I have the same problem as Chris! The setup is, I believe, exactly what I would love to have in my hands! However, the looks of it.. just doesn’t seem to fit the guitar hero that lies in me!!! 😂😂😂
@@thiskingdom3605 I guess I'm lucky in that sense because I am a keyboardist and do not suffer from that affliction. But I suppose if Emerson (RIP) was still here and threw away his C3 I would have to go with what he got (but not the Yamaha Polysynth LOL) And it would be after going Linda Blair for a while. 🤣
It sounds even better in person. I run the piezo through a DI then onto the PA system. Using the piezo through a PA along with the hum-buckers through a regular guitar amp gives you and incredibly rich sound live.
@@joey-ne6pl doesn't even have to be humbuckers. My current setup is a Thinline Tele with Bill Lawrence microcoil pickups and a 4-way switch (both pickups in series), and the blend with a piezo bridge is heavenly, especially with the mag pickups running with a bit of delay and reverb in stereo (or wet/dry with different levels of FX and gain) through two amps. The DI'd piezoacoustic tone is panned dead center with it's own FX, and just a touch of blend into the electric side, for just the right amount of separation between the two tones.
Coming from someone that currently owns 7 PRS guitars, 2 of which are Private Stock. I just found they fit my playing style and the music I play. I have owned Strats and Gibsons, and they just never spoke to me as much. I know the looks of a guitar shouldn't matter... but to me it does. They are works of art, and although I sit them on their stands, they look so good that they inspire me to pick them up and play. They inspire me to play more than any other guitars I've ever owned. So beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Nobody is wrong, just enjoy what you like. And in the end, it's all great that we can enjoy subtle differences, and at the end of the day, we all love guitar! 🎸
yeah it's the looks that make the PRS thing really unappealing to lots of people as well. Thankfully there's so many different aesthetics to choose from today
Quite the opposite from what I see: PRSs are "homely" - it takes time to recognize them, even if within a point blank, whereas, one knows that's a strat, tele, LP, Firebird or GS from mile away...
@driftlessgeardemos over the top flame... I mean... it's naturally occurring wood... how is it over the top... secondly, I've owned a few Gibson's... the build quality was not even close to my PRS and the tuning stability was atrocious. My strats were good guitars and I still have one. I've played most guitar brands and have owned my fair share. PRS quality is 2nd to none. And your personal taste is your own. I'm sure all these professional musicians that play PRS would agree with me... When artsists have the money and the means to play whatever they want.. there must be a reason why you see so many players with them.
OMG... the first time when the YT algo actually works and recommends something so ridiculously good that you just stop everything... work, boss, crazy gf, everything has Thanos-snapped itself out of existence for the last few hours while I guzzle down your every second of your playing mate, mother of god, thank you!! And that flow you have.... of conveying thought to expression, at the very moment with such finesse.... musically of course but just hearing you speak is so, complete.... Cheers, just brilliant.
I have the SE version of this, the SE Hollowbody II Piezo. It's a fraction of the price, but the build quality is still superb. My favourite guitar, I play it every day since I bought it.
You should be lucky, i’ve gone thru maybe 15 of these until i’ve got one with no obvious flaws, like some frets not parallel, pickup rings not installed at straight angle, gaps in neck pocket, dirt and bubbles in finish. I’ve spend almost half a year and a lot of money exchanging them by mail and traveling in person. Nope i’m not that picky, my epi casino coupe was good from the first buy.
@@APfishing_guitar_statistics I have a Hollowbody SE and love it. However, I did have the full-on US Hollowbody a decade ago and I never played it. It was too nice to bring out to a jam night and too nice for band rehearsals. It felt like it needed to be played loud and on stage, which I rarely did. So it sat in its case until I swapped it for a PRS Swamp Ash a couple of years later. I still kind of regret that, but I just didn't play it. The SE version now, sits next to my desk all of the time and it's great, for 1/4 the cost...
Chris, your playing is always so full of soul. Rare to see anywhere. You have my respect for that. Also respect, your eloquence beats most TV presenters, even writers on TV I've seen. If you can talk like this without reading something pre-written, that is quite an intimidating skill. Just thought I should express my appreciation a little.
@@richardclark. ah, so because the PRS has no soul? hehe. i've seen various people, including musicians, experiencing things differently. PRS are expensive guitars and will probably never come for sale in stores in my country. (not in US) so we don't play PRS because we have no money, mostly. also, isn't the age of the guitar important, especially if the wood is really good? i bet a PRS guitar made in the 1980's will be quite an item in 50 years. if you're not filthy rich (i'm dirt poor), no use comparing. say goodbye to high quality guitars. quality is expensive, which also says something for PRS guitars. do you think paul reed smith would be able to make all those guitars all those years if what you think about them was objective reality? i think John McLaughlin is creative enough. Why don't you ask him what he thinks of his new PRS he just got? just sayin'. it's not about being a "truly creative" type, it's about personal taste.
As a guitarist that enjoys the struggle with flawed gear to create sounds that please me, I appreciate your eloquence in describing the pleasure of that struggle. Be well, mate!
Yeah agreed, I think it’s akin to the reason most players like tube amps instead of ultra-liner solid state amps….instruments with history, character, flaws, difficulties, or tempers can create inspiration when you get the alchemy just right. Likewise, a McLaren is going to be insanely fun to drive but it’s not going to inspire the blues haha. That said, a very basic non-10-top, non-birds 96 Custom 22 was my main gigging guitar for a decade and it was magical.
Very well said. I've got an old Gibson ES-175 that I have that same weird relationship with. It is a perfect guitar, though I almost never play it. Maybe it's because it highlights my own imperfections.🤷 There seems to be a dance we have have with our guitars. Some regularly invite us to dance, and some get us to dance in mysterious ways. That's part of the magic of playing music.
I don't use my McCarty on tour anymore, but whenever I play it, it feels like coming home. This particular one just has the right feel for me and I noticed that immediately when it fell into my hands at a pawn guitar shop. And yes, someone else rocked it before me, but I feel that it has some experience, which is a good thing. Most people don't marry the first person they touched, either ;) So I can totally not agree to anyone finding PRS boring. For me it has always been boring that everyone plays a Fender Strat because everone plays a Fender Strat. No offense, it's great, too.
Greetings Chris, I has seen a lot of deeply talented Guitarist/Musicians who played incredibly. I myself have played for just under 58 years and I can recognize when a guitar is being in love with its musician and you McCarty is truly in love with you and I could see that you are in love in it. Sometimes we love to dance with our love where the world can see us and other times we only want it to ourselves. Thank you for allowing us to see her and you dance and play each other. 👏🏻❤️❤️👏🏻
Chris might have just put on his greatest showcase of his talents here. His ability to tell a story, make it relatable and exciting, be himself… Oh, and he’s a pretty good guitar player. Be proud. And keep ‘em comin’. Cheers, - Chris
Sounds amazing! Thta would be my #1 over the others you mentioned. I've become a PRS fanboy. I have a US Core 594 Semi-Hollow (my #1) and a US Silver Sky,. I've been selling off Les Pauls, Strats, Telecasters, and yes, even a Jazzmaster to fund my new love. They're all I play, at home or live. My next one is a Modern Eagle V, then probably a Vela Semi-Hollow. Along with my acoustic, the Strat I'll never sell because it was my first real guitar - That'll do it. I used to want one or two of all the "Classic Guitars". Now I've discovered a company that builds guitars that sound amazing, have mojo for days and are in their "Golden Era" and I want one of each ;). And I play them live, and even though I take great care of my equipment, I do have very expensive guitars with a scratch or two - part of the price you pay for using them, but they're built to be played not stored or displayed. I'm the guy that would put 100,000 miles on an Enzo.
Hey Chris I met you at the Leeds Wool Mill. After an amazing show ! You Tom Sam and Adam and Adam’s new girlfriend 😂 were fantastic ! I will be promoting you guys to everyone as you I am sure will be selling out stadiums soon ! You guys make me proud to be from the valleys ! Just one small point ??? Are you saying you don’t play your PRS often because it doesn’t have the character of your usuals ? Good luck with Norway and beyond ! See you soon.😊
When I took up the hobby again after a twenty year break, I had a bit more cash to spare, and I chose a PRS as a decent mid-price option. It was OK, but I never felt any love for it. The pickups seemed to have a stinging punch to them that I wasn't keen on, and I quickly went off the descending birds! The phrase 'accountant's guitar' - once heard, never forgotten. ;-) Tried a few makes after that, but the best solution was to get a metal guitar (a Charvel Desolation - discontinued in 2011), rip the active pickups out and replace the bridge p/up with a Tonerider P90, and the neck with a Tonerider Alnico II vintage-style humbucker). Best of both worlds - flat, fast neck, but bluesy sounds, and it only weighs 6lb!
Whenever I hear a PRS live I'm always blown away by the clarity and crispy notes that come through. People say they lack a character but I think their character is being so nice and clean. Really enjoy hearing them in live bands.
I've recently bought the Chinese version it was heavily discounted at Anderton, it plays sounds like the 4k version I have 2 amps a Matamp (hand wired ultra clear) and a Marshall combo that has been modded the PRS sounds fine through the Marshall but a bit clinical through the Matamp. But I can run the piezo through that one and get blended tones. It also reacts to pedals differently to my fender and Gibson
The thing that makes prs instruments great is that they come to you playable. Across all the ranges. I know that sounds…obvious? But having owned many many, MANY instruments of calibers high and low…most guitars don’t have great fretwork and neck detailing regardless of how much they cost.
Thats mostly Gibson fan boys trying desperately to find something to down PRS's about... Its lies I own about 30 guitars, PRS, Gibson Fender G&L I can them all sound just about the same.. What I cant do is make a Gibson have the tuning stability of a typical PRS, or have 1/10 of PRS fit and finish, and superior fretwork to Gibson.
