I have the SE version of this, the SE Hollowbody II Piezo. It's a fraction of the price, but the build quality is still superb. My favourite guitar, I play it every day since I bought it.
You should be lucky, i’ve gone thru maybe 15 of these until i’ve got one with no obvious flaws, like some frets not parallel, pickup rings not installed at straight angle, gaps in neck pocket, dirt and bubbles in finish. I’ve spend almost half a year and a lot of money exchanging them by mail and traveling in person. Nope i’m not that picky, my epi casino coupe was good from the first buy.
@@APfishing_guitar_statistics I have a Hollowbody SE and love it. However, I did have the full-on US Hollowbody a decade ago and I never played it. It was too nice to bring out to a jam night and too nice for band rehearsals. It felt like it needed to be played loud and on stage, which I rarely did. So it sat in its case until I swapped it for a PRS Swamp Ash a couple of years later. I still kind of regret that, but I just didn't play it. The SE version now, sits next to my desk all of the time and it's great, for 1/4 the cost...
Chris, your playing is always so full of soul. Rare to see anywhere. You have my respect for that. Also respect, your eloquence beats most TV presenters, even writers on TV I've seen. If you can talk like this without reading something pre-written, that is quite an intimidating skill. Just thought I should express my appreciation a little.
@@richardclark. ah, so because the PRS has no soul? hehe. i've seen various people, including musicians, experiencing things differently. PRS are expensive guitars and will probably never come for sale in stores in my country. (not in US) so we don't play PRS because we have no money, mostly. also, isn't the age of the guitar important, especially if the wood is really good? i bet a PRS guitar made in the 1980's will be quite an item in 50 years. if you're not filthy rich (i'm dirt poor), no use comparing. say goodbye to high quality guitars. quality is expensive, which also says something for PRS guitars. do you think paul reed smith would be able to make all those guitars all those years if what you think about them was objective reality? i think John McLaughlin is creative enough. Why don't you ask him what he thinks of his new PRS he just got? just sayin'. it's not about being a "truly creative" type, it's about personal taste.
Whenever I hear a PRS live I'm always blown away by the clarity and crispy notes that come through. People say they lack a character but I think their character is being so nice and clean. Really enjoy hearing them in live bands.
I've recently bought the Chinese version it was heavily discounted at Anderton, it plays sounds like the 4k version I have 2 amps a Matamp (hand wired ultra clear) and a Marshall combo that has been modded the PRS sounds fine through the Marshall but a bit clinical through the Matamp. But I can run the piezo through that one and get blended tones. It also reacts to pedals differently to my fender and Gibson
The thing that makes prs instruments great is that they come to you playable. Across all the ranges. I know that sounds…obvious? But having owned many many, MANY instruments of calibers high and low…most guitars don’t have great fretwork and neck detailing regardless of how much they cost.
Thats mostly Gibson fan boys trying desperately to find something to down PRS's about... Its lies I own about 30 guitars, PRS, Gibson Fender G&L I can them all sound just about the same.. What I cant do is make a Gibson have the tuning stability of a typical PRS, or have 1/10 of PRS fit and finish, and superior fretwork to Gibson.
OMG... the first time when the YT algo actually works and recommends something so ridiculously good that you just stop everything... work, boss, crazy gf, everything has Thanos-snapped itself out of existence for the last few hours while I guzzle down your every second of your playing mate, mother of god, thank you!! And that flow you have.... of conveying thought to expression, at the very moment with such finesse.... musically of course but just hearing you speak is so, complete.... Cheers, just brilliant.
I know that Chris plays out too, but the U tube guitarist is a whole new art form in itself. Great sounding tracks with a visual close up of a solo....consistent high quality from Chris...
Not to put a finer point on it.. unlike many other 'youtubers' Chris has always been in a band .. from the initial TH3 that nearly broke America back in the day to several successful years and a fabulous album with Buck and Evans to now touring Europe with the chart topping Cardinal Black, Chris is first and foremost a musician that has just found an outlet called TH-cam to help bolster his income. Now that Cardinal Black are gaining huge popularity let's hope that we still get him on TH-cam .. he's regarded quite rightly as one of the best new guitarists in the world....but he's always been this good!
I have the same problem as Chris! The setup is, I believe, exactly what I would love to have in my hands! However, the looks of it.. just doesn’t seem to fit the guitar hero that lies in me!!! 😂😂😂
@@thiskingdom3605 I guess I'm lucky in that sense because I am a keyboardist and do not suffer from that affliction. But I suppose if Emerson (RIP) was still here and threw away his C3 I would have to go with what he got (but not the Yamaha Polysynth LOL) And it would be after going Linda Blair for a while. 🤣
It sounds even better in person. I run the piezo through a DI then onto the PA system. Using the piezo through a PA along with the hum-buckers through a regular guitar amp gives you and incredibly rich sound live.
@@joey-ne6pl doesn't even have to be humbuckers. My current setup is a Thinline Tele with Bill Lawrence microcoil pickups and a 4-way switch (both pickups in series), and the blend with a piezo bridge is heavenly, especially with the mag pickups running with a bit of delay and reverb in stereo (or wet/dry with different levels of FX and gain) through two amps. The DI'd piezoacoustic tone is panned dead center with it's own FX, and just a touch of blend into the electric side, for just the right amount of separation between the two tones.
After years of playing classic designs and not really getting into PRSs, I've recently bought a couple of SEs - a DGT Gold-Top and a Hollowbody II Piezo. Slightly to my surprise, I bonded with both of them straight away. Each in their own way, they just feel "right" for me and they've become my go-to guitars for most occasions. I've got to say, based on those clips of your sound-checks, you really should use the Hollowbody II more - your playing was stunning as ever and it sounded fantastic! 😎
That's wonderful to hear. I have an older flat top semi hollow SE 22 custom. It was my first good guitar, and it is amazing. I struggled to match the stock pickups to my small tube amps, but swapped in SD Pearly Gates, added a coil tap on a push-pull, and dropped the resistor's value. It sings sweetly, can get chimey and sparkle, and can get dirty and nasty all with a bit of twist or pull on the tone and volume knobs. As guitar players tend to do, I keep pining for a higher-end model, but it really does everything I could hope for. In fact, it's a much better guitar than I am a player
I have a 2008 DGT that I’ve played the finish off of the neck, belly relief, arm position upper bout, spot between pups… I just got an SE DGT. I didn’t set it down for a good month and a half.
I probably should add that the SE Hollowbody II's piezo is great through my Laney Cub Super 12 valve/tube amp. The result isn't "acoustic" in the slightest, but it has a fantastic character that's unique amongst all my guitars. The first rehearsal with it had the band saying "That's amazing - but where's the acoustic sound you bought it for?" 😉However, put through a really clean amp or a PA, it offers a very useful "acoustic" sound, but I always blend in a bit of the magnetic pickups to roll things back a bit.
I am a recent PRS convert as well. I bought a DGT SE and it blew me away. I love the 25” scale length and the wide fretboard. I can play how I want to play without worrying about the physical limitations of my other guitars (335 excepted), and the PUs do what I want them to.
I've fancied either a PRS or a Yamaha Revstar(P90s) for a while now. Went to a guitar shop and tried both out. Both brilliant guitars but the Revstar just blew me away for playability...so came home with the Revstar..!!😁🎶🎸
I have a PRS CE and I've eyed the Revstars for awhile now. I have 3 Yamaha's and I'm always amazed how Yamaha always hits value/quality factor. That is true for their less expensive up to more expensive.
I recently bought one of the older Revstars, the Bowden Green P90 version because I don't like any of the newer colours. Paid about 400 quid and it plays like a £1000 guitar. It's probably one of the only guitars I've ever had, apart from my Gretsch, that I don't feel the need to upgrade any parts or pickups.....their own P90s are very good, and are more than capable 👍
I love my PRS Hollowbodies - I have a HBii with Piezo and a 594 HB and they are both stunning instruments to play, the sound, the feel etc... Every person is an individual and so everyone will have their own preferences etc. They all hear and feel things differently and may also have different wants/needs for creating their music. Some may not want a HBii and/or think isn't great for Rock/Metal - but another person will want a HB specifically for Rock/Metal, or prefer the light weight... If its not the 'right' tool for you for the 'job' you want it to do or gravitate towards a 'favourite' for whatever reason, that's OK. It can be the 'best' built instrument or a cheap import imitation of a 'high end' model, its about using the tool you feel will get the music to flow out through your instrument to your audience in the way you want it to - but that PRS HBii sure sounds amazing in your hands when you do play it...
