Does wood type effect tone
- Thread starter James Stephanidis
- Start date
I've spent more than $5k on every one of my PRS Guitars for the last 12 years - in several cases, substantially more. I'm also pretty fussy just like you. I use these guitars on a daily basis in studio work I'm paid to do, and while I'm not hard on them, they're players that see good usage.
I'll bet they're in as nice condition as your yellow tiger flame top.
I've had 10 nitro PRS guitars and about 30 poly finished ones, going back to 1991.
None of my guitars has become a relic in any way, shape or form.
I had a few PRS' where the poly flaked, mainly around the fretboard. PRS took care of that, but I'll just say for the record that poly ain't perfect. It will flake, it will cloud, and it will ding just like any other finish.
Poly's no better a finish in terms of wear than PRS' nitro, provided you take simple precautions not to put a nitro guitar on certain kinds of stands for long periods, take a leather strap off after a while, and it's also a good idea to let a nitro guitar that's been out in the cold acclimatize for a little while before opening the case in a warm room.
I have not had one single problem with PRS' nitro among the 10 or so nitro models I've owned. I'm sure you've seen my current lineup (pictured below) before, but I don't know if I pointed out that they're all nitro, and all dead mint. I also recently downsized from more nitro PS and WL models, and all remained dead mint. Two were more than 8 years old.
None of my guitars has a chip, ding, dent, mark, scratch, cloudy spot, checking or cracking. None of my previous PRS' have, either. I find the nitro every bit as resilient as poly, and I think it looks better, feels nicer and sounds better.
First up is my two year old nitro DGT WL. It's absolutely mint. No issues. I'm sure you'd agree it has a nice top and finish; and it isn't a relic.
Below it is the 2014 nitro Private Stock McCarty Singlecut. It's perfect as well. Not a mark on it, no wear at all. Not a relic.
Below that one is my 2013 Private Stock Tonare Grand. Not a mark on it, either. Again, the idea that it's a relic is off the mark.
Personal preferences are what they are, and there's no right or wrong, but I wouldn't assume that PRS' nitro finishes are more problematic than their old poly finishes. That's not the case, in my experience.
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Jcub
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Beautiful instruments! The acoustic looks amazing. My S2 Vela Hollowbody has a nitro finish (I think?). It looks great. Hopefully it will stay pristine - I use it in the studio only and I am very gentle with it.
Thanks!
I'm sure your guitars will stay in great shape. I keep mine in their cases when not in use; I think that really helps.
Self declared professional testers should better talk the same attributes and adjectives of wood, shouldn't they? That would make some continuity for the readers and listeners.
While
"Undoubtedly, the use of Brazilian rosewood for the neck contributes significantly to the sound of the 513. The notes are defined and clear, with a broader tonal spectrum, with neither the highs shrill nor the lows muffled. The sound is remarkably even, as if a compressor had been inserted. This results in an astonishing balance across the entire fingerboard. The higher registers are effortless to play, and the fast, but never harsh, attack and development of the notes are just as convincing as the top-notch sustain."
Is on the other hand side
"Here, the difference between a mahogany and a rosewood neck is clearly demonstrated: the latter hurls the notes powerfully and evenly into the universe; some these days, it's called rosewood doping, while a mahogany neck provides a much more comfortable environment for development. Santana fans will understand what I mean, because they'll be perfectly served by it. [...] Like a chameleon, the 513 is able to adapt its sound to the circumstances and achieve many high-quality results, a quality that is further enhanced by the use of the mahogany neck; it allows some classic sounds from guitar history to be recreated better than with the often dominant rosewood neck."
Rosewood is balanced, but criticed for its dominance?
It's better for mental health to play a guitar and blending out the materiel dimension.
While
"Undoubtedly, the use of Brazilian rosewood for the neck contributes significantly to the sound of the 513. The notes are defined and clear, with a broader tonal spectrum, with neither the highs shrill nor the lows muffled. The sound is remarkably even, as if a compressor had been inserted. This results in an astonishing balance across the entire fingerboard. The higher registers are effortless to play, and the fast, but never harsh, attack and development of the notes are just as convincing as the top-notch sustain."
Is on the other hand side
"Here, the difference between a mahogany and a rosewood neck is clearly demonstrated: the latter hurls the notes powerfully and evenly into the universe; some these days, it's called rosewood doping, while a mahogany neck provides a much more comfortable environment for development. Santana fans will understand what I mean, because they'll be perfectly served by it. [...] Like a chameleon, the 513 is able to adapt its sound to the circumstances and achieve many high-quality results, a quality that is further enhanced by the use of the mahogany neck; it allows some classic sounds from guitar history to be recreated better than with the often dominant rosewood neck."
Rosewood is balanced, but criticed for its dominance?
It's better for mental health to play a guitar and blending out the materiel dimension.
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