I hope PRS does not become like Keisel guitars with too many guitars that it can loose its identity.

[Revelation]

When you say Gibson, Fender, G&L, Music Man, or Rickenbacker guitars, you have a good idea in your mind what type of guitars they are. When someone said PRS, you thought of the Custom 24, Silver Sky, McCarty (594) and DGT. However, they have a lot more guitars. You first have the Core, and the S2 and SE versions of the Core models which I think is a good idea. But then they keep going with more and more models. Here is a list of just some of the guitars they offer.
1. Kanami Limited Edition
2. 594 Hollowbody II
3. Hollowbody II Piezo
4. Studio
5. Modern Eagle V
6. Pauls guitar
7. NF53
8. Mark Tremonti
9. Santant Retro
10. Miles Kennedy
11. Fiore
12. S2 Vela

When you have so many models, I think the company can start to loose its identity. I think its better to have a good identity with great products, instead of keep coming out with another new guitar to try to get people to buy. The PRS identity then gets lost.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

It’s true, PRS had a tighter identity before.

 

[bodia]

It’s true, PRS had a tighter identity before.

Agreed. Although, to their credit, before the Mrs retired I was on a quest to have one of each model. That could be marketing genius.

 

[Revelation]

After purchasing a couple guitars, learning to be content with what you have is pretty easy if you stay off the internet.

 

[shinksma]

Those are (some of?) the models they currently offer, including one limited edition artist sig that is a hot take on the CU24.

But in the past PRS has offered a variety of models as well. My copy of the 2007 Catalog lists 26 different "Core" models, with the CE, Custom, and Standard all offered in 22 or 24 fret versions, which aren't part of that count - it's really 31 if you consider the CU22 to be a different model from the CU24, for example.

So I don't think PRS currently has an overly too-broad a product offering.

 

[BrianC]

I enjoy that they make something for each requirement. Bigger tent for more appeal. I think they need that to survive and grow as company.

 

[RC Mike]

Agreed. Although, to their credit, before the Mrs retired I was on a quest to have one of each model. That could be marketing genius.

I think that’s a big part of it. I have no idea what percentage of PRS owners have more than one, but I’ve got 11. If they made just a handful of models and I already had one of each… I suppose I’d have them in multiple colors/woods. “But Sweetie, they do different things!”

I’m kinda dumb, but they needed a home and I like having them.

Kiesel has learned that their niche is customization in a true sense. Lots of choices that can be put together with the online configurator. CNC machines that just load a different pattern. No worries about taste or sound—that’s all on the customer.

The Kanami is really about aesthetics that you can’t easily package from PRS. Nothing unique guitar-wise, but if you want a 24-08 with black hardware and brushstroke birds, what’cha gonna do?

 

[FMWhoWatt]

When you say Gibson, Fender, G&L, Music Man, or Rickenbacker guitars, you have a good idea in your mind what type of guitars they are. When someone said PRS, you thought of the Custom 24, Silver Sky, McCarty (594) and DGT. However, they have a lot more guitars. You first have the Core, and the S2 and SE versions of the Core models which I think is a good idea. But then they keep going with more and more models. Here is a list of just some of the guitars they offer.
1. Kanami Limited Edition
2. 594 Hollowbody II
3. Hollowbody II Piezo
4. Studio
5. Modern Eagle V
6. Pauls guitar
7. NF53
8. Mark Tremonti
9. Santant Retro
10. Miles Kennedy
11. Fiore
12. S2 Vela

When you have so many models, I think the company can start to loose its identity. I think its better to have a good identity with great products, instead of keep coming out with another new guitar to try to get people to bu y. The PRS identity then gets lost.

To be fair (to your last point): PRS makes great guitars. The nf53 is my favorite guitar to come out since the Silver Sky and I have heard nothing but great things about the PRS models I havent tried or owned (Fiore, Santana, Piezo). I believe their identity is and always has been the finest quality of instrument that you can buy (at 'X' price point).

Beyond that, let Paul cook!

PRS has always been about growth and innovation. The narrowfields sound amazing! The 635JM's sound amazing! The 5909's sound amazing! The 408/513 system is amazing! The 85/15's... well, you can't win them all.

But overall, I'm glad they tinker and come out with new products. Better than slapping bustbucker pros on all of your models or making the 1200th version of the same 62 singlecoil pickups (this time, handwound by a Tibetan monk named Charlie!).

 

[veinbuster]

Nothing wrong with trying to make the best of every significant electric guitar.

I couldn’t begin to count, let alone understand, all the variations of Stratocaster that Fender sells.

