jfb
Plank Owner
This. I see PRS much more frequently now days.
Why are so many people reluctant of PRS's?
- Thread starter Boogeyman
- Start date
This. I see PRS much more frequently now days.
I wondered the same thing, before reading this thread, so i casually asked a few friends of mine one day while hanging out.
All 3 said "resale value". I was perplexed and wondered if they didn't form that opinion 15 years ago and never revisited it.
All 3 said "resale value". I was perplexed and wondered if they didn't form that opinion 15 years ago and never revisited it.
ElrytNamrogo
My name be scrambled
I've noticed in a lot of the MF and GC catalogs I get they only have one page dedicated to PRS guitars but will have anywhere between five or ten pages for Gibson, Fender, and Ibanez. The one page of PRS guitars will encompass SE's, S2's, and American models, whereas Squire and Epiphone have all their own sections in the catalog. I'm sure they base that on sales, so it comes to a "which came first, the chicken or the egg" kind of deal. Are these magnificent guitars not being advertised because they aren't being sold, or are they not being sold because they're not marketed as much? I know locally, it's hard for me to find American model PRSes in guitar shops....I might find a few SE's but very rarely do I find American models, which really sucks because there are a ton of models I still have yet to try.
Coop
That one guy
I never dug PRS guitars before playing a CE 22 a few months back. I passed on it, because my wife might have murdered me since I was just starting to play guitar with a group again (I'm more of a bass player). I then played about 15 SE Singlecuts before I found one I liked and lucked out with an SE EG that plays like a dream. Before that CE 22 I never found a PRS that I had a vibe with... It's like that with all guitars for me, but since there are typically less PRS guitars in music stores there has been a decidedly smaller sample size. I was a Fender guy for years (still play P basses and love Teles), but I expect to try out a gigantic pile of Fenders before I find one I like. Just my .02.
People want different things, make different decisions, and spend a lot of time justifying their decisions (and thereby reassuring themselves) after-the-fact. I think this is part of the evolutionary process that has made our genus and species a successful one. Our life process involves constant evaluation and re-evaluation.
There are lots of great choices out there when it comes to stuff. The only thing we can honestly say about the instruments that we choose is that they are what we have found that is best - for us.
What works best for someone else may in fact be something that we would not choose for ourselves.
When someone sticks his/her nose into my business and gives me his/her rundown of why this, that, or the other thing would be a better choice than the one I made, I just have to laugh, because I recognize the symptoms. It's not enough that I made the choice that works for me, it's only OK if the choice I make is the one that works for you!
To some degree, most of us are guilty of this at one time or another, but my feeling is this: if you play what I like and you don't like it, great. I'm not going to argue with you about it.
There are lots of great choices out there when it comes to stuff. The only thing we can honestly say about the instruments that we choose is that they are what we have found that is best - for us.
What works best for someone else may in fact be something that we would not choose for ourselves.
When someone sticks his/her nose into my business and gives me his/her rundown of why this, that, or the other thing would be a better choice than the one I made, I just have to laugh, because I recognize the symptoms. It's not enough that I made the choice that works for me, it's only OK if the choice I make is the one that works for you!
To some degree, most of us are guilty of this at one time or another, but my feeling is this: if you play what I like and you don't like it, great. I'm not going to argue with you about it.
Todd_FindingMyWay
New Member
funny..my opinion of the Harley Motorcycle brand...nothing wrong with them per se but a lot of 'wannabe's' roll out on them just to 'fit in'
But of course, there's a significant value judgment implied in the word 'wannabe.' Ask any Harley owner if he bought the bike just to 'fit in' and you'll get a zillion other reasons why they bought the bike. A reasonable person could hardly expect otherwise.
Though even if it's as you say, there's nothing inherently right or wrong with wanting to project a certain image, regardless of one's reasons for doing so.
Generalizations are kind of delusional anyway, they're in your head, and not necessarily the head of the person you're commenting on. They say more about you than they do about the person whose head you're putting yourself into when making a guess about their motivation for doing something.
