PRS NF53 and Miles Kennedy thoughts

[opnoob]

Because?

Because the argument for tone or playability goes out the window when we all know any mexican telecaster can do everything a custom shop tele can do. Therefore, any difference in price has to be justified outside this criteria.

 

[opnoob]

Do you see the PRS NF53 and Miles Kennedy as being Tele inspired guitars?

If so then they're competing with the best Teles.

To my mind, the PRS would have to play better and sound better than the best Teles, in order for a long time, dedicated Tele player to make the switch to PRS.

Who is the NF53 is being marketed to? Younger Tele players but not necessarily country players?

I'm asking.

I think either they should have competed in the American made Tele range ~1600 or just go full Suhr and offer a wide array of tops and materials ie. Core PRS guitars. This middle ground suit doesnt most players. It doesn't have the wow factor a core PRS model does and it doesnt really punch above its weight price wise compared to any mass produce telecaster. Fender will always be the OG telecaster so PRS needed to do more to onboard more experienced players that might be faithful to the more original brands. Either via price or by features.

 

[Lewguitar]

...we all know any mexican telecaster can do everything a custom shop tele can do. Therefore, any difference in price has to be justified outside this criteria.

We do?

 

[opnoob]

We do?

Yes.

 

[Lewguitar]

Yes.

Spoken like a true Tele lover and knower of all things Tele.

 

[opnoob]

Spoken like a true Tele lover and knower of all things Tele.

Funny enough, the only tele I own right now is a MIJ Aerodyne model. Possibly the least Tele sounding Tele ever lol

 

[Rider1260]

So after now owning a NF53 for a few days now , I don't have a problem with the price I paid ( yes it was below MSRP )
The only thing I would have changed is the pickguard ( which I did already ) for me NO pickguard would have been even better.
The Bolt on line ( Silver Sky , MK, NF53 ) fall is an OK spot between the Cores and the S2s price point wise , do I wish they were cheaper sure do as I wish the Cores were cheaper also. Still happy they finally made a guitar that shape

 

[DogPhishHead]

So after now owning a NF53 for a few days now , I don't have a problem with the price I paid ( yes it was below MSRP )
The only thing I would have changed is the pickguard ( which I did already ) for me NO pickguard would have been even better.
The Bolt on line ( Silver Sky , MK, NF53 ) fall is an OK spot between the Cores and the S2s price point wise , do I wish they were cheaper sure do as I wish the Cores were cheaper also. Still happy they finally made a guitar that shape

Agreed, no pickguard SHOULD have been the PRS design choice......and perhaps an amber neck tint.

 

[Fro]

The dog hair finished models would’ve looked better without the pickguard. At least the black one would have.
Of course I don’t know how they’re routed underneath.

 

[Rider1260]

The dog hair finished models would’ve looked better without the pickguard. At least the black one would have.
Of course I don’t know how they’re routed underneath.

There is NO route underneath the pickguard it is just cosmetic , Funny really it would have been less work and cheaper to not have the guard and to me look even better. Love it anyway.

 

[Revelation]

I played the NF53 and it does not feel or sound like a Telecaster. Sure the neck has an old Fender 50's Tele baseball neck that is not my cup of tea, though it is playable. It has a thicker sound than a Telecaster and it's really its own thing. I would much rather have a PRS Studio than this guitar. I guess if I was more of a Tele player and wanted something different get twang a little, I would be more interested in this guitar. Sort of like how a Fiore single coil pickups are to a Strat or Silver Sky pickups. The blue color on the NF53 is beautiful by the way.

https://imgur.com/uTm8653

 

[Xtcclassic]

I’m sure if I played one I’d think that it was worth the price. I just hate the bird inlays, and since I don’t have a single guitar with stock pickups, the NF pickups make me a bit nervous as I’m sure no other pickup would fit. So I’d have to really like the NF’s, and I’d have a hard, hard time living with those inlays. Not sure I could get past those two things. I’d love to play an NF53 anyway though, just to satisfy curiosity.

 

[Simon Says]

I’m sure if I played one I’d think that it was worth the price. I just hate the bird inlays, and since I don’t have a single guitar with stock pickups, the NF pickups make me a bit nervous as I’m sure no other pickup would fit. So I’d have to really like the NF’s, and I’d have a hard, hard time living with those inlays. Not sure I could get past those two things. I’d love to play an NF53 anyway though, just to satisfy curiosity.

Remember, you are not alone

 

[Lewguitar]

Agreed, no pickguard SHOULD have been the PRS design choice......and perhaps an amber neck tint.

They look too plain without a pickguard. At least they do to me.
IMO, the pickguard would look better if it was larger and shaped more like a conventional Tele pickguard.

Fender inspired guitars with no pickguard look cheap, Like those early G&L's.

They look like student guitars to me.

 

[HANGAR18]

Its been about a month or two since the release and I've been thinking about it on and off and I can't help but think they missed the mark with this one in terms of the price. I think it would have been much better to either go S2-level in terms of price or just go all out and go for Suhr level of quality and price. But seeing a 3 piece body, and scarf joint neck, no figured tops, non-locking tuners on the NF53, nickel frets at over $3000 to me just sounds unreasonable. I think it would be wildly successful at the 1800-2000 dollar mark. I know as PRS fans we are not strangers to paying more for things just because we like it but I think theres just not enough substance here to justify the price. Thoughts?

They have to charge that much in order to leave room for competitive pricing for a future S2 version and of course a future SE version.
But of course, this model will never make it to the more affordable lines unless there are a bunch of people buying the current $3k core versions.

 

[dogrocketp]

Funny enough, the only tele I own right now is a MIJ Aerodyne model. Possibly the least Tele sounding Tele ever lol

I’m not a tele player, period. My brother gave me his, and I put it on semi- permanent loan with my luthier. I’m guessing that you’ve had the time to play thoroughly the PRS versions in comparison to your Aerodyne. If not, you know the response, and it ain’t pretty.

 

[Mike J.]

If the whole guitar playing community said the pricing is good/fair/acceptable for these models, both are way beyond my means.

Not saying that to be difficult or to be argumentive. It's just an economic fact for me.

But I do have guitars I'm very happy with.

 

[Xtcclassic]

They look too plain without a pickguard. At least they do to me.
IMO, the pickguard would look better if it was larger and shaped more like a conventional Tele pickguard.

Fender inspired guitars with no pickguard look cheap, Like those early G&L's.

They look like student guitars to me.

I agree that having no pickguard would look too plain. I actually have no problem with the pickguard shape on the NF53, I think it looks fine. But I’m sure I’d have no problem with a more traditional Tele pickguard either.

 

[Xtcclassic]

They have to charge that much in order to leave room for competitive pricing for a future S2 version and of course a future SE version.
But of course, this model will never make it to the more affordable lines unless there are a bunch of people buying the current $3k core versions.

I really don’t understand how an S2 version would be different than the current version. It already has an S2 bridge, it comes with a gig bag, it doesn’t have a violin carve… in my mind, it already IS an S2. What is Core about it? The pickups?

 

[SinSir]

I really don’t understand how an S2 version would be different than the current version. It already has an S2 bridge, it comes with a gig bag, it doesn’t have a violin carve… in my mind, it already IS an S2. What is Core about it? The pickups?

There's truth to this.. I was in the camp of wondering what the S2 would be and maybe wait for it.. Then, slap! It already shares quite a bit of DNA with an S2. What would they change? The pickups? Maybe drop the swamp ash? Well that would suck, and I probably wouldn't want it anymore. lol

Back to waiting for used camp for me.