Just developing that thought, at PRS type prices one of my favorite makers on the planet is Jol Dantzig at Hamer. I think his taste is spot on - he does some similar things to Paul Reed Smith with wood but but kinda keeps it less OTT. That Hamer website is full of so many guitars that make my mouth water. This, for example:
http://www.hamerguitars.com/?fa=detail&mid=377

And for one take on the Fender+Gibson thing, howsabout:
http://www.hamerguitars.com/?fa=talla

Yummie!

I believe I'm right in saying Hamer thought of the electric/acoustic hybrid thing before anyone else too. Here:
http://www.hamerguitars.com/?fa=series&sid=181

Also. There's a fabulous small maker in my country that goes another route to the Fender/Gibson idea: Martyn Booth. Check out some of these babes (especially the Signature series):
http://www.martynboothguitars.co.uk/gallery/

Oh mammy...!

Cheers - C

Was in a GC a couple years ago comparing Strats when the sales rep asked 'What do you want a Strat for?" and handed me a PRS. I'd always been partial to Les Pauls and never owned a Strat.

Look wasn't for me, little over the top but it was of obvious high quality. Played like a dream, neck was so sweet, coil splitter was extreemely effective. Played it for several minutes before I looked at the tag.

$3200.

That actually really tweeked me. Not so much the cost of the guitar itself but him handing it to me when I was comparing American Standard and Deluxe Strats that at the time were selling for I think 9 and 12 hundred.

I left within minutes. He may have cost himself a sale, I was about halfway to the decision at that point.

I didn't grow up listening to and loving PRS, but Gibsons, Fenders and Gretschs.

Within a month or so I found a sweet '07 American Deluxe at a shop in KC that was struggling to stay in business, It had been returned after 2-3 days. Flawless w/lovely tone. Gave $850 for it. I think this guitar rivals that PRS in quality. The neck feels as if it was carved by Angels. Whole guitar is really superb.

I've never laid my hands on a Custom Shop Fender, but I can't imagine the QC of fit and finish being any better than this. Very thrilled with my Strat, but admit even after owning her for a year and a half, I still struggle playing it. Grew up on Gibsons, have 3, 3 Gretschs and have recently picked up a gorgeous American Del Tele (never cared for Tele's and now this guitar is tied w/my 335 regarding fondness and most playing time.

But I will say, as has been said above, if I had to choose and live with only one guitar and wanted to cover both Gibson and Fender tones in a high quality instrument, I'd have to give a higher end PRS serious consideration.

Fortunately that's not the case, and I don't forsee me ever buying one.

@Ceri: the UK has so many incredible small makers, I can think of Mike Vanden from Scotland, for instance.
Martyn Booth delivers some incredible value for money (actually, I think he could charge way more and it would still be fair).
Here's a guy from Finland, Juha Ruokangas (how's arctic birch and moose shinbone for exotic materials?) - http://www.ruokangas.com/?page_id=7
I can totally agree about Jol Dantzig, the Custom Shop is amazing. Hamer USA is very cool; unfortunately, his overseas "mass" production sucks pretty badly, in my experience.

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La vie est belle, le monde est pourri, make the most of it!

Hi Purple: Ruokangas is a new one to me, thank you for that! Some nice timber to be seen on that website...

Must admit, I haven't looked closely at Hamer's Far East budget line so I can't comment on that. Their top end stuff is flippin' fantastic though!

Also, Jol Dantzig's blog on the Hamer website is one of the best resources for anyone who's into self-building. It's just crammed full of neat ideas and good photos. Well worth looking at, for anyone who doesn't already know about it...

Cheers man - C

i think i would rather have a prs to be honest, or a fender john5 tele with bigsby

I have to give PRS all the credit in the world from being a guy who went show to show trying to sell a guitar to where he is today, besides the fact he seems to be a hell of a nice guy and very well liked. I think they are beautiful guitars of the highest caliber and even his Asian guitars are probably the best made guitar coming out of the east. I just dont find that they are for me feel wise, but I cant knock them.

my son and grandson both have PRS custom 22's and they are both great guitars but i prefer my Strat

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2011 PRS 25th SAS
2008 Eric Clapton Custom Antigua Strat
2012 PRS Artist Package Studio Special Order

My first point isn't worth buying a whole guitar over but I do prefer the taper on the PRS pots to Gibson or to anything else I've tried for that matter. They respond in a way that is the smoothest and most linear to my ears. (not mathematically linear)

I also like the feel of the necks. Like has been already said the necks feel like the best of both the Gibson and Fender worlds. I also like the versatitly in terms of tonal possibilities. The 5 way rotary switch is cumbersome because you can't visually determine where you left it between songs but it does provide a wide range of possible sounds. Where I came away feeling a little disappointed was in the dynamics of the guitar's tone(s). I wasn't able to get the same width of range from scream to whisper with just my hands that I am used to getting with Fenders. I am referring to attack. The quiets weren't as quiet as I would have liked and very strong attack didn't produce as much spank as I am used to. I do like the shape of them and they offer good access to the upper registers although I did find I had to retrain my mind for visual reference as to where I was on the board but that is true of any new body shape.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

I don't know what it is with PRS. I mean on paper they seem to offer a lot of what i want. But somehow I just don't seem to like em in reality.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

PRSs are beautifully crafted guitars, imho. I've had the chance to check out a few and the level of work that goes into them is very impressive. Gibsons also can be beautifully crafted. It's sort of the deal with the whole set neck, polished wood look: eye candy. When I play either the PRS or the Les Paul, though, they are nothing special to my ears. The only guitar that gives me the liquid glass tone with the gain up, or the sparkling cleans, with the great variety of tones depending on how I play it, with plenty of sensitivity to vibrato and a nice cheater if I need it - my Strat. I paid about $500 for my wine transparent Highway One with a hard case, and tossed in a set of Custom Shop Texas Special pickups for another couple of hundred. I audition more expensive guitars all the time - and nothing's more expensive than a PRS. The art of making a beautiful guitar is there in spades, but the tone is not a step up. To my ears, Strats just sound better.

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"Now, bring me that horizon."
-Capt. Jack Sparrow

I wonder how much of your preference (or even mine) is due to the single coils. Food for thought.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

PRS 513 Guitar….can run pickups in single coil or Humbuckes.. able to cover from strat to les paul and all points in between with one guitar……..Steep price tag though but only really around that of a Les Paul..
This may be the gigging mans weapon I been looking for

http://www.guitarworld.com/article/paul ... ric_guitar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvowH6KQrlY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_dfZc-rQ3s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWL7TglfaAM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja88ZfUj ... re=related

Cheers
Bill

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(80’s Hair Metal) = A snapshot in time before Grunge ruined Rock & Roll forever!!!!

The coolest guitars PRS has made, in my opinion, are the SE Ones. They're cheap (425CAD), made in Korea, and absolutely awesome. I played one for an hour the other day and had to fight hard not to walk out of the store with it.

Too nice for me. I am a gutterpunk, I need something raw, something I can bang around and ding and give a serious beating night in and out.

They offer me nothing that can compare to my CIJ Jag, Jag Special or 96 MIM strat.

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