I own a PRS McCarty 594, and agree it is perfection personified, and indeed plays itself. I have a lot of guitars, frankly, some modern and some vintage. I absolutely love to play my PRS, and get it out regularly in the rotation (which is really not frequent enough!), but I love to play my '66 Hagstrom II and '98 Carvin DC127 and even my '56 Gretsch Electromatic, too. You make a great observation in that the persona of the guitar is part of its joy in use. I often compare my guitar collection to a car collection. Therein one might have Mustangs and Corvettes, maybe a Porsche or Ferrari, and they get the blood pumping. But taking a ride in an Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser station wagon (with a 440 & 4 barrel Holley) is still a thrill.
@@vincezab1 Indeed! A holy sxxt ride! I remember standing on the throttle with no brake and it stood still, smoke billowing from tires until you let off the gas.
Mr Chris this is a very thoughtful post. It is very interesting, i divested myself of a lot of so-so guitars to get a PRS, and for me, its fantastic. What is really interesting is that i get compliments on how it sounds by audiences. I take that to mean it has character. But soon as another guitarist is commenting, the kinds of not so positive comments about PRS come into play, and much for the reasons you outline. You are on to something here. Thanks so much for your thoughtful commentary each week, and the absolutely delicious sections of your live playing.
The piezo sound around 6:30 is just amazing. Not an acoustic guitar but with that kind of clean sound you don’t normally get from an electric. I’d look into the that guitar for that tone alone. When it’s blended you get an almost P90 tone. And Chris just plays everything with such emotion. He’s fast but not flashy.
Every time I come across one of Chris's guitar playing videos, I get blown away. So many players are great and play fantastic,but end up sounding generic. Chris is always sounding like himself, which really is the highest praise I believe for any good player. Fkn brilliant!
Hi , I’ve own and sold a PRS for that exact reason, I get it. But mostly I think it’s because they’re so good and bloody expensive, is why you don’t take it out and play it. Which then leads to the eternal GAS conundrum of having something of value to trade. My advice would be to own one at least.
Yet another great video, so thank you! You called this PRS perfect; in my humble opinion it’s the perfect guitar for you. Only you could create those beautiful blended tones between the PAF,s & Piezo, and handle the instrument in such dynamic fashion the way you do.
When I took up the hobby again after a twenty year break, I had a bit more cash to spare, and I chose a PRS as a decent mid-price option. It was OK, but I never felt any love for it. The pickups seemed to have a stinging punch to them that I wasn't keen on, and I quickly went off the descending birds! The phrase 'accountant's guitar' - once heard, never forgotten. ;-) Tried a few makes after that, but the best solution was to get a metal guitar (a Charvel Desolation - discontinued in 2011), rip the active pickups out and replace the bridge p/up with a Tonerider P90, and the neck with a Tonerider Alnico II vintage-style humbucker). Best of both worlds - flat, fast neck, but bluesy sounds, and it only weighs 6lb!
I had a long winded comment, but really it comes down to I agree with you. I think the emotional attachment to our heroes and the guitars they played can be a source of inspiration when we play those guitars. Not for everyone obviously, but probably for a lot of us.
Thanks for this video as it answered my forever question of what happened to that PRS. Well said, very respectful and interesting as it also clarified why those old guitar designs are still loved and copied. A bunch of those guitar legends are not anymore with us, but the famous people who play PRS are legends in the making (except Carlos Santana), some of them are contemporary with yourself. That HBII sounds amazing in your hands, I kindly suggest you play it more because the sound it has and the versatility it has as it will make you grow even more as a guitar player. Proof of that is this video where you showed us a sneak peak of what could be your future awesome tones.
It sounded really great in this video. I hope you can fall in love with it and use it. My two favorite guitars are both PRS guitars. I own Ibanez, Gibson, Fender, and Gretsch as well.
I completely get it. And I'm somewhat relieved to hear someone else feel the same way (lest I have to assume I'm just crazy). I've had a few guitars over the years that were "perfect" in sound and felt like "they played themselves". And I always (eventually) got rid of them. Partly because it just did not seem to give me the same personal satisfaction of having to fight (a bit) to get the sounds and notes I wanted, and partly because it scared me into thinking "if I play this guitar too much, I'll never be able to play anything else". Neither feeling is logical, but both feelings cut into the joy and satisfaction of playing. And at the end of the day, joy and satisfaction were more important to me than "easy" or "good". Come to think of it, I've noticed similar feelings in other aspects of life over the years. The pets that were the unruliest and unfriendly that turned into my best friends ever - partly because of the effort it took to earn their trust and love. The business relationships where I was thrust into something I never would have chosen for myself, but turned out to be among the most rewarding of my career. Maybe we tend to place a higher value on things we have had to "earn" vs things we just "bought" or were "given".
The ability to mix in a bit of treble at the guitar end certainly intrigues me, as well as the potential to ric-o-sound it. Love my SE 594 Std, will have to play one of the hollows if I see one at a store.
Another excellent video, love your beautiful playing! I've been playing for almost 50 years and just picked up my my first PRS. I'm in my 60s now and my 76 Les Paul Deluxe (almost 12 lbs) is just getting too heavy for gigging, and the split coils in the PRS allows me to leave my strat at home and just play one guitar. They are very versatile and play wonderfully, but I do prefer playing my Gibsons, Fenders, and Gretschs when I'm at home.
Bingo! I too have shopped, played, and wondered about bringing home a PRS but... I am so connected to the guitar sound, feel, and images of my youth. In other news, props for your playing style and ideas Chris. Shades of Andy Timmons, Jeff Beck, and maybe a little Lukather. Cheers!
Thanks for a thoughtful episode delving honestly into some of our reasons for choosing particular makes and models, as well as explaining your PRS. I'm looking to replace my 335 dot I've loved for 35 years with a PRS SE Hollowbody II Piezo as I want a lighter instrument that is toneful with looks that appeal to me. I'm a sucker for hollow and semi hollowbodies having also had my share of Gretschs as well as acoustic guitars. Your clip added significantly to my understanding of the model I'm investigating. Although I too want to look like my heroes, I bought a Godin G1000 about 30 years ago when I couldn't afford a Strat. Godins were unknown in Australia then. I've since had some US Strats but sold them as, although they were dearer they didn't sound much different to the Godin which is a pleasure to play.
I’ve been watching Chris play for about a year now & have yet to hear him play a solo that didn’t impress me. My dad was a blues player & a pretty good one. He would have loved Chris’ playing. ☮️
I have a washburn superstrat double humbucker. Incredibly easy to play, 24 fret shred machine. But when I got a strat copy in HSS from a japan thrift store, changed the frets to stainless steel, bought a new bridge and locking tuners. It's now my favorite guitar. There's just something that feels good when playing a vintage style guitar.
I completely get where you’re coming from here Chris. I really like the whole ethos and build quality of PRS and have tried many over the years with the intention of buying but I have never found a model that feels, plays, and sounds good for me.
Sounds amazing! Thta would be my #1 over the others you mentioned. I've become a PRS fanboy. I have a US Core 594 Semi-Hollow (my #1) and a US Silver Sky,. I've been selling off Les Pauls, Strats, Telecasters, and yes, even a Jazzmaster to fund my new love. They're all I play, at home or live. My next one is a Modern Eagle V, then probably a Vela Semi-Hollow. Along with my acoustic, the Strat I'll never sell because it was my first real guitar - That'll do it. I used to want one or two of all the "Classic Guitars". Now I've discovered a company that builds guitars that sound amazing, have mojo for days and are in their "Golden Era" and I want one of each ;). And I play them live, and even though I take great care of my equipment, I do have very expensive guitars with a scratch or two - part of the price you pay for using them, but they're built to be played not stored or displayed. I'm the guy that would put 100,000 miles on an Enzo.
Sounds phenomenal. I think you hit the nail on the head. They may be practically perfect but technical perfection can be dull and lifeless. Imperfection brings surprise, creativity, joy and inspiration.
Always somewhat bemusing and kinda charming really to hear a younger person express near incredulity at just how seemingly ancient something is - "Next year the 2 guitar designs that I use most often on a regular basis...will turn (slow down for emphasis) 66 years old." - when you realize that you yourself are the exact same age as what they're describing - The fates (and blood pressure medication) willing I will be turning 66 next year too... Being the same age as a couple of classic guitar designs?...Well that suits me just fine Love ya Chris, keep rockin'!
