Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: richard on July 11, 2015, 12:53:48 PM

Title: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: richard on July 11, 2015, 12:53:48 PM
I've been looking for a new guitar for a few months and I kept finding myself looking at and listening to this guitar on the net. This is one hell of a guitar for not too much dosh (Ģ550). Perfectly set up, flawless finish.
It plays like a dream. So far, I'm loving the pickups - they really suit this guitar. They sound great clean and can handle bags of gain as well. I was playing a new SG Standard the other day that wasn't a patch on this.

I'm knocked out by this guitar - it's one of the nicest guitars I've ever played. I got it yesterday and have  played it almost non-stop. I'm going to rehearse and gig with it this week. I still have Ģ250 left from my new toys budget so a set of BKs is very tempting as they could push it just a little closer to perfection. If I do decide to change I'm thinking of Abraxas set.....
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: schneidas on July 11, 2015, 12:56:35 PM
Congrats - I really loved mine as well. Great sound, great sustain and super playbility.

If it wasn't for the relatively thin and narrow neck (especially at the first few frets) I would have kept that guitar forever. I like big, fat and wide comfy necks and unfortunately this one was not (despite the neck being labeled as wide-fat)
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: Kiichi on July 11, 2015, 01:49:18 PM
Pics or it didnīt happen! ;)

Congrats though. Those PRS are amazing for the price.
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: 38thBeatle on July 11, 2015, 06:43:11 PM
I noticed them recently whilst browsing a dealer's website and I thought that they looked good value. I am not ion the market for another guitar but if I was, I'd certainly look closer. Congrats on your purchase.
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: Telerocker on July 12, 2015, 12:22:09 AM
Congrats Richard! The Marsden is very appealing for this price.
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: oldfoxy on July 12, 2015, 09:46:37 AM
HNGD. They are really nice guitars. I put a riff-raff bridge, mule neck combo in mine and it really opened it up sound wise.
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: Slartibartfarst42 on July 12, 2015, 09:49:05 AM
A beautiful guitar for sure and I seriously considered one but ironically, in my case I was put off by the thick neck! I guess I like them slim  :smiley:

You just can't beat a PRS SE. They're all incredible value and only really usually need a change of pickups to create a guitar that will stand up to anything 2-3 times the price.
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: richard on July 12, 2015, 05:40:13 PM
Thanks for all your kind comments. I'm going to wait a while on the pickups issue. So far the 245 set sounds and feels really good. Have a listen to Bernie and tell me if you you would replace these pups straight away.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KULAp0FnRIU
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: Telerocker on July 13, 2015, 12:43:33 AM
Thanks for all your kind comments. I'm going to wait a while on the pickups issue. So far the 245 set sounds and feels really good. Have a listen to Bernie and tell me if you you would replace these pups straight away.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KULAp0FnRIU

I think they are not bad at all. Just play it a few months to find out if these are your cup of tea.
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: oldfoxy on July 13, 2015, 06:25:43 PM
I'd had mine over 12 months before the urge to swap pups arrived. 
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: richard on July 13, 2015, 11:46:11 PM
I'd had mine over 12 months before the urge to swap pups arrived.

Tell me more - what did you swap them for ?
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: gordiji on July 14, 2015, 12:31:55 PM
Congrats. I put abraxas in my cu22 after forum & BK advice. If your after that old woody 50's lp tone that Bernie is fond of, abraxas will get you there. Warm beefy set with no nasty edges, i love mine .
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: Telerocker on July 15, 2015, 12:07:55 AM
If it was my guitar, I would swap them for open sounding, dynamic and balanced Mules. Awesome PAF 59-replica's.
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: richard on July 16, 2015, 04:48:59 PM
Well I've ordered an Abraxas set and now have that pleasant tingle of anticipation.

I phoned BK and spoke to Ben just to confirm I was on the right track. What a great guy !! Could not have been more helpful. I think he would have talked pickups all day. It's really great to see that although BK have grown a great deal since I first dealt with them (about 8 years go ?) their customer service is still second to none.

Also, big thanks to everyone that chimed in with advice and suggestions. This is a terrific forum.

Cheers, Richie.
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: Telerocker on July 17, 2015, 12:07:20 AM
Well I've ordered an Abraxas set and now have that pleasant tingle of anticipation.

I phoned BK and spoke to Ben just to confirm I was on the right track. What a great guy !! Could not have been more helpful. I think he would have talked pickups all day. It's really great to see that although BK have grown a great deal since I first dealt with them (about 8 years go ?) their customer service is still second to none.

Also, big thanks to everyone that chimed in with advice and suggestions. This is a terrific forum.

Cheers, Richie.

Good choice. Anyway Mules, Abraxas, Crawler usually do very well in PRS's. Actually you can't go wrong with the Abraxas in this type of guitar.
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: Brow on July 17, 2015, 01:25:23 PM
Damn, wish idve seen this before as ive been trying to sell my Abraxas set for ages and couldve saved you some cash
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: richard on July 17, 2015, 04:07:56 PM
Craig, I thought they were one of your fave sets ?
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: Brow on July 17, 2015, 05:51:39 PM
Craig, I thought they were one of your fave sets ?

I had them in my PRS for ages and never bonded with it. Not sure if more the fault of the guitar or the pickups though!
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: oldfoxy on July 23, 2015, 12:43:23 PM
I'd had mine over 12 months before the urge to swap pups arrived.

Tell me more - what did you swap them for ?
Riff-Raff Bridge and Mule Neck with Nickel covers
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: richard on July 23, 2015, 11:10:00 PM
 Are you happy with that set ? How is it sounding ?
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: oldfoxy on July 24, 2015, 05:19:05 PM
Are you happy with that set ? How is it sounding ?
Love it. The RR adds a little more bite in the bridge position  and the mule does its thing in the neck, plenty of cream. From your other post it sounds like you are happy with the abraxas set. I was impressed with that combo having seen boss man Tim play his Case At the Brum guitar show last year
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: Chris Rowberry on August 17, 2015, 10:22:31 AM
Funny enough, here's my PRS Bernie Marsden. I went for a set of Ceramic Black Hawks!
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: richard on August 22, 2015, 06:15:32 PM
Hi Chris, how do the Blackhawks sound ? They look kind of menacing.
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: keith on September 10, 2015, 10:39:33 PM
My Bernie. Since taking this I've swapped out the pickups for a set of Mules and changed the tuners to Tonepros locking tuners.The guitar is exactly the same looking with the mods. The tuners are a little taller but they are excellent. Got it when they first came out and was lucky enough to get one with a really strong veneer.

(http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k402/keith-h-08/DSC00332.jpg) (http://s326.photobucket.com/user/keith-h-08/media/DSC00332.jpg.html)
(http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k402/keith-h-08/DSC00330.jpg) (http://s326.photobucket.com/user/keith-h-08/media/DSC00330.jpg.html)
(http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k402/keith-h-08/DSC00329.jpg) (http://s326.photobucket.com/user/keith-h-08/media/DSC00329.jpg.html)
Title: Re: NGD PRS Bernie Marsden
Post by: Chris Rowberry on September 11, 2015, 01:44:16 PM
Hi Chris, how do the Blackhawks sound ? They look kind of menacing.

Brilliant to be honest. I use this more for hair metal orientated playing which it excels in doing. Played clean you get a really nice chunky tone without compromising clarity or top end brightness which is mainly down to having it with Ceramic magnets.