Hugely disappointed

[BrianC]

I watched the whole launch party last night and was very excited to see what was going to be released and what new toy!s might be coming my way. In the end I told my wife how much money she saved. It was weird, I am almost a little angry I was so bummed.

So many of the "new products" were for me just tweaks of current things or a relaunch of a product that didn't sell the first time.

I was impressed with the changes to the SE line and I still kind of want a Parlor guitar. I have two fine acoustic guitars and don't play them as much as I should, so justifying another was will be tough.

No MT 100 - that's Ok for me as it really won't fit my style. No 594 trem. No SE Silver Sky.

PRS has gone down a road of switches and knobs trying to get more tones from one guitar. This may be great for some but not a plus for me. I use to think this was the way to go as well as having a special guitar for this type of song and a special guitar for that type of song. When I finally started performing live I realized that I would rely on speed and simplicity of operation. Also having a Custom 24 would allow me to cover just about anything!


And now the BIG FINISH!

ONLY PATTERN THIN ON CUSTOM 24S!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


The CUSTOM 24 is the flagship right. It has sold more than everything else added together. I have had four and own three currently. I would have considered getting more. One of my three is Wide Thin and I like it but I much prefer my Regular Neck carve that the other two are. I am very disappointed the regular is gone!!!

It may be they are trying to simplify production? If that is the case than we don't need a Custom 24 and a 24 -08!!

They could have given us a CU - HSH, HSS, Stoptail or something else to expand the flagship line.

 

[Utkarsh]

I watched the whole launch party last night and was very excited to see what was going to be released and what new toy!s might be coming my way. In the end I told my wife how much money she saved. It was weird, I am almost a little angry I was so bummed.

So many of the "new products" were for me just tweaks of current things or a relaunch of a product that didn't sell the first time.

I was impressed with the changes to the SE line and I still kind of want a Parlor guitar. I have two fine acoustic guitars and don't play them as much as I should, so justifying another was will be tough.

No MT 100 - that's Ok for me as it really won't fit my style. No 594 trem. No SE Silver Sky.

PRS has gone down a road of switches and knobs trying to get more tones from one guitar. This may be great for some but not a plus for me. I use to think this was the way to go as well as having a special guitar for this type of song and a special guitar for that type of song. When I finally started performing live I realized that I would rely on speed and simplicity of operation. Also having a Custom 24 would allow me to cover just about anything!


And now the BIG FINISH!

ONLY PATTERN THIN ON CUSTOM 24S!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


The CUSTOM 24 is the flagship right. It has sold more than everything else added together. I have had four and own three currently. I would have considered getting more. One of my three is Wide Thin and I like it but I much prefer my Regular Neck carve that the other two are. I am very disappointed the regular is gone!!!

It may be they are trying to simplify production? If that is the case than we don't need a Custom 24 and a 24 -08!!

They could have given us a CU - HSH, HSS, Stoptail or something else to expand the flagship line.

Gotta agree on the Pattern Thin Neck thing. It's not for everyone so that limits the Custom 24s market. If they had to choose one, Pattern regular should have been the one.
In other news, a 594 trem would have been great. Personally though I was hoping for a core 7 string

 

[bluenova]

Still holding out for an MT 100 to be announced sometime soonish. *fingers crossed*

 

[Steve Dombroski]

I think you hit the nail on the head about "simplifying production". No Custom 22's either. I would be willing to bet that due to COVID, they are scrambling to catch up on production. People didn't stop ordering guitars during the pandemic, but PRS couldn't make them either. I'm sure they needed to solve the problem of the industry expecting them to do something amazing (as they usually deliver on) while streamlining production so their backlog wasn't an impossible mountain to climb to maintain their adherence to quality.

So yes, I totally agree on many of your points. I just don't think there was a better way to approach such a crazy pickle they were in. But hey, only maybe another 10 months until 2022 guitars and amps get announced (if they go back to November releases)!!

 

[jm9239]

I’m glad I got my PRS guitars when I did. I love my 22 SSH with MT 58/15s (vs LTs), my CU22, and guitars with pattern regular necks. Pattern thin = no thanks. What a disappointing lineup for 2021.

 

[Stephen J.]

I don’t remember the words he used, but in talking about the Silver Sky (I think), he acknowledged bringing something new along that would not kill the value of all the guitars that have been committed to order, but have still not been produced. Imagine if you were a dealer with several months of guitars on order and PRS released something that created such a stir that nobody would want to buy your stock because they are holding out for the new product. It has to be difficult to walk that line for PRS.

