dmatthews
Dave's not here
I want a tentacle top... cuz guitar porn...
The 80's - what was your guitar life ''Pre-PRS'' and why did you change
- Thread starter LaPanthere
- Start date
Started with Classical in 5th grade, hated it with a passion. Got my first electric in '87 at the ripe old age of 14. That was a Lotus LP copy, that was actually a really nice guitar, but I wanted pointy stuff with a trem. So then it went to a pearl white BC Rich Ironbird with a Kahler. Upgraded from that to a Charvel 475 Special that I had for a long long time. Then I added a Neon Orange Ibanez 540p. Moved to Nashville to join a band with some of my buddies, saw and played my first PRS in 1994 at Corner Music. Emerald Green CU24 with gold hardware and birds. No way on Gods green earth that I could have afforded it then, poor musician living on a couch. Dreamed about owning one forever. Stayed with the Charvel/Ibanez combo for a bunch of years, stopped and got some 7-strings along the way.
Got the first PRS in 2000, with the help of my then girlfriend, future wife. Bought a couple more in the next year with her help, directly and indirectly. One was her helping knowingly the other was bought with the money I had left from buying her engagement ring. Got engaged, set to get married in 2002 so she could finish her degree. Both entered a Santana SE contest right when they came out, she won a Santana II and gave it to me as a wedding gift. I won a t-shirt...
Flipped back and forth with boutique builders with little to no luck in the following years, and always came back to the PRSi. They just work for me, simple as that and I finally quit searching around. Had a bunch over the years and found some really special keepers.
Got the first PRS in 2000, with the help of my then girlfriend, future wife. Bought a couple more in the next year with her help, directly and indirectly. One was her helping knowingly the other was bought with the money I had left from buying her engagement ring. Got engaged, set to get married in 2002 so she could finish her degree. Both entered a Santana SE contest right when they came out, she won a Santana II and gave it to me as a wedding gift. I won a t-shirt...
Flipped back and forth with boutique builders with little to no luck in the following years, and always came back to the PRSi. They just work for me, simple as that and I finally quit searching around. Had a bunch over the years and found some really special keepers.
11top
Cousin Eddie's cousin
I had several used guitars, but this was my first “decent” new electric. Purchased new in 1976. Still have it. Feels like 12 lbs.
Last edited:
veinbuster
Zombie Three, DFZ
Japanese classical mid 70s, Canadian hand made steel string in 80 or 81. A scratch and dent tele that was at a good price point. Then I added a Les Paul custom that was my main guitar until I found PRS and saved enough to buy one.
I still have them all, though the classical has suffered from getting in the way of a falling child.
I still have them all, though the classical has suffered from getting in the way of a falling child.
BankstonGTR
New Member
My first electric was a Harmony LP copy from the JC Penney catalog.
The next year my parents got me a Kramer Striker 300 ST, with an ORIGINAL original Floyd Rose, no fine tuners. I still have that guitar.
The first electric I bought with my own money when I turned 16 was a Charvel Model 2, which I still have. That became my Number 1 until around '94, when I bought a Strat.
I couldn't afford a Les Paul until I turned 30 and played LPs until a couple of years ago, when I made the switch to PRS. I had a couple of Singlecuts and a Custom 22 that I eventually sold, but it was the Custom 24 Floyd that fully converted me.
I sold all my Les Pauls except for my Axcess and R9 and started buying more PRS. I've got 6 now, two CU24 Floyds, a Custom 22, a Singlecut, an SC245 and an SE A50E.
The next year my parents got me a Kramer Striker 300 ST, with an ORIGINAL original Floyd Rose, no fine tuners. I still have that guitar.
The first electric I bought with my own money when I turned 16 was a Charvel Model 2, which I still have. That became my Number 1 until around '94, when I bought a Strat.
I couldn't afford a Les Paul until I turned 30 and played LPs until a couple of years ago, when I made the switch to PRS. I had a couple of Singlecuts and a Custom 22 that I eventually sold, but it was the Custom 24 Floyd that fully converted me.
I sold all my Les Pauls except for my Axcess and R9 and started buying more PRS. I've got 6 now, two CU24 Floyds, a Custom 22, a Singlecut, an SC245 and an SE A50E.
