@@riffraff1350some do. This guitar does nothing to warrant 3k. If I compare directly to a Fender Ultra Luxe Telecaster for the same cost, I get stainless steel frets, compound radius 10" - 14", comfort and access carves and more advanced tonal options via S-1 switch. And I have 300.00 usd to spare in my pocket. Again, the PRS isn't bringing something radically different to the table. This really screams 1699.00 usd and should fall into the S2 range.
@@riffraff1350it’s a weird price because it’s so close to a custom shop fender (or a Core PRS) without the name or heritage. Sure why are those worth $5k? Who can say. If you like it, it’s worth it. But for my money, 3 large for a bolt on t-style? If that’s my budget, I’m looking at Fender CS or Boutique options too. Low $2k’s is where this makes more sense in that comparison IMHO.
Funny how Ibanez started out making copies and ended up making great originals, and PRS started out making great originals and ended up making copies 😮
The first 1,000 people to use the link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare skl.sh/phillipmcknight07231 00:00 Intro 00:43 The Geeky Stuff 10:29 Skill Share 11:10 Sound Demo 17:42 Sound Comparison to PRS NF53 19:22 My Thoughts If this video hits 2899 likes. I will post the deep dive of the PRS NF53
PRS made sort of a TSO (Tele Shaped Object). Bad access to the upper frets, the pickguard looks like a roadkill Bat-Signal ( and looks cheap), and, although I usually hate the "It costs too much" comments, this is way too expensive. It hit me as I was typing this, this guitar actually looks like a First Act with bird inlays. Oh, and two high frets on a guitar in this price range? HARD pass, thanks. This was another very good review though.
@@riffraff1350 Fair point. I fix guitars for a living and am yet to have a new guitar turn up that didn't need some fret levelling no matter what the price bracket. Just a fact of the way materials settle from factory floor to delivery. Unless you buy from a local store and they do a full setup of course, but then I don't get those guitars brought to me to fix lol.
Oddly, the NF53 version has better upper fret access. It also has a differently shaped pick guard. This is a signature model, so we always have to take into account that the artist will make different decisions than we will. I think between the two, I'd choose the NF53.
@@riffraff1350 Nonsense. If this was a PRS SE, int the 800-1300 dollar range everything here would be fine. When you are putting on a 3k+ price tag there are expectations for bells and whistles.. Other PRS guitars in this price range have premium features like matching headstocks, a carved top, set neck, ridiculous AAAA flamed or quilted maple tops, and some insane staining / paint finishing. This has none of those things.
Correct: the frets are either level, or they’re NOT. Saying there’s only 2 high frets but it’s not an issue is weird. Lower the action and there will be an issue.
Any new guitar can have develop a high fret or two between the time it leaves the factory until it reaches the consumer. I've owned more than 100 guitars in my 50 years of playing, and I've had plenty of new Fenders and Gibsons that have had high frets or worse (like gaping neck pockets on Fenders, even high-end ones).
@@riffs66prs will fix it . I have prs went to Florida in heat wave came back to Maryland . Needed a neck adjustment . I live hour from prs .went in lady at front said everyone is at lunch. . You can wait ( super nice ) I was there 1 minute she said Paul is here he will look at it . He came down the steps looked at it . picked up the guitar took it to office . Fixed it gave it back. . I wanted to ask him to sign it but felt guilty he was on his lunch break I didn’t ask . I thanked him that’s it. He is 24 7 guitar nerd you see in vids
Almost $3000 with a gigbag? I'm not that attracted to this guitar for what it provides to pay a premium price tag and pay another $200 for a case. Not knocking PRS here but i don't think this guitar will sway a tele player to convert.
I mean at $3k you're in decent level Gibson Les Paul territory, and people complain about Gibson pricing like crazy. I love PRS for their "boutique guitar maker gone big" aesthetic, even if Paul himself is full of bull when it comes to tonewoods lol, but I think I'd get myself a nice Les Paul over this tele-copy any day.
@@martin-1965 I would prefer the Les Paul vs the this particular PRS too at this price point. However I do want to try the PRS DGT-SE because that seems to be a good guitar at a good price point. I’ve been reading and seeing a lot of good things concerning these and they are out of stock all over Canada.
@@guitareveryone Yes, I'm a sucker for the Silver Sky SE and will get one at some point this year or next. Hard to justify, having three strats already but logic is not a strong point when it comes to guitar buying lol.
I'm never going back to the east coast unless it's the Far East coast. Thank you for taking one for the team, but you know the further you get from NYC, the better America gets.
Agreed. The Custom 24 is the only PRS I'm really interested in, except for the SE Silver Sky. Not a huge fan of the big fat neck on the core Silver Sky.🤷♂
I've got mine. Still smilin' from ear to ear. Wasn't looking for another Tele, I have more than a few. This is something else. As far as the price goes, take it up with my kids, it's their inheritance I'm spending.
The humbucker has low DCR measure, that's not really that big of a deal. But what happens to DCR measurements when the push pull goes to single coil operation ?
Not that I would ever pay this much but for 3k I expect perfect frets, a very comfortable heel joint along with all of the other stuff that one would expect from a guitar of this caliber. I might also add if I wanted an American made Tele style guitar I might go with Keisels version.
