NGD - and a question

[thelimey]

Folks. I'm thrilled to have received my first PRS guitar today. A charcoal burst non 10-top McCarty. Selling some G-brand guitars to fund it

The top has a 'blemish' on it. My question for the forum folks is should I return this and consider it defective or should I consider it 'character!' I know it's a non 10 top but I've not seen marks like this on other PRS guitars. It's under the v12 finish... I suspect the wood wouldn't take a stain due to a knot or something.

I wonder if it will drive me nuts over the years. I could switch it out for a faded whale blue.

 

[shinksma]

Well, I would call that "character" and a part of being a non-10-top. Wouldn't bother me in the slightest.

But I am not you.

Does it bother you?

 

[Ruxster]

That would drive me crazy, but I'm pretty particular. Given that it is a regular top I don't think it's a defect or anything. It's really just a matter of how you look at it; will you view it as character? Or as a flaw?

 

[László]

Looks like a marking in the wood, maybe a mineral streak of some kind that didn’t take the stain. Wouldn’t bother me in the least, and I’m pretty picky.

If it bothers you, exchange it. Simple.

 

[jfb]

Looks like a marking in the wood, maybe a mineral streak of some kind that didn’t take the stain. Wouldn’t bother me in the least, and I’m pretty picky.

If it bothers you, exchange it. Simple.

There you have it. I'm with Les. It is clear in the photos from Sweetwater. I can't imagine something that visible made it out of PRS and Sweetwater if it was a "defect", so if it bothers you, exchange it. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[garrettb]

I'd call it character, but I'm not you, so it depends on whether or not it bothers you.

FYI, they stopped using V12 a few years ago. The formula has evolved, but they don't give the finish a catchy name anymore.

 

[ElrytNamrogo]

I'm kinda curious if that one mark is what "held it back" from being a 10....that top is killer.

FWI, the mark wouldn't bother me. But, like others said, I'm not you and it if it does bother you, send it back and get something else.

 

[WD 3D]

nobody but us look at our guitars that way too... If it bugs you, you should probably exchange it but you may be the only person who ever notices it.

 

[tyfu20]

It wouldn't bother me, but having a brother who is OCD, I say get what your happy with as it probably will bug the hell out of you later if you don't.

 

[Darkho]

Honestly I don't like this lines.
Exchange it, everyday you will look at it you will think this guitar is a mistake.
It will stay in its case if you have other guitars...

 

[Rockmark]

Sweetwater will do what you want so the rest is up to how much it bothers you. Hey, if you send it back to them you may find what you like better and nothing on it will ever bother you. It's a tough one but also depends of course on how the guitar sounds and feels to you and if you love the top other than the brown mark. Either choice, you're a winner going with a PRS. You will love playing PRS. Good luck with your decision.

 

[elvis]

I had a charcoal burst Tremonti with lots of copper color like that in the top. It was gorgeous. Really unique.

To each his own.

 

[dcm_guitar]

Some people wouldn't care, others would complain incessantly. The only opinion that matters is yours. Like Les said, it if bothers you, exchange it.

 

[gush]

That might bother me......not sure........maybe after a few months I might think I should have sent it back BUT if that guitar sings to you or just feels freakin good in your hands keep it.

I have a ce22 with dragon 1 pickups. It's a black burst wrap finish which really doesn't trip my trigger and I thought about selling it and getting a better looking ce with dragon 1s.

This guitar FEELS so good and sounds so good and stays in tune better than any other prs I own. I literally flog that trem to hell and back and it stays in tune very well.
Do I want to risk losing these qualities? Would it's replacement check all those boxes? I'm not taking that chance, no way man!

 

[Darkho]

I checked mine (pictures of the shop where I buy it are better than mine) and I have some vertical lines too. I never notified it before.
In fact WD 3D is right :

nobody but us look at our guitars that way too...

On your third picture we see nothing.

 

[bodia]

Looks like a marking in the wood, maybe a mineral streak of some kind that didn’t take the stain. Wouldn’t bother me in the least, and I’m pretty picky.

If it bothers you, exchange it. Simple.

This gets my vote as well. The real question, how does it feel? Not the mark, the guitar. If you love how it feels, plays and sounds, I'd call it a keeper.

 

[Shizzrock]

that's a tough call, because the rest of the top looks better than a lot of ten tops

 

[veinbuster]

On your third picture we see nothing.

I see it. I think I would always see it.

I feel that if you are thinking it might be a problem now, the safe bet is to swap it.

 

[László]

I do think that sometimes we get awfully hung up on some idea of visual perfection, when in fact, it’s made of a natural material that doesn’t care whether it’s destined to be a ten top or not. The tree would probably prefer to be a living tree.

For me, the determining question would be, “Is the guitar a great sounding one?” If not, I don’t want it even if it looks perfect, and if it’s great sounding, the guitar doesn’t have to look perfect.

But even though I have, and like, pretty guitars, after a few days, I don’t even look at them except to take them out of the case to play, and after playing, to put them back in the case.

 

[László]

I checked mine (pictures of the shop where I buy it are better than mine) and I have some vertical lines too. I never notified it before.
In fact WD 3D is right :

On your third picture we see nothing.

Those vertical cross-grain lines are actually present to a greater or lesser degree on all tops, and are highly desirable in the eyes of lots of players. My Private Stock acoustic guitar has them; Paul Smith and Jack Gretz picked the woods for the guitar, and I love that look.