How NON PRS players sometimes feel

danktat

Award winning tattoo artist ... Amateur guitarist
Joined
Nov 5, 2018
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Location
PA, USA
I was on another PRS group and someone posted how their friend commented to them that PRS is the "Nickleback of guitars"

Someone posted this in the thread, which was one of the most well worded replies I have heard recently to that kind of comment...............

"I think, historically, he’s kinda right. I am a PRS fan but I’m fortunate in that I am able to afford one. I see players every. single. day. that are light years better than I. Because PRSi were so expensive for so long, they got this unfortunate blues-lawyer reputation...which is not deserved, but comes with the territory. The marketing early on was very, fine brandy, cigar, and a PRS strewn across a leather couch style. I’m grateful that that company is expanding the S2 series, and that the SE series is of good quality, because it gets the brand into the hands of young musicians that don’t have their corporate attorney or CEO job yet. We, as a community, just need to not fall into the tired “cool bruh, but get a core” camp because, guess what? Musicians better than most of us do much more with much less and may covet a core PRS but might never afford one...all while making some of the most kick-ass or beautiful music. I’m excited for the affordable options to proliferate so folks can see what we were carrying on about all this time...very well designed tone-monsters."

This was my reply to this comment over there......

"One of the most to the point, and eloquently put takes on PRS snobbery I have heard in a while.

I am no where near the musical level that my PRS is capable of producing. But I LOVE owning it. Even though I see players with Mexican Strats playing circles around me."


But, I kind of LIKE having my "Nickleback" guitar. I work hard as h*ll to be able to get "SOME" of the things I want out of life. PRS guitars just happen to be one of them. I am allowed to enjoy it!
 
That’s very well put. I really like the prs guitars I own and I have 5 and it all started in 1988 my guitar teacher had one and I loved the looks of the bird inlays and it took me to about 2015 to finally afford one and it’s been a great guitar . I’ve heard al the stupid snobbery stuff about prs but I don’t care . I had my prs shirt on at the grocery store and the check out kid said he wouldn’t play prs because they are just expensive guitars and not worth it and don’t sound good and he has a fender I think he said . All I said was maybe so but all guitars are just wood anyway and he said I never thought of it that way and maybe I should try one. I hope he does.
Plus this forum is one of the better ones to be on and it makes me like my prs more .
 
I hear ya. Yet for all the celebs and rock stars who play PRSi, there are also students who are struggling to finish their music degrees so all the tips and tricks they've learned along the way aren't lost...but are merely part of their tone quest and become their bread and butter, so that somewhere along the way, they too, will receive a thumbs up from their peers.

Me, gonna go enjoy a Philly Cheese/Jam/English Muffin & Tea. Happy you've helped vindicate PRS for the common folks, not the ones who practice ad infinitum...
 
I've never quite understood the complaining about the price of PRSi (and it definitely still continues). Yes, they're somewhat expensive, but there have always been guitars in the same price range that don't get hit with the criticism that PRSG get. And a few years ago, when a certain guitar company jacked up prices pretty much just because they could (and because their CEO thought that would give them a certain cachet), they got some criticism, but not the kind that PRSG seems to get. I saw people complaining the other day because they felt the SE Hollowbody guitars were overpriced. Some people will just never be happy.

As @danktat said, my playing skill is in no way equal to the quality of my guitars, but they make me happy. And that's all that matters.
 
I've seen comments on forums about it, and it is similar to much of the commentary on the net: crass, uninformed, inexperienced, and online-warrior-rude. Yes, I have seen players on garbage guitars making beautiful music, and I certainly appreciate the artistry. I've also seen people who make music that I love playing on 20-30 thousand dollar acoustics. As I have been using an Axe FX for years, I am really familiar with all of the "cork sniffer" commentary, and I mostly ignore it. I never bash another player for what he's playing, nor do I waste time on someone who is going to attack my choice of instrument with some dismissive slur... really, who is being arrogant there?

I started out on guitars I borrowed... I didn't even own a crappy one. That was 40+ years ago, and I've been working since. There is no shame in ownership of nice things, current liberal mindset be damned. If you didn't steal it, then you can be proud to own it, PRS or otherwise. Any decent person is happy to see someone else attain something better. Petty jealousy and internet ignorance is on the person holding it, not their targets.
 
I actually find the whole "Nickleback" shtick pretty juvenile. Sure, I've been there and had a serious distaste for Nickleback's music years ago. But at this point, the stampede of hatred towards Nickleback is more of a fad than anything.

I still don't listen to Nickleback, but if I hear one of their tunes on the radio, I have to admit they write catchy songs and all play their instruments well enough to forge a solid music career out of it.

In regards to people saying PRS guitars are the Nickleback of the guitar world....well, that just makes no figurative sense to me and I'm not sure I'd be able to justify any response to that particular person. Kudos to the dude who did, though. Like you said, it was a very elegant and well-thought-out response to somebody's nonsensical analogy.
 
I actually find the whole "Nickleback" shtick pretty juvenile. Sure, I've been there and had a serious distaste for Nickleback's music years ago. But at this point, the stampede of hatred towards Nickleback is more of a fad than anything.

I still don't listen to Nickleback, but if I hear one of their tunes on the radio, I have to admit they write catchy songs and all play their instruments well enough to forge a solid music career out of it.

In regards to people saying PRS guitars are the Nickleback of the guitar world....well, that just makes no figurative sense to me and I'm not sure I'd be able to justify any response to that particular person. Kudos to the dude who did, though. Like you said, it was a very elegant and well-thought-out response to somebody's nonsensical analogy.

Making fun of Nickelback is now less cool than liking Nickelback.
 
Making fun of Nickelback is now less cool than liking Nickelback.

