Why do you think a PRS guitar is the best?

In 2006 I went to a whole bunch of stores, tried a whole bunch of guitars, and the PRS I bought was the winner. It continues to be my main guitar and unsurpassed by any instrument I have owned or played since then.

Pretty simple!
 
For my tastes, PRS has raised the bar on the electric guitar beyond expectations in every important category: tone, playability, innovation, and quality.
 
Playability , versatility and quality. Almost like it was a guitar especially made for me. I've tried the rest, now I play the best.
 
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It's really a simple answer to a complex equation... PRS produce a diverse range of instruments at the highest quality across all demographics. You will not find a guitar in the current market that meets the standards of it's PRS counterpart from the SE line to the Core/Signature production models and all the way up to Private Stock. The craftsmanship, attention to detail and artistry can not be matched when comparing apples to apples, so to speak...
 
The guitars are beautiful to behold (I own 2) and plan to buy either Paul's guitar or a 408, but do they really sound or play that much different than a $1,000 Gibson? I just bought a Gibson LPJ for $600 and spent hours comparing sound and feel to my 1994 Custom 24 ($3,000+) I really hate to say it, but they compare favorably. Maybe it's like comparing a Ferrari and a Corvette, both great cars, but one is for the masses and the other for those who are willing to pay (I've owned a Ferrari and a Corvette so I'm speaking from experience).

So again, why is the PRS the best you own? If its for their beauty only, that's ok.
 
Charlie said:
The guitars are beautiful to behold (I own 2) and plan to buy either Paul's guitar or a 408, but do they really sound or play that much different than a $1,000 Gibson? I just bought a Gibson LPJ for $600 and spent hours comparing sound and feel to my 1994 Custom 24 ($3,000+) I really hate to say it, but they compare favorably. Maybe it's like comparing a Ferrari and a Corvette, both great cars, but one is for the masses and the other for those who are willing to pay (I've owned a Ferrari and a Corvette so I'm speaking from experience).

So again, why is the PRS the best you own? If its for their beauty only, that's ok.
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You must've gotten lucky. Finding a good Les Paul that has the "it" factor usually takes forever...and then you hope it stays in tune and everything else works on it. Beauty is only skin deep(but is what 1st attracted me to PRS). The guitar has to function properly and be consistent. They feel perfect in my hands. Most importantly it has to inspire. I can find many PRS hanging on the wall in a store that fit those descriptions.
 
Inspire - nicely said. That goes beyond the look and sound - it gives us the inspiration to create, to have fun too!

With all the electronics now, basically any electric guitar can sound great. So maybe PRS are so good is more because of their look and feel; how they make us feel when we hold and play them?

Thoughts?
 
It doesn't hurt that they're beautiful!

The look and the Guitar Player review in 86(?) that I read as a poor college student gave me something to aspire to. When I first looked at one, I was immediately impressed by the design and the thought that had gone into improving the tuners and bridge over the other guitars that I'd seen. When I plugged a PRS in, I played and sounded better than on my other guitars. They feel better in my hands than a Gibson or a Fender, I'm just used to the way that they play, and I love the way the controls work.
 
Charlie said:
The guitars are beautiful to behold (I own 2) and plan to buy either Paul's guitar or a 408, but do they really sound or play that much different than a $1,000 Gibson? I just bought a Gibson LPJ for $600 and spent hours comparing sound and feel to my 1994 Custom 24 ($3,000+) I really hate to say it, but they compare favorably. Maybe it's like comparing a Ferrari and a Corvette, both great cars, but one is for the masses and the other for those who are willing to pay (I've owned a Ferrari and a Corvette so I'm speaking from experience).

So again, why is the PRS the best you own? If its for their beauty only, that's ok.
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Charlie, to a degree I think you're just baiting a hook here.

Unless you're a very inexperienced player, you know darn well that PRSes sound different from Gibsons, and are sonically more versatile than your LPJ.

Gibsons are fine guitars; I've had a bunch going from the mid 60s to recent Custom Shop models. They do different things. And they feel different. This you're well aware of, no doubt. And you know that in terms of price, Gibbys that are comparable to PRSes are as expensive, or more expensive. And I've seen Gibbys that look great, too.

It isn't a case of which guitar is somehow better; it's a case of which you prefer to play, and that choice can be made for reasons that have very little to do with the look of the guitar.

