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PRS to Gibson impressions

mattnew33

New member
Joined
Jul 14, 2016
Messages
138
I keep reading this thread and balking a bit at "the PRS is better on paper" line.

The 24 fret neck is technically more accurate and it intonates better across the range of the fretboard than the standard 22 fret gibson. This part is purely math, not really arguable. All fretted necks are some compromise off of perfect intonation due to how they are built vs how a string vibrates. So I guess in that sense better on paper is true...

... I get that ...

But if I want a perfect 'A' note.. I take a sine wave generator set to 440Hz ( or maybe 442Hz ) and plug it into a speaker... out comes a "perfect" A, that sounds like perfect crap.

which leads me to.. our ears... we give a lot of leeway to intonation, and I think that something that might be more technically accurate doesn't necessarily equate to "more appealing" to our ears. Guitar playing and music in general is a very emotional experience and no matter how technically accurate a note may be... if it doesn't come out where our ears expect it to, it sounds wrong/sterile.
 

trmckn

New member
Joined
Jun 25, 2011
Messages
335
I dunno.... I love my Gibsons, but I'd be disappointed if my PRS sounded just like a Les Paul. I already have (more than several) Les Pauls for that.

Regarding the general sense that PRS are "soul-less", I don't find that the case at all, but it took a couple of years for me to feel that way. For me at least, there is an emotional reaction that a Les Paul or an SG or a 335 evokes that has to do with things that have nothing to do with the instrument itself. It's just how my brain is programmed to react. Having played several great PRS guitars for a few years now, I gotta say that they can now evoke that same kind of emotion. The headstock doesn't look funny anymore...it actually looks "right" on a PRS. The ergonomics of the switching and controls now feel right, and their later pickups are just fantastic matches to the guitars.

If you currently are happy with your LPs (as I am), I don't see the need to find something else that does the same thing. Anything from the Custom Shop at least has as good quality as anything out there.

But if you're looking for something a little different that plays well, has tremendous tuning stability, and can still get you classic tones but with a flair of its own, I'd give a McCarty or a 594 or an HBII a shot. After a while, you might even start to dig their looks...
 

hotpaul

Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2003
Messages
34
Like most everyone I find that they are beautiful to look at and play great. And here comes the but... they seem to have a slight fizz when overdriven that I can't get over. It's too bad because I really like the way they feel
 

R291dw

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Joined
Sep 16, 2016
Messages
1
I look at it how I used to view Harleys.I rode BMWs and could not understand how anyone could like a loud,unreliable,oil leaking( this is in the 70s ) bike like a Harley. And then one day I had a chance to ride one and Then I understood. Nothing Rides like a Harley or A BMW. Both good and both very different.

Love my CU 22 with its perfect wide fat neck, A Les Paul does what it does very well. Both are good and both are very different.
 

J.D.

Well-known member
Joined
May 24, 2006
Messages
10,030
PRS complaints translated...

PRS guitars have no soul = player has no soul
All sound fizzy = I don't know how to select/adjust my amp
Necks have dead spots = I don't know how to setup a guitar
It doesn't sound like a Les Paul = I have really no clue about scale length and guitar construction
The pickups suck = I think every humbucker is supposed to be a PAF replica
4 of the 5 selector switch positions are useless = I only play on the bridge pickup at full volume
WTF is a sweet switch = I have no idea a long cable can affect tone

:laugh2:
 

J T

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Messages
10,501
:lol:applaude

Here on the right are a basket of Apples. There on the left are a basket of Oranges. Look at them closely. What differences can you see?
 

renderit

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,951
It still don't sound like a Les Paul, Francis.
It still don't sound like a Les Paul, Francis.

I always felt a PRS was more of a tangelo though...
 

J T

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Messages
10,501
An apple is round
An orange is too
They both grow on trees
but you can’t compare the two
 

jeffreylucky1

Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2011
Messages
35
I tried the PRS thing and I still own a Custom 22 10 top and an older Singlecut set up like an LP (before Gibson made PRS change a few things). They are beautiful and the fit and finish are second to none.
I also own 7 Gibson Les Pauls and about 30 assorted other guitars.
I tried to love the PRS guitars and no amount of tweaking or pickup changing will ever make one sound like a Les Paul. If that is the sound you're after, get a Les Paul. Period.
I never play an electric gig without a Les Paul anymore. I may play other guitars on a few songs, but the LP gets 90% of my playing time.
My ears may be weird because my favorite two guitars are early 70's Norlin pancake Customs. My favorite of the two has Tom Anderson pickups and my second favorite has T-Tops.
I just bought a 2016 Standard and I'm playing it a lot for the "best of both worlds" or in other words, a good compromise. It has a "good" Les Paul sound, it is lighter than my Norlins, it has wonderful Grover locking tuners for speedy string changes, the top is as beautiful as my PRS's, it is easily replaced if it gets damaged, it has many sounds available etc.

