NGD - Wood Library Modern Eagle V (WL MEV) - RW neck, BRW fretboard

shinksma

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After a much longer waiting period than expected/predicted, but unsurprising based on other experiences related by other users, my Modern Eagle V, Wood Library edition from Brian's Guitars, with IRW neck and BRW FB, in Teal Black Fade, finally arrived.

3k4No8S.jpg


The quilting on it is not as strong as another WL (509) that I have, and is probably the weakest of the batch that Brian did, but the graining is rather nice:

aqAFycR.jpg


The quilt does show up depending on angle and available direct light:

6wtyiVL.jpg


The color seems to change to your eyes depending on the "local color temperature" (i.e. inside under incandescent lighting, outside in direct sunlight vs cloudy, etc), shifting to a bluer or greener color.

You will note there is no microswitch for 250 vs 500 kOhm volume pot switching - from what I have seen, that is true of all the IRW/BRW neck/FB with hog body instances from this run at Brian's, whereas all of the maple neck with Swamp Ash bodies do have the switch. Maybe PRS decided it was not a useful trait for this combo of woods, as they have done for the Core model? :shrug:

So how does it play? Pretty darned good, and I could nicely replicate all the various tones that Brian Ewald showed off on the latest Core MEV video.

It seems to sustain quite nicely, and has a "less-midrangy" sound compared to the SC594 SH that I was using as a back-to-back with it.

The single coil modes sound nice and strat-ish.

This is my first chance to mess with a guitar with Paul's guitar pickups, and I do like the tone. Reminds me of my LP Deluxe with the miniHBs (as a relative comparison to the full HB version of a LP).

The guitar came with a hang tag that noted it has a nitrocellulose finish ("usually only available on Private Stocks" or somesuch, so sounding like not the nitro over CAB that is now a defacto finish) , and to be careful with various substances or somesuch. Is it actually different from the current core Nitro over CAB finish, or is the tag just to warn the user that this isn't one of the old "poly" finish types?
 
After a much longer waiting period than expected/predicted, but unsurprising based on other experiences related by other users, my Modern Eagle V, Wood Library edition from Brian's Guitars, with IRW neck and BRW FB, in Teal Black Fade, finally arrived.

3k4No8S.jpg


The quilting on it is not as strong as another WL (509) that I have, and is probably the weakest of the batch that Brian did, but the graining is rather nice:

aqAFycR.jpg


The quilt does show up depending on angle and available direct light:

6wtyiVL.jpg


The color seems to change to your eyes depending on the "local color temperature" (i.e. inside under incandescent lighting, outside in direct sunlight vs cloudy, etc), shifting to a bluer or greener color.

You will note there is no microswitch for 250 vs 500 kOhm volume pot switching - from what I have seen, that is true of all the IRW/BRW neck/FB with hog body instances from this run at Brian's, whereas all of the maple neck with Swamp Ash bodies do have the switch. Maybe PRS decided it was not a useful trait for this combo of woods, as they have done for the Core model? :shrug:

So how does it play? Pretty darned good, and I could nicely replicate all the various tones that Brian Ewald showed off on the latest Core MEV video.

It seems to sustain quite nicely, and has a "less-midrangy" sound compared to the SC594 SH that I was using as a back-to-back with it.

The single coil modes sound nice and strat-ish.

This is my first chance to mess with a guitar with Paul's guitar pickups, and I do like the tone. Reminds me of my LP Deluxe with the miniHBs (as a relative comparison to the full HB version of a LP).

The guitar came with a hang tag that noted it has a nitrocellulose finish ("usually only available on Private Stocks" or somesuch, so sounding like not the nitro over CAB that is now a defacto finish) , and to be careful with various substances or somesuch. Is it actually different from the current core Nitro over CAB finish, or is the tag just to warn the user that this isn't one of the old "poly" finish types?
Nice
 
I wouldn’t knock that top for a thing! Amazing finish work on the fade, and the grain is awesome.

Hoping to try one of these, if I get a chance.
 
The quilt is very "cloud like", and sometimes it looks like a spooky night over the ocean with a rising fog or something.

Definitely not complaining, just different from some of the very 3D "tubular" quilts I've seen. The vertical grain does really help define a counter-texture.

Oh, and I picked up a strap from Amazon that nicely color matches the teal, black, and fade.

41NMpcUFnWL._AC_SY780_.jpg


Or, at least it matches nicely to my (and my wife's) eyes - my phone camera says it is bluer than the guitar. Very weird, but might explain how the guitar's finish plays games, colorwise, in the light.
 
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Oh, and one more thing about how it sounds (which is what really matter, right?).

The "transparency and clarity" of individual notes, especially when played while a partial chord is ringing, is improved / increased compared to the SC594SH, using pickup switchology settings that match. Dunno if it is the pickups or the woods, but it just was "there" so much more.

I.e., not a muddy sounding guitar.

Edit: which, as I mentioned to my wife, is just a characteristic, not a good vs bad thing. Sometimes you want that mid-rangy dirty "mud" sound.
 
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Wow, what a gorgeous guitar! Also, it's always great to see a ME with a proper rosewood neck!

Congrats!!!
That's why I jumped on this WL run - the "Limited Run" MEVs came with a mahogany neck, which I felt made them less true-to-form for a Modern Eagle. Every previous ME, as far as I know, had a RW neck.

The new Core MEV is similarly not quite right, IMHO, due to the lack of RW neck. It's a Paul's Guitar with trem (which there are a few), middle pickup, and extra switching. ;)
 
Oh, I just realized I hadn't posted an image of the back/neck. Even Brian isn't sure why this one got a solid black back. Maybe they couldn't find a tint that worked with the teal and black front fade, or maybe the back wood had some visible wood grain flaws:

9fno0lg.jpg
 
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