 

[Steve Dombroski]

I don’t remember the words he used, but in talking about the Silver Sky (I think), he acknowledged bringing something new along that would not kill the value of all the guitars that have been committed to order, but have still not been produced. Imagine if you were a dealer with several months of guitars on order and PRS released something that created such a stir that nobody would want to buy your stock because they are holding out for the new product. It has to be difficult to walk that line for PRS.

Great point! That makes a ton of sense.

 

[Warmart]

I was hoping for a V, but didn't really think that likely! Overally, loved the presentation but was less than overwhelmed with the models revealed. But everyone can't be ecstatic, I reckon. Maybe I'll play a studio or SSH one day and I'll love them, who knows.

 

[Rider1260]

It was a good show , but model wise for me it was a let down.
Having bought a SSH and a pair of Silver Skys I had hopes for something that would interest me. the Flore is kinda cool but the info is so slim , what do the push pulls do ? what's the neck carve like ?? price ??
Sad the CU22 is gone but I have the prefect one.
Also sad about only wide thin on the CU24 , but I really want a pattern neck 24 fret guitar so until then I saved a bunch of $$$ there.
Hey PRS Later this year or next give me a Special Semi Hollow CU24 !!!!

 

[andy474x]

I don’t remember the words he used, but in talking about the Silver Sky (I think), he acknowledged bringing something new along that would not kill the value of all the guitars that have been committed to order, but have still not been produced. Imagine if you were a dealer with several months of guitars on order and PRS released something that created such a stir that nobody would want to buy your stock because they are holding out for the new product. It has to be difficult to walk that line for PRS.

I think that hits the nail on the head. If you look at the model pages, there are several things no longer in the lineup - CU22’s, S2 Semi Hollows, Archon, JMOD. Probably some of those things are being phased out due to low sales, but I reckon others are going to be replaced by something, but the existing orders need to be filled first and not pull the rug out from under dealers by releasing the new replacement, and/or not wanting to release too many things at once and have a ridiculously long delay for availability.

 

[docteurseb]

Why be disappointed when you can save money and keep GAS at bay ?

They are definitely trying to simplify the line up wherever they can. It's even more critical while (re-)introducing new models.


Goodbye Custom 22, that saves me money as it always was a slight source of temptation.

CU24 vs CU24-08: probably boils down to each being popular enough and the polarizing (thus risky) nature of only offering the model with those switches.

Gotta agree on the Pattern Thin Neck thing. It's not for everyone so that limits the Custom 24s market. If they had to choose one, Pattern regular should have been the one.

The right choice is to keep the one that sells the most
Given how many PT there are for sale over PR, it's obvious which one had to go.
I'm not going to complain too much, I just happen to have a Bonnie Pink Pattern Regular CU24 to sell soon, and it just became ever so slightly more popular ;-)

 

[Drew]

I have to agree. What a dud. The Fiore was the only interesting part of the whole 2+ hours and that guitar is hardly anything revolutionary.

I'd love to see PRS get a little more creative and do things like release a 25.5 scale Custom 24, the long awaited core 7 string, etc.

 

[Warmart]

Did anyone else see what appeared to be a core 7 string? I believe I saw a quick picture during one of the "ad like" commercials in between stages? Is that an old model I didn't know of? Or did I totally gak?

 

[21Hemispheres12]

I was really hoping for a core 7 string. Other than that I agree it was pretty underwhelming since pretty much everything was just a tweak or a model being reintroduced. I get they can’t come up with new stuff every year but I think saying they were introducing 10 new products was a bit misleading.

Also a bit of constructive criticism. I think they need to scale back how much they use limited edition on models they release. For example the new SE 24-08 is identical to the 35th anniversary SE Custom 24. They advertised that only around 3000 or something would be made and now that exact model is a normal production guitar.

I know they like to test run models before going into full production which makes sense, but I think they need to come up with a new name for it like “Custom 22 special semi hollow small batch” or something.

 

[Mozzi]

Considering how many 22 fret guitars they have in the lineup, I can understand why they may have put the Custom 22 on hold with such a backlog of orders and I bet as a customer, you won't struggle to find a Custom 22 if that's what you want. You have to remember that the line up is for retailers to order, not for us as consumers.