Always blown away by the phrasing..the bends and slides are just always soo damn perfect. I keep telling myself im gonna steal somma that--forget to practice it--watch another vid and get blown away all over again. Just a master
Yup… I was exactly like you, loved vintage designs, owning pre-cbs and masterbuilts, dreaming of a burst… and then PRS guitars arrived in my live. First a Silver Sky and last year I found a Custom22 Ltd (with the all rosewood neck) on the used market, well played on the road. Changed the pickups for the 58/15 Lt… and now my quest for tone is done!
I bought my first PRS in 1994. It was a pre-factory 1994 CE-24. It was a status to buy it. I live in the upper midwest and NOBODY had one in my area. So it was something I wanted. It was different. It took some getting used to. As I came from 6-7 years of gigging with 2 1987 Charvel Model 4 guitars. But once I adjusted. It was my main guitar for almost 16 years. I owned it for 18 years. In late 2009 I bought a 2008 PRS Mira. This was a core Mira body before the S2 factory opened. Once I bought that the CE24 became my backup. 2 years later I sold the CE on Ebay so I could by another Mira from the same year. They Miras were light. Comfortable. 24 fret so I could get to the 22nd fret easier (small hands) and they were WORK HORSE machines. Rarely went out of tune. Pretty much never had an issue with either. That's why I love PRS. If you are a gigging musician who doesn't have any sort of tech on staff? It's nice to have guitars that are so well adjusted out of the factory that they rarely let you down & living in the upper mid-west, the temperatures go from above 100 degrees and humid in the summer (plenty of outdoor gigs) to traveling when it's 20 degrees below zero and the guitars sometimes end up in the trailer. In 2014 at age 43 I had my first desire to go Les Paul. I blame seeing Bonamassa live. Sold the 2 PRS guitars. Got a Gibson & a couple of Epiphone Les Pauls. within months.... regretted it. But it took me down a path to sell those & have a local builder end up building me 3 custom build guitars. I still own all 3. Love them. But about 2 years ago, at his shop (my buddy that builds the guitars owns a music shop) he had a used 2017 PRS Vela semi-hollow in stock. LOVED it the second I held it. So I bought it. About 3 months after that I stopped in his shop and there was one of my old PRS Mira's hanging on the wall. So I had to buy that since it was mine (I had bought it new) and I was waiting for a core Mira to show up. So now I'm back to owning 2 PRS guitars. Love them. Will never get rid of them. And Love my custom guitars. If it moves you? Then it's good. If it doesn't. Then find one that does. You don't have to explain it to anybody else. You don't have to apologize or justify it. Just simply play the guitar that makes you want to play guitar. Sorry for the rambling. I'm not a PRS snob. I'm not even a guitar snob. One of my favorite guitars I own for recording is a low end Epiphone SG with P90's in it. In the end. I'm not gigging anymore. I just play at home and record for me. Using my Line 6 PodGO & my buddy's Kemper when at his house. I find it hard to 100% differentiate between the guitars when it's not in a live/loud setting where the guitar and amp are working together based on proximity so you ultimately get the dynamics that certain guitars have to offer. Hard to emulate that when recording direct at lower volumes. THAT all being said? Chris, your playing is bad ass. Just a smoothness that is soothing to listen too. So you got an instant subscribe from me.
Your guitar heroes were playing playing the best instruments they could find at the time, you should do the same! You are creating you own legacy, not following in footsteps of others. Most people would love to have a guitar that would play itself, but you can make any guitar sound great!
Incredible tone for the intro jam with the kind of camera angle that reveals how much that tone come from his fingers. So precise and powerful sustaining soaring notes. Reminds me of Jeff Beck and inspires me to play more expressively like that.
So, the Cardinal Black is my new discovery. Beautifil music. And Chris's sounds and melodies. Now, this guitar... I am drummer, I am trying to imagine myself finding a Gretsch USA Custom from 1970, in mint condition (if that exists), with depth and resonance like nothing else. Or a Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute from 1990s. I guess I would be absolutely schizofrenic about taking it anywhere. Not to add a single scratch or dent more. But at the same time, the sound of it, the colours, the beauty. All the things to share with the audiences. Great instruments are there to be played. I am sure that many fans fans would be glad to see and hear this wonderful guitar more.
PRS hace unas guitarras fabulosas. Comparto contigo esas sensaciones. Siempre hay "otra" que tener antes. En mi caso conseguí mi Les Paul, mi SG, mi Telecaster, mi Stratocaster, mi Martin, mi Guild archtop con P90´s...y siempre pienso que algún día llegará una PRS...pero ahora estoy a la caza de una 335...y cada vez es caza mayor...grandes reflexiones. Te admiro tanto como guitarrista como pensador.
I can perfectly relate to your sentiments here that, as many others have mentioned, you have so eloquently put across. I have a PRS Wood Library Custom 24-08. It is a thing of real beauty with a build quality second to none and it plays effortlessly. However, it takes significantly more time and effort to dial in a sound I'm happy with than it does my other twin humbucker, a Gibson Les Paul. The LP has a naturally warmer, creamier tone to it which takes us to the popular opinion that PRS guitars tend to sound a little "sterile. I can understand this opinion to a certain extent but the argument falls down somewhat when pedals, FX and amps are put into the equation which, pretty much, allow you to dial in any tone you want. For me, it just takes longer to get there.
Nice Jeff Beck opening! Writing this from just outside Annapolis, Maryland, USA (the birthplace of PRS). I'm not a pro - barely even a weekend hacker - but what I've found is that I can't name anybody current that plays a PRS that has a personalized/signature sound (think of the tones of Page and Walsh, Trower and GIlmour). ALL of the PRS sounds are great but... You also mentioned something about fighting the guitar - that is EXACTLY what Jeff Beck said in the mid '70s interview when asked why he switched from to a Strat: "the Les Paul is too easy to zoom up and down on."
I own 4 PRS guitars (McCarty w/humbuckers, McCarty w/p-90's, Santana SE and a recently delivered Myles Kenndey signature). I own strats (2), teles (2), les pauls(4) , a gretsch and a rickenbacker. I don't play ANY of them anymore. The ONLY ones I play anymore are the PRS's. Between the four (they are all very distinct) I get everything I want or need. Buying a PRS and not playing it is akin to buying a Porsche 911 and preferring to drive an '72 Pinto. To each his own, but it's hard for me to understand.
Just a week ago I got a 1994 McCarty….I’m in love and have been eyeballing the hollow body version since…..so thanks sooooo much for make me want to empty my wallet even more for one!!! 😂
That makes sense. I grew up watching Santana rock his red(ish) PRS on Supernatural and I wanted one ever since 😁 (thankfully I got a very nice Custom 24 which is my main workhorse)
And here's a "why I don't play PRS" video that makes sense. I got drawn to this brand especially seeing guitarists I admired as a teen play them, and how they looked modern and elegant compared to other brands. When I finally could afford one the absolute playability and over engineering made me love them beyond the aesthetics, but yeah the main reason I love to play them is because I feel somehow connected to those who inspired me in the past
Why play something that plays itself? The joy of fighting your instrument and bending it to your will is ultimately more rewarding! I have been watching and listening to Friday Fretworks for years and love the "jams" you do! I quite like Cardinal Black but your playing doesn't seem to have the same passion that it has with Buck and Evans! Sometimes it sounds like any old shit will do! But I will carry on tuning in, waiting for these gems that you continue to treat us all to! Ya great big show aff!!!
I have a Godin XTSA which has a individual piezos under each string with a high end mixer/eq along with a HSH electric pickups. I mainly use in church. My blend is the piezo to get a nice acoustic-like sound and then dial in the electrics middle "S" pickup. Great sound. Only bad thing about the guitar is that if your right hand sweats and palm alot, this "crud" of your hands WILL contaminate the piezos low pitch strings (where your palm rests) and each of these 3 piezos will slowly go dead. The fix is to remove and clean off the crud which involves swishing in hot water. Anyway great VID.
Piezo/magnetic guitars are their own thing, and certainly a fringe application. I fell for them after hearing someone use a Parker Fly to not only switch between electric and acoustic tones within a song, but also to blend a mono piezo tone with stereo electric tones surrounding it on either side in stereo. I started out with a Parker Night Fly, then an Ibanez semi with a Graphtech tuneomatic piezo set, and now have a Thinline Tele with a Piezo One piezo saddle. Stereo electric and mono piezo is challenge in terms of amplification as well, but at least for me, it's worth the hassle.
