Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: bucketshred on March 10, 2015, 03:59:48 PM
-
...they've never really 'spoke' to me before. I know that they are extremely well made instruments that play incredibly but I've always felt they were a bit too bling for my tastes. Saying that, the top row of these are lovely! Stick a tortoiseshell scratchplate on that single cut and I am SOLD!
http://www.prsguitars.com/s2series/
-
Nice stuff, classic and restraint. I´d still rather have the Custom 22 semihollow though.
-
They could be the best quality-for-money PRS nowadays. Looks nice in cherry.
-
I was thinking they look nice in cherry too... then I realised I just like cherry!
I must admit I liked the look of that Standard 22. Take the trem off it and... maybe
-
Of the newest S2 models, I don't like the look of the scratchplates on the Standard 22 and Standard 24.
I do really like the Singlecut Standard (but surely it would've been cost-effective to put the switch on the scratchplate, like the rest of the controls?)
-
Of the newest S2 models, I don't like the look of the scratchplates on the Standard 22 and Standard 24.
I do really like the Singlecut Standard (but surely it would've been cost-effective to put the switch on the scratchplate, like the rest of the controls?)
But then they wouldn't be able to boast that it "...boasts a classic body shape and control layout..." :laugh:
Also:
Last night I was thinking Standard 22, cherry, lose the trem... not bad...
You see, I didn't mind the scratchplates on the Standard 22/24... UNTIL you pointed it out! :rolleyes: :grin: :grin: :grin:
-
Glad to save you some money, Andy. :grin:
Going back to the switch, scratchplate thing, I was thinking a slightly enlarged scratchplate with the switch still on the upper bout, like a Tele Deluxe - that would still meet the "classic control layout" requirement, with no need to route out the back of the body at all. And you could take the whole control harness off in one piece if you needed a pickup change or something.
-
the plain ones look nicer for sure
I could do the S2 Standard, in olympic white, with same bridge as the Mira, tortoiseshell plate and two single coils
-
Is it wrong that the scratchplate on the S2 Singlecut Standard reminds me of a Gibson Corvus..... and I DON'T think that's a bad thing? :undecided:
-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86ZVk2DYFYs
this video may interest some of you. the guys do a blind test of a bunch of models. and it shows just how inpressive the s2 series really is.
-
You really should've given a Chappers warning there! :wink:
It was interesting though. Obviously the details of the body shaping, hardware etc gave it away somewhat, but soundwise - given the limitations of YouTube - you can hardly tell the difference.
And in my experience the necks, at least, on the S2s don't feel any different from the "core" models. Maybe it would be noticeable with the really high-end models.
-
Like other I prefer the S2 series over the more expensive "dentist guitars". It is a small thing, but I just wish the single cut didn't have a flat top. It just looks wrong that way, it should be carved.
-
Like other I prefer the S2 series over the more expensive "dentist guitars". It is a small thing, but I just wish the single cut didn't have a flat top. It just looks wrong that way, it should be carved.
I know what you mean, but in terms of playing comfort I find the SG-influenced contouring more comfortable than an LP-style carved top. Not a sharp edge anywhere. And on the S2 Singlecut Standard (as opposed to the maple-topped S2 Singlecut), the contouring complements the scratchplate really well.
That model is really, really growing on me....! :grin:
-
Like other I prefer the S2 series over the more expensive "dentist guitars". It is a small thing, but I just wish the single cut didn't have a flat top. It just looks wrong that way, it should be carved.
I know what you mean, but in terms of playing comfort I find the SG-influenced contouring more comfortable than an LP-style carved top. Not a sharp edge anywhere. And on the S2 Singlecut Standard (as opposed to the maple-topped S2 Singlecut), the contouring complements the scratchplate really well.
That model is really, really growing on me....! :grin:
Yep, I have a dirty great bruise on my right fore-arm from recording a bunch of guitar parts with my Les Paul last Sunday... Now I remember why I used to wear big sports-bands on my wrists/fore-arms (a la Mark Knopfler) when I was playing live!! :grin:
Tele just as bad... SG shape much more comfortable, but a strat's the best. (AND you can play a strat slumped on the sofa! :cool:)
Out of that bunch, if they did the Standard 22 in the same configuration as the Single Cut (just a slight tweak to the scratch-plate for the top horn), I'd be starting to feel stirrings...
