FENDER vs PRS! - Is The Strat Still King?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- American Professional Stratocaster or PRS Custom 24?
Let's dig in and take a closeup look at these very popular guitars!
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VIDEO SECTIONS:
Part 1 - The Guitars 1:20
Part 2 - The Tones 6:37
Part 3 - One Minute Solos 10:27
Part 4 - Final Thoughts and Recommendations 12:25
SOLI DEO GLORIA! - เพลง
Either way, I just don't have the money 😂
Me too 😂💔
The Korean PRS depreciate pretty well.
@Ben Hackett I meant the are cheap to buy used
I've got an se which has upgrades on pickups and bridge, it's so close to my friends 3000 dollar guitar that it makes him angry, mine sounds better to my taste as well.
Cole Burnett yep, even the expensive prs depreciate a lot for some reason
BIG DIFFERENCE: PRS, I'd be scared to scratch it. Fender: The closer it looks to Rory's Strat the cooler it looks.
One night at a gig I walked into a subwoofer with my Standard 24.
I think I dented the speaker cabinet.
True, never seen a road worn PRS
Or SRV
I found a pic of a relic prs it looked awful
This is truest statement I ever read. All Fenders just look more badass as they get relic'd and road Worn. Where Gibson and PRS look better pristine. IMO.
Me: Mom can we have thunderstruck?
Mom: we have thunderstruck at home
Thunderstruck at home: 8:29
Its called, Electrified
Har ha! Very funny, very funny indeed.
Static electricity
Lmao
darrell: "you do notice that 90° lip there"
also darrell: *owns a hundred telecasters*
One of my most uncomfortable guitars is my double bound reissue '65 Tele. After a decent session with that one, I have lines depressed in my forearm from the sharp edge. I love her to death, but my Strats are soooo much easier ergonomically.
But he is comparing it to strat and not the tele ;)
@@markrup6369 did the newer telecasters fix that?
@@TheDarkestPaladin If there is no binding, it is definitely more comfortable.
@@markrup6369 oh okay thanks but do you recommend any model I'm about to buy my first guitar in a week or 2 and I don't know which one to get Tele seems really interesting if I install a 4 way switch on it
1. I wish I could set my PRS down with that level of confidence.
2. I wish I had a PRS.
Hahahahaah
DARRELL .... people often overlooked how much time and effort you spent making these videos. You faded out the music in perfect sync with the fading scene, made sure the lightings are at the optimum positions, tweaked each guitar to the best that you can and many more! You are insane, dude! Keep it up.
For his high school graduation, my son wanted a Gibson or a Strat.
I got him a PRS. It's an absolutely gorgeous flametop.
I could tell he was so disappointed. But he was gracious about it. Then he started playing it. He now (14 years later) almost exclusively plays that PRS. It's his favorite out of all his many guitars. Except sometimes when he plays his pre-lawsuit PRS " Gibson" lookalike. Which is superior to any of his Gibsons.
PRS is truly a great guitar.
I hope I get a prs for my graduation lmao. 😂 What model was it?
A PRS at 14 ? Your son is a lucky boy. To tell the truth, I would have been disappointed too... ;-)
When your young, it's about the name and the look. I would have been heartbroken, lol.
i'm your son too....
My dad bought me a Fender Starcaster, he knew that I was a strat guy before I started. Now, 4 years later, I bought myself a beautiful 1996 MIM Strat SSS
Liked the video alone for calling out fender for not putting locking tuner on their American guitars.
J D locking tuners cost what, an extra $30!? They seriously can’t just put them on.
There weren't locking tuners in 1954 so they kind of have their hands tied. I think honestly the only real problem with fender is their extreme reluctance to upgrade their main model lineup. Even gibson has done more
And players can buy them too. They can buy any color of tuners, any new pickups. Manufacturer cannot predict it, so they put standard option, which will be replaced anyways.
Vintage tuners are sexier and hold up tune as well as the locking tuners. I'm glad they don't copy everyone else and stick with vintage tuners. :)
Kim those they dont put vintage tuners on the american professional guitars and its not about tuning stability its about making it much easier to change strings. And they already do copy everyone else because they offer locking tuners on some of their models.
PRS just seems like a lot of value these days.
Mickey it is. It really is. I've got a Fender Strat, a Gibson LP tribute and a PRS SE.....and the SE outshines both in nearly every category....cept, you can't beat Gibson in a tone off! But it came respectively close! Everything else, slam dunk! Quality, price etc...
@@lueysixty-six7300 Yeah, the Strat was my first love, but looking at the quality of guitar you can get from PRS at the SE level at that price point, it’s kind of hard to beat. MIM Strats compared to the SE sound a little thin to my ear.
PRS offer quality to compete with brand recognition. Any piece of junk heavy Gibson sells purely on brand, not always quality.