I bought my first PRS in 1994. It was a pre-factory 1994 CE-24. It was a status to buy it. I live in the upper midwest and NOBODY had one in my area. So it was something I wanted. It was different. It took some getting used to. As I came from 6-7 years of gigging with 2 1987 Charvel Model 4 guitars. But once I adjusted. It was my main guitar for almost 16 years. I owned it for 18 years. In late 2009 I bought a 2008 PRS Mira. This was a core Mira body before the S2 factory opened. Once I bought that the CE24 became my backup. 2 years later I sold the CE on Ebay so I could by another Mira from the same year. They Miras were light. Comfortable. 24 fret so I could get to the 22nd fret easier (small hands) and they were WORK HORSE machines. Rarely went out of tune. Pretty much never had an issue with either. That's why I love PRS. If you are a gigging musician who doesn't have any sort of tech on staff? It's nice to have guitars that are so well adjusted out of the factory that they rarely let you down & living in the upper mid-west, the temperatures go from above 100 degrees and humid in the summer (plenty of outdoor gigs) to traveling when it's 20 degrees below zero and the guitars sometimes end up in the trailer. In 2014 at age 43 I had my first desire to go Les Paul. I blame seeing Bonamassa live. Sold the 2 PRS guitars. Got a Gibson & a couple of Epiphone Les Pauls. within months.... regretted it. But it took me down a path to sell those & have a local builder end up building me 3 custom build guitars. I still own all 3. Love them. But about 2 years ago, at his shop (my buddy that builds the guitars owns a music shop) he had a used 2017 PRS Vela semi-hollow in stock. LOVED it the second I held it. So I bought it. About 3 months after that I stopped in his shop and there was one of my old PRS Mira's hanging on the wall. So I had to buy that since it was mine (I had bought it new) and I was waiting for a core Mira to show up. So now I'm back to owning 2 PRS guitars. Love them. Will never get rid of them. And Love my custom guitars. If it moves you? Then it's good. If it doesn't. Then find one that does. You don't have to explain it to anybody else. You don't have to apologize or justify it. Just simply play the guitar that makes you want to play guitar. Sorry for the rambling. I'm not a PRS snob. I'm not even a guitar snob. One of my favorite guitars I own for recording is a low end Epiphone SG with P90's in it. In the end. I'm not gigging anymore. I just play at home and record for me. Using my Line 6 PodGO & my buddy's Kemper when at his house. I find it hard to 100% differentiate between the guitars when it's not in a live/loud setting where the guitar and amp are working together based on proximity so you ultimately get the dynamics that certain guitars have to offer. Hard to emulate that when recording direct at lower volumes. THAT all being said? Chris, your playing is bad ass. Just a smoothness that is soothing to listen too. So you got an instant subscribe from me.
That was the most accurate way of putting in words the reason why I don’t see myself playing my prs more often. It’s just a perfect guitar, and for that reason it doesn’t fight me back with the same personality as a 52 tele or a Les Paul. Thank you for sharing.
Bingo! Chris. Right on the head. I only play guitars that I have fallen in love with. It need not be a perfect guitar or beautiful. I just have to love playing it. Just like us It's got to have a soul that connects with us.
After years of playing classic designs and not really getting into PRSs, I've recently bought a couple of SEs - a DGT Gold-Top and a Hollowbody II Piezo. Slightly to my surprise, I bonded with both of them straight away. Each in their own way, they just feel "right" for me and they've become my go-to guitars for most occasions. I've got to say, based on those clips of your sound-checks, you really should use the Hollowbody II more - your playing was stunning as ever and it sounded fantastic! 😎
That's wonderful to hear. I have an older flat top semi hollow SE 22 custom. It was my first good guitar, and it is amazing. I struggled to match the stock pickups to my small tube amps, but swapped in SD Pearly Gates, added a coil tap on a push-pull, and dropped the resistor's value. It sings sweetly, can get chimey and sparkle, and can get dirty and nasty all with a bit of twist or pull on the tone and volume knobs. As guitar players tend to do, I keep pining for a higher-end model, but it really does everything I could hope for. In fact, it's a much better guitar than I am a player
I have a 2008 DGT that I’ve played the finish off of the neck, belly relief, arm position upper bout, spot between pups… I just got an SE DGT. I didn’t set it down for a good month and a half.
I probably should add that the SE Hollowbody II's piezo is great through my Laney Cub Super 12 valve/tube amp. The result isn't "acoustic" in the slightest, but it has a fantastic character that's unique amongst all my guitars. The first rehearsal with it had the band saying "That's amazing - but where's the acoustic sound you bought it for?" 😉However, put through a really clean amp or a PA, it offers a very useful "acoustic" sound, but I always blend in a bit of the magnetic pickups to roll things back a bit.
I am a recent PRS convert as well. I bought a DGT SE and it blew me away. I love the 25” scale length and the wide fretboard. I can play how I want to play without worrying about the physical limitations of my other guitars (335 excepted), and the PUs do what I want them to.
I completely understand what you're saying, Chris. I disagree with one thing. Paul Reed Smith is actually the opposite of an ambassador of electric guitars. Any cursory glance at an interview with him and his abject narcissism and product snobbery is enough to make you gag. You touched on exactly why his guitars are never at the pinnacle of use for artists, and it's not because vintage or old historical guitars are technically better. His guitars utterly lack soul. They do not inspire; they have nothing more than the technical aspects of a guitar, and you feel it the second you pick one up. If it did, one would never leave your hands. It couldn't be underscored more than when lobbied to join the PRS family. John Mayer, after trying many, including customs based on his desires, he had PRS finally copy an iconic strat that John believes is the best guitar ever to the tenth of a milometer, the only difference being the head stock, and that's what he plays. The various other artists are bought and paid for. The best electrics are the ones people are not paid to use.
By now, PRS is just as established as a classic guitar. Especially if you do have a Yamaha signature. My theory is that a guitar has to speak to you. And then, when you play it in a band, you don't have to think about the guitar anymore. If a guitar doesn't do both, it's not the right one for you (this journey took me 20 years ;) )
I own 4 PRS guitars (McCarty w/humbuckers, McCarty w/p-90's, Santana SE and a recently delivered Myles Kenndey signature). I own strats (2), teles (2), les pauls(4) , a gretsch and a rickenbacker. I don't play ANY of them anymore. The ONLY ones I play anymore are the PRS's. Between the four (they are all very distinct) I get everything I want or need. Buying a PRS and not playing it is akin to buying a Porsche 911 and preferring to drive an '72 Pinto. To each his own, but it's hard for me to understand.
Chris's eloquence and clear read on the subject is as articulate as his hands are on that PRS. This was quite a testimony to the brand. I'll probably never be able to afford one, but boy this sure makes me want one. But then, I also want to play like Chris.
I think the ones complaining that guitars shouldn't be so well made... and have no issues with them are the weirdos that talk to their guitars and take them on dates. You hit the nail on the head. It is PURELY nostalgia. It's purely the idea of playing what your heroes played and brand loyalty. I don't even think PRS makes the best guitars in the world anymore, but I'd take them over gibson or fender any day of the week.
I know that Chris plays out too, but the U tube guitarist is a whole new art form in itself. Great sounding tracks with a visual close up of a solo....consistent high quality from Chris...
Not to put a finer point on it.. unlike many other 'youtubers' Chris has always been in a band .. from the initial TH3 that nearly broke America back in the day to several successful years and a fabulous album with Buck and Evans to now touring Europe with the chart topping Cardinal Black, Chris is first and foremost a musician that has just found an outlet called RUclips to help bolster his income. Now that Cardinal Black are gaining huge popularity let's hope that we still get him on RUclips .. he's regarded quite rightly as one of the best new guitarists in the world....but he's always been this good!
I have a PRS that I traded a painting for. Not because I wanted one, but because it was sort of a favor to a friend who really wanted that painting and didn't have the cash to buy it. I've been a hard core Fender guy for 30 years and never gave PRS much consideration. Hearing you voice reason out loud, Chris, for why you don't play yours has made me start thinking about my own foolish brand loyalties. I've recently taken to picking it up and playing it dry, (unplugged,) and just feeling it. It really is pretty cool.
I've fancied either a PRS or a Yamaha Revstar(P90s) for a while now. Went to a guitar shop and tried both out. Both brilliant guitars but the Revstar just blew me away for playability...so came home with the Revstar..!!😁🎶🎸
I have a PRS CE and I've eyed the Revstars for awhile now. I have 3 Yamaha's and I'm always amazed how Yamaha always hits value/quality factor. That is true for their less expensive up to more expensive.
I recently bought one of the older Revstars, the Bowden Green P90 version because I don't like any of the newer colours. Paid about 400 quid and it plays like a £1000 guitar. It's probably one of the only guitars I've ever had, apart from my Gretsch, that I don't feel the need to upgrade any parts or pickups.....their own P90s are very good, and are more than capable 👍
I know exactly what you mean Chris. My favourite guitar is my American Telecaster, I also own a Strat, but when I picked up my nephew’s PRS, it was like an extension of myself. It was so easy, and inviting to play. Interestingly, my nephew doesn’t play it much - he’s a Tele man, like me…
I love my PRS Hollowbodies - I have a HBii with Piezo and a 594 HB and they are both stunning instruments to play, the sound, the feel etc... Every person is an individual and so everyone will have their own preferences etc. They all hear and feel things differently and may also have different wants/needs for creating their music. Some may not want a HBii and/or think isn't great for Rock/Metal - but another person will want a HB specifically for Rock/Metal, or prefer the light weight... If its not the 'right' tool for you for the 'job' you want it to do or gravitate towards a 'favourite' for whatever reason, that's OK. It can be the 'best' built instrument or a cheap import imitation of a 'high end' model, its about using the tool you feel will get the music to flow out through your instrument to your audience in the way you want it to - but that PRS HBii sure sounds amazing in your hands when you do play it...
I have a 93 custom 24. It's beautiful, plays better than any guitar I have ever owned. Like Chris, I play it the least out of all my herd. Chris, you just articulated why. I never could reason out why this was the case for me, and now I know. Having said all that, I will never ever get rid of it.