I'm a full time professional making my living at music, and I play a certain brand of guitar.
If you're not a full time pro, should I dismiss you as a 'wannabe' if you play the same brand of guitar? You might have a lot of reasons you play that brand having nothing to do with trying to appear to be something you're not, i.e., a professional musician. Although maybe simply "looking professional" is something that you use in a good way. So you see, there's more to this than meets the eye.
Frankly, nearly everyone on the planet wants to project an image, and that's often a part of picking stuff, whether or not we admit it.
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What Les is on about and the reason threads like this are very interesting, is called 'validation.' Specifically, external validation. It's in our social DNA, the part that makes it easier for us to live together instead of trying to be solitary, self sustaining mountain men, totally off the grid with no other human contact.
We want people to like the things we like (and hate the things we hate). We feel better when someone says "you made the right choice." It may be the heard mentality, but that mentality fed the tribe.
Stepping away from external validation is one of the hardest things we can do socially and emotionally.
So, it can be grueling and even impossible for some to swim against the stream or think outside of the box. Acceptance can be a stronger pull than actually getting what you, as an individual, really want. (Of course, acceptance is the thing a lot of people actually want, more than anything else.)
We are just not wired to be the first adopter or early adopters. It takes a conscious effort to even just try new things. The familiar is safe.
Look at the drama that unfolded right here with the launch of the S2 line. Immediately, by just reading the specs they were pronounced by not a few as inferior. That pronouncement came before anyone here had seen, played or even smelt one.
I value the opinion of someone who has trod the path before me, but we really should at least look at the path before discarding it or running blindly down the lane. It is a struggle, but I'm personally determined to wander out of the safe zone and try new things and make up my own mind.
It is true that other people can limit us and there is nothing we can do about it. But the personal freedom and satisfaction that comes from sticking your toe in the waters which others have assured you are teeming with piranhas is often worth the risk.
We want people to like the things we like (and hate the things we hate). We feel better when someone says "you made the right choice." It may be the heard mentality, but that mentality fed the tribe.
Stepping away from external validation is one of the hardest things we can do socially and emotionally.
So, it can be grueling and even impossible for some to swim against the stream or think outside of the box. Acceptance can be a stronger pull than actually getting what you, as an individual, really want. (Of course, acceptance is the thing a lot of people actually want, more than anything else.)
We are just not wired to be the first adopter or early adopters. It takes a conscious effort to even just try new things. The familiar is safe.
Look at the drama that unfolded right here with the launch of the S2 line. Immediately, by just reading the specs they were pronounced by not a few as inferior. That pronouncement came before anyone here had seen, played or even smelt one.
I value the opinion of someone who has trod the path before me, but we really should at least look at the path before discarding it or running blindly down the lane. It is a struggle, but I'm personally determined to wander out of the safe zone and try new things and make up my own mind.
It is true that other people can limit us and there is nothing we can do about it. But the personal freedom and satisfaction that comes from sticking your toe in the waters which others have assured you are teeming with piranhas is often worth the risk.
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leeasam
New Member
I myself had an 02 LP Standard and a 2010 LP studio( which was actually better than the standard) I had a PRS SE singlecut that literally blew them both away for playability - quality- and sound. Everyone in the Gibson camps always say ya PRS are nice but spendy. I tell them compared to WHAT? To get a Gibson in the same quality as standard production USA PRS you need to go custom shop and they cost way more than the PRS then. The Gibson production models are so hit and miss with quality is pitiful. Oh ya the 02 standard I dumped as it had a twist in neck that. I bought an ESP EC400 that killed that LP. Actually the best Gibson I owned was an Explorer. Had the hot ceramic pick ups. Even in neck pick up it sounded clear and crisp not muddy as crap like the LP.
I now own a P22 and it is the best guitar I have ever owned. One thing I like about PRS ( even the SE I owned) was the clarity of the pick ups.