I achieved the official title of "Drummer" in the late 70's (Arizona), but in the early 80's (Florida) I began getting interested in guitars and would often ask the guitar players in my various garage bands if I could give their guitar a try.
The revolving door on my guitar collection officially began with a brand new Hondo II Les Paul copy which I put on Lay-A-Way at a music store in a local mall. Candy Apple Metallic Red with cream binding. At one point I had a (now vintage) Kramer multi-wood body (glued together in strips of different wood like a cutting board or a neck-through design) with an aluminum neck and aluminum V shaped headstock. Peavey amps were abundant back then as it seemed everyone played through one... including myself.
Then I started jammin' with a guy who played a white Ovation Breadwinner. The action on that guitar was incredible! Effortless to play. Ever since, the action on that particular guitar has been my benchmark of what an action should feel like on a double humbucker, Les Paul scale length guitar. More garage bands and jam sessions would follow.
The last garage band I was ever in had these two guys in Orlando who each played a real Gibson Les Paul standard through a Marshall half stack. We sounded FANTASTIC! But that didn't stop the neighbors from calling the cops on us.
The revolving door on my guitar collection officially began with a brand new Hondo II Les Paul copy which I put on Lay-A-Way at a music store in a local mall. Candy Apple Metallic Red with cream binding. At one point I had a (now vintage) Kramer multi-wood body (glued together in strips of different wood like a cutting board or a neck-through design) with an aluminum neck and aluminum V shaped headstock. Peavey amps were abundant back then as it seemed everyone played through one... including myself.
Then I started jammin' with a guy who played a white Ovation Breadwinner. The action on that guitar was incredible! Effortless to play. Ever since, the action on that particular guitar has been my benchmark of what an action should feel like on a double humbucker, Les Paul scale length guitar. More garage bands and jam sessions would follow.
The last garage band I was ever in had these two guys in Orlando who each played a real Gibson Les Paul standard through a Marshall half stack. We sounded FANTASTIC! But that didn't stop the neighbors from calling the cops on us.
Parralax view
New Member
My actual electric journey started in 1965. I've already told the story of my Mosrite Ventures II blue guitar that was my highschool squeeze. I think I had the only one in Carrollton, Texas. After I went to the Navy, it resided under the bed for those years. When I returned, I wanted a MAN's guitar, an LP. I traded the Mosrite and some pedals for a beat to hell LP of unknown vintage, it's probably one of those that was worth 300G's at one time. I have no idea what became of it other than I think I traded it too for something or another amp wise. I never even plugged it in so I don't know if it even worked at that time.
I've been through a couple of Mosrites, the mentioned one and a candy red big Mosrite Ventures model that I acquired from a friend. After that I fell in love with White Fender anything... I had a white Jag for years, a white Jazz master, an still have a white Strat today. Various other brands made their way to me. A 73 Guild s-100 Polara, and an original 69 Tele thinline in light natural, those were lost in a divorce. I went guitar naked for a while except for an acoustic. I finally bought a 95 AMSTD Strat, which I still have, a Hamer archtop Studio which I still have and a special to me, Kramer classic strat clone and a Kramer Nightswan. After all that, I was gifted my PRS in 04 and have since bought a Gretsch Projet. In that time, I lost my desire to trade or mod and all are stock except for bone nuts and pro setups.
I've been through a couple of Mosrites, the mentioned one and a candy red big Mosrite Ventures model that I acquired from a friend. After that I fell in love with White Fender anything... I had a white Jag for years, a white Jazz master, an still have a white Strat today. Various other brands made their way to me. A 73 Guild s-100 Polara, and an original 69 Tele thinline in light natural, those were lost in a divorce. I went guitar naked for a while except for an acoustic. I finally bought a 95 AMSTD Strat, which I still have, a Hamer archtop Studio which I still have and a special to me, Kramer classic strat clone and a Kramer Nightswan. After all that, I was gifted my PRS in 04 and have since bought a Gretsch Projet. In that time, I lost my desire to trade or mod and all are stock except for bone nuts and pro setups.
markd21
New Member
Hmmmm, I started off in the 80's with a Yamaha. I worked all summer to pay off that guitar on lay-a-way. After a while - maybe a year? - I started getting into Ibanez. This was 1987. I bought a brand new 540S in Desert Sun Yellow. I still have it. Then I got a couple RGs - a white 550, a Road Flare Red 550, and a 560. After that, I got a black 540P - the reverse body thing, with a HS layout.
