PRS that does both Jazz & Rock?

[Butch_Snyder]

Any guitar will do Jazz and Rock. It depends on the player more than the instrument. I have 5 Telecasters and an SAS SE. They all do Rock and Jazz fine because I have been playing long enough to know how to do it. It's also not just the guitar, but the amp that is an important variable.

 

[Zoot Allures]

Another vote for the HB. My HB rocks, even with flatwounds on it! Dial back the tone control and play your jazz, too. A great, versatile guitar…

 

[Oscar]

Any hollowbody PRS will do just fine. I love jazz and I love rock, my 594 HB-II does both wonderfully well. Less likely but worthy contenders are Soapbars (currently have flats on mine, wow) and even the neck pickup sound of my DC3 strung with 11s. The latter sounds very open and detailed, without the midrange bump associated with humbuckers. If you like a Tele’s neck pickup sound for jazz, you’ll like the DC3 (or any other model with the same pickup type). Also don’t forget the DGT, either core or SE. While not hollow, it’s a wonderful tone and I love to play jazz on it.

 

[Abe]

When I think jazz guitar sound I think of some hollowbody acoustic tone projection coming from some meaty low end having humbuckers when plugged in. Other setups can be dialed in to contribute the jazzy sound but the HB w/ HH brings it all the way there for me with strings of not too light of a gauge. I also think of strings such as like flatwound 11's+ to be kinda jazz guitar sound exclusive to me.

 

[Greywolf]

Lots of Air, Flatwound 11's , a Polytone = the classic jazz combo

While my Jazz box has that ( although I use a mesa rosette) it is limited.

The PS Santana Semi with the IRW neck is flat out the holy grail, but considering it's history that makes perfect sense. She'll make any tone you need, suprisngly more versatile than my Westie. Imagine if a 335 could go to the top finishing school for say ... a millenia ..

There is one left on the Verb, and it has a solid BRZ neck . If I wasn't in the middle of restoring my old Porsche it would be mine.

Yes it is $$ but I can assure you it is worth every penny, take out a 2nd on the house and go all in .

 

[Mozzi]

The music is inside the musician and it comes out through whatever instrument that they feel most 'comfortable' playing!!

Jazz or Rock is quite different but Rock is often distorted crunchy sound and Jazz is more 'Clean' and articulate, and a PRS can easily do both!!

The difference is much more likely to be down to the 'Rig' the Guitar is plugged into - the Amp, the pedalboard, even where the mic is placed have a LOT to do with the recorded sound, more than the guitar associated with it and at the end of the day, most musicians play the guitars they do because they feel most comfortable with it and it works for them.

Unless you are chasing a very specific tone that 'only' a specific type guitar (12 string, Strat, Les Paul, Tele type) recorded by a famous artist like Vai or Hendrix, then maybe you need a 'specific' type guitar to Chase that tone, but ANY guitar can be used to play Hendrix - they all have the same notes and will be played the same way - even if the tone you have is 'different'

When Famous Artists do 'covers' of Famous Songs, they often use their favourite guitar and 'tone' rather than try and 'copy' the OG artist. Al Di Meola is a famous Jazz Fusion musician who used PRS guitars so ANY guitar can be used to play ANY genre. It's in the 'musician' and the guitar is the way to get the music out - the 'voice' or 'tone' of that is more about the individual preference and their Rig as a 'whole'...

A PRS Hollowbody isn't just for Jazz, it Rocks too. A Solid body PRS doesn't just Rock, it does all the genres too.... It's more about whether you are chasing a specific tone or can find their own tone to suit the rest of the Band when you play Jazz or Rock with them. If you are learning to play both, then ANY guitar you feel most comfortable playing works. They'll all have the same notes - it should be more about do you want/need a tremolo or fixed bridge than will it work for Jazz or Rock...

Jazz and Rock is in the Player and the guitar is just what they use to get that out! Its then down to them to decide whether the 'Rig' gives them the 'tone' they want so it sits in the 'mix' with the rest of the band just the way they want it. It's only if they are chasing a 'specific' tone that only a certain guitar can do, that's different because its 'specific' but in general ANY guitar will do ANY Genre of music.