-
OK, I guess it was inevitable....
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/9703085_zpsc3wfi8zz.jpg)
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/9703075_zpsggqgzvfv.jpg)
-
OK, I guess it was inevitable....
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/9703085_zpsc3wfi8zz.jpg)
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/9703075_zpsggqgzvfv.jpg)
Oh Philly!! :grin:
Looks fab in those pics.
-
(I am right in assuming that was an admission of acquisition? :grin:)
-
That's beautiful.
I think that's the PRS model I like the best
-
(I am right in assuming that was an admission of acquisition? :grin:)
I'm afraid so. :laugh:
Thanks guys.
S2 Singlecut Standard, McCarty Tobacco Sunburst. It's quite a substantial lump - thicker body than I expected - but under 7.5lbs. Nice chunky neck - the S2s are all supposed to have the same neck profile but in my experience they've all felt subtly different.
It's just me doing my usual thing really, buying yet another variant on the LP Junior or Special, this time with humbuckers! :rolleyes:
-
Good buy Philly, looks lovely in this colour!
-
Very nice! I am very jealous!
-
OK, I guess it was inevitable....
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/9703085_zpsc3wfi8zz.jpg)
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/9703075_zpsggqgzvfv.jpg)
Blimey, that was brisk. Looks lovely by the way, and quite your cup of tea.
Regarding the whole PRS bling thing in general, they never used to appeal to me until I tried a McCarty, really liked it, then graduated to a DGT which is the best guitar I own. I don't mind the fancy maple, but I certainly didn't buy the guitar because of it. They are just beautifully crafted/engineered instruments and second hand absurdly good value.
-
Regarding the whole PRS bling thing in general, they never used to appeal to me until I tried a McCarty, really liked it, then graduated to a DGT which is the best guitar I own. I don't mind the fancy maple, but I certainly didn't buy the guitar because of it. They are just beautifully crafted/engineered instruments and second hand absurdly good value.
Yeah, the secondhand values are great if you're buying, terrible if you're selling!
I've owned quite a lot of PRS guitars now but still only two of them have had maple tops. I've been going through a phase where the "core" USA models aren't appealing to me much, but they keep coming out with S2 models I can't resist.
The DGT model has a great reputation - even, it seems, with people who turn their noses up at PRS in general - but ultimately the tremolo puts me off that one.
-
Nice one Philly- looks great.
-
Actually, it looks bluddy gorgeous, Philly.
Out of interest... how much are you going to be selling it for? :wink: :grin: :grin: :grin:
-
Out of interest... how much are you going to be selling it for? :wink: :grin: :grin: :grin:
That was unkind.
That guitar is really growing on me I must say. If I didn't already have a 90s Hamer Special I'd be sorely tempted.
-
Out of interest... how much are you going to be selling it for? :wink: :grin: :grin: :grin:
That was unkind.
Oh crumbs - I hope not! Is that how it came across? - it wasn't meant to be... (it was meant as lighted-hearted reference to a couple of posts above it) ... apologies if it came across that way
-
Out of interest... how much are you going to be selling it for? :wink: :grin: :grin: :grin:
That was unkind.
Oh crumbs - I hope not! Is that how it came across? - it wasn't meant to be... (it was meant as lighted-hearted reference to a couple of posts above it) ... apologies if it came across that way
No! I thought it was very funny. We were in danger of getting trapped in a spiral of misunderstanding each other's sarcasm that will probably end in some kind of embarrassed singularity.
-
Out of interest... how much are you going to be selling it for? :wink: :grin: :grin: :grin:
That was unkind.
Oh crumbs - I hope not! Is that how it came across? - it wasn't meant to be... (it was meant as lighted-hearted reference to a couple of posts above it) ... apologies if it came across that way
No! I thought it was very funny. We were in danger of getting trapped in a spiral of misunderstanding each other's sarcasm that will probably end in some kind of embarrassed singularity.
:grin: :grin:
That's what I originally thought... but then I went and did some actual work - and I suddenly thought "hang on! what if it really did seem unkind?!" :grin:
(So, Philly, I've checked Seconds Out - where is this fantastic deal we're waiting for?)
-
Out of interest... how much are you going to be selling it for? :wink: :grin: :grin: :grin:
That was unkind.
