Paging SC245 Stripped 58 and SC Ted owners....

windsongstudios

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Ok so heres the deal. I have 28 guitars, yes I know I may have a problem haha. I don't have any intention on selling off any of them because they all have a history with me and hold a special place in my heart. I have really been craving a big fat PAF LP tone lately. I just can't bring myself to buy a Historic LP and I have been thinking along the lines of a PRS Singlecut of some sort. I do own some Gibbys but I really want a "vintage vibe" PRS. You can see in my sig which PRS guitars I already own. Id love to hear some thoughts on this :)

Oh and 4K is my budget.
 
PRS SC enabler here...

I've had SC245, SC58, Stripped 58, and older Singlecut models; these days I'm playing a McCarty Singlecut Artist Relations guitar built by the PS team. Here's my take:

I'm a believer in the 2 piece bridge. I think it lends more of a woody, vintage vibe to the Singlecut model. For me, that would be an important starting point, and given your stated preference, might make the Ted a little less appealing, though I've played some Teds that did sound very close, and some that to my ear sounded a little more modern than the models with the two-piece.

The Ted will be nitro, I believe, and the others V12. In terms of tone, the SC245, SC58, and Stripper are all cut from the same cloth in terms of tone. Good cloth, by the way. They sound great. I like the fingerboard binding on the SC58 and new SC245s, but it doesn't affect the tone, so you may or may not want that.

The McCarty Singlecut is the most vintage-sounding SC yet, by a pretty substantial margin. However, it's not in your price range and the others are. The differences with the McCarty Singlecut are the slightly thicker body, the nitro finish, some of the woods selected, the specially wound 57/08s with a more vintage wiring setup, and some of the fancy doodads. I haven't seen one on the used market, but you might want to keep an eye open.

What I'd do is find a great sounding example of one of the other models, and see if the PTC can replace the pickups with the specially wound ones (I don't know if they're available through the PTC or not, but it'd be worth checking IMHO, as they do give the guitar a heck of a fine tone that's more on the vintage side).
 
if you want a Les Paul, I'd buy the Les Paul.

I bought a SC245 because I really liked the the body contour, the lower weight and of course the neck and neck joint.....plays like a dream and doesn't kill my back. But even after swapping electronics (not a fan of PRS pups), it's not a Les Paul. It gets darned close though. And man is it fun to play.

$4000 buys you a lot of Les Paul- especially on the used market. The 2013/14 R8s that Gibson has been pumping out are absolutely fantastic....and the figuring in the maple on "plain tops"? forgetaboutit. Or buy used and save a ton of cash. I picked up a B7 for a lot less than what people are asking on Ebay.
 
I appreciate the comment above re the McCarty SC.......Naturally, the PS level puts the price high. I (think I) got virtually the same "LP-ishness" from a similarly (high) priced non-PRS guitar. I would love to play the two side by side.

Food for thought......The ME I (IMO) was REALLY close but hard to find for $4k, no doubt. I suppose BRW vs mahogany has a wee bit of impact. A certain Wood Library DC245 from Willcutts was under $4k and seemed to be closer than the SC version to that 'IDEAL". However, with the IRW/BRW neck/board, it is not quite the same thing either. Not sure if I have the definitive judgment, but a 57/08 neck and 59/09 bridge (like on that DC245) just might be your right combination.
 
I have 3 Modern Eagles, and they're my all-time favorite guitar model. But I don't think they sound really close to a Les Paul. They have a different, wonderful tone, and that's one of the reasons I love them so much. They have their own thing going on tonally.
 
I think it also may be a good idea to define exactly what sort of big, fat, PAF LP tone you're talking about. Are you talking about the fat, smoky sound Billy Gibbons gets from Pearly Gates, or an Alnico 2 Slash tone? Just-about-to-feedback Beano, or out-of-phase Peter Green/ Gary Moore? And those are just Bursts! PAF Customs sound different as well.

There was quite a bit of variance in real PAFs. Lots of difference in output (i.e. turns of wire), different mags, different woods in the guitars, etc. I think if you can narrow down your idea of LP perfection, we might be able to help with your decision a little more.

Having said all that, I think in general, you need a 245-scale (if you're going PRS) and 57/08s. Very few real PAFs have resistances higher than 9k. I know that's not the best gauge of a pickup's tone, but what I'm getting at is lots of guys get pickups that are too hot. For example, I really don't think 59/09s are vintage sounding. I love the 59/09 bridge, and ordered it in my Private Stock, but it doesn't sound like a Les Paul to me. Soooooo, just think if this as food for thought.