The LP Standard I had sounded like crap in the neck as it was just muddy and dull. I HEAR NOTES!!! with the PRS.
sergiodeblanc
New Member
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I admit it.
leeasam
New Member
one reason I like to be seen with PRS. I am drawn to the best not the "in" crowd image. One reason I don`t like Harley`s. I like something that handles well-- fast- reliable, I want to be associated with quality and the best. that is MY image!
alantig
Zombie Four, DFZ
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PRS has faced what all modern (or modern-ish) guitar companies have faced - and PRSh has said something similar in the past - in that they’ve come along after the die was cast. Les Pauls and Strats are seen as THE classic rock instruments. Why? Because they were around at the beginning. Sure, there have been other instruments sprinkled in here and there, but when you see pictures or videos of the guys from the 60s and 70s - the legends - they’re likely holding one of those two.
PRSh has said one of his biggest problems selling guitars is that Jimi Hendrix is dead - he can’t put a PRS in his hands. Stevie Ray Vaughan is dead - he can’t put a PRS in his hands.
And this isn’t unique to PRS - all the newer companies face the same battle, and very few find iconic players who become well-known enough to achieve anything like the status of a Clapton, Beck, Page, etc. Vai and Satriani for Ibanez, Dime for Dean, Rhoads for Jackson are about it. Well, Eddie for whoever has an extra $20 this week!
What I find amusing are some of the disparaging remarks we hear - “PRS guitars are all looks, no tone” or “You’re playing with your eyes, not your ears” and crap like that. Then those guys will usually say “You need a Les Paul to play this song correctly.” Never mind that this new Les Paul may not have the tone that the one on the record did - that guy had an LP, so that’s the only guitar that will ever be “right”. Then again, these are also some of the same guys who have no clue that Page played a Tele on LZ1.
It’s funny how many guys say, “I just want to express myself on the instrument” followed by “I want to get (name your favorite guitarist here)’s sound, so I need a Les Paul/Strat and a Marshall/Deluxe Reverb/Dumble...” Guys say “PRS doesn’t sound like a Les Paul or a Strat...” Well, no - and it shouldn’t. It should just sound good. I can play a PRS, then pick up a Les Paul or a Strat and make those sound equally bad. The main thing is, I get inspired when I pick up a PRS. That’s what it’s all about.
I keep going back to something David Grissom said when demoing a DGT. He played the single-coil mode for a bit, then said, “Sounds pretty good. Does it sound just like a Strat? Not quite, but it’s close enough for me.” Who am I to argue with David Grissom???
PRSh has said one of his biggest problems selling guitars is that Jimi Hendrix is dead - he can’t put a PRS in his hands. Stevie Ray Vaughan is dead - he can’t put a PRS in his hands.
And this isn’t unique to PRS - all the newer companies face the same battle, and very few find iconic players who become well-known enough to achieve anything like the status of a Clapton, Beck, Page, etc. Vai and Satriani for Ibanez, Dime for Dean, Rhoads for Jackson are about it. Well, Eddie for whoever has an extra $20 this week!
What I find amusing are some of the disparaging remarks we hear - “PRS guitars are all looks, no tone” or “You’re playing with your eyes, not your ears” and crap like that. Then those guys will usually say “You need a Les Paul to play this song correctly.” Never mind that this new Les Paul may not have the tone that the one on the record did - that guy had an LP, so that’s the only guitar that will ever be “right”. Then again, these are also some of the same guys who have no clue that Page played a Tele on LZ1.
It’s funny how many guys say, “I just want to express myself on the instrument” followed by “I want to get (name your favorite guitarist here)’s sound, so I need a Les Paul/Strat and a Marshall/Deluxe Reverb/Dumble...” Guys say “PRS doesn’t sound like a Les Paul or a Strat...” Well, no - and it shouldn’t. It should just sound good. I can play a PRS, then pick up a Les Paul or a Strat and make those sound equally bad. The main thing is, I get inspired when I pick up a PRS. That’s what it’s all about.
