Paul Reed Smith Guitars

Gibson! Fender! Ibanez! BC Rich! Everyone loves, or likes, at least one of these makes of guitar. O.K that’s a bit of an overstatement, but you get my drift. Certainly Fender and Gibson, the two leading manufacturers in solid body electric guitars since 1951, will probably go down on peoples ‘like’ list, or at least one of them. But in the mid 1980’s a man named Paul Reed Smith was making guitars hand made, about once a month. He would make a sale about once every ten nights, each guitar was field tested at gigs. He made deals, and now has his masterpieces produced in factories in the U.S. and Korea.

Why this article then? Well when you ask a 14-year-old boy who is twiddling about on his Jap-o-caster in the school music room- smashing out Teen Spirit and Smoke On The Water incorrectly (a few of my friends come to mind)- what guitar do you want when you get some money, they will say that one; pointing at picture of a Les Paul, a Strat, an SG, or a Telecaster, because Page or Hendrix or Young or John 5 plays one. And no one points at a Custom 22 or 24. By just looking at the specifications of these guitars we can see that the PRS surely reigns supreme, and when you play a Custom 22, as I have, the contest is no longer existent. The PRS beats the Gibson or Fender hands down on sound in the case of Fender and playability in the case of Gibson.

O.K. so the incredible price tag of a Custom 22 might put you off a bit, about £2000, compared to the grand you will pay for a Strat or a Les Paul, and not many teenage kids are fans of Santana (PRS user), but you get so much more in sound, features, build quality and variety. Also, whilst the now common place Tele or SG will go down in value, a PRS can only go up if kept in good condition. PRS have been known to chuck unsatisfactory guitars away after production.

Still scared of the price tag? Well after you have learnt some scales and now play Smoke On The Water with double stops in G minor and not power chords in A, including the solo, a now 15-16 year old will be fed up of his Strat copy. He/she (don’t want to be sexist) will look for a better quality, pricier guitar that they can gig with. A Custom 22 is out of the question, unless you are child to Bill Gates, but the SE range from PRS offers possibly the best value for money I have seen in guitars (apart from a story I heard about a man who got a second hand ’53 Strat for £80). The SE EG, Soapbar, Santana, Tremonti and Billy Martin all retail for about £500, half the price of a Les Paul or Strat, and are so much better than the Epiphone Les Paul or most Ibanezes at this price. The mahogany neck and body, rosewood fret board, immaculate sound, and the only real reason that they are priced so low is because of the place of manufacture. So they may not have the build quality of U.S. made guitars, but it’s more than satisfactory. I have a Soapbar and it hasn’t failed me, and doesn’t show any signs of doing so.

Sadly the Soapbar and Tremonti were removed from production and front line sales because Gibson sued PRS on account that the single cut bodies of the two guitars were rip offs of the Les Paul. They had a point. Luckily PRS have re-released the Soapbar with a double cutaway body to play it safe.

So in conclusion, this article was just trying to impress on you how PRS is so much overlooked by people who want a new guitar. In my opinion they offer so much more than a Gibson or Fender, and hopefully Paul Reed Smith guitars are here to stay.

PS. Sorry about the English in this article if it’s bad, I only really try to make my English good in English lessons.

Comments

[skillsmcrobot]

okay...i think ill stick with my tele though since i like the sound much better than a prs...

[vampwizzard]

Yeah... PRS makes some well made guitars, but they are more bland in terms of tone. Les Pauls, SGs, Strats and Teles are more extreme in thier tones, which is why we love em. I picked up a Soapbar and abolutely hated it. Id take a properly setup Mex-Strat over a Soapbar anyday.

[Iluvpowerchords]

I'm Getting an Epiphone SG seems good

[BlackSabbath_88]

I prefer the sound of my Les Paul over a PRS. It's all a matter of opinion, really. Whatever floats your boat.

[gooseholla]

I prefer me burns top of the range marquee.

[Captain Colon]

PRS guitars are just as overrated and overpriced as Gibson.

You might as well have just made a one-line article that says "PRS RULES ITS BETTER THAN EVERYTHING YEAH"

[cantshreddave]

naaa..

anyway everyone is sayin [insert guitar] is better than a prs so it sorta proves my point

[Einzigerfan03]

Im sorry but PRS is simply one of the best they took Fender & Gibson and combined them. PRS Is very UNDERRATED!! I mean who had the best guitar in 03 PRS did just read guitarworld or guitarone The PRS Tremonti SE was guitar of the year. (or something like that.)And with what gibson charges for one of there regular guitars you might as well buy a PRS tone wise the only other guitar brand i will say that beats them hand down is fender.Because Fender is the most verstile guitars (soundwise) there is. And I think why alot of people dont like PRS is because they appeal more to the modern age of music and players and as seen on these forums anybody that loves 80's solo all over the song genre will not let that die and will hate on anything post-80's metal. But my thing is also dont hate on PRS unless you've tried one and I've tried gibson fender and PRS and for MY needs PRS just beats out the competition.

