Newer Used Gear or Older Used Gear?

[ThatOneGuy]

I've been playing Les Pauls but recently acquired a used SE 277 hollow body. This thing kills the LP in terms of accuracy. I can never get the dang G string on my Gibson quite 'in tune', but the SE is so stable - yeah, I know it's a baritone. The SE has a nice fit & finish, I'm impressed with it and now I'm itching to get my hands on a US PRS model.

I've read that '85 to '95 are some of the best PRS years. In general, at the sub $2k range would I be better off with a older model, or a more recent model?

I know 'it depends', but I'm several hours from a decent guitar shop, and I'd probably not have the opportunity to compare vintage vs newer anyhow.

I'd love to hear some advice on what you guys think. Thanks in advance!

 

[gush]

Not sure I agree with older being the best. Yes the much older ones were hand built but my 2011 cu24 with 5909s is incredible.

What you need to pay attention to is pickup options older ones will have HFS/VB or possibly dragon 1s. Much older could have Tand Bs. 2008 started the 5708 craze and shortly after that 5909s newer one can have 8515/5815.

3 way toggle 5 way blade and rotary are your switching options.

Try out these pickups before you buy.

 

[sloanthebone]

I have owned many PRS's from years 1992-2017. They were all awesome. I may not have liked the configuration of some of them (anything with a middle pickup) but they were still top quality. Start the journey and bounce around the years, there is something to love about all of them.

 

[elvis]

IMO the older ones are marketed as better by people looking to get more money for them. Collectors may value them for their rarity or historical value.

As a player, I prefer CNC-made guitars with the most modern features. They are the most consistent and they are also more likely to get in tune and stay there. I think you get a lot more guitar for the money when you go modern used. The odds of getting "that guitar with all the hand-made mojo" are not in your favor.

 

[AP515]

This is just my opinion, but I'd guess this is pretty close to the opinion of PRSh. I've heard him say similar things.

1. 85 - 95 PRS guitars are NOT better than any other year. If someone tells you so, they are looking to sell.
2. The trail of improvements to hardware and pickups has been steady and constant. If you compare the T&B's to 85/15's the results will be clear.
3. Unless you are a collector, the 85-92 market is not for you. It is for collecting. There may be a sweet deal from time to time, but generally you are paying for the age/rarity, not some special tonal quality.
4. The used market has great deals for years 95-2015. Prices climb pretty quickly before, or after, that. At your $2K level you should not worry so much about year and really focus on that model you want to find. The model makes more sense than the year. CL, EBay, Reverb, and dealers all have good deals. Dealers give you more security if you don't know exactly what you are looking at. The others may offer better deals but you are kind of on your own.

 

[Huggy Love]

I bought a used 2013 408 and I like the way it plays more than the 1997 Cu22 I used to own, I feel their production stuff has gotten even better over time.
......and they were stellar to start with.

 

[G-Man]

Great question. If you ask Paul, he will say buy the newest models because they have 30 years of refinements made to them and they are the best on the market. He wants to also sell new guitars not used. My answer is a little different and depends on your budget for a guitar. Buy what you can afford and you will not go wrong. I use the new CE vs. the old CE at half the price. You are buying a new guitar with pickups that people generally think sound better, more consistent and flames maple tops in a wider range of colors and the upgraded switching. If you are upgrading the old to the new, the price gap narrows dramatically if you can get the new parts. If, however, you can only afford a guitar for a bit over a grand, the old is a bargain and kills guitars at double the price from other brands.

 

[ThatOneGuy]

Thank you for the excellent, thoughtful replies! You have helped me tremendously.

 

[ThatOneGuy]

Being the PRS forum, I'm pretty certain you guys know your stuff. What is so cool is that the consensus sounds like the products really haven't declined in quality, and that actual players continue to be pleased. I don't think most manufacturers would have gotten the same kind of feedback.

