I picked up one of these SAS a few months back! Maple neck w. 3 narrowfields version. It's close to my perfect guitar to be honest. It sounds like what I was trying to get my strat to sound like! A thicker-but-not-quite-P90 sound. And it plays beautifully!! If i'd had the money I'd buy more of them 😂
On my guitar channel I have an entire playlist devoted to my Swamp Ash Special (it is an employee guitar, but I'm not going there). My SAS is a 2003/2004 model featuring McCarty humbuckers at neck and bridge (the bridge splits), with a seymour duncan "rails" pickup in the middle position. My SAS playlist is split (50/50) between clean tones and electric tones. The clean tones section is almost acoustic, yet -- irrespective of clean tones versus electric tones -- the SAS is very versatile at getting a a wide variety of tones even to the likes of Jimi's fire breathing (full on bridge humbucker) or David's "Floyd" strat tones. The SAS Neck McCarty has a Les Paul thing. As for the triple narrow field, I don't think, as you mention, you can get near a Les Paul thing, but the older McCarty equipped SAS can go there (but only on the neck PUP, as the bridge McCarty is more to a CU24 sound).
I love all three of my prs guitars - I would like to see what you think of the silver sky - I was lucky too pick up the luna ice model, and I completely love it.
I'm so excited to see a video about the SAS! That one's a beauty! I have one of the early ones, bought new in 2007 before PRS developed those narrow-field pickups. It has humbuckers at the neck and bridge, a rail pickup in the middle, and a maple fretboard. Tone pot pulls out for coil tap, but when I tap the neck humbucker, it doesn't sound nearly as Strat-ey as, say, a PRS 513, and it buzzes terribly if I use an OD pedal. But my main complaint is just what you pointed out, that the trem bar is in the way of the pickup selector! It's a real pain to switch pickups on the fly while soloing. The pickup switch on a Fender Strat is positioned more forward on the guitar, so it's in front of the trem bar when the bar hangs straight down. Jimmy Herring (brilliant American guitarist) has a custom PRS which has the pickup switch (and volume knob) in the "right" position, forward of the trem bar. Good video, enjoy that guitar!
@@dampwookie Really? I didn’t know they were making them then (but at that time I wasn’t really aware of PRS guitars in general). Does yours also have two humbuckers and a rail pickup in the middle?
Just rewired my 2002 SAS from the 3 position switch to a Free Way 3x3-07. Now I have a 6 position switch and wired the neck humbucker to also split on the tone pot which gives 11 total different pup combination tones- including the bridge and neck split like a Tele sound. And I can get the middle SD Vintage Rails by itself. Much more versatile!
I have a 2000 SAS bought new and I still play it most of the time. I changed the pick ups for hotter ones from Fralin. I still have the brilliant McCarty pick ups that it came with. Nothing wrong with them at all. I love those. Just wanted to try something different. Such a beautiful guitar. They don’t make them anymore because swamy ash is not available anymore. Very scarce. They have them in private stock for that reason. This would cost you close to 10k if you are after their private stock version.
Sweet score. Congrats. 😊 How heavy is it? My main axe is an, fairly light, ash bolt on. Love it to bits. Not bright, not dark not wooly but a snappy defined thing that resonates and sustains like crazy. Enjoy your NGD 👍
Fender stopped using Swamp ash couple of years ago because it is nowadays very hard to get in proper quantities and quality's I reckon it is same with PRS
I have 3 SAS guitars. 1 with 3 narrowfields & flame maple neck/fb 2 with McCarty hb's and Duncan rail. 1 rosewood fb 1 maple fb. All excellent but like the narrowfields best.
I do love the PRS Swamp Ash Special, in all of its variants. Seems to be the best of all worlds, especially as someone who heavily favours a Tele. Nice purchase. Question: what Eggle guitar do you own? Gigged a 94 New York Pro for years. They were all lovely designs, imho.
James I wish I knew you were looking for one of these I would have given you one for a 3 figure sum. I had the 25th anniversary addition with a maple board. To be honest I was not impressed with the strat sound of them in position 2&4. I found it to sound more of a honk opposed to the typical quack of a good strat. I think the narrow fields were more Leaning towards P90 but overstepped the mark and missed the magic sweet spot of a P90. The greatest disappointment for me is when the pick ups are driven I find the lower mids lack clarity and definition and a bit flabby. When played clean this attribute is gone. But again this is typical in P90s .Hence why mine ended up as a case queen and only shifted it on a couple of weeks ago. I hope you Enjoy it James
a swamp ash guitar with mini humbuckers? I was just pipe-dreaming about such a thing and there it is! but holy crap 4 - 6 grand for a solid body electric?....
