Need More Validation?

[László]

Other guitar folks occasionally giving you a hard time about your PRS? Need a little validation re: your choice of a guitar? Want some warm fuzzies?

While praising one of his Les Pauls, Tim Pierce (who has done lead guitar sessions for literally thousands of iconic, big time records as a session guy in LA) says, “I’m a PRS aficionado, and for me, PRSes are the best guitars for me to use most of the time at this point.”

So, yeah. Tim Pierce agrees with you if you think your PRSes are the best for you to use most of the time.

Skip to 18:25 of Tim’s video here:

Granted, we don’t all need validation. I can see the choruses of “I am my own person,” etc. I feel that way, too. But still it’s nice to have just that little bit more.

 

[Mozzi]

I watched this as soon as I got notification of Tim Posting it to youtube. I had to agree with him that PRS guitars are the best guitars and don't need to have the Pick-ups changed. I know a lot of people seem to want to change PU's and sometimes before they have even got the guitar in their hands and played with them. I have even seen people change the PU's rather than change the settings on their amp and/or pedals because their older guitar had hotter or lower output, didn't have the clarity or the range of frequencies that PRS PU's have.

Each to their own but I agree with Tim here that PRS are the best and don't require a PU change...

 

[BWV548]

I’ve heard of Tim Pierce. His name is Tim Pierce, which contains the letter “T” at the beginning
Though rather than Ron Ellis pickups, perhaps he should be looking at Doc Ellis pickups

 

[Mark Ray]

Studio cats, including Tim Pierce, appreciate the fact that PRS guitars intonate so well. I've heard that lots of dudes running big time studios almost demand their use for recording for that purpose, not to mention how good they sound.

 

[László]

Studio cats, including Tim Pierce, appreciate the fact that PRS guitars intonate so well. I've heard that lots of dudes running big time studios almost demand their use for recording for that purpose, not to mention how good they sound.

Unfortunately, there are lots of producers who give PRS players crap over playing PRS.

On the other hand, I’ve used PRS guitars on the ad music I produce since 1991. So I’m kinda...well...sold on ‘em.

 

[jvin248]

.

But pay attention to the beginning of the video where Tim says he won't ever swap pickups in his PRS because Paul is a friend of his...

Tim with his skills could make a bag of hammers sound good on recordings.

And Tim is a nice guy.

.

 

[BWV548]

Unfortunately, there are lots of producers who give PRS players crap over playing PRS.

On the other hand, I’ve used PRS guitars on the ad music I produce since 1991. So I’m kinda...well...sold on ‘em.

Really??? Why? What is their rationale? Do they have reasons worthy of argument, or is it more of the same, tired, stiflingly uncreative BS about doctors and lawyers?

 

[andy474x]

It’s not even a question for me anymore. Not to discount the creation of this thread! But I honestly and optimistically try guitars from other brands hoping to like them, to add something different to my arsenal, but it usually doesn’t end well.

I think the criticism of PRS is fading fast, at least in the quagmire of hobby/weekend warrior/semi-pro guitarists. Fender makes some decent guitars, but you need to spend $1500+, PRS now sells a Silver Sky for not too much more. Gibson, you pretty much have to spend PRS Core money to get a guitar that’s made well. Overall, people have just realized that with either of the big brands, you can’t just buy the cheapest offerings and get a great instrument. They work, but the difference in quality is real, and when it comes to really nice instruments, neither of those other brands is doing great things at prices much lower than PRS.

When talking about less than $1500 guitars, I almost feel like “why aren’t you playing a PRS?” The fretwork, intonation, resonance of the SE’s and S2’s just blows equally priced guitars from other brands out of the water.

Studio cats, including Tim Pierce, appreciate the fact that PRS guitars intonate so well. I've heard that lots of dudes running big time studios almost demand their use for recording for that purpose, not to mention how good they sound.

I’ve had even my SE’s have to be used by other players for that reason.

Really??? Why? What is their rationale? Do they have reasons worthy of argument, or is it more of the same, tired, stiflingly uncreative BS about doctors and lawyers?

I’m so sick of that. They keep leaving out dentists, and we demand to be heard.

 

[TwelfthTangent]

Interestingly, I don’t do a lot of modding, but my only recent mod was to put PRS pickups into another brand guitar.

 

[danktat]

I know a lot of people seem to want to change PU's and sometimes before they have even got the guitar in their hands and played with them. I have even seen people change the PU's rather than change the settings on their amp and/or pedals ...

I could have SWORN I made this point for the "why do modders mod" thread a couple of months back.....lol

 

[László]

.

But pay attention to the beginning of the video where Tim says he won't ever swap pickups in his PRS because Paul is a friend of his...

Tim with his skills could make a bag of hammers sound good on recordings.

And Tim is a nice guy.

.

He also says they’re great pickups.

Thing is, Tim uses really good stuff in his work, regardless of what he can do with hammers.

 

[Boogie]

...They keep leaving out dentists, and we demand to be heard.

Hey, what about us in the financial sector? Chopped liver? Ney, sayeth I! And some pretty savvy dudes I know have marveled at my SE245. You walk away shaking your head in disbelief.

 

[Mozzi]

I could have SWORN I made this point for the "why do modders mod" thread a couple of months back.....lol

Maybe you did, but I also know I have said this multiple times on various threads too over the tome I have frequented this forum and before that thread started too...

 

[danktat]

Maybe you did, but I also know I have said this multiple times on various threads too over the tome I have frequented this forum and before that thread started too...

