Current vs. Vintage

I advocate keeping examples from each decade.
My 90s guitars were so good, I stopped looking.
Then at Experience after the layoff, the new guitars felt the same, but still had a different vibe, so I got some more.
And now it’s a new decade baby, so watch out.
I long to see a PRS NGD from you.
 
I keep hearing that the pickups are one of the biggest differences. Ive never taken the time to try out the older pickups like #6, #7, or HFS, but the consensus seems to be that the newer pickups in the last few years are noticeably better than these.

-k
 
I don't think recent pickups are way better. They are build in a different spirit, to achieve different sounds.

Old PRS pickup were pretty high output with strong personnality. New once seems more low output, so you don't build your sound the same way.
 
I don't think recent pickups are way better. They are build in a different spirit, to achieve different sounds.

Old PRS pickup were pretty high output with strong personnality. New once seems more low output, so you don't build your sound the same way.

I'll second this.
My buddy just bought a 2004 CU24 with HFS/VB pickups, so I finally got to really put those pickups through their paces into my rig. Man, are they hot output! I really liked them, and even the rotary selector, after some getting used to, but my rig is dialed in for 85/15s, 57/08s and other sort of "PAF plus" style pickups, and I think I prefer those, as it is much easier to get good clean tones for me with a bit lower output.

On the other hand, my buddy's CU24 was my first solid rosewood neck PRS, and I reeeeaaaaaly! liked it! Must resist, must resist must resist.
 
You shouldn’t really. A rosewood neck is too special not to have one.

I’ve had several, and loved the tone, but not the way they get “furry” during a long session.

If I got another RW neck PRS, I’d have to have the neck finished, though I hear the PTC offers a fantastic treatment that might work for me. Still, a finish would probably be a good idea in my case,
 
If you ask me to choose current vs. vintage, I choose neither. I'm somewhere in the middle. For me, each production era has its own things going on.

Anything before August 1985 is unobtainium but a must-have for any die-hard PRS fan. What they 'are' will far outweigh every other factor (including how the sound/play).

1987 has the mojo of the 85-86 without the price tag. I also prefer the tone of the revised T-pickup. '88 was a great year but thin necks (which should be illegal) were making an appearance.

1989 was a banner year for wood (and still had the Brazilian Rosewood fretboards). The very best from this era, in my opinion, are the semi-hollow Limited Editions with TOM bridges and Vintage Bass LE pickups (in both positions). Maple-cap LE's get the collector's nod but the cedar and redwood topped versions are super cool.

Sweet Switches and Brazilian fretboards started to phase out in 1990 so that's the tail end of what I consider the 'vintage' PRS era. If I had a few extra million and a giant warehouse, I'd buy-up all the 90's PRS guitars (they are selling for peanuts) and sit on them for 20 years. I'd resell them when exotic wood finally dried up. That day is closer than you think.

1996 - 1999 saw the introduction of some my favourite guitars (Rosewood Limited, Artist 3, Hollowbody, Archtop, and Brazilian Rosewood McCarty).

2004... the Modern Eagle (and thinner nitro finishes)! Meanwhile, my 2004 Hollowbody (with the thick, glassy, production finish) is getting cloudier by the day. I suspect it will have to be refinished at some point.

In my opinion, 2007 to 2010 is the Golden Era of PRS. By December of 2007, PRS was in a giant new facility and fighting for survival (this was the beginning of the Great Recession). This brought forth an explosion of creativity and innovation. The DGT, the Mira, the Starla (and Starla pickups), the SC-J Thinline, the 1980 West Street Limited, the Korina McCarty (with BRW fretboard), the Singlecut Modern Eagle, the 305, PS Golden Eagles, the DC22, the Chesapeake Severn, the Chesapeake Choptank, the Paul's 28, the Violin McCarty, narrowfields, 57/08's, 59/09's, 53/10's, acoustics, The PRS Experience, Doug Sewell's amplifiers, and the crown-jewel of PRS service... the PTC.

2011 - 2013 were great years for tone. Narrow 408's are critical for 'my' sound. My Wood Library Paul's Guitar with Rosewood neck is my best player but the fit and finish of my production Paul's Guitar left me wanting. The gap between the back-plate and the body is notable. That's a pretty miner nit, for sure, but it surprised me. A wide gap sure is better than my 80's guitars where the plate is so tight the I usually need to (carefully) pry it out.