Pretty close. Besides body wood, the NF3 has a slightly longer scale and doesn't have the typical PRS carved top. I have an NF3 as well....killer guitar, easily one of my faves!
I got s/hand sas 96 so full humbuckers but I change they out for seymour phase cats like that an my if you roll volume you get start sound bit . I have plat newer sas there one in shop again It done it Cycle up for sale it inflation cut in now Mortgages so I saw it for sell . Think about @ 3999 k still hight for bolt on . Pickup are amzing neck feel an all too . . Have 5 prs core the spacial. hollow body 2 the paul . mccarty sas 96? An two se jm Santana gold s/ cut do need this Yes yes . No joking my jm an paul an sas can cover lot ground .and old sas can try different Pickup in future . This one for sell will come around again if a International buy or somebody buy it from Sydney or Melbourne . Have say it amzing guitar the Eagle5 of prs better but price over top could buy car with that price 😉
Oh man I want a PRS so so bad... The DGT is my dream guitar!
I picked up one of these SAS a few months back! Maple neck w. 3 narrowfields version. It's close to my perfect guitar to be honest. It sounds like what I was trying to get my strat to sound like! A thicker-but-not-quite-P90 sound. And it plays beautifully!!
If i'd had the money I'd buy more of them 😂
On my guitar channel I have an entire playlist devoted to my Swamp Ash Special (it is an employee guitar, but I'm not going there). My SAS is a 2003/2004 model featuring McCarty humbuckers at neck and bridge (the bridge splits), with a seymour duncan "rails" pickup in the middle position.
My SAS playlist is split (50/50) between clean tones and electric tones. The clean tones section is almost acoustic, yet -- irrespective of clean tones versus electric tones -- the SAS is very versatile at getting a a wide variety of tones even to the likes of Jimi's fire breathing (full on bridge humbucker) or David's "Floyd" strat tones. The SAS Neck McCarty has a Les Paul thing.
As for the triple narrow field, I don't think, as you mention, you can get near a Les Paul thing, but the older McCarty equipped SAS can go there (but only on the neck PUP, as the bridge McCarty is more to a CU24 sound).
Those narrowfield pickups are awesome
I absolutely love the look AND the sound of a swamp ash body!
I have two of these and they are really amazing guitars.
I found that same thing with the trem arm on my SAS, on a 24 fret model there is more gap for the volume control...
I’ve got a swamp ash special and a modern eagle iii. The narrow field humbuckers are great pickups. Surprised that they’re not more popular.
Glad you are enjoying it as I sold it to you. I do miss it but little and might but it back one day
Now that’s funny!
I love all three of my prs guitars - I would like to see what you think of the silver sky - I was lucky too pick up the luna ice model, and I completely love it.
Thank you for playing shine on you crazy diamond
I'm so excited to see a video about the SAS! That one's a beauty! I have one of the early ones, bought new in 2007 before PRS developed those narrow-field pickups. It has humbuckers at the neck and bridge, a rail pickup in the middle, and a maple fretboard. Tone pot pulls out for coil tap, but when I tap the neck humbucker, it doesn't sound nearly as Strat-ey as, say, a PRS 513, and it buzzes terribly if I use an OD pedal. But my main complaint is just what you pointed out, that the trem bar is in the way of the pickup selector! It's a real pain to switch pickups on the fly while soloing. The pickup switch on a Fender Strat is positioned more forward on the guitar, so it's in front of the trem bar when the bar hangs straight down. Jimmy Herring (brilliant American guitarist) has a custom PRS which has the pickup switch (and volume knob) in the "right" position, forward of the trem bar. Good video, enjoy that guitar!
2007 isn't an early one. Mine is a 1997.
@@dampwookie Really? I didn’t know they were making them then (but at that time I wasn’t really aware of PRS guitars in general). Does yours also have two humbuckers and a rail pickup in the middle?
Just rewired my 2002 SAS from the 3 position switch to a Free Way 3x3-07. Now I have a 6 position switch and wired the neck humbucker to also split on the tone pot which gives 11 total different pup combination tones- including the bridge and neck split like a Tele sound. And I can get the middle SD Vintage Rails by itself. Much more versatile!
PRS Is my favorite brand and this guitar is lovey even if I’m not a fan of mid pups.
Man, that’s a great sounding guitar
I have a 2000 SAS bought new and I still play it most of the time. I changed the pick ups for hotter ones from Fralin. I still have the brilliant McCarty pick ups that it came with. Nothing wrong with them at all. I love those. Just wanted to try something different. Such a beautiful guitar. They don’t make them anymore because swamy ash is not available anymore. Very scarce. They have them in private stock for that reason. This would cost you close to 10k if you are after their private stock version.