People went buck wild, and were almost offended that I'd question the need to do all the mods. All of the "it's about getting a guitar exactly how you want it", and all of the other ever so common excuses. And I had mentioned, there are people that don't even KNOW what the guitar sounds or feels like in their hands, but already start talking about the changes they will be making to it BEFORE it is ever in their possession. Pups are usually that first thing to go. In my mind, it seems to be the IDEA of modding that is as important to many people than the actual change that is being made to the feel or sound. Like it is impossible to leave a good thing be.

 

[László]

People went buck wild, and were almost offended that I'd question the need to do all the mods. All of the "it's about getting a guitar exactly how you want it", and all of the other ever so common excuses. And I had mentioned, there are people that don't even KNOW what the guitar sounds or feels like in their hands, but already start talking about the changes they will be making to it BEFORE it is ever in their possession. Pups are usually that first thing to go. In my mind, it seems to be the IDEA of modding that is as important to many people than the actual change that is being made to the feel or sound. Like it is impossible to leave a good thing be.

Everyone’s tastes are different.

F’rinstance, I wasn’t crazy about the pickups that came before the 5x/0x series. They were a little too cloudy for my tastes, but I wouldn’t change the pickups on anything after 2008 or whenever the newer series came out.

However, other folks prefer the older pickups to the newer ones. If you like everything about, say, a 594 except you want hotter pickups, there’s no reason you shouldn’t buy the 594 and plan on swapping the pickups.

I might not do it, you might not do it, but someone else might have a better experience with the guitar doing that. It makes sense to me.

 

[dogrocketp]

I think you need to live with a guitar for several months before you mod it, just so you can understand what it offers you. A couple of my SE’s are modded, and a couple are basically stock, other than locking tuners and a new nut. My S2 and core are stock, they had something I really liked built into them. As Paul says, everything affects everything. Be sure you know what you’ll lose before you start monkeying. And if it’s missing something, buy another one.................

 

[danktat]

I think you need to live with a guitar for several months before you mod it, just so you can understand what it offers you. A couple of my SE’s are modded, and a couple are basically stock, other than locking tuners and a new nut. My S2 and core are stock, they had something I really liked built into them. As Paul says, everything affects everything. Be sure you know what you’ll lose before you start monkeying. And if it’s missing something, buy another one.................

That is where I am at with it. Particularly on higher end guitars. If it is a squier you are buying, you understand up front that the quality of the build and parts may be lacking and may need some things to bring it up to snuff. A core PRS, to me, needs nothing.

That being said.......the one thing I MIGHT consider is, after having a couple of prs guitars with the five way rotary, and a couple with the three way toggle with push pull pots, I have a much clumsier time with the rotary than the toggle. I'll be playing out with my CU22 with the rotary in about a week. I'll see how in a live situation it affects me compared to the toggle and figure out if the rotary stays or not. In a home, or studio situation, I like the sounds it gives. But live, and on the fly, I may need something that I can spot where I am more quickly.

 

[dogrocketp]

Put a chicken head knob on the 5 way. Problem solved.

 

[Maertl513]

I bought a core PRS, which makes pickup swap a real challange because of the electronics and cavities. A 513 (but it's the same with 509 and 305). On the other hand side there is no use. First approach to tweak a sound is adjusting the amp, then integrating pedals and so on.
Though a lot of my friends are really keen on swapping pickups (core line, SE), because of the expectation, that an other pickup will deliver more accuracy in string selection, attack, different output.
The only time I swapped pickups was when I wanted a guitar with active pickups, originally it was equipped with a Rockinger Rat at bass and a Seymour Duncan JB-4 Zebra at treble position. After the modification at neck position is an EMG SA and at bridge an EMG 89.

 

[László]

Really??? Why? What is their rationale? Do they have reasons worthy of argument, or is it more of the same, tired, stiflingly uncreative BS about doctors and lawyers?

Depends on the roles of the respective people. I don’t think it has much, if anything, to do with the doctor/lawyer BS, to be honest. It’s more a matter of doing what’s familiar.

Also, it’s different when you’re bringing in session players vs when you’re producing a band that already has a sound.

Imagine you’re a top record producer hired for a singer/songwriter’s record, with lots of hit albums under your belt, and you’re using session players for various parts.

You’re getting a large upfront fee plus points on the record, so there are expectations re: getting “your sound,” and there’s some time and budget pressure.

Session player strolls in with a PRS. You haven’t worked with PRS players much, if at all. You’re hearing a Telecaster part. So maybe you’re going to say to the player, “Have you got a Tele?”

Let’s say the player isn’t Tim Pierce or some famous cat; he/she is less proven, and is happy to get a paying gig on a big record. He/she wants to get more work from producer, and came in with 5 guitars in addition to the PRS. Is he going to argue with Producer? Probably not. Time is money. Instead he’s going to say, “Sure, I brought a Tele, want me to play that?”

Producer says, “Yeah, I’m hearing a Tele part.” End of discussion.

On the other hand, if the player is a member of the band and plays a PRS, there’s a much higher chance that the PRS goes on the record, because technically the band is employing the producer. A band member can say, “Hey, this is what I play and is the sound I’m after.” The producer has to respect that.

Or if as a producer I’m bringing in a player with a known sound, like a David Grissom, I know in advance what his sound is, I want his tone on the record, so I’m going to give him the freedom to get his sound.