The two electric guitars I own are a Cort G250P which has a peizo fishman trem that you can blend in with the active pickups. The other is a Burns Cobra which is my main guitar now
You play amazing. Great review I just aquired one second hand and it's basically unused. I don't know if I will use it much either but it is a unique instrument and it is also the nicest guitar I own . It makes me play better
This was great. And for all of the reasons that start at about the 12 minute mark, I'm with. I've owned 3 at individual times up until 2 years ago and I've gigged with all of them. But then the relationship ended. And I'd describe it this way - they were very nice, very pretty, but we didn't have anything in common. I don't know - maybe we can still be friends.
Chris, you are the single most inspirational guitarist of your generation. I'm a little older, not even remotely or distantly as talented, but of similar mindset wrt many of the insights you provide on Friday Fretworks. Once again, you've nailed it. My PRS guitars are spectacular in every respect. Still, I find myself reaching for something more traditional, limitations and imperfections included, more often than not. I've recently, however, been turning to a CE-24 semi-hollow for shows fairly often. Of the PRS guitars I've owned or played, it's not the best. It's still superb, but there are tangible differences from the others, and most of them are not for the better. But I play it more, perhaps because of them! Maybe we do need a bit of a struggle to coax the best out of us. Some physical resistance that manifests emotionally in the end. It means more to me if I have to work for it. Put some skin in the game, literally and metaphorically. Then again, I'm confident you'd sound magnificient playing just about anything. Not all guitars are made equally, and neither are guitarists. You sir, have absolute magic in your fingers. So play what suits you best, and as always, do it well, on whatever instrument inspires you. We'll all be better for it.
I’m fortunate enough to have a Hollobody ii too, as well as a Custom 22 20th Anniversary, and high end Stratocaster and Les Paul Standard. I found that I normally stick with one guitar for some time before I decide to pick another one.
It's really true that (like many things in life we gravitate to) guitars ,for me at least...have an emotional charge to them. I am down to 5 guitars now...and I chose them for sound and tone reasons...maybe to degree playability...but I have to admit I also choose all of these guitars because they just spoke to me emotionally somehow. One needs to want to pick up that guitar...to feel good with it in your hands or...well yes...in the mirror. I bought my Rickenbacker 330 Dbl bound OS because well it suited a lot of what I liked to play but also because damn I loved the look of that guitar. It did however take me a long time for me to pick it up regularly because well it wasn't for me the most playable guitar and I struggled to like it. My Tele is still the guitar I pick up the most...it's like an old friend...i trust it. and it does have a certain sound that really nothing else has. I felt I was missing something not having a guitar with humbuckers and I was. I played hundreds of guitars from LPs to SGs to you name it...and one day I saw this guitar in a shop in Glasgow I had never seen before...it was gorgeous and looked kind Tele-esque in shape...and it had Humbuckers. I looked at the headstock with name Reverend on it...shrugged my shoulders...plugged it in and I found the missing piece in my collection. Before picking up the Reverend, I was about to buy a 71 LP Standard for a crapload of money. I play that Reverend all the time now. Somehow it just spoke to me hanging on the wall...and when I played it, that was it. But if it hadn't visually spoken to me, I would have walked right on by it. aesthetics are important.
I wholeheartedly agree with you. I have a Tremonti PRS, 2 Fender Strats, Fender Tele moded with Texas specials and my favorite of the bunch, my Gibson ES-339 Memphis built beauty. I rarely play it because I actually love it and only play it occasionally. Little different scenario then you and your PRS, but I totally understand where you are coming from.
I recently bought the Chinese version in Andertons sale and run it through a Marshall and haven't put it down in the last couple of months its marvellous But I run it soley in a home studio
PRS are great guitars, I have one of the import SE models and I love it, fantastic guitar for the money & I wouldn't part with it. But, I do find that I have to be in a certain 'mood' or frame of mind to actually play it instead of my Fender. I couldn't exactly tell you why that is, but it just doesn't always speak to me in the same way some other guitars do.
Thank you for this Chris. Some of us get lucky enough to acquire some of these guitars: PRS, Tom Anderson, etc. But until you buy the actual parts and build your own, you really don't know what it is you are looking for in an instrument. I've played crappy Strats that were literally falling apart onstage, and they sounded awesome - because what else could they do?!
As I've gotten older I've learned that I like one trick ponies that really nail the trick. PRS guitars have always struck me as very well made and lovely looking swiss army knives. That's great, and I understand why people like them, but for me, give me the thing that does "the thing."
I have absolutely the same experience and feeling about guitars. It is about my identity and what I picture myself with. Simple as that and as stupid as that. As you say, the classics comes with some features that sometimes are not perfect but they are carved in my DNA or imprinted in my mind as what guitars should look and feel like. I just can't help it 😂. Cheers from Norway!
Just bought one of the new PRS 594 McCarty SE models and I absolutely love it after years of just never bonding or liking the ones I’d tried. Taking it out as my main axe to tonight’s show. My Tele will be in the wings on standby, just in case it all goes wrong 😏🎸🤟
My PRS is a '98 hardtail McCarty Goldtop with stock, very hot P90 "soap bars". For ages, it was my only P90 guitar, and it had a unique sound and versatily such that it became my signature guitar with two different groups... despite my Flying V still being my favorite. But, yeah, I agree... PRSs with humbuckers are not too far from Gibsons, and I haven't fallen in love with another PRS since.
I love the sound just listen to the d cord in the sound check i dont know that much about pickups and stuff but it sounds so sweet man i would play its little soul out every day
Nicely put… I think you answered your own question…. PRS are undoubtably superb guitars that can do whatever you want them to do… And as someone who’s been playing gigging and recording for more than half a century, if I could only afford one premium quality guitar, a PRS would be it… But just like people, it’s often the idiosyncratic flaws and quirks of guitars that make them unique and recognisable… The Les Paul, Stratocaster, Telecaster, SG, White Falcon, and many other classic designs don’t have the versatility of a PRS, but are all flawed and limited in some way or other, to the extent that it gives them a unique presence which sets them apart, and by being as nearly flawless as they are, PRS guitars have a kind of “Studio hi-fI” quality in my opinion, and I’d rather be at a live gig, experiencing the unfiltered sound, than sitting at home hearing the same music with the wrinkles and creases ironed out in the mix…. And that’s why I haven’t gelled with the three PRS models I’ve owned…
One underappreciated skill of Chris is how extremely well spoken he is. Really stood out to me this episode.
Kinda makes sense with how articulate he is in his playing
Because he's Welsh!
His accent and pronunciation annoys the shit out of me so much l mute the vids unless he's playing.
I’ve always noticed that.
@@jonl7819language and music: same part of the brain
But you already knew that :-)
Hi Chris, we were at the gig in Wolverhampton on Wed. Our first time watching the band and we really enjoyed it. Thank you to you all! 🎤🎸🎼💕👍
You are no less a master of guitar as you are of eloquently and respectfully expressing your well founded opinions. Thank you very much.
I have the SE version of this, the SE Hollowbody II Piezo. It's a fraction of the price, but the build quality is still superb. My favourite guitar, I play it every day since I bought it.
I also have the SE version and love it and it was a great price too. But I understand what Chris is saying….
You should be lucky, i’ve gone thru maybe 15 of these until i’ve got one with no obvious flaws, like some frets not parallel, pickup rings not installed at straight angle, gaps in neck pocket, dirt and bubbles in finish. I’ve spend almost half a year and a lot of money exchanging them by mail and traveling in person. Nope i’m not that picky, my epi casino coupe was good from the first buy.
15 of them yet you kept buying more! 🤷🏻♂️
@@APfishing_guitar_statistics I have a Hollowbody SE and love it. However, I did have the full-on US Hollowbody a decade ago and I never played it. It was too nice to bring out to a jam night and too nice for band rehearsals. It felt like it needed to be played loud and on stage, which I rarely did. So it sat in its case until I swapped it for a PRS Swamp Ash a couple of years later. I still kind of regret that, but I just didn't play it. The SE version now, sits next to my desk all of the time and it's great, for 1/4 the cost...
Great thing about prs is. Off the rack. They all have no problems. No fret. Out s intonation s are perfect.
Chris, your playing is always so full of soul. Rare to see anywhere. You have my respect for that. Also respect, your eloquence beats most TV presenters, even writers on TV I've seen. If you can talk like this without reading something pre-written, that is quite an intimidating skill. Just thought I should express my appreciation a little.
your first sentence is the exact reason why Chris or other truly creative types dont play a prs.