If you want a Fender Custom Shop playing experience for low USA prices, find a used Bill Nash. These can play and sound great, and you don't lose a chunk of money in depreciation from buying them new. You can sell and buy used Nash all day . If you have a light relic and someone scratches it, it doesn't harm the value.
i will only add that there are many great guitars ...new, used MIA, MIJ. MIK, in fact made all over world. If it responses to your playing go for it. I have a PRS a Custom Shop Strat, a 59 LP Special reissue , Ibanez, Martin etc. Even a Harmony H88 Stratotone Dublet lol ...do not laugh it will out sustain your LP! At present my 1990 Fernandez with a body style half Fender Jazz and half Gibson non- reverse Firebird is the all around winner!
Paul Ewing Philip midnight keep saying his Mexico Stratocaster is his favorite, and he has one or two of everything from every country.
A used Mexican Stratocaster from the last 10 or 15 years is a no brainer. If it plays well! And you can even tweak the fret and set up work very nicely yourself.
Which guitar was your favorite and why? :)
Part 1 - The Guitars 1:20
Part 2 - The Tones 6:37
Part 3 - One Minute Solos 10:27
Part 4 - Final Thoughts and Recommendations 12:25
Guitars:
Fender: imp.i114863.net/xM2Qy
PRS: imp.i114863.net/ezrgQ
Enjoy!
PRS hands down. I love Strats but the PRS build quality is second to just about none. With that being said I have sold all my high end fenders and PRS guitars and bought a Suhr. Never looking back.
fender is the best, there are many reasons, it is a timeless design that always looks good, with or without stickers, super resistant, versatile, well built, ergonomic, comfortable, prone to hundreds of modifications, and the truth is the guitar that finished relic or aged natural is the best, it is a fact :)...another great video Mr. Braun lml
My favorite would be to get both, sort of. For the price of the American Professional Strat you can get a MIM Strat & PRS SE. That way you can have it all. Or another way of looking at it, for the price of a Core PRS you can get both of the lower priced models and have $1000 left over for a nice amp. The differences between the higher end models of each of these brands and the lower priced models is MINUSCULE. With a little fret dressing and maybe swapping out tuners you probably wouldn't be able to tell any difference at all.
I preferred the strat. Right now I'm stuck on my EBMM Cutlass though..I think if I'm going to get an instrument with humbuckers, I'll go with a Les Paul. I think the PRS is great looking but for the money, I'd hold out and go for something with more resale value...I love your guitar collection and room arrangement! Great review as always!
Got to be the Strat - just the tones and the design is awesome. I went to buy a Les Paul or PRS last year but came home with a Strat.
2nd on that locking tuners on the American guitars idea.
I wonder if I could secretly finance that PRS and a nice amp without my wife knowing. 🤔🤫
Haha that's every guitarist's challenge. I financed a kemper amp through Zsounds and it was easy and she doesn't even know. Bwahahahaha
Kajacool you get the PRS and a nice amp, she gets the house, the car and the kids. Seems like a fair trade.
RD Patterson Sounding pretty good to me!
Can't upset the boss, girly man.
Life's short bruh go for it
17:32 I'll go with any guitar that magically hangs itself up!
Seems almost criminal to make a gold top PRS.. especially when you see some of the flame top finishes that you get from them. 🤤
Solid finish PRS are hot af.
Very very true. My two 10 tops are gorgeous
The laurel burl prs finishes are insane
Thought this was gonna be a strat to silver sky comparison
That would have been the better comparison but even at that, A Music Man would have been a better comparison. Having both PRS and Music Man, IMO, you can get tones closer to a Strat with the MM
Agree that a Silver Sky vs. Strat would be a better "apples to apples" comparison, but why even a 24 Custom when they have a Custom 22????
That would have been useful. This is comparing apples to pears
@@bhouse92101 As he said - flagship vs flagship
Should have been.
I play PRS for the versatility. Great single coil tones plus great humbucker tones. I play in a classic rock cover band and appreciate not having to swap guitars between songs for different sounds. I sold my American Professional Strat to get a S2 Custom 24 and don’t regret it for a second.
Just my humble opinion here. I love everything PRS touches. They really are probably the best off the shelf guitar you can get. But they have smoothed out all the rough edges of Gibson and Fender, removing the distinctive characteristics that make those two brands so different and unique. There is just something about PRS that makes me feel like its a robot or a computer, compared to the incredible individuality and nuances of the LPs and Strats which seem more human to me. I am prepared to be hated for this, so come on with your bad selves
That's why I only own a squier and mod it to whatever I want it to be. It's true that tone and the feel of the guitar matter a lot, but my mood fluctuates even more :D
I think of my PRS as a jack of all trades... master of none.