[Einzigerfan03]

Sorry to sound very bitch-like but if PRS did not have Gibson beat then why in the hell did Gibson wait 4 years to sue PRS after the singlecut was introduced. Because a PRS Single cut (SE,Tremonti or Trem) can beat out any Les Paul of today. Obviously gibson was being beat because the Tremonti SE and most Singlecut guitars were selling like hotcakes and i guess people just stopped looking at Les pauls as much or gibson period. I dunno but just some thought.

[Mr. Clean]

Jap-o-caster

Wow, talk about xenophobic.
1 Star.

[utsapp89]

Terrible. I play Strats because I like the sound, not because Hendrix played one...Jesus dude, there's a reason why everyone wants those guitars you listed,it's because they play well. You sound like you think PRS players are superior to other guitarist. I have a comment for that: Billy Martin Signature PRS. It's not the guitar man, it's the player that makes a good sound. 1 star

[shinkyo00]

*** you dipshit

[Arucard]

i would give my middle testicle to own a PRS, preferably a Custom 22. nice nice guitar =D

[Captain Colon]

Sorry to sound very bitch-like but if PRS did not have Gibson beat then why in the hell did Gibson wait 4 years to sue PRS after the singlecut was introduced. Because a PRS Single cut (SE,Tremonti or Trem) can beat out any Les Paul of today. Obviously gibson was being beat because the Tremonti SE and most Singlecut guitars were selling like hotcakes and i guess people just stopped looking at Les pauls as much or gibson period. I dunno but just some thought.

It's not that the PRS guitars are awesome so much as Gibson's crappy quality control that's causing their drop in sales.

[pozzobon13]

why are you people being such a prick to him? he states in his article that it was his OPINION. i totally agree with him, i'd take a PRS over a gibson or fender anyday no problem, if i had the money, i'd have one, but right now im happy with my Godin LG, sure gibsons and fenders are good, to some people, and not to this guy, or me, dont try and take our opinions away, because it simply isn't happening.

[Captain Colon]

why are you people being such a prick to him?

Because I read that article and I want my minute back.

[Rodders]

Captain Colon:
why are you people being such a prick to him?

Because I read that article and I want my minute back.

lol

[slashwyldepage]

yeah pretty pointless article, thanks for pitching your unneeded two cents in.

[VoodooChild15]

I really hate how PRSes look. They're too pretty and dainty. I like guitars a bit more rugged. A standard LP is infinately more attractive to me than the fanciest PRS in existance. I've never played a PRS so I can't criticize the feel, but as for sound, they tend to be played by these god awful trendy Abercrombie bands like Hoobastank, all of which have the most boring, fake, unremarkable tones I've ever heard. I want blues-rock tones that taste like bbq sauce, and that's not what I think of when I think of PRS. Fine instruments in all likelyhood, just not my style.

[Evil Noodle]

PRS is on the top of my list for "future guitars" I love the way they look, and the way they sound, i can't wait to own one.

[adamsharpe]

PRS are overrated. Schecters rule!

[Metalology]

They sure sound good with Opeth!

[glpledzep145]

u r a dumbass.... this was all opinion, prs are very overrated, and just so u no, prs are no mor expenisive than a good glp.... in fact, most glps are more expensive than prs...

[joblow]

Big fackin deal if I play a Gibson or Fender becuase my Guitar hero does. You have to admit, the reason you started playing guitar and what sound you go for is inspired by your favorit guitarist and bands. If that guitarist uses a Gibson or Fender you want one because you want to play that kind of music. The reason I use the guitar I have is because I like the looks and I'm very happy with my sound.

Why do people try to switch others over? Do you feel uncool that you are the only one useing a PRS? SO what if others dont use them. HOW does this affect you???? What do you get out of this? NOTHING. SO stop with the "you should look into these because I think there better" BS. I dont feel like going on NE more...

PS Les Paul and Strat 4 life!

[Supern00b]

glp?

[Supern00b]

sorry for duble posting, but i own a fender mex, i like it, although the action is high and the pickups hum, but prs, i think, is too overrated. wats a glp?

[Supern00b]

sry for triple posting, but how is gibson's quality dropping?

[in_flames_001]

PRS are overrated. Schecters rule!

YEAH! Ive got an Epipone SG but im gonna get a Schecter c-1 elite as soon as Ive got enough money.

[barge]

Yeah PRS's sound great. But dont high level strats, teles, LP, and SG's sound awesome also. I wish santana still played his sg with p-90's.

[Paroxysm]

I perfer PRS but I don't mind a Fender or Gibson (except for the weight factor but it won't matter anyway)

[priest.fan.]

telecasters and sg's hardly go down in value... and i think i speak for the average guitarist when i say there is no way im ever going to be able to afford a prs.
and i wouldnt call prs overlooked, i think its just that people pass them over because of their price.

[sharkeyanti]

Regarding the "power chords in Gm," music is transposable, and doesn't have to be played the same way Richie Blackmore did.

