My guitar family

[Patrick Montgomery]

I’m new to the forum, but have been collecting/playing PRS guitars since 2010! This was my collection earlier this year, so it doesn’t include my newest guitar. Just thought you all might enjoy some eye candy!

 

[Stephen J.]

Very nice. How would you say the ME-V, 509, and Special compare in the tones that combine the middle pickup?

 

[Patrick Montgomery]

Very nice. How would you say the ME-V, 509, and Special compare in the tones that combine the middle pickup?

I would say the 513 is the weakest of all of them. It was my first PRS and is sentimental (my late grandfather drove to Nashville with me to get it - he was a big supporter of my music). If it wasn’t a sentimental guitar I probably would have sold it as soon as I got the MEV. The 513 sounds a bit thinner than the other two.

The MEV is awesome at single coil sounds, that’s where it excels. The humbucker sounds are brighter than the Special, but not bad. I have to tweak my amps a decent amount to get them to sound how I want though.

The Special is my favorite of all my PRSi. It’s a wood library with swamp ash body, torrified maple neck, and an ebony board. The feel of it is fantastic and the tone is the best of any guitar I have. I really think the semi hollow adds something magical to the sound. The only complaint I have is the center position on the blade switch is all 3 pups. I have been considering modding it to the MEV wiring so I can engage bridge and neck pups with a push pull pot and the center position is only the middle pup. I think at that point it would be perfect. I like this one so much I’ve considered having my first PS build be based on it.

 

[Egads]

Nice! Surprised to hear the 513 is the weak link of the three. That says so much about the others, though! I've had two 513s (still have the first one), and they couldn't have been more different for the same model. In full hum, my first one is super dark and heavy, whereas the other was more like a slightly less mids-heavy SG. If your 513 is more like me second one, I can see it sounding thinner.

 

[bodia]

That's a hot family, for sure! Spot on with your take on the 513/ME-V/SSH. I let my 509 go after I lived with the ME-V for a couple of months. Kept the SSH, too. Love that WL wood set on your SSH.

 

[Patrick Montgomery]

Nice! Surprised to hear the 513 is the weak link of the three. That says so much about the others, though! I've had two 513s (still have the first one), and they couldn't have been more different for the same model. In full hum, my first one is super dark and heavy, whereas the other was more like a slightly less mids-heavy SG. If your 513 is more like me second one, I can see it sounding thinner.

The 513 is by no means a bad guitar, the others are just better. I prefer it live because it’s already a little beat up from my road days 10 years ago. I can tell a difference live, but I don’t think the bar crowd can, and it’s single coil in between sounds are really good. The heavy humbucking sound is a little dark for my taste, and the clear humbucking is what I find a little thin. I use an EP booster with it though and it fattens it up plenty.

 

[helmi]

Show off! lol. seriously, beautiful collection.

 

[Warmart]

Welcome, VERY nice group you have there! But does it make it hard to use that door?

 

[Patrick Montgomery]

Welcome, VERY nice group you have there! But does it make it hard to use that door?

Ha! Thank you. That’s an attic door so it’s not used often . These are all usually in cases except for when I’m playing them.

 

[Warmart]

Ha! Thank you. That’s an attic door so it’s not used often . These are all usually in cases except for when I’m playing them.

I know, just teasing bro!