I played those five Ibanez guitars until, maybe, 1993. I spent a little time between 1993 and 1995 playing Hamer USA guitars. I had a Diablo, a Special FM, a Studio, and a Special P90. I played those Hamers, but wasn't ready to play "old style" guitars yet. I kept the Diablo, sold the others, and bought an ESP M-II.
I played ESP from 1995 to 1998. I had the M-II, a Horizon, and a Mirage. I liked the ESPs, but people were always eyeing them when I would be out on the road. I sold the Horizon and the Mirage. I traded the M-II for a Jackson PC-1. That was in 1999.
In late 1998 I got an '86 Jackson Strat with a reverse pointy head. That guitar KILLED. It was WAY better than my ESPs. After getting the PC-1 I was hooked. I grabbed a few more Jacksons. I had a couple of prototypes that I got off Kevin Easton. I had several Custom Shop Soloists. I used Jackson guitars until 2014, when my band Autumn's Pain broke up. At that time I wanted to reinvent myself as a player.
I joined a smooth jazz group and a country band. I used Fender guitars in the country band. I had a Custom Shop '59 Strat and a Custom Shop '60s Tele. In the smooth jazz group I used an Ernie Ball Music Man Albert Lee HH. I also got into Gretsch guitars during this time. I got a Duo Jet and a 6120. I also picked up an EBMM St. Valentine right when it was released.
In 2016 I decided to go back to playing hard rock. I auditioned for the band I ended up joining (Demented Truth) with the EBMM guitars. They liked my playing, but hated my guitars. I was bummed, and asked my wife what I should do. She asked me one question:
"If you could play ANY guitar you wanted, what would it be?"
I answered, "PRS."
She said, "Then get those!"
At that point, I still had a few guitars from over the years. I still had the Jackson PC-1, the Hamer Diablo, the two EBMM guitars, the CS Fenders, the Gretsch guitars, and several others that I never mentioned. I kept the Gretsch Duo Jet and the Ibanez 540S. I sold/traded every other guitar and got 3-4 PRS'. Through out my time in Demented Truth I played PRS. After leaving them in March 2018, I was full-on PRS and now, aside from the Ibanez 540S, my old burnt RG560, and my home-built Esquire, PRS guitars are all I have.
I played those five Ibanez guitars until, maybe, 1993. I spent a little time between 1993 and 1995 playing Hamer USA guitars. I had a Diablo, a Special FM, a Studio, and a Special P90. I played those Hamers, but wasn't ready to play "old style" guitars yet. I kept the Diablo, sold the others, and bought an ESP M-II.
I played ESP from 1995 to 1998. I had the M-II, a Horizon, and a Mirage. I liked the ESPs, but people were always eyeing them when I would be out on the road. I sold the Horizon and the Mirage. I traded the M-II for a Jackson PC-1. That was in 1999.
In late 1998 I got an '86 Jackson Strat with a reverse pointy head. That guitar KILLED. It was WAY better than my ESPs. After getting the PC-1 I was hooked. I grabbed a few more Jacksons. I had a couple of prototypes that I got off Kevin Easton. I had several Custom Shop Soloists. I used Jackson guitars until 2014, when my band Autumn's Pain broke up. At that time I wanted to reinvent myself as a player.
I joined a smooth jazz group and a country band. I used Fender guitars in the country band. I had a Custom Shop '59 Strat and a Custom Shop '60s Tele. In the smooth jazz group I used an Ernie Ball Music Man Albert Lee HH. I also got into Gretsch guitars during this time. I got a Duo Jet and a 6120. I also picked up an EBMM St. Valentine right when it was released.
In 2016 I decided to go back to playing hard rock. I auditioned for the band I ended up joining (Demented Truth) with the EBMM guitars. They liked my playing, but hated my guitars. I was bummed, and asked my wife what I should do. She asked me one question:
"If you could play ANY guitar you wanted, what would it be?"
I answered, "PRS."
She said, "Then get those!"
