Rhett Shills Gibbons vs PRS

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Re: Rhett Shills Gibbons vs PRS

Post by hamo »

I didn't add my thoughts before on what makes a guitar one that you "bond" with, partly because I didn't have a proper keyboard handy and don't like typing long replies on my phone. Also partly because I don't know what I'm talking about. :mrgreen:

But not knowing what I'm talking about brings me to the convo from a different angle. I'm evaluating a guitar first on looks according to my taste; but when I get it in my hands I'm going entirely on how it feels to me to play, then how it sounds. I know that sounds basic, but I'm not able to extrapolate from that "oh the action is too high" or "hmm this neck profile doesn't really suit me". I'm going fully on instinct.

So in that regard, a guitar that I find easy to play and to get a good sound out of is, to me, a good guitar. If it's hard for me to do the few things I know how to do half-decently, or get any kind of sound out of, or if I feel like I'm fighting it, then I'm just not going to "bond" with it.

Now I've played very few Gibsons or PRS, but the first USA PRS I played, I bonded with instantly, it was just so easy to play. Shame I'll never be able to afford one. :rofl:
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Re: Rhett Shills Gibbons vs PRS

Post by olegmcnoleg »

hamo wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 10:19 am I didn't add my thoughts before on what makes a guitar one that you "bond" with, partly because I didn't have a proper keyboard handy and don't like typing long replies on my phone. Also partly because I don't know what I'm talking about. :mrgreen:

But not knowing what I'm talking about brings me to the convo from a different angle. I'm evaluating a guitar first on looks according to my taste; but when I get it in my hands I'm going entirely on how it feels to me to play, then how it sounds. I know that sounds basic, but I'm not able to extrapolate from that "oh the action is too high" or "hmm this neck profile doesn't really suit me". I'm going fully on instinct.

So in that regard, a guitar that I find easy to play and to get a good sound out of is, to me, a good guitar. If it's hard for me to do the few things I know how to do half-decently, or get any kind of sound out of, or if I feel like I'm fighting it, then I'm just not going to "bond" with it.

Now I've played very few Gibsons or PRS, but the first USA PRS I played, I bonded with instantly, it was just so easy to play. Shame I'll never be able to afford one. :rofl:

This makes sense to me. Neck profile has never worried me because the guitars I have are from all over the spectrum of neck profiles. The bonding for me is all about how it sounds and how it plays, not how it looks. The bonus with a PRS (or a Doozy, or a Taylor) is that you can risk buying a pretty one because you know it will play well and sound great. It is more of a risk with Gibson, I'd want to play it first.

Thinking about it a bit more... perhaps a lot of the "feel" (or lack thereof) that we associate with a particular type of guitar is just a reflection of what we bring to it--as a player. And possibly also the styles we play. There are some guitars that I know I cannot get the best out of because I don't play the kind of music they were created for (I struggle with Gretsch in this regard).

I watched an interview yesterday with Dominic Miller (Sting's guitarist) who is (I think) a genius-level guitarist with such a great touch. He said he is fed up with people saying they really like his tone, then asking what sort of guitar he plays (equating the two). He said:

"You can give me any piece of shit guitar and I can make it sound good." I believe he can, and that kind of puts me in my place :oops:

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Re: Rhett Shills Gibbons vs PRS

Post by jhyang549 »

There's a trustworthy Facebook marketplace listing in North Auckland of somebody selling a 2004 PRS CE24 (USA Made) in mint condition plus hard case for $1700.

If I was looking for a lifetime dual-humbucker guitar, I would probably buy that and call it a day.

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Re: Rhett Shills Gibbons vs PRS

Post by slash-ed »

TmcB wrote: Wed Jan 11, 2023 8:24 pm PRS = Japanese Whisky. It’s perfect but doesn’t have quirks to make it truly special.
Gibsons = Peaty Scotch. Sometimes it is truly sublime, sometimes it’s licking a burnt whale
what's your issue with licking a burnt whale
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Re: Rhett Shills Gibbons vs PRS

Post by TmcB »

slash-ed wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 5:49 pm
TmcB wrote: Wed Jan 11, 2023 8:24 pm PRS = Japanese Whisky. It’s perfect but doesn’t have quirks to make it truly special.
Gibsons = Peaty Scotch. Sometimes it is truly sublime, sometimes it’s licking a burnt whale
what's your issue with licking a burnt whale
It’s tongueing the blowhole where things get a bit grim
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Re: Rhett Shills Gibbons vs PRS

Post by Bg »

TmcB wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 5:55 pm
slash-ed wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 5:49 pm
TmcB wrote: Wed Jan 11, 2023 8:24 pm PRS = Japanese Whisky. It’s perfect but doesn’t have quirks to make it truly special.
Gibsons = Peaty Scotch. Sometimes it is truly sublime, sometimes it’s licking a burnt whale
what's your issue with licking a burnt whale
It’s tongueing the blowhole where things get a bit grim
Ok.... /sausagefest perverts. You get a like from JB you know its got to be moderated.
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Re: Rhett Shills Gibbons vs PRS

