Which narrowfield guitar?

Which narrowfield guitar?

  • NF3

    Votes: 2 15.4%
  • SAS NF

    Votes: 2 15.4%
  • SAS Studio

    Votes: 9 69.2%

  • Total voters
    13
Two Narrowfield 57/08's and one full size 57/08.

One more detail people always seem to overlook is that the Studio model also has a push/pull knob which lets you cut the full size 57/08 in half down to a single coil.

PRS Studio for the win!

PRS_SwampAshStudio_1698.jpg


PRS_SwampAshStudio1696.jpg
Sofaking sexy right there!
 
As an engineer, I hate absolutes because the universe is one big tradeoff.

In this case though, there is an absolute. Look anywhere in the universe and you'll see the 2.726K cosmic background radiation. Look in the NF3 guitar universe and you'll see the 25th McCarty NF3 as an absolute.

MC25-1_zpsfd7f2ff0.jpg

MC25-6_zps76810d6e.jpg
 
I should clarify and say that I didn't think it was a bad guitar at all, just that perhaps I already owned a guitar that was closer to what I expected the NF3 to do better based on its appearance. That NF3 was more of a ripper then it seemed, book by its cover an' all that.

I had a similar experience when I checked out Rider's 305, I wanted it to be a PRS Strat and found out my (tele-ish) modified CE22 did it for me. So yes, I'm blaming it on having too many guitars. :confused:

That's why it's sofaking rad having buddies with PRS guitars: You get it in your head that you want/need something, check it out and decide against it, and then accidentally play another one of their guitars that you weren't interested in, and then decide you gotta have that other one! ;)

Totally get that and know what you're saying. I wanted a 305 to be the PRS feel/play "Strat" that I went to buy one and ended up leaving with an EBMM JP12 instead.
 

Two Narrowfield 57/08's and one full size 57/08.

One more detail people always seem to overlook is that the Studio model also has a push/pull knob which lets you cut the full size 57/08 in half down to a single coil.

PRS Studio for the win!

PRS_SwampAshStudio_1698.jpg


PRS_SwampAshStudio1696.jpg
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Freaking incredible! This is what I was looking for when I ended up with the NF3. If I had seen this one, I would own it. Spectacular!
 
My Studio. Bought new. Cannot really say why I have barely play it. Seems I go to the 513 more.



Not a great pic, but a great guitar. If you ever find yourself "not playing it" enough that you decide you want to get rid of it, please let me know first. AFTER I GET AN ARCHON! LOL
 
Not a great pic, but a great guitar. If you ever find yourself "not playing it" enough that you decide you want to get rid of it, please let me know first. AFTER I GET AN ARCHON! LOL

I did post it on another site. Guess I have not gotten serious enough yet to drop the price enough to complete the deal.
 
I'm going to take you into an alternate universe, one that combines the NF middle pickup with two Narrow 408 pickups. And I'm going to explain why one of these guitars might just be worth considering, assuming that you can find one.

For me, the NF pickup is the greatest middle pickup I've ever played. It's the perfect middle pickup, it does exactly what a middle pickup should do. However...as a bridge or neck pickup, played clean - and I stress that this might only apply to my own tastes - it tends to sound more humbucker than single-coil-articulate-sparkly-clear. Because it is, in fact, a humbucker. Yes, it's an articulate humbucker, but there are other options.

Enter the narrow 408. This pickup, even in full humbucker mode, sounds more like a single coil pickup. It's also more articulate than a split coil humbucker, including the split coils on my McCarty that are of course a recent PRS design.

What this amounts to is single coil clarity without single coil noise; an incredibly beautiful set of in-between tones; and a truly unique sound, especially considering what PRS is known for.

Of course, none of this matters for heavy distortion work, I'm speaking principally of clean sounds here, where I think the differences between the pickups is most pronounced, though I also love the guitar for overdriven sounds, I generally will go with a true humbucker as a preference.

The guitar in my alternate universe is the 20th Anniversary of PS Ltd. It's easily the most unique sounding, incredible guitar I've ever owned for times when I don't want a traditional humbucker sound.

 
I'm going to take you into an alternate universe, one that combines the NF middle pickup with two Narrow 408 pickups. And I'm going to explain why one of these guitars might just be worth considering, assuming that you can find one.

For me, the NF pickup is the greatest middle pickup I've ever played. It's the perfect middle pickup, it does exactly what a middle pickup should do. However...as a bridge or neck pickup, played clean - and I stress that this might only apply to my own tastes - it tends to sound more humbucker than single-coil-articulate-sparkly-clear. Because it is, in fact, a humbucker. Yes, it's an articulate humbucker, but there are other options.

Enter the narrow 408. This pickup, even in full humbucker mode, sounds more like a single coil pickup. It's also more articulate than a split coil humbucker, including the split coils on my McCarty that are of course a recent PRS design.

What this amounts to is single coil clarity without single coil noise; an incredibly beautiful set of in-between tones; and a truly unique sound, especially considering what PRS is known for.

Of course, none of this matters for heavy distortion work, I'm speaking principally of clean sounds here, where I think the differences between the pickups is most pronounced, though I also love the guitar for overdriven sounds, I generally will go with a true humbucker as a preference.

The guitar in my alternate universe is the 20th Anniversary of PS Ltd. It's easily the most unique sounding, incredible guitar I've ever owned for times when I don't want a traditional humbucker sound.

That's a sweet guitar as I've said many times, but another PS in is outta the realm of possibility for me.
 
Here are my Swamp Ash guitars. BTW - The regular Mahogany/Maple/Rosewood Studio didn't really sound nearly as cool (Bright, Bitey, and open sounding) as the Swamp Ash/Maple/Maple combination.

image6_zpstqi67bwg.jpg


image11_zps1w5eymgt.jpg
 
The Blue one trying to hide behind the pillar looks special ;)



Here are my Swamp Ash guitars. BTW - The regular Mahogany/Maple/Rosewood Studio didn't really sound nearly as cool (Bright, Bitey, and open sounding) as the Swamp Ash/Maple/Maple combination.

image6_zpstqi67bwg.jpg


image11_zps1w5eymgt.jpg
 
Here are my Swamp Ash guitars. BTW - The regular Mahogany/Maple/Rosewood Studio didn't really sound nearly as cool (Bright, Bitey, and open sounding) as the Swamp Ash/Maple/Maple combination.

image6_zpstqi67bwg.jpg


image11_zps1w5eymgt.jpg


All I see are the end-caps. Yowzah!
 
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