 

[dogrocketp]

By all means, look for the model you like, with pickups you like. If you`re not sure, YouTube your brains out, and go through the forum looking for any threats that might help you. A lot of PRSi have passed through my hands, and I`ve never played a bad one. The fantastic ones were my keepers.

 

[ReptilianNosewood]

Paul is the Steve Jobs and the Steve Wozniak of guitar all in one. The best work he is doing is right now. We are living in the golden age of Paul Reed Smith guitars.

 

[László]

Not sure I agree with older being the best. Yes the much older ones were hand built but my 2011 cu24 with 5909s is incredible.

Actually, they were no more hand built than current ones. They were factory made guitars starting in 1985. I started with PRS in 1991. They were always great, but the newer ones are IMHO even more great.

Early ones were machined on a duplicarver instead of CNC; be aware that a duplicarver is an analog CNC machine.

CNC machining is more accurate, of course, which leads to tighter tolerances, which leads to perhaps nicer guitars, depending on one's point of view.

But in any case, anyone who's visited the factory is well aware of all the hand work that goes into making a PRS guitar. There's an awful lot of hand work to this day.

 

[BMiller]

My three core models date from '91, '96, and '06 and they all exhibit the traits of high quality and what we love about PRS. All three sound different due to different bridge pickups and woods (the '06 CE has a solid mahogany body and the '91 has a Hot Vintage Treble bridge pickup) but they all feel about the same. On the used market, you can get A LOT of guitar for your money. A used CE in great condition can be found for half of what you want to spend and beat the pants off of anything in that price range. My '91 came in a bit more than your budget but for less than it should have (GC screwed up and missed the fact that it has a 10 top).

In the end, it really comes down to electronics and what you prefer. No matter the year, you will not get a dog.

 

[garrettb]

Ah, the legacy of Ed Roman lives on.

It was around 1995 when PRS expanded and moved from Annapolis to Stevensville. That's also when they modernized the equipment, as Les referenced. As with any change, some people resisted and did their best to justify the previous state of things by arguing the new guitars were inferior. They weren't/aren't.

I think some people were expecting the early years to end up being the golden age, as it was with Fender and Gibson. PRS has bucked that expectation though, and I'd agree that the golden age of PRS is now.

You really can't go wrong, but the newer ones are more finely refined. We will of course be glad to help narrow down your choices.

 

[László]

From what I've experienced, once the shape/geometry and material of a guitar is fixed, nothing much will change because of time except quality.

Unless the wood used in the 80's were significantly different, I would not expect any difference in the tone and performance.

Quality and refinements would only have improved over the years, I reckon. I mean, how can it not?

Well, this is in fact the case, the guitars are quite similar, and the differences are in the tweaks. You might like the tweaks, you might prefer the older versions, and no one's right or wrong in this.

I like the latest tweaks. They always surprise me in a good way with PRS.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

There are things I like better about the older ones and things I like more about the newer ones.. but mostly, I like them all.

 

[BMiller]

Agree. There is something I truly believe, so be my words marked.

The golden age of PRS, is when Paul is still with the company, regardless of whether he handmade the guitar, or he fostered the best standards by personally inspecting them.

Ask yourself, how many of you have your personal work checked by the CEO? What kind of effect would that have on your work, if that was the case?

Exactly! So long as Paul is involved the golden age will continue. Who picks up the torch after him will really determine what the best era is. But for now, of all the big manufacturers out there, PRS builds the best and most consistent product. Four of mine were purchased sight unseen and upon delivery they were exactly what I was expecting. CNC, duplicarver, or hand made, the quality and attention to detail is amazing.

 

[alantig]

I've never gotten the angst over whether the guitar was cut by hand or machine. The sanding is done by hand (with tools, so we don't have a carpal tunnel epidemic), so by the time the guitar is finished, the wood touched by the blades is long gone.

Within reason, I don't care how the wood gets from its raw form to the finished product - I'm playing the finished product. THAT'S the important state.

 

[László]

Within reason, I don't care how the wood gets from its raw form to the finished product - I'm playing the finished product. THAT'S the important state.

Star Trek replicator?