@@cshades8026 I have a pair of older Carvin CT series, I changed out the electronics but both are solid guitars for sure! I have looked pretty hard at the Retro Solo, still on the radar.
That sorta surprised me, no quaestion the frets on that guitar shuld have been perfect!! Knowing it was going to be at Gearfest and players and reviewers would be all over it, find that a huge error by PRS! No matter what the price was, but for a bolt on neck at 3K that thing should have been flawless in every way (including the compound in the cavity). Have even seen new models at NAMM in the past that were 5-800 dollar import guitars, the manufactures still went over the frets with a fine tooth comb as they wanted to show the guitar at its very best. Paul must be having a fit knowing this is out there.
When it starts popping out of Indonesia, this will satisfy the value proposition. Not sure PRS nailed it at 3K+ dollars. Also does not stack up too great against the monochromatic Fenders coming from California or Fender-Japan.
I mean yeah I've never jived with any usa or Mexican fender. There was one MIJ tele that was nice but for me I've never really clicked with fender products. I fell in love with both the Silver sky and Fiorre. Both bring a little prs DNA to the strat so I can imagine folks having similar experiences to mine and paying a premium. Folks already do that with other companies like Tom Anderson, Knaggs, and Suhr. Not sure why PRS gets so much hate for it
PRS had John Mayer selling the Silver Sky as smoothing out the rough edges of the Strat. This guitar doesn’t have star power or a killer marketing message so at $849 or $949 (by the time it comes out) this SE model isn’t likely to do anything the Starla isn’t already doing at a cheaper price point. This thing is somewhat interesting for guitar geeks like us, but I think it’s a dud.
Good review, your usual in depth "deep dive" process is a thorough and complete objective look at the guitar. The quality and workmanship looks to be up to PRS standards but the price is tough to justify.
Take a tour of the factory during an Experience. The time, care and quality become obvious. The folks there have a true passion for what they do. If you run into James "Skitchy" Zimmers, tell him I said hi. Great guy,super knowledgeable
Yes totally agree...3000 for guitar doesnt have stainless steal frets??? A few years down the road u will 500 dollars to get that done...so then its a 3500 dollar guitar!!! No way!!
@@dignity0327 You know you get frets crowned and leveled. You usually go a long time before you have to do a full refret on guitars. Also they are not using a super soft nickel material. I have had many over the years that I played a good amount and didn't even need a level and crown even after a few years.
Nice report! It's a good thing that you didn't kneel down in awe in front of the instrument, but also used the measuring instruments very soberly. by the way: if you take a closer look, you can see irregularities in the paint finish. PRS is the Mercedes of guitars, but the paint finish is only VW Golf quality...
Great video Phil ! I'm glad I waited to see your video before watching any of the other videos out there on this. You give it to us straight forward w/o all the hype. Thanks !
@@elevenAD I mean they would work to make pickups for the SE model that would be as close as they are willing to make them at the price point. I mean they did it with the DGT pickups.
@@seancca DGT pups are traditional shaped humbuckers, PRS already showed they were not willing to make any type of true Narrowfield pick ups for SEs with Pauls Guitar SE.
@@elevenAD the SE Paul’s guitar has SE versions of the pickups from that guitar so test they were more than willing to make them. Not sure why you think they are not designed off the original pickups. They are a different NarrowFeild design that is the original bass pickup design from that 408 guitar.
@@seancca Those pick ups are not the TCI pick ups from a US Pauls Guitar, they dont even have the correct shape lol and this new guitar in an SE would be no different.
I'd love to check one out, but no way I'm going to spend upwards of $3k for one. A couple of high frets? Multi-piece neck? This doesn't read like a premium instrument.
As someone who was looking forward to the new John 5 Tele, then finding out they were limited to 600 pieces (and costing 3k), these are appealing to me.
Looks and sounds pretty nice. The tonal options cool but would be more interested if PRS offered a (real) Rosewood Board & individual brass bridges ( a la Sire Larry Carlton T) rather than the 'paired' ones - just better for fine-tuning adjustments.
East Coast? We're still in the Midwest! It's ok, Phil; I'm CA born and raised, and before moving here, some of my CA friends who have never left (including myself) thought that the Midwest was the Colorado mountains or somewhere along those lines! It makes sense, right? My son says, "Hi, Phil!" He still remembers meeting you last year at SW.
@@PhillipMcKnight ahh, thanks for clearing that up. I was under the assumption they had gearfest at the Fort Wayne , IN location. Hope you could rest after all the excitement.
I'm not really a PRS fan. The Fender telecasters have large steel bridge plates with string through. Which I think really contributes to the sound. But this model is interesting needless to say.
If I was looking to overpay for bolt-on necked, nickel-fretted, round-radiused tele shape then I'd buy this over any fender (even custom shop). I think they'll sell very well around a certain demographic, but for me Ibanez and Yamaha do better for significantly less.
It's got a tele vibe and I didn't like it but hearing it, sounds fat! Nice. The signature sounds extra defined. Don't quite sound like the standard PRS, in a good way. I like the sound but the price is hard to take. Doesn't really sound like a tele.
I will think about buying one when they come out with a sub $800 SE version. I didn't pay $3k for my Keisel I'm sure not paying that for a production tele knockoff.
I think it is priced so high because they know they will sell a crap ton of them and they don’t have the production capacity to meet the likely high initial demand for these guitars.
