PRS SE vs Cheaper Gibsons

[guitartalkunedited]

Hi all,

With out trying to flog a dead horse - what are everyones opinions on PRS SE (new) vs cheaper Gibson's (new) ala the £700 mark ($1000).

I recently did various direct comparisons in the Guitar Store in an isolated booth and I genuinely couldn't fault the PRS. But the Gibson's finish let them down.

I was surprised at the pickups on the SE genuinely cutting the mustard!

What are everyone else's unbiased thoughts?

 

[AP515]

I haven't seen the latest Gibson offerings but my past opinion of them was that they do sound good but are harder to play and have quality slip ups. The SE's also sound good and do not have the drawbacks. Not a hard choice.

 

[andy474x]

^^^

If I had to purchase sight unseen it would be the SE every time. I recently tried some LP's in a shop and every single one sounded vastly different. Many were acoustically dead. One rather plain one rang like a bell and sustained for days, but the intonation up the neck was tragic. Honestly, if Gibson were really on top of their game, I think a USA made $1000 LP could equal or surpass an SE... but they aren't.

 

[László]

What are everyone else's unbiased thoughts?

I wonder whether choosing an instrument is ever a truly objective, unbiased act?

For example, most finish flaws don’t affect the function of the instrument. Yet they matter to lots of folks. Whether tone is good or bad is not only subjective, it’s a product of combining both the instrument and our hands. Even the feel of the finish, and the setup of the one we’re playing will affect our opinion.

And everyone’s got a different take on electronics and hardware. Ultimately you’ve gotta go with your gut feeling. Which guitar sounds and feels right to you?

I’ve been all-PRS for many years. I’ve got my reasons. But unbiased? Un-possible.

 

[walrus]

I agree. But quality and reliability are not really based on feel or opinion. It's either a well-made guitar or it isn't. This is what has plagued Gibson, and what is impressive about PRS....

 

[Tucson Thump]

I wonder whether choosing an instrument is ever a truly objective, unbiased act?

For example, most finish flaws don’t affect the function of the instrument. Yet they matter to lots of folks.

Unless you pay beaucoup bucks for just the right finish flaws

To me an obvious finish flaw is evidence of an attitude on the part of the maker. The corporate culture is either one of pride in the product or not, and if they don't care why should I ? I had a 1990 all-gold LP that screamed once it was set up correctly but had a horrendous paint run down the side that a) never should have been passed on, b) that was clearcoated in spite of an obvious finish flaw, and c) was signed off on the enclosed card by someone in quality control. This was "out of the box" from Gibson on a guitar that was several thousand dollars. My 1964 SG Special was built far better and that was a budget guitar and it still "fills the bill".

 

[Boogie]

I haven’t played a non-CS/Made to Measure Gibson in...well, so long that I don’t remember the last time. Why? For the reason Andy mentioned: sight unseen, the inherent quality in a PRS SE is consistently excellent. I trust the PRS name to deliver playability, beauty, and value. Few other brands can do that, IMO, which is why we’re discussing this here and not at Gibson’s forums.

 

[andy474x]

I wonder whether choosing an instrument is ever a truly objective, unbiased act?

For example, most finish flaws don’t affect the function of the instrument. Yet they matter to lots of folks. Whether tone is good or bad is not only subjective, it’s a product of combining both the instrument and our hands. Even the feel of the finish, and the setup of the one we’re playing will affect our opinion.

And everyone’s got a different take on electronics and hardware. Ultimately you’ve gotta go with your gut feeling. Which guitar sounds and feels right to you?

I’ve been all-PRS for many years. I’ve got my reasons. But unbiased? Un-possible.

True... there is no unbiased. Refer to an authorized service technician for proper biasing!

 

[AP515]

My perspective on bias: One should not come to any manufacturer sponsored website and expect an unbiased opinion. It isn't going to happen! I do find that perhaps we here, have more of the other brand's guitars than they have of ours, but if you went to their sites you would also get a biased opinion. That is the way it is supposed to be!

Now that doesn't mean I don't think I'm honest and correct about the SE's. I am right, I just don't expect that I will be seen as unbiased.

 

[Boogie]

PRS puts convenient probe contacts on their amps so we can easily adjust our bias.