I have a similar opinion of Ibanez, they make awesome guitars, flawless, I owned a couple I still do, but they can't make me feel like my fender strats... I have an american special and and an american pro II, and that unique sound, and the feel they have it's just something else. But in tastes nothing is written! That's one of many beautiful things that music, and different instrument builds or companies have. PRS sounds awesome though... Someday I hope I can get one.
@@ss_avsmt Polish with CBD Oil much ? 🤔 🍄
You should do more videos on the Shijie! Maybe Shijie vs. Select Strat
PRS are souless to me, well made but with no tonal personality.
So true.
Please do a comparison beetween prs se and made in mexico strat
Its gonna be really helpful for me and for a lot of people i think...
Buy a higher end SE it's a amazing guitar and at least from my experience they sound better than the S2 Custom 24
@@gil5956 What are higher end SE?
@@emossg the anniversary limited edition, Paul's guitar, the custom 24 line
@@gil5956 Thanks! I have been looking SE 24 and Paul's Guitar until I realized Paul's doesn't have tremelo. It will be my first electric after 1 year of acoustic so I am not sure if I need it so it would be nice to have it. Anniversary was also on my radar, but I don't really like the color options of SE line. Core anniversary colors tho
@@emossg I bought a anniversary SE and I'm getting it this week it's a really good guitar
David Gilmour bought a strat from Manny’s and created some of the most melodic and greatest solos ever. I think more than the guitar, the magic lies in your fingers. That’s what I’ve learnt listening to the legend that is Gilmour. 🙏🏻 peace
I agree. Gilmour knows how to follow chord progressions in his solos. That's why he's melodic. His tone is also outstanding and sets him apart from others.
Beck mostly played a 50 buck sawdust and glue gitter... and he's not too shabby
@@earltbird8642 Jeff Beck?
seriously, I've seen guys rocking 300$ mexi strats mop the floor with guys playing 2000$ custom shop strats. it boils down to skill.
Considering Gilmour had reflexes that would make the Tin Man stick his nose in the air, he certainly did something right!
Maybe I'm just a Fender fan boy, but that Strat's where it's at!
Well, you are. I love strat bodies, but fender these days, meh.
Single coil pickups for dirty tones 🤮
not in this case
@@danyeo have you ever played an overdriven tele??
PRS manufacturing quality can't be beat. But give me a Strat for sound. Hell, I'll take a Squier for sound.
I have always admired PRS for their quality. I have just never played one that spoke to me and made me want to play it. The HSS American Deluxe Fender Strat I own with its flaws and all have a bond.
Play a Hollow Body two McCarty and then apologize to your wife for me as I’m sure you’ll be leaving the guitar shop with it haha!
The PRS looks and sounds fantastic.
However,
I love my Stratocaster.
I love strats also but man the PRS is just so sexy
Clearly, you need one of each... ;-)
different animals, would never buy one to sub for the other anyways
I'm a PRS man but no guitar comes close to that strat "chime". That's why you need both a PRS with humbuckers and a traditional strat.
I think the PRS's carve actually beats the Les Paul's.
NewGunGuy I have a Les Paul. The PRS is beautiful.
I think a good Les Paul carve is more like a violin arch top, however many Les Pauls don't have a very good carve.
The really good Gibson dish edge carves from the 1950s are not CNC, they are all the careful hand work of luthiers, finishing the shape on a sander. ! Today's PRS are totally CNC consistent, Machine cut. It has its own look which you either take or leave.
'Carve' as in cut with a CNC
@@bob733333 Yes. Because it really doesn't matter.
I do think the PRS is a beautiful guitar (and it is on my bucket list) but the carve is not my favorite - almost a little over done for my taste - looks like it was molded rather than carved.
I am a Strat guy but I would also never buy a guitar with birds on the fretboard.
David Priest aye those birds are badass
Fender, PRS, Schecter, ESP, Dean, Ibanez, I’ll take em’ all over Gibson on any day that ends in y.
Why? I'm honestly curious, I have two Fender electrics and one Gibson acoustic and love them all, wondering why a Gibson electric would automatically be the wrong choice.
@@heyou429 See his video on his SG and Double Cut. That's just one example of thousands of Gibson's QC being more than questionable.
Stephen Tyree how many have you owned and bought ?
@@wallywanker7435 None because of the horror stories I've heard/ read about them. I'm not saying that they are all poorly built, but enough of them are for me to know that I personally will not buy one. If you like them/ own them, that's great. My buddy that I jam with on a regular basis LOVES them. It's basically all he will play. Different strokes.
Stephen Tyree well with any guitar , I would think you would try it and check it out first. If you buy it and it’s crappy who’s fault is that. Just saying. I see the videos too and I think , why would you buy or keep it if it is so bad ? Just to make a video ? I have never heard of Gibson not standing behind something even years later.
I honestly like them both they both sound great
If only Fender had more interesting colors and top woods. Love my PRS SE and my MIM strat (the electron blue paint is very nice), although the trem on my strat detunes the guitar so much, it's unusable, and the coil split on my PRS is nowhere near a strat sounding single coil. Both great guitars for different applications.