Acoustic is the same - despite all the different woods, styles etc that affect the sound, they all can do 'Jazz' or 'Rock' too - same with Electric.

 

[VHTStark]

The music is inside the musician and it comes out through whatever instrument that they feel most 'comfortable' playing!!

Jazz or Rock is quite different but Rock is often distorted crunchy sound and Jazz is more 'Clean' and articulate, and a PRS can easily do both!!

The difference is much more likely to be down to the 'Rig' the Guitar is plugged into - the Amp, the pedalboard, even where the mic is placed have a LOT to do with the recorded sound, more than the guitar associated with it and at the end of the day, most musicians play the guitars they do because they feel most comfortable with it and it works for them.

Unless you are chasing a very specific tone that 'only' a specific type guitar (12 string, Strat, Les Paul, Tele type) recorded by a famous artist like Vai or Hendrix, then maybe you need a 'specific' type guitar to Chase that tone, but ANY guitar can be used to play Hendrix - they all have the same notes and will be played the same way - even if the tone you have is 'different'

When Famous Artists do 'covers' of Famous Songs, they often use their favourite guitar and 'tone' rather than try and 'copy' the OG artist. Al Di Meola is a famous Jazz Fusion musician who used PRS guitars so ANY guitar can be used to play ANY genre. It's in the 'musician' and the guitar is the way to get the music out - the 'voice' or 'tone' of that is more about the individual preference and their Rig as a 'whole'...

A PRS Hollowbody isn't just for Jazz, it Rocks too. A Solid body PRS doesn't just Rock, it does all the genres too.... It's more about whether you are chasing a specific tone or can find their own tone to suit the rest of the Band when you play Jazz or Rock with them. If you are learning to play both, then ANY guitar you feel most comfortable playing works. They'll all have the same notes - it should be more about do you want/need a tremolo or fixed bridge than will it work for Jazz or Rock...

Jazz and Rock is in the Player and the guitar is just what they use to get that out! Its then down to them to decide whether the 'Rig' gives them the 'tone' they want so it sits in the 'mix' with the rest of the band just the way they want it. It's only if they are chasing a 'specific' tone that only a certain guitar can do, that's different because its 'specific' but in general ANY guitar will do ANY Genre of music.

Acoustic is the same - despite all the different woods, styles etc that affect the sound, they all can do 'Jazz' or 'Rock' too - same with Electric.

Well said!! I don't play Jazz even though I own a JA-15. That guitar has a great immediacy to the attack on fundamental notes and a big, clear soundscape in general. That makes it great for Jazz riffing, but also for the complex chords I like to use in my more rock/punk oriented playing.

 

[László]

Ask this guy. He knows stuff.

 

[d2g]

Looking to purchase my first PRS Core guitar and would love some opinions on what would be the best if I’m trying to get both Jazz and Rock tones.

Have been considering the custom 24, hollowbody ii, and the semi hollow special?

If it was just rock I’d go custom 24 as I’m a 90s kid loving Wes Borland, Brad Delson and all the nu-metal bands. But on the other hand, Mike Einzinger of Incubus has some of my favorite tones coming out of a hollowbody ii.

Any and all suggestions are appreciated.

Find a guitar you bond with and let it sing your voice. Every guitar can play any style of music in the hands of a committed player.

Of course you’re probably not looking for a 23-fret wide thin Floyd Rose EMG guitar, and you probably don’t need a metalzone pedal - but you certainly could and it could be super interesting!

Don’t overlook the amp and gain setup… compare across a wide range of gain and tone options to get a good feel for the instrument.

I have a couple classic PRS that I’ll never sell but also rarely play… because they don’t speak to me like others in the rack. You can constrain yourself to mastering a pencil or force yourself to use all the colors in a box of multiple crayons. Both valid.

Let your voice shine ;-)