I own a PRS McCarty 594, and agree it is perfection personified, and indeed plays itself. I have a lot of guitars, frankly, some modern and some vintage. I absolutely love to play my PRS, and get it out regularly in the rotation (which is really not frequent enough!), but I love to play my '66 Hagstrom II and '98 Carvin DC127 and even my '56 Gretsch Electromatic, too. You make a great observation in that the persona of the guitar is part of its joy in use. I often compare my guitar collection to a car collection. Therein one might have Mustangs and Corvettes, maybe a Porsche or Ferrari, and they get the blood pumping. But taking a ride in an Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser station wagon (with a 440 & 4 barrel Holley) is still a thrill.
@@vincezab1 Indeed! A holy sxxt ride! I remember standing on the throttle with no brake and it stood still, smoke billowing from tires until you let off the gas.
What an astoundingly honest take on this issue. So many people say they are "boring"... which isn't really the case. I think more people actually fit into what you've said here regarding growing to desire those imperfections on other brands/models because the heroes you grew up watching and listening to played them. Great video!
I don't know that I have a hero, so I own a Strat, a Tele, a Yamaha Pacifica, a Carvin AE-185, a PRS McCarty, a G&L Legacy, and a few other brands like Dean, Leo Jaymez, Harley Benton. I just like guitars.
Nice Jeff Beck opening! Writing this from just outside Annapolis, Maryland, USA (the birthplace of PRS). I'm not a pro - barely even a weekend hacker - but what I've found is that I can't name anybody current that plays a PRS that has a personalized/signature sound (think of the tones of Page and Walsh, Trower and GIlmour). ALL of the PRS sounds are great but... You also mentioned something about fighting the guitar - that is EXACTLY what Jeff Beck said in the mid '70s interview when asked why he switched from to a Strat: "the Les Paul is too easy to zoom up and down on."
I don't know Chris, but it seems like you can pick any kind of gear, cheap or expensive and it sounds every time as YOU and that is the proof of how mature you are as a guitar player, incredible guitar player to be honest. Well done as always!
Während meiner 50 Jahre währenden Suche nach der perfekten Gitarre musste ich erkennen dass ich immer nur versucht habe meine eigene Unzulänglichkeit mit immer neuen, anderen Gitarren zu kompensieren. Auch habe ich immer Gitarristen in Ihrem Outcome, ihrer Performance als entweder Musiker oder Techniker unterschieden. Der "Musiker" kommt per se mit jedem auch noch so "schlechten" Instrument zurecht und kann seine Geschichte mit dem Instrument erzählen während der "Techniker" auf seiner Suche nach Perfektion komplett auf die Technik setzt, auch sein Spiel und sein Ausdruck sind somit technisiert. Der Musikaffine Mensch spürt das sofort. Danke für Deine tollen Videos, Chris und ich mag Deinen Stil sehr gerne.
Hi , I’ve own and sold a PRS for that exact reason, I get it. But mostly I think it’s because they’re so good and bloody expensive, is why you don’t take it out and play it. Which then leads to the eternal GAS conundrum of having something of value to trade. My advice would be to own one at least.
I've got to say, always love the tone from your playing, but I think this time seemed incredibly better! All the usual tone but so clear at all times! Wow!
Maaan your playing is outstanding bro!! You're up there with the great guitarists of today in my book for sure. Also love the content you put out. All the best to you !!!
The piezo sound around 6:30 is just amazing. Not an acoustic guitar but with that kind of clean sound you don’t normally get from an electric. I’d look into the that guitar for that tone alone. When it’s blended you get an almost P90 tone. And Chris just plays everything with such emotion. He’s fast but not flashy.
Good video Chris. I know what you mean I’m a fender geek my Mexican strat was awful my Mexican tele was fantastic I’ve nodded a squire which for me had a perfect neck and my Japanese strat is a work of art but still i’ll see a fender and want it knowing that the next one may not be perfect either 🤷♂️
It's so impressive that you communicate almost as well with words as you do with your playing. Another aspect of this might be the experience most of us have had with a more "limited" instrument seeming to push us to be more creative. The classic challenge of having to work within limitations.
Chris speaks like he plays: with precision, intention, polish, and articulation. He's obviously extremely intelligent. However, he is SO precise, that like the PRS he's reviewing here, his playing is almost too perfect. My taste is a bit less precision and more character. Hendrix is the polar opposite: sloppy, off the cuff, unpredictable, and wild. Perhaps Chris just doesn't gel with an instrument that matches his own incredible prodigy. Maybe it's true and just that opposites attract!
I completely get it. And I'm somewhat relieved to hear someone else feel the same way (lest I have to assume I'm just crazy). I've had a few guitars over the years that were "perfect" in sound and felt like "they played themselves". And I always (eventually) got rid of them. Partly because it just did not seem to give me the same personal satisfaction of having to fight (a bit) to get the sounds and notes I wanted, and partly because it scared me into thinking "if I play this guitar too much, I'll never be able to play anything else". Neither feeling is logical, but both feelings cut into the joy and satisfaction of playing. And at the end of the day, joy and satisfaction were more important to me than "easy" or "good". Come to think of it, I've noticed similar feelings in other aspects of life over the years. The pets that were the unruliest and unfriendly that turned into my best friends ever - partly because of the effort it took to earn their trust and love. The business relationships where I was thrust into something I never would have chosen for myself, but turned out to be among the most rewarding of my career. Maybe we tend to place a higher value on things we have had to "earn" vs things we just "bought" or were "given".
Jimmy Hendrix picked up a strat and plugged it into a Marshall. Stevie into a Fender ect and they got a sound. It's part of our culture now. Our musical language. The more you change the instrument and make it better the further you stray away from that sound were used to. The designs were never perfect but it's the music that people made with those instruments that inspired us to play and that set the benchmark. We will always go back to those designs because of them. Thanks for making this video!
Yet another great video, so thank you! You called this PRS perfect; in my humble opinion it’s the perfect guitar for you. Only you could create those beautiful blended tones between the PAF,s & Piezo, and handle the instrument in such dynamic fashion the way you do.
In my collection of around 20-30 guitars (I am not a musician but love instruments, so I rather buy few new old guitars instead of replacing my old car ;-) ) I must say, that the beautiful PRS that I own is my least favorite guitar. Why...hard to say, but my assumption is the rather thick paint that makes it looks gorgeous but somehow makes the sound to be tight and compact or bold. Saying this I agree with what Mr. Buck so eloquently put in this episode of Friday Fretworks. But all that aside the magic is still in Mr. Bucks fingers...his technique is just incredible!!!
Damn dude...that guitar deserves playing. Sounds excellent and they are indeed amazingly well built. Hope you'll change your mind because it sounds phenomenal.
You hit the nail on th head here. The reasons you mentioned, plus the cost of the instrument itself, is what keeps my PRS Custom 22 Artist in its case 99% of the time. I got my CU 22 Artist six years ago and I got it for a once in a lifetime steal of a price. I simply could never afford to replace it if it was ever badly damaged or stolen. So when I play, I grab my other guitars 99% of the time. If I am going to record, I will take the PRS. It is quite literally PERFECT. But because of its value, i have a certain level of paranoia whenever i have it out and I'm playing it..... if that makes sense.
It sounded really great in this video. I hope you can fall in love with it and use it. My two favorite guitars are both PRS guitars. I own Ibanez, Gibson, Fender, and Gretsch as well.
Really interesting video Chris. I’ve got an SE Hollowbody 2 and absolutely love it. They are so good to play and sound amazing but don’t have the character of a Strat or Les Paul. In saying that, be great to see you play the PRS live, Maybe at Newbridge Memo in December. All the best 👍
I've also got an SE Hollowbody II and it's fantastic to play. Holds its own character and I always end up playing different stuff than with a Strat, LP or Tele, which is one of the joys
@@servethesongs exactly what I was going to say. My guitars have zero character on their own. They're not funny, arrogant, cocky, sad, etc. It's a f&*%$k piece of wood and metal
Every time I come across one of Chris's guitar playing videos, I get blown away. So many players are great and play fantastic,but end up sounding generic. Chris is always sounding like himself, which really is the highest praise I believe for any good player. Fkn brilliant!
I find this very relatable and easy to understand and I think it depends on the individual playing style. I bought what I assumed to be my dream guitar a few years ago - a Suhr Modern. I'd had Strats, LP's and Ibanez to name a few until then. The Suhr was meticulously built and when people say 'plays itself' you know instantly what they are referring to. It seemed I could play anything on this, at any speed. Easier than anything I'd ever played. I should have been really happy but I just wasn't. There was no challenge with it, no character or soul. Made me feel a bit empty when I played it so I actually ended up selling it. Went back to guitars the were more challenging to play just because they made me feel like I was also along for the ride.
You are not alone. Perfect to me is an hearing test, clean tones, do you hear it? Some instruments are like that, perfect. I had an Epiphone plected, it basicly killed it, the thrill was gone. Lesson learned I do the frets by my self and just that much, some imperfection is still there, going to far well the thrill might leave and there is no way back.
Mr Chris this is a very thoughtful post. It is very interesting, i divested myself of a lot of so-so guitars to get a PRS, and for me, its fantastic. What is really interesting is that i get compliments on how it sounds by audiences. I take that to mean it has character. But soon as another guitarist is commenting, the kinds of not so positive comments about PRS come into play, and much for the reasons you outline. You are on to something here. Thanks so much for your thoughtful commentary each week, and the absolutely delicious sections of your live playing.
I think this is the problem with PRS guitars. There wonderful instruments to look at and extremely well built but there just....not that engaging. Maybe its the desire to 'perfect' everything that theres nothing left to really go at.
The thing that really stands out to me in this video is how much you just sound like...well you. Doesn't matter if you're playing a PRS, your Yamaha, a Strat, a Jazzmaster, or a Les Paul. There's no mistaking that technique. That PRS sounds good because you're making it sing, mate.
I had a long winded comment, but really it comes down to I agree with you. I think the emotional attachment to our heroes and the guitars they played can be a source of inspiration when we play those guitars. Not for everyone obviously, but probably for a lot of us.