I sincerely hope they're getting a benefit for this price. My view of PRS has changed if they're going the Gibson route. They used to make great guitars at realistic prices aside from the 10 tops. This guitar has no special features, it's a signature of a guy I've never heard of, and is mildly interesting at best visually.
You said it right Phil... "Taking" the guitarist that loves PRS. There. I ended that comment properly for you! 😄 What the heck is Paul thinking? Unless he already has SE style options in the making. I'd buy that Kiesel in a heartbeat over this everyday.
ps. I wish guitar manufacturers would STOP doing this?!! A Les Paul is a Les Paul, a Tele is a Tele, a Strat is a Strat and a PRS is a PRS. There's really no need (other than a money grab) for PRS to make the Sky Strat copy or now this thing, or the Tremonti Single cut, for that matter. Same for Gibson, when they tried to dip into PRS territory with DC arch top guitars. If I wanted a Tele, I'd buy one. If I wanted a PRS, I'd buy one of those. Personally, I'd never buy another companies 'version' (copy) of someone else's guitar. But that's just me.
Josh Smith's signatuere Ibanez t-type is $2500. Music Man, G&L, Suhr and Nash all have Tele style models in that range that do well eniugh with little promotion. The new PRS will do fine and have diehards in a year.
Does the world really need another Tele copy? I do like 2 SE models...a DGT, if they ever offer it in Dark Cherryburst, and a Paul's Guitar in red. Those would be all I'd need in a solid body guitar.
Your argument is that it isn't a tele copy because if you radically changed its body shape, it wouldn't have a tele body shape...? Weird. Even then, I think people would still be asking questions about the brass saddles.
@@rexrathtar3893 The silhouette is quite different from a Tele -- especially toward the back end. The only thing that it truly shares is the single cut. It seems to me that if you make one change and it renders the object unrecognizable from its inspiration, it's a stretch to call it a copy.
I suspect a LOT of people will be buying it when the SE version comes out. I've been playing for 50 years and have owned/own probably 50 Teles and Strats, including custom shop models (my first electric guitar was a Tele bought new in '73). Fender's quality in the 70's was horrible, and it remains inconsistent to this day. Regardless, I'm a Fender fanboi who'd only had two PRS guitars until recently - a CE 24 bolt on that was just okay, and an early Swamp Ash Special that I wish I hadn't let get away - but PRS is head and shoulders above Fender and Gibson in consistent build quality these days IMO, even on their SE line. I won't be paying $3,000 for one, but when the SE version comes out, I expect to get one. My 3rd PRS is a recently acquired SE McCarty 594, and I can't believe they can sell that guitar for under $1,000.
I've always felt PRS was selling a status symbol. I picture his target audience as a guy with a fancy watch, an expensive european sportscar in a pristine garage, a trophy wife with bolt-ons and a bunch of PRS on the wall that never get played.
Hey Phil, thanks for this review, im really not that taken with these and i find the price a bit too much, but, i wanted to know what were you playing through with the guitar?
I’m rooting for the V Type that already comes stock the Marshall I have on the way. This guy knows damn right!😂 V Type sounds like an upgrade compared to the V30 and the V30 is legendary. I’m not changing that. Thanks for the confirmation🤙
Save your money and get Charvel So-Cal Tele. 1/3 the price, and it's got a roasted maple neck with a reverse telecaster headstock. Much cooler than a PRS neck.
I was blessed to see the Eat em and Smile tour. Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan wouldn’t that be a great combination. And it was. They’re doing dueling solos,frenetic energy,acrobatics tossing guitars in the air. That show they just gave you everything they possibly could from start to finish. Badassery is what you call it. Steve Vai rose to the occasion to put it lightly. They were all on Dave’s coke they had to be. It was superhero type shit
That Keisel will be 10x better than the PRS, and you can get a one piece neck, rather than a neck made up from the cheaper cuts of maple, Paul will lie to you and say he uses a scarf joint for it's strength,.. really? he doesn't use one on any private stock guitars with much weaker mahogany necks! It's simply to cut costs, how else do you think he can produce a Westone Clipper copy, complete with gigbag for under $3k?
Same hot takes like with the Silver Sky, then in a few months it will be sold out again. Great review as always Phil. Really like the sound, even more then a Tele and also enjoy the design a bit more, although the offered paint jobs are not the best I could imagine. Still, price is to high for what it is offering.
Yeah the paint jobs are not exactly inspiring. Guarantee the black model will sell the worst. When it comes to PRS I "want" to see the great woods they have used in construction, but maybe that's just me :)
Thanks for this Phil! I'm not a fan of the looks of the guitar but it sounds pretty good and it looks like the neck is comfortable and would be fun to play on.
The best thing is the output Jack. The one on the Tele is woefully bad. You basically have to swap it out or glue it in which many do. But still, I’ll stick to my American tele thanks.
I assumed that because of the pricepoint these were made in the U.S. Seems kinda ridiculous that it doesn't have locking tuners, no stainless steel frets, not made in the US and its 3k.
it does have locking tuners - Phil pointed that out (1:29). they are the type with black plastic (?) tips on the string side, not the type with little wheels on the back side (which I much prefer!)
