Seen the new PRS ad?

Bluebeard

The guitar looks good because it looks like a strat and it probably sounds good because it is over £2000 and it will probably be made well because its a PRS. Never heard of this John Mayer fella outside of guitar websites though. Is he a big deal in the USA? 

DrBob

Quite like the switch tip. Probably not enough to spend 2k + mind you 

axisus

Ugggh! I really can't stand the look of a strat with a 6 a side headstock. Unbelievably hideous.

Strat54

For a hundred quid more you can get a nearly new Anderson Icon S with a proper case, stainless steel frets, great choice of finishes, flatter radius board and no naff branding or fugly headstock

https://worldguitars.co.uk/shop/tom-anderson-icon-satin-tobacco-sunburst-05-19-16n/

and they sound amazing ; 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGCfhIkt3Bg

impmann

A lot of folks getting hot under the collar... a lot of "losing respect for Mr Smith" comments... a lot of "ugly guitar" comments.

Blah blah blah.



The Fender guys are going to be all of a flap because "Leo got it right first fime", and their headstock is the best... plus they tolerate the likes of Suhr and Anderson because there is a degree of association (even if both have fuck-ugly headstocks... oh yes, they do).

The PRS guys are going to be all of a flap because its a bolt on (they tolerated the CEs etc but this is a step too far), because it doesn't have a flame top and those bloody horrible (IMHO) birds and its too close to a Fender.

I'm sure Mr Smith and Mayer are well aware that this guitar will be marmite - and until any of us play one, we won't know if this guitar is any good or not.

Frankly - and I'm going to say it... I like it. BECAUSE it doesn't look like a PRS but because it will have their consistent build quality (sorry Fender... but....). I own a PRS 305 - and I like it despite the fact it looks like a bloody PRS, its sunburst and it has fucking birds. In fact, I'd like it a shit load more if it didn't have any of the above and was closer to a Strat... The reason I bought a PRS 305 and not a CS Fender was because I couldn't find one (despite a day of searching at Coda) that was significantly better to my hands than a Jap Strat... damning but true. I even took the Jap Strat with me as a 'datum'. The PRS was - country mile and all that.

I can totally understand why Mayer has done this - and why PRS have made it. Although, the warping neck on his black Strat... there's a reason why finish is applied to maple, and he just proved it. As for the comment about not being able to make a replacement neck... well, thats a bit moot and its his opinion. I can't speculate on how important or not it is to him - nor can anyone else. Perhaps Mr Smith *could* make a neck that felt right, plus was willing to do what Mayer wanted - after all, if you are putting your name on something you want it to be right (unless you're JoBo perhaps, where its more about the exposure/money/brand).

Good luck to em.

thegummy

Bluebeard said:

The guitar looks good because it looks like a strat and it probably sounds good because it is over £2000 and it will probably be made well because its a PRS. Never heard of this John Mayer fella outside of guitar websites though. Is he a big deal in the USA? 

He's pretty famous here, anyone I've mentioned him to has heard of him.

Check out his album "Try" it blew my mind.

mburekenge

Tyler are currently suing PRS.

Before this guitar, their patented 'dong/hockey stick' headstock monstrosity wore the crown for most fugly in guitarville.

Sadly for them, PRS have stolen that crown.



Only jesting.

Rocker

My cousin has an SE EG and it is a very good guitar.

Any Fender guitar with the headstock upside down (aka reversed) looks completely wrong to my eyes. Whereas a PRS headstock looks fine either way. 

Strat54

Bluebeard said:

The guitar looks good because it looks like a strat and it probably sounds good because it is over £2000 and it will probably be made well because its a PRS. Never heard of this John Mayer fella outside of guitar websites though. Is he a big deal in the USA? 

He's gone from playing Uni halls to arena's here so he must be reasonably well known here too. Not been to a gig of his since he went to playing huge venues, hate those arena's. 
I'd day he is a bigger deal in the US than Bonamassa, but not always for reasons involving the music...lol 

thegummy

Strat54 said:

Bluebeard said:

The guitar looks good because it looks like a strat and it probably sounds good because it is over £2000 and it will probably be made well because its a PRS. Never heard of this John Mayer fella outside of guitar websites though. Is he a big deal in the USA? 

He's gone from playing Uni halls to arena's here so he must be reasonably well known here too. Not been to a gig of his since he went to playing huge venues, hate those arena's. 
I'd day he is a bigger deal in the US than Bonamassa, but not always for reasons involving the music...lol 

Aye he's had a string of high profile lovers like Jennifer Anniston and Taylor Swift which has made him a household name.