@@davidburke2132 Thanks for that. I was unaware that this line was named rarities and will know what to look for. However scrolling through their rarities catalogue and I was still dissapointed. They just don't get it, whereas browsing through Warmoth's catalogue makes me wonder how come they don't combine forces to make the best looking most playable instruments. I'm just fantasizing though, no point in arguing the business aspect of a merger that only happens in my mind.
What I'm saying is when you walk into a music store and guitars are sorted by brands, you usually see strats and teles in off-white, black and bland colors with a white or black pickguard, and PRS will showcase a majority of stunningly good looking guitars that draw you in (even though the price tag would make some turn away), and I would argue that to me, they are as good sounding and well made as they are good looking, so it's not a style over substance issue. Those guitars speak to me even though I have read that it is not a unanimous opinion. I would not want a gorgeous unplayable instrument, but I don't want a perfectly playable one that doesn't draw me in either.
@@davidburke2132 Oh yeah, for sure candy apple red, and my electron blue. There are a few fantastic finishes but they are in an overwhelming minority.
I have an epi SG pro deluxe that has a gorgeous subtle flame top and dark to light blue fade. I probably never would have even picked an SG up were it not for that one. Gibson does nail the silverburst though.
We do disagree about the figured maple tops, and I'm not fond of natural wood colors on a guitar body. If money was no object, then sure, a core model would be great, but I would want to complete my collection with guitars that I don't have like a tele and a hollowbody among others first.
@@davidburke2132 Just had a look. It's fantastic with the tortoiseshell pickguard.
I had a look at the custom shop website a few months back and was frankly disappointed. Maybe they've made it better since then. I'll have another look. Hopefully there are not less options for Canadians.
@@davidburke2132 Yeah mod shop. Didn't have the name right but we're talking about the same thing. Had a look. They have silverburst finish now. Maybe 5-6 other good looking finishes, but shell pink, antique olive, walnut (finish color, not wood) is what I am talking about, so lacklustre. They could have gone without colors reminiscent of kitchen appliances in the 1970s.
They sounded surprisingly similar, considering the difference in pickups. I favor the Strat's looks, though some of that is the particular finish used. Not a fan of the gold on the PRS. For the money, I'd definitely go with the Strat. It's half the money.
The bottom line is "what guitar feels better in your hands".
The Strat wins by a mile; it's cheaper, it has more sounds; it's clearer, and those humbuckers are muddy, as usual; As the leader of the house band here for four years, I've seen lots of bands come in, and the humbucker guitars don't sound too great fifty feet from the stage; most players don't realize you've got to compensate and set the amp with more high end onstage or you lose it in the crowd. And these guys coming in here with Les Pauls all sound the same.
In this video, I like the sound of the PRS better. But I have very similar guitars and have better luck dialing in the Strat-style guitar through my rig. So it just goes to show you that one guitar isn’t necessarily better than the other. It’s all about matching the components and finding the magic combination. Love your videos!
PRS Position Four: Neck singlecoil with bridge singlecoil, in parallel.
The PRS almost sounds too perfect, like cold - it's lacking warmth and personality to me. The Strat sounded like it had more character on every test,
The strat is still just one of the most expressive and dynamic instruments ever created, despite its relative simplicity. Given how many variations there are of the strat, there's one out there for everybody now. Plus it was so ahead of its time when it came out compared to other competitors; every guitar maker needed some kind of strat equivalent after it came out. Since it was so easily assembled and repaired, which also kept the price down, it was so much more accessible too, especially since they were damn hard to break in the first place. It can't do everything perfectly, and there are a number of things you can look at with the typical strat and say, "Well, that's a headache" like the noise or lack of output from the single coils or the whammy bridge not staying in tune as much as you'd like, but it's still SUCH a complete package that has stood the test of time for 65 years in the sphere of popular music. Hail the Stratocaster.
@longrider Here here. I have a metallic red USA one with a black pickguard I've had for over a decade and I'm currently building a hardtail one in metallic purple with a white guard out of parts from GFS and Guitar Center as well as some second hand stuff I got off Reverb. You can chop down a small tree with a strat and play a gig with it later that day.
@longrider Did you know there is a Strat hanging in the museum of modern art in New York city. ? Match that..PRS or any other trendy upstart !! ....... PRS Dragon in the National Museum of American History. Yes, American History, not just a museum in NYC. Sorry, couldn't resist. Give PRS the time that Fender has been around and you may see it. Many musicians of today and past the play on a PRS. I never realized how many were out there until I started looking at them.
longrider
If the point of the argument was to say which was a more influential instrument, the Stratocaster makes more sense due to its availability to more musicians. However, that doesn’t directly mean it was the “best” instrument at the time. Lots of influential hard rock was made on Les Pauls and super strats, too. I personally prefer a wider fingerboard radius, 24 frets, a smooth neck joint, having splittable humbuckers, and a carved top. To me, that is the ideal guitar, and Fender just doesn’t tick any of my boxes. I played a PRS SE in a beautiful purple-blue burst the other week, and it had all of the features I just described. I could get all of that for ~$900, while I would be wasting my own money if I bought a Stratocaster at that price point.