Ha! This is actually kinda true....I saw something recently about how "Nickleback has passed the torch to Imagine Dragons." Like how now the collective likes to hate and bash on Imagine Dragons now.

From a sociological point of view, it makes total sense that the population likes to collectively hate on any given pop culture icon or celebrity....it's been going on forever. Cynicism is generally more entertaining than optimism, and people get a sense of belonging by jumping onto a bandwagon that's always taking passengers at the expense of somebody else's reputation.

Not trying to derail the thread, though....just thought the analogy the dude used was not only out-of-context, but juvenile, as well.
 
It's funny that PRS has the reputation of being a "brandy and leather sofa" guitar, because that is so opposite of the culture that we have at the factory. Sure we make attractive guitars and they are photographed beautifully or our ads, but we this is the most down-to-earth crowd you'll ever find.

He's not kidding - they even wear makeup somedays!

shawngene.jpg
 
Couldn't agree more, Shawn...hence the ever-growing crowd you're expecting in May!!! I absolutely love all the guys/gals at the factory, and I've never me a better bunch of down to earth folks, that just happen to make a consistently beautiful product!!!
 
It's funny that PRS has the reputation of being a "brandy and leather sofa" guitar, because that is so opposite of the culture that we have at the factory. Sure we make attractive guitars and they are photographed beautifully or our ads, but we this is the most down-to-earth crowd you'll ever find.

Often, perception is reality. I can relate to even brand perception on guitars. Back in 2001 or so, the same guy who sold me my first PRS tried to get me to buy a Takamine acoustic electric. I was all against it. Why? Because Hootie and the Blowfish played Takamine (or at least Darius did pretty often), so I "PERCEIVED" them as a brand for bubblegum pop music and had no interest. He called me an idiot, then gave me his employee discount so I couldn't refuse it for that price..........AND I STILL HAVE IT to this day. What I didn't understand was that pickup system (for that era) was REALLY good within the price range that they were being sold for. It sounded really good, played nicely, all the things I would want in an acoustic......I just didn't know it until I was exposed to it.

I had the same issue with Schecter. To me, as a kid, they were only for metal bands. Guitars with names like "The Lucifer" (not really, but just about) with inverted cross inlays and paper thin necks. That was my perception of them anyway. That is, until I picked up an $85 craigslist special to be my "at work in the shop beater" guitar that I could take to hotel rooms with me when I travel and not bring my pricier fiddles out when I don't need to. It turned out to be one of the easiest to play guitars that I own (I still own it). And it had me look at other models from them. Now I own several of their instruments, and in fact, played out with one within the last few weeks. You couldn't have told me that I would have enjoyed playing those "metal head" guitars before I was exposed to one. Because my perception of the company, the products, and what they represented was stuck in my head already.

Relating it back to PRS, I have a LOT of musician friends who make money on music that do have a "nose in the air" attitude when it comes to PRS guitars. They don't usually talk down on them (at least not the professional musicians I know) but you can tell they still perceive them as cork sniffer, leather couch, 18 year old scotch and a Cuban cigar kid of guitar. But a few, have asked to play some of mine over the years. And usually, after a few minutes on it, most of them say that they can see why people like them (even if the brand isn't their thing). It is a shame that image is as much a part of marketing music as the sound of the music itself. But for many (and I fell into this category pretty often in my life) what I SEE often overrides other senses when it comes to forming perception. Fortunately, from the very first time I saw a Cu22 10 top with a natural finish I was enchanted. Who knows, maybe that is the reason why I tried a PRS to begin with. All I know is that I am glad I did. :D
 
I've been around the block more times than I can remember... many different brands and their related forums (especially since the advent of BBS / forums...) for many years.
And at some point on most of these different brand forums, including this one (I'm lookin' at you Serg... ;) , there will be some Kool-aid chuggin' uber fanboy who spouts out "this brand guitar is THE BEST, and anything else is shite!"
It's a narrow mindset that truly believes that the "best" guitar for one person is the "best" guitar for all people. In fact, it's rather sad to see the 'battle of the classes' within the PRS community, as mentioned above... "core models are king, S2 and SE's are peasants..."
The fact is that there are many players, myself included, that prefer to play an S2, or SE, or Mex Fender, or some other brand for personal reasons. I learned a long time ago that higher price does not guarantee a superior instrument.
Obviously there are different levels of quality, but there are numerous instruments out there that rival others that 'cost 2-3 times as much'
Along these same lines is the fallacy that fancy wood and finishes make a better instrument. I definitely enjoy and appreciate the artwork side of what PRS and some other brands accomplish, but when I'm honest with myself I realize that a few of my best playing, feeling and sounding gittars are actually just plain old boring black...

...oop's ... sorry about going on like that! Way off topic... I've been ill and I'm past due for my next medicinal whisky shot...
Bottom line is just play what makes you happy, and don't pee on other players choices... whee!
 
It's nothing new...

"This is the even-handed dealing of the world." he said. "There is nothing on which it is so hard as poverty; and there is nothing it professes to condemn with such severity as the pursuit of wealth." Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol 1843

It doesn't matter which end of the spectrum you're on, someone is always willing to hate on it. It was that way long before forums existed. Play what moves you.
 
I can think of a certain guitar brand that was targeted as the prestige brand when electric guitars started, so you could argue it was the PRS of its time. Seems to me that brand is still around, and shares almost the exact same price structure as current PRS. Over time, despite many complaints and ups and downs, that brand is now viewed as iconic. I own one of those also.

Granted nothing warrants the Nickleback comparison. For PRS has been viewed as cork sniffer and owned by people with more money then prowess, but has never been viewed as poor quality or vanilla.
 
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