prs s2 standard 22 or gibson studio 2015

[Thiago Freitas]

I am in doubt whether bought a gibson studio 2015 or s2 prs standard 22 frets. what you think I should get?
Took a look at 24 frets psr but found the sharp sound.

 

[wardog]

if you have the opportunity to demo each, then do it. that is the best way to know what you will prefer.

 

[AP515]

I agree, try both and pick the best for you. I played a LP studio and compared it to my PRS SC (because that is what I had to compare with), and the differences were pretty dramatic. The frets on the Studio were rough, the tone was not as complex, and it lacked playability. For me it wouldn't compare well to the S2 but you might find a very well built Studio (they are out there). If you do go Studio, I would suggest finding a 2014 as the price went up 29% for the 2015's.

 

[garrettb]

Two very different guitars, so I agree it'll depend on which style works better for you. I think the S2 Singlecut would be closer to an apples to apples comparison.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Get the PRS! Other guitars are stupid.

 

[László]

I think you should get a PRS. Because you came to a PRS forum, so obviously this is the right answer.

 

[dogrocketp]

I haven't found anything that plays more in tune than the neck on a PRS. My old mira gets buried with me. Hope you find one like that.

 

[Thiago Freitas]

The problem is that I do not how to test the guitars because I live in Brazil and I will ask the guitar over the Internet.

 

[AP515]

The problem is that I do not how to test the guitars because I live in Brazil and I will ask the guitar over the Internet.

If you have to buy sight unseen, PRS has a better quality reputation than Gibson. You should have better luck buying PRS.

 

[garrettb]

If you have to buy sight unseen, PRS has a better quality reputation than Gibson. You should have better luck buying PRS.

Definitely.

 

[vchizzle]

Is there a certain sound or style you're after?

 

[Thiago Freitas]

blues and hard rock,eric clapron,led zeppelin,ac\dc,van halen,bon jovi

 

[garrettb]

I think the S2 Singlecut would be a great fit for that style, and I think it would be the better built guitar. If your budget is tight, the the S2 Singlecut Standard would do well also. Or the S2 Standard 22.

Another consideration is the neck. The LP will be thin, and the S2 will be medium thickness.

 

[vchizzle]

I think any of S2 guitars would work well that. Really depends on if you prefer single or double cut more. Standards are great work horse rock guitars- classic to somewhat modern. My McCarty standards do great in that realm. PRS quality is great and I'd be far more comfortable buying one over a mid-line LP.

 

[GADonis]

I am under the impression that all 2015 Gibsons come with their automated tuning system. I played a new Les Paul Special and not only was the system incapable of tuning the guitar it seemed to be actively fighting my attempts to manually tune the guitar. Even with it turned off the tuning machines felt very rough and made tuning difficult. Beyond worthless it made the guitar unplayable. Maybe there was something wrong with this specific unit but right now I've ruled any guitar with that on it a NO BUY.

You shouldn't have to replace the tuners on a guitar in that price range.

 

[gball]

If you have to buy sight unseen, PRS has a better quality reputation than Gibson. You should have better luck buying PRS.

Also, the 2015 Gibbos are an acquired taste - very wide fretboards, bizarre brass zero-nut thingy, strange LP logo and even stranger dead-guy hologram, and those awful, terrible, hateful G-force tuners that you will pay estra for but undoubtedly have to replace. I've played several of the new ones, and I could get used to the neck width but that is it, the rest of the changes are horrible and ill-advised.

Go PRS, you won't regret it. Much much easier to buy sight-unseen. They buy a used Gibby that is not a 2015 model unless you are able to play it first and know for sure you can live with that fretboard width.

 

[bhendric1]

I just got an S2 Singlecut this week (see my post from yesterday with pics). To help fund it, I sold a 2014 Gibson LPJ. Not exactly the same as the LP Studio, but the basics are close. I actually did like the LPJ, but I have absolutely no regrets about letting it go now that I have the PRS in my hands. At a similar price point, you get much better quality and value from the PRS, in my opinion.

 

[Grimr]

Speaking as a Gibson guy I think in the long run you'd be better off with a PRS. IMHO Henry J has lost his mind. I don't mind some of the stuff in the 2015's, wider fretboard, signatures, and all that, however I did buy an SG and had issues with that auto tuner thingamajig. I thought it would be cool, all those alternate tunings at your fingertips. Hell Yeah!! However it could never seem to tune the D string. It would just sit there back an forth, back an forth, even with a full battery charge. The tuners have such a high gear ratio that, yeah you could tune it manually but you'll be at it for days. Needless to say I took it back and found an 61 standard that didn't have that "feature".

The thing that really chaps my ass is their 29% price increase. I just purchased a 30th Ann CU24 that was less expensive than their Standard and IMHO its leaps and bounds better than the Standards I've tried. As a business they can choose to do whatever they want. As a consumer I can choose to tell Henry J to go pound sand. Don't get me wrong. I like the Gibbies I own however they were not "out of the box" ready like every other PRS I own and that includes the SE series. The Gibbies needed a bit of fret work when I got them. I hear their 2015's are setup better but YMMV. Like others have suggested here a CU22 or Singlecut could be what you're looking for and if you can, go out and try both the Gibson and PRS, see which you prefer.

Also be aware that for some unfathomable reason Gibson likes to use 300k pots with their Les Pauls instead of the standard 500k. Not sure if they're still doing that or not but it drove me freaking nuts back when I was trying to find out why my Les Paul Standard sounded like it had a blanket over it. Once I discovered the cause and changed the pots back to 500k it sounded great. Like I said I have no idea if they still do that or not but just be aware of it.

 

[gball]

Also be aware that for some unfathomable reason Gibson likes to use 300k pots with their Les Pauls instead of the standard 500k. Not sure if they're still doing that or not but it drove me freaking nuts back when I was trying to find out why my Les Paul Standard sounded like it had a blanket over it. Once I discovered the cause and changed the pots back to 500k it sounded great. Like I said I have no idea if they still do that or not but just be aware of it.

I think they cut that nonsense out. I have a 2014 SG that has 500k pots and it sounds like all the new models have 500k as well. I think the rumor goes that they started using the 300's to "darken" up the tone but who knows, maybe they just got a great deal on a truckload of 300k pots.

 

[ttbit]

I researched this one to death myself. Why do you want a Les Paul, exactly? If it is purely for that distinct Gibson sound, get a Gibson Les Paul and be done with it. If you have always wanted a Gibson Les Paul, then get one. If you are looking for a quality guitar and don't care if it has the Gibson name or that it might have a slightly different sound, go for the PRS or something else.

Read any forum out there and they all say PRS quality is great, even the SE line. That being said, you might like it, or you might not.

I bought a PRS SE Soap Bar "used" to try out and still getting used to it. I never owned an LP style guitar, so for me, I thought this was a good option. I think I will end up with a Gibson, just to get it out of my system. I have wanted one for years. I was the same way with cars. There were a few I always wanted. I got them and....mehhhh.... I am done with that.

Good luck,
Don