Fats
Take the cannoli
Yeh, love the rotary switch - I have never switched pickups by accident. Agree also with the middle setting. Best setting on my CU22, w Dragon II’s.
PRS quality: 1980's vs 90's vs 00's vs 10's vs 20's.....
- Thread starter Lewguitar
- Start date
You missed the whole point I was making. You are trying to convince everyone that what I stated was a natural occurrence and you should accept certain facts. The question from the OP was basically asking if certain decades were better than others. My point was to show that the guitars did have issues during certain periods. And yes, like any real good manufacturer does, PRS realized there were issues and they worked on correcting the issues. They did this by trying different dyes and different finishing systems. So during certain periods the guitars were better than others. The OP never stated he was talking about sound only quality. So going on your point about them being a musical instrument.. so do you buy a guitar just because it sounds good, no of course not. Most guitarists take into account how the electronics feel, what type of pickups are in it and how do they sound and what type of carve the neck has along with the type of finish that’s on the neck. A guitarist isn’t going to buy a guitar that has a neck that’s really sticky feeling or maybe one that’s too chunky feeling to them. And I’m sure a touring guitarist is not going to love playing a guitar every night with his fingers running across a neck with chipped edges. So yes, there are certain periods where the guitars are better than others.Here's the thing:
Organic dyes are photosensitive. Inorganic dyes are not transparent, so they have to use organic dyes, which come from plants mostly. The chemicals in the dye react to light. This is especially so with certain shades of blue.
There's no way around this, it's been the case forever, and it isn't a defect.
This is why from the very beginning PRS has stated the warranty doesn't cover fading. If people don't want to see fading, case the guitars when not in use. I've never had a blue one fade (though it's not why I case them).
As to the finish issues, all the poly finishes had them occasionally through the years. I had one long before V12 where the edge of the fretboard flaked. PRS took care of it, and it was one of my best-ever, long term guitars.
As with any finish, one can argue pros and cons, but for me, the nitro finished guitars have sounded better; my first nitro finish PRS electric was 2014. I find it makes a difference, and am awfully glad PRS switched to it.
However, the important thing is, while the guitars are beautiful to be sure, their purpose is 'musical instrument'. At that task, they've gotten better and better, at least for me. Call me a homer if you must!
nicotele
New Member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2023
- Messages
- 46
I have now a 1999 McCarty P90, had a 2017 Core 594 DC Semi Hollow, had a 2021 PRS Silver Sky and this week a 2013 DGT will arrive.
All 3 have been perfect instruments, so quality seems to be very consistent always.
My favorite is the 1999 McCarty, but I think since its more broken in, makes it feel better overall.
I don't tink you can go wrong with any year. But will check the 2013 DGT, but Im sure will be perfect as well!
All 3 have been perfect instruments, so quality seems to be very consistent always.
My favorite is the 1999 McCarty, but I think since its more broken in, makes it feel better overall.
I don't tink you can go wrong with any year. But will check the 2013 DGT, but Im sure will be perfect as well!
Rod/
Vibrato & String Bender
That’s so true Fats
I understand your point. I simply disagree with it.
"Better" is entirely subjective. You may have your preferences, I may have mine. They don't need to be the same.
How is a chipping neck finish or a fading dye color subjective?
Whether you conclude a year is good or bad, or 'better' than another year is entirely subjective.
Furthermore, (a) fading is entirely normal with some finishes, as I pointed out before; and (b) PRS covered the only fretboard peel issue I ever had for free under warranty, and the guitar was good to go and was a stellar instrument ever after, in every way.
These criteria you mention do NOT indicate a bad year for PRSes, in my estimation. I've had a new one nearly every year since 1991, and while I've had favorite individual instruments, PRS hasn't had a bad year - in my subjective opinion.
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jxe
babe en der wood
the funny thing about all this is laszlo's the one wearing the ruff.
Again, how does the fact that PRS fixed your chipped guitar have anything to do with the point of this thread. One would expect the manufacturer to fix an issue like that. The fact is that they used a poor finishing method during certain years which caused that to happen. Hence they weren’t the best years for the company. They were smart enough to change their finishing system once the issue came to light. Again, nobody said the guitars were bad or PRS was a bad company. They were just faults that happened during a certain period of time. If you don’t call a chipping finish a bad issue then your mind is truly warped. You’ve been drinking the fanboy kool-aid for way too long. I suppose you would say the same thing if you bought a new car and found out they had an issue where certain paint colors were prematurely peeling off, the same color that you bought. And when yours started peeling, as long as they fixed it, that year was still a great year?
You're beating a dead horse. I don't agree with you.
