# thinking of buying a paul reed smith - any suggestions?



## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...i'm looking into buying a prs guitar.

very basic: two humbuckers, non-locking trem and a slim (think ernie ball musicman) neck profile for under $1500.

got any recommends?


----------



## fretboard (May 31, 2006)

Probably worth a shot to call Brent Moss at the Guitar Shop if you're not going private sale: The Guitar Shop - Featured Products

Might want to keep an eye on the yard sale at www.vintagerocker.com if you're not registered there (it's where most of birds and moons wound up when it had its cord pulled) The Yard Sale

No idea if you have be a registered user to see the for sale stuff or to reply to ads, etc.


----------



## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

Check out the Mira. It's got the wide thin neck, 2 humbuckers including coil tap. It fits your budget, pretty much have all the things you are looking for. That's the PRS guitar that I have my eye on.... 










PRS Guitars | Mira

Oops I didn't see the non-locking trem. You might want to look at the SEs. Lots of guitar for the money.


----------



## Morkolo (Dec 9, 2010)

If you're considering the SE line I'd probably wait until the 2012's came out, they have a slightly carved top. My favorite being the SE Custom 24...

[video=youtube;LL6nvCmVmvw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL6nvCmVmvw[/video]


----------



## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

My two favorites are: DGT model and McCarty. The DGT is probably the most versatile axe!


----------



## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

I wanted a PRS for the longest time but a lot of them that I have tried left me cold. I kind of stopped looking after a while. The only one I ever played that I really liked was a plain old goldtop dot neck McCarty. I would still like to try a DGT.


----------



## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

Check out the CE line (bolt-on). For $1,500, you could get a used Cu24 non 10 top. What type of music do you want to cover with the PRS?

Alex


----------



## Dave (Dec 12, 2006)

In that price range, I would say buy a used one. They take a fairly heavy beating from new to used price wise and their American guitars are where you want to be. Without knowing of anything out there available, I would imagine that you could pick up a custom 22 or custom 24 in that price range,.


----------



## Kenmac (Jan 24, 2007)

Alex Dann said:


> Check out the CE line (bolt-on). For $1,500, you could get a used Cu24 non 10 top. What type of music do you want to cover with the PRS?
> 
> Alex


I agree with this. I've got a CE24 bolt on and it's the best playing and probably the best sounding guitar I have.


----------



## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Another vote for a CE!
I have a '93 CE24, great guitar.
The "book" value I got on mine is well under a grand.
Mines all stock, as I haven't found the need to swap anything out.










A word of warning though, the five way switch takes some getting used to.
Some guys hate them and swap them out. It's a bit difficult to change on the fly.
I think that the CUs have a three way and a push/pull on the tone knob.

Also, pre-factory guitars have a smaller heel on the neck.
I think that they've since gone back to them on the newer models.
So, between '94 and fairly recently, they'll have a bigger heel on the neck.
Not a big deal, but worth a consideration.


----------



## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...prs discussions always end up being about birds and moons. 

what are birds and moons, and what do they have to do with buying guitars?


----------



## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Alex Dann said:


> Check out the CE line (bolt-on). For $1,500, you could get a used Cu24 non 10 top. What type of music do you want to cover with the PRS?
> Alex


...my own. i rarely play covers and, even when i do, i bring my own sound, not necessarily what was on the original recording.

and how do i describe my own my music, or tone? electic. all over the genre map.


----------



## jmb2 (May 18, 2009)

Agree with the suggestion to contact Brent @ _*The Guitar Shop*_. Extensive inventory of PRS guitars and very knowledge-able.

Happy shopping and cheers always,

Joel


----------



## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

These are in the GTA...

** PRS CE-22 in Vintage Yellow, w/Upgrades ** - City of Toronto Musical Instruments For Sale - Kijiji City of Toronto Canada.

PAUL REED SMITH (PRS) CE-24 BLAZING COPPER - City of Toronto Musical Instruments For Sale - Kijiji City of Toronto Canada.

This Hamer is worth a look at...

Hamer USA Studio Custom In Aztec Gold In MINT Condition! $1499! - Oakville / Halton Region Musical Instruments For Sale - Kijiji Oakville / Halton Region Canada.

