Why PRS is gaining share in the guitar market

[Rusty Chops]

For me lately... it's all about the YOLO

Yes, and life is too short not to be excited by guitars.
My PRS guitars still excite me.

 

[circles]

I'm shopping for a second electric, and am 'new to PRS' as I have not bought a new 6 string in decades (see avatar '94), and don't window shop that much, so the landscape has changed since then.

I'm leaning Custom 24 as I see it fixes a lot of issues with my Les Paul that tradition prevents them from changing: the weight, a good whammy, better upper fret access especially. For me, the Custom is sort of 'the perfect Les Paul'. They dance around some of these issues, but don't evolve the basic machine the way Paul does. Well, except for the Robot Tuners !

Maybe a lot of other folks feel the same way?

 

[CVS]

I'm shopping for a second electric, and am 'new to PRS' as I have not bought a new 6 string in decades (see avatar '94), and don't window shop that much, so the landscape has changed since then.

I'm leaning Custom 24 as I see it fixes a lot of issues with my Les Paul that tradition prevents them from changing: the weight, a good whammy, better upper fret access especially. For me, the Custom is sort of 'the perfect Les Paul'. They dance around some of these issues, but don't evolve the basic machine the way Paul does. Well, except for the Robot Tuners !

Maybe a lot of other folks feel the same way?

If you are looking for a replacement for your LP, I would have a serious look at either the 594 single or double cut. Tones from these guitars with 58/15 LT pick ups produce a "vintage" sound.

I would also have a look at the CU22 as 24 fret guitars are different sounding, especially the neck pickup

Good luck on your search.

 

[veinbuster]

I'm shopping for a second electric, and am 'new to PRS' as I have not bought a new 6 string in decades (see avatar '94), and don't window shop that much, so the landscape has changed since then.

I'm leaning Custom 24 as I see it fixes a lot of issues with my Les Paul that tradition prevents them from changing: the weight, a good whammy, better upper fret access especially. For me, the Custom is sort of 'the perfect Les Paul'. They dance around some of these issues, but don't evolve the basic machine the way Paul does. Well, except for the Robot Tuners !

Maybe a lot of other folks feel the same way?

PRS are excellent guitars: reasonable weight, stable tuning, stable trem, very playable neck. The custom 24 is where it started.

It will be a very different guitar than your Les Paul. Completely different feel and mostly different sound. You can get close with some of the pickups dialed in the right way, but you won’t get the deep throated growl I like from my !es Paul. I bought a PRS after 7 years with a Les Paul, and kept the Les Paul, though it gets much less play time than PRS.

 

[circles]

PRS are excellent guitars: reasonable weight, stable tuning, stable trem, very playable neck. The custom 24 is where it started.

It will be a very different guitar than your Les Paul. Completely different feel and mostly different sound. You can get close with some of the pickups dialed in the right way, but you won’t get the deep throated growl I like from my !es Paul. I bought a PRS after 7 years with a Les Paul, and kept the Les Paul, though it gets much less play time than PRS.

Yea, I know it will have a different voice. Looking forward to that. Ideal LP may be an exaggeration for dramatic purposes. I see it becoming my #1 in the same way, but have LP on hand.

I still like Tom Andersons' stuff, but it's hard to get your hands on try out. I see them as sort of 'the Ideal Strat' in a similar manner.

 

[circles]

If you are looking for a replacement for your LP, I would have a serious look at either the 594 single or double cut. Tones from these guitars with 58/15 LT pick ups produce a "vintage" sound.

I would also have a look at the CU22 as 24 fret guitars are different sounding, especially the neck pickup

Good luck on your search.

To late! I played a couple Customs last week and fell in love. The downside: I tried them at GC and they were poorly set up. I'm not bashing GC, but please don't put out a $4K guitar poorly set up, you probably just lost a sale.

I like everything about them, but want to try out the necks some more. I believe The Guitar Store here in Seattle is vendor, I plan to visit them later today, see what they have in stock, and get to know them.

 

[alantig]

The Guitar Store does sell PRS (or at least used to), but man - be careful who you deal with. Some of their employees are...well, just beware.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

The Guitar Store does sell PRS (or at least used to), but man - be careful who you deal with. Some of their employees are...well, just beware.

“Purse?!”

 

[circles]

The Guitar Store does sell PRS (or at least used to), but man - be careful who you deal with. Some of their employees are...well, just beware.

Had a fine field trip. Found out to my surprise I like the regular neck as opposed to the thinner one. Glad I tried them out.

Oh, that rude sales person was not there!

