Update! How different is a PRS 594 to a Gibson Les Paul?

mrleon83

Have you ever experienced playing a guitar that was so bloody good it's all you can think about?

Last Tuesday I popped into the Gibson Garage and was instantly drawn to a 58 Heavy Murphy aged Les Paul, and was able to try it out through a mk5 boogie, out loud, nice! , it was absolutely glorious, there's a potential that I may be able to stump up the 8.5k but it got me thinking, there must be a way to get at least in the very near ball park (unfortunately without the heavy wear)

So the things (other than the ML treatment) that I've picked out that may (may) have made it stand out:

- it was really lightweight
- it had unpotted pickups
- Non-weight relieved

So now I've been trying to figure out alternatives, which as led me to the PRS 594 singlecut, they seem to be available at a relatively light weight (I've found between 7.5-8.5lb) and from what I understand are not weight relieved, I thought I could then change the pickups for a set of Seth Lover SD's or even stump up the cash for some Custombuckers.


So any one compared the two (with unpotted pickups if poss) ? what's the difference? The internet seems to suggest that the Les Paul will have more girth(?) but I have no idea why ...

Keiko

Have a look at the high end Tokai les pauls

RaymondLin

If you are just going for spec, and planning to swap out pickups then there are a ton of options out there for 1/10th of the price of the ML.

But if it is a Gibson that you want and it is a ML that you want then you are just wasting money getting other guitars, spending money swapping parts out until one day you eventually get one.

Nerine

Get a ML 58 from elsewhere and don’t pay the ridiculous prices of the Gibson Garage, surely? 

I got my 59 ML for over £2k cheaper than that GG price. 

Fishboy7

Why not look at a regular, non Murphy Lab, R8? 

Whitecat

Tuning stability will likely be better on the 594, that’s for sure. 

As for the “girth” thing, dunno. Custom Shop LPs tend to be brighter-sounding than their non-custom counterparts, but at the same time, there will be more sample variation with the Gibsons than with the PRS. 

mrleon83

Yeah, I've been looking at regular R8's too, it's just that price difference (looking at core and S2 varieties) that's got me wondering, I've also never played a bad PRS ... I guess I need to try them side by side .. always great to get the FB community input too :-) 

Boromedic

No hesitation in recommending a PRS 594, I have a double cut S2 with all US made wiring and pickups. Sounds like a great Les Paul, I wouldn't even think twice about it unless you really want a Gibson. 

I've had an R8, Tokais and still have a standard, the S2 is the best of them all. 

Blueingreen

If light weight is important, I have the semi hollow version of the 594 and it weighs just a smidge over 7lbs. 

guitars4you

If you were to judge the guitar on build quality and attention to detail, then there is a clear cut winner - PRS

But that doesn't equate to feel, tonal character, playability as totally subjective - You will get various opinions on here and indeed any other forum but no one is correct, as it is about you, your hands and ears 

I'm a PRS fan and by and large I struggle to play any Gibson as well as I can a PRS - Me and Gibson's just don't get on - And that isn't a complaint - I can generally find Gibson alternatives easier and more comfortable to handle - be it PRS, Collings, Hamer etc - But that doesn't mean they are better 

Try them both and even better if you can try them side by side in the same store - Peach, Coda, Guitar Village, GuitarGuitar etc then it will be so much easier for your own hands and ears to decide for you 

bencam1997

Cant attest to any of the murphy level of gibson's as ive only played one once and it wasnt a side to side comparison. But ive compared my s2 594 to a couple les paul customs that are still a big jump more expensive and would put the s2 ahead still on how solid the build feels. Tone is too subjective for me to comment on really 

I do enjoy seeing the gibson logo when i pick up a guitar though, maybe nostalgia i dont know. And the smell.... 

mrleon83

Weight isn't a massive concern, it's more trying to get 80% of that guitar I tried to save myself a bit of cash :-) 

guitars4you

Should have added

The difference, ref tone between a 594 and an LP is similar to the difference between 2 different LP's - ie there is a similar character, but the finer detail is different - I think your reading might be correct in that many LP's still have more girth about the tone - Yet sometimes to 'moody' - A PRS has more articulation, generally, which some feel is 'to polite' - I hate the word sterile - Of course your style of music you play, amp you use, levels of gain will come into play 

I wouldn't suggest changing any p/up on any guitar straight away - Own it, play it, listen to it, then evaluate what you have, what your missing and then maybe determine what you need

A 594 probably gets closer to an LP tone than any other PRS 

Also the neck profile on the 594 is slightly larger than any other PRS so more akin to an R8, R9

CarpeDiem

I would also consider a PRS Tremonti - Mark Tremonti was a Les Paul player before he switched to PRS. As @guitars4you has suggested, try the different guitars at a store to find the one that works best for you.

RandallFlagg

I've had both and currently have a 2023 VOS R9.

My most recent 594 was the double cut version but they are really quite different feeling and sounding guitars. The reissues Les Paul have 50s wiring and unpotted pickups and the PRS has modern wiring and at least partially potted pickups. This leads to a quite different tonal and playing experience especially if you like to use the tone & volume controls.

I feel at home with the R9 and felt the 594 was a bit polite and just lacks low end beef, tone and feel that only a Les Paul gives. The finish feels more slippery and poly like on the PRS vs the nitro of the Gibson, which I prefer.

I think you would be disappointed with a PRS if you really want a Murphy Lab Les Paul

Cols

There’s always the Maybach Lester, which seems very well regarded.  They’ll even do the heavy relic thing if you ask nicely.

https://maybach-guitars.de/custom-shop/

wrinkleygit

Have to say having owned many Les Pauls over the years, a PRS 2001 Singlecut was probably one of the best, only usurped by my ‘89 Heritage 150dlx.

Boromedic

I think Mark has the right idea, go to some high end stores and compare them both side by side and see what works for your style and how you play. Tonally, you don't need to change the pickups, the 58/15 LTs are as good as the custombuckers I had in the R8. 

See if you can work out which of these is my Standard and which is the PRS (the standard has 50s wiring and hand wired pickups).

Appreciate it's a rock sound, but I can't tell which is which (although obviously I do know!). I'm now a convert to the PRS ideology, although in my defence I'd been after trying a 594 for ages for the reasons you mentioned too.

Listen to Back In Black - Which is the S2?! by Boromedic on #SoundCloud

https://on.soundcloud.com/HfZ2n


https://on.soundcloud.com/CKDdTCYkJWBvCEKb8

Nerine

I’ll add, the used R8 I picked up for £3999 (from World Guitars a while back) is the best single cut guitar of any brand I’ve ever owned or played. 

I’m confident it would absolutely demolish any PRS for outright sound and overall vibe. It plays like an absolute weapon too. 

That’s not to shit on PRS. I like them. But none could hold a candle to this R8. It’s THAT good. Beautifully put together as well, I might add. 

It’s a 2017 True Historic. Plenty of great used options out there. 

Worth taking the time to have a look around. 

rlw

https://felineguitars.com/collections/guitars/products/feline-guitars-lion-supreme-la-grange

https://felineguitars.com/collections/guitars/products/25th-anniversary-lion-archtop-number-6-package

https://felineguitars.com/collections/guitars/products/feline-guitars-lion-supreme-custom-black-beauty

..by a mile.....

richardhomer

Sound Affects in Ormskirk have got a very light 2020 R8 in at a decent price (there’s some damage to the finish from a stand but otherwise looks in good shape).

https://www.soundaffects.com/electric-guitars-c95/2020-1958-r8-les-paul-standard-re-issue-iced-tea-burst-pre-owned-p23827