Post by Slowy »

It's fascinating to see so many impressions similar to my own. I think PRS make some beautiful looking guitars and they build them to a standard that puts others to shame. I know I have a problem with thick, shiny finishes; they feel like a barrier between the instrument and me. I'd love to get hold of a McCarthy that some madman had stripped back to the wood. Now that would be an interesting thing to experience!
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Re: Rhett Shills Gibbons vs PRS

Post by robthemac »

Slowy wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 7:16 pm It's fascinating to see so many impressions similar to my own. I think PRS make some beautiful looking guitars and they build them to a standard that puts others to shame. I know I have a problem with thick, shiny finishes; they feel like a barrier between the instrument and me. I'd love to get hold of a McCarthy that some madman had stripped back to the wood. Now that would be an interesting thing to experience!
I am very tempted to buy that PRS Singlecut that went around the forum for a while. Played great, sounded decent, finish was beat to hell but thin enough that a refinish would be on the cards.

Think it went to TradeMe a couple of owners after me. Hope it's in a good place...
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Re: Rhett Shills Gibbons vs PRS

Post by Slowy »

robthemac wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 7:21 pm
Slowy wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 7:16 pm It's fascinating to see so many impressions similar to my own. I think PRS make some beautiful looking guitars and they build them to a standard that puts others to shame. I know I have a problem with thick, shiny finishes; they feel like a barrier between the instrument and me. I'd love to get hold of a McCarthy that some madman had stripped back to the wood. Now that would be an interesting thing to experience!
I am very tempted to buy that PRS Singlecut that went around the forum for a while. Played great, sounded decent, finish was beat to hell but thin enough that a refinish would be on the cards.

Think it went to TradeMe a couple of owners after me. Hope it's in a good place...
Was that the green one?
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.

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Re: Rhett Shills Gibbons vs PRS

Post by jeremyb »

A relic'd hollowbody II with nitro finish would solve a lot of my concerns, mainly I find their guitars super pretty and I'd be devastated to mark one :-(
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Re: Rhett Shills Gibbons vs PRS

Post by robthemac »

Slowy wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 7:23 pm
robthemac wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 7:21 pm
Slowy wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 7:16 pm It's fascinating to see so many impressions similar to my own. I think PRS make some beautiful looking guitars and they build them to a standard that puts others to shame. I know I have a problem with thick, shiny finishes; they feel like a barrier between the instrument and me. I'd love to get hold of a McCarthy that some madman had stripped back to the wood. Now that would be an interesting thing to experience!
I am very tempted to buy that PRS Singlecut that went around the forum for a while. Played great, sounded decent, finish was beat to hell but thin enough that a refinish would be on the cards.

Think it went to TradeMe a couple of owners after me. Hope it's in a good place...
Was that the green one?
Nah, a kind of dark cherry burst that had the worst case of buckle rash you ever saw.
Jops wrote: Sun Sep 18, 2022 7:46 am Spring is the comic sans of reverbs anyway.

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Re: Rhett Shills Gibbons vs PRS

Post by hamo »

robthemac wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 7:39 pm
Slowy wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 7:23 pm
robthemac wrote: Thu Jan 12, 2023 7:21 pm

I am very tempted to buy that PRS Singlecut that went around the forum for a while. Played great, sounded decent, finish was beat to hell but thin enough that a refinish would be on the cards.

Think it went to TradeMe a couple of owners after me. Hope it's in a good place...
Was that the green one?
Nah, a kind of dark cherry burst that had the worst case of buckle rash you ever saw.
That green one still haunts me, would have loved it. It was offered at a decent price but not one that I could hope to reach.
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Re: Rhett Shills Gibbons vs PRS

Post by Molly »

I might've owned the green one (The Hulk as I think it was called) a couple of times. Started-out with Ed. I didn't like the way the controls were positioned and configured but it was otherwise a good guitar for the money.

I bought a Santana at one point. That was a nice guitar.

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Re: Rhett Shills Gibbons vs PRS

Post by robthemac »

Molly wrote: Fri Jan 13, 2023 2:44 am I might've owned the green one (The Hulk as I think it was called) a couple of times. Started-out with Ed. I didn't like the way the controls were positioned and configured but it was otherwise a good guitar for the money.

I bought a Santana at one point. That was a nice guitar.
Didn't I buy the Singlecut from you about four years ago?
Jops wrote: Sun Sep 18, 2022 7:46 am Spring is the comic sans of reverbs anyway.

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Re: Rhett Shills Gibbons vs PRS

Post by StratMatt »

robthemac wrote: Fri Jan 13, 2023 7:01 am
Molly wrote: Fri Jan 13, 2023 2:44 am I might've owned the green one (The Hulk as I think it was called) a couple of times. Started-out with Ed. I didn't like the way the controls were positioned and configured but it was otherwise a good guitar for the money.

I bought a Santana at one point. That was a nice guitar.
Didn't I buy the Singlecut from you about four years ago?
I'm not sure Molly owned that one. I had it for 4-5 years and it went to Keon after me.
Loving it so far

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