Starla X - The PRS that was setup to fail

[DK1984]

As I learn more about the Starla X and have one actually on the way that I bought, it seems like PRS doesn't want to really think much about the guitar in their history. It's not even on the model history timeline at all. A shame considering it was a core USA PRS at one time.

So in memory of the Starla X, which people rejected due to it not using the typical tonewoods that PRS would use...here's a photo to show people of these hidden sleeper guitars and the good deals potentially you'll find on one out there like I did.

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

I feel like the “not pretty” models didn’t get a ton of love but they are seriously incredible guitars.

 

[dogrocketp]

That is one badass Starla.

 

[DK1984]

I feel like the “not pretty” models didn’t get a ton of love but they are seriously incredible guitars.

Agreed

 

[DK1984]

That is one badass Starla.

It'll be even more badass on Monday when it arrives

 

[Deleted member 5962]

As someone who has always liked the Mira, I wasn’t even sure what the difference was with a Mira X or a Starla X, except they were cheaper. I almost asked a couple times because some Mira X’s were priced so well, but I never did, so I still don’t really know what the X indicates.


That said, yours is a cool guitar!!

 

[dogrocketp]

Do post a sound report, I haven’t been in love with any of the 24.5 scale guitars I’ve owned.

 

[DK1984]

I think the X had something to do with it being appealing to a new generation...not sure what the marketing idea was but the only difference between the regular Starla/Mira were the woods used and I think these just had the shorter scale of 24.5

 

[DK1984]

Do post a sound report, I haven’t been in love with any of the 24.5 scale guitars I’ve owned.

I will, I've already read good things about the sound/tone. The X could've also had something to do with some of them being made in 2010 and X is the roman numeral for 10?

 

[DK1984]

The irony too is that you have the John Mayer model which uses alder, but because it has John Mayer's name involved...people accepted it!

 

[dmatthews]

Two differences between the Core original Mira and the Mira X are:
1) X has no separate mini toggle for pup split
2) X tuners are vintage style non-locking

Can't remember if the pups are the same.

 

[jak3af3r]

Two differences between the Core original Mira and the Mira X are:
1) X has no separate mini toggle for pup split
2) X tuners are vintage style non-locking

Can't remember if the pups are the same.

I thought the biggest difference was the wood.

For some odd reason I thought those were basswood and flat bodies. And the Mira had 22 frets.

 

[dmatthews]

Oh, and I believe/think that maybe the body wood is basswood instead of hog... I think...

 

[dmatthews]

I thought the biggest difference was the wood.

For some odd reason I thought those were basswood and flat bodies. And the Mira had 22 frets.

Lol! beat me by 1 minute

 

[jak3af3r]

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/prs-mira-x-electric-guitar

Confirmed!

Basswood, Pau ferro, and sipo mahogany.

 

[AP515]

I'd rock that anytime!

 

[vchizzle]

Great looking guitar! Didn’t realize that they made them with P90’s. I kinda want one now.

 

[Gigi]

Two differences between the Core original Mira and the Mira X are:
1) X has no separate mini toggle for pup split
2) X tuners are vintage style non-locking
Can't remember if the pups are the same.

I thought the biggest difference was the wood.
For some odd reason I thought those were basswood and flat bodies. And the Mira had 22 frets.

For the Mira this above:
woods, basswood (2009) or obeche (2010) body + sipo neck for Mira X, all mahogany the Mira, also the carve seems to be different
fretboard, pau ferro (2009) or rosewood (2010) with dot inlays for Mira X, rosewood with moons for Mira,
pickups, Mira X treble and bass against Mira treble and bass (so seem like S2 these days),
neck profile, wide fat for Mira X, wide thin or regular for Mira
mini toggle, tuners and frets as already said
the main difference was the scale lenght, 24.5 for Mira X and 25 for Mira
more options were available for the Mira like birds inlay and more finishes

Starla X: same woods, number of frets, scale lenght, neck shape, tuners and pickups of the Mira X
differences from Starla X and Starla were the stoptail vs the Bigsby, and pickups (Mira X vs Starla treble and bass), and again more options for the Starla


Basically i think the Mira and Starla (and their X versions) were the first attempts for what became the S2 line, it wouldn't surprise me if they used some asian made components or were not all USA made.


I'm not sure those P90 came stock with the guitar by the way... <----- EDIT: soapbar pickups were an option.

 

[Shawn@PRS]

The X models are the granddaddy to the S2 line. At the time, we didn't have a separate woodshop production line for the X models and we didn't have a handle on the production methods that would allow us to build them in less time than it takes to build a core model. Because of this, they were never commercially successful for PRS and we didn't spend a lot of energy promoting a product that didn't make money. They're awesome guitars, we just didn't have our heads fully wrapped around the concept at the time. You could say the same about the EG models from the 1990s. But thanks to what we learned from these earlier projects, we now have a full-fledged S2 lineup, which includes the new McCarty 594 guitars which are some of my favorite PRS guitars ever.

 

[DK1984]

As far as I’m aware the parts were not Korean or cheap since they were still core models. Grover bridge, gotoh tuners etc. PRS didn’t “cut corners” until the SE/S2 line with the Korean parts, which I honestly haven’t heard bad things about any of them.