Good luck,
bs
 
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I had a Stripped 58 that was a wonderful guitar. It was replaced by a 2013 LP Historic R9. The R9 just had something extra that appealed to my sense of vintage tone. I am very interested to get your take on the tone coming from your PS DC245 Zombie as I came very close to buying it (assuming it's from Brian's Guitars).
 
Your budget will get you an amazing guitar. I can't wait to see what you select. I have been on a SC kick myself lately and it only recently got sidetracked by something else. Keep us posted!
 
Len & Brad pretty much nailed it so I'll just agree with them - 57/08s, 24.5" and the two-piece bridge are the core of the recipe.

You are most certainly in LP-tone land with that formula - far moreso IMO than with the Ted.

I have a Stripped 58 (had two at one point, actually!) - and I bought it after I failed in the search for a good Gibson Les Paul - the QC issues are true, and the Historics, which tended to be better were astronomically more money. The PRS gets me really close to that tone with a far better made instrument and a more refined playing experience.
 
So it sounds like you have everything under the sun PRS except a Singlecut or something 24.5 scale length? If so, I could understand your desire to do something like a SC anything, or Ted, etc.

However, you don't HAVE to have 24.5 scale guitar to get a vintage vibe and a big fat PAF tone. Don't rule out a DGT. (I assume you already have one?) Something from 2009 like a Willcutt's Wood Lbrary DGT is bada$$. Hard to beat.
 
However, you don't HAVE to have 24.5 scale guitar to get a vintage vibe and a big fat PAF tone. Don't rule out a DGT. (I assume you already have one?) Something from 2009 like a Willcutt's Wood Lbrary DGT is bada$$. Hard to beat.

I hadn't thought of that, and it's a very good idea. Definitely worth checking one out.
 
My DGT is making me sell my Heritage H150 with Seth Lovers FWIW

I imagine putting some good afermarket PAF in a SC58-type with the two piece would get you "there" - especially if you went with an RS Guitarworks aftermarket Les Paul wiring harness...
 
If you're open to non Gibson / non PRS suggestions I've had a '95 Hamer Artist studio with Seth Lovers for a few years. I don't own an LP to compare directly, but it has a deep, woody massive tone. The company is gone, sadly, but Hamers can be priced very low on the used market. I believe the singlecut Monaco Elite is short scale and is kind of an oversized LP. And of course there is the Heritage H150.

But earlier tonight I also made the mistake of playing a DGT for a bit. It was a little intoxicating. But I also played a used singlecut SE and almost took it home.
 
If you're open to non Gibson / non PRS suggestions I've had a '95 Hamer Artist studio with Seth Lovers for a few years. I don't own an LP to compare directly, but it has a deep, woody massive tone. The company is gone, sadly, but Hamers can be priced very low on the used market. I believe the singlecut Monaco Elite is short scale and is kind of an oversized LP. And of course there is the Heritage H150.

But earlier tonight I also made the mistake of playing a DGT for a bit. It was a little intoxicating. But I also played a used singlecut SE and almost took it home.


Very interesting that you bring up Heritage. i actually own 2 H157's
 
Very interesting that you bring up Heritage. i actually own 2 H157's

Interesting. It's off topic for the forum, but I'd be interested in your impressions of how they compare to the Gibsons in your collection. (Many of my favorite guitarists favor Les Pauls but whenever I've spent a little time playing one it didn't feel right. Guess that's partly what draws me to PRS. I do really like the Hamer, though).
 
My Sc245 is quite close to my Les Paul sound wise.
The SC is more comfortable and has a more precise neck - comfort by a big margin, neck by a small one.
The Les Paul has a ballsier dirt sound to it - which I really like for those sorrowful midnight blues.
 
I think the Stripped 58 is one of the biggest bargain to be had, because it is out of production a few stores were blowing them out to clear stock. Basically same as the more bling SC58 with the same playability.

I agree that to get as close as to the LP tone, something with 2 piece bridge is a must, plus I think it looks amazing with the contrasting brass and nickel. Although I also agree that if you REALLY want an LP, get an LP.

The SC58/Stripped 58/SC245 get you close to a LP without getting an LP.

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I have a 2012 stripped 58 because I was searching for that Lp tone. Love the guitar but purchased a 2013 Gibson les Paul traditional non weight relieved. The stripper is close but it is not a les Paul. Just my 2 cents.
 
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