I LOVE PRS guitars. My first real guitar was an SE, my first pro range guitar was a Custom 24 and many in between. However, I would rather spend that 3k on TWO MJT S and T-style guitars. Honestly you could put them together yourself and get three for that price. There is absolutely no way I'd spend that money on this guitar. I love PRS, and like Teles but wow.
The NF53 & MK guitars are at a quality level similar (or surpassing) Fender Custom Shop guitars. Important to compare apples/apples. With that in mind, their $2899.00 price seems quite competitive
No one has questioned a scarf joint in the neck on a $3K guitar…. If it had ceramic magnet pickups, everyone would be in a rage….but a SCARF joint!!!????
I don't know....The price seems really high to me. Like, way high for what you get. And I hate to be that guy, but all that polishing compound left around the control cavity would piss me off. IMO. that is unacceptable at that price point. Even though this one definitely is not for me. It's still cool to see PRS do a Tele-ish guitar. And I like Myles Kennedy, so I hope this is a successful model.
The finish looks great on them. This is there one guitar that pulls off the dog hair look just right. For me if the telecaster look was the only option I would pick this because it would also have a feel that my hands are familiar with and enjoy. Fender makes a great product. I like the yjm and Hendrix models. I only like the look of their stratocasters and telecasters just aren’t me. To my hands the build and design of the neck and fretboard is just not my preference. If it was limited to just a tele design I would take this over any other tele look out there!
on the signature telecaster the top 4 strings sound good on most the volume tone and switch selector , different settings - the bottom 2 high treble B and E not so good
I like to imagine that Phil has a bunch of nylon socks on him 24/7 wherever he goes just in case he ever needs to run them over some fret ends.
No, his wife found some in the glovebox of his car, and he's been using them for reviews ever since 😮
Great, now, in my mind, he does, and he likes to run them over everything. At the grocery store, at Target, at the car lot... everything.
Comment of the week.
Thank you!
He needs to do a video on where he gets them in volume and how he explains his need for them.
I have pondered this exact thing! Heehee
The price is hard to justify. It just doesn't look like a 3K guitar.
Do any of the Fender Custom Shop guitars look like $3000-5000?
@@riffraff1350some do. This guitar does nothing to warrant 3k. If I compare directly to a Fender Ultra Luxe Telecaster for the same cost, I get stainless steel frets, compound radius 10" - 14", comfort and access carves and more advanced tonal options via S-1 switch. And I have 300.00 usd to spare in my pocket. Again, the PRS isn't bringing something radically different to the table. This really screams 1699.00 usd and should fall into the S2 range.
What does a 3k guitar look like? A 5k guitar...a 20k guitar?
They are all overpriced.
@@revtimewest riffraff is obviously a PRS fanboy who thinks anyone who isn't floored by this thing is a Fender fanboy.
@@riffraff1350it’s a weird price because it’s so close to a custom shop fender (or a Core PRS) without the name or heritage. Sure why are those worth $5k? Who can say. If you like it, it’s worth it. But for my money, 3 large for a bolt on t-style? If that’s my budget, I’m looking at Fender CS or Boutique options too. Low $2k’s is where this makes more sense in that comparison IMHO.
Funny how Ibanez started out making copies and ended up making great originals, and PRS started out making great originals and ended up making copies 😮
Both the same thing, really. They just filled out their ranges in reverse order.
I'd take a "lawsuit" Ibanez over that overpriced eyesore any day
This is not a copy of tele its just a singlecut bolt on. Closer to a dual P90 guitar than a tele imo.
And overpriced copies to boot...
@@jasondorsey7110 my heart yearns for a Yamaha Studio Lord
As a tele player, I can’t believe they figured out how to make it uglier
I actually like how Teles look. Well, not the Deluxe. That's awful. lol
Actually I like this guitar more than the teles.
I really hate teles.
This one at least is something better.
Different opinions, I guess 🤷
Prs is good at making attempts to make something pretty and end up being less.
I honestly really like the way it looks 🙂
@@FromTheMosh Hey, I like the PRS headstock on the Silver Sky. There's room for all kinds of tastes. lol
Could’ve been a cool S2. But I don’t think anybody with $2900 in their guitar budget will choose to spend it on this.
Fanboys with more money than brains.
I’ll wait for the PRS flying V
Warlock flame top
I would love to see this. No doubt they would come up with something wild. Maybe a Lenny Kravitz model?
I think their G6120 is coming out by November followed by the Flying V in March of 2024. 😅
Can’t wait for the BC Rich Mockingbird with real PRS birds, that’ll be fun.
Lol
The first 1,000 people to use the link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare skl.sh/phillipmcknight07231
00:00 Intro
00:43 The Geeky Stuff
10:29 Skill Share
11:10 Sound Demo
17:42 Sound Comparison to PRS NF53
19:22 My Thoughts
If this video hits 2899 likes. I will post the deep dive of the PRS NF53
PRS made sort of a TSO (Tele Shaped Object).
Bad access to the upper frets, the pickguard looks like a roadkill Bat-Signal ( and looks cheap), and, although I usually hate the "It costs too much" comments, this is way too expensive. It hit me as I was typing this, this guitar actually looks like a First Act with bird inlays. Oh, and two high frets on a guitar in this price range? HARD pass, thanks.
This was another very good review though.
If you don't like high frets in this price range, don't get a Fender CS. They're playable but they're not always level.