At that point, I still had a few guitars from over the years. I still had the Jackson PC-1, the Hamer Diablo, the two EBMM guitars, the CS Fenders, the Gretsch guitars, and several others that I never mentioned. I kept the Gretsch Duo Jet and the Ibanez 540S. I sold/traded every other guitar and got 3-4 PRS'. Through out my time in Demented Truth I played PRS. After leaving them in March 2018, I was full-on PRS and now, aside from the Ibanez 540S, my old burnt RG560, and my home-built Esquire, PRS guitars are all I have.
Wakester
Re Member
I had one of these...https://reverb.com/p/harmony-h-802-...ntwu4aAp5sEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&hfid=15553018.
It was a Christmas present, and my first electric guitar. Played it through a boombox, with no effects. Pickups were horridly noisy and sounded the same no matter which position they were in.
It was a Christmas present, and my first electric guitar. Played it through a boombox, with no effects. Pickups were horridly noisy and sounded the same no matter which position they were in.
Hmm...it was 1978 and I had a paper route during the famous blizzard and was making crazy money for a 14 year old. I’d been taking guitar lessons on some sh@tty nylon string acoustic for too long and was getting bored. So with my earnings I bought a killer bike (a Motobecane 10 speed), a fantastic Pentax camera (with lenses and autowinder!), and my first electric...a ‘79 Les Paul Deluxe from Music Emporium USA for $479. That was an insane amount of money then, but I had it and a job, so there! Since it was such a good guitar, unlike most of my friends, I didn’t want to trade stuff. That never changed since I still have everything I’ve ever bought. In fact, I still have that bike and camera, too.
CVS
Not so new member
I can relate to the weightI had several used guitars, but this was my first “decent” new electric. Purchased new in 1976. Still have it. Feels like 12 lbs.
! Pretty sure I had the same type of guitar in the mid-late 70's. Does this one have an ebony fretboard?Cheap acoustic, more expensive cheap acoustic, '77 Stra,(bought a Peavey "Classic" and LA is Series "L7"@ages 16 & 17), Epihone acoustic, B.C. Rich in "Birdseye"(bought a Mk1 Boogie
stack the same day@age 21), Ovation Elite, cheap nylon string, Ibanez solidbody, Larrivee LSV-11, Kronbauer mini jumbo, Turner "Compass Rose"
stack the same day@age 21), Ovation Elite, cheap nylon string, Ibanez solidbody, Larrivee LSV-11, Kronbauer mini jumbo, Turner "Compass Rose"
11top
Cousin Eddie's cousin
gush
Where is that speedo pic
My first guitar purchase was 1983 G&L Nighthawk which I still have. Before that I was playing a fender duosonic.
Went through all of the brands. Played the G&L exclusively for a long time then I started buying guitars. Gibson LPs and one V. 3 different Kramers. I bought a Charvel model 4 with Jackson active PUs and Licensed floyd. Charvel became my go to guitar for quite a while then I bought a fender or two.
Then I got into Ibanez guitars. Had 3 of those. Played the RG570 for a few years but then really wanted to improve my tone.
I played some model of prs at a jam once and really disliked it tone wise. After a few more years I got interested in the prs McCarty model and my wife bought me a used one as a gift. It's my avatar.
Bought a cu22 a couple years after the Mccarty and bought a cu24 trem with 5909s shortly after that. I had ditched floyd for a while but really missed a floating trem. The cu24 trem was the one that really got me hooked. Loved those PUs and prs trem.
Still have the G&L and one custom guitar but all the rest are prs.
Went through all of the brands. Played the G&L exclusively for a long time then I started buying guitars. Gibson LPs and one V. 3 different Kramers. I bought a Charvel model 4 with Jackson active PUs and Licensed floyd. Charvel became my go to guitar for quite a while then I bought a fender or two.
Then I got into Ibanez guitars. Had 3 of those. Played the RG570 for a few years but then really wanted to improve my tone.
I played some model of prs at a jam once and really disliked it tone wise. After a few more years I got interested in the prs McCarty model and my wife bought me a used one as a gift. It's my avatar.