PRS guitars are nice, but by no means are they the best in my opinion. And you said no young plays listen to PRS players. But, it's always been my opinion that contemporary artists in the "pop/rock" and "emo" field play PRS guitars too often, making them out to be the greatest guitars ever just because they are expensive.

[The UG Squirrel]

glp=gibson les paul

[gibsonpenguin]

Um, no. ALL sound, feel, etc. is SUBJECTIVE. You might like the sound feel of a PRS, wheras I may like the sound and feel of my Schecter, which I feel greatly outplay the similarly priced PRSs in the price range.

[Custom24lover]

You can see by my name that I am a Paul Reed fan. My custom24 is pretty much the only guitar I play. It's so comfortable and sounds oh so good. I am also a Gibson Fender fan. I also have a strat that hasn't been touched since I got the Custom 24 and I'm selling it. I love Custom 24's.

[phewy13]

einzigerfan03 says ppl dont like prs guitars because they appeal to the more modern type of music,he's exactly right about that but there is a good reason not too like it because it sucks.bands like nickleback,three days grace,good charlotte etc. all use prs guitars because they suck ass and they need the tone of these guitars to cover they're ass.I've played gibson,fender and prs and theres no competition,fender and gibson are as good as it gets.

[Pig]

You've succeeded in making me question the quality of PRS guitars and whether I should ever buy one.

[aliceinnirvana]

I've been saving for a Custom 24.

[Nirvana101]

Iluvpowerchords:
I'm Getting an Epiphone SG seems good

I have an epiphone SG, kicks a lot of ass. Just upgrade your humbuckers in the future

[americanmovie23]

yeah not a big Paul Reed Smith Fan
i dont like Fender that much, even though i own one and i would still pick it over a Paul Reed Smith

[TheI7ark]

I don't like the designs and I'm not fond of the necks. It's really all about personal preference. I'm more comfortable with an Ibanez in my hands.

[gaz12369]

anyway everyone is sayin [insert guitar] is better than a prs so it sorta proves my point

Does it...i dont think it does. Les Pauls and Teles all the way. yes.

[Merc5k]

SE and Soapbars arent as good as a Custom 22 or 24, If you buy PRS make sure its something on the expensive side because those are the guitars they are known for.

[costa94]

wtf...*** fender in the ass they suck so much dick.unless u buy oe thats liek 900 dollars...then u have one with maybe a wee bit of tone....the only player i liek that plays a fender is malmsteem..cuz he knows wtf hes doin....i liek esp's personally becuz they have either emg's81s 85's or duncans which all kick so much ass..also they have fast playing necks.....ibanez rock too and prs are very niec guitars..noone can doubt that...everyone has thier own opinion....

[you're_dumb]

i'd take a PRS over a gibson or fender anyday no problem, if i had the money, i'd have one, but right now im happy with my Godin LG, sure gibsons and fenders are good, to some people, and not to this guy, or me, dont try and take our opinions away, because it simply isn't happening.

Dude, your Godin LG will blow it away, especially if it's the double humbucker one. Godin's are comparable to entry level Strats in terms of quality and sound, and look a HELL of a lot nicer. And are about 1/3 the price. Buy the LGXT for 1/2 the price of any PRS, and you will be MILES ahead, especially with the piezo.

[Custom24lover]

I personally don't care if Three Days Grace, Nickelback, or Good Charlotte play PRS. Alot of their sound comes from the way they play and what pickups they play through as well as their effects If I play the guitar and I like it I'm probably going to get it. I can get a Hendrixy sound, a Cobain sound, and even a Dimebaggish sound on my Custom 24. The problem I have with Gibson are Quality issues. Gibsons are also not very uncomfortable. The problem I have with Fender is the fact that it is so stereotyped to play a Fender. As for sound Gibson, Fender, and PRS all rule.

[Custom24lover]

I meant to say Gibsons are not very comfortable. Sorry

[seafooodpistone]

nah.esp ltd is still d best guitar around.

[seafooodpistone]

wave guitars anyone??

[low_slinger]

im sorry but a gibson les paul is the best guitar on the planet, fenders sound thin, and so do prs's. and after 2 days i got used to my les paul and i can rip out the usual page or slash stuff, but most of u think what if i cant play a f#minor pentolydian harmonic to the full extent, so?? its a ***in guitar, sounds the best, looks the best, plays the best. simple as.