The 'new kid on the block' PRS Custom 24 was the guitar I REALLY wanted when they were first introduced in the 80's. I even bought the factory tour video, since I couldn't afford the C24 at that time. I built my own 'copy' which was not too shabby. However many years later I finally bought my 25th Anniversary C24 from Jeff Pumfett at World Guitars. Beautiful, flawless and what I always wanted........ but now it hangs on my my studio wall. Along with several other nice guitars which I play.... but not the PRS... I don't really know why.... it deserves to be played. But I just don't. I would sell it but for sentimental reasons WRT to Jeff (RIP).
That makes sense. I grew up watching Santana rock his red(ish) PRS on Supernatural and I wanted one ever since 😁 (thankfully I got a very nice Custom 24 which is my main workhorse)
I've had almost exactly the same experience. I worked in a guitar store in Sydney for years. We _weren't_ a PRS dealer, however most local importers are kind enough to sell staff brands they don't usually supply to us if we ask nicely and keep it on the down-low. A colleague lusted after a PRS and placed an order in 2010 for a 25th Anniversary Custom 24 when he had a big mixing job on the books. Many months later, when the instrument finally arrived, the mixing job had fallen through and he couldn't afford the guitar. To help him save face with the boss and the importer, as we weren't a dealer, I stepped in and bought it. As with yours, it's a perfect guitar. Absolutely flawless. Plays itself. Sounds fantastic. Genuinely enjoyable to play. By far my nicest and most expensive guitar, even at dealer cost (my old boss was very generous). But it sat in its case for 8 years and I'd pull it out maybe twice a year, strum it a bit, record a lick or two, then spend more time polishing it than playing it and place it back in its case. Eventually I joined a band where it actually came in quite handy (the trem and split-able pickups) and it got a bit of use, but that band has ended now and I haven't pulled it out of the case since. I tend to reach for my Tele, 335 or Les Paul instead. I've had it for 13 years now, and I'll never get rid of it, but it's just never at the forefront of my mind when I feel like playing a bit of guitar. I can't explain it.
I own several great guitars and basses from the likes of Gibson custom shop, Fender custom shop, Taylor and including a legendary Wal MK1.. I know quality instruments, and when it comes to high end perfect guitars, nothing comes near a PRS Core / Private Stock.... but then the prices reflect this, beginning at $5600 US and going north of $15K
Man. I totally get this one. I'm just head-over-heels in love with my Les Paul Special. It does basically one thing, but it is THE thing I love dearest.
I had never heard of Cardinal Black until this came up on my feed today, and I'm blown away...that song at 9:31 is one of the most beautiful I've heard in years. Well done, Chris
Damn... somehow I feel connected to your point. In Mexico we say "somos hijos de la mala vida" to say we love to 'suffer' with some things just because we're custom to that, or it those bring us more tasteful experiences. 🙂
Really appreciate this video, and I think you hit the nail on the head. I first got the PRS bug back when Dickey Betts was playing them with the ABB back in the early 90's. I was captivated by their sound, and the cosmetic appeal was undeniable. Gorgeous tops, and superb finishing, but each time I chose a new guitar, I always ended up going with a Gibson Les Paul, or a vintage spec'd Fender Strat, or Tele. Like you say, I think it's the fact that there's a push/pull relationship to those classic guitar designs that tap into basic human nature, and drive to overcome challenges. It's like some people who win the lottery. At first they're ecstatic that they no longer need to worry financially, can buy many things they couldn't easily before without having to budget and save, or have to punch a clock 5 or 6 days a week. After a while, that lustre wears off, and those things that were perceived as an unnecessary burden, you soon find were actually what give purpose to you. It's alot like with anything that has all the convenience, and bells and whistles. I have some very expensive rack gear that can do everything under the sun, and at the time I got it, I was under the belief that it would give me almost limitless potential, and how could I have gone so long without it? Truth is....Like your PRS, I barely use it. I actually enjoy, and relish the challenge of making sound out of much more basic, and dedicated gear, despite the obvious convenience of a multi FX processor. It was never conscious, I just found myself gravitating more and more to the old school, because it gave the process more meaning than dialing an algorithm. I think for me, it's very much how you described your guitar, and it's ultimate lack of use. It's perfect in every way on paper, but practically, it's a very different experience. And...as a side note, I've seen Dickey play Gibsons alot more than PRS's as well, so that says something.
My first adventure with PRS was with an SE import called the Torero. At that time, it was the only PRS you could get with a real Floyd and EMG 81/85 active pickups. Flawless build and construction. It was my favorite go to for many years. I lost it in a fire along with everything else I owned, it was not on the priority list for repurchase. I have been looking at used ones on Reverb. They're going for around $800 US. I remember paying over $1200 for mine, which is a lot for an SE model. But that whole SE line are as good as many main brands. He's got this guitar thing down to an art
Bingo! I too have shopped, played, and wondered about bringing home a PRS but... I am so connected to the guitar sound, feel, and images of my youth. In other news, props for your playing style and ideas Chris. Shades of Andy Timmons, Jeff Beck, and maybe a little Lukather. Cheers!
Thanks for this video as it answered my forever question of what happened to that PRS. Well said, very respectful and interesting as it also clarified why those old guitar designs are still loved and copied. A bunch of those guitar legends are not anymore with us, but the famous people who play PRS are legends in the making (except Carlos Santana), some of them are contemporary with yourself. That HBII sounds amazing in your hands, I kindly suggest you play it more because the sound it has and the versatility it has as it will make you grow even more as a guitar player. Proof of that is this video where you showed us a sneak peak of what could be your future awesome tones.
Just a brilliant - and open hearted overview … perfectly articulated. To my mind, Chris is one of finest guitar players around today… could listen to him for hours and hours.
Your guitar heroes were playing playing the best instruments they could find at the time, you should do the same! You are creating you own legacy, not following in footsteps of others. Most people would love to have a guitar that would play itself, but you can make any guitar sound great!
I grew up a few miles from the original PRS shop. I worked at a Tower Records 15 miles east of the current PRS factory. I got to know one of The PRS A & R folks. This was 20 years ago when Mark Tremonti and such had made PRS a favorite among the post grunge set. My hand dexterity is limited but I wished I could play a guitar. PRS guitars are so clean in their tone that it draws me to that. The prefect guitar is the one you are playing at that moment to play that song to the best of your ability. Though I will always wonder how Eric Johnson gets such a clean tone.
Well spoken with clarity and panache. Having a PRS of my own, I'm considering selling it for the reasons you describe. It plays beautifully, sounds great, extremely consistent up and down the neck but there's not the same gut connection I have with my old Tele, Srtat and ES-335. Thanks.. I subscribed, oh, and you sound great. :-)
I’ve been watching Chris play for about a year now & have yet to hear him play a solo that didn’t impress me. My dad was a blues player & a pretty good one. He would have loved Chris’ playing. ☮️
Had 4 PRS guitars but sold them all. I can totally relate with this video. Also I played the PRS SE silver sky and it was my favourite budget strat, better than any MIM and will be getting that....... hopefully I keep it.
That guitar sounds beautiful. I have been thinking about PRS and McCartys in particular lately. Thanks for the demo. I have a PRS 277 baritone that is really nice and I don't play it. If you think you are stuck in yor ways, i am 62 and I am a decent guitar player always working to get better. The reason I don't play my baritone is because it is a different level of work. It requires me to think in different ways than I am used to and there are no guitar players that I Identify with, other than Mark Lettieri who have already blazed the trail. Picking up the baritone adds a couple more levels of thought beyond just learning a new chord or lick.
![Stromae, Pomme - “Ma Meilleure Ennemie” (from Arcane Season 2) [Official Visualizer]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1F3OGIFnW1k/mqdefault.jpg)
One underappreciated skill of Chris is how extremely well spoken he is. Really stood out to me this episode.
Kinda makes sense with how articulate he is in his playing
Because he's Welsh!
His accent and pronunciation annoys the shit out of me so much l mute the vids unless he's playing.
I’ve always noticed that.
@@jonl7819language and music: same part of the brain
But you already knew that :-)
THAT LAST SOLO... Damn you are good.
I’m a simple man, I see an awesome guitar player mention PRS, I give the video a like. Have a great weekend everyone!
Perfect comment, precisely summed up my feelings 😂
You’re great too Dr Fludd! Your channel is amazing
I have to admit, that blended sound of piezo and Humbucker is absolutely magical.
That is a very cool setup with lots of possibilities.
I have the same problem as Chris! The setup is, I believe, exactly what I would love to have in my hands! However, the looks of it.. just doesn’t seem to fit the guitar hero that lies in me!!! 😂😂😂
@@thiskingdom3605 I guess I'm lucky in that sense because I am a keyboardist and do not suffer from that affliction. But I suppose if Emerson (RIP) was still here and threw away his C3 I would have to go with what he got (but not the Yamaha Polysynth LOL) And it would be after going Linda Blair for a while. 🤣
It sounds even better in person. I run the piezo through a DI then onto the PA system. Using the piezo through a PA along with the hum-buckers through a regular guitar amp gives you and incredibly rich sound live.
@@joey-ne6pl doesn't even have to be humbuckers. My current setup is a Thinline Tele with Bill Lawrence microcoil pickups and a 4-way switch (both pickups in series), and the blend with a piezo bridge is heavenly, especially with the mag pickups running with a bit of delay and reverb in stereo (or wet/dry with different levels of FX and gain) through two amps. The DI'd piezoacoustic tone is panned dead center with it's own FX, and just a touch of blend into the electric side, for just the right amount of separation between the two tones.
