a guitar that light?

No neck dive problems with mine.

 

[bodia]

No neck dive problems with mine.

Me either

 

[Rider1260]

For weight there is nothing lighter than a Hollowbody !!! I have a Hollowbody 1 McCarty, weights nest to nothing but balances perfectly.
Funny it's one I think about selling , then I play it and think Na , Then I think about selling it again. Think I am just drawn to new shiny things
IMG_8167 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/152274366@N08/

 

[Monahan]

Well, days of searching online have paid off…

Credit card is safely back in my wallet and I have a head full of new Silver Sky weights, specs, and weights of other similar guitars.

Overall, PRS is consistently between 7 & 8 pounds, with just a handful under 7. Fender for instance is between 8 & 9, closer to 9.

All this info bouncing around in my head… glad the search is over

Now for some sleep— I hope— LOL!!

 

[Abe]

Cheers!

 

[Monahan]

FedEx can’t make up its mind: delivery on Tuesday the 3rd, or Sunday the 1st. At one point— for a short time— it was this Friday…

Just as long as it arrives healthy

 

[Monahan]

UPDATE:
FedEx delivered the guitar today-- surprisingly on a Sunday(!)

She's a beauty! At 6.6 Lbs, it was a joy to play, and very resonant.

However...

Once I sat down with it and played a few minutes, I noticed a rough feeling in the finish around the body edges; all along the bottom (front & back) and on the front along the belly-cut to the upper horn. It feels like the paint is bubbling, or the factory missed sanding these areas before painting... A Friday evening guitar perhaps?

It's terribly difficult to capture this in a photo, but this one does give an idea...

So I began the return process through Reverb, and we'll see how it goes.

The search continues~

 

[veinbuster]

Too bad the cosmetics didn’t suit you.
It sounds like you bonded with it as a player, so go find another one. There are lots out there.

 

[RickP]

UPDATE:
FedEx delivered the guitar today-- surprisingly on a Sunday(!)

She's a beauty! At 6.6 Lbs, it was a joy to play, and very resonant.

However...

Once I sat down with it and played a few minutes, I noticed a rough feeling in the finish around the body edges; all along the bottom (front & back) and on the front along the belly-cut to the upper horn. It feels like the paint is bubbling, or the factory missed sanding these areas before painting... A Friday evening guitar perhaps?

It's terribly difficult to capture this in a photo, but this one does give an idea...

So I began the return process through Reverb, and we'll see how it goes.

The search continues~

Might just be the pic, but that looks like it was dropped or had some impact on that edge. On the good side, JM says they are very consistent guitar to guitar so if you have to replace it, you should like the next one as much.

 

[Monahan]

Might just be the pic, but that looks like it was dropped or had some impact on that edge. On the good side, JM says they are very consistent guitar to guitar so if you have to replace it, you should like the next one as much.

Yeah, it's a very difficult finish to photograph...

In this case I don't think there was a fall. It feels like the sealer coat was not sanded along the edges. It's a rough feeling along the entire back-side lower edge (on either side of the end pin), along the lower front side between the end-pin and output jack, and again on the front side along the belly cut to the upper horn.

It's possible a rookie was doing the sanding, and the edges are the most difficult to sand without damaging the finish/sealer/etc. Edges are very easy to "burn through" and it's something that takes a skilled hand to do properly (as a wood worker, I've learned a lot of these lessons the hard way LOL!).

There is one area on the heal where it meets the neck-- it appears the paint did not adhere to the body... or the neck was installed before the paint was dry. Look closely and you'll see the bubble along the heal:

It's tempting to overlook these problems, but it's a guitar purchase that my wife (family CFO) has agreed to on the condition that this is the last (we are retired and on a budget). Also, I know PRS is capable of doing better, and considering the cost-- it needs to be better from the beginning (I expect it to earn battle scares during the course of its life...). If this guitar was a Rickenbacker, I'd just accept it-- but that's a story for another day

Now the real stressful part of dealing with a return/refund request... Never fun~

 

[direwolf08]

Would be a return without hesitation for me too. These things happen, but that shouldn’t have made it out of the factory. Good luck finding its replacement!

 

[Monahan]

Would be a return without hesitation for me too. These things happen, but that shouldn’t have made it out of the factory. Good luck finding its replacement!

Thanks!
It's replacement is very near being secured... perhaps as soon as next week