See the great thing is that your post is based on an opinion, whereas mine was based on a proven fact. So take your dead horse and go play in the sand with the rest of the kids.
That's nonsense.
It's your opinion that certain things you take as fact make for better or worse years.
I don't share your opinion.
I also disagree with your 'fact' that claims fading is a defect, since it isn't.
As for your ad hominem attack, that's always the last resort of illogic. Enjoy your day.
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JasonE
New Member
Take a few deep breaths man. I can see both sides of this. The finish is one data point. There are many other things that make up a good/great guitar.
I have a number of PRS guitars with the V12 finish. PRS actually refinished one of mine under warranty. Am I a little worried that I may have the same issue with another one of my guitars? Yep. If I do, I hope the process goes as smooth as it did with my last one. Did they have issues with that finish? Yep. Would I possibly choose to not purchase a used guitar with that finish? Maybe. The guitar that they refinished for me is actually a really great guitar. It now has their current nitro over CAB finish on it.
Exactly.
I had a few of the V12 finished guitars. I had no issues with them; my issue happened years before that finish came out. I didn't consider it at all important, PRS took care of it.
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
Something I like about this forum is the lack of hostility.
When two members disagree, it's best to just let it go and agree to disagree.
Still trying to figure out how that 5 position rotary switch is supposed to work.
What's standard?
Got a '95 and a '97 CU22 and the switch seems to do something different with each when I tap on the pickup poles of each of them to see what coil is on!
This explanation matches my memory of it, but it's been a long time since I had one with a rotary:
PRS Rotary Pickup Positions Defined - InSync | Sweetwater
Q: I understand the PRS pickup switching that has the 3-way toggle switch, but what exactly do the five positions on the rotary switch offer in terms of pickup combinations and voicings? A: On all PRS CE Bolt-On, Standard, and Custom models, there is a 5-way rotary hybrid pickup switching...
www.sweetwater.com
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
That's what I get from my '95 CU22:This explanation matches my memory of it, but it's been a long time since I had one with a rotary:
PRS Rotary Pickup Positions Defined - InSync | Sweetwater
Q: I understand the PRS pickup switching that has the 3-way toggle switch, but what exactly do the five positions on the rotary switch offer in terms of pickup combinations and voicings? A: On all PRS CE Bolt-On, Standard, and Custom models, there is a 5-way rotary hybrid pickup switching...
Bridge humbucker
Two screw coils in parallel
Two stud coils in series - makes a middle humbucker
Two stud coils in parallel
Neck humbucker
But I don't know what I get from '97 CU22.
1, 3 and 5 seem to be the same.
2 and 4 are not!
Must be a defective switch or someone messed with the wiring.
But both guitars look stock inside.
gaussian54
Lefties Rule!!
Seems I found someone's "dead horse." May as well get a few kicks in eh? I purchased a Custom 24 Wood Library, 10 Top, the hang tag reads June of 2018. Found it on Reverb. It was in near mint condition when I received it. Within the first month or two of ownership it developed the chipping neck / fingerboard finish issue chronicled so well in these forums. I've since corresponded with the PTC on the matter. Long and short of it as follows: I have a huge problem with the "fact" that PRS doesn't offer a transferable warranty on an instrument that fetches a price tag of this magnitude. I'm informed that I would be responsible for round trip (insurance a given) shipping, plus any where from (estimated fee) $250 to $700 depending on their evaluation. I know some will deem this tact as my being penny wise & dollar foolish, but I'm also leery about shipping this guitar during winter months - "a bird in the hand, ya know?!" Guess I'll chew on this and make a decision come spring. All advice welcome. If you made it this far w/o falling asleep, thanks for listening to my rant.
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It is somewhat unusual to have transferable warranties on instruments, that being said most Vendors will stand beind true defects.
You never truely know what it's past life was ...
I have PRS models dating back 20 years , as a Luthier the only "flaw" I 've seen is the clouding ...and that's been addressed . I do like the newer finishes better , but my 01 McCarty still looks like new .
The BIG advantage I see with PRS is of the top 3 , they are the ONLY one where the founder is still engaged on a daily basis .. even Bob Taylor stepped away . IMO Paul is as obsessed with improving the instruments now as ever.
You never truely know what it's past life was ...
I have PRS models dating back 20 years , as a Luthier the only "flaw" I 've seen is the clouding ...and that's been addressed . I do like the newer finishes better , but my 01 McCarty still looks like new .
The BIG advantage I see with PRS is of the top 3 , they are the ONLY one where the founder is still engaged on a daily basis .. even Bob Taylor stepped away . IMO Paul is as obsessed with improving the instruments now as ever.
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