[Einzigerfan03]

After reading some of these posts i've realized that some people are just plan idiots. Why some of you make ask? well for starters people are saying PRS sucks because of they are used in modern music by mainstream guitarists. No they are also used by some pretty great guitarists. Yea the billy martin SE was a mistake (and this is coming from a PRS fan). but there are other artists like Carlos Santana,Vernon Reid,Dave Matthews (Check on the PRS site under artist if you dont believe me.),Larry Lalonde, Mike Einziger, Mark Tremonti That all play PRS and just because alot of modern guitarist use them. (Brad Delson,Dan Estrin,etc) that does not mean they suck. the guitar and If anyone remembers Tom Morello proved its not the guitar its the player that makes the sound. and if thats not enough what i hear next its the price. Yea Customs are expensive thats why PRS offers CE's standards and the overly looked SE's.not to mention the swampash. Just look on ebay or somewhere and you can find good deals on'em. You cant get a custom then go buy one of the others and stop complaining. And if people want more facts the top 3 guitar brands in the world right now are Fender,PRS & Gibson.Maybe its me and i cant understand how people can hate a guitar brand just because certian guitarists play them. Thats like hating Mesa Boogie or Marshall because alot modern guitarists play them. But people will be people and it all boils down to opinion no matter how stupid or correct it make seem its just a matter of opinion and right now alot of peoples opinions have made PRS outsell Gibson. But if you want to take about crappy bands or artists playing certian guitars lets take Dashboard Confessional (Gibson) and New Found Glory (gibson) Ashlee Simpsons guitarist (Gibson) my point being there's not a brand out there that crappy guitarists dont play. So people please just get over this the dude was just stating his opinion. 5 stars!!!..

[seafooodpistone]

1st of all it think the best guitars are the ones u feel most comfortable playin with.brand doesnt matter.heck even when morello 1st started,he played on a Kay guitar.n with that guitar morello has managed to produce his own sounds.most musicians were like so.n why hasnt anyone mentioned bout esp guitars?or u guys here are only familiar wit fender,gibson n ibanez??n those who says prs sux,u guys r just being stereotype.wave guitars anyone?

[Captain Colon]

So people please just get over this the dude was just stating his opinion. 5 stars!!!..

Sounds more like you need to get over the fact that some people don't jerk off to PRS guitars.

This article is just a "X band sux/doesn't suck" article with a different subject.

[ANGERisaGIFT]

Article is a little closed minded, and somewhat arrogant. 3 stars from me. I really don't care if it was his opinion, because if it was it belongs in the forums. Chances are, if it was in the forums it would get flamed then closed.

[ChurchNSkate]

Yeah...
Close-minded.
Ibanez>PRS.
Any day.

[ChurchNSkate]

Metalogy: ONE instance lol!
just ONE!
And Santana. But that's him.

[phewy13]

The only person out there right now doin somthin worth while with a prs is mark tremonti, i'd say him and justin hawkins are the best chops out there today.there are alot of good bands that do play prs but the bad outweighs the good by far.Gibson and Fender are as good as it gets.

[layzie10]

samick guitars anyone?

[flowerpower89]

writer deserves to get bitched because he started bitching about how much gibsons and fenders suck (they don't) first.
share your opinions on the forums, don't write out an article about it.

[thefinalcut]

Article **
OPINION:
PRS has grown in recent years in the high quality guitar market, I think they may have even taken over Gibson in sales (not sure)! The hell with brand loyalty though. PRS guitars are CNC machine made guitars like Gibson/Epiphone and Fender/Squire. All three of these companies OVERPRICE their guitars. Particularly "Artist Signature" models, with the BS mark up prices, common Jimmy Page model $6,000. Just buy a great LP copy, slap in 500T and 496R PUs, shim the neck and bam. Same goes for all other signature models from the big companies. The big asian companies like Ibanez and ESP charge better prices, but their a little guilty too.

Save your money! Buy from smaller companies, or build your own for much cheaper. Look for highest quality at the lowest price. I'll show you small companies that make Strat/Tele LP/SG PRS-style guitars that blow out what those name brand companies are doing.

[cantshreddave]

hey ppl if you must know i was bored so i put this article up, though it is my genuine opinion, just to spark up some debate.

Again it sorta proves my point when you all start to disagree with me.

2 star rating ha! go meee..

[Steph Bets]

yes but prs= mega bucks

[Vinura]

nothing beats a Flying V. Nothing..maybe an old school Strat, and Slash's Les Paul..but other than that Nothing..PRS' are great guitars..hey Santana would use one and have his own line of them if they werent..but i just dont like them..they arent classic enough

[ctb]

I've not been a big fan of PRS. They have been great in the modern rock area. I only see them with same type of artists like Alter Bridge, Funeral For A Friend or Lostprophets... Carlos Santana is the best person I know who uses one.

[Blackbullet]

Theyre good guitars, but i just dont like them- im more than happy with my Les Paul, it fulfills all my playing needs.

[inoy]

ESP ALL THE WAY

[DisturbedIbanez]

PRSes are nice but out of my price range. I'm happy with my Ibanez.

[Guitarman146]

screw you, im that kid playing those songs correctly, and i do point to the custom 22, or even better, the hollow body II in whale blue WITH the piezo pickup on it through the mix/mag jack..thats whats sexy right there

[oi punx]

I own a Prs custom 22 and i think it's ***ing amazing, but gibsons and fenders are also very good guitars. This column stated facts about PRS, but was pro-prs and showed no ways in which others guitars beat a prs. So he was practically saying that Prs is better in every way than a les paul or a strat is.

