The "Forum" Guitar

[cjmwrx]

Ok... a quick show of hands who would be in if we went with this:

DC22 (24.5" scale)
Narrow 408's
Piezo Stoptail or Trem Option
All Mahogany in Vintage cherry, Natural Burst, Charcoal, Opaque White, or Goldtop with dark-back
Mexican Blackwood fretboard
Santana Headstock
Pattern, Santana, or Wide/Thin neck carve
Phase 3 tuners
Custom inlay (something simple... not expensive, that can be exported)

Are we talking about the strat style body or the Santana style?

An AA Maple top would be a nice option, and keep price down.

EIRW neck option as well. Or Maple is cost is the concern.

Would prefer to have a full humbucker option. That way we can change PUPs without routing out the body if we prefer.

If it is the Santana body, definitely in on the basic design.

Headstock inlay would look great "PRS FORUM" with outline birds on rosewood would look nice and clean.

[iahawk36]

Ok... a quick show of hands who would be in if we went with this:

DC22 (24.5" scale)
Narrow 408's
Piezo Stoptail or Trem Option
All Mahogany in Vintage cherry, Natural Burst, Charcoal, Opaque White, or Goldtop with dark-back
Mexican Blackwood fretboard
Santana Headstock
Pattern, Santana, or Wide/Thin neck carve
Phase 3 tuners
Custom inlay (something simple... not expensive, that can be exported)

I'm in

[veinbuster]

Ok... a quick show of hands who would be in if we went with this:

DC22 (24.5" scale)
Narrow 408's
Piezo Stoptail or Trem Option
All Mahogany in Vintage cherry, Natural Burst, Charcoal, Opaque White, or Goldtop with dark-back
Mexican Blackwood fretboard
Santana Headstock
Pattern, Santana, or Wide/Thin neck carve
Phase 3 tuners
Custom inlay (something simple... not expensive, that can be exported)

Ok

[watelessness]

I forgot to mention this before: all tuners should be locking.

[docbennett]

I forgot to mention this before: all tuners should be locking.

I want to know how many people have spent an hour or more cursing out loud at they tried to get those vintage "winged" tuners to lock so that the string could tighten. For some reason...sometimes they would work right away....and sometimes the high E and B strings just wouldn't take...no matter what I did. I love the locking tuners that only require you to thread a hole and screw in the top.

[sergiodeblanc]

I want to know how many people have spent an hour or more cursing out loud at they tried to get those vintage "winged" tuners to lock so that the string could tighten. For some reason...sometimes they would work right away....and sometimes the high E and B strings just wouldn't take...no matter what I did. I love the locking tuners that only require you to thread a hole and screw in the top.

I want those same people to know my home address, I run a home for wayward winged tuners.

[veinbuster]

I want those same people to know my home address, I run a home for wayward winged tuners.

Excellent. I like them, though I'm not putting them on new guitars.

[DirtyMoonsRJT]

I want to know how many people have spent an hour or more cursing out loud at they tried to get those vintage "winged" tuners to lock so that the string could tighten. For some reason...sometimes they would work right away....and sometimes the high E and B strings just wouldn't take...no matter what I did. I love the locking tuners that only require you to thread a hole and screw in the top.

Doc...I've never had an issue with any of mine like what you are talking about....you put the string through....hold your finger on the wing and tune it up until it locks...I love em.

[docbennett]

Doc...I've never had an issue with any of mine like what you are talking about....you put the string through....hold your finger on the wing and tune it up until it locks...I love em.

When it worked, it was great. But...for some strange reason...sometimes I would do this and it just wouldn't get any torque....you'd try to wind the tuner and it would just keep slipping. And....when it finally "caught" and was able to tighten while winding...there was absolutely NOTHING to account for why it wasn't taking. It was probably my eye-hand coordination, (or lack of)....but then again, I remember getting emails for advice from friends who owned PRS who had the same complaint. And..to further validate my experiences....I've seen on this forum and on Ebay situations where even guitar techs couldn't figure it out...so they ended up winding the string around the shaft and trying to tighten it the "traditional" way, totally bypassing the wing's slot. It would have been funny if it didn't stir up some of my own memories of futility.

[AP515]

When it worked, it was great. But...for some strange reason...sometimes I would do this and it just wouldn't get any torque....you'd try to wind the tuner and it would just keep slipping. And....when it finally "caught" and was able to tighten while winding...there was absolutely NOTHING to account for why it wasn't taking. It was probably my eye-hand coordination, (or lack of)....but then again, I remember getting emails for advice from friends who owned PRS who had the same complaint. And..to further validate my experiences....I've seen on this forum and on Ebay situations where even guitar techs couldn't figure it out...so they ended up winding the string around the shaft and trying to tighten it the "traditional" way, totally bypassing the wing's slot. It would have been funny if it didn't stir up some of my own memories of futility.

I don't mean to me silly or condesenting to please take with the best of intentions, but there are only 2 reasons the cam will not set against the string.

1. The operator is turning the tuner in the wrong direction (seems silly, but I have done it).

2. The string is not set completely in the groove.

If the string is in the right position, it simply is not possible for the cam to go more than 1 turn and not press it against the groove walls. I have had it go a number of turns and not "catch" the string and I have had to set the string again and then within one turn the cam will grab and it will work. It makes sense that it is the B and E strings as they are the smallest and hardest to set in the groove accurately.