You have the McCarty and McCarty 594, Paul's Guitar, DGT, Special, Studio, 509 and Tremonti for a 22 fret guitar vs the varieties of Custom 24 and the Santana in the 2021 line up so its not as if there wasn't an alternative IF you cannot find a new Custom 22.

As for the Pattern Regular neck, I think if you are streamlining, that is the neck that is going to be dropped. Looking around, it seems that the Pattern Thin is the most commonly available on the Custom 24 line and that also keeps the same nut size as all the other necks - again, making it easier for production.

No 594 Trem is like expecting Gibson to add a trem to their Les Paul Standard. The guitar is a 'vintage' inspired model based on a guitar that traditionally doesn't have a trem and there is the Private stock route if its that important or even modify a 594 to a trem. You could also get a Tremonti and change the pups - maybe not the same but that's what Private Stock (or other Custom build) and all those After Market parts are for, to mod a guitar to your preferred spec or get a guitar built to those. You could also see if a dealer is prepared to do a special run - which they might if you can get enough people interested to make it feasible and keep the cost down.

I think its 'odd' for PRS to add a Silver Sky to the SE range which is a way for people to get those typically PRS models at a lower price. The Silver Sky is a 'strat' and its not as if you can't get a Strat at an SE price point. You can argue about it having a PRS headstock and Birds - but it would still be an 'Indonesian' made strat with import pots, bridge, tuners and no doubt, an S version of the Pick ups - but its still made by Cort. As far as I am aware, the SE range was to get those 'unique' PRS instruments at an affordable price - like the Custom 24 and the Signature models. Its very different to making a guitar that is famous for another brand and they have guitars at that price point (and cheaper). Guitars like 594 and Silver Sky at SE level would compete with the multitude of other import Les Pauls and Strats - some made by the same company - if you can't afford a Silver Sky, there are Fenders (made in Mexico), Squire, and the numerous other strat clones. An SE Silver Sky would be like Epiphone or Squire making a Custom 24 with their Headstock.

Also by bringing out a completely 'new' guitar - body shape, bridge, bolt on, pick guard etc with 'new' SC pick ups, when there is an obvious backlog on overseas guitars too, you are taking away from their regular models. The regular ones are at least the same 2 body shapes (single or double cut) with the same range of bridges, HB's and neck carves so they can just route for the different layouts. I would expect it takes a bit less time to make a SS but it still means that they are not making one of their current line up that is in demand.

I am not saying it won't happen eventually but of all the years, I really think that 2021 isn't the right time and the competition for Strats and Les Paul models too for that matter, is a LOT stronger than it is for a Custom 24 or Custom 22. I know the SS is different too but for a lot of people, its still a strat and at the SE price point, there is a LOT of competition and not just from Fender/Squire either.

I was not Disappointed by the Launch Party. Its still early in the year and there is still plenty of time for new announcements as and when they are ready to reveal. Maybe if things pick up globally and they catch up with their backlog, they could reintroduce the Custom 24, announce some new model(s) etc but right now, things are difficult for manufacturing - not just trying to catch up, but the working conditions with all the guidelines in place to keep the workforce as safe as possible in the 'space' they have to work in - social distancing for example. Its almost a year now of very difficult circumstances and as a relatively small workforce with a large back order, they could very easily of decided to simplify the range further without bringing anything new to the table just to catch up.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

It’s cool they got a guitar that flips from blue to purple instead of that awful one that flipped from purple to blue.

 

[dogrocketp]

This shouldn't be the sum total of new releases for the year. The SE Hollowbody Piezo wasn't released until later in the year, and that's a guitar I couldn't live without. If my memory serves me (and sometimes it doesn't), the S2 Studio wasn't released until later in the year. If I didn't have a 509 and an S2 Studio, I'd be throwing money at my local PRS pusher for the Studio, or the HSH. At this point, I'm only interested in a guitar that will increase the number of sounds I can get. Be patient, I don't think we've heard the end of it.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

If you look at the model pages, there are several things no longer in the lineup - CU22’s, S2 Semi Hollows, Archon,

WHAT!!!!!!!!!! The Archon is gone????? I'm too busy to look. I get little breaks and post while loading docs, waiting on credit reports, etc... but that is interesting news, and not in a good way...

 

[Warmart]

WHAT!!!!!!!!!! The Archon is gone????? I'm too busy to look. I get little breaks and post while loading docs, waiting on credit reports, etc... but that is interesting news, and not in a good way...

It's now the Archive

 

[Tim S]

Well, my wallet stays in my pocket for this year. Only 12 more months to wait for new models.