Love this video, thank you! I was thinking about getting this guitar, but for various reasons decided to get a Gibson LP instead, the guitar I've always dreamt about. Since I don't have many guitar shops nearby to try PRS and Gibson, videos like this are extremely helpful
A great video! Tbh I’ve had this issue with every PRS I’ve ever had or played in a studio (with one notable exception of one song the CE24 was perfect for) - the producer has always asked me to do it on another guitar and we’ve ended up liking that sound more. PRS make amazing guitars that have the highest quality in so many areas but in terms of sound.. they aren’t bad but if there’s loads of guitars around in a mix it’s nearly always another guitar that’s first choice or more inspiring to me in that moment. I do love PRS but kinda hope they make some guitars with other pickup makers at some point so that can change maybe.
We have such similar experiences Ian, sorry for being so late with this one. I just got your e-mail btw, I'll provide more details there but it's looking like the first week of January will be a great spot.
@@AudiomoMusic no worries at all! I’ll check the email but that sounds great to me (and I imagined it would be around then as this time of year is always busy and great for family time too !)
Considering now these are 2 thousand dollar guitars, I find it absurd they come with SE korean electronics. Top notch guitar outside of that but man, they really lack in that department.
PRS is such an interesting brand. I love them, love my CE24. Only thing I would change is the neck can be a bit thicker. But it’s my Swiss Army knife guitar. I had a Swamp Ash Special that I really loved and sold it over ten years ago. Picked two up before the world came to a halt and they just didn’t have what I remembered. Ended up selling them. PRS is a brand I keep coming back to. That pink s2 looks great. Cool video!
Most PRS i've played have just been... sterile. They are amazing works of craftsmanship, art, playability... but they don't ever leave me floored by how they are as guitars compared to some other brands.
S2's have definately gone up my Custom 24 was around 1000 bucks 5 years ago. I love the old SE models aswell I have an original 2008 singlecut which feels amazing.
The singlecuts are where it's at my friend. You can still get those for a very reasonable price, especially if you are cool with the satin finish I see them for 700-800 all day.
100% agree with you. I love how my S2 plays and sounds acoustically, but the pickups are very lack luster. They have an overpowering amount of bass and only sound good clean to me. I went with a Duncan Seth Lover for the bridge but kept the stock neck pickup. Glad I was able to get one used, otherwise it might have not been worth the upgrade and the hard case.
You made a great choice with the SL, it's such a beauty of a pickup and matches this guitar great. They are really great guitars that just lack the electronics, but thankfully that is fairly easy to sort out
I recently sold my S2 Singlecut Semi-Hollow. Some things had to go, but that may have been a mistake. Luckily I have a Core 594 which I love, but there was something about that guitar. I bought a Zach Myers SE to fill the void of a semi-hollow PRS. It's really good, but the jury is still out on how I feel about it in comparison as I'm not done modding.
You know what's funny, I'm catching up on these comments and one of the shops I regular in Japan just listed one of those S2s in an iguana burst finish and it made me realize how uncommon it is for me to see them at all. I feel like if I didn't have the 339 I would have seriously found a way to get my hands on one, they sell for pennies compared to the regular S2 singlecuts for one reason or another.
The 10th anniversary McCarty 594s have piqued my interest, but as you pointed out, you're basically in Gibson territory at that price. Will the PRS be a better built guitar than the Gibson? Probably. Will it scratch the itch? Not a chance. Will I ever stop talking to myself? Perhaps. And the Gibson will come with a case...
I can make this comment here because this video is 10 months old, I just got a used S2 CU24 with Core 59/09s and a Mannmade Bridge - significantly better to me because of the bridge especially than the Anniversaries. Guitar is light, guitar stays in tune great. Guitar doesn't do a damn thing for me. I don't know what it is man. Maybe we're just old but I also have several guitars that cost less than half new via comparison that I like far better. The price especially just seals the deal for me as man I screwed up.
Thanks for the recommendation to look at the Vela. It looks pretty cool, but I'm still stuck on an AmPro II tele or the PRS S2 McCarty Singlecut! Either will be my ONLY electric. After watching this video I think I'll go AmPro II.
@@AudiomoMusic I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I'm looking at getting an American Pro II, unless you would suggest my looking at another model? Thanks again.