Coming from someone that currently owns 7 PRS guitars, 2 of which are Private Stock. I just found they fit my playing style and the music I play. I have owned Strats and Gibsons, and they just never spoke to me as much. I know the looks of a guitar shouldn't matter... but to me it does. They are works of art, and although I sit them on their stands, they look so good that they inspire me to pick them up and play. They inspire me to play more than any other guitars I've ever owned. So beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Nobody is wrong, just enjoy what you like. And in the end, it's all great that we can enjoy subtle differences, and at the end of the day, we all love guitar! 🎸
yeah it's the looks that make the PRS thing really unappealing to lots of people as well. Thankfully there's so many different aesthetics to choose from today
Quite the opposite from what I see: PRSs are "homely" - it takes time to recognize them, even if within a point blank, whereas, one knows that's a strat, tele, LP, Firebird or GS from mile away...
Nah that weird headstock and over the top flame is instantly recognizable. It lets me know instantly who has poor taste. It’s the prs test.
@driftlessgeardemos over the top flame... I mean... it's naturally occurring wood... how is it over the top... secondly, I've owned a few Gibson's... the build quality was not even close to my PRS and the tuning stability was atrocious. My strats were good guitars and I still have one. I've played most guitar brands and have owned my fair share. PRS quality is 2nd to none. And your personal taste is your own. I'm sure all these professional musicians that play PRS would agree with me... When artsists have the money and the means to play whatever they want.. there must be a reason why you see so many players with them.
Cool. What kind of music do you find you need each of them for?
Hi Chris, we were at the gig in Wolverhampton on Wed. Our first time watching the band and we really enjoyed it. Thank you to you all! 🎤🎸🎼💕👍
One of the best performances I have ever seen on a youtuber channel! Chris Buck rocks!
You are no less a master of guitar as you are of eloquently and respectfully expressing your well founded opinions. Thank you very much.
OMG... the first time when the YT algo actually works and recommends something so ridiculously good that you just stop everything... work, boss, crazy gf, everything has Thanos-snapped itself out of existence for the last few hours while I guzzle down your every second of your playing mate, mother of god, thank you!!
And that flow you have.... of conveying thought to expression, at the very moment with such finesse.... musically of course but just hearing you speak is so, complete.... Cheers, just brilliant.
No problem, you can always give this one to me. It will not only have a nice new house but also where it can play itself too 😊
I have the SE version of this, the SE Hollowbody II Piezo. It's a fraction of the price, but the build quality is still superb. My favourite guitar, I play it every day since I bought it.
I also have the SE version and love it and it was a great price too. But I understand what Chris is saying….
You should be lucky, i’ve gone thru maybe 15 of these until i’ve got one with no obvious flaws, like some frets not parallel, pickup rings not installed at straight angle, gaps in neck pocket, dirt and bubbles in finish. I’ve spend almost half a year and a lot of money exchanging them by mail and traveling in person. Nope i’m not that picky, my epi casino coupe was good from the first buy.
15 of them yet you kept buying more! 🤷🏻♂️
@@APfishing_guitar_statistics I have a Hollowbody SE and love it. However, I did have the full-on US Hollowbody a decade ago and I never played it. It was too nice to bring out to a jam night and too nice for band rehearsals. It felt like it needed to be played loud and on stage, which I rarely did. So it sat in its case until I swapped it for a PRS Swamp Ash a couple of years later. I still kind of regret that, but I just didn't play it. The SE version now, sits next to my desk all of the time and it's great, for 1/4 the cost...
Great thing about prs is. Off the rack. They all have no problems. No fret. Out s intonation s are perfect.
Chris, your playing is always so full of soul. Rare to see anywhere. You have my respect for that. Also respect, your eloquence beats most TV presenters, even writers on TV I've seen. If you can talk like this without reading something pre-written, that is quite an intimidating skill. Just thought I should express my appreciation a little.
your first sentence is the exact reason why Chris or other truly creative types dont play a prs.
@@richardclark. ah, so because the PRS has no soul? hehe. i've seen various people, including musicians, experiencing things differently. PRS are expensive guitars and will probably never come for sale in stores in my country. (not in US) so we don't play PRS because we have no money, mostly. also, isn't the age of the guitar important, especially if the wood is really good? i bet a PRS guitar made in the 1980's will be quite an item in 50 years. if you're not filthy rich (i'm dirt poor), no use comparing. say goodbye to high quality guitars. quality is expensive, which also says something for PRS guitars. do you think paul reed smith would be able to make all those guitars all those years if what you think about them was objective reality? i think John McLaughlin is creative enough. Why don't you ask him what he thinks of his new PRS he just got? just sayin'. it's not about being a "truly creative" type, it's about personal taste.
I don't know which i admire more; his vocabulary or his playing.. From a man of few words great video Chris
As a guitarist that enjoys the struggle with flawed gear to create sounds that please me, I appreciate your eloquence in describing the pleasure of that struggle. Be well, mate!
Yeah agreed, I think it’s akin to the reason most players like tube amps instead of ultra-liner solid state amps….instruments with history, character, flaws, difficulties, or tempers can create inspiration when you get the alchemy just right. Likewise, a McLaren is going to be insanely fun to drive but it’s not going to inspire the blues haha. That said, a very basic non-10-top, non-birds 96 Custom 22 was my main gigging guitar for a decade and it was magical.
Very well said. I've got an old Gibson ES-175 that I have that same weird relationship with. It is a perfect guitar, though I almost never play it. Maybe it's because it highlights my own imperfections.🤷
There seems to be a dance we have have with our guitars. Some regularly invite us to dance, and some get us to dance in mysterious ways. That's part of the magic of playing music.
I absolutely love that guitar. It's beautiful and sounds incredible. That model is one of my favorite prs models.
I don't use my McCarty on tour anymore, but whenever I play it, it feels like coming home. This particular one just has the right feel for me and I noticed that immediately when it fell into my hands at a pawn guitar shop. And yes, someone else rocked it before me, but I feel that it has some experience, which is a good thing. Most people don't marry the first person they touched, either ;) So I can totally not agree to anyone finding PRS boring. For me it has always been boring that everyone plays a Fender Strat because everone plays a Fender Strat. No offense, it's great, too.
Greetings Chris,
I has seen a lot of deeply talented Guitarist/Musicians who played incredibly. I myself have played for just under 58 years and I can recognize when a guitar is being in love with its musician and you McCarty is truly in love with you and I could see that you are in love in it. Sometimes we love to dance with our love where the world can see us and other times we only want it to ourselves.
Thank you for allowing us to see her and you dance and play each other. 👏🏻❤️❤️👏🏻
Chris might have just put on his greatest showcase of his talents here. His ability to tell a story, make it relatable and exciting, be himself… Oh, and he’s a pretty good guitar player. Be proud. And keep ‘em comin’. Cheers, - Chris
Sounds amazing! Thta would be my #1 over the others you mentioned. I've become a PRS fanboy. I have a US Core 594 Semi-Hollow (my #1) and a US Silver Sky,. I've been selling off Les Pauls, Strats, Telecasters, and yes, even a Jazzmaster to fund my new love. They're all I play, at home or live. My next one is a Modern Eagle V, then probably a Vela Semi-Hollow. Along with my acoustic, the Strat I'll never sell because it was my first real guitar - That'll do it. I used to want one or two of all the "Classic Guitars". Now I've discovered a company that builds guitars that sound amazing, have mojo for days and are in their "Golden Era" and I want one of each ;). And I play them live, and even though I take great care of my equipment, I do have very expensive guitars with a scratch or two - part of the price you pay for using them, but they're built to be played not stored or displayed. I'm the guy that would put 100,000 miles on an Enzo.
Hey Chris
I met you at the Leeds Wool Mill. After an amazing show !
You Tom Sam and Adam and Adam’s new girlfriend 😂 were fantastic !
I will be promoting you guys to everyone as you I am sure will be selling out stadiums soon !
You guys make me proud to be from the valleys !
Just one small point ??? Are you saying you don’t play your PRS often because it doesn’t have the character of your usuals ?
Good luck with Norway and beyond !
See you soon.😊
The way you get that harmonic at 35 seconds is really something. Great playing!
yes ! that harmonic surprised me too. -Elegant !
That thing sounds amazing in your hands, Chris. You need to keep playing it.
When I took up the hobby again after a twenty year break, I had a bit more cash to spare, and I chose a PRS as a decent mid-price option. It was OK, but I never felt any love for it. The pickups seemed to have a stinging punch to them that I wasn't keen on, and I quickly went off the descending birds! The phrase 'accountant's guitar' - once heard, never forgotten. ;-)
Tried a few makes after that, but the best solution was to get a metal guitar (a Charvel Desolation - discontinued in 2011), rip the active pickups out and replace the bridge p/up with a Tonerider P90, and the neck with a Tonerider Alnico II vintage-style humbucker). Best of both worlds - flat, fast neck, but bluesy sounds, and it only weighs 6lb!
Whenever I hear a PRS live I'm always blown away by the clarity and crispy notes that come through. People say they lack a character but I think their character is being so nice and clean.
Really enjoy hearing them in live bands.
I've recently bought the Chinese version it was heavily discounted at Anderton, it plays sounds like the 4k version
I have 2 amps a Matamp (hand wired ultra clear) and a Marshall combo that has been modded the PRS sounds fine through the Marshall but a bit clinical through the Matamp. But I can run the piezo through that one and get blended tones.
It also reacts to pedals differently to my fender and Gibson
PRS by itself sounds very steady. Change the pickups, and they sound awesome. Through a Marshall, lovely now.
The thing that makes prs instruments great is that they come to you playable. Across all the ranges. I know that sounds…obvious? But having owned many many, MANY instruments of calibers high and low…most guitars don’t have great fretwork and neck detailing regardless of how much they cost.
Thats mostly Gibson fan boys trying desperately to find something to down PRS's about... Its lies I own about 30 guitars, PRS, Gibson Fender G&L I can them all sound just about the same.. What I cant do is make a Gibson have the tuning stability of a typical PRS, or have 1/10 of PRS fit and finish, and superior fretwork to Gibson.
@@adhaskym.a9536 Which pickups would you recommend changing them to?