Sorry, but I'm not buying your premise. You want to compare your LPJ and what it can do sonically, and say it does the same thing as a PRS, and that just isn't the case. They do different things. Apples to oranges. Personal preference.

And I've got car racing experience; they all feel different and handle differently. Again, personal choice. Want to drag race from corner to corner and don't mind a little fear factor in the turns? Corvettes are fun and the air conditioning is more effective. ;) Want to take a different line? Might have an easier time cornering the Ferrari.
 
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I own 3 prs guitars. All three sound different but they all play very well and produce tones that are very pleasing. The pickups are very balanced and they are comfortable to play. Even though playing music is a hobby its also my passion. I would never say that Im a great guitar player however I strive to improve my skills every day. When I strap on a prs guitar, I know that part of the equation is solved. That means a lot to me. I have a LP but choose not to gig with it. It has good tone but it goes out of tune and it just doesnt fit me.

A drummer friend of mine has a gibson es335 that just sounds wonderful, I would buy it in a heart beat but he wont sell it. So there are other guitars that do it but thats trying to solve a problem that has been fixed with prs guitars. My cu24 has a top that I could just stare at for hours. It is just plain beautiful! I gigged with it last night and it performed as expected, again. So,will I buy another guitar? You bet! Just cant decide which prs model I need next!
 
To a certain extent I am baiting the hook. My intent is to solicit "gut" feedback. Sort of "what do you really think regardless of the price paid". Do I love and think my PRS is the best because I paid $3k and its beautiful or is it "really"better? would we feel the same way if we paid $600 and it was ugly? Would we admit the $600 guitar sound better even if it looked like crap? I suppose that's really the question. Kinda makes you think.
 
Charlie said:
To a certain extent I am baiting the hook. My intent is to solicit "gut" feedback. Sort of "what do you really think regardless of the price paid". Do I love and think my PRS is the best because I paid $3k and its beautiful or is it "really"better?
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As I said, "better" is whatever's best for a given player. When it comes to instruments, I honestly think it comes down to whatever is inspiring, or works best for that player, under that player's circumstances.

I mean, could you really say to Bonamassa or EJ, "You know, a PRS would be better for you?" They've made other decisions that obviously work for them. In fact, I know that Bonamassa has invested heavily in vintage LPs that far exceed the cost of any PRS.

But by the same token, I can certainly play a bunch of guitars and have an intuitive understanding of what works best -- for me, under my unique set of circumstances. No one can make that choice for someone else. That's going to depend on the player. As it should!

Charlie said:
would we feel the same way if we paid $600 and it was ugly? Would we admit the $600 guitar sound better even if it looked like crap? I suppose that's really the question. Kinda makes you think.
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The answer to that question depends on a person's personality, and how honest one can be with one's self, doesn't it?

A player who actually prefers the sound of the $600 guitar, but won't admit it to protect his or her ego, well...I can honestly say I'm not that guy.

As with many things in life, there's a law of diminishing returns. The cost of some goods increases exponentially as subtle "extras" of various kinds come into play, and for many, those extras aren't worth the price of admission. For some, they are. That's the only place I think price properly comes into the equation when it comes to an instrument.

If the $600 guitar was every bit as good -- for me -- as the $3000 guitar (and I'm not including looks because to me that's the icing, not the cake), there is no way on earth I'd spend the 3 Gs. No way. I'd feel really foolish.

I honestly think that the people on this forum are for the most part thoughtful, intelligent folks. There don't seem to be a lot of suckers in the bunch, yet we share a common interest in PRS. I'm guessing there are as many reasons for that as there are players. YMMV.
 
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I love the design of the Custom.Feels great playing both sitting or standing.The weight is good.Great necks.For me it a real workhorse guitar.A good quality product!
 
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Playability and Quality is why I love my PRS...and it just sounds great.

I live in a remote area and getting my hands on really good guitars is impossible unless I order them online and just take a chance. Not exactly ideal. Trying Gibsons seeme like it would take quite a few before I got a good one. I am not wealthy so for me to get 3-4k togther for a guitar was a big freakin deal. I felt safer ordering PRS due to such a good rep for quality. If I did not LOVE my PRS it would have been sent back. If there wasn't something special about it that did not justify the cost.....I am not crazy or stupid, it would be returned.
 
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