My Strat!!!

markd21

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Can you say "click bait"????

This thread is about my 25th SAS Narrowfield. I don't have a story to go with this one - well nothing too in depth....

I pretty much ignored these because my attitude was if I want a 3 pickup guitar, I'll just play a Fender. THEN, a fellow whom I greatly respect - as a songwriter, guitarist, producer - and who's gear I have always liked started playing one. The fellow I am referring to is Jason Bieler from Saigon Kick/Owl Stretching. It was after seeing SK play in Tampa way back right as "The Lizard" was getting ready to be released that I went and ordered my first Rivera amp - an M-100 head with a pair of EVM12L loaded C112 cabs. Jason sounded so crushing through his Rivera amps that I NEEDED that sound, lol.

It was when he and Matt Kramer reunited a few years (maybe a couple? lost track of time...) that I noticed via Facebook that Jason was talking up the SAS NF he got from PRS for the tour. I messaged him a couple times and asked what he liked and didn't like about the guitar. We had a brief conversation, and I put the info in the back of my head for reference.

As I began my big PRS acquisition phase, I was focused on grabbing guitars that I knew would work for me in my band. I started with Singlecuts, since those seemed to fit the bill the best. I moved on to grabbing "Customs" and the like. Once I got what I "needed" it was time to grab some guitars that fit niches. The SAS was one of those.

As usual, GC James and I were searching the GC used site, and we compiled a list of 3-4 "interesting" PRS'. We did our research, and it ended up that I could get this SAS for a HUGE discount. It had been sitting a while and had been transferred to multiple stores. The store we contacted had it for 5 months with ZERO interest. James had it SITed over. By this time I had already bought more than a few so I was getting more picky with what I was buying. James was cool with bringing them in to the store because if I didn't like them, he'd have USA PRS guitars in stock. Quite a few years ago they stopped getting anything high-end that wasn't Gibson and every now and then somebody would come in looking for a PRS and he'd never have one. It worked out mutually well, and every guitar I didn't want sold within a week or two so the District Manager didn't complain.

Ok, back on track....the SAS came in and it was VERY different. It took a few minutes to get used to it. Honestly, at first I wasn't digging it. It was too different from what I had been buying. I sat and played it about an hour before I "got it" - it wasn't a traditional PRS (duh, right?) it was like a Strat with three Duncan Lil 59s!!! I dialed in the amp different and played some riffs with less gain - allowing the "twang" and natural tone of the guitar to shine. WOW! Used in the right context, this guitar was a screaming beast!!!!

I had recently bought and returned an EBMM St. Vincent. That was a cool guitar - played great, had unique sounds but was just a bit too different in EVERY way to be a keeper. It would have been an expensive guitar that got used for ONE specific sound - the middle position of the 5 way (it is weird weird...don't remember what that was, but it sounded AMAZING!!). The SAS was, to me, a WAY better and more useable St. Vincent. It had humbucker-ish vibe, but single coil clarity.

James and I looked at the guitar's history. I made him a realistic offer based on the info we had. He took it, and I left with the SAS!!!

I barely play it, but when I do I LOVE it.



Look at how PRS even "matches" the ash!!!



The Shadow Birds inlay is KILLER on the maple fretboard!!



The 25th Headstock Eagle is awesome too!! And of course it has the Ivory case too - very neat!!

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Nice 'strat'. Lol. I totally agree with your statement about finding the right amp settings for the SAS NF to shine. It does take some getting used to but once you find that 'spot', you fall in love. I've got 2 of them; I have always wondered why PRS discontinued them... I think they are great unique guitars.
 
Sweet guitar. Noticed the saddles are all even. How is the intonation?

Thanks! Never noticed until you said. I haven't measured it, but nothing sounds off when I am playing it. When I got it I changed the strings and that was it, lol...now I am curious!!
 
Congrats on a great guitar! Mine is just a plain old NF3. No SAS, and doesn't even have birdies (my only complaint). It's one of the greatest, most versatile guitars I've ever played. The NF pickups are AWESOME and the Pattern Regular maple neck/fingerboard is my favorite ever.

Plain white, no flamed tops, no birds... one of the plainest PRS guitars I've seen, and one of the greatest guitars EVER!
 
I'm the kind of guy that likes to travel light and I never take a backup on gigs and I don't swap in/swap out guitars.
In late 2009, it was time to retire my longtime guitar, a '77 Les Paul Deluxe with soapbars. I had always wanted a PRS.
The first one I bought was a CU22 soapbar. Didn't like it, never played it but still have it.
In short order I picked up a 25th SAS. That became my playing/gigging guitar right away. Great sound, excellent flexibility and looked good.
Then sometime in 2011, I bought a Studio with the two NF's and 57/08 and have been gigging it exclusively ever since.
I always thought I would swap the 57/08 with a BK Nailbomb, but have never bothered.
Great geetar.
 
I'm the kind of guy that likes to travel light and I never take a backup on gigs and I don't swap in/swap out guitars.
In late 2009, it was time to retire my longtime guitar, a '77 Les Paul Deluxe with soapbars. I had always wanted a PRS.
The first one I bought was a CU22 soapbar. Didn't like it, never played it but still have it.
In short order I picked up a 25th SAS. That became my playing/gigging guitar right away. Great sound, excellent flexibility and looked good.
Then sometime in 2011, I bought a Studio with the two NF's and 57/08 and have been gigging it exclusively ever since.
I always thought I would swap the 57/08 with a BK Nailbomb, but have never bothered.
Great geetar.

Man, this thread forced me to 're-assess' my list of favorite guitars. Today, thanks to you guys, my SAS NF is my favorite again.

On Friday, it was the 513 (through a Boogie TA-30). Prior to PRSh talking about the DC3 at Dave's earlier this month, it was the DC3. Prior to receiving the DC3, it was the 408.

But now, the SAS NF is in the #1 spot. I love that SAS. Thanks for reminding me.

:)
 
I'm the kind of guy that likes to travel light and I never take a backup on gigs and I don't swap in/swap out guitars.
In late 2009, it was time to retire my longtime guitar, a '77 Les Paul Deluxe with soapbars. I had always wanted a PRS.
The first one I bought was a CU22 soapbar. Didn't like it, never played it but still have it.
In short order I picked up a 25th SAS. That became my playing/gigging guitar right away. Great sound, excellent flexibility and looked good.
Then sometime in 2011, I bought a Studio with the two NF's and 57/08 and have been gigging it exclusively ever since.
I always thought I would swap the 57/08 with a BK Nailbomb, but have never bothered.
Great geetar.

Yep, I hear ya. I was shopping for a nice fancy Studio model. I really wanted a nice SAS Studio (would still love one!). Couldn't find either that I wanted and at the price I needed to stay at. Bought a painted, no birds NF3 and have been in love with the guitar since the first time I put my hands on it. It plays like a dream. It sounds FANTASTIC! It has ALL kinds of tones and does ANY gain range like a champ. You could never ask for more in a guitar. Except of course, some birdies would sure be nice! LOL
 
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