@@riffraff1350 Fair point. I fix guitars for a living and am yet to have a new guitar turn up that didn't need some fret levelling no matter what the price bracket. Just a fact of the way materials settle from factory floor to delivery. Unless you buy from a local store and they do a full setup of course, but then I don't get those guitars brought to me to fix lol.
Oddly, the NF53 version has better upper fret access. It also has a differently shaped pick guard. This is a signature model, so we always have to take into account that the artist will make different decisions than we will. I think between the two, I'd choose the NF53.
Hunter no! thats buffing compound.
That's awesome that they did such a good job with it. It looks amazing and I think your assessment is spot on.
I WANT the NF53. Hyped for that guitar
I don't understand the justification for the pricetag on this. This looks like an SE model at best...
The SEs are really good
A guitar's quality is in the materials and playability. Not sure how value can be seen from a video.
@@riffraff1350 Nonsense. If this was a PRS SE, int the 800-1300 dollar range everything here would be fine. When you are putting on a 3k+ price tag there are expectations for bells and whistles.. Other PRS guitars in this price range have premium features like matching headstocks, a carved top, set neck, ridiculous AAAA flamed or quilted maple tops, and some insane staining / paint finishing. This has none of those things.
@@tremor1001 …with 3 piece bodies, no less.
I like PRS, but I predict this one to be a FLOP. Hard pass from me.
$3k for a guitar with high frets? I'm a huge PRS guy but I can't justify this one.
Correct: the frets are either level, or they’re NOT. Saying there’s only 2 high frets but it’s not an issue is weird. Lower the action and there will be an issue.
Any neck pocket gap??
Any new guitar can have develop a high fret or two between the time it leaves the factory until it reaches the consumer. I've owned more than 100 guitars in my 50 years of playing, and I've had plenty of new Fenders and Gibsons that have had high frets or worse (like gaping neck pockets on Fenders, even high-end ones).
@@riffs66prs will fix it . I have prs went to Florida in heat wave came back to Maryland . Needed a neck adjustment . I live hour from prs .went in lady at front said everyone is at lunch. . You can wait ( super nice ) I was there 1 minute she said Paul is here he will look at it . He came down the steps looked at it . picked up the guitar took it to office . Fixed it gave it back. . I wanted to ask him to sign it but felt guilty he was on his lunch break I didn’t ask . I thanked him that’s it. He is 24 7 guitar nerd you see in vids
@@donkeninitz4590favourite guitar brand?
Almost $3000 with a gigbag? I'm not that attracted to this guitar for what it provides to pay a premium price tag and pay another $200 for a case. Not knocking PRS here but i don't think this guitar will sway a tele player to convert.
I mean at $3k you're in decent level Gibson Les Paul territory, and people complain about Gibson pricing like crazy. I love PRS for their "boutique guitar maker gone big" aesthetic, even if Paul himself is full of bull when it comes to tonewoods lol, but I think I'd get myself a nice Les Paul over this tele-copy any day.
@@martin-1965 I would prefer the Les Paul vs the this particular PRS too at this price point. However I do want to try the PRS DGT-SE because that seems to be a good guitar at a good price point. I’ve been reading and seeing a lot of good things concerning these and they are out of stock all over Canada.
@@guitareveryone Yes, I'm a sucker for the Silver Sky SE and will get one at some point this year or next. Hard to justify, having three strats already but logic is not a strong point when it comes to guitar buying lol.
I'm never going back to the east coast unless it's the Far East coast. Thank you for taking one for the team, but you know the further you get from NYC, the better America gets.
Not me. I bought a Squire for $250 and put new pups, pots and 4 way switch for another 120. Its awesome.
Thanks Phillip, both guitars sound really good. Always enjoy seeing new gear that you demo.....
Teles can be built with high-quality stuff for $500-700. No reason to spend more on a Tele.
Love the maple neck but I'll stick with the custom 24's
Agreed. The Custom 24 is the only PRS I'm really interested in, except for the SE Silver Sky. Not a huge fan of the big fat neck on the core Silver Sky.🤷♂
@@Lovell93
If you find a S2 custom 24 give it a test drive, they are awesome👍👍
I've got mine. Still smilin' from ear to ear. Wasn't looking for another Tele, I have more than a few. This is something else. As far as the price goes, take it up with my kids, it's their inheritance I'm spending.
Just too expensive. Should have had no high frets and SS frets.
Agreed. I don't see why a maple neck can't be one piece, as well.
Great review as always but dang it's hard to look at.
It being a PRS it'll play great but for the price it's not for me with that shape. I appreciate what they are doing though.
The humbucker has low DCR measure, that's not really that big of a deal. But what happens to DCR measurements when the push pull goes to single coil operation ?
Thanks Phil! I was looking forward to your take on this one.
Not that I would ever pay this much but for 3k I expect perfect frets, a very comfortable heel joint along with all of the other stuff that one would expect from a guitar of this caliber. I might also add if I wanted an American made Tele style guitar I might go with Keisels version.
I actually have two of them both Solo models and they are my favorite guitars I’ve ever owned.
@@cshades8026 I have a pair of older Carvin CT series, I changed out the electronics but both are solid guitars for sure! I have looked pretty hard at the Retro Solo, still on the radar.