I bought my first PRS in 1994. It was a pre-factory 1994 CE-24. It was a status to buy it. I live in the upper midwest and NOBODY had one in my area. So it was something I wanted. It was different. It took some getting used to. As I came from 6-7 years of gigging with 2 1987 Charvel Model 4 guitars. But once I adjusted. It was my main guitar for almost 16 years. I owned it for 18 years. In late 2009 I bought a 2008 PRS Mira. This was a core Mira body before the S2 factory opened. Once I bought that the CE24 became my backup. 2 years later I sold the CE on Ebay so I could by another Mira from the same year.
They Miras were light. Comfortable. 24 fret so I could get to the 22nd fret easier (small hands) and they were WORK HORSE machines. Rarely went out of tune. Pretty much never had an issue with either. That's why I love PRS. If you are a gigging musician who doesn't have any sort of tech on staff? It's nice to have guitars that are so well adjusted out of the factory that they rarely let you down & living in the upper mid-west, the temperatures go from above 100 degrees and humid in the summer (plenty of outdoor gigs) to traveling when it's 20 degrees below zero and the guitars sometimes end up in the trailer.
In 2014 at age 43 I had my first desire to go Les Paul. I blame seeing Bonamassa live. Sold the 2 PRS guitars. Got a Gibson & a couple of Epiphone Les Pauls. within months.... regretted it.
But it took me down a path to sell those & have a local builder end up building me 3 custom build guitars. I still own all 3. Love them. But about 2 years ago, at his shop (my buddy that builds the guitars owns a music shop) he had a used 2017 PRS Vela semi-hollow in stock. LOVED it the second I held it. So I bought it. About 3 months after that I stopped in his shop and there was one of my old PRS Mira's hanging on the wall. So I had to buy that since it was mine (I had bought it new) and I was waiting for a core Mira to show up.
So now I'm back to owning 2 PRS guitars. Love them. Will never get rid of them. And Love my custom guitars.
If it moves you? Then it's good. If it doesn't. Then find one that does. You don't have to explain it to anybody else. You don't have to apologize or justify it. Just simply play the guitar that makes you want to play guitar.
Sorry for the rambling. I'm not a PRS snob. I'm not even a guitar snob. One of my favorite guitars I own for recording is a low end Epiphone SG with P90's in it. In the end. I'm not gigging anymore. I just play at home and record for me. Using my Line 6 PodGO & my buddy's Kemper when at his house. I find it hard to 100% differentiate between the guitars when it's not in a live/loud setting where the guitar and amp are working together based on proximity so you ultimately get the dynamics that certain guitars have to offer. Hard to emulate that when recording direct at lower volumes.
THAT all being said? Chris, your playing is bad ass. Just a smoothness that is soothing to listen too. So you got an instant subscribe from me.
That was the most accurate way of putting in words the reason why I don’t see myself playing my prs more often. It’s just a perfect guitar, and for that reason it doesn’t fight me back with the same personality as a 52 tele or a Les Paul. Thank you for sharing.
Bingo! Chris. Right on the head. I only play guitars that I have fallen in love with. It need not be a perfect guitar or beautiful. I just have to love playing it. Just like us It's got to have a soul that connects with us.
After years of playing classic designs and not really getting into PRSs, I've recently bought a couple of SEs - a DGT Gold-Top and a Hollowbody II Piezo. Slightly to my surprise, I bonded with both of them straight away. Each in their own way, they just feel "right" for me and they've become my go-to guitars for most occasions.
I've got to say, based on those clips of your sound-checks, you really should use the Hollowbody II more - your playing was stunning as ever and it sounded fantastic! 😎
That's wonderful to hear. I have an older flat top semi hollow SE 22 custom. It was my first good guitar, and it is amazing. I struggled to match the stock pickups to my small tube amps, but swapped in SD Pearly Gates, added a coil tap on a push-pull, and dropped the resistor's value. It sings sweetly, can get chimey and sparkle, and can get dirty and nasty all with a bit of twist or pull on the tone and volume knobs.
As guitar players tend to do, I keep pining for a higher-end model, but it really does everything I could hope for. In fact, it's a much better guitar than I am a player
I have a 2008 DGT that I’ve played the finish off of the neck, belly relief, arm position upper bout, spot between pups… I just got an SE DGT. I didn’t set it down for a good month and a half.
I have the same guitar... it's one of my favorite guitars. Along with the SE paul's guitar (recent purchase). @@stevescuba1978
I probably should add that the SE Hollowbody II's piezo is great through my Laney Cub Super 12 valve/tube amp. The result isn't "acoustic" in the slightest, but it has a fantastic character that's unique amongst all my guitars. The first rehearsal with it had the band saying "That's amazing - but where's the acoustic sound you bought it for?" 😉However, put through a really clean amp or a PA, it offers a very useful "acoustic" sound, but I always blend in a bit of the magnetic pickups to roll things back a bit.
I am a recent PRS convert as well. I bought a DGT SE and it blew me away.
I love the 25” scale length and the wide fretboard. I can play how I want to play without worrying about the physical limitations of my other guitars (335 excepted), and the PUs do what I want them to.
I completely understand what you're saying, Chris. I disagree with one thing. Paul Reed Smith is actually the opposite of an ambassador of electric guitars. Any cursory glance at an interview with him and his abject narcissism and product snobbery is enough to make you gag. You touched on exactly why his guitars are never at the pinnacle of use for artists, and it's not because vintage or old historical guitars are technically better. His guitars utterly lack soul. They do not inspire; they have nothing more than the technical aspects of a guitar, and you feel it the second you pick one up. If it did, one would never leave your hands. It couldn't be underscored more than when lobbied to join the PRS family. John Mayer, after trying many, including customs based on his desires, he had PRS finally copy an iconic strat that John believes is the best guitar ever to the tenth of a milometer, the only difference being the head stock, and that's what he plays. The various other artists are bought and paid for. The best electrics are the ones people are not paid to use.
By now, PRS is just as established as a classic guitar. Especially if you do have a Yamaha signature. My theory is that a guitar has to speak to you. And then, when you play it in a band, you don't have to think about the guitar anymore. If a guitar doesn't do both, it's not the right one for you (this journey took me 20 years ;) )
I own 4 PRS guitars (McCarty w/humbuckers, McCarty w/p-90's, Santana SE and a recently delivered Myles Kenndey signature). I own strats (2), teles (2), les pauls(4) , a gretsch and a rickenbacker. I don't play ANY of them anymore. The ONLY ones I play anymore are the PRS's. Between the four (they are all very distinct) I get everything I want or need. Buying a PRS and not playing it is akin to buying a Porsche 911 and preferring to drive an '72 Pinto. To each his own, but it's hard for me to understand.
Chris's eloquence and clear read on the subject is as articulate as his hands are on that PRS. This was quite a testimony to the brand. I'll probably never be able to afford one, but boy this sure makes me want one. But then, I also want to play like Chris.
@pipecat, I paid about $950 with tax and shipping for my dgt-se, and it fantastic in every way. You might be able to afford one right now! Good luck!
@@brianmiller3287 Thanks for the kind recommendation! Something to think about.
I think the ones complaining that guitars shouldn't be so well made... and have no issues with them are the weirdos that talk to their guitars and take them on dates.
You hit the nail on the head. It is PURELY nostalgia. It's purely the idea of playing what your heroes played and brand loyalty.
I don't even think PRS makes the best guitars in the world anymore, but I'd take them over gibson or fender any day of the week.
Not only a great guitarist but also one of the most eloquent! Thank you
I know that Chris plays out too, but the U tube guitarist is a whole new art form in itself. Great sounding tracks with a visual close up of a solo....consistent high quality from Chris...
I think it's fair to say that Chris is a musician and Band musician well before a RUclipsr ...
Not to put a finer point on it.. unlike many other 'youtubers' Chris has always been in a band .. from the initial TH3 that nearly broke America back in the day to several successful years and a fabulous album with Buck and Evans to now touring Europe with the chart topping Cardinal Black, Chris is first and foremost a musician that has just found an outlet called RUclips to help bolster his income. Now that Cardinal Black are gaining huge popularity let's hope that we still get him on RUclips .. he's regarded quite rightly as one of the best new guitarists in the world....but he's always been this good!
An imperfect guitarist, playing an imperfect guitar, creating perfectly beautiful music.
I have a PRS that I traded a painting for. Not because I wanted one, but because it was sort of a favor to a friend who really wanted that painting and didn't have the cash to buy it. I've been a hard core Fender guy for 30 years and never gave PRS much consideration. Hearing you voice reason out loud, Chris, for why you don't play yours has made me start thinking about my own foolish brand loyalties. I've recently taken to picking it up and playing it dry, (unplugged,) and just feeling it. It really is pretty cool.
I've fancied either a PRS or a Yamaha Revstar(P90s) for a while now. Went to a guitar shop and tried both out. Both brilliant guitars but the Revstar just blew me away for playability...so came home with the Revstar..!!😁🎶🎸
I have a PRS CE and I've eyed the Revstars for awhile now. I have 3 Yamaha's and I'm always amazed how Yamaha always hits value/quality factor. That is true for their less expensive up to more expensive.
@@phelps1485 Try one, it just felt right straight away for me.🤷🏻♂️🎶🎸
I came home with both! These Indonesia made guitars are really hitting the value/quality nexus. So fun to play.
I recently bought one of the older Revstars, the Bowden Green P90 version because I don't like any of the newer colours. Paid about 400 quid and it plays like a £1000 guitar. It's probably one of the only guitars I've ever had, apart from my Gretsch, that I don't feel the need to upgrade any parts or pickups.....their own P90s are very good, and are more than capable 👍
@@JammyGit They are such a wonderful, easy guitar to play, and a great sound..👍🎶🎸😁
I know exactly what you mean Chris. My favourite guitar is my American Telecaster, I also own a Strat, but when I picked up my nephew’s PRS, it was like an extension of myself. It was so easy, and inviting to play. Interestingly, my nephew doesn’t play it much - he’s a Tele man, like me…
I love my PRS Hollowbodies - I have a HBii with Piezo and a 594 HB and they are both stunning instruments to play, the sound, the feel etc...
