Help me choose the retirement guitar

[newfmp3]

My stable currently has
2011 CU 24 Experience model 59/09
2017 DGT wood library 10 top with flame neck
2018 594 SC
2022 Pauls Guitar
2023 Moc Sand satin Silver Skye....and yes that's Skye, as my previous dog's name was Skye. Lost the poor thing to Cancer not to long ago at a very early age, so I renamed the SS.

So I haven't been around in a while. This story starts off similar to how I started when I joined. I went off work with health issues, it was looking like I wouldn't be able to play guitar much longer. This was 2012. I got back into guitar after work and life consuming my time for far too long, and wanted my first PRS before I knew my hands couldn't play any longer. Well, good news is, I made it further than I thought. I did go off work for a while in 08/09, fought like a !@#$$, got back to work in 2010, and instead of one PRS, as you can see, I got a few more. Lots of overtime ! I found that working took my mind off the pain. So I worked..too much.

But, it's now 2024, I've been dealing with these issues since 2008. I'm off again as of last month. It doesn't look like I'll be able to win this time around. My hands (spinal issues and a few other things) are still fussy. I don't care, I'm going to play until I can't. Besides, playing guitar actually exercises my hands and is THE best mental health therapy ever.

However, I'm on disability now, and while I've worked quite hard and saved some money up before going off, the reality is I probably won't get another one past this one, and I'm probably going to move into retirement from disability. I'm going to try my best to beat these health issues and get back to work, but the reality is starting to sink in. My doctors are amazed I've lasted this long.

Enough of that.

I've been looking at multiple brands this time. Reality is, I'm in Canada, and PRS prices have gotten ..... nuts. My Pauls guitar was 6300, and it is a charcoal black non 10 top purchased last summer. Now add 15% taxes on it. Yeah, ouch. I also had to send that to PTC, which Ryan took excellent care of...but it shipped back with more damage then it left with, and nobody at PTC seemed to want to do anything about. Now they paid for the entire thing, the damage was minimal. The ring around the selector switch somehow came off and was loose in the case, and when I opened it, as you can imagine a loose metal washer marked the guitar once on the front, and some odd marks on the back, very weird. We didn't know how to explain it and rather send it back again and fight for it, I just moved on. But that did leave a bad taste in my mouth as you can imagine with PRS's legendary PTC reputation. Should I even get another?

This is becoming long. I was thinking what could I add sonically that I don't already have? Semi Hollow Special? Studio 22, hollow body II ( not a fan of the vintage neck though really) I'm partial to Pattern, Pattern reg, or DGT necks. The vintage neck is chunky for me, and the one HB2 I tried that is what turned me off from it, weird as my 594 was much better in my hand. Tremonti is nice but pattern thin isn't my thing, although I'd love hotter pups. I'm not a tele guy so skip that one. Mostly Rock, blues guy. I grew up in the 80's/90's. I have never played the semi special, or Studio..and where I live, it's never happening. This will be online order. I can't travel either.

I have a good CS strat SSS, and Tele, and LP.

I've been leaning towards the Studio. Very hard to find in Canada. Also been leaning towards 2 other brands...won't say who, but one begins with the letter A, and the other S Every PRS fan's dream is to get a PS as that retirement guitar....not happening with my current situation. I'm also an Acoustic player, but that's another story, and PRS doesn't seem to make anything but the SE line for acoustic now.

if you made it this far, you do not have ADHD. Any insight or other suggestions?

 

[TheCraftsman]

Sorry to hear about your struggles; wishing you the best. I’d start to playing through what you have and see if there is something missing from your current lineup, is there a specific sound you’re chasing that you can’t achieve or are you wanting to a specific feature your current lineup doesn’t have?

 

[Greywolf]

No collection is complete without a Santana , their neck is very comfy

 

[shimmilou]

No collection is complete without a Santana , their neck is very comfy

I'll second that! Definitely not trash!

 

[veinbuster]

I would look at hollow bodies. Much lighter weight might let you play it longer. Sounds ok unplugged. Different tonally from what you have.