Bought a cu22 a couple years after the Mccarty and bought a cu24 trem with 5909s shortly after that. I had ditched floyd for a while but really missed a floating trem. The cu24 trem was the one that really got me hooked. Loved those PUs and prs trem.
Still have the G&L and one custom guitar but all the rest are prs.
Started playing guitar somewhere between 1986 and 1987 with a cheap white Epiphone HSS Strat (yes strat) with a Dimarzio Super Distortion pickup!!
In 1990 I have saved up and bought a new Ibanez RG550 which I still have.
I was classmates with the Ibanez dealer's daughter, so I had the luxury as a teenager to stay at the guitar shop as long as I wanted and check out most of the stuff...
The staff at the shop handpicked my RG550 from their inventory and told me: You'll get this black / maple board one! It sounds the best of all the ones we have in the shop! I wanted the yellow one, but got thee black one at the end...
Like Markd21 I really loved the 540S but it was more expensive than the RG550 and could not afford it at the time...
A few years back it was resprayed Lamborghini Orange metallic and now it looks like this:
P.S. While my PRS 513 gets most of my playtime, buying an Ibanez S series guitar was bugging me since 1990. A few years back I got this S2120x with the added bonus of the L.R. Baggs piezo...
P.S. 2: Is it me or does Photobucket not watermark the old photos in there?
In 1990 I have saved up and bought a new Ibanez RG550 which I still have.
I was classmates with the Ibanez dealer's daughter, so I had the luxury as a teenager to stay at the guitar shop as long as I wanted and check out most of the stuff...
The staff at the shop handpicked my RG550 from their inventory and told me: You'll get this black / maple board one! It sounds the best of all the ones we have in the shop! I wanted the yellow one, but got thee black one at the end...
Like Markd21 I really loved the 540S but it was more expensive than the RG550 and could not afford it at the time...
A few years back it was resprayed Lamborghini Orange metallic and now it looks like this:
P.S. While my PRS 513 gets most of my playtime, buying an Ibanez S series guitar was bugging me since 1990. A few years back I got this S2120x with the added bonus of the L.R. Baggs piezo...
P.S. 2: Is it me or does Photobucket not watermark the old photos in there?
Last edited:
TRJC24PRS
Possibly A New Member
Well I wasn't born in the 80s' or before but I sure as hell never knew who PRS was when I first started playing. I started on a crappy $100 squier from Best Buy (yeah Best Buy) and I didnt really care at the time about what I was playing, as long I learning them Im good for my time being. As I got older I started to get into the Gibson SG, so for my first "real" guitar was an anniversary Epiphone SG. I played on that until my mom gave me her mexi strat. I still played the SG but I decided to put Seymour Duncan JB Juniors in the neck and middle and a EVH Frankenstein Humbucker on the bride (it was an HSS strat). I played those two until a few years ago, I discovered a Paul Reed Smith guitar. I was amazed at how great the tone was and the playability. I found a Custom 24 at a Guitar Center and played it, it just blew me away. So from then on PRS has been my main axe of choice, but I still go back to the Strat sometimes for that Halen tone yknow.
Last edited:
WA Paul
All dogs go to heaven
- Joined
- May 11, 2017
- Messages
- 4,107
1990 Washburn acoustic in red - now with my dad
First electric was a Les Paul Studio, 1991 black with ebony board. Now resides with my brother.
Next electric was a LP STD Plus, cherry sunburst in 1995. Bought a Taylor 510 also that year.
Traded both in for my first PRS, a 2000 McCarty 10 top in dark cherry sunburst. Now resides with my brother (he’s a savvy buyer apparently...)
Picked the PRS up from the shop with my future wife. She was with me the first time we met Paul and Ralph in 2013, where I bought my first PRS acoustic from Paul (McManus). Some things never change I guess!
First electric was a Les Paul Studio, 1991 black with ebony board. Now resides with my brother.
Next electric was a LP STD Plus, cherry sunburst in 1995. Bought a Taylor 510 also that year.
Traded both in for my first PRS, a 2000 McCarty 10 top in dark cherry sunburst. Now resides with my brother (he’s a savvy buyer apparently...
)Picked the PRS up from the shop with my future wife
. She was with me the first time we met Paul and Ralph in 2013, where I bought my first PRS acoustic from Paul (McManus). Some things never change I guess! 