Very interesting video. I could see by your facial expression it pained you to have to give the bad news about an instrument you clearly wanted to love. I own two PRS S2 594's , a single and a double cut as well as an S2 35th Anniversary Custom 24. I love all three! I've played out with all three and found they shined in every situation. I have not tried to record with them yet however. I was surprised that you found lack of sustain! My 9.1 pound McCarty Singlecut rings out so long it's nearly laughable the other two are not far behind. So I'm curious as to why this was the case while recording? One thing we both agree on is the superior build quality of these instruments. Second to none in the indstry. I'm sorry you had to part with yours and even more sorry I wasn't around to scoop it up! Beautiful instrument. As for me, I'm keeping mine!
It was really, really hard because you nailed it, I wanted to love this guitar. The problem was in the context of the other instruments in the studio it genuinely was a sore thumb compared to all the other guitar tracks we had... it had a very distinct dullness to it that I hadn't noticed until I really put it under that kind of microscope. I still love PRS guitars, and I won't ever say a bad thing about them I just haven't found the one yet that makes me say, "I could never sell this guitar" like I have with some guitars from other brands. If you're happy, never sell! you don't have to worry abotu the thing going out of tune anytime soon either 🤣
Great vid as always. I really been thinking of a core 594 used or a dgt. But was just at the Gibson garage and looking at SG s and Les pauls. Would any Prs get a gibson Sg sound or is it just totally it’s own thing. Would the dgt or 594 come close to a Les Paul?
IMHO no, it wouldn't. If you really wanted a PRS that is going to be closest to a les paul check out a SC58, that's as close as Paul is ever going to get.
I had a similar experience with a s2 single cut and ended up selling it. However I have a s2 vela that I replaced the pickups and it’s irreplaceable now. I can’t find another guitar that does what it does and feels as well. I also replaced the pickups in an s2 mccarty thinline and I love it as well. I totally see your point about the Les Paul vibe you wanted. PRs just doesn’t quite get there.
The Vela is the one S2 guitar I still have on my radar.. I've played a few and they are like the perfect mix of a telecaster and a les paul. They are by far the most unique and creative of all the PRS guitars from that line... It's unfortunate they don't see the point in making a core version, i'd love to see what a topped out Vela would play and sound like.
@@AudiomoMusic a core version might be good assuming the pickups are decent but those are always hit or miss, even with the core instruments. I’ve got a fralin lower wind mini hum bucker in the neck and a big single on the bridge and it sounds so good. I’d recommend that configuration to anyone
Yeah i pretty much assume the pickups would be par for the course, its the neck carve that interests me. The specs vary greatly depending on the level they produce their guitars at
Price and brand don't guarantee a great sound from any guitar. Sometimes the wrong pickups can put you off a guitar that is almost perfect in all other respects. I love Ibanez guitars, but some of the pickups make me cringe, at least you can change them to ones that give you the sound that you crave for. The perfect guitar has yet to be made.
@@AudiomoMusic Good for you, i will keep searching for mine, there is always something on a guitar that if you designed it. would there. My problem is that i am a perfectionist.
I am a weirdo with PRS guitars, I love their neck, it fits great, I love the curvature of the body. But however, I do not like the PRS pickups. Upon recording with it I realized it tends to be rather dark sounding and there isn’t great sustain. I plugged in my Chibson on one of the songs I was recording and i was surprised at how much better it sounded on a blues tune and there was the sustain I wanted etc. so I am the same as you with the pickups
This is something we always talk about and I feel we are in agreement as a whole whenever we talk about PRS guitars. The pickups just don't have it. Factor that in with how annoying it is to match a set to fit correctly and it becomes a hassle I don't want to deal with most of the time.
This cat is full of it,Im no prs lover Ive only played 2 or 3 they are an o k guitar,Like most U S made guitars they are not worth the money .Try some more Imports,They are making them as good if not better than U S factories ,Try a Sire .If you need a good pickuup ,Its simple ,Put in Wilkenson M series alnico 5 overwound.The rest is mixing your amp and your playing ability!
Tried a sire, had some of the worst fretwork out of the box for a new guitar ive ever played. Worse than Fender Mexico which was pretty impressive. I play mainly Japanese brands these days, thats where the real value is used.