TLDR: Strats have plenty of history, but might not be the absolute best guitar.
@longrider was "Battle Hymn of the Republic" playing in the background when you wrote this?
I celebrated watching this video by purchasing the new Squier Classic Vibe 50's Strat in Fiesta Red and saved a TON of money.
Me too!!! I dig the squire! But a PRS would be cool.
A truly awesome review! Felt really comfortable listening to your opinions on both guitars 'cause I agree on just about everything. Good and honest points right from the start. I'm normally a PRS type of player but this made me consider getting myself a mid-range Fender just to get that sweet breezy and bright vintage sound. Love your content!
My Strat again! (except mine has the Maple fingerboard)
Me too!
Ibanez vs prs
Which Ibanez vs which prs?
@@metalheadblues S prestige Ibanez and Prs24
Henry Agcaoili same here. Would like to know Ibanez AZ vs PRS CU24 vs Fender strat
That crisp leading edge to the notes played on the Strat.
Its distinctive and you can’t get that from splitting a humbucker.
Batuksri... Yep. I agree. A split humbucking always sounds like a weak shrill humbucker, not the nasal live animal sounds of a single coil. My ear hears that the tone changes as the notes ascend or descends with a single coil. There is change of pitch, but I can hear a change of timbre as well (with that same given single coil pickup.)
I'm not saying I'm in love with the Strat sound, as I favor the Les Paul tone -- BUT.... you can't fake that iconic highly recognizable and patent sound of a single coil Fender. I absolutely respect Fender for their established role and place in guitar history. I would not split a humbucker, I would use a real single coil.
I'm actually going to buy a PRS SE Custom 24 soon. I thought about a Fender Strat. Fender Strats sound great, but the PRS is more versatile. The SE Custom has coil splitting by the way. And I like the looks of a PRS more than a Strat.
B_A_FPS Great choice, Man! I bought a Strat MIM first...then realised I should've gotten Humbuckers. So I got a Les Paul . The LP is great - a tone monster - but not that practical. I'm scared to take it out to a gig...and it's heavy & bulky to have slung on your shoulder all new night.
So, this year I got an SE - I went with a Custom22, semihollow. It spoke to me. Anyway... I realised this was the guitar I should've gotten from the get-go! Just....pffff! Right on!! Such quality. Just...an insanely well-made, well designed, incredibly priced instrument. You will be stoked, Man. And if you choose your model well.... you may have a chance of avoiding the GAS trap most of us (me incl.) fall for.
A PRS SE is a great candidate for a "One-guitar."
@@lueysixty-six7300 The new SE Hollowbody Standard and SE Hollowbody II have me very interested. I have an SE 245 and an SE Custom 24 already, Both are great but I think 24 could do with some electronics upgrades as they seem a little "thin" (the switches and pots, not the pups).
Richard Brilus I haven't glimpsed the new SEhollow..it doesn't appeal to me..to me, it's gotta at least have a centre block of mahogany for sustain..in fact, I'm not entirely convinced I'm happy I got a semihollow SE. Just that little bit carved out of the top quadrant..makes me wonder if it cost me any sustain. Even a little..? Probably, yes - but noticeable? Idk... I'm picking at straws, though cos honestly, that's the only tiny thing I can find that I have any second thoughts about. It's a real winner
Richard Brilus The most I've gotten into "modding" is trying to change the pickguard on my lake placid blue Strat. (Naturally, it must be changed to pearloid white.... I mean, right!??!). I say trying cos it was a failure, the one I ordered didn't fit...and ever since, it has been finicky with p/up heights and stuff. Point is, modding is not for me!! ..as much as the odd left field idea seems like...well, a good idea. Like going HSS..or HSH.. ... NO! My guitars are fine as they are, I'll buy a Charvel with all the mods I could want on a Strat, and then, after $1-2000 , give or take... I'll still have two guitars. Better logic, for me anyway! I'm thinking of that army drab green HSH Dinky Charvel. That thing is perfect for me in every way. Man.....GAS ATTACK!!
Now is a great time to buy! Especially the limited edition sandblasted version. The GAS is real
I've no doubt that PRS is wonderful, but yeah man, Strat is still King. Sounds just as terrific, costs a lot less, and still looks great. That said, I have to admit there were times I thought the PRS sound quality walked all over the Strat -- and I'm a Strat-lover. Remember, we're also comparing singles vs. humbuckers, and a very different set of 5-way switching accordingly.