Every person is an individual and so everyone will have their own preferences etc. They all hear and feel things differently and may also have different wants/needs for creating their music. Some may not want a HBii and/or think isn't great for Rock/Metal - but another person will want a HB specifically for Rock/Metal, or prefer the light weight...
If its not the 'right' tool for you for the 'job' you want it to do or gravitate towards a 'favourite' for whatever reason, that's OK. It can be the 'best' built instrument or a cheap import imitation of a 'high end' model, its about using the tool you feel will get the music to flow out through your instrument to your audience in the way you want it to - but that PRS HBii sure sounds amazing in your hands when you do play it...
I got the Chinese one heavily discounted its kin marvelous.
I have a 93 custom 24. It's beautiful, plays better than any guitar I have ever owned. Like Chris, I play it the least out of all my herd. Chris, you just articulated why. I never could reason out why this was the case for me, and now I know. Having said all that, I will never ever get rid of it.
Excited to see where guitar engineering goes in the future! Great vid as always Chris
I own a PRS McCarty 594, and agree it is perfection personified, and indeed plays itself. I have a lot of guitars, frankly, some modern and some vintage. I absolutely love to play my PRS, and get it out regularly in the rotation (which is really not frequent enough!), but I love to play my '66 Hagstrom II and '98 Carvin DC127 and even my '56 Gretsch Electromatic, too. You make a great observation in that the persona of the guitar is part of its joy in use. I often compare my guitar collection to a car collection. Therein one might have Mustangs and Corvettes, maybe a Porsche or Ferrari, and they get the blood pumping. But taking a ride in an Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser station wagon (with a 440 & 4 barrel Holley) is still a thrill.
The Vista had a 455 CID engine, not a 440. I had a '72 until I wrecked it, I agree it is a thrilling ride!
@@vincezab1 Indeed! A holy sxxt ride! I remember standing on the throttle with no brake and it stood still, smoke billowing from tires until you let off the gas.
You make them all sing and bring that "thing" to whatever guitar you play! Awesome
Love your playing and your commentary and watching your wobbly watch.
What an astoundingly honest take on this issue. So many people say they are "boring"... which isn't really the case. I think more people actually fit into what you've said here regarding growing to desire those imperfections on other brands/models because the heroes you grew up watching and listening to played them. Great video!
I don't know that I have a hero, so I own a Strat, a Tele, a Yamaha Pacifica, a Carvin AE-185, a PRS McCarty, a G&L Legacy, and a few other brands like Dean, Leo Jaymez, Harley Benton. I just like guitars.
I bought my SE because it was the best looking and best playing (in my budget) guitar in the store. Very glad I bought it.
Nice Jeff Beck opening! Writing this from just outside Annapolis, Maryland, USA (the birthplace of PRS). I'm not a pro - barely even a weekend hacker - but what I've found is that I can't name anybody current that plays a PRS that has a personalized/signature sound (think of the tones of Page and Walsh, Trower and GIlmour). ALL of the PRS sounds are great but... You also mentioned something about fighting the guitar - that is EXACTLY what Jeff Beck said in the mid '70s interview when asked why he switched from to a Strat: "the Les Paul is too easy to zoom up and down on."
I don't know Chris, but it seems like you can pick any kind of gear, cheap or expensive and it sounds every time as YOU and that is the proof of how mature you are as a guitar player, incredible guitar player to be honest. Well done as always!
Während meiner 50 Jahre währenden Suche nach der perfekten Gitarre musste ich erkennen dass ich immer nur versucht habe meine eigene Unzulänglichkeit mit immer neuen, anderen Gitarren zu kompensieren. Auch habe ich immer Gitarristen in Ihrem Outcome, ihrer Performance als entweder Musiker oder Techniker unterschieden. Der "Musiker" kommt per se mit jedem auch noch so "schlechten" Instrument zurecht und kann seine Geschichte mit dem Instrument erzählen während der "Techniker" auf seiner Suche nach Perfektion komplett auf die Technik setzt, auch sein Spiel und sein Ausdruck sind somit technisiert. Der Musikaffine Mensch spürt das sofort. Danke für Deine tollen Videos, Chris und ich mag Deinen Stil sehr gerne.
Hi , I’ve own and sold a PRS for that exact reason, I get it. But mostly I think it’s because they’re so good and bloody expensive, is why you don’t take it out and play it. Which then leads to the eternal GAS conundrum of having something of value to trade. My advice would be to own one at least.
That pick-flick from fingerpicking to the plectrum deserves an upvote!!!
Bared your soul on that one Chris! Very deep and very well done on all levels:-)
I've got to say, always love the tone from your playing, but I think this time seemed incredibly better! All the usual tone but so clear at all times! Wow!
I really enjoyed this deep episode of Friday Fretworks, thank you!
Fascinating episode. That prs does sound great.
Maaan your playing is outstanding bro!! You're up there with the great guitarists of today in my book for sure. Also love the content you put out. All the best to you !!!
The piezo sound around 6:30 is just amazing. Not an acoustic guitar but with that kind of clean sound you don’t normally get from an electric. I’d look into the that guitar for that tone alone. When it’s blended you get an almost P90 tone. And Chris just plays everything with such emotion. He’s fast but not flashy.
I’ll bet Paul would love to make a new signature guitar for you Chris
Good video Chris.
I know what you mean I’m a fender geek my Mexican strat was awful my Mexican tele was fantastic I’ve nodded a squire which for me had a perfect neck and my Japanese strat is a work of art but still i’ll see a fender and want it knowing that the next one may not be perfect either 🤷♂️
It's so impressive that you communicate almost as well with words as you do with your playing. Another aspect of this might be the experience most of us have had with a more "limited" instrument seeming to push us to be more creative. The classic challenge of having to work within limitations.
Chris speaks like he plays: with precision, intention, polish, and articulation. He's obviously extremely intelligent. However, he is SO precise, that like the PRS he's reviewing here, his playing is almost too perfect. My taste is a bit less precision and more character. Hendrix is the polar opposite: sloppy, off the cuff, unpredictable, and wild. Perhaps Chris just doesn't gel with an instrument that matches his own incredible prodigy. Maybe it's true and just that opposites attract!
I completely get it. And I'm somewhat relieved to hear someone else feel the same way (lest I have to assume I'm just crazy). I've had a few guitars over the years that were "perfect" in sound and felt like "they played themselves". And I always (eventually) got rid of them. Partly because it just did not seem to give me the same personal satisfaction of having to fight (a bit) to get the sounds and notes I wanted, and partly because it scared me into thinking "if I play this guitar too much, I'll never be able to play anything else". Neither feeling is logical, but both feelings cut into the joy and satisfaction of playing. And at the end of the day, joy and satisfaction were more important to me than "easy" or "good". Come to think of it, I've noticed similar feelings in other aspects of life over the years. The pets that were the unruliest and unfriendly that turned into my best friends ever - partly because of the effort it took to earn their trust and love. The business relationships where I was thrust into something I never would have chosen for myself, but turned out to be among the most rewarding of my career. Maybe we tend to place a higher value on things we have had to "earn" vs things we just "bought" or were "given".
Damn you have to be one of the greatest guitarists of our generation. Your technique is mesmerising. Rock the hell on my guy!
dude,....
Jimmy Hendrix picked up a strat and plugged it into a Marshall. Stevie into a Fender ect and they got a sound. It's part of our culture now. Our musical language. The more you change the instrument and make it better the further you stray away from that sound were used to. The designs were never perfect but it's the music that people made with those instruments that inspired us to play and that set the benchmark. We will always go back to those designs because of them. Thanks for making this video!
Yet another great video, so thank you! You called this PRS perfect; in my humble opinion it’s the perfect guitar for you. Only you could create those beautiful blended tones between the PAF,s & Piezo, and handle the instrument in such dynamic fashion the way you do.
In my collection of around 20-30 guitars (I am not a musician but love instruments, so I rather buy few new old guitars instead of replacing my old car ;-) ) I must say, that the beautiful PRS that I own is my least favorite guitar. Why...hard to say, but my assumption is the rather thick paint that makes it looks gorgeous but somehow makes the sound to be tight and compact or bold.
Saying this I agree with what Mr. Buck so eloquently put in this episode of Friday Fretworks.
But all that aside the magic is still in Mr. Bucks fingers...his technique is just incredible!!!
Damn dude...that guitar deserves playing. Sounds excellent and they are indeed amazingly well built. Hope you'll change your mind because it sounds phenomenal.
They are just perfect, perfectly sterile to me. There is a reason they fit so well with Nickeback! lol
You hit the nail on th head here. The reasons you mentioned, plus the cost of the instrument itself, is what keeps my PRS Custom 22 Artist in its case 99% of the time. I got my CU 22 Artist six years ago and I got it for a once in a lifetime steal of a price. I simply could never afford to replace it if it was ever badly damaged or stolen. So when I play, I grab my other guitars 99% of the time. If I am going to record, I will take the PRS. It is quite literally PERFECT. But because of its value, i have a certain level of paranoia whenever i have it out and I'm playing it..... if that makes sense.
I haven’t finished the video yet. But that there intro sounds awesome.
Seconded. Chris could make a concrete block strung with elastic bands sound like a custom shop guitar though!
It sounded really great in this video. I hope you can fall in love with it and use it. My two favorite guitars are both PRS guitars. I own Ibanez, Gibson, Fender, and Gretsch as well.
Really interesting video Chris. I’ve got an SE Hollowbody 2 and absolutely love it. They are so good to play and sound amazing but don’t have the character of a Strat or Les Paul. In saying that, be great to see you play the PRS live, Maybe at Newbridge Memo in December. All the best 👍
I've also got an SE Hollowbody II and it's fantastic to play. Holds its own character and I always end up playing different stuff than with a Strat, LP or Tele, which is one of the joys
@@servethesongs exactly what I was going to say. My guitars have zero character on their own. They're not funny, arrogant, cocky, sad, etc. It's a f&*%$k piece of wood and metal
Every time I come across one of Chris's guitar playing videos, I get blown away. So many players are great and play fantastic,but end up sounding generic. Chris is always sounding like himself, which really is the highest praise I believe for any good player. Fkn brilliant!