Love this video, thank you! I was thinking about getting this guitar, but for various reasons decided to get a Gibson LP instead, the guitar I've always dreamt about. Since I don't have many guitar shops nearby to try PRS and Gibson, videos like this are extremely helpful
A great video! Tbh I’ve had this issue with every PRS I’ve ever had or played in a studio (with one notable exception of one song the CE24 was perfect for) - the producer has always asked me to do it on another guitar and we’ve ended up liking that sound more. PRS make amazing guitars that have the highest quality in so many areas but in terms of sound.. they aren’t bad but if there’s loads of guitars around in a mix it’s nearly always another guitar that’s first choice or more inspiring to me in that moment. I do love PRS but kinda hope they make some guitars with other pickup makers at some point so that can change maybe.
We have such similar experiences Ian, sorry for being so late with this one. I just got your e-mail btw, I'll provide more details there but it's looking like the first week of January will be a great spot.
@@AudiomoMusic no worries at all! I’ll check the email but that sounds great to me (and I imagined it would be around then as this time of year is always busy and great for family time too !)
I completely agree with you about those s2 pickups when recording, sold mine for this reason
Considering now these are 2 thousand dollar guitars, I find it absurd they come with SE korean electronics. Top notch guitar outside of that but man, they really lack in that department.
PRS is such an interesting brand. I love them, love my CE24. Only thing I would change is the neck can be a bit thicker. But it’s my Swiss Army knife guitar. I had a Swamp Ash Special that I really loved and sold it over ten years ago. Picked two up before the world came to a halt and they just didn’t have what I remembered. Ended up selling them. PRS is a brand I keep coming back to. That pink s2 looks great. Cool video!
Most PRS i've played have just been... sterile. They are amazing works of craftsmanship, art, playability... but they don't ever leave me floored by how they are as guitars compared to some other brands.
S2's have definately gone up my Custom 24 was around 1000 bucks 5 years ago. I love the old SE models aswell I have an original 2008 singlecut which feels amazing.
The singlecuts are where it's at my friend. You can still get those for a very reasonable price, especially if you are cool with the satin finish I see them for 700-800 all day.
100% agree with you. I love how my S2 plays and sounds acoustically, but the pickups are very lack luster. They have an overpowering amount of bass and only sound good clean to me. I went with a Duncan Seth Lover for the bridge but kept the stock neck pickup. Glad I was able to get one used, otherwise it might have not been worth the upgrade and the hard case.
You made a great choice with the SL, it's such a beauty of a pickup and matches this guitar great. They are really great guitars that just lack the electronics, but thankfully that is fairly easy to sort out
I recently sold my S2 Singlecut Semi-Hollow. Some things had to go, but that may have been a mistake. Luckily I have a Core 594 which I love, but there was something about that guitar. I bought a Zach Myers SE to fill the void of a semi-hollow PRS. It's really good, but the jury is still out on how I feel about it in comparison as I'm not done modding.
You know what's funny, I'm catching up on these comments and one of the shops I regular in Japan just listed one of those S2s in an iguana burst finish and it made me realize how uncommon it is for me to see them at all. I feel like if I didn't have the 339 I would have seriously found a way to get my hands on one, they sell for pennies compared to the regular S2 singlecuts for one reason or another.
The 10th anniversary McCarty 594s have piqued my interest, but as you pointed out, you're basically in Gibson territory at that price. Will the PRS be a better built guitar than the Gibson? Probably. Will it scratch the itch? Not a chance. Will I ever stop talking to myself? Perhaps.
And the Gibson will come with a case...
I can make this comment here because this video is 10 months old, I just got a used S2 CU24 with Core 59/09s and a Mannmade Bridge - significantly better to me because of the bridge especially than the Anniversaries. Guitar is light, guitar stays in tune great. Guitar doesn't do a damn thing for me. I don't know what it is man. Maybe we're just old but I also have several guitars that cost less than half new via comparison that I like far better. The price especially just seals the deal for me as man I screwed up.
Thanks for the recommendation to look at the Vela. It looks pretty cool, but I'm still stuck on an AmPro II tele or the PRS S2 McCarty Singlecut! Either will be my ONLY electric. After watching this video I think I'll go AmPro II.
Id go with the Tele personally, youll never feel the need to upgrade and really a good tele is all us guitarists ever need.
@@AudiomoMusic I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I'm looking at getting an American Pro II, unless you would suggest my looking at another model? Thanks again.
