I'm Done Buying New PRS Guitars...Here's Why

Today we take a look at why I will most likely never buy a brand new PRS Guitar again …
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My name is Zachary Seif, and I am a professional guitarist from the NYC Metro Area. I teach private lessons, perform in multiple bands, do session work and am the Artist Relations Manager for Quantum Industries. Come join me as I show you what being in the music industry is like on a regular basis.

GEAR USED IN THE VIDEO:
PRS Custom 24-08
Audio Technica AT2020
Focusrite 18i20

All video shot on my iPhone 12 Pro Max

FOLLOW ME BELOW:

Stream my latest single “upside down” below:

* Background music provided by Bensounds

[bradt.]

There is no actual proof that lacquer sounds any different than urethane. It has to do with the thickness of the finish. Lacquer does not breath, it is a sealer just like poly. It was designed to keep car bodies from rusting by sealing out air. Yes it is softer than poly and is more easily damaged. Personally given the same thickness, poly being harder should have LESS dampening effect on wood resonance, something to think about! Poly does protect the guitar much better. Lacquer spays very thin and poly very thick. Lacquer takes many coats, when poly first came out people sprayed it like lacquer making finishes way to thick and it got a bad rep. Paul's poly is very thin so I think going to lacquer is not good. He is just yielding to market pressure. For awhile we had people that said the wood had no affect on an electric guitar, I totally disagree, but guarantee the same guitar finished in the same thickness, NO ONE can hear a difference in lacquer or urethane.

[stevenlong]

Hey, I suggest reaching out to PRS support with concerns. To the best of my knowledge, support is super responsive and always interested in player's feedback. A dealer had me send one of my guitars back to PRS years ago to look at a few things... Was the best service and response I've ever received. That was my experience, may not be the same for everyone, but I think it's worth it to send an email to them. Just my unsolicited 2 cents.

[brianthomas]

I’m probably the odd man here but I love it… it looks killer to me. Nitro is definitely different than poly. My 59 reissue looks like your PRS and I’m easy on it as well. There is nothing cooler than seeing your guitar age rather than a relic job at the factory

[synonyx]

The one thing I wish PRS would do is SS frets... I have multiple high end guitars. All of the modern ones have SS frets. They're going to last forever and bend easily. If I wanted vintage frets I'd buy an LP. I tend to prefer nitro, but agreed you should get an option to purchase poly. I bought 4 wood library PRS's in the last year, I probably won't buy anymore just due to price alone.

[ZillianZilch]

The reason I avoided PRS was because of the poly finishes. I'm actually picking a 2022 Custom 24 up tomorrow, which will be my first PRS. I'm delighted they've 'gone nitro' and I look forward to it growing old with me and looking as beat up as I do!

[Canadianwheelchairguitar]

To each their own! If it's the guitar you play most often, chips & dents happen no matter how careful you are. Consider them a badge of honor!

[everlast]

The easy chipping and dinging is just the nature of nitrocellulose lacquer and doesn't have anything to do with the quality per se. Just a thought about price: a nitro finish is harder to do properly, takes longer than a poly finish and hence, is also more expensive to do. So, you are paying a premium for nitro even though it is a finish that gets beat up much quicker than poly

[InGrindWeCrust]

I personally hated the old finish. Felt like the South Korean guitars (Samick, Cort, WMI) and certain Japanese ESP brands that are in a candy coated shell of polyester. I don't really mind if it comes off more easily, it feels miles better to me. 🤷

[davidfavaloro]

I would feel the same way! But I wouldn’t necessarily consider PRS a “modern “ guitar as it lacks the SS frets, poly finish, etc. They seem to be reaching for a more vintage ideal. And I wonder if a similarly priced custom shop strat with a nitro finish and nickel frets would show similar wear so soon?

[KenithCopeland]

prs makes a guitar that doesnt wear like "classic" fenders did. people complain. prs make a change to paints and finishes and they start to wear quicker. people complain.

the thing i do agree with is the fret wear, they dont have to be stainless (it doesnt bother me what they are made from) but i do agree that i want longer lasting frets

[paulwaller]

Yes, stainless steel frets will last longer.
Nitro, is universally considered better for the resonance of the instrument, compared to catalysed, or Poly finishing, and it’s what most people expect/want. Nitro is more susceptible to Patina, and wear, but the some of the dents on you guitar appear to be quite deep, and therefore no reflection of the craftsmanship or quality of the instrument, and more the result of individual circumstances/impact, that would have resulted in the same outcome on other expensive guitars with the same finish. As you said on an Instagram post about this specific guitar, it ‘has seen well over 100 rehearsals and shows’. That statement pretty much explains/answers your concerns.

[graemeelliott]

You have to accept that nitro is softer than poly - that's just the way it is. PRS also apply their nitro very thinly to give their guitars more resonance. However, nitro wears more smoothly in my opinion. Whereas poly chips and looks ugly, plus it leaves sharp edges when it does so. I have an early DGT that's nitro and it's wearing/fading very nicely through normal use. I also have a poly 513 that has chipped/flaked in places and I've had to lightly sand those areas to avoid the sharp edges (along the edge of the neck for example where the poly has lifted), which in turn will chip further or cause you damage if you catch them. So, for me it's nitro every time.
I see your point about the fret wear but changing your frets to stainless will change the tone of the guitar significantly...which you may or may not like.

[danieltilleru]

Well nitro finishes are known to wear that's why people like it.

[uroskusar]

Hi, I also bought PRS custom 24 2019 model. I paid 3800€ and after two years of playing guitar is like yours, noticed freet wear, and the finish is super sensitive. I was also disappointed with their quality control and support.. They forgot to solder the bridge pickup on a 5-way switch, so the guitar suddenly died. When I took picture inside unsoldered pickup and tell them that they forgot to solder the answer "great that you fixed it, knowledge is power"... that's it. Maybe I'm to sensitive, but I expected some kind of apology or sorry we will send you t-shirt, or something at the end I have to save money for a long time before I could afford it.

[dublev]

The finish issues you mentioned is why I get used now. My last new guitar was a Gibson CS336. It was a good guitar, but the frets wore out quick and the finish started bubbling. No more new for me. The SS frets (lack of) is an issue for me too. I fret pretty hard. I just bought a used Paul’s guitar and I’m dreading when they wear down. It already happened on my LP R8.

[jimvandemoter]

I bought a PRS CE right after they first started making bolt on necks. It had the rotary pickup switch and the lever lock tuners. I loved that guitar. It was everything I could ever want in a solid body axe. Sadly I had to sell it. I've played a bunch of new PRS guitars and they just don't cut it. I don't know what they changed but they just don't have the sound that mine did. Sorry, PRS, you lost me.

[superblindeye]

My friend has two Prs guitars, and loves them very much. The issue that I have seen with them, is they don't seem to stay in tune. I'm not saying that all them are like this, but it's just my experience. Has anyone else seen this?

[petesorensenguitar]

Over the last fortnight I've looked at PRS's and Suhrs and ultimately Suhr won out two nights ago. I still want a PRS but the stainless steel frets on the Suhr Standard Legacy I bought are going to last a very, very long time.

[Impractical_Engineer]

Only thing I agree with is they should have SS frets atleast as an option for the same price. The other points are how you feel and I can respect that.

[ozbiteguitars]

yep i sold my ce24 semi hollow because of the finish marked so so so easily was a joke you just look at it and it would mark etc i sold it because of it. Ive had nitro guitars and still do and they don't mark like the pre did mine was a 2021 model Im with you very disappointed that its that soft.