That sorta surprised me, no quaestion the frets on that guitar shuld have been perfect!! Knowing it was going to be at Gearfest and players and reviewers would be all over it, find that a huge error by PRS! No matter what the price was, but for a bolt on neck at 3K that thing should have been flawless in every way (including the compound in the cavity). Have even seen new models at NAMM in the past that were 5-800 dollar import guitars, the manufactures still went over the frets with a fine tooth comb as they wanted to show the guitar at its very best. Paul must be having a fit knowing this is out there.
When it starts popping out of Indonesia, this will satisfy the value proposition. Not sure PRS nailed it at 3K+ dollars. Also does not stack up too great against the monochromatic Fenders coming from California or Fender-Japan.
The Fenders coming out of Corona are riddled with QC issues. I recently returned an Vintage II that was unplayable.
I mean yeah I've never jived with any usa or Mexican fender. There was one MIJ tele that was nice but for me I've never really clicked with fender products. I fell in love with both the Silver sky and Fiorre. Both bring a little prs DNA to the strat so I can imagine folks having similar experiences to mine and paying a premium. Folks already do that with other companies like Tom Anderson, Knaggs, and Suhr. Not sure why PRS gets so much hate for it
PRS had John Mayer selling the Silver Sky as smoothing out the rough edges of the Strat. This guitar doesn’t have star power or a killer marketing message so at $849 or $949 (by the time it comes out) this SE model isn’t likely to do anything the Starla isn’t already doing at a cheaper price point. This thing is somewhat interesting for guitar geeks like us, but I think it’s a dud.
For 3 grand i feel like you shoukd get a fancy top or roasted maple neck or ss frets. Something. Prs are always real nice looking .
Looks pretty cool and sounds pretty good but man that price tag
Good review, your usual in depth "deep dive" process is a thorough and complete objective look at the guitar. The quality and workmanship looks to be up to PRS standards but the price is tough to justify.
Agreed👍🏻👍🏻
Take a tour of the factory during an Experience. The time, care and quality become obvious. The folks there have a true passion for what they do. If you run into James "Skitchy" Zimmers, tell him I said hi. Great guy,super knowledgeable
Yes totally agree...3000 for guitar doesnt have stainless steal frets??? A few years down the road u will 500 dollars to get that done...so then its a 3500 dollar guitar!!! No way!!
+1
@@dignity0327 You know you get frets crowned and leveled. You usually go a long time before you have to do a full refret on guitars. Also they are not using a super soft nickel material. I have had many over the years that I played a good amount and didn't even need a level and crown even after a few years.
It's not a Tele, just sort of shaped like one.
It's really only vaguely shaped like one. If they made it a double carve, no one would say it's anything like a Tele except for the barrel saddles.
Agree. Tele is my favourite guitar shape but the PRS version is just nothing appealing to me
Nice report! It's a good thing that you didn't kneel down in awe in front of the instrument, but also used the measuring instruments very soberly. by the way: if you take a closer look, you can see irregularities in the paint finish. PRS is the Mercedes of guitars, but the paint finish is only VW Golf quality...
Great video Phil ! I'm glad I waited to see your video before watching any of the other videos out there on this. You give it to us straight forward w/o all the hype. Thanks !
Hope you are feeling better and hope to see you on your know your gear Friday podcast.
Hope we get a SE version of the Vela before we get an SE version of this
Doing an SE version of this would be a complete waste of time because it would not have the proper pick ups and that is the heart of this model imho.
@@elevenAD I mean they would work to make pickups for the SE model that would be as close as they are willing to make them at the price point. I mean they did it with the DGT pickups.
@@seancca DGT pups are traditional shaped humbuckers, PRS already showed they were not willing to make any type of true Narrowfield pick ups for SEs with Pauls Guitar SE.
@@elevenAD the SE Paul’s guitar has SE versions of the pickups from that guitar so test they were more than willing to make them. Not sure why you think they are not designed off the original pickups. They are a different NarrowFeild design that is the original bass pickup design from that 408 guitar.
@@seancca Those pick ups are not the TCI pick ups from a US Pauls Guitar, they dont even have the correct shape lol and this new guitar in an SE would be no different.
I'd love to check one out, but no way I'm going to spend upwards of $3k for one. A couple of high frets? Multi-piece neck? This doesn't read like a premium instrument.
As someone who was looking forward to the new John 5 Tele, then finding out they were limited to 600 pieces (and costing 3k), these are appealing to me.
Looks and sounds pretty nice. The tonal options cool but would be more interested if PRS offered a (real) Rosewood Board & individual brass bridges ( a la Sire Larry Carlton T) rather than the 'paired' ones - just better for fine-tuning adjustments.
Miles can shred with the best of them. Surprising it's not more accessible up high.
Especially since the NF53 version has a deeper cut at the higher frets and thusly, better access.
@@JunkfoodZombieGuns the miles guitar has the deeper scoop out. Also pretty sure he has long enough fingers that it works for him.
The bridge pickup is on such a slight angle, that it actually looks unintentionally crooked!
Afternoon fellow gear nerds 😁
Well good morning
I really want one of those, I think they look, and sound fantastic. I wish I had the asking price.
Hey Phil, any chance you could give thoughts on these “tele” vs the vela?
East Coast? We're still in the Midwest! It's ok, Phil; I'm CA born and raised, and before moving here, some of my CA friends who have never left (including myself) thought that the Midwest was the Colorado mountains or somewhere along those lines! It makes sense, right? My son says, "Hi, Phil!" He still remembers meeting you last year at SW.