@@richardclark. ah, so because the PRS has no soul? hehe. i've seen various people, including musicians, experiencing things differently. PRS are expensive guitars and will probably never come for sale in stores in my country. (not in US) so we don't play PRS because we have no money, mostly. also, isn't the age of the guitar important, especially if the wood is really good? i bet a PRS guitar made in the 1980's will be quite an item in 50 years. if you're not filthy rich (i'm dirt poor), no use comparing. say goodbye to high quality guitars. quality is expensive, which also says something for PRS guitars. do you think paul reed smith would be able to make all those guitars all those years if what you think about them was objective reality? i think John McLaughlin is creative enough. Why don't you ask him what he thinks of his new PRS he just got? just sayin'. it's not about being a "truly creative" type, it's about personal taste.
Whenever I hear a PRS live I'm always blown away by the clarity and crispy notes that come through. People say they lack a character but I think their character is being so nice and clean.
Really enjoy hearing them in live bands.
I've recently bought the Chinese version it was heavily discounted at Anderton, it plays sounds like the 4k version
I have 2 amps a Matamp (hand wired ultra clear) and a Marshall combo that has been modded the PRS sounds fine through the Marshall but a bit clinical through the Matamp. But I can run the piezo through that one and get blended tones.
It also reacts to pedals differently to my fender and Gibson
PRS by itself sounds very steady. Change the pickups, and they sound awesome. Through a Marshall, lovely now.
The thing that makes prs instruments great is that they come to you playable. Across all the ranges. I know that sounds…obvious? But having owned many many, MANY instruments of calibers high and low…most guitars don’t have great fretwork and neck detailing regardless of how much they cost.
Thats mostly Gibson fan boys trying desperately to find something to down PRS's about... Its lies I own about 30 guitars, PRS, Gibson Fender G&L I can them all sound just about the same.. What I cant do is make a Gibson have the tuning stability of a typical PRS, or have 1/10 of PRS fit and finish, and superior fretwork to Gibson.
@@adhaskym.a9536 Which pickups would you recommend changing them to?
OMG... the first time when the YT algo actually works and recommends something so ridiculously good that you just stop everything... work, boss, crazy gf, everything has Thanos-snapped itself out of existence for the last few hours while I guzzle down your every second of your playing mate, mother of god, thank you!!
And that flow you have.... of conveying thought to expression, at the very moment with such finesse.... musically of course but just hearing you speak is so, complete.... Cheers, just brilliant.
The way you get that harmonic at 35 seconds is really something. Great playing!
yes ! that harmonic surprised me too. -Elegant !
I know that Chris plays out too, but the U tube guitarist is a whole new art form in itself. Great sounding tracks with a visual close up of a solo....consistent high quality from Chris...
I think it's fair to say that Chris is a musician and Band musician well before a TH-camr ...
Not to put a finer point on it.. unlike many other 'youtubers' Chris has always been in a band .. from the initial TH3 that nearly broke America back in the day to several successful years and a fabulous album with Buck and Evans to now touring Europe with the chart topping Cardinal Black, Chris is first and foremost a musician that has just found an outlet called TH-cam to help bolster his income. Now that Cardinal Black are gaining huge popularity let's hope that we still get him on TH-cam .. he's regarded quite rightly as one of the best new guitarists in the world....but he's always been this good!
I have to admit, that blended sound of piezo and Humbucker is absolutely magical.
That is a very cool setup with lots of possibilities.
I have the same problem as Chris! The setup is, I believe, exactly what I would love to have in my hands! However, the looks of it.. just doesn’t seem to fit the guitar hero that lies in me!!! 😂😂😂
@@thiskingdom3605 I guess I'm lucky in that sense because I am a keyboardist and do not suffer from that affliction. But I suppose if Emerson (RIP) was still here and threw away his C3 I would have to go with what he got (but not the Yamaha Polysynth LOL) And it would be after going Linda Blair for a while. 🤣
It sounds even better in person. I run the piezo through a DI then onto the PA system. Using the piezo through a PA along with the hum-buckers through a regular guitar amp gives you and incredibly rich sound live.
@@joey-ne6pl doesn't even have to be humbuckers. My current setup is a Thinline Tele with Bill Lawrence microcoil pickups and a 4-way switch (both pickups in series), and the blend with a piezo bridge is heavenly, especially with the mag pickups running with a bit of delay and reverb in stereo (or wet/dry with different levels of FX and gain) through two amps. The DI'd piezoacoustic tone is panned dead center with it's own FX, and just a touch of blend into the electric side, for just the right amount of separation between the two tones.
After years of playing classic designs and not really getting into PRSs, I've recently bought a couple of SEs - a DGT Gold-Top and a Hollowbody II Piezo. Slightly to my surprise, I bonded with both of them straight away. Each in their own way, they just feel "right" for me and they've become my go-to guitars for most occasions.
I've got to say, based on those clips of your sound-checks, you really should use the Hollowbody II more - your playing was stunning as ever and it sounded fantastic! 😎
That's wonderful to hear. I have an older flat top semi hollow SE 22 custom. It was my first good guitar, and it is amazing. I struggled to match the stock pickups to my small tube amps, but swapped in SD Pearly Gates, added a coil tap on a push-pull, and dropped the resistor's value. It sings sweetly, can get chimey and sparkle, and can get dirty and nasty all with a bit of twist or pull on the tone and volume knobs.
As guitar players tend to do, I keep pining for a higher-end model, but it really does everything I could hope for. In fact, it's a much better guitar than I am a player
I have a 2008 DGT that I’ve played the finish off of the neck, belly relief, arm position upper bout, spot between pups… I just got an SE DGT. I didn’t set it down for a good month and a half.
I have the same guitar... it's one of my favorite guitars. Along with the SE paul's guitar (recent purchase). @@stevescuba1978
I probably should add that the SE Hollowbody II's piezo is great through my Laney Cub Super 12 valve/tube amp. The result isn't "acoustic" in the slightest, but it has a fantastic character that's unique amongst all my guitars. The first rehearsal with it had the band saying "That's amazing - but where's the acoustic sound you bought it for?" 😉However, put through a really clean amp or a PA, it offers a very useful "acoustic" sound, but I always blend in a bit of the magnetic pickups to roll things back a bit.
I am a recent PRS convert as well. I bought a DGT SE and it blew me away.
I love the 25” scale length and the wide fretboard. I can play how I want to play without worrying about the physical limitations of my other guitars (335 excepted), and the PUs do what I want them to.
I've fancied either a PRS or a Yamaha Revstar(P90s) for a while now. Went to a guitar shop and tried both out. Both brilliant guitars but the Revstar just blew me away for playability...so came home with the Revstar..!!😁🎶🎸
I have a PRS CE and I've eyed the Revstars for awhile now. I have 3 Yamaha's and I'm always amazed how Yamaha always hits value/quality factor. That is true for their less expensive up to more expensive.
@@phelps1485 Try one, it just felt right straight away for me.🤷🏻♂️🎶🎸
I came home with both! These Indonesia made guitars are really hitting the value/quality nexus. So fun to play.
I recently bought one of the older Revstars, the Bowden Green P90 version because I don't like any of the newer colours. Paid about 400 quid and it plays like a £1000 guitar. It's probably one of the only guitars I've ever had, apart from my Gretsch, that I don't feel the need to upgrade any parts or pickups.....their own P90s are very good, and are more than capable 👍
@@JammyGit They are such a wonderful, easy guitar to play, and a great sound..👍🎶🎸😁
I love my PRS Hollowbodies - I have a HBii with Piezo and a 594 HB and they are both stunning instruments to play, the sound, the feel etc...
Every person is an individual and so everyone will have their own preferences etc. They all hear and feel things differently and may also have different wants/needs for creating their music. Some may not want a HBii and/or think isn't great for Rock/Metal - but another person will want a HB specifically for Rock/Metal, or prefer the light weight...
If its not the 'right' tool for you for the 'job' you want it to do or gravitate towards a 'favourite' for whatever reason, that's OK. It can be the 'best' built instrument or a cheap import imitation of a 'high end' model, its about using the tool you feel will get the music to flow out through your instrument to your audience in the way you want it to - but that PRS HBii sure sounds amazing in your hands when you do play it...
I got the Chinese one heavily discounted its kin marvelous.
An imperfect guitarist, playing an imperfect guitar, creating perfectly beautiful music.
