PRS for Blues?

[Yohannah]

I know there's a lot of subjectivity when talking about and considering gear. That being said, any opinions on the best PRS for blues? I looked at one beauty, but it was one of the Korean-made instruments, and while it was well-spoken of for sound and playability and was beautiful, I was told that the beautiful face was a "paper thin" veneer. I have cats and dogs and one ding on that veneer and it'll look awful, no matter how good it sounds.

I know some of their set-ups lean more towards rock and some are more for that blues sound.

Opinions?

 

[MarkDyson]

My very first electric guitar was a Korean-made PRS SE. Since then I've owned about a half-dozen PRS models, all SE, and none of them disappointed me and the durability of the finish hasn't been a problem. I currently still have an acoustic, a Zach Myers electric, and a Kingfisher bass and they all look sparkly new and sound great.

I'm not sure who's been giving you advice about the SE line, but by my lights they're solid, durable, and some of the best bang for your guitar buck you'd ever spend. The tops are veneer, and the bodies in general have multi-ply materials in them, but a great many guitars out there with gorgeous flame and similarly-figured tops are also veneer.

Two of the SE models well-suited for blues would be a Custom 22 or a McCarty. I actually modded my C22 semi-hollow for split and parallel coil playing and it sounded even better. My Zach Myers with the stock pickups is also very easy to dial in warm crunchy stuff with.

 

[MarkDyson]

It is, indeed, subjective, and sometimes preconceptions are fulluvit. I recently picked up a Marshall amp when I so often hear you want/need a Fender for blues tones. Also not true.

Can you test drive some SE models at a local shop?

 

[PapaBear]

Well obviously that John Mayer Silver Sky is built for the blues, but what's your budget?

 

[JestMe]

The Zach Myers model is not expensive... I've been eyeing the S2 Single Cut Semi-Hollow too... a bit more pricey. As far as I know both guitars have the blues!!!

 

[Elio]

I keep looking at the S2, myself. I wouldn't hesitate to buy an SE Everyone I know that has one has been quite happy with the build quality and playability. One thing about PRS guitars is that their resale for some reason tends to be on the low side, so there are good deals to be found on used instruments.

 

[Rancid Rumpboogie]

I have a PRS SE Custom 24 and love it to death.
Here it is as I received it.

It was geared too much for classic rock for my tastes, so I swapped out the pickups for a set of Bare Knuckle Stormy Monday pickups (with nickel covers and changed the rings to black and the knobs to black speed knobs just 'cause). Now it's a killer blues machine. The neck / fretwork is fantastic, finish is to die for. As with any 24-fret guitar, the neck pickup is slightly closer to the bridge than on a Les Paul, so it is ever so slightly brighter. This was really apparent with the stock pickups, but the Stormy Mondays completely mitigated that. The top may be veneer, but you would never know it to look at it. And for a scratch or ding to go all the way through that veneer it would have to be a pretty serious scratch / ding.

 

[kestrou]

I don’t drink the PRS Kool-Aid, but only because I already have so many flavors of crack I’m addicted to...

Good buddy of mine owns about a dozen from the top of the product line (google “PRS Dragon”) on down and they’re FINE instruments across the board.

Like all guitar lines, there are similarities and differences, so keep picking them up until one speaks to - and don’t sweat if it was “made for blues” as any guitar can play blues, in the hands of a blues player!

Kevin

 

[deejaid]

I wouldn’t worry too much about the veneer top getting damaged, the finish is pretty durable.

As for sounds, since you mentioned the Korean Made PRS, if you look at their current SE lineup you’ll notice it’s almost all two humbucker guitars. Nothing wrong with that as that has been a common configuration on electric guitars for 60 years. Those do sound a bit louder and thicker than a single coil pickup.

Personally, the SE model that stands out to me is the SE Chris Robertson. It has a humbucker in the bridge position but a P90 single coil in the neck position which is different from almost all the other SE models.

Also consider the Santana model if you want something a little easier to play as it has a 24.5” scale neck as opposed to the 25” scale neck of most PRS models.

