PRS acoustic prices

henryr

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Feb 16, 2015
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I'm surprised at the very high prices for some of their US made acoustics. The price of some PRS acousitcs puts them in competition with great guitar makers Like Ryan, Kathy Weingert and a few other one person custom acoustic makers. Are the PRSs really that good and have any really famous acoustic players switched to PRS acoustics?

Thanks,
henryr
 
Who plays what is an interesting discussion, but is actually meaningless with regards to price and value.

If you are swayed primarily by what your favorite guitar god plays, you aren't paying attention to how you play and what your specific needs are.

Real valuation comes from you playing instruments side by side objectively for playability, tone, response, volume, workmanship, etc. and subjectively for looks and how you feel when you are playing. Then, and only then, can you make an informed decision on what you are wiling to pay for any one guitar model of brand.

No doubt others will indulge you and name famous PRS acoustic players (they exist), but that only externally validates your decisions. Trust your own ears hands and eyes.

...just a no-charge tip from a codger.
 
I'm surprised at the very high prices for some of their US made acoustics. The price of some PRS acousitcs puts them in competition with great guitar makers Like Ryan, Kathy Weingert and a few other one person custom acoustic makers. Are the PRSs really that good and have any really famous acoustic players switched to PRS acoustics?

Thanks,
henryr

I will try to answer the first part of your question. PRS is primarily an electric guitar company and their approach to acoustic guitar making is on a much smaller scale than their electric guitars and in line with the small boutique builders you mentioned. They do not have high acoustic production numbers like one would think of from Taylor or others that would minimize cost. They are more hands on with the build process exactly like a boutique builder and this is more costly. The old adage of you get what you pay for applies here. So all things equal, their acoustics are in line with boutique guitar prices, Taylor Presentation Series, Martin Limiteds, etc. Just as they should be for the very high quality PRS acoustic guitar you would purchase. I have owned a few boutique acoustic guitars, but have never had the opportunity to play a PRS acoustic. Those I know that have or own a PRS Acoustic have told me the PRS's were equal to or better than the boutique guitars we discussed.
 
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I've played a $32k Ryan and loved it as I also loved a Tippin($17k with a years wait), Traugot($27k with a years list) and a few others. I love the Tonare just as much and want another for alt tunings.
 
I didn't know Ryan, Somogyi and Traugoutt guitars had reached the $20K + level and I don't know what Santa Cruz and other handmade guitars now cost but maybe $10 to $13k is not out of line for a PRS acoustic. My only concern is that, while most of the Hi-End guitars are made by a single very well known luthier, the PRS acoustics are made by a team (not bad but different). A recent observation, that surprised me, was when I visited the local GC they had almost two walls of second hand US PRS made electrics. I have to wonder why, since they are supposed to be great, owners are parting with them.
 
A recent observation, that surprised me, was when I visited the local GC they had almost two walls of second hand US PRS made electrics. I have to wonder why, since they are supposed to be great, owners are parting with them.

People sell things for all kinds of reasons: upgrade, tired, bills. It isn't always because what they bought sucked.
 
My only concern is that, while most of the Hi-End guitars are made by a single very well known luthier, the PRS acoustics are made by a team (not bad but different).

Not really. Most hi-end luthiers are not "one man" operations...
 
A recent observation, that surprised me, was when I visited the local GC they had almost two walls of second hand US PRS made electrics. I have to wonder why, since they are supposed to be great, owners are parting with them.

As veinbuster said, lots of reason to sell guitars. This is a PRS board, and there are a lot of members here who have sold PRS guitars - in many cases to finance other PRS guitars.

But, out of curiosity, how many examples of used guitars from other brands did you see? Did that give you pause about them?
 
I'm surprised at the very high prices for some of their US made acoustics. The price of some PRS acousitcs puts them in competition with great guitar makers Like Ryan, Kathy Weingert and a few other one person custom acoustic makers. Are the PRSs really that good and have any really famous acoustic players switched to PRS acoustics?

Thanks,
henryr

Nobody plays them, they suck and we only buy them to make Paul Smith feel like a god.

Anyone else smell Troll?
 
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I didn't know Ryan, Somogyi and Traugoutt guitars had reached the $20K + level and I don't know what Santa Cruz and other handmade guitars now cost but maybe $10 to $13k is not out of line for a PRS acoustic. My only concern is that, while most of the Hi-End guitars are made by a single very well known luthier, the PRS acoustics are made by a team (not bad but different). A recent observation, that surprised me, was when I visited the local GC they had almost two walls of second hand US PRS made electrics. I have to wonder why, since they are supposed to be great, owners are parting with them.

Somoygi can go for $50k with Greenfield''s going for $40k.
 
Simple answer is yes PRS US built acoustics compete well in that $5000-$10,000. I was an acoustic guitar nut for a long time before I played and owned a PRS Tonare Grand.
 
A recent observation, that surprised me, was when I visited the local GC they had almost two walls of second hand US PRS made electrics. I have to wonder why, since they are supposed to be great, owners are parting with them.

I am an exclusive PRS player and have owned and sold a number of PRS guitars over the years, often to fund the purchase of yet another PRS guitar. One reason you see more used PRS guitars on the walls than you did in past years is PRS has more of the market share than they used to have, more people are buying them so there are more on the used market than there were before.
 
I am an exclusive PRS player and have owned and sold a number of PRS guitars over the years, often to fund the purchase of yet another PRS guitar. One reason you see more used PRS guitars on the walls than you did in past years is PRS has more of the market share than they used to have, more people are buying them so there are more on the used market than there were before.

+1.
 
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