PRS Signature Limited 2012

[cembo]

Hi guys,
I just have bought my first PRS new Signature Limited 2012. Beautiful eriza verde color with tremolo and neck made of "sinker" mahogany. Sounding very good, however I have one question. I am owning US Tele Deluxe maple neck and Suhr 10th. Anniversary LE. After my first testing of this PRS I found out that sound is completely different than those two other guitars. It is not a problem of course, because I am sure I will get used to different sound, sooner or later develop the taste for delicate PRS tone color, but there is one thing which is bothering me. Regardless of differences between those three guitars, it is a very simple fact that when i play legato on Suhr it is almost as loud as string pick. In Tele case it is similar as well, but when i play legato on PRS it sounds muted and tones don't sound even. For me is more important how guitar sounds without being plugged into amp than chasing the tone by amp and pickups. I hope there is some reasonable explanation because I don't want to sell this beautiful guitar. All answers are appreciated :cheers:

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

Squirt?

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Squirt?

:girl:

 

[justmund]

Hey mate, it sounds like your guitar is faulty.

Lucky that you're in Sydney, I'm in Tas and would be willing to take the wretched thing off your hands. I'll even pay shipping!

 

[cembo]

Squirt?

¿ʇɹınbS

 

[cembo]

Thanks for offer man ... I forgot to mention that Suhr is chambered and PRS not ? Couldn't it be reason ? This guitar looks alright and sounds good just this hammering issue, I mean when Suhr resonates much better on legato than PRS. I have made two a few seconds long audio samples, if you would like to hear it I can upload it. This is my first PRS, never had any personal experience.

 

[justmund]

Would certainly like to hear the clips mate. Are you saying it's just unplugged that there's a difference or is it plugged in too? Maybe the strings are old, or different gauge, the frets might be significantly different and it's a technique adjustment that needs to happen. Maybe the action is too low on the Sig Ltd (right is 1.6mm at the 12th fret) or maybe the neck relief needs setting.

Could be lots of things!

 

[cembo]

Plugged sounds different than Suhr too. That's because different pickups and also this PRS has neck made of harder mahogany. Plugged sounds more bass/treble like rock unlike Suhr which is more in mids like wood. This PRS came from authorized dealer properly packed and setup so I believe that string action and gauge (10) is alright. Suhr has same gauge. Here are samples of not plugged guitars: http://www.sendspace.com/file/368bno ... you can cleanly hear that unplugged PRS is much less percussive. Funny is that this problem gets less obvious when I plug this guitar into Fender Twin on high volume or especially with Cornford Hellcat hi-gain channel ...

 

[swede71]

If you pluck the harmonics on the 12th,7th and 5th fret on all guitars,any differences?

 

[cembo]

If you pluck the harmonics on the 12th,7th and 5th fret on all guitars,any differences?

... 12th alright, 7th bit weaker and 5th very weak, unlike my other guitars ...

 

[swede71]

How does the notes ring high up on the neck?Make sure pickups not set too high.The other guitars bolt-on designs,often more livelier than glued-in designs.

 

[justmund]

I can't get the download link to work?

Maybe take some close up shots, especially of the strings/neck/pickups but looking across the body of the guitar, so we can see the clearance between strings/frets and strings/pickups.

Did you buy it locally or import from the US?

 

[cembo]

How does the notes ring high up on the neck?Make sure pickups not set too high.The other guitars bolt-on designs,often more livelier than glued-in designs.

I can't get the download link to work?

Maybe take some close up shots, especially of the strings/neck/pickups but looking across the body of the guitar, so we can see the clearance between strings/frets and strings/pickups.

Did you buy it locally or import from the US?

... guitar came from authorised dealer in Quebec. He was recommended by my friend so this guitar is properly setup including pickups, action and intonation. Plugged or unplugged problem still persist. Just sounds somehow muted. On that audio samples is some blues lick (unplugged) to give good example. When you pick the open A string, then "hammer" on C then "hammer" on C# with left hand fingers without picking the string, and then pick A on G string second fret. You can hear that C and C# tones are very quiet sounding, almost muted. When I do it on Suhr those tones are loud enough. Both samples I played with same way and strength. I hope it is just my immagination caused by my lack of experience with PRS :laugh:

Here are the links:

PRS: http://depositfiles.com/files/kqh2xv4ea

Suhr: http://depositfiles.com/files/uwhgbq9xq

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

Dead strings? If you're convinced it's the guitar and it doesn't work for you, sell it.

 

[cembo]

Dead strings? If you're convinced it's the guitar and it doesn't work for you, sell it.

... strings look alright. Like new, not rusty or dirty, but I will put new ones to be sure ...

 

[swede71]

Perhaps a dead guitar or just simply not the PRS model for your style of playing.Go to a store and check out some other models,perhaps a cheaper one like the bolt-on NF3 and see if it works better for you.Did you buy without playing it first?

 

[justmund]

NF3's aren't cheaper at all... In fact, I have one with a sweet flame maple neck that I'd be willing to swap for the Sig Ltd. I'll even fly to Sydney to make the trade

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

I don't think you're ever going to get a mahogany neck guitar (warmer tone) to match a maple neck guitar (brighter/snappier tone). They're different animals.

If new Stainless Steel strings don't get you where you wanna be and you don't want to sell the guitar, send it to the PTC for a new nut and the Artist Tweak to the trem bridge.

 

[justmund]

Oh shush Hans!

To be honest I couldn't hear much dynamics differences in the audio clips, apart from the overall volume of both guitars which may be attributed to the Suhr being a semi-hollow/chambered.

You said yourself the "problem" is less obvious once plugged in. Have a good read of some of these comments:

http://prsguitars.com/forum/showthread.php?2834-408-Pickups-Love-Fest

http://prsguitars.com/forum/showthread.php?3196-408s

I'm thinking it's all in your head mate, your perception is filtering what you're hearing, you're expecting something that's not there and not appreciating what the Sig Ltd is doing.

Put the Suhr down for a week and just play the Sig Ltd, really play with your amp/guitar settings (as in above threads) and if the problem persists, flip it.

 

[cembo]

... I was actually thinking about NF3 for long time because I have been playing of Tele with maple neck for long time. I thought that PRS will have similar tone to my Suhr because of same wood. I ques it's that chambered body of Suhr what makes difference in that bloody legato sound I am going to see guitar repairer to be sure ...