PRS, Fender, or Epiphone guitars?

depends on what you already have?

btw on a personal note...Fender all the way. but that's just because i really like Fender.

I'm a bigger fan of the Epi. Now you're back to square 1. :)

I tried out two really interesting Epi LPs recently. A little higher than the $500, but close enough to maybe save up for a couple more months. The LP Prophesy GX and the LP Ultra. I was impressed with both. The Ultra has some nanomag thing at the base of the neck with gives a decent accoustic-like tone. Kind of interesting. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Prophecy GX has some marketing-hype pickups called Gibson Dirty Fingers. I didn't place anything really hard, but these pick-ups were very much alive. Nice bark, and bright without being too bright. Even the bridge position had some more snap to the tone than I was used to. I remember being really impressed.

The PRS guitars are quite nice. I've played a few of the under $1,000 and was very pleased with the set-up and action. There was one in particular that seemed to be quite hot. It was a single-cut semi-hollow. It's not on their site, but it only went for $515. It wasn't what I was after, but would love to have it still.

you have to play them to see what you like. from a quality, fit and finish point-of-view, the best risk for mail/web ordering is a PRS/PRS-SE. but that's only part of the story. gotta know you like the guitar first.

I'm very happy with the Epiphone LP, MIM Tele, and Am Strat I own. But I want to add a PRS to the collection (McCarty Soapbars....talk about cool). Sorry if that's no help to you, but I always find that when looking for a new guitar, the best method is to take all your life savings to the guitar store and then just wait for the red mist to descend.

I'd like to know where you found the Standard Strat for $550, let me know I want one too.

I'd like to know where you found the Standard Strat for $550, let me know I want one too.
Some places are calling the MIM "Standard". There's the "Standard", which we all know as "MIM" and then the "American Standard". I liked it better when it was "MIM". $180 less. :lol:

I'd like to know where you found the Standard Strat for $550, let me know I want one too.
Some places are calling the MIM "Standard". There's the "Standard", which we all know as "MIM" and then the "American Standard". I liked it better when it was "MIM". $180 less. :lol:

Im glad I bought my MIM "Standard" late last year. A month later they jumped in price. Picked it up for $375.

Im glad I bought my MIM "Standard" late last year. A month later they jumped in price. Picked it up for $375.

I wasn't quite so close on mine, but I was on the two amps. My $600 amp is now $900 and my $300 amp is now $400. Sheeesh. :roll:

Yes, the "Standard Strat" is the MIM one and it is $550.00. Quite the jump in price. Heck, Squire Standard Strats are over $300.00 now! :shock:

Roy,

Thanks for the info. I learn something new everyday. All this talk about new guitars has me thinking. I've always wanted from day one to own two guitars, a made in the USA Strat and a Les Paul Standard.

I have an MIM Strat that I'm relatively happy with. I mean it plays well and feels good but the tone is a bit on the bright side for my taste and I know getting an American Strat isn't really going to change that.

The Les Paul is a bit more of a dilema. I mean close to $2,000 for a guitar is more than I really want to spend actually more than I can afford to spend with all the other things I could buy but buying an Epiphone knock-off for $550 or so is not making me feel much better.

I guess I'm in the camp, If you have to ask how much it costs you can't afford it, and I'm afraid if I wasted close to $600 on an Epi that I may never buy the real thing.

Oh No, not another Gibby vs Epi thread. Yikes!

Maybe you could get a used one that you could flip when the time is right to get a "real" one. I see Studios -> Standards -> Customs in the local Craigslist ranging from $300-$500. Easy to flip at those prices.

:roll: Sheesh, the answer to the OPs topic title question is obviously "YES!" :roll:

Yea Roy another good idea I never think used but that may be the way to go with LP Standard, if I could get one of those at around $1000 I might consider it, but there's something about buying used that never sat well with me. I'm just to scared to get someone else's lemon. I know check it out but...

Actually, I was thinking used Epi to get you by. :oops:

Not a bad idea, 'cept the new Gibbo Standards run $2,400 these days. Is it just me, or were they only about $1,600 a few years ago?

I've gotten three used guitars. My last one was $425 a few weeks ago. Sold two years ago for $599 and now goes for $699. Either way you look at it, I made out very well. It was set-up, clean, totally functional and even had a new set of strings on it. I did a careful inspection and found not the first defect. I'm suspecting this cat got it and pretty much left it in it's case.