I own a PRS McCarty 594, and agree it is perfection personified, and indeed plays itself. I have a lot of guitars, frankly, some modern and some vintage. I absolutely love to play my PRS, and get it out regularly in the rotation (which is really not frequent enough!), but I love to play my '66 Hagstrom II and '98 Carvin DC127 and even my '56 Gretsch Electromatic, too. You make a great observation in that the persona of the guitar is part of its joy in use. I often compare my guitar collection to a car collection. Therein one might have Mustangs and Corvettes, maybe a Porsche or Ferrari, and they get the blood pumping. But taking a ride in an Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser station wagon (with a 440 & 4 barrel Holley) is still a thrill.
The Vista had a 455 CID engine, not a 440. I had a '72 until I wrecked it, I agree it is a thrilling ride!
@@vincezab1 Indeed! A holy sxxt ride! I remember standing on the throttle with no brake and it stood still, smoke billowing from tires until you let off the gas.
Mr Chris this is a very thoughtful post. It is very interesting, i divested myself of a lot of so-so guitars to get a PRS, and for me, its fantastic. What is really interesting is that i get compliments on how it sounds by audiences. I take that to mean it has character. But soon as another guitarist is commenting, the kinds of not so positive comments about PRS come into play, and much for the reasons you outline. You are on to something here. Thanks so much for your thoughtful commentary each week, and the absolutely delicious sections of your live playing.
I’ll bet Paul would love to make a new signature guitar for you Chris
That pick-flick from fingerpicking to the plectrum deserves an upvote!!!
The most elaborate Reverb listing of all time.
Ha ha
Hahahahaa
The piezo sound around 6:30 is just amazing. Not an acoustic guitar but with that kind of clean sound you don’t normally get from an electric. I’d look into the that guitar for that tone alone. When it’s blended you get an almost P90 tone. And Chris just plays everything with such emotion. He’s fast but not flashy.
Every time I come across one of Chris's guitar playing videos, I get blown away. So many players are great and play fantastic,but end up sounding generic. Chris is always sounding like himself, which really is the highest praise I believe for any good player. Fkn brilliant!
Jeez, that intro is absolutely awesome, such great feel and tone.
Hi , I’ve own and sold a PRS for that exact reason, I get it. But mostly I think it’s because they’re so good and bloody expensive, is why you don’t take it out and play it. Which then leads to the eternal GAS conundrum of having something of value to trade. My advice would be to own one at least.
I never get tired of hearing the solo on I’m Ready… it blows me away every time!
Yet another great video, so thank you! You called this PRS perfect; in my humble opinion it’s the perfect guitar for you. Only you could create those beautiful blended tones between the PAF,s & Piezo, and handle the instrument in such dynamic fashion the way you do.
When I took up the hobby again after a twenty year break, I had a bit more cash to spare, and I chose a PRS as a decent mid-price option. It was OK, but I never felt any love for it. The pickups seemed to have a stinging punch to them that I wasn't keen on, and I quickly went off the descending birds! The phrase 'accountant's guitar' - once heard, never forgotten. ;-)
Tried a few makes after that, but the best solution was to get a metal guitar (a Charvel Desolation - discontinued in 2011), rip the active pickups out and replace the bridge p/up with a Tonerider P90, and the neck with a Tonerider Alnico II vintage-style humbucker). Best of both worlds - flat, fast neck, but bluesy sounds, and it only weighs 6lb!
I had a long winded comment, but really it comes down to I agree with you. I think the emotional attachment to our heroes and the guitars they played can be a source of inspiration when we play those guitars. Not for everyone obviously, but probably for a lot of us.
Thanks for this video as it answered my forever question of what happened to that PRS. Well said, very respectful and interesting as it also clarified why those old guitar designs are still loved and copied. A bunch of those guitar legends are not anymore with us, but the famous people who play PRS are legends in the making (except Carlos Santana), some of them are contemporary with yourself. That HBII sounds amazing in your hands, I kindly suggest you play it more because the sound it has and the versatility it has as it will make you grow even more as a guitar player. Proof of that is this video where you showed us a sneak peak of what could be your future awesome tones.
Well damn, maybe you should play it more often because that was FIRE! Seriously your playing just keeps getting better, so on point.
Mate you hit it on the head man.
I hope to gig with you one of these days stay well
It sounded really great in this video. I hope you can fall in love with it and use it. My two favorite guitars are both PRS guitars. I own Ibanez, Gibson, Fender, and Gretsch as well.
Killer intro jam!👏👏👏
I completely get it. And I'm somewhat relieved to hear someone else feel the same way (lest I have to assume I'm just crazy). I've had a few guitars over the years that were "perfect" in sound and felt like "they played themselves". And I always (eventually) got rid of them. Partly because it just did not seem to give me the same personal satisfaction of having to fight (a bit) to get the sounds and notes I wanted, and partly because it scared me into thinking "if I play this guitar too much, I'll never be able to play anything else". Neither feeling is logical, but both feelings cut into the joy and satisfaction of playing. And at the end of the day, joy and satisfaction were more important to me than "easy" or "good". Come to think of it, I've noticed similar feelings in other aspects of life over the years. The pets that were the unruliest and unfriendly that turned into my best friends ever - partly because of the effort it took to earn their trust and love. The business relationships where I was thrust into something I never would have chosen for myself, but turned out to be among the most rewarding of my career. Maybe we tend to place a higher value on things we have had to "earn" vs things we just "bought" or were "given".
The ability to mix in a bit of treble at the guitar end certainly intrigues me, as well as the potential to ric-o-sound it. Love my SE 594 Std, will have to play one of the hollows if I see one at a store.
Another excellent video, love your beautiful playing! I've been playing for almost 50 years and just picked up my my first PRS. I'm in my 60s now and my 76 Les Paul Deluxe (almost 12 lbs) is just getting too heavy for gigging, and the split coils in the PRS allows me to leave my strat at home and just play one guitar. They are very versatile and play wonderfully, but I do prefer playing my Gibsons, Fenders, and Gretschs when I'm at home.
Bingo! I too have shopped, played, and wondered about bringing home a PRS but... I am so connected to the guitar sound, feel, and images of my youth.
In other news, props for your playing style and ideas Chris. Shades of Andy Timmons, Jeff Beck, and maybe a little Lukather. Cheers!
Thanks for a thoughtful episode delving honestly into some of our reasons for choosing particular makes and models, as well as explaining your PRS. I'm looking to replace my 335 dot I've loved for 35 years with a PRS SE Hollowbody II Piezo as I want a lighter instrument that is toneful with looks that appeal to me. I'm a sucker for hollow and semi hollowbodies having also had my share of Gretschs as well as acoustic guitars. Your clip added significantly to my understanding of the model I'm investigating. Although I too want to look like my heroes, I bought a Godin G1000 about 30 years ago when I couldn't afford a Strat. Godins were unknown in Australia then. I've since had some US Strats but sold them as, although they were dearer they didn't sound much different to the Godin which is a pleasure to play.
I’ve been watching Chris play for about a year now & have yet to hear him play a solo that didn’t impress me.
My dad was a blues player & a pretty good one. He would have loved Chris’ playing. ☮️
I have a washburn superstrat double humbucker. Incredibly easy to play, 24 fret shred machine. But when I got a strat copy in HSS from a japan thrift store, changed the frets to stainless steel, bought a new bridge and locking tuners. It's now my favorite guitar. There's just something that feels good when playing a vintage style guitar.
I completely get where you’re coming from here Chris. I really like the whole ethos and build quality of PRS and have tried many over the years with the intention of buying but I have never found a model that feels, plays, and sounds good for me.
Sounds amazing! Thta would be my #1 over the others you mentioned. I've become a PRS fanboy. I have a US Core 594 Semi-Hollow (my #1) and a US Silver Sky,. I've been selling off Les Pauls, Strats, Telecasters, and yes, even a Jazzmaster to fund my new love. They're all I play, at home or live. My next one is a Modern Eagle V, then probably a Vela Semi-Hollow. Along with my acoustic, the Strat I'll never sell because it was my first real guitar - That'll do it. I used to want one or two of all the "Classic Guitars". Now I've discovered a company that builds guitars that sound amazing, have mojo for days and are in their "Golden Era" and I want one of each ;). And I play them live, and even though I take great care of my equipment, I do have very expensive guitars with a scratch or two - part of the price you pay for using them, but they're built to be played not stored or displayed. I'm the guy that would put 100,000 miles on an Enzo.
Sounds phenomenal. I think you hit the nail on the head. They may be practically perfect but technical perfection can be dull and lifeless. Imperfection brings surprise, creativity, joy and inspiration.