We were in New York
@@PhillipMcKnight ahh, thanks for clearing that up. I was under the assumption they had gearfest at the Fort Wayne , IN location. Hope you could rest after all the excitement.
I love the look of most PRS guitars but you can keep the Silver Sky and this thing.
I'm not really a PRS fan. The Fender telecasters have large steel bridge plates with string through. Which I think really contributes to the sound. But this model is interesting needless to say.
Personally, I would get a G&L ASAT Special and use the remaining money on pedals and/or better speakers for my amp.
If I was looking to overpay for bolt-on necked, nickel-fretted, round-radiused tele shape then I'd buy this over any fender (even custom shop). I think they'll sell very well around a certain demographic, but for me Ibanez and Yamaha do better for significantly less.
Right there with you
It's got a tele vibe and I didn't like it but hearing it, sounds fat! Nice. The signature sounds extra defined. Don't quite sound like the standard PRS, in a good way. I like the sound but the price is hard to take. Doesn't really sound like a tele.
Another excellent review thx phil
It sounds great - but I'm not sure I need a $3k Tele!!
The look he gets on his face whenever he reflects on the Dave era is the same look you see on Billy’s. The look of someone who’s dreams all came true
How bad will the intonation be on a two saddle bridge?
I want to see it in a rosewood board - those outline inlays on maple are for the birds imo
this guitar sounds crazy good
Arguably it won't win any beauty contests, great video philip. 👍
I love when they is got those features too! LoL
I will think about buying one when they come out with a sub $800 SE version. I didn't pay $3k for my Keisel I'm sure not paying that for a production tele knockoff.
I think it is priced so high because they know they will sell a crap ton of them and they don’t have the production capacity to meet the likely high initial demand for these guitars.
I sincerely hope they're getting a benefit for this price. My view of PRS has changed if they're going the Gibson route. They used to make great guitars at realistic prices aside from the 10 tops. This guitar has no special features, it's a signature of a guy I've never heard of, and is mildly interesting at best visually.
@@eugenehavens I own several PRS guitars, and while I really like them, I also think they cost too much.
If I had that kind of money to spend, I would just buy a Paul’s guitar. I think that’s one of the best ones they ever made.
Too pricey. You could get a custom shop Tele for that price, I love PRS but that's too steep
Great video. Love mine Phil!
You said it right Phil... "Taking" the guitarist that loves PRS. There. I ended that comment properly for you! 😄 What the heck is Paul thinking? Unless he already has SE style options in the making. I'd buy that Kiesel in a heartbeat over this everyday.
love how they even save wood between the neck pup and the neck pocket 😒 just like a SG...
Wow, that finish looks quite bumpy for such a high bucks guitar
Bring back the 'Spitz' 6 inline headstock, PRS!!!
ps. I wish guitar manufacturers would STOP doing this?!! A Les Paul is a Les Paul, a Tele is a Tele, a Strat is a Strat and a PRS is a PRS. There's really no need (other than a money grab) for PRS to make the Sky Strat copy or now this thing, or the Tremonti Single cut, for that matter. Same for Gibson, when they tried to dip into PRS territory with DC arch top guitars. If I wanted a Tele, I'd buy one. If I wanted a PRS, I'd buy one of those. Personally, I'd never buy another companies 'version' (copy) of someone else's guitar. But that's just me.
Josh Smith's signatuere Ibanez t-type is $2500. Music Man, G&L, Suhr and Nash all have Tele style models in that range that do well eniugh with little promotion. The new PRS will do fine and have diehards in a year.
Does the world really need another Tele copy?
I do like 2 SE models...a DGT, if they ever offer it in Dark Cherryburst, and a Paul's Guitar in red. Those would be all I'd need in a solid body guitar.
Is it really a Tele copy? If it was a double cut, would you even recognize it?
Your argument is that it isn't a tele copy because if you radically changed its body shape, it wouldn't have a tele body shape...?
Weird. Even then, I think people would still be asking questions about the brass saddles.
@@rexrathtar3893 The silhouette is quite different from a Tele -- especially toward the back end. The only thing that it truly shares is the single cut. It seems to me that if you make one change and it renders the object unrecognizable from its inspiration, it's a stretch to call it a copy.
I suspect a LOT of people will be buying it when the SE version comes out. I've been playing for 50 years and have owned/own probably 50 Teles and Strats, including custom shop models (my first electric guitar was a Tele bought new in '73). Fender's quality in the 70's was horrible, and it remains inconsistent to this day. Regardless, I'm a Fender fanboi who'd only had two PRS guitars until recently - a CE 24 bolt on that was just okay, and an early Swamp Ash Special that I wish I hadn't let get away - but PRS is head and shoulders above Fender and Gibson in consistent build quality these days IMO, even on their SE line. I won't be paying $3,000 for one, but when the SE version comes out, I expect to get one. My 3rd PRS is a recently acquired SE McCarty 594, and I can't believe they can sell that guitar for under $1,000.
These guitars sound amazing but they are still just slab body ash bolt-ons, for $3000 i want a lil more of that PRS bling!
I actually like it and am considering getting it. Thanks this review helps.