Oh crumbs - I hope not! Is that how it came across? - it wasn't meant to be... (it was meant as lighted-hearted reference to a couple of posts above it) ... apologies if it came across that way
No! I thought it was very funny. We were in danger of getting trapped in a spiral of misunderstanding each other's sarcasm that will probably end in some kind of embarrassed singularity.
:grin: :grin:
That's what I originally thought... but then I went and did some actual work - and I suddenly thought "hang on! what if it really did seem unkind?!" :grin:
(So, Philly, I've checked Seconds Out - where is this fantastic deal we're waiting for?)
I was going to list it today, but I'm deeply hurt by these implications that I'm some kind of fickle guitar buying-selling fly-by-night.... :sad:
The evidence so far seems to be that these PRS S2 models depreciate quicker than a brand-new family car from one of the less glamorous motor manufacturers. So it's foolish to buy new, great if you find one secondhand.
So, I hope they're keepers.... or I'll have to be resigned to (the usual) losses on sale. :undecided: But what the hell eh, I'm used to it....
-
Congrats Philly! That is incredibly beautiful
-
Thanks dvorak! This thread seems a long time ago already. :laugh:
(I've still got it, Andy)
-
:grin:
-
I somehow missed this! That PRS is very nice indeed, Philly. It's like a 70's guitar, only done right, if you know what I mean :)
-
Cheers blue! :grin:
That's exactly what I think, the '70s thing. Especially in this sunburst colour, there's a hint of the Tele Custom and Tele Deluxe, maybe a nod to the Gibson Sonex and Marauder.... but more than anything else it reminds me of those wacky Ovation solidbodies, the Breadwinner, Deacon, Preacher and Viper.
Lots of people like PRS, lots of people hate them, but hardly anyone thinks they're cool, they're just too perfect. But these slightly cheaper, slightly quirkier models.... I think they could be the first cool PRS guitars! I might be on my own there :laugh: . It's just a shame they don't have nitro finishes so they'd age in a funky manner.
-
Are you still using the #7 pickups?
I played a SC semi hollow S2 some time ago. I liked it a lot. It was hard to find a difference feelwise to a regular US model. The S2s are a win!
-
No pickup changes as yet, I'm getting ever-lazier about things like modding guitars.... the stock pickups aren't bad at all, they work OK with the coil splits.... as usual my personal preference is for a bigger contrast between the neck and bridge sounds so maybe I'll change at some point.
The initial reaction to the S2 models was quite negative, but I get the feeling people are coming round to them. Of course I don't know how well they're actually selling - and like all PRS models at the moment they don't seem to have a good secondhand value - but PRS themselves seem to be behind the S2s and they keep expanding the range (almost too fast, as usual).
-
The S2 guitars are a strange one for me. When I first heard about them I thought they'd be ideal but the more I looked into the specs and the price, the less inclined I was to buy one. Even now, it still seems like too much extra money for very little extra guitar. Part of the problem I guess is that the SE range is just so good. I've owned three SE guitars now and all three have been excellent, though I confess that one didn't really 'speak' to me in the way the other two have. Nevertheless, I recently bought a brand new SE Custom 24 in quilted purple with a Floyd and it cost me less than £600. The guitar is superb and try as I might, I just can't justify pretty much double the money for an S2. From what I can remember, the S2 is mostly SE parts and wood (not entirely of course) but made in America and I'm just not that fussed on having an American made instrument. My Gibson was made in America and cost more than my PRS but is it better? No, absolutely not and from what I can gather, my Gibson is one of the good ones! When I recently tried a Gibson SG 60s Tribute (also made in the USA) it was a similar price to my PRS but a million miles away from it in terms of quality, though I hasten to add that I've never found that to be the case with the S2 guitars I've tried. They're certainly a step up from the SE range but twice as good? I just don't see it. Now if they'd made the S2 guitars out of American components but assembled in Korea to arrive at a similar price I'd have been more inclined to pay the extra but I accept I may be in the minority. Actually, I accept I'm certainly in the minority :smiley: That said, your guitar does look beautiful Philly :cool:
-
From what I can remember, the S2 is mostly SE parts and wood (not entirely of course) but made in America
It's more a mixture of USA and SE components - the tuners, pickups and tremolo bridges are made in Korea but the hardtail bridges and (FWIW) the jack and jackplate assembly are the same as the USA models. I'm not sure about the electronics - although the knobs look like USA knobs, I suspect the pots and switches are non-US, but I haven't taken an S2 apart yet to confirm.
