NGD Fiore Black Iris Mod

Julien

New Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
25
Location
France
So!!
After a rocky start (faulty microphonic Humbucker, and these vintage locking tuner not staying in tune), I can finally celebrate a NGD here!!

The humbucker has been swapped for a brand new one that PRS Europe kindly sent.
I also upgraded the tuners to the Phase III (I just love them on my special, it's like butter) with some Ebony buttons to match the black side of the Fiore.

As I already knew before ordering it, it's an amazing guitar and tool, you can do pretty much everything on it, any style. (which is why I also had a Special Semi Hollow, but I'm being way more careful with that 10 top guitar, that I am with the Fiore, which is good! I can take it anywhere and play it without thinking)

The neck is really standing out, different than the wide thin obviously of my C24, and also different than the pattern of my SSH. I got used to it really quickly and really like, like it's home.
Home used to be both my SSH and Xotic guitars (these necks...!!)

Sound wise, it's a Swiss army knife again , it will sound exactly like you want it to, IF you know your way with the many standard controls (always amazed how little people use the volume and tone knobs) and the bonus push/pull configuration.

I was in the market for a Strat with Humbucker/S/S coils, and was really closed to buy another Xotic, but XSC-2 this time or a Suhr, but the Fiore just ticked all the boxes for me (That headstock, these birds, this neck, the pickups, and the quality of the Brand I have known for years now), so no regrets at all.

Maybe one minor thing, is how fragile the black finish is on the guitar is...
Never had so many pick scratches in such a short period of time! On the white version, it's probably less obvious, but on the black iris under certain lightning conditions, it's crazy! But hey, these are meant to be played after all!

Happy day

Yin & Yang!
p.jpeg

p.jpeg
 
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Hi Julien,
I've read that others found the Fiore to be 'overly bright'. What's your take on that, if you don't mind me asking....
Strangely enough, I too am looking at Suhr and possibly Xotic XSC-2....
 
So!!
After a rocky start (faulty microphonic Humbucker, and these vintage locking tuner not staying in tune), I can finally celebrate a NGD here!!

The humbucker has been swapped for a brand new one that PRS Europe kindly sent.
I also upgraded the tuners to the Phase III (I just love them on my special, it's like butter) with some Ebony buttons to match the black side of the Fiore.

As I already knew before ordering it, it's an amazing guitar and tool, you can do pretty much everything on it, any style. (which is why I also had a Special Semi Hollow, but I'm being way more careful with that 10 top guitar, that I am with the Fiore, which is good! I can take it anywhere and play it without thinking)

The neck is really standing out, different than the wide thin obviously of my C24, and also different than the pattern of my SSH. I got used to it really quickly and really like, like it's home.
Home used to be both my SSH and Xotic guitars (these necks...!!)

Sound wise, it's a Swiss army knife again , it will sound exactly like you want it to, IF you know your way with the many standard controls (always amazed how little people use the volume and tone knobs) and the bonus push/pull configuration.

I was in the market for a Strat with Humbucker/S/S coils, and was really closed to buy another Xotic, but XSC-2 this time or a Suhr, but the Fiore just ticked all the boxes for me (That headstock, these birds, this neck, the pickups, and the quality of the Brand I have known for years now), so no regrets at all.

Maybe one minor thing, is how fragile the black finish is on the guitar is...
Never had so many pick scratches in such a short period of time! On the white version, it's probably less obvious, but on the black iris under certain lightning conditions, it's crazy! But hey, these are meant to be played after all!

Happy day

Yin & Yang!
p.jpeg

p.jpeg
That strap!!!!!!
 
Hi Julien,
I've read that others found the Fiore to be 'overly bright'. What's your take on that, if you don't mind me asking....
Strangely enough, I too am looking at Suhr and possibly Xotic XSC-2....
Hi @Aliboy ,

To be honest, this didn't really strike me as overly bright.
Brighter than my special semi hollow, yes, but again, the SSH because it's semi hollow is of course darker.

If I compare the Fiore single coils (neck+middle) to the Xotic XSC-1 single coils, it's a tad brighter maybe, but the neck+middle single coils of the Xotic are also slightly lower (and its the RV-50 middle, more vintage than the RV60 they also offer). To be fair, comparing a vintage style strat (Xotic here) and the modern Fiore, isn't really fair :)

Also, If I remember correctly, Mark Littieri once said in an interview he had bright hands/fingers, so, if anything, the Fiore should be darker to compensate, isn't it?

Regarding your decision between Suhr and XCS-2, keep mind that as great as these two guitars are, they remain very classic/vintage, where the PRS Fiore is more modern, in feel, build, components, finish (the bridge Floyd, the fast volume knob, the push/pull functions, the pickups directly mounted on the body, etc...)
So it all comes down on what you intend to play with.
When I really need a vintage strat, I would use the Xotic (although the Fiore will still be 98% there if needed), and for everything else (hard rock, 80's, modern rock, funk, blues) the Fiore can do it :)

My advice, get an Xotic XSC1 and a Fiore, and you are covered! ahahahaha
 
Hi @Aliboy ,

To be honest, this didn't really strike me as overly bright.
Brighter than my special semi hollow, yes, but again, the SSH because it's semi hollow is of course darker.

If I compare the Fiore single coils (neck+middle) to the Xotic XSC-1 single coils, it's a tad brighter maybe, but the neck+middle single coils of the Xotic are also slightly lower (and its the RV-50 middle, more vintage than the RV60 they also offer). To be fair, comparing a vintage style strat (Xotic here) and the modern Fiore, isn't really fair :)

Also, If I remember correctly, Mark Littieri once said in an interview he had bright hands/fingers, so, if anything, the Fiore should be darker to compensate, isn't it?

Regarding your decision between Suhr and XCS-2, keep mind that as great as these two guitars are, they remain very classic/vintage, where the PRS Fiore is more modern, in feel, build, components, finish (the bridge Floyd, the fast volume knob, the push/pull functions, the pickups directly mounted on the body, etc...)
So it all comes down on what you intend to play with.
When I really need a vintage strat, I would use the Xotic (although the Fiore will still be 98% there if needed), and for everything else (hard rock, 80's, modern rock, funk, blues) the Fiore can do it :)

My advice, get an Xotic XSC1 and a Fiore, and you are covered! ahahahaha
I imagine I probably will get an Xotic or Suhr classic at some point but I think right now, the Fiore will probably fit the bill better. Thanks so much for your detailed response! Much appreciated!!!
 
Finish the blackout look with a black cover for the HB
No, I actually really like this chrome direct mount pickup :)

What I would like to try tho, would be the volume/tone knobs from the DW CE24 Floyd. Anyone knows if these are available for purchase or which brand are they?
 
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