-
Does anyone have hands one with one of these? Really interesting looking guitar.
-
05-20-2015 11:38 AM
-
They are nice guitars .... with that great PRS ease of play IMHO ....
I had one with the fancy flame maple back for a while, but sold it to help pay for another guitar
The ones I played with mahogany backs sounded better than my flame maple back ... but maybe mine was just a dud ... it still sounded pretty good, though
paired with the right amp they sound great ... not much for acoustic sound .... but that means they should do well at louder volumes
worth a try if the price is decent
-
There was a regular on rmmgj who used one and had some live club performance videos up. But I can't remember his name. I think they all have the wide/fat neck. The model didn't last long once they came out with the thinner one, and I haven't seen many available in recent years. Maybe collectors are hoarding them. blackrose has one on ebay right now, but it's the maple back.
Last edited by Woody Sound; 05-20-2015 at 12:21 PM.
-
Imo very thin, bright sounding guitar. I couldn't get on with them and prices have dropped reasonably dramatically.
I would classify them as an archtop but not as you know it, type thing.
-
The rmmgj regular was (is) Mark Kleinhaut, if we're thinking about the same person. He actually played a Hollowbody (maple top I believe), not the thicker Archtop. The Archtop is supposedly a bit more woody, but neither guitar has much true acoustic presence. They are reamed out mahogany bodies with relatively thick tops, not true acoustically carved tops.
I owned a HB Spruce for a while and really liked it. Should not have sold it. Very light, nice woody top end, but the factory pickups are too hot and couldn't be dialed out adequately. They all have the WF neck profile.
-
I played one a while back and liked it, but just not my thing. It was a bit thin, but could be thickened up with the right amp, I suppose.
To me the best example of PRS' electric spruce top models is the Paul Jackson, Jr. Signature model JA-15.
That is one sweet sounding spruce top.
PRS Guitars | JA-15
-
+1 on the JA-15. It's the pickups. I have one, and it's much warmer and suited to classic/smooth jazz tones than the HB.
-
they are great guitars but are a bit neck heavy. Not as bad as the thinner ones. I find the smaller body a bit hard to play but that may be just me. I loved the sound of mine. Not bright and thin at all IMO. With a nice set of flatwounds and a little bit of roll off of the tone control it has a beautiful tone.
The wide/fat neck on them isn't nearly as wide or fat as any of my archtops.
-
Mark is a great player who gets a beautiful sound. I think he used the PRS on most or all of his CDs.
Originally Posted by rpguitar
I've also got a PRS Hollowbody. I disagree with the person who said it was thin and bright sounding. I also disagree that the pickups are too hot. You can roll back the treble and it warms up nicely. You can also make it very bright and chimey. They can be warm and jazzy or bright and edgy. It's the most versatile guitar I've owned, and I always take it to gigs when I know I'll need a variety of sounds or I don't know what I'll have to play.
The PRSs are very playable and have fast necks. They can be slightly neck heavy, but it doesn't really bug me. On the other hand, it's a deal breaker for Jack Zucker. Your mileage may vary, but I think it's certainly worth a try.
-
A lot of interesting comments. Thanks to all.
I'm really not sure how I feel about a guitar being neck heavy. For years it was the ultimate deal breaker for me but now that I've replaced my strap with a Dynarette cushion, I'm not sure it would be a problem. The Dynarette does a pretty good job of hold a guitar in place.
-
It seems that the JA-15 is no longer in production. You can find it under the 2014 models. Originally Posted by rpguitar
As for the pickups, they are the 57/08, which are the same you can find in the Hollowbody II
and also in the electric model Custom 22 (which I have).
-
The JA-15 came equipped with 53/10 pickups originally, until PRS "ran out" of the materials to make them. Internet lore claims them to be superior to the later 57/08, at least on that model. Originally Posted by Jazz_175
-
if you play sitting it's a non issue. I was referring to standing where the guitar tends to neck dive. Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
-
Here's another thing I forgot to mention. If you're used to touching finger(s) down on the pickguard it may feel awkward playing this guitar due to the string height from the body and the sharp cutoff of the body tapering away at the location where your fingers touch down. On my original PRS Archtop, I added a pickguard. Wish I still had that guitar.