[theredskyismine]

who cares which artists use a certain brand of guitar. For most of us here the only issue we are faced with when buying a guitar is price. A guitar's quality is not necessarily measured by which recording artists use them. Perhaps you all need to start thinking for yourselves.

As for PRS, my friend has a custom 24 and it DOES (believe it or not) have much better tone than his Les Paul. Don't get me wrong though, the Les Paul beats my ESP viper anyday, even with an EMG 81 in the bridge and a 60 in the neck.

[joyful womble]

The SE EG, Soapbar, Santana, Tremonti and Billy Martin all retail for about £500, half the price of a Les Paul or Strat,

mex strat - £330

[VoodooChild15]

Where are you getting your Mex strats? mine was $300, and I believe the conversion rate is about $1.57/1 pound (could have changed since the last time I checked). Either you paid too much or I got a steal.

[dwnbowden]

I have an epiphone sg because it is a good sound not because angus young played the gibson version and anyway this was a very biased article. Its a matter of oppinion you dipshit

[Seiko-Unleashed]

PRS rules all!!! Take a look at the Swamp Ash special....BEAUTIFUL!

[nuketheducks]

Ive played my cousins custom 22 and id still take my american strat over it anyday.

[guitare_kid13]

in_flmes_a001:
..PRS are overrated. Schecters rule!

YEAH! Ive got an Epipone SG but im gonna get a Schecter c-1 elite as soon as Ive got enough money.


finally someone who know what a good guitar is.schecter guitars rule

[rackmesideways]

I dont understand why everyone hates this artical so much. all this guy is trying to say is maybe you should consider getting a PRS, and PRS's are often over looked. i think this was a great artical,but im still going to get a fender. i still think that fenders are better guitars for the money though.

[jeremyrozario]

nar, prs guitars are nicer, *** gibson for sueing them over the singlecuts, but this article overrates and overpraises prs guitars, *** man, ibanez guitars rock 2 bitch

[Custom24lover]

In my opinion:
PRS=rock
Gibsons=rock
Fenders=rock
Ib
anez=rock
Godin= rock

It's just according to which guitar you pick. I love Custom22's, 24's, and Swamp Ash Specials. I love Les Pauls and SG's. I love Strats, Teles, and Jaguars. I love RG's and JSX's. I love Freeways and LG's. Basically put anything in my hand other than an ESP or First Act and I'm a happy man. I still prefer my Custom 24 though.

[Custom24lover]

Typo on Ibanez. Sorry for my stupidity.

[JIMMYPAGEJR]

dude this is ***ing queer.. i mean seriosuly.. the sound is better.. in whos point of view? i hate the single coil sound of fenders and i perfer my gibson buckers'.. i hate the feel of PRS's.. thats MY opinion.. what ever jack ass wrote this better have expected some flaming because calling somethign superior to another for someone else is crazy.I havent seen prs comeout with something like the gibson eds 1275 which i own. Or have i felt a neck as smooth as my GIBSON les paul standard.. or a crunch as warm as my GIBSON SG standard..i honestly love the feel of my guitars more than others.. im not an idiot mindless marketed drone who goes to gibson/marshall.. i use the two but because I PERSONALLY PLAYED A LOT OF OTHER COMBINATIONS AND THAT ONE HAPPEND TO BE TH MOST APPELING TO ME
O-P-I-N-I-O-N

LEARN IT!

[JIMMYPAGEJR]

ive also played my friends tremonti se and a/bing it wiht my gibson les paul standard.. it sucked compared.. i hated it..t he feel.. it just was ass compared to my les paul

[GuitarFreak01]

Hey i like the prs...nice solid guiter... LOVE IT

[GuitarFreak01]

Hey i like the prs...nice solid guiter... LOVE IT

[GuitarFreak01]

Hey i like the prs...nice solid guiter... LOVE IT

[neocon58]

Dude, u work for PRS promotions or something?

[middleclasssam]

I like PRS too i want the billy martin one, he's my role model

[Tom Martin]

PRS guitars are simply fantastic, and in my opinion the most beautiful guitars ever made. I just love the shape of the body, the contours, and even the shape of the headstock. If only they made them with floyd-rose...

[Rock agnst Bush]

Mike Enzinger from Incubus uses PRS, I love the tones that he gets.

[Rock agnst Bush]

^(Enziger)

[Volkl]

I must say i do like PRS but dude, u cant just tell people a specific make of guitars are better than others just cos u think that. Everyones open to an opinion

[gregmccormick]

Les Pauls and SGs kick the shit out of PRS

[BigBassFishing]

Who cares about these guitars anyways?
All the cool kids are playing bass. :]

[mkurucar]

His name is spelt Einzinger, fyi

[mkurucar]

Einziger, sorry.

[tremonti0076]

Amen. This dude is smart.