Very interesting video. I could see by your facial expression it pained you to have to give the bad news about an instrument you clearly wanted to love. I own two PRS S2 594's , a single and a double cut as well as an S2 35th Anniversary Custom 24. I love all three! I've played out with all three and found they shined in every situation. I have not tried to record with them yet however. I was surprised that you found lack of sustain! My 9.1 pound McCarty Singlecut rings out so long it's nearly laughable the other two are not far behind. So I'm curious as to why this was the case while recording? One thing we both agree on is the superior build quality of these instruments. Second to none in the indstry. I'm sorry you had to part with yours and even more sorry I wasn't around to scoop it up! Beautiful instrument. As for me, I'm keeping mine!
It was really, really hard because you nailed it, I wanted to love this guitar. The problem was in the context of the other instruments in the studio it genuinely was a sore thumb compared to all the other guitar tracks we had... it had a very distinct dullness to it that I hadn't noticed until I really put it under that kind of microscope. I still love PRS guitars, and I won't ever say a bad thing about them I just haven't found the one yet that makes me say, "I could never sell this guitar" like I have with some guitars from other brands. If you're happy, never sell! you don't have to worry abotu the thing going out of tune anytime soon either 🤣
Great vid as always. I really been thinking of a core 594 used or a dgt. But was just at the Gibson garage and looking at SG s and Les pauls. Would any Prs get a gibson Sg sound or is it just totally it’s own thing. Would the dgt or 594 come close to a Les Paul?
IMHO no, it wouldn't. If you really wanted a PRS that is going to be closest to a les paul check out a SC58, that's as close as Paul is ever going to get.
If you want an SG sound I heard the Mira and the mcarty thinline are as close as your gonna get
I had a similar experience with a s2 single cut and ended up selling it. However I have a s2 vela that I replaced the pickups and it’s irreplaceable now. I can’t find another guitar that does what it does and feels as well. I also replaced the pickups in an s2 mccarty thinline and I love it as well. I totally see your point about the Les Paul vibe you wanted. PRs just doesn’t quite get there.
The Vela is the one S2 guitar I still have on my radar.. I've played a few and they are like the perfect mix of a telecaster and a les paul. They are by far the most unique and creative of all the PRS guitars from that line... It's unfortunate they don't see the point in making a core version, i'd love to see what a topped out Vela would play and sound like.
@@AudiomoMusic a core version might be good assuming the pickups are decent but those are always hit or miss, even with the core instruments. I’ve got a fralin lower wind mini hum bucker in the neck and a big single on the bridge and it sounds so good. I’d recommend that configuration to anyone
Yeah i pretty much assume the pickups would be par for the course, its the neck carve that interests me. The specs vary greatly depending on the level they produce their guitars at
GAS-X will help with the GAS malady. Just say'n...
Price and brand don't guarantee a great sound from any guitar.
Sometimes the wrong pickups can put you off a guitar that is almost perfect
in all other respects.
I love Ibanez guitars, but some of the pickups make me cringe, at least you can
change them to ones that give you the sound that you crave for.
The perfect guitar has yet to be made.
Allan I've told you this, the perfect guitar is my Jaguar, you just need to find yours 🤣
@@AudiomoMusic Good for you, i will keep searching for mine, there is always something on a guitar that if you designed it. would there.
My problem is that i am a perfectionist.
I am a weirdo with PRS guitars, I love their neck, it fits great, I love the curvature of the body. But however, I do not like the PRS pickups. Upon recording with it I realized it tends to be rather dark sounding and there isn’t great sustain. I plugged in my Chibson on one of the songs I was recording and i was surprised at how much better it sounded on a blues tune and there was the sustain I wanted etc. so I am the same as you with the pickups
This is something we always talk about and I feel we are in agreement as a whole whenever we talk about PRS guitars. The pickups just don't have it. Factor that in with how annoying it is to match a set to fit correctly and it becomes a hassle I don't want to deal with most of the time.
This cat is full of it,Im no prs lover Ive only played 2 or 3 they are an o k guitar,Like most U S made guitars they are not worth the money .Try some more Imports,They are making them as good if not better than U S factories ,Try a Sire .If you need a good pickuup ,Its simple ,Put in Wilkenson M series alnico 5 overwound.The rest is mixing your amp and your playing ability!
Tried a sire, had some of the worst fretwork out of the box for a new guitar ive ever played. Worse than Fender Mexico which was pretty impressive. I play mainly Japanese brands these days, thats where the real value is used.