[docbennett]

I don't mean to me silly or condesenting to please take with the best of intentions, but there are only 2 reasons the cam will not set against the string.1. The operator is turning the tuner in the wrong direction (seems silly, but I have done it).2. The string is not set completely in the groove.If the string is in the right position, it simply is not possible for the cam to go more than 1 turn and not press it against the groove walls. I have had it go a number of turns and not "catch" the string and I have had to set the string again and then within one turn the cam will grab and it will work. It makes sense that it is the B and E strings as they are the smallest and hardest to set in the groove accurately.

Actually, your explanation is spot on. The issue in the past was exactly what I bolded and put in red above. However, after reading all the preceding, it is clearly a case of operator error and not machine error.

[]-[ @ n $ 0 |v| a T ! ©]

Ok... a quick show of hands who would be in if we went with this:

DC22 (24.5" scale)
Narrow 408's
Piezo Stoptail or Trem Option
All Mahogany in Vintage cherry, Natural Burst, Charcoal, Opaque White, or Goldtop with dark-back
Mexican Blackwood fretboard
Santana Headstock
Pattern, Santana, or Wide/Thin neck carve
Phase 3 tuners
Custom inlay (something simple... not expensive, that can be exported)

Ok, that config only got 5 people fired up. Other suggestions got a similar response. As previously mentioned, nor we know wy PRS offers so many different models.

Any last thoughts before we deep six this discussion?

[AP515]

Ok, that config only got 5 people fired up. Other suggestions got a similar response. As previously mentioned, nor we know wy PRS offers so many different models.

Any last thoughts before we deep six this discussion?

Maybe go at this another way. How many can commit to a price and then see how many options would be available in that price range. Then folks can order their favorite options from the price range allotted for the guitar. There will only be a few that can commit to a $5000 guitar but maybe there are enough who can commit to half that.

So we commit to an amount and then ask PRS what options would be available for the number of guitars that would be purchased at that price. I'm in for $2500 and I'll even be in at the Starla and Mira level if it means we can get enough people. Now show me the list of things to choose from. If we get enough people that choose from the options list we'll have a forum guitar.

[VHTStark]

Ok, you all might think this is nuts....but I am going outside the box a little here. How about a new model; literally! My idea would be a PRS that can snap like a tele! I read they made a few long scale SC's in the private stock program; I bet it wouldn't be that hard to do!!

So:
25.25 or 25.5 scale
swamp ash or alder
SC or DC body shape (I am thinking the DC would be more popular)
Maple neck and board (bolt on?)
Stop tail....maybe even a 2tek bridge??
lots of p-up variations would be cool: 2 narrow 408's, 2 or 3 narrowfields, a bucker and a narrowfield....whatever we decide!
This would be unique, versatile, look cool and it would be very easy to keep the price manageable!

[sergiodeblanc]

Santana shaped alder CE with Hum+single configuration, rosewood LTD inlays, and screw the price. Even if I can't afford it now, you always have to have something to look forward to.

[LSchefman]

Idea:

A peruvian mahogany ping pong paddle with a brazilian rosewood neck, old bird inlays, and an artist grade maple binding. Finished in nitro. In a paisley case with leather trim.

Admit it. You'd want it.

People here would snap it up even if they didn't play ping pong, as long as it didn't cost more than $2500. And they'd have a great time arguing about whether it should have an adjustable neck reinforcement, or graphite.

Hell, they'd buy a brazilian rosewood salad tossing set if it had birds and the option of maple handles, and hang the set on the wall in their houses, as long as it didn't have a truss rod cover with two screws.

If the Forum offered people a pocket knife with braz handles and an inlay, with a PRS signature, people here would be on it like white on rice. Guitars? Wellllll.....who can agree on that stuff?

[]-[ @ n $ 0 |v| a T ! ©]

Idea:

A peruvian mahogany ping pong paddle with a brazilian rosewood neck, old bird inlays, and an artist grade maple binding. Finished in nitro. In a paisley case with leather trim.

Admit it. You'd want it.

[crgtr]

Ok... a quick show of hands who would be in if we went with this:

DC22 (24.5" scale)
Narrow 408's
Piezo Stoptail or Trem Option
All Mahogany in Vintage cherry, Natural Burst, Charcoal, Opaque White, or Goldtop with dark-back
Mexican Blackwood fretboard
Santana Headstock
Pattern, Santana, or Wide/Thin neck carve
Phase 3 tuners
Custom inlay (something simple... not expensive, that can be exported)

I could get behind this one. Just add the non-piezo stop-tail for me! Sounds like a near perfect guitar!

[SuperFly53]

Ok, that config only got 5 people fired up. Other suggestions got a similar response. As previously mentioned, nor we know wy PRS offers so many different models.

Any last thoughts before we deep six this discussion?

I liked everything about it except the DC 22 body style. It needs to be the standard PRS body shape.... I think the Santana-esque shape is too far out of the box for us die hard PRS dudes. I personally can't get along with the short upper horn and where it puts the guitar while playing standing....

My 3 cents.....

[]-[ @ n $ 0 |v| a T ! ©]

I liked everything about it except the DC 22 body style. It needs to be the standard PRS body shape.... I think the Santana-esque shape is too far out of the box for us die hard PRS dudes. I personally can't get along with the short upper horn and where it puts the guitar while playing standing....

My 3 cents.....

It's a good point, Norm. But the 22 fret neck doesn't extend as far from the body as it does on the Santana and West Street Limited - changing that very detail.

It's better balanced and compact. Like a sawed-off shotgun!