I was the strolling accordionist in the House of the Rising Sun, when one of the hookers wised me up. “Accordions are for old men,” she said. “You’re not that old yet. Learn to play guitar, and you’ll be more popular.” Well, she was right about that, I was only fourteen.
“Where do I get a guitar?” I asked. “The internet hasn’t been invented yet.”
“That’s true,” she said. “Al Gore hasn’t been born yet. Heck, it’s only 1934.” We were both at a loss. I got dressed, paid her the two bits and went back to work.
The next day as the hookers were fighting over whose turn it was to wear the one pair of underpants they had to share, the one who was my friend said, “Psst. I have something for you.” I went into her room, and on the cot was a guitar case. Inside was a PRS. “How...” I asked.
She smiled and said something about a visit from this guy in a stainless steel car, but I didn’t really listen, I was so enthralled by this PRS. I picked it up, and it played so easily - I was able to play Stairway To Heaven perfectly, including the solo, which was pretty amazing for two reasons: one, I’d never played the guitar before; and two, the song wouldn’t be written for 37 years.
This is the magic of a PRS. You can do the not-yet-possible on it.
Unfortunately, a few days later I was abducted by aliens, and when I was returned to Earth, I was still only 14, but 30 years had passed in Earth-time, and the House of the Rising Sun was torn down and the property had been turned into a parking lot. There was no hope of finding my PRS.
I would have to wait it out until they started making them. It was to prove a long wait through a dark tunnel. Because I lived in a tunnel, since the House of the Rising Sun was no longer around, and there wasn’t much of a market for fourteen year old strolling accordionists. The next 21 years were kind of a blur. At some point I got drafted into the Navy and wound up in a weather station at the South Pole. I learned something important at the South Pole: just about everywhere else is more fun.
Except law school. The South Pole is infinitely more fun than law school, though either way you’re going to need a lot of alcohol.
“Where do I get a guitar?” I asked. “The internet hasn’t been invented yet.”
“That’s true,” she said. “Al Gore hasn’t been born yet. Heck, it’s only 1934.” We were both at a loss. I got dressed, paid her the two bits and went back to work.
The next day as the hookers were fighting over whose turn it was to wear the one pair of underpants they had to share, the one who was my friend said, “Psst. I have something for you.” I went into her room, and on the cot was a guitar case. Inside was a PRS. “How...” I asked.
She smiled and said something about a visit from this guy in a stainless steel car, but I didn’t really listen, I was so enthralled by this PRS. I picked it up, and it played so easily - I was able to play Stairway To Heaven perfectly, including the solo, which was pretty amazing for two reasons: one, I’d never played the guitar before; and two, the song wouldn’t be written for 37 years.
This is the magic of a PRS. You can do the not-yet-possible on it.
Unfortunately, a few days later I was abducted by aliens, and when I was returned to Earth, I was still only 14, but 30 years had passed in Earth-time, and the House of the Rising Sun was torn down and the property had been turned into a parking lot. There was no hope of finding my PRS.
I would have to wait it out until they started making them. It was to prove a long wait through a dark tunnel. Because I lived in a tunnel, since the House of the Rising Sun was no longer around, and there wasn’t much of a market for fourteen year old strolling accordionists. The next 21 years were kind of a blur. At some point I got drafted into the Navy and wound up in a weather station at the South Pole. I learned something important at the South Pole: just about everywhere else is more fun.
Except law school. The South Pole is infinitely more fun than law school, though either way you’re going to need a lot of alcohol.
Last edited:
Alan Manning
Well Love a Duck Mary Poppins.!!!
I bought a black beauty japanese copy back in 78 for about £120.00 from a shop on Denmark st London (aka Tin pan alley).
Then an Ibanez acoustic ( broke the headstock twice on that one) sad story. Then an Aspen acoustic in 87 which was quickly discontinued i think due to a law suit by Martin. ( still got that one really nice, and the copy but thats all in bits I'm afraid).
Then an Ibanez acoustic ( broke the headstock twice on that one) sad story. Then an Aspen acoustic in 87 which was quickly discontinued i think due to a law suit by Martin. ( still got that one really nice, and the copy but thats all in bits I'm afraid).
Similar threads
