How Did You Afford Your First New PRS?

My first and only PRS is a 2016 S2 Custom 24 that I bought used. I saw my first PRS about 20 years ago and really wanted one, but they were way out of my price range then. I never really cared for the SE’s, nothing particularly wrong with them though. I just don’t like the feel of them, I guess it’s the poly. Anyway, the first time I played an S2, I was sold. Found one on Reverb back in October and made an offer.

I’d love to get a Core model, but I just can’t bring myself to pay that much for a guitar. Doesn’t matter the maker, Fender, Gibson, PRS, Martin, etc. I just can’t do, it’s not that I can’t afford it, I just can’t make myself drop that kind of cash. Maybe when I retire.
 
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DreamTheaterRules said:
I opened the case and there it was! My 10th Wedding Anniversary present from my wife. After my injury-forced hiatus from playing for almost 10 years, and selling all my guitars except my Ibanez Artist and keeping that only because it was my high school graduation present, I had told my wife for several years that I just couldn't stand not playing guitar. I went to a doctor to ask what I could do to reduce the pain and gain back some motion. I had broken my left wrist right in the joint so I had lost range of motion, and it hurt if I held it in any kind of bend position.

After months of stretching and exercises, I was getting to where I could play at least for a little while without pain. 30 minutes tops. But that was better than nothing. When my wife asked what I wanted for my 10th anniversary, I told her I wanted to start playing guitar again and would like a nice guitar. I went to the local music store and for the first time in person, saw a PRS guitar. When the guy handed it to me, I knew the price and knew it was WAY over what she could spend, but I wanted to try it. I played it for literally 60 seconds tops and handed it back to him. He looked at me in surprise and said "don't like it?" I said "it's the greatest guitar I've ever felt in my life, but I can't afford it so I need to put it down before I fall in love with it."

Two weeks later I went to the store again with my wife. I figured she'd maybe want to spend as much as $1000, so I showed her some high end Ibanez guitars I liked. After showing her my favorite of those, she said "So that's the best?" And I said "no, it's not the best. That one over there is the best, but we can't afford that." She insisted that I show her the "best" I was talking about. They had 5 identical Custom 22's on the wall, each a different color. She recognized the beauty of the guitar as soon as she looked at it, but when I played it and gushed about how well it was made and how incredible it felt, I almost felt guilty even showing it to her.

When our anniversary day came, it was pretty easy to recognize that it was a guitar that was wrapped up. But I couldn't speak for over 3 minutes after I opened the case. She was only working part time back then. I figured I was going to blow her away with the diamond ring I bought her. I didn't expect that she was going to spend even more than I did. After a couple minutes she said "well aren't you going to say anything?" I could never justify buying something so expensive for myself, and I was the one that made all the money. I was just blown away by what she had done. She said she had saved for 3 years, not even knowing what I wanted but wanted to make it something great. She did!
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That's just outright inspiring! Great stuff.
 
I was 65. Recently retired schoolteacher. Decided I needed to start a big foolish project ... like Noah. Told a friend I was gonna get a tenor sax and learn it.
He gave me a Mexican strat and said see if you like playing guitar. I did. I needed to return the strat eventually so I started looking around. I played a Gibson at someone’s house and decided I liked that neck a lot more I was at a gc looking for a used sg or something and picked up a se cu 24 and I knew immediately what I wanted. No question. Had a budget well below any used prs I could find. Didn’t know about reverb yet. Eventually just sucked it up and bought a new one - not from gc - they didn’t seem To think the customer was ever right.
A year later I got a 2006 mccarty and sold the Se. I can’t do it justice yet but It’s a Fantastic guitar.
Nice topic. Thanks to everyone
 
My other hobby is collecting watches. Been doing that for about 7-8 years. Have about 25 pieces in my collection. Most are in the $300-600 range, mostly divers. My most expensive is an Omega SMP Bond. Paid $1800 for that used. Not trying to brag, but over on the watch forum most guys think nothing of dropping $1000 on a watch...and $10,000 is not really considered a rarity. It's not uncommon for some guys to have multiple $10,000+ watches. It's kind of gross.

Anyway, I fell in love with a new 2020 PRS SE Standard 24, and at $499 sticker (got it for $449 delivered to my door from Sweetwater a couple weeks ago) I had to have one. I picked a couple of watches that I don't wear very much and sold them on the watch forum. I've only been playing guitar for a little over a year and totally suck...but I can see me having a handful of guitars within a few years. My other guitar is a 2006 MIM Strat that I got for Christmas 2018 for $250. I didn't' need the PRS...but man that thing is beautiful.
 
images
 
Was too poor to afford college, went into the USAF as enlisted and got sent to Japan. Came back after 2 years and walked into Chuck Levin's with $250 to put down on a special order. Thought I was getting a multi-foil finish, but they had discontinued those by the time I had gotten back in '91. Spent every cent (room and board provided by the military makes this easier, also, no car) of my next few paychecks paying off the guitar and got it months later. Was my main guitar during my music career, didn't get another until about 2008.

My current collection only really started happening shortly after I found this place. Coincidence? No one knows...
 
93studiolite said:
My first and only PRS is a 2016 S2 Custom 24 that I bought used. I saw my first PRS about 20 years ago and really wanted one, but they were way out of my price range then. I never really cared for the SE’s, nothing particularly wrong with them though. I just don’t like the feel of them, I guess it’s the poly. Anyway, the first time I played an S2, I was sold. Found one on Reverb back in October and made an offer.

I’d love to get a Core model, but I just can’t bring myself to pay that much for a guitar. Doesn’t matter the maker, Fender, Gibson, PRS, Martin, etc. I just can’t do, it’s not that I can’t afford it, I just can’t make myself drop that kind of cash. Maybe when I retire.
Click to expand...
All that matters is that you enjoy what you have.
 
sergiodeblanc said:
I was 19 and living at home with my mother (no rent), and I had a small stack of guitars from another three-lettered company that a previous band had a small deal with from our record label (nothing free, but I could buy at cost).

I sold all of them, took some other gear, and all my money from delivering meat (first job I ever got fired from) and all my money from detailing cars (first job I ever quit in a dramatic fashion) and threw it all to Park Ave. Guitars for my first CE24.

That was my prized possession and the only PRS I had for I think eighteen years?
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i remember meat. you won’t find it in a city street or cracker jack box. i love you sergio, and you too everybody. however;- i am ‘so drunk right now’. noel coward drunk.
 
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