And the Silver Sky? It's no secret that I love PRS guitars but I'm also a huge fan of John Mayer. I had to get one. It sounds fantastic. To such a degree that I sold my US Strat with some cool mods. But I was disappointed PRS didn't push the S-type design forward and make it their own thing. I understand why they did it. If I were Paul, I'd make any guitar JM asked me to make. But I (a fanboy in his easy-chair and this keyboard) have the luxury of being uppity. I'm not the guy responsible for the survival of a multi-million dollar corporation that employs hundreds of people; most of whom have a family to feed.

I eagerly await the future and the pending release of the Paul's double-neck. It will be my last PRS. No, really.
 
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I don't think recent pickups are way better. They are build in a different spirit, to achieve different sounds.

Old PRS pickup were pretty high output with strong personnality. New once seems more low output, so you don't build your sound the same way.

I'm only going by what I've read on the forums that the pickups made since the 57/08 are of higher and more consistent quality with threads about people swapping out older pickups for the new ones.

-k
 
Does anyone know about the trems that are used in the CE models? Are they the same as that was used back many years ago. I see now that the CE trem is the same as a molded SE one. I always thought that the CE trems were the same as the USA model. Was this never the case, or did they change the trems a few years ago to the SE trem? Are the two even interchangeable?
 
Does anyone know about the trems that are used in the CE models? Are they the same as that was used back many years ago. I see now that the CE trem is the same as a molded SE one. I always thought that the CE trems were the same as the USA model. Was this never the case, or did they change the trems a few years ago to the SE trem? Are the two even interchangeable?
The Gen 1 CE had the same trem as the core model which early on would have been the one piece bridge but later would have changed at the same time as the custom did. Now the CE is the same as the S2 which is the same as the SE.

None are the original one piece bridge and it is only available through John Mann.

https://store.guitarvaultusa.com/PRS_NOS_Vibrato_Bridge_p/2000nos.htm
 
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I'm with most people here saying that each generation has it's own benefits and unique characteristics that set them apart. It all comes down to what you're personally looking for. Are you after that collector's edition from 35 years ago? Do you prefer more modern sound? I guess I mostly agree with your 3rd option for an answer. I will say this though, the production innovations have led to more consistency. I've played on numerous newer models recently, from SEs to Core models, and one thing that has stuck out is that all of them had "the feel". Everyone knows other brands infamously have "good" guitars and "bad" guitars in the same model and year, it's a bit of a lottery sometimes. I feel like PRS recently nails the "good" guitars more often than not. Whether it's innovation in production or just a bigger focus on QC than other manufacturers, I'm not sure.
 
I'll stick with the words of the late, great Neal Peart (as I heard from a 2015 interview with Jim Ladd on Sirius) When ask about whether he like his old drums over the new sets.. "old drums are nice, new drums are better". His point was that technology has had advanced so much, that far superior products are produced now. No need to get lost in the nostalgia and romanticize that every old instrument is a sonic gem.
 
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I keep hearing that the pickups are one of the biggest differences. Ive never taken the time to try out the older pickups like #6, #7, or HFS, but the consensus seems to be that the newer pickups in the last few years are noticeably better than these.

-k

I would agree with this. I own a couple early single cuts, HBII, first year Archtop, and just acquired a SSH and I it seems Paul has really got something going with these new pickups. Fit and finish on the new guitars is amazing.
 
..... so long as Paul doesn't sell to CBS. :eek:
;) We have to recognize that he is getting up there. I saw him disclose his age at some interview. I can't remember what it is. But if CBS, or some other company, came to him with wheelbarrows full of money? I wouldn't blame him for pausing to think.
 
;) We have to recognize that he is getting up there. I saw him disclose his age at some interview. I can't remember what it is. But if CBS, or some other company, came to him with wheelbarrows full of money? I wouldn't blame him for pausing to think.
I don’t think he would know what to do with his time if he sold. He was born second half of the 50s, so lots of life in him yet.
 
I'll stick with the words of the late, great Neal Peart (as I heard from a 2015 interview with Jim Ladd on Sirius) When ask about whether he like his old drums over the new sets.. "old drums are nice, new drums are better". His point was that technology has had advanced so much, that far superior products are produced now. No need to get lost in the nostalgia and romanticize that every old instrument is a sonic gem.

New is not necessarily better (I'm looking at you, Coke), but by and large, Neil was exactly right. I'll admit, there's a part of me that wants one of those very early PRS models because that's when the fire was stoked, but the reality is that they're producing better stuff now than ever. I love all my PRSi - they all have their individual voices and characters, but generally speaking, the newer ones are better than the older ones.
 
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