[insomniacdude90]

gibson is no better than prs and prs is no better than gibson, it depends on what you play and how you play it. You guys are idiots

[ababselectstart]

to everyone that is a nay-sayer of the PRS, i understand. I once was one, simply because i could get a cheap epi-LP or fat-strat and would work fine. the soapbar does suck, unless you are going for that sound. the thing about the PRS is that to the seasoned guitarist that doesnt like a Floyd rose, this is the baddest friggin guitar. i have a tele standard, and an esp LP copy, and i love the tones of both, but when you pickup a PRS (the real ones, not the Soap or $800 ones) everything plays like butter. so if you suck at guitar in the first place, it will make you sound good. if you are good, its about as smooth as a true LP, or jackson with fatass frets. the tone qualities are crazy. i bet that over half the people that r dogging the PRS's are players that havent played more than about 3 years, and the PRS they actually played was the one at guitar center that was closest to the bottom and had rusted strings. but like i said before, depends on your style, if you like the "unforgiving" sound of the thin fenders, this is not for you.

[ababselectstart]

one more thing, most guitars sound the same. i can take any humbucker guitar (LP, SG, fat strat one the bridge pickup, jackson, ibanez, PRS) and get pretty damn close to the same sound if i use the same processor/pedals/amps. saying that LPs and SGs sound way better PRSs do (assuming they're speaking of just the bridge HBkr with lots of distortion) is like bitching that "vans are better than airwalks" or whatever. its not rocket science, youre going to get an almost identical sound from any humbucking guitar with distortion on the bridge setting. if you dont want that tone and you want a "bluesy tones like bbq sauce", and you cant get it with one of the many pickup settings on a PRS, youre a friggin retard. its not rocket science. this is just the most popular guitar to match humbuckers, with coil tapping to cut the HMBKR to a sngl coil, and fatass frets. sure you dont NEED to get a PRS to get an awesome sound, but its the top of the food chain for many looking for a guitar with it all. only if you have the 2 g's

[ababselectstart]

o yeah, and to the people that bitch that PRS's are too expensive, talk to your drummers people, you pussies need to shut up, you have it easy being a guitarists, price shouldnt be a factor. plus if you really want a PRS, you will find a way to save for it. just like if you really want an american strat, or real gibson LP, or real marshall stack. some musicians actually get jobs between gigs (o no!)

[ababselectstart]

sorry im done now

[maxvcore]

I have a Tom Anderson Cobra-s and I'm damn happy with it.

[maxvcore]

just get whatever the hell you want to play, it doesn't matter, it's all about personal choice.

[glockman]

i have a schecter diamond series sg style, that is very comparable to a prs, but half the price, and better sound with the duncan pickups

[flytv12]

i like prs dont get me wrong but prs sound dosent make a guitar that sounds classic rock. They do jazz, pop-punk (not actually music), shred, and all types metal perfectly but they dont have anything for blues or classic rock.

[mikeman]

Thats why it is so hard to purchase a new guitar. It's all about preference.

[Twilight]

I can't say a PRS would outdo an Ibanez for my style of equipment.

If PRS will make me a guitar with 24 easily accessible frets, a super fast neck, 2 humbuckers and a single coil pickup with a 5-way switch, and a Floyd Rose, and sell it to me for $500 or so, I'm game. Until then I'll stick with Ibanez RGs and ESP LTDs.

[mikedeit]

I know that Gibson guitars are better than PRS guitars. But who am i kidding?! I ve never tried a PRS guitar.

[Viscosity]

nice article, PRS guitars are nice but im sticking with my SG

[cantshreddave]

im not tryin to be superior. im just making a point.

i cant make the infalable statement: PRS rules, everything else sucks; but i can say that i believe incredibly strongly that PRS is better. I almost bought a Les Paul before my guitar teacher recommended PRS.

The only thing on a guitar which you can rate as fact is build quality,(reliability, strength etc) and on that i think PRS win, I havn't (yet) seen anyone smash up a PRS successfully

[cantshreddave]

ps: bassists are guitarists who cant handle six strings!!! :P

[tremonti_man922]

Thats kind of weird. When i first started playing in 5th grade, now im in 9th, i Hated fenders and idolized mark tremonti and his awesome signle cut signature model. Till this day I am a PRS follower, simply because they are the best playing guitars, best looking guitars , and they have the most quality out there. My santana SE is better than any les Paul. Thank you to who ever wrote this article.

[guitare_kid13]

aaa..




















































all i have to say its that bc rich suck

[karjalainen]

There really isn't alot of difference between a well-built les paul and a well built PRS. Both companies use the same techniques in manafucturing because Paul Smith fashioned his guitars after the gibson models. The only reason why somebody would prefer a les paul over a PRS would be because of the different scale lengths(les paul-24 9/16", PRS 25"), the tone generated from the different types of woods(not a great difference) and maybe because of the slightly different body shapes. Apart from those reasons, there shouldn't be a whole lotta argument over which is a better guitar sound and playability wise.

[will102387]

PRS guitars are for those who play many different styles. i play jazz and rock so the prs gives me the tone i want. i use a custom 22.

[_mush5_]

You people are forgeting Jacksons, their pretty good guitars arent they!!

[Rocker3829]

Custom 22 is my fav guitar model. The quality is there. Even the prs singlecuts before they were sued by Gibson kicked the les pauls ass.

