CAN A PRS SOUND LIKE A LES PAUL ?????
Ted McCarty assisted Paul Reed Smith in his early designs and build.
Since it was under his direction and approval and even hands on that the famous 59 Les Paul was made. He new his sh@t.
The PRS SC 594 McCarty was not meant to clone the LP but to be a true progression of the original if McCarty could have actually did it while working for Gibson.
He couldn't because new management came in with a standard industrial profit making attitude.
Don't make it better make it cheaper to build!
I think it is a success in fulfilling McCarty's vision.
Think of this guitar as Van Halen's cover version of the Kinks 'You really Got Me.' Both versions are a buzz to listen too ...Eddie just took took a great tune higher! But they share the same soul the same spirit. The vibe of both is inseparable!
Bottom line I think this guitar deserves to be one of the greats along with the LP, Strat and Tele.
What's the difference?. The LP sounds more raw and the PRS sounds more refined. Either sound used on the same tune will blow you away.
So which apple tastes better the red one or the green one because these two guitars are both apples!!!
THE POOR MAN'S VERSION
PRS SE 245
 |
| $680.00 USD |
So ...yes it is the made in Korea. How does it stack up. Well first the wood and build quality is dead on as good as a new LP in the $2500.00 USD range. I DO NOT exaggerate. Go to a store with both and go over both an inch at a time!!!
The PU were changed in 2016 to nail the sound and were designed hands on by Paul himself. That took 2 years!!! The guy is totally anal about quality and sound! lol
The PU's are easily as good as anything by Duncan etc.
I bought a brand new used 2017 in cherry sunburst. Brand new used??? It was a demo from a trade show that was cherry picked for looks as no two wood grains are the same.
Mine looks stellar as in WOW!!! No make that holy f.ing J.C.!!!!!!!!!!!
I recently checked out several new ones and although the tops all looked very good ...mine is as close to perfect as a wood grain gets!!!
I bought it a few months ago on Reverb from a store in a city surrounded by a farm community.
It included a very nice PRS heavy duty gig bag.
I paid $500.00 USD ...shipping was free! :-)
So what do I think ...well I have a 59 LP Special reissue and a Fender Custom Shop Strat that are equal BUT NOT BETTER!!! It is the only guitar I own ...and I have 8 that all cost more ...that I have not and will not change the PU's
At under $1000.00USD they are virtually giving this guitar away! SERIOUSLY!
So to get a fair comparison I got a chance to do my own comparison with a LP Traditional.
The body is solid not chambered and the neck is a thicker traditional etc. For some dumb reason they put in their hot PU's. Amazingly stupid for 2 reasons. One gets this to have the closest thing to what an old LP is all about and secondly the Gibson '57 PU's are a very good knock off of the 59 PAF. This guitar sells at a street price of $2700.00 USD. It is the cheapest old Standard style LP you can buy. Well the fit and finish were equal. The Lp has binding and perhaps is slightly more decorative but that's that.
The LP is hotter and is overkill aggressive but hardly authentic. The PRS sounds much closer to a 'real' LP.
So unfortunately the sound comparison defeats a serious comparison.
Bottom line...
If you are looking to upgrade to a better guitar or add something to your arsenal
not trying out this is just plain NUTS!!!
A $680.00 USD priced guitar that compares favourably to a $2700.00 USD guitar!
Just try one for yourself ...what's to loose??
No comments:
Post a Comment