 

[DougUSMC]

I think this article is a great start to what PRS is doing, but IMHO it's too humble by far.

I agree with everything that has been said here, and many of the things that were pointed to as discriminators in the article. The thing I wish I saw more of was the pure passion to guitars, music, and just outright artistry I see when I hold a PRS. I'm a long time "wanna be guitarist". I grew up playing brass, and made the switch in High School, b/c marching band wasn't cool enough for the girls. I played less as HS and college went on, b/c those darn girls took more and more time. I came back to it for a bit when moving to the South taught me a new love of acoustics, but that faded again after a middle finger injury on my fretting hand took a while to recover from. I made the decision New Years 2017-18 to start playing again, and signed up for lessons. I let my Brother in Law (BiL) talk me into going to the PRS Experience a few months later, and that was it.

(Oh I forgot to mention: My greatest guitar curse isn't that injury, it's my left handed-ness)

So, we're there for the PRS Experience first thing at the Signature Club time, walking through a mostly empty factory and sales floor. My BiL is asking me "This has to be killing you, all these PRS and you don't have one". I respond "There's 200 gorgeous guitars here, but there's no envy or desire to buy one, b/c PRS doesn't make a Core Lefty this year. Plus, all I want is a black/black Custom 24, and I haven't seen one yet". Then we turned the corner, and Moore Music had one on the table. 2 days, LOTS of beers later, and I'm sold. That guitar is just one of the most amazing things I've ever seen, it LITERALLY sends chills thru me regularly when I'm playing.

To be honest tho, what's MORE important to me is the time we spent touring the factory, hanging w/PRS employees, and having a chance to BS w/Paul himself. The pure passion is just contagious. Here we are, meeting some of the most incredible luthiers in the country. In a world where everything is Made in China, by machine. (Nothing against Korean PRS here, we know they're in a different league) We're walking thru the PS section of the factory, and I'm thanking the guys that are there on their weekends, taking the time to talk to knuckleheads like me. These guys are probably some of the best at their art, answering stupid questions by a (mostly) drunk dude who's trying his best NOT to drool on an amazing PS fretboard. And here's what impresses me: The dudes are thanking ME for coming out! That was the whole weekend in a nutshell: the passion they have for making guitars, the respect they have for their customers, the fact that they care enough to keep the Made in MD legacy for all of these years! I'm proud as $hit to be able to be a small part of that.

I've stuck to dedicated, weekly lessons for 2 years, and I'm a far better player than ever before. We just signed up the 4 yr old to start music, and she already wants one.
I'm not saying that all of this is JUST because of PRS, but it sure as hell plays a major component.

As we were leaving the Experience I told my BiL that my goal was to keep at it long enough, and hold onto that feeling. I want to get good enough to get on the Jam Stage at the 2020 Experience with my own PS that I take delivery of there.

I joined today after just building that new PS in the Vault yesterday @ the factory.

 

[bodia]

I think this article is a great start to what PRS is doing, but IMHO it's too humble by far.

I agree with everything that has been said here, and many of the things that were pointed to as discriminators in the article. The thing I wish I saw more of was the pure passion to guitars, music, and just outright artistry I see when I hold a PRS. I'm a long time "wanna be guitarist". I grew up playing brass, and made the switch in High School, b/c marching band wasn't cool enough for the girls. I played less as HS and college went on, b/c those darn girls took more and more time. I came back to it for a bit when moving to the South taught me a new love of acoustics, but that faded again after a middle finger injury on my fretting hand took a while to recover from. I made the decision New Years 2017-18 to start playing again, and signed up for lessons. I let my Brother in Law (BiL) talk me into going to the PRS Experience a few months later, and that was it.

(Oh I forgot to mention: My greatest guitar curse isn't that injury, it's my left handed-ness)

So, we're there for the PRS Experience first thing at the Signature Club time, walking through a mostly empty factory and sales floor. My BiL is asking me "This has to be killing you, all these PRS and you don't have one". I respond "There's 200 gorgeous guitars here, but there's no envy or desire to buy one, b/c PRS doesn't make a Core Lefty this year. Plus, all I want is a black/black Custom 24, and I haven't seen one yet". Then we turned the corner, and Moore Music had one on the table. 2 days, LOTS of beers later, and I'm sold. That guitar is just one of the most amazing things I've ever seen, it LITERALLY sends chills thru me regularly when I'm playing.