[rockinlewis]

Who actually cares?!

[Paranoyd]

This is more of a gear ad than an article...

[IamJonsCranium]

every time i hear a rock song on the radio and am like "wow, that guitar sounds sweet" it happens to be a prs. but i'll stick with schecter till i hit the lotto. (best quality overseas guitar, check out reviews online)

[)Eric(Draven]

You can't really say a guitar is better than a certain guitar overall, all guitars are made to do different things. You're also telling every fanboy of a certain maker and every user of another maker that they're not as good as you because they don't own a PRS. You said close to nothing about the specs, but just how underrated PRS's are, and how the price is insignificant.

You're saying PRS > anything else.

I'm saying anything else > you.

1/5.

[PsychoWolfD]

Jap-o-caster

Fuck you racist

[Custom24lover]

Whoever said you couldn't play blues with a PRS is way wrong. My Custom 24 can do it. It does it very well with the Vintage bass pickup. I can do bluesy stuff on the higher strings with the tone way down on HFS pickup. I can make that guitar do anything. It sounds awesome playing Purple Haze and Little wing, and on the HFS treble pickup I can bust out Cemetary Gates and it sounds awesome.

[Custom24lover]

Of course I am by no means saying that my Custom is better than a Les Paul or Strat or any other guitar for that matter. It just all depends on what you like and the way you hear things. If you like the way a first act sounds better than the way a PRS sounds, in your eyes First Act is better. This whole article was written in the dudes opinion. He shouldn't have bashed the other guitars, but he could've said "I like PRS better" or "I personally like PRS better than Strats, Teles, or Les pauls" and it would've softened the blow a whole lot.

[cantshreddave]

Jap-o-caster

is tht racist?

sorry if it was i copied the term outta a total guitar magazine

[cantshreddave]

also ha 2 stars again and everyone on this site hates me

ha :P

[cantshreddave]

and another post, cos i have nothin to do wiv my life (hey its half term):

im not sayin gibson, fender etc suck, maybe i shuldve made tht clearer, i mean y else wuld they be played by hendrix, clapton, page, blackmore, cobain, gorham, townsend, richards, slash.....

[cantshreddave]

another one, shuldve combined this into one comment, but im slow,

sum people seem really prejudiced on tis site, callin ppl b***..s etc just cos they dun a rubbish article

[marianoarnaiz]

the prs guitars are really good but they are not better then fenders guitaras

[KILLBILL]

I think it really depends on what the hell you play an how the hell ya play it,,,,thats a lot of what its about,,finding your sound making it yours,,Ive a SG and tremonte se(prsTREMpickups,esp mkII,,,they all have there own clean and dirty sounds,,,..But the PRS is my main one not only because its the most affordable, but the best sounding amped or not, and it will bring out a completley different sound depending on the strings even. Ok tremonti sponsered it ,,,,hes a rippin guitarist,,,with a rippen guitar too.

[Croat]

we all hate ibanez

[Pageismyhero]

I want to get a PRS because Tremonti has one
he is a beast guitar

[Pageismyhero]

I meant at guitar, he is a beast at guitar

[ababselectstart]

psychowolfd needs to quit bitchin. it's not cantshreddave's fault that the cheapest strats are made in japan and mexico, JAPOCASTER! JAPOCASTER! JAPOCASTER! JAPOCASTER! JAPOCASTER! JAPOCASTER! JAPOCASTER! MEXICASTER!
ooo.....so offensive...i happen to be asian so i am going to bitch about some pointless comments...ooo

[Einzigerfan03]

Oh yea just to let everybody know who says that PRS sucks It's a proven fact that right now in the guitar sales community PRS holds 40% of the sales out of the whole thing. when you include gibson fender and ibanez (and many other respected brands) PRS is simply the best. But again like i've stated before i cant understand why in the hell people are jumping on one dude for stating his ***ing opinion. But either sales opinion PRS is coming out to be the best. And I can understand why alot of people on here dont like PRS. Because these people are stuck in the past and idolize great guitarists and will never give modern guitar players a chance. I mean when your idol is Jimmy Page or Joe Perry and they play gibson hell even Zakk W. and he plays gibson you are going to go in that direction. Same with if you like people that play fender. It believe it takes a true guitarist to see what is good and what isnt and the definition of what is good and what isnt all lies within your ear. But ask any great guitar player that is nondiscriminating and they may not like the feel of a PRS but tone wise they know that its a great guitar. And for everybody giving this 2 stars and shit like that its going to be really funny when someone writes the gibson or fender version of this and it receives 5 stars.So to all you PRS lovers out there thanx for understanding this and hell you true musicians also.



P.S....oh yea i didnt write this article but i will support it because i like PRS and I dont hate fender. but i do hate gibson because of the ***ing singlecut lawsuit.

