Top Carve on Earlier PRS Guitars

[Jedi]

Just watching this video from around '90 that someone posted on YT and noticed that the top carve has changed since then. I always liked the look of the earlier guitars and couldn't put my finger on what was different. Unless my eyes are decieving me it looks different.

My DGT is the first PRS I have owned having been a F & G player for over 30+ years, but I remember going to NAMM and seeing Paul's early stuff, even before '90 and the guitars look different. Did the body dimensions also chnages a bit?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQDr_U_kb1U

 

[Jedi]

Wow...55 views and not one response? Second post that received no responses....

 

[Egads]

People probably did like I did, and came looking for pics, but had nothing to add.

It could be partly an acclimation issue. When PRS hit the scene, they were very different from the slabs and somewhat carved LPs, there really weren't too many fancily carved options out there. Once you get used to seeing them, and see some of the other even more highly carved builds, they look, I don't know, normal.

Not saying the carve didn't change...

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Yeah... They're different, and I think the older ones are sexier.. the curves are a little more subtle, and the control divots look a little nicer to me. I think it started around 2006 or 7? Could be wrong about that.. Probably am.

 

[justmund]

I was waiting for Les or someone to chime in with duplicarver vs CNC...

 

[Brad737]

When I got my 85 Custom last year, I noticed the carve in the cutaway is just a little bit "sharper" than on my later guitars, even my 1986.

 

[László]

I was waiting for Les or someone to chime in with duplicarver vs CNC...

Hehe. Well, it's true that the duplicarver was a little less accurate, so you might have differences based on the tolerances.

But I've been a PRS player and have had many since 1991, and I don't really notice any differences in the carve. They're all hand-sanded and will vary a bit I guess, human beings being who they are.

 

[vim fuego]

I'm pretty sure the carve has changed. on my 1994 CE22 the carve on the horn is much more dramatic than any of my other prs, which include an early CU24 & ME ONE. I remember reading that at the time it was referred to as the "dragon carve".. I've got to say I prefer the more dramatic carve.

 

[Shawn@PRS]

The belly carve on the back has changed as well. Ever notice how crisp the line is between the flat part of the back and the belly carve? Look at an older PRS, that line is a lot more blobbed out. Also, check out the binding on a lot of the older models, it's a lot thinner than the modern binding.

 

[Shawn@PRS]

Here are a bunch of old videos if anyone is interested in checking them out.

http://prsguitars.com/forum/showthread.php?5652-PRS-Promo-Videos

 

[jfb]

Cool videos.