Seen the new PRS ad?

Whitecat

Rabs said:

Seems like hes been using one for a while..  Just that no one noticed (or probably gave a flying crap) till now.

If you spent any time in PRS groups on Facebook you’d realise it’s kinda the polar opposite of that...

Kebabkid

Mmm.. I don't like that at all and it looks wrong, almost photoshopped.

polotska

No idea how this new one sounds and plays—but from a design standpoint, I think the EG II from the early 1990s (with the Fralin “domino” split-coil pickups) was a much better Strat-a-like with PRS tweaks.

RaymondLin

I prefer mine still.

Rabs

Whitecat said:

Rabs said:

Seems like hes been using one for a while..  Just that no one noticed (or probably gave a flying crap) till now.

If you spent any time in PRS groups on Facebook you’d realise it’s kinda the polar opposite of that...

I think it is obvious then that I haven't  

Whitecat

Rabs said:

Whitecat said:

Rabs said:

Seems like hes been using one for a while..  Just that no one noticed (or probably gave a flying crap) till now.

If you spent any time in PRS groups on Facebook you’d realise it’s kinda the polar opposite of that...

I think it is obvious then that I haven't  

You best keep it that way, son!

Bucket

Rabs said:

Seems like hes been using one for a while..  Just that no one noticed (or probably gave a flying crap) till now.

Oh, I had noticed.

I was trying to ignore it in the hope it would go away. But nope... series production it is.

darcym

does this not feel a bit petty ?

famous respected guitar player who has built a relationship with a major guitar producer has asked them to make a guitar in the style of a guitar he loves with a few minor tweaks to make it "better" for him, and due to fan demand / questions its been made into a production run ?

I don't think Suhr gets this hassle for their pure strat copies, or Anderson for their high end strat copies, it doesn't float my boat at all, because I like a strat (I'd certainly be interested in trying one for personal interest) but some of the stuff is interesting from an engineering point of view, such as the fact that the head stock is a back to front PRS to give the lower strings more tension to make it feel how he wants the "bounce" to feel.

Does it really warrant this level of "spite" in the comments ? 

DrJazzTap

I admit when I read "reach for the sky" I thought of woody from toy story.

Musicman20

PRS make stunningly high quality guitars. A headstock like that doesn’t work at all. 

Bucket

darcym said:

does this not feel a bit petty ?

famous respected guitar player who has built a relationship with a major guitar producer has asked them to make a guitar in the style of a guitar he loves with a few minor tweaks to make it "better" for him, and due to fan demand / questions its been made into a production run ?

I don't think Suhr gets this hassle for their pure strat copies, or Anderson for their high end strat copies, it doesn't float my boat at all, because I like a strat (I'd certainly be interested in trying one for personal interest) but some of the stuff is interesting from an engineering point of view, such as the fact that the head stock is a back to front PRS to give the lower strings more tension to make it feel how he wants the "bounce" to feel.

Does it really warrant this level of "spite" in the comments ? 

I love John Mayer, and while PRS aren't my thing I appreciate they make some fine guitars, they have a strong and carefully cultivated brand identity and have their particular market more or less sewn up, and fair play to them.

My issue is purely aesthetic. Why go to the trouble of designing an entirely new model (I use that term loosely, of course) only to slap a completely incongruous headstock on it? It really does stick out like a sore thumb, and I think we're more or less unanimous in our verdict that it looks absolutely terrible.

I guess the problem is what I said in the first paragraph of this post - they have a strong and carefully cultivated brand identity. Where within that do they propose to place an identikit Strat copy with its only aesthetic difference being a headstock so wrong it looks like a bad Photoshop mockup? Surely there are plenty of ways PRS and John Mayer could have worked to alter the Strat design template to make it look a bit more imaginative, or come up with a new, recognisably PRS, but 6-in-line headstock.

RaymondLin

To me PRS has always taken other recipe and made their own, even the Les Paul, they have always used their own hardware, knobs, bridge and even slight contours differences.  If you take away the headstock, you can still tell it is a PRS.

This thing….all the hardware look very generic and I can't tell you it is a PRS until I look at the headstock.

I guess there is nothing wrong saying the recipe has never been broken in the first place so why change it?  But then you ask why have they not done this to being with?  It's not like this options has never been around or this is a brand new idea, why do it now?  It's certainly doesn't sound like they are doing it because they are bringing something new to the table, it is more just to get more of the Strat market and they just can't do it with what they have tried so far so if you can't beat them, join them.

Which means….it just becomes another Strat clone in a sea of Strat clone, as opposed to you get a PRS because it sounds like a PRS.

Kebabkid

polotska said:

No idea how this new one sounds and plays—but from a design standpoint, I think the EG II from the early 1990s (with the Fralin “domino” split-coil pickups) was a much better Strat-a-like with PRS tweaks.

I had one which BigNorm now has. They worked well and I had a HSH and the single coil was a Fralin and the in-between positions were better than you'd find on some of the newer PRS guitars. Obviously, the bolt-on helps but these guitars looked nice and for me, Moons looks so much better. The birds, especially the current design are just too ostentatious.

polotska

Kebabkid said:

polotska said:

No idea how this new one sounds and plays—but from a design standpoint, I think the EG II from the early 1990s (with the Fralin “domino” split-coil pickups) was a much better Strat-a-like with PRS tweaks.

I had one which BigNorm now has. They worked well and I had a HSH and the single coil was a Fralin and the in-between positions were better than you'd find on some of the newer PRS guitars. Obviously, the bolt-on helps but these guitars looked nice and for me, Moons looks so much better. The birds, especially the current design are just too ostentatious.

I had a seafoam green one with three of the split-coils for many years—I liked it better than any genuine Strat I’ve ever played.

guitars4you

RaymondLin said:

I prefer mine still.

and that is my point from my earlier posting - The 305, DC3 and NF3 are influenced by a Strat regarding tonal character and even a playing performance, but they are not trying to look like a Strat - You are right and these look fine and what I'd expect from PRS - This new model is pants IMO

thomasross20

Too many makers copying other models. I think this is lame and they should focus on their own core models.

stickyfiddle

I'm kinda halfway between Darcy & Bucket here. I don't mind PRS making a strat, I just don't care either.  It all seems a little pointless. 

As for the headstock, I'm not sure it's anything to do with string tensions (as it's still 3-a-side, not 6). It's clearly done to make it feel exactly like a Strat for the left hand - the way each side moves out from as you go up from the nut is exactly the same curve as a Strat headstock. I actually think that's a really neat bit of design on an otherwise totally-pointless guitar.

grungebob

Sometimes new things look odd, then less so over time. Let’s wait and see eh.  

bacchanalian

Is there a technical advantage to three a side with a wiggle stick? More stable tuning or anything?
He does have an extraordinarily mobile thumb. I can understand how the 7.5 inch radius would help a bit.
I do think it is getting a hostile reception.
It is no more or less pointless than any other strat derived guitar. Mayer has the luxury of having one of the world's premier guitar makers putting his partscaster together. I wish I did.

meltedbuzzbox

So where is all the abuse for Anderson, suhr, Nash, bravewood, vintage, feline, and all the other people that have setup a business on reproducing other companies guitars with slightly different headstocks?