-
Thanks Jack That's actually one in the positive column on my score card. I pull the pickguard off every guitar that has one because I keep banging into them. Originally Posted by jzucker
-
i thought I remembered you not touching fingers down. Wish I could do that. Believe me, i've tried! Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
-
I don't remember ever actually trying to play like that. It just sort of happened right from the start. I grew up with an es125 and I took the pickguard off that when I was about 12 years old. Originally Posted by jzucker
-
I didn't always play touching down. My guitar instructor at the university of miami, randall dollahan forced me to do that and it stuck. Would love to unlearn it ...
-
+1 on the JA15 with 53/10 pickups
Also, the HB style PRS guitars are pickup sensitive. I also have a CU22 semi-hollow with 57/08 pickups. It has a maple top and it by no means is thin sounding. In fact, it sounds bigger than it is. Just gotta dial it in right...
-
Hey folks,
Jim, I bought this PRS McCarty Archtop spruce (with birds and piezo):
2000 PRS McCarty * S O L D * Natural > Guitars : Archtop Electric & Acoustic - Guitars n Jazz
I think overall, everyone's comments above hold a valid point, depending on what your preference is. Sometimes, the sound CAN seem a tad thin, but can definitely be setup/played to have a nice jazz tone. I still have the original McCarty Archtop PUPs, and they are warm and low key. I bet you could mod the PUPs for a hotter sound, if one would like. The body IS somewhat light, and I can see where Jack is coming from with feeling neck heavy. Although, it feels fairly balanced to my arms. The feel is definitely more of a "smaller body" feel (aka more Strat-like than L5), but it's thickness and body combo is a rare breed. You don't find many guitars with the thick-er archtop feel with a smaller body. Overall, the playability is great. My vote is def +1, as it's one of my fav guitars to pick up and play.
Just FYI, it's nice to see a thread about the PRS Archtop, because it seems to be a rare topic considering most cats in here are straight up jazz monsters. So, thanks.
Sam
-
Thanks Sam. I have my traditional archtop needs completely covered with my second Heritage. I'm trying to sell or trade the first one they built me since it never gets played. I'm not a collector and when I find a guitar that fills a particular need, I don't need a second one that covers the same ground so I'm looking around for something that will fill a bigger role in my very small arsenal (I really only use two guitar now plus a travel guitar for special circumstances). It seems to me that the Archtop Spruce is a real candidate to do that for me.
-
jim, any interest in the painter p-16 I have fs/ft ?
-
....mmmm....I'm getting more and more interested in a PRS Hollowbody.....
-
McCARTY HOLLOWBODY: 1998 - Current. Hollowbody - carved spruce top with carved mahogany back and sides. Hollowbody I - carved maple top with carved mahogany back and sides. Hollowbody II - carved maple top and back with mahogany sides. All models are 1 3/4" depth at rim, 3" depth at bridge, 22-fret wide-fat mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard, PRS adjustable stoptail bridge, and McCarty Archtop pickups with 3-way toggle. Piezo bridge pickup option added in 1999.
McCARTY ARCHTOP: 1998 - 2001. Archtop - carved spruce top, carved mahogany back and sides. Archtop I - carved maple top with carved mahogany back and sides, Archtop II - carved maple top and back with mahogany sides and rosewood headstock veneer. All models are 2 3/4" depth at rim, 4" depth at bridge, 22-fret wide-fat mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard, PRS adjustable stoptail bridge, and McCarty Archtop pickups with 3-way toggle. Piezo bridge pickup option added in 1999.
McCARTY ARCHTOP ARTIST: 1998 - 2001. Specs similar to Archtop II, but with artist grade figured maple top and back, Brazilian rosewood fretboard, abalone bird inlays with 14k gold outline. Each guitar numbered on back of headstock. Click here for a picture of a McCarty Archtop Artist.
ARCHTOP: 2002 - 2004. Carved spruce top, carved artist grade maple back with carved mahogany sides. 2 3/4" depth at rim, 4" depth at bridge, 22-fret wide-fat mahogany neck, Brazilian rosewood fretboard and headstock veneer, Paua birds and signature, PRS adjustable piezo stoptail bridge, gold hardware, and McCarty Archtop pickups with 3-way toggle and piezo electronics. Click here for a picture of an Archtop.
Atrribution: http://prsguitars.com/forum/showthre...ble-F-hole-PRS
-
Until I sell my other Heritage, I can't get seriously anything in any specific guitar. And then, as my wife has so nicely reminded me, I need to really think about the economics carefully of whatever I buy. So right now it's just more generalized research. Originally Posted by jzucker
Reply With Quote
Grant Green, What is This Thing
Yesterday, 01:59 PM in Ear Training, Transcribing & Reading