*edited to say that after checking the specs, the Chris Robertson SE is also 24.5” scale like the Santana SE

 

[Shodai]

I have one of the original PRS Santana SE guitars with the hash mark fret markets instead of the birds. The original pickups were a bit to hot for my tastes so I took a chance on some Giovanni pickups (made by Altec) and it is now a blues tone machine! Plays beautifully, sounds great.

Don't get to concerned about the MIK issue. The Koreans make some mighty fine guitars.

 

[deejaid]

Like Kev said, find a guitar that speaks to you. That you love to hold and play. Blues can be played on anything. Albert King used a Flying V with humbuckers, Muddy Waters a Tele and too many to mention played the blues on a Strat.

Or how about T Model Ford? More of a bluesman than most of us will ever be and he played on a beat up old Peavy.

 

[WindInTrees]

When I was younger and my passion for music far exceeded my budget, one guitar and one amplifier was all I thought about. Years down the road and a lot of gear later, it is still most important to just be able to sit and play and not wish for something I don’t have. The guitar the guy in this video is playing blues on is not a PRS or any other brand that I recognize, but it definitely gives voice to his blues. Of course, his shoes and the five gallon bucket he is is sitting on also contribute.
Buy any guitar(s) that make you want to play, then play your heart out.

https://youtu.be/K_DOnKJ232M

 

[deejaid]

My heroes all played Les Pauls so that’s what I want when I see myself as a guitar player. But after having a 10.5 lb boat anchor Les Paul I realized I wanted something lighter.

I somehow ended up with a Fender Mustang that I originally picked up as a basket case because I thought the 24” scale length would be good for my daughters. Well, with that short scale you can slap some .11s on it and it still bends easy, and it sounds great. But none of my heroes played a Mustang?!?! Well, sometimes they fall into our lap, and if we don’t try something outside the box, we might never find the one.

If one of those PRS speak to you, make you want to play it, that’s the one. Or maybe it’s one hanging right next to the one you saw, so play a few more. You never no which one might call your name!

 

[kmonroe99]

I've got a S2 semihollow Custom 22, whale blue, for sale up on Reverb if you're interested. Love the guitar but I'm clearing things out.
View media item 144

 

[JPsuff]

Like I've said before, I am pretty much past my acquisition phase and now I just play.

It's way too easy to get so caught up in "gear" that you forget about the playing part. Or worse yet, you buy gear as a means of postponing success as in, "Once I get the right gear I'll be able to focus on playing", which of course never happens.

 

[MarkDyson]

...which of course never happens.

 

[BignJames]

I've had a S2 Mira for about 5 years...very playable and good tonal variety. My first PRS was a SE single cut. It was a fine guitar, but I didn't care for neck profile.

 

[matonanjin]

@Yohannah, @MarkDyson described the Korean made PRS' much better than I would have in his post immediately after your op. So I will just leave it at this. I own two PRS guitars (not SE's) and so waste way too much time over at the PRS forum. I have heard absolutely nothing but good about the SE line. I can't remember ever hearing a single derogatory comment about one. People rave about them.

And I know it has been said repeatedly, so my post is probably taking it to the point of tedium, but the guitar in your hands is the perfect one for blues. I needed something much lighter than the guitars I owned so last January (2017) bought my first PRS, a Paul's. Still a solid body but lighter than most. This was my blues guitar! I was in love. And still am. Then a year later, almost to the day, I was in the same shop where I bought the Paul's and he had a Hollow Body I hanging on the wall. I fell head over heels in love with it.

This is now my blues guitar. It's a tone monster, feather light, and I just love how it feels in my hands. Both great guitars but if I had to choose one it would be the HB I. (And it was a lot less money than the Pauls, btw)

 

[Many Moons]

I actually modded my C22 semi-hollow

Now........, there's a surprise!!!!!!

 

[Wildwood]

I have a 2016 PRS S2 Standard in Satin Black and play nothin' but the blues on it. But I also have many other non-PRS guitars that I do the same thing with. I buy what feels good in my hands not necessarily what name is on the headstock.