But as far as I understand PRS Custom 24 can be set in single-coil modes and that's when the comparison vs Strat becomes in similar conditions
That's why you get both, if you can.
@@ooviedoc I definitely like the switching mode on the PRS and the results it gets; I just have to wonder if we couldn't achieve the same thing with dual humbuckers and a 5-way switch on a Strat. (Which then makes it less "Strat" in my opinion, but, just a thought.)
IMO coil-split/tap never sounds as good as an actual single-coil.
@@blue-tb2fd i agree. Big part of it is losing half the output of the pickup when tapped. If you have a clean boost in front of the amp, you can make up for it, but it just isn't the same as a true honest single coil with double the effective winding than a tapped humbucker.
just a note here the strat never needed to do fancey birds or any thing . it's tried tested and true best guitar ever...well except the tele
yup. the TELE is still KING :-)
I know this came out a while ago, but I genuinely think a PRS is has a much more aesthetic carve top then a Les Paul
The PRS is like a Jack of all trades and master of none. Does most thing well but not quite perfect. Not quite a Strat in tone and not quite a Les Paul.
PRS in theory is a guitar that shoud be Fantastic!! Love the build quality, looks and tone is very versitile. Still every time I've ever tried one out it just doesn't give that LP or Strat Tone which IMO IS Rock & Roll and The Blues. Guess if I had to have only one guitar it would be a PRS, luckily we have options. For the price you can get a LP and a Strat for close to the same $$$ as ONE PRS.
Like all Guitars it's personal preference. They are pretty and well made. Yet most of my Guitar hero's that can afford any guitar and price is no object, play Fender's and Gibson's.
For the price I's take a Les Paul Standard and an AM Strat for a few more bucks than one PRS Custom 24.
Overdriven-PRS, clean-strat. I was actually surprised how close the prs clean tone was to the strat but the strat just has that extra twang that can't be beat. Of course you can't expect them to be the same given the different scale length and pickups. I can't afford either so.....
unfair comparison, with the 1 minute solo section: He has the PRS switched to a Humbucker pickup. '54 Strat didn't have one.
Darrell please do a review on Brian May's Red Special!!!!🙏🙏🤘
Already have an 🇺🇲 strat....looking a PRS CUSTOM SE 24 next
To my ear the Strat sounded better in all the comparisons. PRS sounded great of course but I thought the Strat had a more musical tone.
I 100% agree.. i have both and know others whi have both and the strat always has a multi dimensional voice to it where the prs is kinda single focused voice especially through a good tube amp. Prs has its place as well as the strat. It's Whatever speaks to you the best at the time.
PRS = better build and QC
Fender = better design. 7 decades of sales and the musical results are the proof.
We’re just so used to that sound. So it just sounds “right” With that said, I’m still a PRS guy.
Lol is this even a serious question? The PRS is a modern guitar with everything that comes with that. The strat is an antiquated design with a multitude of annoying flaws and 70 year old tech. I still like my strats but they're objectively worse than modern guitars like PRS.
Fender all the way dude!!
Hey man, could you do a review of the various learning apps? Yousician and the like? Which are good, which are a scam?
I actually liked the strat sound better, but that PRS is dead sexy. I actually own both of these guitars and on any given day I like the Custom 24 the most but I play my strats more...go figure. I can always dial in the strat no matter what. There is a major comfort level there.
Fender Custom Shop Strat would closer in price, where fit and finish. oops you just said that,
You never answered the question. Is the strat still king?
That's for you to decide since it's subjective
not here!
top seller, sure...
....but anyone and everyone that has a proper ES-335-type thinline knows that a proper ES-335-type thinline is king :)
There is something awfully syntethic about PRS guitars.
Fender isn’t perfect but I swear by them. In my experience, best guitars I’ve owned. Love my HSS strat especially. Get the best of both worlds there.
I wish I had half the skill of Darrel
Darrell, your channel is a one stop shop for all things guitar. From playing to technique to the art and craft of design and construction. Thanks for all that you do here!
I was surprised how decent the sound is on the Schecter I just bought. I have always been a Strat guy, but I would love to have the PRS. Great comparison
I think the flagship Fender strat is the American Elite, no?
When it comes to a modern take on a Strat it is, but it's not intended to replace the vintage concept!
Donald Trump yeah I get what you mean, but this will be a very lopsided match vs the PRS flagship with all its more advanced and modern features. Fender Elite Strat will be a more cutting edge guitar to compare against a PRS flagship
Yea the Elite is a nice take on a modern Strat for sure! and if one doesn't like the Noiseless Pickups, can always drop a kit into it with some nice 57's or whatever and have the best of both worlds with all of the modern appointments available!