Always somewhat bemusing and kinda charming really to hear a younger person express near incredulity at just how seemingly ancient something is - "Next year the 2 guitar designs that I use most often on a regular basis...will turn (slow down for emphasis) 66 years old." - when you realize that you yourself are the exact same age as what they're describing - The fates (and blood pressure medication) willing I will be turning 66 next year too...
Being the same age as a couple of classic guitar designs?...Well that suits me just fine
Love ya Chris, keep rockin'!
Always blown away by the phrasing..the bends and slides are just always soo damn perfect. I keep telling myself im gonna steal somma that--forget to practice it--watch another vid and get blown away all over again. Just a master
Yup… I was exactly like you, loved vintage designs, owning pre-cbs and masterbuilts, dreaming of a burst… and then PRS guitars arrived in my live. First a Silver Sky and last year I found a Custom22 Ltd (with the all rosewood neck) on the used market, well played on the road. Changed the pickups for the 58/15 Lt… and now my quest for tone is done!
I bought my first PRS in 1994. It was a pre-factory 1994 CE-24. It was a status to buy it. I live in the upper midwest and NOBODY had one in my area. So it was something I wanted. It was different. It took some getting used to. As I came from 6-7 years of gigging with 2 1987 Charvel Model 4 guitars. But once I adjusted. It was my main guitar for almost 16 years. I owned it for 18 years. In late 2009 I bought a 2008 PRS Mira. This was a core Mira body before the S2 factory opened. Once I bought that the CE24 became my backup. 2 years later I sold the CE on Ebay so I could by another Mira from the same year.
They Miras were light. Comfortable. 24 fret so I could get to the 22nd fret easier (small hands) and they were WORK HORSE machines. Rarely went out of tune. Pretty much never had an issue with either. That's why I love PRS. If you are a gigging musician who doesn't have any sort of tech on staff? It's nice to have guitars that are so well adjusted out of the factory that they rarely let you down & living in the upper mid-west, the temperatures go from above 100 degrees and humid in the summer (plenty of outdoor gigs) to traveling when it's 20 degrees below zero and the guitars sometimes end up in the trailer.
In 2014 at age 43 I had my first desire to go Les Paul. I blame seeing Bonamassa live. Sold the 2 PRS guitars. Got a Gibson & a couple of Epiphone Les Pauls. within months.... regretted it.
But it took me down a path to sell those & have a local builder end up building me 3 custom build guitars. I still own all 3. Love them. But about 2 years ago, at his shop (my buddy that builds the guitars owns a music shop) he had a used 2017 PRS Vela semi-hollow in stock. LOVED it the second I held it. So I bought it. About 3 months after that I stopped in his shop and there was one of my old PRS Mira's hanging on the wall. So I had to buy that since it was mine (I had bought it new) and I was waiting for a core Mira to show up.
So now I'm back to owning 2 PRS guitars. Love them. Will never get rid of them. And Love my custom guitars.
If it moves you? Then it's good. If it doesn't. Then find one that does. You don't have to explain it to anybody else. You don't have to apologize or justify it. Just simply play the guitar that makes you want to play guitar.
Sorry for the rambling. I'm not a PRS snob. I'm not even a guitar snob. One of my favorite guitars I own for recording is a low end Epiphone SG with P90's in it. In the end. I'm not gigging anymore. I just play at home and record for me. Using my Line 6 PodGO & my buddy's Kemper when at his house. I find it hard to 100% differentiate between the guitars when it's not in a live/loud setting where the guitar and amp are working together based on proximity so you ultimately get the dynamics that certain guitars have to offer. Hard to emulate that when recording direct at lower volumes.
THAT all being said? Chris, your playing is bad ass. Just a smoothness that is soothing to listen too. So you got an instant subscribe from me.
Your guitar heroes were playing playing the best instruments they could find at the time, you should do the same! You are creating you own legacy, not following in footsteps of others. Most people would love to have a guitar that would play itself, but you can make any guitar sound great!
Incredible tone for the intro jam with the kind of camera angle that reveals how much that tone come from his fingers. So precise and powerful sustaining soaring notes. Reminds me of Jeff Beck and inspires me to play more expressively like that.
Good sounding guitar. I like the way the tapped harmonics ring out so nicely.
Can't believe this is the first time I've seen you. Man you got some unique technique. Wow
So, the Cardinal Black is my new discovery. Beautifil music. And Chris's sounds and melodies. Now, this guitar... I am drummer, I am trying to imagine myself finding a Gretsch USA Custom from 1970, in mint condition (if that exists), with depth and resonance like nothing else. Or a Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute from 1990s. I guess I would be absolutely schizofrenic about taking it anywhere. Not to add a single scratch or dent more. But at the same time, the sound of it, the colours, the beauty. All the things to share with the audiences. Great instruments are there to be played. I am sure that many fans fans would be glad to see and hear this wonderful guitar more.
I agree totally. Very well put together video. And very well explained.
PRS hace unas guitarras fabulosas. Comparto contigo esas sensaciones. Siempre hay "otra" que tener antes. En mi caso conseguí mi Les Paul, mi SG, mi Telecaster, mi Stratocaster, mi Martin, mi Guild archtop con P90´s...y siempre pienso que algún día llegará una PRS...pero ahora estoy a la caza de una 335...y cada vez es caza mayor...grandes reflexiones. Te admiro tanto como guitarrista como pensador.
I can perfectly relate to your sentiments here that, as many others have mentioned, you have so eloquently put across. I have a PRS Wood Library Custom 24-08. It is a thing of real beauty with a build quality second to none and it plays effortlessly. However, it takes significantly more time and effort to dial in a sound I'm happy with than it does my other twin humbucker, a Gibson Les Paul. The LP has a naturally warmer, creamier tone to it which takes us to the popular opinion that PRS guitars tend to sound a little "sterile. I can understand this opinion to a certain extent but the argument falls down somewhat when pedals, FX and amps are put into the equation which, pretty much, allow you to dial in any tone you want. For me, it just takes longer to get there.
Nice Jeff Beck opening! Writing this from just outside Annapolis, Maryland, USA (the birthplace of PRS). I'm not a pro - barely even a weekend hacker - but what I've found is that I can't name anybody current that plays a PRS that has a personalized/signature sound (think of the tones of Page and Walsh, Trower and GIlmour). ALL of the PRS sounds are great but... You also mentioned something about fighting the guitar - that is EXACTLY what Jeff Beck said in the mid '70s interview when asked why he switched from to a Strat: "the Les Paul is too easy to zoom up and down on."
I own 4 PRS guitars (McCarty w/humbuckers, McCarty w/p-90's, Santana SE and a recently delivered Myles Kenndey signature). I own strats (2), teles (2), les pauls(4) , a gretsch and a rickenbacker. I don't play ANY of them anymore. The ONLY ones I play anymore are the PRS's. Between the four (they are all very distinct) I get everything I want or need. Buying a PRS and not playing it is akin to buying a Porsche 911 and preferring to drive an '72 Pinto. To each his own, but it's hard for me to understand.
Interesting take...was considering this exact model for those exact reasons...asking myself why I'm hesitating. Have yet to play one.
Part opinion, part tutorial, part lesson - couldn't get better! This guitar, as do all of your guitars. sound great in your hands. Thank you Chris!!
happy to relieve you of that perfect guitar
Just a week ago I got a 1994 McCarty….I’m in love and have been eyeballing the hollow body version since…..so thanks sooooo much for make me want to empty my wallet even more for one!!! 😂
Great video Chris, well made, well played, and perfectly hitting the nail on the head! 👍❤️
That makes sense. I grew up watching Santana rock his red(ish) PRS on Supernatural and I wanted one ever since 😁 (thankfully I got a very nice Custom 24 which is my main workhorse)
I know Strung Out guitars very well and have used their services for many years.
Great shout out!
And here's a "why I don't play PRS" video that makes sense. I got drawn to this brand especially seeing guitarists I admired as a teen play them, and how they looked modern and elegant compared to other brands. When I finally could afford one the absolute playability and over engineering made me love them beyond the aesthetics, but yeah the main reason I love to play them is because I feel somehow connected to those who inspired me in the past
Dude! That intro was sick! nice playing!
Why play something that plays itself? The joy of fighting your instrument and bending it to your will is ultimately more rewarding! I have been watching and listening to Friday Fretworks for years and love the "jams" you do! I quite like Cardinal Black but your playing doesn't seem to have the same passion that it has with Buck and Evans! Sometimes it sounds like any old shit will do! But I will carry on tuning in, waiting for these gems that you continue to treat us all to! Ya great big show aff!!!