Depending where in Canada you are, I might be able to help you try one out.

 

[TheCraftsman]

I'll second that! Definitely not trash!

Ah how my heart aches for a Santana….

 

[Frank McNerney]

Nice collection you have right now
For what it's worth, I think

#1. Santana. Always

#2. Hollowbody

 

[show_a_little_faith]

Hollowbody! Check out the SE's too - much more affordable than the Core's, but in my experience (I have @ SE's and one Core), they're still very high quality. As @veinbuster said, the lighter weight should be beneficial to you - I also have my share of health issues, and really like that aspect. Plus, they sound great and will definitely give you something different than the guitars you already have

 

[bodia]

Another in the Santana camp

 

[RC Mike]

Keep in mind that there are two hollow body models. They have different necks. There's the 594 HBII, which has the Pattern Vintage that's like your 594. Then there's the straight HBII, which has the Pattern neck. It's likely that nothing in your current stable has the Pattern neck.

 

[Bogner]

My First Thoughts Were Santana And A Hollowbody Type. If You Go PS Maybe A Hollowbody Santana? Those Would Be My Picks Based On Your Listed Guitars For Something Different. The Other Brand Options You Are Considering Make Fine Instruments And I Am A Big Fan And Owner Of Several.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Another in the Santana camp

Honestly don’t understand why PRS even makes other guitars.

 

[newfmp3]

For some reason, I've never played a Santana. I don't know where they sit with respect to sound. I avoided them for years because I thought pattern was going to be too thick, but then I finally tried a pattern neck and it was just fine. It seems like a large guitar to hold too?

 

[newfmp3]

Sorry to hear about your struggles; wishing you the best. I’d start to playing through what you have and see if there is something missing from your current lineup, is there a specific sound you’re chasing that you can’t achieve or are you wanting to a specific feature your current lineup doesn’t have?

if I'm missing anything, it's very hot pickups for the old metallica stuff. Not something I'm playing every day, and not something I'm picking a guitar around, but none of my guitars can quite get to a heavy rock sound besides the Les Paul.

 

[Texsunburst59]

Santana all the way.

This is MY dream PRS, but I could live vicariously through you if you get one.

 

[bodia]

Honestly don’t understand why PRS even makes other guitars.

Preach!

 

[sergiodeblanc]

For some reason, I've never played a Santana. I don't know where they sit with respect to sound. I avoided them for years because I thought pattern was going to be too thick, but then I finally tried a pattern neck and it was just fine. It seems like a large guitar to hold too?

They’re notoriously under stocked at shops. Took me like, 20 years after they came out to even touch one.

It’s an optical illusion. It’s a smaller guitar width wise than a “normal” PRS

 

[newfmp3]

I would look at hollow bodies. Much lighter weight might let you play it longer. Sounds ok unplugged. Different tonally from what you have.

Depending where in Canada you are, I might be able to help you try one out.

I'm in Newfoundland. I used to deal with TGS for everything PRS related in Ontario, and actually made it there last summer. Dealt with them for 15 years worth of guitars, both me and my father. But they closed shop last September and I am looking for a reputable similar shop to deal with so DM me.

 

[veinbuster]

I'm in Newfoundland. I used to deal with TGS for everything PRS related in Ontario, and actually made it there last summer. Dealt with them for 15 years worth of guitars, both me and my father. But they closed shop last September and I am looking for a reputable similar shop to deal with so DM me.

Well, that’s too far to try mine.
Nobody has really picked up the TGS baton in Canada. Cosmo has pretty good selection - probably the best in the country, but I’m not sure how they are to deal with remotely.

 

[newfmp3]

this is the one I walked away from last year. Online I really wasn't sure about the green. In person it was actually quite nice , but the neck, nope, I couldn't justify it. I walked away with a Pauls guitar and a Martin, both also a good deal and I love my Pauls guitar, but as we all know, that thought in my head of the one I walked away from, haunts me. Only because it was a good deal, and a very rare color.