I don't know what it is. The 25" scale, the lighter neck joint. I don't know. However, The Huber has the typical sound you find in a PRS. Thinner, more twangy, muted base notes sound more compressed spongy. Not deep and dry as with an LP. It's the nuances which always brings me back to bulky, heavy LP. I would love to find a guitar with modern playability and the exact sound attributes of an LP.
I have a great R9, which is fat and heavy in tone, a true rock monster. I also have another German hand built boutique “Real Guitars 59 Burst” model, with Brazilian board, super light and so much airier and lighter, more open in sound despite the similar construction. Go figure. Just played the latter through my new Boss RE-202 Space Echo. Amazing stuff.
Great video, had opportunity to own both guitars and other boutiques. I recently bought a murphy lab Gibson Les Paul. One in a million guitar, where all the stars aligned. Best guitar I ever played and owned. Something about it that I can not explain and if you told me, I would not believe you. Looking for that something special that click is amazing.
Hit me if you don't agree but I'd never buy anything else instead of an R9 that looks like one but costs more. 7-10 grand is already murphy lab price range. what's the point then buying a mimic instead of the real deal?
I guess it’s that kind of PRS Private Stock thinking. What I mean is the attention to detail and selection of components to make a boutique package. But like you say, with the Orca being the same blue print design at such a high price tag, it better blow you away and then some. For some it will and others not as the idea of perfection takes away from the vintage style original.
Both are amazing in their own way! To add to the bunch, might want to check out Heritage, closer to what Jimmy Page and all the greats were playing than current makes by Gibson, then you just need to deal with the Headstock scenario ;) Cheers!
Yeah totally get you on that. Amp actually left today… the room misses it and so do I! The classic reverb will be the backdrop for now but the colouring less exciting!
Great video, James and tasteful playing as always. What a difference an amp makes eh? As you say, the Matchless does accentuate the differences between the two guitars. I wonder if the Bartel is a more 'forgiving' amp than the HC30. There were times in this review that I preferred your R9 - primarily when you played with your fingers on the neck pickup - but at other times I preferred the Orca played that way. For me, the Orca came out on top every time when you used a plectrum. Its balance made the R9 sound a bit brash at times. I changed the pickups in my Les Paul due to the Gibson pickups (different ones from yours, I think) feeling a bit brittle and harsh in some situations. The replacements have a more even sound across their dynamic range, with less spikey highs, so more like the Orca's I guess. Ok, so across the Bartel and the Matchless, it's now 1-1 between the two guitars. Let's see where the Rift AL Signature takes us. This a great series of comparison vids. :-)
They both sound great. I think as others have said: each has its own use. But in this context that Orca sounds divine: the ideal of the overdriven humbucker sound. Keep up the good work!
Hey all - was going to release this series on Monday, but I got impatient! Thanks for watching 🤟🏼
Thanks James, i would say the Orca is geared more for a "modern tone" where the R9 is for the traditional tone.....both great just different tools
Yeah that’s how i see it 👍🏼
I don't know what it is. The 25" scale, the lighter neck joint. I don't know. However, The Huber has the typical sound you find in a PRS. Thinner, more twangy, muted base notes sound more compressed spongy. Not deep and dry as with an LP. It's the nuances which always brings me back to bulky, heavy LP. I would love to find a guitar with modern playability and the exact sound attributes of an LP.
I have a great R9, which is fat and heavy in tone, a true rock monster. I also have another German hand built boutique “Real Guitars 59 Burst” model, with Brazilian board, super light and so much airier and lighter, more open in sound despite the similar construction. Go figure. Just played the latter through my new Boss RE-202 Space Echo. Amazing stuff.
Great video, had opportunity to own both guitars and other boutiques. I recently bought a murphy lab Gibson Les Paul. One in a million guitar, where all the stars aligned. Best guitar I ever played and owned. Something about it that I can not explain and if you told me, I would not believe you. Looking for that something special that click is amazing.
funny.. same thing happend to me.. the orca left the building..
Hit me if you don't agree but I'd never buy anything else instead of an R9 that looks like one but costs more. 7-10 grand is already murphy lab price range. what's the point then buying a mimic instead of the real deal?
Haha! Yeah…
I guess it’s that kind of PRS Private Stock thinking. What I mean is the attention to detail and selection of components to make a boutique package. But like you say, with the Orca being the same blue print design at such a high price tag, it better blow you away and then some. For some it will and others not as the idea of perfection takes away from the vintage style original.
Yup totally agree
You’re on to something!
Both are amazing in their own way! To add to the bunch, might want to check out Heritage, closer to what Jimmy Page and all the greats were playing than current makes by Gibson, then you just need to deal with the Headstock scenario ;) Cheers!
It will be strange to soon lose the Bloomfield Drive as a backdrop. It’s such a handsome amp-
Yeah totally get you on that. Amp actually left today… the room misses it and so do I! The classic reverb will be the backdrop for now but the colouring less exciting!
Great video, James and tasteful playing as always. What a difference an amp makes eh? As you say, the Matchless does accentuate the differences between the two guitars. I wonder if the Bartel is a more 'forgiving' amp than the HC30. There were times in this review that I preferred your R9 - primarily when you played with your fingers on the neck pickup - but at other times I preferred the Orca played that way. For me, the Orca came out on top every time when you used a plectrum. Its balance made the R9 sound a bit brash at times. I changed the pickups in my Les Paul due to the Gibson pickups (different ones from yours, I think) feeling a bit brittle and harsh in some situations. The replacements have a more even sound across their dynamic range, with less spikey highs, so more like the Orca's I guess. Ok, so across the Bartel and the Matchless, it's now 1-1 between the two guitars. Let's see where the Rift AL Signature takes us. This a great series of comparison vids. :-)
Cheers Rich 😃 the competition continues!!
I prefer the R9 but both sound good. nice playing.
It's down to personal taste I suppose, but to me the R9 just does a better job of being an R9, both sound and looks. The Orca sounds a bit PRS imo.
Agree! But trying to be fair, despite the fact I would get a gibson tattoo 🤟🏼
Both great, but my points goes to R9
They both sound great. I think as others have said: each has its own use. But in this context that Orca sounds divine: the ideal of the overdriven humbucker sound. Keep up the good work!
Gibson is the winner.
Anyone willing to pay those prices for a geetar, deserves it. No thanks.