I have a Godin XTSA which has a individual piezos under each string with a high end mixer/eq along with a HSH electric pickups. I mainly use in church. My blend is the piezo to get a nice acoustic-like sound and then dial in the electrics middle "S" pickup. Great sound. Only bad thing about the guitar is that if your right hand sweats and palm alot, this "crud" of your hands WILL contaminate the piezos low pitch strings (where your palm rests) and each of these 3 piezos will slowly go dead. The fix is to remove and clean off the crud which involves swishing in hot water. Anyway great VID.
Piezo/magnetic guitars are their own thing, and certainly a fringe application. I fell for them after hearing someone use a Parker Fly to not only switch between electric and acoustic tones within a song, but also to blend a mono piezo tone with stereo electric tones surrounding it on either side in stereo. I started out with a Parker Night Fly, then an Ibanez semi with a Graphtech tuneomatic piezo set, and now have a Thinline Tele with a Piezo One piezo saddle. Stereo electric and mono piezo is challenge in terms of amplification as well, but at least for me, it's worth the hassle.
The two electric guitars I own are a Cort G250P which has a peizo fishman trem that you can blend in with the active pickups.
The other is a Burns Cobra which is my main guitar now
11/11 video bro. Very nice!
so eloquent mate! .... I've got to say though ... your right hand is second to none!!
You play amazing. Great review I just aquired one second hand and it's basically unused. I don't know if I will use it much either but it is a unique instrument and it is also the nicest guitar I own . It makes me play better
This was great. And for all of the reasons that start at about the 12 minute mark, I'm with. I've owned 3 at individual times up until 2 years ago and I've gigged with all of them. But then the relationship ended. And I'd describe it this way - they were very nice, very pretty, but we didn't have anything in common. I don't know - maybe we can still be friends.
Superb playing
Chris, you are the single most inspirational guitarist of your generation. I'm a little older, not even remotely or distantly as talented, but of similar mindset wrt many of the insights you provide on Friday Fretworks. Once again, you've nailed it. My PRS guitars are spectacular in every respect. Still, I find myself reaching for something more traditional, limitations and imperfections included, more often than not. I've recently, however, been turning to a CE-24 semi-hollow for shows fairly often. Of the PRS guitars I've owned or played, it's not the best. It's still superb, but there are tangible differences from the others, and most of them are not for the better. But I play it more, perhaps because of them!
Maybe we do need a bit of a struggle to coax the best out of us. Some physical resistance that manifests emotionally in the end. It means more to me if I have to work for it. Put some skin in the game, literally and metaphorically.
Then again, I'm confident you'd sound magnificient playing just about anything. Not all guitars are made equally, and neither are guitarists. You sir, have absolute magic in your fingers. So play what suits you best, and as always, do it well, on whatever instrument inspires you. We'll all be better for it.
I need transcription of intro jam... absolute gem
I’m fortunate enough to have a Hollobody ii too, as well as a Custom 22 20th Anniversary, and high end Stratocaster and Les Paul Standard. I found that I normally stick with one guitar for some time before I decide to pick another one.
Chris just gets better
It's really true that (like many things in life we gravitate to) guitars ,for me at least...have an emotional charge to them. I am down to 5 guitars now...and I chose them for sound and tone reasons...maybe to degree playability...but I have to admit I also choose all of these guitars because they just spoke to me emotionally somehow. One needs to want to pick up that guitar...to feel good with it in your hands or...well yes...in the mirror. I bought my Rickenbacker 330 Dbl bound OS because well it suited a lot of what I liked to play but also because damn I loved the look of that guitar. It did however take me a long time for me to pick it up regularly because well it wasn't for me the most playable guitar and I struggled to like it. My Tele is still the guitar I pick up the most...it's like an old friend...i trust it. and it does have a certain sound that really nothing else has. I felt I was missing something not having a guitar with humbuckers and I was. I played hundreds of guitars from LPs to SGs to you name it...and one day I saw this guitar in a shop in Glasgow I had never seen before...it was gorgeous and looked kind Tele-esque in shape...and it had Humbuckers. I looked at the headstock with name Reverend on it...shrugged my shoulders...plugged it in and I found the missing piece in my collection. Before picking up the Reverend, I was about to buy a 71 LP Standard for a crapload of money. I play that Reverend all the time now. Somehow it just spoke to me hanging on the wall...and when I played it, that was it. But if it hadn't visually spoken to me, I would have walked right on by it. aesthetics are important.
Glad ur back … love the hollowbody ur playin
I wholeheartedly agree with you. I have a Tremonti PRS, 2 Fender Strats, Fender Tele moded with Texas specials and my favorite of the bunch, my Gibson ES-339 Memphis built beauty. I rarely play it because I actually love it and only play it occasionally. Little different scenario then you and your PRS, but I totally understand where you are coming from.
Great playing, very good, talented!
Chris… I like your new licks … keep it up, that style is coming on nicely
I recently bought the Chinese version in Andertons sale and run it through a Marshall and haven't put it down in the last couple of months its marvellous
But
I run it soley in a home studio
I have a prs custom 24 se, and a Gibson Les Paul classic I love them both. PRS is amazing
One of my favorite sounds is MBV style accoustic low in the mix over a heavy gain electric guitar run with a RAT 2.
Great playing dude.
PRS are great guitars, I have one of the import SE models and I love it, fantastic guitar for the money & I wouldn't part with it. But, I do find that I have to be in a certain 'mood' or frame of mind to actually play it instead of my Fender. I couldn't exactly tell you why that is, but it just doesn't always speak to me in the same way some other guitars do.
You are a proper lush guitarist, Chris... could listen to you play any guitar, even a PRS 😉
Thank you for this Chris. Some of us get lucky enough to acquire some of these guitars: PRS, Tom Anderson, etc. But until you buy the actual parts and build your own, you really don't know what it is you are looking for in an instrument. I've played crappy Strats that were literally falling apart onstage, and they sounded awesome - because what else could they do?!
Hello Chris,
I am a new subscriber. ❤
As I've gotten older I've learned that I like one trick ponies that really nail the trick. PRS guitars have always struck me as very well made and lovely looking swiss army knives. That's great, and I understand why people like them, but for me, give me the thing that does "the thing."
Yes, I feel the same way about pedals too.
@@michaelt2842 Yes! 100%!
I have absolutely the same experience and feeling about guitars. It is about my identity and what I picture myself with. Simple as that and as stupid as that. As you say, the classics comes with some features that sometimes are not perfect but they are carved in my DNA or imprinted in my mind as what guitars should look and feel like. I just can't help it 😂. Cheers from Norway!
Just bought one of the new PRS 594 McCarty SE models and I absolutely love it after years of just never bonding or liking the ones I’d tried. Taking it out as my main axe to tonight’s show. My Tele will be in the wings on standby, just in case it all goes wrong 😏🎸🤟
I don’t know brother, love your vids, and your respect your views on all, but man, did that PRS blended sound good!!
Since you have two channels on the guitar it's handy to route it to pedals to add a unique sound on hand.
My PRS is a '98 hardtail McCarty Goldtop with stock, very hot P90 "soap bars". For ages, it was my only P90 guitar, and it had a unique sound and versatily such that it became my signature guitar with two different groups... despite my Flying V still being my favorite. But, yeah, I agree... PRSs with humbuckers are not too far from Gibsons, and I haven't fallen in love with another PRS since.
My SE Hollowbody II also has that unique and magical tone. As much as it love it, I love my run-of-the-mill Strat's tone more! 😁
I love the sound just listen to the d cord in the sound check i dont know that much about pickups and stuff but it sounds so sweet man i would play its little soul out every day
Nicely put… I think you answered your own question…. PRS are undoubtably superb guitars that can do whatever you want them to do… And as someone who’s been playing gigging and recording for more than half a century, if I could only afford one premium quality guitar, a PRS would be it… But just like people, it’s often the idiosyncratic flaws and quirks of guitars that make them unique and recognisable… The Les Paul, Stratocaster, Telecaster, SG, White Falcon, and many other classic designs don’t have the versatility of a PRS, but are all flawed and limited in some way or other, to the extent that it gives them a unique presence which sets them apart, and by being as nearly flawless as they are, PRS guitars have a kind of “Studio hi-fI” quality in my opinion, and I’d rather be at a live gig, experiencing the unfiltered sound, than sitting at home hearing the same music with the wrinkles and creases ironed out in the mix…. And that’s why I haven’t gelled with the three PRS models I’ve owned…