I have owned a Strat and Ibanez. Traded both to get my Les Paul. The Les Paul has a signature sound that cannot be replicated or replaced. I will never sell it. However, to make appeasement to the guitar Gods, I will once again own an American Strat, and if they (the Gods) smile on me, I will add a PRS to my collection (and maybe a Taylor T-5). Lot's of comments regarding the price gouge of PRS. Can't say if it is worth the gouge, but it is probably a very good guitar, worthy of hanging on the wall next to the Les Paul and Strat (although maybe not quite as high as the Les Paul). The best thing about a guitar is, the more gitfiddles you have, the more you have. The only person who will ever complain about how many guitars you have, is your soon to be "ex" wife. Let's jam.
The prediction of the result: Spend enough money and you will be happy with you get.
Lots of high end Gibsons have build quality issues, so not always unfortunately.
I'm very biased towards Strats, I truly believe that Strats are the most diverse guitars available. I respect PRS as a company, but I think Fender are the all around best. Interesting video Darrell...
Why don't you do a Fender vs G&L comparison?
I have both, Prs custom 24 / Fender Shedua strat. Strat sounds great for clean rhythm guitar, and the PRS has a much smoother lead tone. Moving forward I wouldn’t buy any guitar other than a PRS from now on. It’s far more superior overall. Gibson Les Paul with I also have, is really inferior in many ways to the PRS.
Hi everyone! I do hope you guys have a wonderful evening. Please sleep well and enjoy whatever Endeavors you go on. Be safe and what you're doing and take care and God bless, peace out everyone! 💚
Gabriel FSP and you brother 🤘🏻
Prs is just not for me, i have tried 3 or 4 and i feel nothing (besides its best quality). So i would take fender (my actual guitar is strat and i love it, even if it is worse made :D)
As always, I come here to watch and listen to you play Darrell! Having had both, I still have to give the nod to the Strat. PRS however, makes some stunning guitars, but as you say, you really pay for them.
You quickly mentioned that Tele's are harder to play than Strats. Having had three Tele's and a Strat, I have to agree. In fact, I even returned a new American Professional Tele. The compound radius neck gave me so much trouble with setting action that I just couldn't bond with the guitar. Even the guitar techs. couldn't get it right for me! And John5 (who loves Tele's), and others, readily admit that they are harder to play than the Strat.
What Im trying to figure out, is why? Is it just plain design differences or what? Your thoughts Darrell?
My PRS gets more play time than any of my strat's. I guess I just like the bolder sound and more solid feel better. They do gloss the heck out of their neck's though. I sanded mine down, works just fine after that.
I love these flagship vs flagship theme. I'm a flagship guy.
Always Fender. The PRS is of course very high quality, but the Fender body shape is the best that's ever been designed. Same with the headstock design. In terms of pickups, tuners, bridge etc they can be customised on any guitar to anyone's preference.
1:42 I know a dog hair when I see one 😮
Pretty sure that's just a crack in the finish 😂
Great pick up there 😂😂😂
@@rack7311 dog hair
Man! That rosewood fretboard on that PRS is dark. It looks more like ebony. Do they dye the wood?
TheAxe4Ever
I was thinking the same thing. And for the price, you would think it would be ebony. On the closeups it does appear to have a rosewood grain to it.
Hey Darrell, could you do Fender Strat vs Shijie Strat?
The PRS is better all around. I hate playing live with my Strat but love recording with it. The trouble is I plsy between the 2 rear pickuls and must shift it over to the left for my right arm to be confortable. Since you mentioned the body of the prs I thought that might be an interedting "flaw" with my Fender
I think Darrel missed other non-custom shop Strats also the HSS (Humbucker Single Single) options. I have an SSS (3 single coil) American Elite Strat (not custom) which has gen 4 noise free pickups that sound fantastic. It has a matte neck (something that he wanted) , a compound C to D profile as well as a compound radius finger board (9 1/2 to 14 inch) It also has the locking tuners that Darrell likes, out of the box. The new ultra has new noiseless pickups, they ditched the compound profile and did something great at the heel of the neck which I will have to modify my Elite.
The ultra body is carved at the heel and the heel is much thinner, greatly improving the playability at the frets at and past the heel. These guitars are off the rack at GC or other like stores. These are the Strats that should have been compared to the PRS.
By the way, as always nice job Darrell. Maybe a redux with the Ultra?
Yeah, not sure why he's calling the Pro the flagship. The pro competes with the PRS S2. Strat Ultra would be closer but still costs quite a bit less than PRS Customs. I'd prefer to see an HSS Ultra compared to the Custom as well, it gives you more flexibility in high gain.
Had a Strat and loved it but it was pre fixed whammy bar. Hated that aspect. Just got a PRS custom 22 10 top. I think that the PRS gives you the best of the Strat, Les Paul mix. Mine has a 3 way and coil split. The BEST electric I’ve ever played in terms of ergonomics, accessibility to knobs and tonal response. Plus it’s beautiful with the curly maple figuring. My nod goes to PRS over Fender and Gibson.