Well damn, maybe you should play it more often because that was FIRE! Seriously your playing just keeps getting better, so on point.
I find this very relatable and easy to understand and I think it depends on the individual playing style. I bought what I assumed to be my dream guitar a few years ago - a Suhr Modern. I'd had Strats, LP's and Ibanez to name a few until then. The Suhr was meticulously built and when people say 'plays itself' you know instantly what they are referring to. It seemed I could play anything on this, at any speed. Easier than anything I'd ever played. I should have been really happy but I just wasn't. There was no challenge with it, no character or soul. Made me feel a bit empty when I played it so I actually ended up selling it. Went back to guitars the were more challenging to play just because they made me feel like I was also along for the ride.
You are not alone. Perfect to me is an hearing test, clean tones, do you hear it? Some instruments are like that, perfect.
I had an Epiphone plected, it basicly killed it, the thrill was gone. Lesson learned I do the frets by my self and just that much, some imperfection is still there, going to far well the thrill might leave and there is no way back.
Mr Chris this is a very thoughtful post. It is very interesting, i divested myself of a lot of so-so guitars to get a PRS, and for me, its fantastic. What is really interesting is that i get compliments on how it sounds by audiences. I take that to mean it has character. But soon as another guitarist is commenting, the kinds of not so positive comments about PRS come into play, and much for the reasons you outline. You are on to something here. Thanks so much for your thoughtful commentary each week, and the absolutely delicious sections of your live playing.
I think this is the problem with PRS guitars. There wonderful instruments to look at and extremely well built but there just....not that engaging. Maybe its the desire to 'perfect' everything that theres nothing left to really go at.
The thing that really stands out to me in this video is how much you just sound like...well you. Doesn't matter if you're playing a PRS, your Yamaha, a Strat, a Jazzmaster, or a Les Paul. There's no mistaking that technique.
That PRS sounds good because you're making it sing, mate.
I had a long winded comment, but really it comes down to I agree with you. I think the emotional attachment to our heroes and the guitars they played can be a source of inspiration when we play those guitars. Not for everyone obviously, but probably for a lot of us.
The 'new kid on the block' PRS Custom 24 was the guitar I REALLY wanted when they were first introduced in the 80's. I even bought the factory tour video, since I couldn't afford the C24 at that time. I built my own 'copy' which was not too shabby. However many years later I finally bought my 25th Anniversary C24 from Jeff Pumfett at World Guitars. Beautiful, flawless and what I always wanted........ but now it hangs on my my studio wall. Along with several other nice guitars which I play.... but not the PRS... I don't really know why.... it deserves to be played. But I just don't.
I would sell it but for sentimental reasons WRT to Jeff (RIP).
Killer intro jam!👏👏👏
Jeez, that intro is absolutely awesome, such great feel and tone.
That makes sense. I grew up watching Santana rock his red(ish) PRS on Supernatural and I wanted one ever since 😁 (thankfully I got a very nice Custom 24 which is my main workhorse)
I've had almost exactly the same experience. I worked in a guitar store in Sydney for years. We _weren't_ a PRS dealer, however most local importers are kind enough to sell staff brands they don't usually supply to us if we ask nicely and keep it on the down-low. A colleague lusted after a PRS and placed an order in 2010 for a 25th Anniversary Custom 24 when he had a big mixing job on the books. Many months later, when the instrument finally arrived, the mixing job had fallen through and he couldn't afford the guitar. To help him save face with the boss and the importer, as we weren't a dealer, I stepped in and bought it.
As with yours, it's a perfect guitar. Absolutely flawless. Plays itself. Sounds fantastic. Genuinely enjoyable to play. By far my nicest and most expensive guitar, even at dealer cost (my old boss was very generous). But it sat in its case for 8 years and I'd pull it out maybe twice a year, strum it a bit, record a lick or two, then spend more time polishing it than playing it and place it back in its case. Eventually I joined a band where it actually came in quite handy (the trem and split-able pickups) and it got a bit of use, but that band has ended now and I haven't pulled it out of the case since. I tend to reach for my Tele, 335 or Les Paul instead. I've had it for 13 years now, and I'll never get rid of it, but it's just never at the forefront of my mind when I feel like playing a bit of guitar. I can't explain it.
I own several great guitars and basses from the likes of Gibson custom shop, Fender custom shop, Taylor and including a legendary Wal MK1.. I know quality instruments, and when it comes to high end perfect guitars, nothing comes near a PRS Core / Private Stock.... but then the prices reflect this, beginning at $5600 US and going north of $15K
Man. I totally get this one. I'm just head-over-heels in love with my Les Paul Special. It does basically one thing, but it is THE thing I love dearest.
I had never heard of Cardinal Black until this came up on my feed today, and I'm blown away...that song at 9:31 is one of the most beautiful I've heard in years. Well done, Chris
Damn... somehow I feel connected to your point. In Mexico we say "somos hijos de la mala vida" to say we love to 'suffer' with some things just because we're custom to that, or it those bring us more tasteful experiences. 🙂
Really appreciate this video, and I think you hit the nail on the head.
I first got the PRS bug back when Dickey Betts was playing them with the ABB back in the early 90's.
I was captivated by their sound, and the cosmetic appeal was undeniable.
Gorgeous tops, and superb finishing, but each time I chose a new guitar, I always ended up going with a Gibson Les Paul, or a vintage spec'd Fender Strat, or Tele.
Like you say, I think it's the fact that there's a push/pull relationship to those classic guitar designs that tap into basic human nature, and drive to overcome challenges.
It's like some people who win the lottery.
At first they're ecstatic that they no longer need to worry financially, can buy many things they couldn't easily before without having to budget and save, or have to punch a clock 5 or 6 days a week.
After a while, that lustre wears off, and those things that were perceived as an unnecessary burden, you soon find were actually what give purpose to you.
It's alot like with anything that has all the convenience, and bells and whistles.
I have some very expensive rack gear that can do everything under the sun, and at the time I got it, I was under the belief that it would give me almost limitless potential, and how could I have gone so long without it?
Truth is....Like your PRS, I barely use it.
I actually enjoy, and relish the challenge of making sound out of much more basic, and dedicated gear, despite the obvious convenience of a multi FX processor.
It was never conscious, I just found myself gravitating more and more to the old school, because it gave the process more meaning than dialing an algorithm.
I think for me, it's very much how you described your guitar, and it's ultimate lack of use.
It's perfect in every way on paper, but practically, it's a very different experience.
And...as a side note, I've seen Dickey play Gibsons alot more than PRS's as well, so that says something.
My first adventure with PRS was with an SE import called the Torero. At that time, it was the only PRS you could get with a real Floyd and EMG 81/85 active pickups. Flawless build and construction. It was my favorite go to for many years. I lost it in a fire along with everything else I owned, it was not on the priority list for repurchase. I have been looking at used ones on Reverb. They're going for around $800 US. I remember paying over $1200 for mine, which is a lot for an SE model. But that whole SE line are as good as many main brands. He's got this guitar thing down to an art
Bingo! I too have shopped, played, and wondered about bringing home a PRS but... I am so connected to the guitar sound, feel, and images of my youth.
In other news, props for your playing style and ideas Chris. Shades of Andy Timmons, Jeff Beck, and maybe a little Lukather. Cheers!
Thanks for this video as it answered my forever question of what happened to that PRS. Well said, very respectful and interesting as it also clarified why those old guitar designs are still loved and copied. A bunch of those guitar legends are not anymore with us, but the famous people who play PRS are legends in the making (except Carlos Santana), some of them are contemporary with yourself. That HBII sounds amazing in your hands, I kindly suggest you play it more because the sound it has and the versatility it has as it will make you grow even more as a guitar player. Proof of that is this video where you showed us a sneak peak of what could be your future awesome tones.
Just a brilliant - and open hearted overview … perfectly articulated.
To my mind, Chris is one of finest guitar players around today… could listen to him for hours and hours.
Your guitar heroes were playing playing the best instruments they could find at the time, you should do the same! You are creating you own legacy, not following in footsteps of others. Most people would love to have a guitar that would play itself, but you can make any guitar sound great!
I never get tired of hearing the solo on I’m Ready… it blows me away every time!
I grew up a few miles from the original PRS shop. I worked at a Tower Records 15 miles east of the current PRS factory. I got to know one of The PRS A & R folks. This was 20 years ago when Mark Tremonti and such had made PRS a favorite among the post grunge set.
My hand dexterity is limited but I wished I could play a guitar.
PRS guitars are so clean in their tone that it draws me to that.
The prefect guitar is the one you are playing at that moment to play that song to the best of your ability.
Though I will always wonder how Eric Johnson gets such a clean tone.
Well spoken with clarity and panache. Having a PRS of my own, I'm considering selling it for the reasons you describe. It plays beautifully, sounds great, extremely consistent up and down the neck but there's not the same gut connection I have with my old Tele, Srtat and ES-335. Thanks.. I subscribed, oh, and you sound great. :-)
I’ve been watching Chris play for about a year now & have yet to hear him play a solo that didn’t impress me.
My dad was a blues player & a pretty good one. He would have loved Chris’ playing. ☮️
Had 4 PRS guitars but sold them all. I can totally relate with this video. Also I played the PRS SE silver sky and it was my favourite budget strat, better than any MIM and will be getting that....... hopefully I keep it.
That guitar sounds beautiful. I have been thinking about PRS and McCartys in particular lately. Thanks for the demo. I have a PRS 277 baritone that is really nice and I don't play it. If you think you are stuck in yor ways, i am 62 and I am a decent guitar player always working to get better. The reason I don't play my baritone is because it is a different level of work. It requires me to think in different ways than I am used to and there are no guitar players that I Identify with, other than Mark Lettieri who have already blazed the trail. Picking up the baritone adds a couple more levels of thought beyond just learning a new chord or lick.