Evening all, new chap here. I wonder if anyone else has had a similar let down: for ages I wanted a PRS SE Semi Hollow - just because the thing looked SO good, and of course PRS's reputation. When my Sisters decided I should have a birthday present, I got one - a 2008 model.
I've been playing ( VERY BADLY ) for about ten years, and only recently decided to take it seriously ( I am a drummer by trade) I don't have a great deal of experience with anything other than entry level to lower-mid range gear. ( My favourite previous guitar being an Epiphone Nighthawk Reissue - lovely)
I just can't get my head around this thing: it looks and feels wonderful, but when I play it my already fumbly fingers are all over the place. I've tried two gauges of strings, it's been well set up, it is comfortable playing standing or sitting.
I just don't like playing it.
Anyone else had this experience?
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Just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after youWe parted ways again pretty quickly and I’ve mostly felt the same about every PRS I’ve picked up since. Great machines, not for everyone though.
Fast forward to earlier this year and I bought a Bernie Marsden Se that I can't put down! I have a draw full of pickups and all sorts of stuff but every time I think I will upgrade something I play it and think..Why??
Maybe you just chose the wrong model? Trust me I'm not a big PRS fan but the Bernie blows me away.
The Custom is very much its own guitar with its own feel just as a Strat, Tele etc. will but the Bernie Marsden model is basically just a Les Paul but with the quality to price ratio that the SE range is famed for.
Just a note re: mine; if anyone remembers I mentioned that the frets on mine were uneven which was the only negative with its quality. I took it in and had them levelled but the guy who did it said they weren't really that bad at all level-wise to begin with. He did perfectly level them out though. Maybe it's just something I'm picky about but I thought it worth mentioning that in his opinion the stock frets weren't that bad.
The PRS SE has a 25" scale length. If the Epiphone Nighthawk is faithful to the Gibson original, its scale length will be the 25.5" associated with the majority of Fender electric guitars.
If you are playing guitar from muscle memory, the scale length difference is going to throw some of your habitual moves out.
Glad yours turned out to be fine after all. Enjoy!
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Still a surprise and it just goes to show you should try a guitar properly before buying one.
Give it some more time
It's an instrument, try others - you need the right instrument for you, not the one for someone else
This sounds about right to me, and was pretty much my experience when I played an expensive USA model.