 

[László]

Under the Gibson brand, Gibson currently makes 15 acoustic guitar models, 27 different hollow and semi hollow models, 33 solid body models, and 10 bass guitars. This does not include their Epiphone line, Steinberger, Kramer or Tobias.

But under their own name, just with guitars Gibson makes 75 models, not including the 10 bass models.

That's a LOT of different models and doesn't even include their Custom Shop permutations of many of their models. So I don't understand the reference.

PRS does not make 75 models!

Fender doesn't make as many models as Gibson, but for each model there are sub-model permutations, and lines like the Ultra II series, a variety of Artist models, Custom shop models, etc. It's absolutely bewildering.

As far as I'm concerned, Keisel Guitars are an off-brand that never had an identity to lose.

I'm not seeing anything to worry about with PRS. But what does brand identity have to do with whether a guitar is good, bad, or indifferent? Judge the guitar, not the brand identity. In that case PRS and plenty of other high end makers do a great job.

And PRS is now the third largest guitar company in the US, if not the world. They have a lot to be proud of.

 

[helmi]

They already have. people just dont want to admit it.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

As far as I'm concerned, Keisel Guitars are an off-brand that never had an identity to lose.

lol! I used to think they were the Sketchers of guitar brands.

… but then Sketchers did something cool by telling Yeezy to pound sand.

 

[Prs Mods too]

Keisel.

2 crappy Carvins were enough for me. Over hyped American made trash.

I don't want anything to do with those fools.

 

[SinSir]

Sure PRS has expanded.. good for them. I don't even identify PRS with most of the ones OP named. Cu24 is what immediately comes to mind. So does a Santana. An OG McC, not the 594 or even the SS. Those two are good guitars but they are more about capturing F&G marketshare than PRS identity. Maybe a DGT but a CE pops to mind for me before that, OG over new.

Expanding to OP list the Tremonti is one I think of for sure and even before the DGT. Vela, yup, such a unique guitar to PRS. Hollowbody as well and definitely a MEV too. I personally don't think of a Pauls at all but hard to argue that it's not PRS named Pauls.

PRS identity to me is uniqueness even if it's a tweak here or there. That's their identity. Working with players to bring what they want to vision rather that's an artist production models, or our private stocks.

 

[Runcible Gates]

If a company's products have only very loose ties to an artistic or artisanal vision, then they can lose focus through excessive variation.

 

[Maertl513]

I recently often critizes concerning PRS that customers (incl. artists) are very likely the reason that the model line consists more and more of iconic guitar design inspired models: predominately Silver Sky, 594 Single Cut, NF53/Myles Kennedy - instead of pushing PRS unique models. "Oh, Paul, I love your CU24 and Santana, but I beg you for introducing kinda vintage Strat with all the PRS benefits." The same with Tele or Les Paul.
They ignored the privilege of being individual though. It's another Tele-, Strat-, LP-Style guitar on the market - made by PRS.

There are plenty of "real" PRS gems in the line-up, which have not been copied: Santana, Tremonti, and some discontinued models (due to changed demand of customers). The first company, which took the PRS body shape as a role model, was Fame. Harley Benton introduced a model inspired by PRS. And not talking about Chinese mass products which even copy the entire brand logo.

On the other hand side, Paul and his team are keen in searching the best tonal quality, build quality.
And PRS is very different from Kiesel.

 

[dogrocketp]

I’m a tone chaser who won’t play anything other than PRS. I strongly dislike tele’s , although one of my brothers gave me one. Other than that, I’ve gotten PRS to give me the sounds I want and some I didn’t know I could have. It’s taken years and a lot of models to load my arsenal. Each one sounds distinctly PRS to my ears. One guitar isn’t enough for me. Thanks PRS! It’s great to be a kid in the candy store!

 

[Prina]

I believe their identity is and always has been the finest quality of instrument that you can buy

This. As long as they keep quality they'll be fine.

One of the big reasons I bought my first PRS a couple of years ago was a comment by Fractal audio founder Cliff Chase that PRS had the most consistent quality in the US (followed by Collings).

 

[László]

This. As long as they keep quality they'll be fine.

One of the big reasons I bought my first PRS a couple of years ago was a comment by Fractal audio founder Cliff Chase that PRS had the most consistent quality in the US (followed by Collings).

Agreed on both counts!

I think there are a handful of others who also qualify as builders of consistently great guitars; Anderson and Suhr come to mind, for example.

 

[WingerRules]

2 crappy Carvins were enough for me. Over hyped American made trash.

I have a Bolt T. It was a kit guitar. It is EASILY the equal or superior of any $1500/ strat style guitar I've played. I have played 4 others, and a friend owns one of those so I have played it more than once. They were all very good guitars.