Wide fat neck on this one...

PRS CE 22 - City of Toronto Musical Instruments For Sale - Kijiji City of Toronto Canada.

PAUL REED SMITH CE-22 - EXCELLENT CONDITION - City of Toronto Musical Instruments For Sale - Kijiji City of Toronto Canada.

That was only a few pages.

lol Birds or moons are the inlays on the neck.
No, they have nothing to do with buying a guitar.


----------



## jmb2 (May 18, 2009)

david henman said:


> ...prs discussions always end up being about birds and moons.
> 
> *what are birds and moons, and what do they have to do with buying guitars*?


believe it refers to the two types of fret-board inlays that PRS use ....


----------



## fretboard (May 31, 2006)

Birds and Moons used to be the place for all things PRS - until the dude who ran it went all Kurtz and pulled its plug. It's now pretty much all moved over to vintagerocker - but if I was looking to buy a used PRS (which I'm pretty sure was where you were going with your initial post) then that's where I'd look for either a used Custom 22 or 24 with a wide-thin neck. Might find a standard 22 or 24, but they aren't as popular so it's a tougher find. CE's (bolt-on necks) can be found too for the price you're looking for.

Your choices for under $1,500 are probably going to be extremely limited going through any store - so hence, the link to where the PRS folks gather so you could do some research and whatnot and see what's out there in the used market on a bigger scale than you'll find here.

Given that you can't articulate what kind of music/vibe you're likely to be using it for, I can't imagine anyone will offer up opinion/differences between the pickups they use and generalities they possess (vintagey, modern, skull-crushingly hot, etc...)


----------



## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

david henman said:


> ...my own. i rarely play covers and, even when i do, i bring my own sound, not necessarily what was on the original recording.
> 
> and how do i describe my own my music, or tone? electic. all over the genre map.


well...i guess you don't get many gigs! I think you meant eclectic....i would tend to go with a versatile type PRS - in that price range, Ce22, used Cu22. good luck.


----------



## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Alex Dann said:


> well...i guess you don't get many gigs!


...no, the gigs pretty much dried up once i stopped playing mustang sally. 
and, to be honest, i was pretty much done with playing bars anyway. 
so it has worked out pretty well. 
the shows i do get to play are at least for audiences who actually listen to the music.


----------



## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

jmb2 said:


> believe it refers to the two types of fret-board inlays that PRS use ....


...now i'm even more curious!
what do fretboard inlays have to do with purchasing a guitar?
some kind of secret tone ingredient, perhaps?


----------



## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...i have tried the wide/fat neck on many occasions, and it is the primary reason i have steadfastly avoided buying a paul reed smith.
but i did get to try an se model with a wide/thin neck and really loved it!



sulphur said:


> These are in the GTA...
> 
> ** PRS CE-22 in Vintage Yellow, w/Upgrades ** - City of Toronto Musical Instruments For Sale - Kijiji City of Toronto Canada.
> 
> ...


----------



## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

fretboard said:


> Given that you can't articulate what kind of music/vibe you're likely to be using it for, I can't imagine anyone will offer up opinion/differences between the pickups they use and generalities they possess (vintagey, modern, skull-crushingly hot, etc...)


...eclectic covers it. but, for the sake of argument, i'm going to say middle of the road. a guitar with great tone will get the job done, every time, especially if it has a few surprises up it's truss rod.
obviously, a guitar designed for a "specific" genre isn't going to cut it.
however, i have seen strats, teles and les pauls used for everything from jazz to industrial metal, so i really can't imagine that mister paul reed smith's guitars are severely limited.
especially to the point where an experienced guitarist is unable to offer up opinions on which one might suit me


----------



## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

If you can convince this seller to ship to you.....great deal. McCarty with birds for $1,350

The Gear Page


----------



## Brennan (Apr 9, 2008)

david henman said:


> ...now i'm even more curious!
> what do fretboard inlays have to do with purchasing a guitar?
> some kind of secret tone ingredient, perhaps?


"Birds and Moons" was a big PRS focused message board that disappeared early this year. It was pretty much the biggest online knowledge base for PRS guitars for years.