PRSs are cool, if you're like a dentist or something.
No dentist here......PRS are top notch the ONLY problem i always find..is that sometimes i find myself taking care of it like a pair of new shoes, my other guitars have dings and dangs, but i dont want my prs get a scratch....and THAT annoys me!!
Yeah, like Santana and tremonti and John Mayer. Those famous dentists,,
Did he ever use the split coil on the prs? Otherwise it’s kinda a useless comparison. Humbuckers will never sound like a single coils
I've been a strat guy since I started playing. Worst thing my coworker ever did was have me try his 594 and a few other PRS models he had... hardcore GAS right now
PRS are like jewels. Beautiful and high quality all around.
But damn that Fender sound touches my heart like nothing else does
I'd like to put a P-90 on the bridge of a PRS
Both do their own thing pretty well, and both USA versions are so overpriced... particularly the PRS.
Darrell you're killing me! That Fernder is my dream guitar! Great video.
fantastic comparison! I think PRS are better constructors but the truth is I have 3 fenders and no prs... there is something when I test them that makes me go for the Fender... If I have to choose between a PRS of 3000$ and a Fender of 3000$ ... Probably I'd get the Fender
PRS = 2.5x the cash for quality that does not beat the strat by anything near 2.5x (if at all ;-)
Im torn between prs custom 24 vs fender american original 50s strat for my next purchase...
@John clinton thanks yes it seems strat more suitable with my kemper. But i haven't own prs yet.
I love recording with strats, but I’m never a big fan of them live and I like the sound of true single coils, so I don’t use noiseless pickups.
All I ever see is noiseless single coils these days how do you get one that is not noiseless?
captain deadpool Hmm. Most single coils are not noiseless. The only Fender Strat with noiseless pickups from the factory is the American Elite.
@@captaindeadpool1640 plug in a squire and see what happens
Fender stratocaster is most favorite Guitar!
Fender Elite is the Flagship fender in 2019
Not really, they are the top of the line for the “regular” (Not custom shop) fender factory, but the flagship is still the American Standard/American Pro. I’m a proud owner of a 2018 American Elite HSS in ocean turquoise.
@@marcobeltran7218 I own an Elite which I bought when they came out in 2016 and I've just bought a Strat FSR L.E, one-piece roasted maple neck, with an ash body Professional/Standard in aged cherry burst, and it's a killer, and it's got custom shop '69 pick ups.. But.. It doesn't and cannot beat the Strat 'elite' that is my favorite because it just plays so well. Plus, as you know it's got five "in series" tones. To end I have customized the elite by giving it a heavy relic job that looks just like a custom shop model.
Nathan Jones No joke. The only experience I’ve had with Elites is with mine, and the thing plays like butter.
Purists might worry about the compound radius, but it’s so damn comfy to move from chording in 9.5” and then moving to flatter 12” for soloing.
It’s truly an amazing guitar and it’s gonna be hard to top.
It’s pretty much my dream guitar for me.(Besides some over-the-top custom shop master built Strat)
It always inspires me a lot, from blues, to alternative, to indie, and even hard rock. This thing does it all splendidly.
Fender is still king for me.
I’m guilty of not using the S1 switch as much as I did when I first got it, and it’s kinda forgotten right now.
Marco Beltran don’t worry about purists. Music is all about expression and you don’t need a ‘59 strat for that. The guitar is just a tool to achieve your expression and a tool needs to be of excellent quality and unequal comfortability. And the latter is very personal and different for everybody.
And also a vintage instrument is often so expensive that you’ll feel guilty playing them
Nathan Jones I’m with ya on the Elite! Having that S1 and getting “humbuckerish” tones really changes the versatility. In my personal opinion, and for what I play, it negates any need for double pickup guitars. Which is fine by me as I just love Fender instruments.
It’s very simple if you want classic go with Strat
If you want modern go with PRS
I have two Strats and two SE's. The PRS guitars are better out of the box, my brother also has two SE's and I lost count of how many Strats. The PRS is what it is and that's saying a lot, but Stratocaster guitars are the AR-15 of guitars. They're so customizable It's not even funny.
Wow pardner, that was quick. I'm still watching the video. Lol
I think his like left because you edited your comment afterwards. TH-cam does that.
This is a really cool and unexpected comparison. I love the strat for jangly chords and more expressive/less compressed lead tones.
However, you have to hand it to PRS for those position 2 and 4 tones that give you strat-esque tones.
The old 80/20 Rule ... Strat = 80% of the bang for 20% of the buck,
I've owned 4 PRS since '86. Sold 3 and have a custom 22 gathering dust. I don't get it, especially clean. My old-style Jazz master and '52 relic Tele are incredible, and adaptable to any amp sound.