PRS Brain Trust, advice needed: SC vs SC

[Casi1]

I need the help of the collective in deciding which of these two trade opportunities to go with, as I’m letting my Les Paul go. Both are valued the same in the trade, and I need to pick soon. For reference, my others are a DGT and two older CE variations.

2006 Singlecut Satin - Artist Package


2011 Stripped 58 w/ birds


Pros/Cons:
- I love the color of the Singlecut. Blue Matteo, yum. It’s different than my other PRSi, too, which is nice. They’re all in the brown/orange vein: Amber, Black Gold, and Blazing Copper.
- Artist top, I mean...
- The 57/08 pickups in the Stripped are probably better than the #7s in the Singlecut.
- I think I’ll like the two piece bridge better than the wraparound, but can’t say 100%. Same with scale length.
- The Stripped already has locking Phase III tuners. The SC has non-locking vintage style tuners (which I’d want to switch or have modified by John Mann).

This is the part where all of your experience hits pavement, all to my benefit. Which trade do think would be a better fit?

I voted for the stripped. I dig the color and the pickups. I put my 57/08s in my Custom 24 (for sale now) and they sound so good in that guitar that I had to talk myself out of pulling that guitar off the sale rack.

 

[Sekunda]

Stripped here too... I'm biased as I already have one. Love, love, love it! Amazing sound and plays great.
<-- You can see her right there

 

[dmatthews]

Tough call. Love the AP, but went with the stripper.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

And if the colors were reversed?

Still the same. The only reason I’d want one of the older 25” SC’s is if I was down tuning stuff, which will probably never happen.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Ummmm both! Sorry, not helping I know.

 

[veinbuster]

Still the same. The only reason I’d want one of the older 25” SC’s is if I was down tuning stuff, which will probably never happen.

Are you sure?

 

[László]

Stripped 58. With the scale length, far nicer pickups, tuners and 2-piece, it’s the perfect SC. I’ve had several of the earlier SCs, a Stripped 58, SC 58, SC 245, and McCarty Singlecut, so I feel confident in this opinion (at least given my own preferences).

They’re all nice, don’t get me wrong, but the later models with 57/08s and the 2-piece bridge are clear winners.

Maybe if you play a lot of metal, the 25” scale length would be equally nice,

 

[László]

Are you sure?

Beautiful guitar, but yeah, I like the 2 piece, too.

 

[veinbuster]

Beautiful guitar, but yeah, I like the 2 piece.

Hard to do with a trem.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Are you sure?

Fine, I’ll join your metal band.

 

[László]

Hard to do with a trem.

Had one with a trem, too. Forgot to mention that. Couldn’t bond with it for some reason.

 

[Johnny Rigs]

Thanks for all the input everyone. Over 80% say go with the Stripped 58. If it was for all my guitars being the same tonal color range, the SC AP wouldn’t be so tempting.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I have nothing to say, I just wanted to see who the PRS Brain Trust was.

Carry on.

(side note: This non-brain trust vote goes strongly to the Stripped 58)

 

[Geo408]

The stripped 58!, they play and sound WAY better! Also, the satin finish is a love it, or hate it type of thing. It will wear unevenly, and if you buff it out, it will never look even. Of course you could have the ptc put a finish on it for you, but that will run you at least $500.00 clams...your call.

 

[László]

Thanks for all the input everyone. Over 80% say go with the Stripped 58. If it was for all my guitars being the same tonal color range, the SC AP wouldn’t be so tempting.

It’s always best to rely on your own opinion first! When choosing an instrument, there’s no right and no wrong. Only what’s right for you

 

[Phil M]

Stripped 58 all day every day. Those are great guitars.

 

[László]

Stripped 58 all day every day. Those are great guitars.

It really was a special run.

 

[Phil M]

Les, my local dealer had a Vintage Yellow one for years that I used to go in and play sometimes. I never liked the price though. Then he dropped the price a lot and suddenly it was out of my life forever ... serves me right!

 

[Ironwolf]

I need the help of the collective in deciding which of these two trade opportunities to go with, as I’m letting my Les Paul go. Both are valued the same in the trade, and I need to pick soon. For reference, my others are a DGT and two older CE variations.

2006 Singlecut Satin - Artist Package


2011 Stripped 58 w/ birds


Pros/Cons:
- I love the color of the Singlecut. Blue Matteo, yum. It’s different than my other PRSi, too, which is nice. They’re all in the brown/orange vein: Amber, Black Gold, and Blazing Copper.
- Artist top, I mean...
- The 57/08 pickups in the Stripped are probably better than the #7s in the Singlecut.
- I think I’ll like the two piece bridge better than the wraparound, but can’t say 100%. Same with scale length.
- The Stripped already has locking Phase III tuners. The SC has non-locking vintage style tuners (which I’d want to switch or have modified by John Mann).

This is the part where all of your experience hits pavement, all to my benefit. Which trade do think would be a better fit?

such a hard pick, excellent brainteaser puzzle!
I just recently bought the core Mira, I am so blown away by the one piece bridge, the harmonic content of the guitar is so pleasing and so noticeably better than my other guitars.
the sustain and vibration in the body of the guitar is acting like a drug for me, can't wait to pick up the stupid guitar every day. my two-piece bridges I can feel the power chords go out of phase a little bit when holding the chords for a 4 beat. so that's a question for you how much solo or lead playing versus chords and rhythm playing.
even given that the single piece bridge plays lead to problems. seems to be more elasticity in the strings as well.

2 of the best guitar builders in history Paul Reed Smith himself and Ted McCarty prefer the one piece bridge. I'm starting to appreciate why.

I think it's something to do with secondary overtones, the fundamental notes are more pure, so when you play a lot of barre chords or other power chords the the overtones that cause muddines are gone. I'm sure I'm in some sort of honeymoon period, but I'm now looking at other PRS's with single piece wraparound bridges, to get more crack wood.
if you want to be conservative and get a nearly identical guitar to the Les Paul, 57/08's are amazing.
if you want to stretch a little bit I vote for the 2006 single cut, such an awesome coin flip.
you probably won't be disappointed with either guitar.

 

[Johnny Rigs]

Thanks for everyone’s input. Mostly confirmed what was already in my head. The AP Singlecut is beautiful and has its place for sure. Would look great on the wall. But the Stripped 58 is ready to play as is, and will probably be the best LP replacement for me.

So I made the call and moving ahead with the trade. This, plus a deal from the other week for a mostly forgotten signature model, should make for a couple NGD threads in the near future with hopefully nice pics.

Thanks again everyone~