I've always felt PRS was selling a status symbol. I picture his target audience as a guy with a fancy watch, an expensive european sportscar in a pristine garage, a trophy wife with bolt-ons and a bunch of PRS on the wall that never get played.
Hey Phil, thanks for this review, im really not that taken with these and i find the price a bit too much, but, i wanted to know what were you playing through with the guitar?
Nice in depth review Phil🎸🎶👍🍻
Honest Phil...why we love you so much..... And you're cool to boot.
I like pretty much everything PRS does, but these guitars are so ugly.
I’m rooting for the V Type that already comes stock the Marshall I have on the way. This guy knows damn right!😂 V Type sounds like an upgrade compared to the V30 and the V30 is legendary. I’m not changing that. Thanks for the confirmation🤙
Save your money and get Charvel So-Cal Tele. 1/3 the price, and it's got a roasted maple neck with a reverse telecaster headstock. Much cooler than a PRS neck.
I was blessed to see the Eat em and Smile tour. Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan wouldn’t that be a great combination. And it was. They’re doing dueling solos,frenetic energy,acrobatics tossing guitars in the air. That show they just gave you everything they possibly could from start to finish. Badassery is what you call it. Steve Vai rose to the occasion to put it lightly. They were all on Dave’s coke they had to be. It was superhero type shit
That Keisel will be 10x better than the PRS, and you can get a one piece neck, rather than a neck made up from the cheaper cuts of maple, Paul will lie to you and say he uses a scarf joint for it's strength,.. really? he doesn't use one on any private stock guitars with much weaker mahogany necks! It's simply to cut costs, how else do you think he can produce a Westone Clipper copy, complete with gigbag for under $3k?
Just imagine Philip’s yearly nylon socks consumption….
$2899, yeah right keep it.
Thanks for the review Phil,,,
and don't forget the unbelievable great feature = the ugly headstock....
Whatever amp you plugged into made that axe sound amazing.
The NF53 sounded a lot ballsier than the MK in the side-by-side, to my ear anyway.
Will hold off until an SE version comes along (hopefully).
Same hot takes like with the Silver Sky, then in a few months it will be sold out again.
Great review as always Phil. Really like the sound, even more then a Tele and also enjoy the design a bit more, although the offered paint jobs are not the best I could imagine.
Still, price is to high for what it is offering.
Yeah the paint jobs are not exactly inspiring. Guarantee the black model will sell the worst. When it comes to PRS I "want" to see the great woods they have used in construction, but maybe that's just me :)
Who's going to buy it? Certainly not me! But on the other hand Philip you are awesome!
I wouldn’t have it. Especially at that outlandish price!!!
Thanks for this Phil! I'm not a fan of the looks of the guitar but it sounds pretty good and it looks like the neck is comfortable and would be fun to play on.
Neck preference is subjective.... but apperently this thing i chunkier than the chunkiest les paul neck
The best thing is the output Jack. The one on the Tele is woefully bad. You basically have to swap it out or glue it in which many do. But still, I’ll stick to my American tele thanks.
Jerry Cantrell Epiphone Les Paul (both) + Jared James Nichols Epiphone Gold Glory = the cost of that. I love guitars.
How is this better than a VELA? it's basically the same guitar with better access to higher frets on the Vela.
I assumed that because of the pricepoint these were made in the U.S. Seems kinda ridiculous that it doesn't have locking tuners, no stainless steel frets, not made in the US and its 3k.
It is made in the US
it does have locking tuners - Phil pointed that out (1:29). they are the type with black plastic (?) tips on the string side, not the type with little wheels on the back side (which I much prefer!)
I LOVE PRS guitars. My first real guitar was an SE, my first pro range guitar was a Custom 24 and many in between. However, I would rather spend that 3k on TWO MJT S and T-style guitars. Honestly you could put them together yourself and get three for that price. There is absolutely no way I'd spend that money on this guitar. I love PRS, and like Teles but wow.
The NF53 & MK guitars are at a quality level similar (or surpassing) Fender Custom Shop guitars. Important to compare apples/apples. With that in mind, their $2899.00 price seems quite competitive
No one has questioned a scarf joint in the neck on a $3K guitar…. If it had ceramic magnet pickups, everyone would be in a rage….but a SCARF joint!!!????
I don't know....The price seems really high to me. Like, way high for what you get. And I hate to be that guy, but all that polishing compound left around the control cavity would piss me off. IMO. that is unacceptable at that price point.
Even though this one definitely is not for me. It's still cool to see PRS do a Tele-ish guitar. And I like Myles Kennedy, so I hope this is a successful model.
Agreed
The finish looks great on them. This is there one guitar that pulls off the dog hair look just right. For me if the telecaster look was the only option I would pick this because it would also have a feel that my hands are familiar with and enjoy. Fender makes a great product. I like the yjm and Hendrix models. I only like the look of their stratocasters and telecasters just aren’t me. To my hands the build and design of the neck and fretboard is just not my preference. If it was limited to just a tele design I would take this over any other tele look out there!
The body shape looks like a Fender Bullet from the 80's. I'm sure it plays well but is it worth it - no way.
on the signature telecaster
the top 4 strings sound good
on most the volume tone and switch selector , different settings -
the bottom 2 high treble
B and E
not so good
Killer guitar better than Tele!!! Particularly the Miles version!
As soon as I can get my hands on one I’m buying!!