For your style of music I'd be looking at something like a used Mira, McCarty or maybe a Swamp Ash Special with a standard or wide-thin neck carve. You should be able to find any of them in your price range with a little effort.


----------



## pattste (Dec 30, 2007)

I can't really help you with the selection but this video should give you GAS:

[video=youtube;T8YoW7nIGGw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8YoW7nIGGw[/video]

This is J. Hayes, Paul Reed Smith Product Support Manager, giving a clinic or store demo. I have seen many such demos over the the years and rarely seen/heard a guy who could play like that.


----------



## mario (Feb 18, 2006)

PRS Swamp Ash Special with Narrowfield PUs. I bought mine from my tech and fellow forum member Lance Romance...it is not going anywhere! It does everything you mentioned in your OP. Narrowfield HBs, regular neck and the most buttery trem around.



[video=youtube;G2k0r3dP87A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2k0r3dP87A[/video]


----------



## Lance Romance (Jun 4, 2009)

Hey Mario, I made the same recommendation to David. My Tom Anderson is totally amazing but the SASNF still haunts me...


----------



## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

There's a nice one in the emporium right now and it's close by to you.

It has a fat neck though, but you could see if you'd like that profile.


----------



## Roryfan (Apr 19, 2010)

I had a mid-late 90s McCarty that I regret selling. The coil tap was quite convincing, very versatile guitar.


----------



## silydog (May 14, 2012)

don't think about it just get it !!!!!! lol no but rly there amazing


----------



## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

david henman said:


> ...i have tried the wide/fat neck on many occasions, and it is the primary reason i have steadfastly avoided buying a paul reed smith.
> but i did get to try an se model with a wide/thin neck and really loved it!


I have an SE Custom semi-hollow soapbar (and I had one before as well). I thought that they all had the 'wide fat' neck but it never felt particularly wide (like an Ibanez) nor fat (like a Gibson LP Studio) so, PRS people...

how does one determine if you have the wide fat or the wide thin neck? I have seen old specs listed that say both.

***EDIT*** I think I may have found my answer:
http://www.prsguitars.com/csc/neckprofiles.html

but you still have to be pretty steady with a tape seeing as the measurable difference is 2/32 of an inch.


----------



## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...great starting point, thanks!



smorgdonkey said:


> I have an SE Custom semi-hollow soapbar (and I had one before as well). I thought that they all had the 'wide fat' neck but it never felt particularly wide (like an Ibanez) nor fat (like a Gibson LP Studio) so, PRS people...
> how does one determine if you have the wide fat or the wide thin neck? I have seen old specs listed that say both.
> 
> ***EDIT*** I think I may have found my answer:
> ...


----------



## Jimi D (Oct 27, 2008)

smorgdonkey said:


> ***EDIT*** I think I may have found my answer:
> PRS Customer Support Center | Neck Profiles
> 
> *but you still have to be pretty steady with a tape seeing as the measurable difference is 2/32 of an inch.*


uh, that's the difference in fretboard width (and 1/16" is a lot of fretboard width - I can feel that difference)...

I can assure you, the difference in feel between a PRS Wide Fat and a PRS Wide Thin is something that's VERY obvious. I have a Pattern Thin (eg Wide Thin) carve on my Custom 25th and the Regular (Standard) carve on my Mira, and they feel very, very different... I have also owned PRSi with the Wide Fat neck carve in the past (McSoapy) and I am confident that I could identify the three carves in a blind touch test relative to one another...


----------



## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

Jimi D said:


> uh, that's the difference in fretboard width (and 1/16" is a lot of fretboard width - I can feel that difference)...
> 
> I can assure you, the difference in feel between a PRS Wide Fat and a PRS Wide Thin is something that's VERY obvious. I have a Pattern Thin (eg Wide Thin) carve on my Custom 25th and the Regular (Standard) carve on my Mira, and they feel very, very different... I have also owned PRSi with the Wide Fat neck carve in the past (McSoapy) and I am confident that I could identify the three carves in a blind touch test relative to one another...


In my case (the one that I referenced) is not the fretboard width. The thing that I was talking about is neck depth at the nut since the width is the same on the wide fat and the wide thin. 


So, while I'm sure that someone may benefit from the info that you posted, it is completely unrelated to my question and the subsequent answer.


----------

