People who don't like flame tops on PRS guitars...

fretfinder

Do those same people not like Gibson R9s then?

jaygtr

Not really, give me a plain top please.

ICBM

fretfinder said:

Do those same people not like Gibson R9s then?

No. Or not if they're too flamed, or with fine even flames, or - worst - 'chevrons'. Why the assumption that everyone likes flame top sunburst Les Pauls? It's one of my least favourite colours, unless it's fairly soft and subtle.

It's a slightly different thing though - I can even stand a bit more flame on a PRS, as long as it's not a sunburst.

StefB

Often strikes me as a bit of a prejudice just for the sake of it, but to each their own I guess. 

A LOT of manufacturers, particularly mid-range Ibanez, ESP, Schecter and such like overdo the flames, quilts, faux pearl binding and general bling far more than PRS ever do these days, but PRS are still always the easiest target as I guess they popularised the whole thing this time around and there isn't much else you can criticise the quality of their guitars for, so have a go at the bling instead! 

dogload

I've never been a fan of 'furniture' guitars. Battered Fenders are much more attractive to me than a shiny stripy thing!

impmann

Nope. Don't like sunburst full stop - its the sort of finish I'd expect to see on an orchestral instrument, not a rock n roll one. And flame tops... well, each to their own but I don't like them. 

RocknRollDave

Some would argue that on a Les Paul, the flame would be the only real nod towards blingdom, whilst certain PRS models are already dripping with bling before you even get to thinking about the wood

guitarfishbay

No prejudice for the sake of it, honestly.  I own a pair of quilted top PRSs, the only reason I have them is they were reasonably priced S/H and better instruments than the alternatives I could find at the time in the same price range.  A lot of private sellers with crazy expectations of price over the last 12 months, I actually got a better price from a dealer in the end.

If I was buying new I'd be picking plain top/solid colour because I think it looks cooler.  Honestly.  I also think a goldtop or ebony les Paul looks coolest.

I do love the colours of my PRSs, but honestly think the quilts are a bit cheesy and not as rock n' roll as a solid colour.  But I still think the instruments look far smarter than the MOP bling disasters you see from some LTD/Schecters, ugh!  All in all they're superb instruments I'm very happy with them otherwise.

jaygtr

Strangely I quite like looking at other peoples flame tops, but I just wouldn't want to own one.

fretfinder

Yum!!

ICBM

guitarfishbay said:

No prejudice for the sake of it, honestly.  I own a pair of quilted top PRSs, the only reason I have them is they were reasonably priced S/H and better instruments than the alternatives I could find at the time in the same price range.  A lot of private sellers with crazy expectations of price over the last 12 months, I actually got a better price from a dealer in the end.

If I was buying new I'd be picking plain top/solid colour because I think it looks cooler.  Honestly.  I also think a goldtop or ebony les Paul looks coolest.

I do love the colours of my PRSs, but honestly think the quilts are a bit cheesy and not as rock n' roll as a solid colour.  But I still think the instruments look far smarter than the MOP bling disasters you see from some LTD/Schecters, ugh!  All in all they're superb instruments I'm very happy with them otherwise.

Those are flames, not quilts - the blue one has a little bit of sort-of quilt, but it's still a flame I think. It's really nice, close to my ideal type of PRS top and colour.

This is a quilt - 

http://vintageprsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/photo.jpg

I don't like quilts at all, in any colour.

Also fully agree with you about Goldtops and black Les Paul Customs, which are by far the two best colours.

Phil_aka_Pip

@fretfinder ... drool!

JookyChap

When I first became aware of PRSs there was a definite wow as far as the flame finishes went as I must admit I hadn't seen anything like them before. The only Les Pauls I got to see up close were wine red or black, and Fenders/Squiers were solid or bursts. They looked another level up and clearly expensive and not a little intimidating.

Since then it has flipped and you can't move for £100 specials with thin veneers that to the untrained eye look no different, and so whenever I see them now my immediate response is that they look cheap and tacky, but not really in a way I like. Plain tops look so much classier these days by comparison.

axisus

dogload said:

.... Battered Fenders are much more attractive to me than a shiny stripy thing!

Totally agree. Took me ownership of a 10 top PRS to realise it though.

guitarfishbay

ICBM said:

guitarfishbay said:

No prejudice for the sake of it, honestly.  I own a pair of quilted top PRSs, the only reason I have them is they were reasonably priced S/H and better instruments than the alternatives I could find at the time in the same price range.  A lot of private sellers with crazy expectations of price over the last 12 months, I actually got a better price from a dealer in the end.

If I was buying new I'd be picking plain top/solid colour because I think it looks cooler.  Honestly.  I also think a goldtop or ebony les Paul looks coolest.

I do love the colours of my PRSs, but honestly think the quilts are a bit cheesy and not as rock n' roll as a solid colour.  But I still think the instruments look far smarter than the MOP bling disasters you see from some LTD/Schecters, ugh!  All in all they're superb instruments I'm very happy with them otherwise.

Those are flames, not quilts - the blue one has a little bit of sort-of quilt, but it's still a flame I think. It's really nice, close to my ideal type of PRS top and colour.

This is a quilt - 

http://vintageprsguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/photo.jpg

I don't like quilts at all, in any colour.

Also fully agree with you about Goldtops and black Les Paul Customs, which are by far the two best colours.

I've always thought flames were straight and quilts were when there is deviation from straight lines in to waves.  It is pretty obvious the one you've posted is definitely quilted.

Both of mine seem to have a mixture of both, when I look down at my Purple SC when playing it looks what I thought was 'quilt-y' at parts of the top side and again near the horn, which are the main bits of the body I see when playing standing.  It does look flamed in the centre, but I never look at it straight on I'm always playing the thing.  I've never thought about it much tbh!

The CU22 is a 10 top, it is quite symmetrical left to right but the pattern is again fairly flamed in the centre and getting a bit more wavy near the edges.

I quite like the tone of the maple capped CU22 and managed to get it for £1k delivered in the end.  At the time people were starting most ebay auctions higher than that, things are settling down more now in the past few months though.

My favourite looking PRSs are the Black and Silver ones Wes Borland used to use in Limp Bizkit, honestly.  Make them 22 fretters and lose the birds on the silver one and I'd be happy.  The black one with the binding is particularly cool IMO.  Like a superstrat in a sharp suit that would look good in almost any band, but you still know it is a mean rock guitar.

bertie

I like flame,  my morgan is AAAAA,  apparently.

stonevibe

Plain tops everyday of the week for me.

Si_

The Wes Borland black one is sweet, not a fan of that silver one though.

I'm not a fan of flame tops, recently picked up a PRS in blue similar the the one posted above, but other than that all my guitars are plain tops or solid colours.

raulduke

I prefer plain tops personally.

Not really into the 'bling' guitar thing (especially PRS's).

ICBM

guitarfishbay said:

I don't like Limp Bizkit, but a pic similar to that (I think he was standing with his head down and his arms hanging down by his sides) is the reason I finally realised PRSs were OK and I could accept owning one. He rescued them from the dentist-and-lawyer type image with a flame-top PRS on a stand next to a wicker-front Boogie in a posh front room...

Kebabkid

My 1989 CU24 (modified). It's not a 10 Top and wasn't as visibly flamed as this when I got it but it's become more so over the years.

I don't mind them but prefer solid colours (sorry, was having issues with posting pic)