As for the wood, I'm not sure where it originates but it's much closer to the US models than SEs. The bodies are good-quality one-piece mahogany like the "core" models, the only cost-cutting is on the neck where they use a spliced heel and a scarf-jointed headstock.
As for pricing, I don't know - looking at it from the top down, I think the S2s are reasonably priced compared with the "core" PRS models. And comparing with other manufacturers, they're every bit as good as other guitars in the £1,000 - £1,300 range. But you're right, they're very expensive compared with SEs. Perhaps the SEs are the real bargains. :smiley:
-
From what I recall on the PRS forum a while back, the woods are sourced from the same place as the SE woods, though probably of a slightly higher quality and roughly cut in Korea but finished in America. I may be wrong in this as it's been a while but that's what I seem to remember.
Of course you're right that they are very well priced compared to the core PRS models and do stand up well to other guitars priced in the £1000-£1300 bracket but I suppose they're also guitars I wouldn't consider. The only time I've ever spent over £1000 on a guitar it was for a Japanese Jackson and while it was a beautiful guitar, it wasn't in any way substantially better than my PRS SE except for the pickups, which I still changed for Bare Knuckles so I was effectively paying for nothing. Guitars are like many other things in life, such as cars - the further you go up the range, the more you have to pay for relatively little. The vast majority of what you're paying for is actually just bottom line for the manufacturer and the core PRS range is a fine example. In the same way I'm saying the S2 range isn't worth twice the cost of an SE, it could equally be argued that the core PRS range certainly isn't worth 2-3 times the cost of an S2. Of course, if you have that sort of disposable income, I don't suppose you worry too much about it. Sadly I've never been in that position :sad: I like guitars in the £500-£1000 bracket because you seem to hit that sweet spot between cheap and cheerful at one end and very high quality but ludicrously expensive at the other. The PRS SE range is an excellent example, as is the Yamaha Pacifica range or the Jackson Pro series.
NB: If I suddenly win the lottery I reserve the right to dismiss what I've just said as complete rubbish and spend a fortune on some ridiculously expensive guitars :grin:
-
NB: If I suddenly win the lottery I reserve the right to dismiss what I've just said as complete rubbish and spend a fortune on some ridiculously expensive guitars :grin:
:grin:
-
It's that pesky law of diminishing returns. Twice the price does not mean twice as good, you can get a great guitar for £600, but the little improvements and extra cost that brings it up to £1200 don't make it twice as good. And then the better woods, more hand crafting and better electronics and hardware that bring it up to £2400 make even smaller apparent improvements in the actual guitar!
one of the best (in my opinion) Les Pauls I ever played was a £600 satin finished "faded brown" studio, it just came alive in my hands and played and sounded beautiful. The £3000 R8 I played beside it felt and sounded like a lump of dead wood in comparison. At any price, the right pieces of wood and hardware can come together to make a perfect guitar.
-
Cheers blue! :grin:
That's exactly what I think, the '70s thing. Especially in this sunburst colour, there's a hint of the Tele Custom and Tele Deluxe, maybe a nod to the Gibson Sonex and Marauder.... but more than anything else it reminds me of those wacky Ovation solidbodies, the Breadwinner, Deacon, Preacher and Viper.
Wow,i'm surprised!
When i saw your PRS pictures, it instantly reminded me of my Ovation Preacher :wink:!
I didn't keep it a very long time,though.It was a stereo model with a nice Ebony fingerboard and the exact same sunburst colour.
I got it by trade and i traded it again for a mint Gibson LP De Luxe Cherry Sunburst (early 70's).
The guy told me he needed a wider neck :grin:! What can you say... :wink:
It was my first LP ever...
-
I really like those Ovation models, I often have a look for them on eBay. :smiley:
I've never played one, I don't know if they're actually any good, but I think Ovation were really trying hard to do something modern (for the time) and unique (with some familiar elements, of course). A little bit like Ernie Ball/Music Man nowadays - they make sort-of-Strats and sort-of-Teles, but they don't copy the body shapes, they don't use the same generic parts as everyone else and they try to do something original with the electronics.
-
Love this guitar. Would love even more with a P90 in the neck.