PRS makes a wonderful guitar.
The Gibson Les Paul is the best electric guitar period to my ears and fingers.

Just my .02

Jeff
 

lous1952

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2015
Messages
99
PRS complaints translated...

PRS guitars have no soul = player has no soul
All sound fizzy = I don't know how to select/adjust my amp
Necks have dead spots = I don't know how to setup a guitar
It doesn't sound like a Les Paul = I have really no clue about scale length and guitar construction
The pickups suck = I think every humbucker is supposed to be a PAF replica
4 of the 5 selector switch positions are useless = I only play on the bridge pickup at full volume
WTF is a sweet switch = I have no idea a long cable can affect tone

:laugh2:

All right on.
Many of the same complaints from this group can be applied to other brands/types of guitars.
 

hidebai

Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2015
Messages
31
I like PRS, PRS has a perfect sound !
Very delicate, there is a combination of a single coil and Humbucker!
All right! But if the comparison with the GIBSON,
Gibson have classic body, wild sounds, warm bass
before,
I always want to find GIBSON tone on PRS,
But then I was wrong,
Gibson irreplaceable!
 

Schtang

New member
Joined
Mar 19, 2005
Messages
580
A number of years back (2004 to be precise) I went to buy a PRS in a well known Sydney guitar shop. Walked out with a beautiful 2004 Ice-tea burst Gibson Les Paul Standard. Still have that guitar.

 

KennyY

New member
Joined
Aug 9, 2001
Messages
742
PRS complaints translated...

PRS guitars have no soul = player has no soul
All sound fizzy = I don't know how to select/adjust my amp
Necks have dead spots = I don't know how to setup a guitar
It doesn't sound like a Les Paul = I have really no clue about scale length and guitar construction
The pickups suck = I think every humbucker is supposed to be a PAF replica
4 of the 5 selector switch positions are useless = I only play on the bridge pickup at full volume
WTF is a sweet switch = I have no idea a long cable can affect tone

:laugh2:

I agree.
I believe that being familiar and knowing how to use gear is more important than having really good gear.
I remember having to make do for years with a beat up basic les paul studio and a much maligned Mesa Rectoverb combo amp because I didn't have the funds buy the primo stuff.

I've seen people that try to use drool worthy gear and when I hear them play I wonder if its broken or its player :)

I have wonderful one-off PRS CU24 with a wide-fat neck (yes, WF I never seen any other CU24 with that spec), korina body, and stoptail that I often play if I need to have more cut and if I find my 59RI Les paul is too fat or the EQ is not right for the overall mix. As much I love my Les Pauls, I need to use the right tool for the job and depending on the kind of music genre (modern vs vintage)
 

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
I agree.
I believe that being familiar and knowing how to use gear is more important than having really good gear.
I remember having to make do for years with a beat up basic les paul studio and a much maligned Mesa Rectoverb combo amp because I didn't have the funds buy the primo stuff.

I've seen people that try to use drool worthy gear and when I hear them play I wonder if its broken or its player :)

I have wonderful one-off PRS CU24 with a wide-fat neck (yes, WF I never seen any other CU24 with that spec), korina body, and stoptail that I often play if I need to have more cut and if I find my 59RI Les paul is too fat or the EQ is not right for the overall mix. As much I love my Les Pauls, I need to use the right tool for the job and depending on the kind of music genre (modern vs vintage)

+1000
 

jojo68

New member
Joined
Aug 6, 2008
Messages
50
I've tried to like them over the years, but they just don't feel right to me. If I want a guitar with better fret access than my LP, I grab one of my SGs.
 

thunderkyss

Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2002
Messages
743
I'm a BC Rich Mockingbird guy myself.


I don't have anything against PRS & I'd love to get my hands on a Knaggs. But the PRS line just never inspired me. I don't like the feel, don't care for the sound acoustically... never cared enough to plug one in. They're just not me.

I'm mainly into classic rock, border line '80s metal.


To me, nothing compares to either of my Les Pauls into my '78 JMP 2204. That's the sound for me. My Mockingbirds get me close enough. If I were one of those who'd put a Floyd on a Les Paul, I probably wouldn't mess with the Mockingbirds, but I'm not.
 

fender69

Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2003
Messages
998
Try a David Grissom model. Really like mine. Very versatile. It's not a Gibson, but then it's not really trying to be.
 

thunderkyss

Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2002
Messages
743
Was going through my closet the other day & found a Dean Hardtail I bought years & years ago. Nice guitar.

It's very "PRS like" & I got to thinking why did I buy that guitar? When I bought it, I used to play it all the time. So I plugged it up & started jamming... really nice guitar.

The only thing I could think was the scale length. Maybe I should try some of the new 245 series PRS (not that I'm looking for another guitar).

I've got a few strats & I like them just fine. Maybe it's the combination of mahogany body, set neck, & the longer neck that I don't like.
 
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