Thinking of getting a P22 or P245

[Johan Allard]

So I've been GAS:ing for another PRS and was thinking of getting a piezo equipped model this time. Currently I have a Signature Limited, a Custom 22 and a SC58. All lovely guitars. Living in Australia there's not a lot of opportunities to try these out and there's certainly no place that would stock a P22, P245 and the new P245 Semi-Hollow all in one place. So basically I'm just after some opinions on these and piezo in general. First, how you tried and compared any of these and do you like any of them better than the other? And second is on the piezo - do you actually use it or is it more of a neat idea that never really translates to everyday use?

Thanks for sharing any experiences and opinions!

 

[bodia]

I've got a P245 semi hollow and LOVE it. Admittedly, I haven't used the piezo much. It's serviceable though. I can't say enough about the 58/15 pick ups. They are the absolute bomb. The SH lends to a little openness. I flipped flopped between the 245 and the 245 SH and am glad I went the SH route.

 

[veinbuster]

I blend in a bit of piezo most of the time. Particularly when playing finger style.

 

[Johan Allard]

Thanks guys.

I think I'm leaning towards the P245 SH. I'm not super keen on the blade switch on the P22 based on 408 I had and I much preferred the 3 way switch on the Signature Limited. But maybe it was just that guitar.

 

[goat-n-gitter]

I love my P22 and use the piezo all the time in my band. A lot of our original music has acoustic and electric parts in the same song, the P22 works great for this. I'm sure the P245 would be just as awesome, perhaps a little more like other well-known short scale single cuts.

Tom

 

[Johan Allard]

I love my P22 and use the piezo all the time in my band. A lot of our original music has acoustic and electric parts in the same song, the P22 works great for this. I'm sure the P245 would be just as awesome, perhaps a little more like other well-known short scale single cuts.

Tom

Thanks Tom,

This is what I'm planning as well.

Do you run the dual output to amp/pa or the combined output?

 

[goat-n-gitter]

Thanks Tom,

This is what I'm planning as well.

Do you run the dual output to amp/pa or the combined output?

I run the piezo through an older Zoom A2 acoustic modeling processor into the PA system, and the mag output goes through my regular pedals into my Mesa amp. The piezo doesn't sound very acoustic through a regular amp, IMO, although it does sound interesting. Through the PA or a dedicated acoustic amp it does a pretty convincing job.

Tom

 

[shinksma]

I love my P22 and use the piezo all the time in my band. A lot of our original music has acoustic and electric parts in the same song, the P22 works great for this. I'm sure the P245 would be just as awesome, perhaps a little more like other well-known short scale single cuts.

Tom

This. I use the piezo like 75% of the time in my P24.

I would certainly pick the Semi-Hollow, given the option. I love the full hollow of my Spruce HB (also with piezo), and the semi-hollow would add a bit of that back in compared to the solid body of my P24.

I run the piezo signal to a Fishman Aura Spectrum to help get the sound a touch more natural, blending signal with model 50/50. Amp is usually a Fishman Loudbox, but straight to a PA occasionally.

 

[django49]

A D-Tar Mama Bear can do some fun things in terms of shaping the "acoustic" tone.

Way back when, I often used "a touch" of the piezo (even when playing with just one amp). It always seemed to add a nice bit of "crispness" that (I thought) improved my tone behind the singers.
The other guitar player often remarked on how much he liked my tone and wondered why HE did not sound like that....."Well, dude.....You are playing a Les Paul into a Marshall! Whaadya expect?"
If it was my choice, I would def pick the semi-hollow.

 

[The Viking Gangster]

I have owned my P245 for about 5 weeks now???? I can say that it's the best guitar I have ever owned, and I've owned a lot. Soooooo I'm just saying.....I don't think you can go wrong with a P245. I'm sure the P22 is great too.

 

[dsenoj]

I have an artist package P245 Semi Hollow with a rosewood neck. It's a wonderful guitar.

 

[Johan Allard]

Thanks guys. Much appreciated. A few observations so far:

• All of you that have either a P245, P245SH or P22 generally think they are great.
• No one that has bought the Semi-Hollow has regretted it.
• A few that has bought a non-semi-hollow wished they bought the semi-hollow instead.
• In order to really make it work, you need to split the outputs and run the piezo separate.

I've found one store around Sydney that has a P245 Semi-Hollow so I need to make my way there and have a play. Maybe I'll come home with one

 

[bodia]

Thanks guys. Much appreciated. A few observations so far:

• All of you that have either a P245, P245SH or P22 generally think they are great.
• No one that has bought the Semi-Hollow has regretted it.
• A few that has bought a non-semi-hollow wished they bought the semi-hollow instead.
• In order to really make it work, you need to split the outputs and run the piezo separate.

I've found one store around Sydney that has a P245 Semi-Hollow so I need to make my way there and have a play. Maybe I'll come home with one

Good luck!

 

[Johan Allard]

Good luck!

Thanks bodia, I think I need more luck explaining to my wife how this guitar is different from anything I already have

 

[bodia]

Thanks bodia, I think I need more luck explaining to my wife how this guitar is different from anything I already have

I can relate! Good luck squared!

 

[Anim8me2]

My P245 is my favorite guitar.

 

[Johan Allard]

My P245 is my favorite guitar.

And yet you haven't added it to your signature , or is the P24 a typo and should be a P245? And that's the P245, not the semi-hollow one?

 

[Anim8me2]

And yet you haven't added it to your signature , or is the P24 a typo and should be a P245? And that's the P245, not the semi-hollow one?

I use the same avatar everywhere (am I a narcissist?) and you are correct, it is a P24.

 

[Johan Allard]

I use the same avatar everywhere (am I a narcissist?) and you are correct, it is a P24.

For some reason I've never been drawned to any of the 24 fret models. Maybe I should look into one at some point. And I'm sure the P24 is awesome !

 

[The Viking Gangster]

P245 go for it , Semi Hollow if you need to.