My favorite PRS model

I really do love all my PRS guitars, but for me, my favorite has to be my Exp2018 Special Semi Hollow with the 58/15MTs... And honestly, it's not even close... If there could be only one, it would be that one.

I don't have a Favourite either as they all are exceptional instruments. For the majority of my 'playing' life, I played a 'Les Paul' so the 594 is my most 'comfortable' (or most familiarity with) in terms of the actual layout but I must admit, my Ltd Edition Special Semi-Hollow is a very 'Special' instrument. If I had to reduce my Guitars down to just 1, I think it would have to be the Special due to the versatility and the tones it has - as well as being a 'light' guitar - not as light as my Hollowbody guitars, but still relatively light.

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and it looks stunning too - but then so do all my others...
 
Over the past year or so, and including a couple of new comers, I have to say I LOVE my 594 Soapbar.
That thing just farkin' rocks.
It loves any amp, cleans up great, and is a filthy dirty girl when you want it.

I want to try one of these. Until yesterday I had a guitar with P90s in a Tele-style body with tune-o-matic bridge. I loved the sound of it and could get a wicked snarl out of it that I couldn't with my others. But because the pickup was so large and close to the strings, I had to pick further behind it, which caused a forearm welt when playing it while sitting. I'm thinking that may not be an issue with the more svelte PRS body. My only other issue was the cavity had no shielding, so it really buzzed. I don't know how many PRSs come shielded, just that mine is.

Anyway, groovetastic guitar!
 
I want to try one of these. Until yesterday I had a guitar with P90s in a Tele-style body with tune-o-matic bridge. I loved the sound of it and could get a wicked snarl out of it that I couldn't with my others. But because the pickup was so large and close to the strings, I had to pick further behind it, which caused a forearm welt when playing it while sitting. I'm thinking that may not be an issue with the more svelte PRS body. My only other issue was the cavity had no shielding, so it really buzzed. I don't know how many PRSs come shielded, just that mine is.

Anyway, groovetastic guitar!
Cheers!
I def reach for this one often.
I don't have any issues with hum/buzz, but that may be due the noise gate on my Kemper. I'll try turning it off when I get home.
 
Right now it's my Santana (in the avatar). Second would probably be my SAS.

I'm really digging the Santana though. It's the only guitar I have where the tone control actually does amazing things. Most guitars I always keep the tone wide open because anything else just sounds worse. The Santana is a whole 'nuther story. There are these great tones available at various places on the tone control, unlike any other guitar I have. This is true for both clean and overdriven sounds. I don't know if the cap value is different, or it's just the nature of the Santana pickups, but it's really been an eye-opener to me.

Anyone else notice that?
 
Right now it's my Santana (in the avatar). Second would probably be my SAS.

I'm really digging the Santana though. It's the only guitar I have where the tone control actually does amazing things. Most guitars I always keep the tone wide open because anything else just sounds worse. The Santana is a whole 'nuther story. There are these great tones available at various places on the tone control, unlike any other guitar I have. This is true for both clean and overdriven sounds. I don't know if the cap value is different, or it's just the nature of the Santana pickups, but it's really been an eye-opener to me.

Anyone else notice that?
Always wanted to try a Santana. I’m thinking it and a Tremonti MT-15 amp in Santana mode would sound pretty great.
 
So I have owned a half dozen PRS models in the 15 years or so. The first was a 2007 core McCarty. The last is a Silver Sky SE. But the one I come back to and always puts a smile on my face is a 2008 Swamp Ash Special. Any of the PRS doubters out there who say they have no character (Rhett Shull I’m talking to you) clearly have not played a SAS. The SAS neck and bridge pickups are my favorite humbuckers except for the Burstbuckers. The Duncan Hot Rail in the middle I am not wild about, so I can understand why they went to the narrow field pickups in the later model, but this guitar is all about the neck or the bridge positions. Warm, articulate and huge sounding at full volume. They take every pedal I own make them sound amazing. Pick harmonics are really special on this guitar. The neck shape is perfect, and it makes a very compelling argument for maple necks. The swamp ash body is light and beautiful. I personally don’t think PRS should make a Telecaster based model because they have already made one better than it in the SAS. I don’t mean to go overboard in this post, but I am curious if anyone feels the same way. And thanks PRS for making this gem of a guitar.
The SAS is a fantastic guitar. Really versatile, great-sounding, and a perfect all-rounder.
 
I love them all, but I keep coming back to the 2014 McCarty Singlecut PS run as the guitar that's 'most me'.

I don't think it's a question of which is best; there is no best. But at some point you find a guitar (whether it's a PRS or not) that expresses YOUR idea of tone. So for me, that's the one.

Close runner up: the 20th Anniversary of Private Stock model from 2015-16. It's a beautiful sounding instrument. It's probably prettier sounding than the SC. But you know...sometimes it ain't about pretty. It'd be hard to say no to either one, to this day. Third would be the 30th Anniversary PS CU24. Played it the other day, and was literally blown away by the sound.

For me - YMMV - the PS models kick ass, and do what I want a guitar to do more than anything else PRS makes. I know, it's supposed to be about the looks. But it isn't. That's only part of it.

I've bought five other Core models since, spanning 2017-2021, and only hung onto one of them, a 594 Soapbar. Try as I might, I simply can't top any of my PS models. The Soapie stays because it's different from the others.

Yes, I feel guilty about selling perfectly wonderful guitars, but there's wonderful, and there's OMG.

I know this is horrible/bourgeois/yuppie/snotty to say, but the PS guitars are SO good - so amazing, so responsive, and I have no idea why, so don't ask- that I'm spoiled for anything else. However, they've all paid for themselves many times over on tracks I've recorded for ads, so screw it. They were 100% worth the dough.
 
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Anyone saying the SAS has no character has either never played one, or is so engrained in their vintage allegiance as to not hear great tone when they hear it. The SAS is a fantastic guitar. Eventually I will add one to the stable, whenever that will be. The ash/maple combo is always a win in my book.

Id love to get my hands on a swamp ash maple 594 trem, holy f@ck!!! Sorry, I’m at Twin Peaks and have my eyes so full of t!ts, I can hardly see straight.
 
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