Which guitar??

[bongomonkey]

I really can't decide which of these guitars, so Id like opinions. One is a Fender Fat Strat (2 single coils pickups and one humbucker), with a pearl pickguard. The other is a Paul Reed Smith Tremonti. Ive never gotten the chance the play the PRS, but the reviews for it are awesome. Any opinions?

[Death55]

I know PRS are very good guitars from what ive heard. I've never played one though. They look nice too but i do have a feeling that must of them are quite expensive. Out of what you have said i would go for the PRS.

[Lordathestrings]

Unless you get a guaranteed no-hassle return policy, do not lay out that kind of coin without trying out the actual guitar you're buying. Close your eyes. The one that feels right, and makes your ears smile is the one you should take home. The name on the headstock counts for dick.

[PonyOne]

Yeah, I remember the first time I played a PRS... I'd heard from so many people that these were the BEST GUITARS EVER, and etc. So I saw one up on a rack at Cambridge Music and pulled it down and plugged it into a Vox AC30, and started playing.

I thought to myself, "this is it??? this is what everyone seems to be drooling over and going nuts about?!" I don't recall what kind of PRS it was, but it was an older US model and was stickered at $2000. I have played guitars for one quarter that price that were a hell of a lot nicer. For the cash you pay for a PRS you may as well just get a custom guitar.

Also check out my thread to anyone considering a new guitar. The Kramer is a nice go-between for a Fat Strat and a higher-end humbucker equipped guitar.

[Hammurabi]

PRS are made entirely by machine, btw (at least the ones made after 1995). I don't know how many of you knew this already, but it feels weird talking to people who think they're handmade. They've probably got way better assembly and quality control than epi or ibanez, but still.

That's also why you can't get them with ebony fretboards, btw. Can't machine press frets into it.

[PonyOne]

As everyone's favorite judgemental guitar dealer Ed Roman put it... all a PRS is is a more expensive Gibson.

You could always get a handmade one from their custom shop but you're looking at at least as much as it would cost you to get a new car. Maybe make a down payment on a house. The mass produced custom shop Santana model runs $8000, so think of how much one to your specs would be... ouch...

[Lordathestrings]

Originally posted by PonyOne
... The mass produced custom shop Santana model runs $8000, so think of how much one to your specs would be... ouch... LOL And a lovely vintage sunburst Yamaha SBG1000 was recently on eBay, being sold out of San Diego. Asking price - US$500. If I didn't already have a pair of them, I would have grabbed it myself.

[b_hoves]

Originally posted by Hammurabi
PRS are made entirely by machine, btw (at least the ones made after 1995). I don't know how many of you knew this already, but it feels weird talking to people who think they're handmade. They've probably got way better assembly and quality control than epi or ibanez, but still.

the custom ones have an inlay of a bird flying, with each inlay being a frame of the action that the bird goes through.
e.g.
http://www.angelfire.com/ab7/dump/prs_neck.gif

[Hammurabi]

It's a nice inlay, but PRS gets their inlays done by a third party (pearlworks). I don't know how much work they do by machine, I should look it up sometime.

[hairbndrckr]

You can take a factory tour online of their facility.
As far as which guitar, it depends. You don't find the right guitar for you, it finds you. You will know when you come across it. So for now, just save your coin and don't buy one off the net unless you are like me and buy mostly for collection value. Out of all the numerous instruments (28 now.... I got a new one coming :)) I only play maybe 3. So find you a nice guitar store that has a wide variety of instruments and take a few hours to find one that "feels" right to you. Make sure it's comfortable to you both sitting and standing. Even an amatuer will know if the neck feels good or if it is too big. Also don't worry about string height when you are looking at a guitar. Most are shipped with only a halfassed attempt at a setup, and most reputable stores have someone in-house who will set it up properly for you after your purchase.

Also I have seen some PRS guitars go for BIG bucks. More than I would be willing to pay for a guitar, and I have been known to blow some INSANE cash on an instrument... I have seen one PRS custom 2 neck go for $40,000+

[PonyOne]

the only lefty PRS Dragon went for something to the tune of $80,000 or somthing. Another company that discriminates against us southpaws...

[hairbndrckr]

That's why we learn to play right handed LOL. There is no way I would be able to part with that kind of scratch for a hunk of wood. I think that the most I have EVER paid for a guitar was like 5000 and I think I was insane at the time. I mean I don't even touch the damned thing...

[alkaline]

get an ibanez or a les paul special.

[bitterblues01]

Personally I would pick the Fender. Just a fan I guess. I played a PRS and not too impressive for all the hype they get. Not worth the insane money they are listed as. But hey! If you are good at haggling then it might be worth it then...maybe. Yea I Agree with most everone here. Pick the one that feels right. Go to the store, and don't look at brand names. Just kind of grab one...and plug in..

[DaveFallows]

My first guitar was (and still is) a Mexican Fender Strat. It cost me half the price of a californian yet after 4 years of intense practice it now sounds better than any other strat I've heard.

Very few new guitars match up to the playability and feel of my own. However I was looking at an Ibanez ergodyne the other week and it was SWEET. So easy to play and it sounded fantastic.

That's my advice if you're on a budget: Ergodyne or Mex Strat - Cheap guitars that don't play or look cheap.