What artists influenced or what prompted you to get PRS gear?

[Phattskis]

I just joined and searched to see if a topic like this had been posted before, and didn't find one, so hopefully this won't get booted.

Many years ago I was a Strat Fan tried and true. Jimi, SRV, Gilmour, Clapton, Blackmore and many others. Then I saw Alex Lifeson (Rush) playing a PRS guitar and was curious--he is one of my favorite guitarists. What was this guitar all about? I had to know...

Five PRS's later, I have kept my two favorites--a 2004 CU24 Artist and a 2010 SC245 McCarty Burst. Having heard several of the new amps, I will have to have one soon.

But, why did YOU first get PRS gear?

Glad to be a part of this cool place,
Phred

 

[bodia]

Wasn't an artist, for me. Although, I am a HUGE Lifeson fan. Walked into a GC in '97 and saw this section of beautiful guitars on the wall. PRS, not at all familiar with the brand, at that time. Checked a few out, and couldn't believe the quality, feel and finish. Ended up walking out with a sweet McCarty. Haven't looked back.

 

[C&M Music - Lafayette]

Wasn't an artist, for me. Although, I am a HUGE Lifeson fan. Walked into a GC in '97 and saw this section of beautiful guitars on the wall. PRS, not at all familiar with the brand, at that time. Checked a few out, and couldn't believe the quality, feel and finish. Ended up walking out with a sweet McCarty. Haven't looked back.

Very similar to me Bodia. Except it was 96, a mom and pop shop. Other than that same experience with a Custom 24. Took me awhile to save the money though.

 

[bodia]

Very similar to me Bodia. Except it was 96, a mom and pop shop. Other than that same experience with a Custom 24. Took me awhile to save the money though.

I broke out the plastic. Think I finally paid it off a couple of years ago!

 

[Lee B.]

When I was 19, I was working seasonally at Snow Mountain Ranch near Tabernash, CO. One of my coworkers had a brand new cherry-red PRS Standard 24 with the moons, sweet switch (he really loved that sweet switch, first feature he'd brag about when showing it off) and the Mann vibrato. Quality just emanated from the thing, and that HFS treble pup sounded totally bitchin', even through his Zoom box into cheap lightweight headphones. It was totally out of my league at the time, but I always kept my first impression of that PRS in the back of my mind while doing the whole Fender/Gibson thing in the 90s and 00s. When I saw a '90 EG-3 on the rack for under a grand last year, I had to pull the trigger. Kind of a funny coincidence, I bet it's probably the same year as that cherry Standard.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

It was that ad with the three guitars (WB,VY, and Scarlet with that black background) that made me want one. Sold everything I owned in 93 for my first CE (that I still own).

 

[Phattskis]

Wasn't an artist, for me. Although, I am a HUGE Lifeson fan. Walked into a GC in '97 and saw this section of beautiful guitars on the wall. PRS, not at all familiar with the brand, at that time. Checked a few out, and couldn't believe the quality, feel and finish. Ended up walking out with a sweet McCarty. Haven't looked back.

I do love my McCarty also!

 

[veinbuster]

I saw them hanging on a wall in a store in Plano, TX. It was a few years before I could afford one. I still own it, and a few more.

 

[Huggy Love]

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I saw them hanging on a wall in a store in Plano, TX. It was a few years before I could afford one. I still own it, and a few more.

It's hard for me to conceive of a time where you didn't have all the PRS's.

 

[ElrytNamrogo]

I first saw a PRS in a guitar shop when I was in my early teens. Even though it was the most beautiful guitar I had ever seen, I was still into Fenders at the time so I really didn't give them much thought.

Several years later, I was playing an Epiphone SG and I saw Porcupine Tree. At that point, I was determined to play PRS. The number of tones achieved blew my mind and the ergonomics just looked perfect.

Acquired an SE Singlecut shortly after....a couple years later, my first core model. Since then I have acquired two more core models. I can't really see myself playing anything else as of right now, but we'll see what kind of influences come down the road.

 

[garrett]

It certainly didn't hurt seeing them associated with Carlos Santana, Dickey Betts, Warren Haynes, and Ted Nugent in the early-mid 90's.

Back then, you could actually write to PRS and request a paper product catalog. A friend did that and I remember drooling over the pictures like a dirty magazine. I thought they were unaffordable luxury items at the time (I was a high school kid).

What finally sold me was another friend who had a Custom 24. Once I tried his guitar, I had to have one.

 

[DuncanCE22]

For me it was a mixture of Ben Burnley and his Baritones, and Mark Tremonti. Although on the flip side of this question I have got into a lot of bands because I've seen them playing PRS and its prompted me to look into them more, Periphery, 3 doors down, Sevendust to name just a few.

 

[Phattskis]

It certainly didn't hurt seeing them associated with Carlos Santana, Dickey Betts, Warren Haynes, and Ted Nugent in the early-mid 90's.

Back then, you could actually write to PRS and request a paper product catalog. A friend did that and I remember drooling over the pictures like a dirty magazine. I thought they were unaffordable luxury items at the time (I was a high school kid).

What finally sold me was another friend who had a Custom 24. Once I tried his guitar, I had to have one.

I totally get that. I lived in Utah at that time and walked into the West Valley Guitar Center and asked the luthier, who did my repair work, what he thought about them. He walked out and handed me one and then another and then another. The playability was almost identical between the three different guitars. Then I just had to choose...

 

[WiredGuitarist]

I've been posting on various forums since I was very young and eventually ran across PRS. I remember spending hours looking at all of the Private Stock guitars and learning about Artist Package guitars, etc...

Unfortunately I haven't grown out of it and still browse the Private Stock section often

 

[Rider1260]

The first I played was an 86 CU24 but I kind of forgot about them then I was well on my way to collecting one of every shape ( Start , Tele , LP , V etc ) I was looking at SGs and I found this on Musicians Friend , 6 Months no interest and it was my first PRS , I then found the PRSFouums and BAM and the rest is history.

 

[Alan Manning]

Mick Ronson got me going all those years ago so I automatically wanted a 68 G at first but that never happened.
After years of searching I picked up something called a PRS that was that I honestly couldn't believe it!!!
Never looked back don't think I ever will !! infact it's got me big time.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

The first I played was an 86 CU24 but I kind of forgot about them then I was well on my way to collecting one of every shape ( Start , Tele , LP , V etc ) I was looking at SGs and I found this on Musicians Friend , 6 Months no interest and it was my first PRS , I then found the PRSFouums and BAM and the rest is history.

I love this guitar.

 

[Alan Manning]

Spot the Soapy She's fine and Dandy!!!

 

[Huggy Love]

I remember drooling over the pictures like a dirty magazine.

............ "Hey don't mess up the pictures dude!!!"