I keep going back to something David Grissom said when demoing a DGT. He played the single-coil mode for a bit, then said, “Sounds pretty good. Does it sound just like a Strat? Not quite, but it’s close enough for me.” Who am I to argue with David Grissom???
Herr Squid
I was severely impressed
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In the '80s, PRS built some new guitars that sounded effin' great with Boogies.
In the '00s, they made guitars that sounded effin' great with Mesa Rectifiers and high-gain Marshalls.
In 2008, they cracked the code and came up with pickups that sounded effin' great with Plexi Marshalls and similar amps.
Many players and onlookers have failed to notice this because they're not paying attention or haven't tried 'em recently.
But as some here have noted, an increasing number of country players are sporting PRS.
If PRS finishes the job and makes people believe their guitars sound effin' great with Fender amps, they win!
Then it's just a matter of time until the sheeple figure it out! Hopefully that's a couple of years rather than a couple of decades!
In the '00s, they made guitars that sounded effin' great with Mesa Rectifiers and high-gain Marshalls.
In 2008, they cracked the code and came up with pickups that sounded effin' great with Plexi Marshalls and similar amps.
Many players and onlookers have failed to notice this because they're not paying attention or haven't tried 'em recently.
But as some here have noted, an increasing number of country players are sporting PRS.
If PRS finishes the job and makes people believe their guitars sound effin' great with Fender amps, they win!
Then it's just a matter of time until the sheeple figure it out! Hopefully that's a couple of years rather than a couple of decades!
FennRx
Gibson Fanboy
Part of it is the fact that PRS doesn't really have a historically, distinctive tone in terms of 60s and 70s blues and rock. That isn't PRS's fault; the company is somewhat handicapped by Fender and Gibson being in existence long before he opened shop as well as the fact PRS came along after rock's formative years.. But I can't listen to a song and say "That is a PRS!" unless I know the artist uses one. But if I hear "Yellow Ledbetter" I know that's a Fender Stratocaster (or clone). If I hear SIBLY, I know the growl of a Les Paul.
Of course there is gray area- a strat might not always sound like a strat depending on amp, effects, pickups, etc. Most players I know will buy a Strat and/or tele and a LP to "cover all the bases".
Resale market plays a role a well. PRS isn't a big seller here based on CL. The same PRSi have been posted for months- and I don't think the asking prices are outrageous either. The market here is small- even for Gibson and Fender. The big box stores stock mostly lower end stuff- MIM Fenders and Studio LPs. The handful of Historic LPs often hang on the wall for 1 to 2 years before being bought or sent to another store.
$0.02 from a guy who hasn't had enough coffee this morning.
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11top
Cousin Eddie's cousin
Influenced by others.
sleary
New Member
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I had 3 les Paul's in the course of my many years of playing. I always wanted a prs ,even in the 80's when Paul just started putting ads in to guitar player magazines. I actually didn't buy my first prs until 2013 which was a prs se 24 , I got hooked really fast. Bought a ce22 a month later and then finally pulled the trigger on a dgt.
Since then I've gotten rid of the ce22 but my dgt is my number one. Second is my ibanez and third is my esp.
I think a lot has come down to who has an open mind and who wants more for their money. Sure lps are nice guitars but in all out honesty, they are a very traditional instrument. I love going with a guitar maker that thinks outside the box.
Since then I've gotten rid of the ce22 but my dgt is my number one. Second is my ibanez and third is my esp.
I think a lot has come down to who has an open mind and who wants more for their money. Sure lps are nice guitars but in all out honesty, they are a very traditional instrument. I love going with a guitar maker that thinks outside the box.
For me I picked up a PRS SE singlecut and the moment i picked it up it felt great. The second i plugged it in and strummed it, it sounded awesome. So I played 8 others for about 3 hours. Therefore I will now be purchasing my first PRS in early February and I couldn't more excited.
alantig
Zombie Four, DFZ
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- Apr 28, 2012
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- 14,944
Yeah? Wait until July when you're buying your 12th!!!
You're in for a fun ride - especially if you stick around here.