Sweet score. Congrats. 😊 How heavy is it? My main axe is an, fairly light, ash bolt on. Love it to bits. Not bright, not dark not wooly but a snappy defined thing that resonates and sustains like crazy. Enjoy your NGD 👍
Fender stopped using Swamp ash couple of years ago because it is nowadays very hard to get in proper quantities and quality's
I reckon it is same with PRS
And maybe it step too much on the way of John Mayer model 😀
I have 3 SAS guitars. 1 with 3 narrowfields & flame maple neck/fb 2 with McCarty hb's and Duncan rail. 1 rosewood fb 1 maple fb. All excellent but like the narrowfields best.
I do love the PRS Swamp Ash Special, in all of its variants. Seems to be the best of all worlds, especially as someone who heavily favours a Tele. Nice purchase.
Question: what Eggle guitar do you own? Gigged a 94 New York Pro for years. They were all lovely designs, imho.
I have an Eggle Berlin Pro II. It’s in need of a setup but still sounds amazing.
I think one reason would be that the emerald ash borer has killed a lot of ash trees, I'm not sure if that affects swamp ash or not but.
I want one of these.. SOOOO BAADDDD!!!
James I wish I knew you were looking for one of these I would have given you one for a 3 figure sum. I had the 25th anniversary addition with a maple board. To be honest I was not impressed with the strat sound of them in position 2&4. I found it to sound more of a honk opposed to the typical quack of a good strat. I think the narrow fields were more Leaning towards P90 but overstepped the mark and missed the magic sweet spot of a P90. The greatest disappointment for me is when the pick ups are driven I find the lower mids lack clarity and definition and a bit flabby. When played clean this attribute is gone. But again this is typical in P90s .Hence why mine ended up as a case queen and only shifted it on a couple of weeks ago. I hope you Enjoy it James
@John Green do you still have that SAS? I’d be willing to buy it!
@@adamgray8009 sorry I sold it a few weeks ago £900. It was a true case queen I bought it and disliked it from day one. It was stored for years
This seems to be flat sawn ash. I have a stand of swamp ash in Northern Ontario and thought I would have to quarter saw the wood. Any ideas?.
these piickups so like a mini-humbucker had a baby with a strat pickup.
What amp are you using? Amp1 iridium?
a swamp ash guitar with mini humbuckers? I was just pipe-dreaming about such a thing and there it is! but holy crap 4 - 6 grand for a solid body electric?....
I need to type with my glasses on 😊
I think Pete is excited 😆 I would be too
SE Swamp Ash Special is here
G and L's z-coil pickups have that capability you're talking about.
How does it cost this guitar?
Nice tone on this model, plenty of mid. 🤘
So it's a NF3 only made of Swamp Ash wood rather than Korina wood. I love my NF3.
Pretty close. Besides body wood, the NF3 has a slightly longer scale and doesn't have the typical PRS carved top. I have an NF3 as well....killer guitar, easily one of my faves!
Have a swamp ash special from 1997. Love it but the neck pickup is unusable for me.
Then change it. It is the simplest mod you can make😀😀😀
Narrowfield or humbucker?
There’s nothing fanboy about liking great guitars.
They are called "Ghost birds"
I have three guitars with swamp ash bodies. They just sound better than the rest.
Great, now I want one… My two CE-22's get a lot of play, as much as my Custom 24.
I wish they made those, at an affordable price.
I got s/hand sas 96 so full humbuckers but I change they out for seymour phase cats like that an my if you roll volume you get start sound bit . I have plat newer sas there one in shop again It done it Cycle up for sale it inflation cut in now Mortgages so I saw it for sell .
Think about @ 3999 k still hight for bolt on . Pickup are amzing neck feel an all too . . Have 5 prs core the spacial. hollow body 2 the paul . mccarty sas 96? An two se jm Santana gold s/ cut do need this
Yes yes . No joking my jm an paul an sas can cover lot ground .and old sas can try different Pickup in future . This one for sell will come around again if a International buy or somebody buy it from Sydney or Melbourne . Have say it amzing guitar the Eagle5 of prs better but price over top could buy car with that price 😉
Looking at your ebay listing for this and wishing you actually did proper clean sounds demoing this 🙄
I didn't know Littlefinger played.
Not entirely sure what you mean by that?
@@LocationRecordings It's a character on Game of Thrones. The man doing the speaking looks quite a bit like him.
When you don't love it anymore. sell it to me...
Those PRS birds are ugly.... and unsightly
Swamp Ash is doing the thing:)