PRS Signature Limited 2012

[Tag]

Hi guys,
I just have bought my first PRS new Signature Limited 2012. Beautiful eriza verde color with tremolo and neck made of "sinker" mahogany. Sounding very good, however I have one question. I am owning US Tele Deluxe maple neck and Suhr 10th. Anniversary LE. After my first testing of this PRS I found out that sound is completely different than those two other guitars. It is not a problem of course, because I am sure I will get used to different sound, sooner or later develop the taste for delicate PRS tone color, but there is one thing which is bothering me. Regardless of differences between those three guitars, it is a very simple fact that when i play legato on Suhr it is almost as loud as string pick. In Tele case it is similar as well, but when i play legato on PRS it sounds muted and tones don't sound even. For me is more important how guitar sounds without being plugged into amp than chasing the tone by amp and pickups. I hope there is some reasonable explanation because I don't want to sell this beautiful guitar. All answers are appreciated

Chambered and semi hollow guitars always resonate more. All of my PRSs are now semi hollow with trems. Magical combination. That is what you are hearing, especially when unplugged. My Strat and tele rang louder than my PRS solidbodys acoustically too, but they dont ring louder than my PRS semi hollows. Sell that sig, save some money and pick up a CU22 semi hollow LTD. One of the best sounding guitars PRS has ever made IMO, and it will ring like a bell acoustically and especially plugged in. Killer 57/08 pups as well. WHAT a guitar!

[cembo]

Chambered and semi hollow guitars always resonate more. All of my PRSs are now semi hollow with trems. Magical combination. That is what you are hearing, especially when unplugged. My Strat and tele rang louder than my PRS solidbodys acoustically too, but they dont ring louder than my PRS semi hollows. Sell that sig, save some money and pick up a CU22 semi hollow LTD. One of the best sounding guitars PRS has ever made IMO, and it will ring like a bell acoustically and especially plugged in. Killer 57/08 pups as well. WHAT a guitar!

... interesting idea. Thanks Tag. I will definitely check it out, hopefully find some retailer around to compare sounds. Do you think you can record short audio with your solid body and semi hollow on the same amp and setup so I can have some idea ...

[LSchefman]

Cembo, have you changed strings yet?

[CantankerousCarl]

Fwiw my Siggy is one of the brighter hog body / hog neck guitars I have, which I attribute to the trem. Chris crgtr did some great comparison videos of a siggy trem vs stopgap and the trem had more bite and presence to my ears...which is why I bought one. I did have to raise the neck pup a bit, but that's all.

Lots of good advice here, interested to know how it turns out.

[cembo]

Cembo, have you changed strings yet?

... yes, .010 as is recommended. GHS. Not much has actually changed, but what happened is, that lately I discovered some sound qualities in this guitar which was not obvious before. I have learned that "snappy hammering" in Suhr was caused by its chambered body. This PRS however does not offer this kind of woody resonating sound but something completely different. Rock solid cutting through sound which starting to be noticeable on good hi-gain channel. This guitar loves my Cornford HellCat more than my Suhr guitar. Now playing feels like surgery So at the end I am happy that I have learned something about PRS with 408 and maple top What I will do in near future is to sell my Suhr 10th. Anniversary (mint condition) and get some good semi-hollow PRS as Tag recommended ...

[LSchefman]

Rock solid cutting through sound which starting to be noticeable on good hi-gain channel. This guitar loves my Cornford HellCat more than my Suhr guitar. Now playing feels like surgery

Mine cuts through like that as well, and I love your surgery analogy - it is a precision instrument, isn't it? I'm not a high gain player, but I get that on even the clean stuff and moderate gain work,

I love playing the Sig Ltd; the more I work with it, the more excited I get when I open the case to use it again. I've found that the volume and tone controls are also especially useful with this guitar, to give me various colors and shades. It's very hard for me to put it down.

Incidentally, I had a CU22 Semi-Hollow Ltd, and it was indeed a very sweet instrument. I wish I still had it.

[cembo]

Mine cuts through like that as well, and I love your surgery analogy - it is a precision instrument, isn't it? I'm not a high gain player, but I get that on even the clean stuff and moderate gain work,

I love playing the Sig Ltd; the more I work with it, the more excited I get when I open the case to use it again. I've found that the volume and tone controls are also especially useful with this guitar, to give me various colors and shades. It's very hard for me to put it down.

Incidentally, I had a CU22 Semi-Hollow Ltd, and it was indeed a very sweet instrument. I wish I still had it.

... I know what you mean, everytime I start practicing it goes for hours ... tone control always at max. I like sharp tone. What I like especially is that split-coil does not lose volume ... what string gauge are you using. I have been advised by friend to not to use other than .010 - .
046 ...

[justmund]

There's no problem using other gauge strings, as long as the guitar is set up for them. If you go heavier, you may need to have the nut slots widened so the strings don't bind and cause tuning issues during bending or trem use. If you go lighter or heavier, you will have to make corresponding adjustments to the 2 trem claw screws in the trem cavity, so that the spring tension is equal to the string tension (so the trem sits parallel to the body). You may need to also adjust the intonation and/or action, depending on how radical the gauge change is. You will of course experience a change in tone and feel, but I assume that's what you're looking for with the gauge change anyway.

On a side note, the 6 screws fixing the trem to the body should not be touched.

Hope this helps!

[LSchefman]

... I know what you mean, everytime I start practicing it goes for hours ... tone control always at max. I like sharp tone. What I like especially is that split-coil does not lose volume ... what string gauge are you using. I have been advised by friend to not to use other than .010 - .
046 ...

I use PRS .010s. I like the feel and the tone of an all-nickel wrap string.

I always preach about using the volume and tone controls to vary the tone and the sound of the guitar; it's worth getting used to and trying, because it gives you a lot of versatility, and it's something that most of the pros I work with have in their arsenals, and make good use of.

[cembo]

... I ques tone control would be useful if I play something like Jeff Beck or Knopfler. Somehow I can't stand muddy sound ... it is already a few months since I have bought my first PRS. I have to admit that was a bit confusing start for a maple guy with EL84 and mids always at 3 o'clock ... I will try to put thicker gauge on it. Just hopping that there will not be necessary to play with truss rod ...