The people I've spoke to do know his music too though, he's had some fairly successful pop hits.

I bet your girlfriend has heard of him!

sunshinewelly

I do like the guitar a lot - but the price is off putting - no doubt an s2 version will follow

Fifty9

Mooster said:

I'm a bit disappointed with PRS on this one. Whilst Fender and Gibson have been swimming in nostalgia, I always thought that PRS was making tweaks here and there, constantly changing and refining his guitars so they would not go stale and swim in the past. Things like the 513s, Narrowfields, Custom 24/08, etc. And then they go after a strat replica. I think it's more that JM wanted a strat copy but it's not their finest moment.

I see it as just an alternative strategy from PRS thats complementary to their innovative work. Nothing more than a strategy to tap into those guitarists who haven't plumped for a PRS because they are 'stuck' on the Les Paul & now Strat. With the shootout guitars, the new 'vintage' pups like the 57/08 etc and the 594 PRS are gunning to out-do Gibson on the vintage sounds of a Les Paul with modern playability, highest quality components & finish. As close as legally possible. Compare the Singlecut 594 with a custom shop LP. This is surely a strategy to encourage more of us to 'crossover' and it seems to be working.
 
The Silver Sky is imho just doing exactly the same with the Strat and fully expect this to be the first of many PRS strats.

I was never a PRS fan and have read so many people saying 'wanted to love it, loved the quality but just didn't bond as I always went back to the Les Paul'. This mindset is the target market PRS are moving into with the 'so close to what you know and love but better' designs. I must admit that for me its starting to work and I struggle to want anything beyond the LP, Strat, Tele & 335... Now however I find myself really wanting a 594 and now one of these.

rossi

Just put a Squier SE neck on it ,

sunshinewelly

Fifty9 said:

Mooster said:

I'm a bit disappointed with PRS on this one. Whilst Fender and Gibson have been swimming in nostalgia, I always thought that PRS was making tweaks here and there, constantly changing and refining his guitars so they would not go stale and swim in the past. Things like the 513s, Narrowfields, Custom 24/08, etc. And then they go after a strat replica. I think it's more that JM wanted a strat copy but it's not their finest moment.

I see it as just an alternative strategy from PRS thats complementary to their innovative work. Nothing more than a strategy to tap into those guitarists who haven't plumped for a PRS because they are 'stuck' on the Les Paul & now Strat. With the shootout guitars, the new 'vintage' pups like the 57/08 etc and the 594 PRS are gunning to out-do Gibson on the vintage sounds of a Les Paul with modern playability, highest quality components & finish. As close as legally possible. Compare the Singlecut 594 with a custom shop LP. This is surely a strategy to encourage more of us to 'crossover' and it seems to be working.
 
The Silver Sky is imho just doing exactly the same with the Strat and fully expect this to be the first of many PRS strats.

I was never a PRS fan and have read so many people saying 'wanted to love it, loved the quality but just didn't bond as I always went back to the Les Paul'. This mindset is the target market PRS are moving into with the 'so close to what you know and love but better' designs. I must admit that for me its starting to work and I struggle to want anything beyond the LP, Strat, Tele & 335... Now however I find myself really wanting a 594 and now one of these.

you have hit my nail on the head.

my next gas was a prs 594 - i would also love to own one of these prs "strats"

markblack

more fuel for the fire

Bluebeard

Has youtubes subtitles gone a bit funny on me....



Or does he just really like it?

StefB

The PRS headstock in reverse puts me in mind of the Ibanez SZ range from 10 years or so ago.  Ironically too, it works with a more traditional PRS style guitar body, which Ibanez achieved.

http://ibanez.wikia.com/wiki/SZ520QM

Gulliver

I personally really like the headstock, and the guitar as a whole.  I won't buy one, but I like it.

That said, I have a strat with a reverse CBS headstock and I think that looks bitching

Misty

It's probably a very good guitar, but I'm genuinely disappointed that PRS decided they had to jump on the Strat bandwagon. Visually it looks a mess, the birds and the headstock don't suit itat all, but take those away and it's no longer recognisable as a PRS. I feel they've cheapened themselves by doing this. Nothing against PRS at all, I have a DGT which is just great, but this is a shame.

Philly_Q

Gulliver said:

That said, I have a strat with a reverse CBS headstock and I think that looks bitching

Sounds great, I'm not going to argue about that one!