To be honest tho, what's MORE important to me is the time we spent touring the factory, hanging w/PRS employees, and having a chance to BS w/Paul himself. The pure passion is just contagious. Here we are, meeting some of the most incredible luthiers in the country. In a world where everything is Made in China, by machine. (Nothing against Korean PRS here, we know they're in a different league) We're walking thru the PS section of the factory, and I'm thanking the guys that are there on their weekends, taking the time to talk to knuckleheads like me. These guys are probably some of the best at their art, answering stupid questions by a (mostly) drunk dude who's trying his best NOT to drool on an amazing PS fretboard. And here's what impresses me: The dudes are thanking ME for coming out! That was the whole weekend in a nutshell: the passion they have for making guitars, the respect they have for their customers, the fact that they care enough to keep the Made in MD legacy for all of these years! I'm proud as $hit to be able to be a small part of that.

I've stuck to dedicated, weekly lessons for 2 years, and I'm a far better player than ever before. We just signed up the 4 yr old to start music, and she already wants one.
I'm not saying that all of this is JUST because of PRS, but it sure as hell plays a major component.

As we were leaving the Experience I told my BiL that my goal was to keep at it long enough, and hold onto that feeling. I want to get good enough to get on the Jam Stage at the 2020 Experience with my own PS that I take delivery of there.

I joined today after just building that new PS in the Vault yesterday @ the factory.

Great post! Totally agree with everything you said!

The Mrs and I were on vacation in the area back in October and Shawn was cool enough to give me private tour. I got the same impression you did. One of the best days I've had, ever!

 

[DougUSMC]

Great post! Totally agree with everything you said!

The Mrs and I were on vacation in the area back in October and Shawn was cool enough to give me private tour. I got the same impression you did. One of the best days I've had, ever!

Oh, I live about an hour away, so it's really not that big of a drive for me. Just another thing to add to the "completely spoiled" aspect of this!

 

[HANGAR18]

Oh, I live about an hour away, so it's really not that big of a drive for me. Just another thing to add to the "completely spoiled" aspect of this!

I dig being that close too.

 

[DougUSMC]

I dig being that close too.

I was telling my Brother in Law that being so close made it cheaper to just run over when the gift shop was open, to pick up 10 packs of strings.

He reminded me of all of the other collateral damage that usually happens when we're there tho...

 

[d2g]

You Nailed it. Passion prevails and PRS oozes it as a company. Advancing the designs one detail at a time, no detail too small. That has always been the way.

 

[DougUSMC]

You Nailed it. Passion prevails and PRS oozes it as a company. Advancing the designs one detail at a time, no detail too small. That has always been the way.

Agreed! I also think it's very telling that some of the other, larger manufacturers are starting to copy PRS aesthetics.

 

[Tremontinator]

I can sum it up in one sentence:


Best fn guitars ever made

 

[caclark74]

Music Trades recently published a story about PRS guitars. It's an interesting read, if you're into that sort of thing.

https://mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?i=528903&ver=html5&p=56#{"page":"56","issue_id":528903}

Great article! Thanks for sharing.

 

[SonicBlue]

I just want to say 2 things to Paul, management and all of the employees at PRS : Thank you and I hope you keep up the good work.

 

[Mozzi]

I think the internet has a massive part to play in the growth of PRS sales too.

Firstly there are more and more content makers on youtube who are quick to point out the flaws, issues that guitars at the Prices they are selling these for should not be expected - even if its just a minor blemish. Point is, unless an instrument is 'flawless', perfectly built, its a risk. Even more so if you don't go to the shop yourself and inspect it in person to try and find any flaw that is considered unacceptable for a guitar to have. That alone can impact on the sales of Guitars of certain brands and, as PRS have the reputation of flawless builds, people may well buy a PRS instead.

Secondly, which does relate back to the first point, the quality and consistency that PRS are known for means that people are more willing to purchase online - don't need to go to the store in person, don't need to look over and try a PRS because they are all flawless, all consistently great to the point that every core 594 (for example) sounds like every other core 594 - you don't have to go round all the music shops to find the 'one' but can search online for the colour/top you want. Armchair buyers can pick from a much greater number of retailers, find the one that looks the best to them and have it delivered within a few days. Hence we see more and more 'incoming NGD' threads as purchasers await the retailers dispatch and delivery day confirmation.

Of course guitars like the 594 and the Silver Sky have also contributed to growth. Both getting rave reviews and a lot of publicity as well as the backing of one of the biggest stars in the Guitar world in John Mayer. People were wanting to hate the Silver Sky but once they actually get to try, their prejudice is wiped away. The internet though, not just the amount of information and video's highlighting the lack of quality of their competitors but also the fact that PRS guitars are a brand that people can buy online without the worry of issues or missing out on finding 'the one', not a brand you really need to go to a store to try out first.