[ababselectstart]

and i think we can all agree that the guitars at walmart suck, the rest arent bad

[cantshreddave]

and i think we can all agree that the guitars at walmart suck, the rest arent bad

lol

[cantshreddave]

yeah pretty pointless article, thanks for pitching your unneeded two cents in.

no problem, my pleasure

[Evian]

PRS = Nu-Metal Guitarist = Sucks, No Talent/No Tone... so therefore

PRS = Sucks, No Tone

Honestly though...If I were to spend $4,000 on a guitar id buy a JEM or 2...

[KILLBILL]

Well I totaly agree most the nu metal is shit,,,this fact sux!! Theres definetly a trend here that just turns my stomach,,,..I still love my PRS.

[Dadschge]

i like the guitars of Paul reed smith

[kenno1979]

PRS = Nu-Metal Guitarist = Sucks, No Talent/No Tone... so therefore

PRS = Sucks, No Tone

this article is ridiculous. please dont rate guitars until you have played them.

i use a PRS CU22, Fender texas special fat strat, and les paul standard loaded with 59s.

all are great, but i prefer my PRS for reliability and versatility.

i bought my PRS 2nd hand for half the cost of a new one, so like every other mass produced guitar, they go down in value.

play whatever floats you boat...EVH and Brian May played their own home made guitars for christ's sake.

[mikeh]

This article is way too opinion based...

[talman71]

i would sell my girlfriend for a PRS Rosewood 515.....*drool*..nah...im not that much of an idiot..yes i do have a life and no i wouldnt sell my girlfriend for a PRS Rosewood 515...but...i would have to think about it..:P

[mazeman]

Sorry but nothing matched the fender (Strat or tele) sound...nothing.

[kill the emokid]

the prs se's are really good. they cost like 500 or 600 bucks and they play alot better then any ibanez or fender and are alot more comfortable then a gibson.

[arsenal_arsenio]

PRS owns! This article is simply an opinion, so quit bitching. PRS kick so much ass, thats why Santana and Tim Mahoney(311) use them.

[misfits385]

^^^ he's right although i dont prefer prs's its just a matter of opinion....


GIBSON KICKS ASS BIOTCHES

[keeslur21]

[/I've been saving for a Custom 24]\


thats nice

[keeslur21]

boy do i feel like a jackass... cant even do the quote thing right

[ror]

billy martine is bloody awesome guitar player and his signature guitar is just as good

[Guitarist9]

This whole article is sh*t, i mean seriously, you said Paul Reed Smith guitars came out in the 80's?, how do you think in only a couple decades it can become the best guitar brand?, and if the sound is so much better than Gibson or Fender then why do all the higher priced PRS have Seymour Duncan pick-ups?, well cause you could put a Seymour Duncan in a freaking rotten piece of wood and it would sound good, and if PRS are made better, and better quality, then why do they not have much detail?, why is there not many choices of styles?, Gibson and Fender are at the top, because they are the best, they have the best quality, and the best style for an alright price, well it depends how much you want to spoil yourself, and in most cases work yourself to death, but still for a better quality guitar for less than a PRS.

Gibson is the best.

to me.

I mean seriously Jimmy Page plays a Gibson, the best freaking Guitarist in the world.

nuff-said

[jbabpc]

dude i didnt know they cost that much ! i want ed a prs se billy martin!!!

[mariachi2487]

Santana's tone is absolutely fantastic. It's one of those warm sounds that you can really identify as soon as he plays a lick. However...it's not the modern PRS that he uses. He actually uses a Yamaha SG2000, which he used on songs like 'Oy Como Va' and 'Black Magic Woman'. As far as his relationship with PRS is concerned, he liked the older models, but he's commented that the more modern mass produced guitars from the company are not anywhere NEAR as great as the old ones.
Besides, u dnt need a PRS or even a Les Paul to get a great tone...listen to 'Cliffs of Dover' by Eric Johson. Goddamn, that opening solo is awesome!

[SamiGirl]

I havn't (yet) seen anyone smash up a PRS successfully

If Pete Townshend played PRS, they'd be gone!


Anyways, I love PRS guitars, but the article was terrible.

Besides, if you've got an awesome guitar you're not going to sound better. If you've got a shitty guitar, you can make it scream. The guitar is only as good as it's player. I've seen this one guy at school make the kid's First Act (haha) sound really good. If my eyes had been closed, it may as well been Jimi's strat.

[sensate]

Bah, for guitarists you're all pathetic. Arguing over factory finished line guitars... sheesh.
Sound and playability come down to this;
Sound is the quality of your pickups, never skimp on money because you will miss out on tone.
Playability comes down to how well you yourself set it up. See all those screws down there on your bridge kiddies? Play around with them until you get what you want. Don't expect someone else to do it and be perfect.

Oh, the reason why gibson quality is crap is because they're now made in the same factory as epiphone, they're only assembled and finished in America.

And as for your little PRS market stat, where did you get that from? Big deal, so PRS are the new fad at the moment.

[mtlhdwylde]

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this guy just wasted ur time and so did i

[mtlhdwylde]

suckers. ur a bitch if u actually scroled this far

[mtlhdwylde]

now.









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