PRS CE or Gibson SG Standard?

[blazingstrings]

Hey guys!
I have been thinking for the last few months about buying and better guitar and selling my Ibanez Rg-270 and My Fernandez Dragon Fly X.

I have Been looking at a PRS CE 22 w/ Flame Maple top.

Does anyone here own any Bolt-on PRS? Do you wish you bought a set neck?

I also Have been looking at a Gibson SG Standard as another option.

Has anyone bought a new gibson lately? Are they worth the cash they want for one?

I guess the music I'm playing is more Modern Rock or Alternative type stuff and some more Pop type stuff.

Its been soo long since I bought a guitar that I'm looking for opinions.

What do ya think?

-Blaze

 

[DogFood]

I won't buy another Gibson product. I own two and when I purchace my next it will either be a low cost Korean that is half the price of an Epiphone (Korean) or a more expensive guitar that is from a small company that has better construction. The inexpensive route would be a player that I can experiment on and play out with. The expensive guitar would be a keep at home/recording guitar, think Hamer.

 

[SBax]

I got a CE 24 bolt on. It came with the best setup of any guitar I've ever bought. I haven't adjusted anything since I got it. I don't regret not getting a set-in neck and you shouldn't worry about that point either. Try them and see if it works for you. It also stays in tune really well. Two points I don't like about it. The scale is 25 and I need 25.5 and the "wide-thin" neck feels a little small for my hands. For lead it is great. The Gibson neck is 24.75 which even shorten and I can't play that neck scale comfortably. I like a big fat Fender neck the best. The PRS is supposed to be a hybrid and I think it does it well although I don't know anything about the construction and build quality of the new PRS production. I have virutally no experience with Gibson SG or LP so this comment is one-sided. Do more research on the net and spend time at the store to find the one that matches you.

 

[jimistone]

I had a Gibson SG and I thought it sucked. It tilts forward when hanging on the strap and the neck is so long the headstock whacks every mic stand on the stage when you turn around to adjust your amp. (I always wondered why so many SG's had broken headstocks...Now after owning one...I know)

Also, the neck is too fat for comfort on those things IMO. It sounded good, but, it's a "one trick poney" tonewise.

I sold it cheap....$250

I have come to grips with the fact that im a Fender Strat player and nothing else will suffice.

 

[gvarko]

Epi

I won't buy another Gibson product. I own two and when I purchace my next it will either be a low cost Korean that is half the price of an Epiphone (Korean) or a more expensive guitar that is from a small company that has better construction. The inexpensive route would be a player that I can experiment on and play out with. The expensive guitar would be a keep at home/recording guitar, think Hamer.

I actually just bought an Epi SG and it is fantastic. I have owned many Gibson SG's, 61 Re-Issue, Standard etc. I really don't like the neck on Gibson SG's, the Epi's are more rounded and smoother. To me, they are much easier to play. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another Epi. I would never buy another Gibson.

 

[DogFood]

If, and only if, a SG is what will cure your fever than a Gibby or an Epi is all that will do the job. Well, there are the two English custom builders, can't remember their names right off...they both are connected with Tony Iommi, however their super righteous SG's are well over 2 thousand. I'm not a real fan of any other SG ish bodies. I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to my SG's.

My main guitar is a 1991 Les Paul Jr. RI of a 1961 SG body style. It has a single P-90 and a neck so thin Ibanez owners are jealous. I have been playing this rock monster since 91 and I will never put it down completely. I took the pick guard off yesterday for regular cleaning and it dawned on me that the neck joint doesn't touch all body cavity joint walls! The body cavity is wider and deeper than need be, the neck not glued to one side and not glued to the rear (toward the pickup). Granted this is not a custom shop Lester, but for the love of Angus, couldn't they build their guitars with closer tolerances?!

Unfortunately, my love affair with Gibson has come to a long, slow, and grinding halt. I've read an interview with the Pres of Gibby, he wants to evolve their guitars to digital (pray not completely) with proprietary code software and hardware, such as amplifiers. Also, Guitar Center owns a good chunk of Gibby (and didn't they just buy Harmony-Central?!) which steers the company is less than purist ways. I just don't feel the warm and fuzzies that I did when I was 18.

On a side note, Asian (Korean) guitar factories build an amazing product for the price. Epiphone is a Korean made, Schecter, the list is very long. It suprises me little that someone would prefer an Epiphone SG to a Gibby SG. The difference between American built guitars and foreign built is getting smaller by the day with software powered machining tools. I think that is one reason I yearn for some old school American hand built small company MOJO.

www.jaydeeguitars.com
www.johnbirchguitars.com
www.traditionguitars.com Very affordable!

 

[gcapel]

SG! SG!

A better investment? yes Why? gibson
Looks Better? I think so

I am just an SG guy. I've own several. Put a 500t at the bridge and a high gain tube amp and it will take your head off! An Sg will cut through better in hard rock I would think. I ain't knock'n the PRS, but I own a lespaul for thick body guitar.

 

[ibanezrocks]

I'd say get the SG if you find a good one. The QC is inconsistent, so if you're buying online I wouldn't risk it, but if you can play one you should be able to find a great one. Sure the Epis are built alright, but they use cheaper wood, it just doesn't sound as good. I've played a lot, and while some are better than the crappy Gibsons, none are close to the Gibsons that are as they should be. With the Standards you're usually getting a great guitar though, and the QC isn't as bad on those as it is with the specials/studios.
I'm not telling you not to get a PRS, I've got no experience with their American models, I'm just saying a Gibson is definitely not the same as an Epiphone and although Epiphones are better than they used to be and Gibsons are worse than they used to be they're still lightyears apart in terms of sound, though the feel is close.

 

[Dr_simon]

I have a CE24 and a Classic LP

both are very nice axes though my fave is the PRS just for sheer playability

 

[Richard Monroe]

I love SG's, and I'm pretty eclectic, so I use several types of axes, mostly Les Paul, Telecaster, and Epiphone Casino. I just added a Tex-Mex Strat to the family, my first Strat. A couple things I have found-The necks on long scale (24 fret) SG's, like the Supreme, are unstable when strung with strings heavier than .09's. I'm a heavy rhythm player, the Who, etc., and I use .11's with a wound G.
I used to own an SG Supreme, and I spent more time adjusting the truss rod than I did playing it. The squared off frets that are intended to provide killer sustain for lead players were just a pain in the ass for playing full chords. Eventually I traded down, trading it for an American Telecaster and an Epiphone Les Paul Custom, both of which work just fine for me. I have never had this problem with an SG standard, which are perfectly good guitars for what I do.

Regarding the Samick/Epiphones, I don't think the issue is as much the wood as the pickups. I owned a 1972 Gibson Les Paul Custom, and since I replaced the pickups in my Epiphone LP Custom with classic 57 humbuckers, it is every bit as good a guitar as that '72 Gibson, with the slight exception that I would prefer an ebony fingerboard to rosewood. The Epi gets no respect, but is one of the finest axes I have ever owned.

One thing that pisses me off, Epiphone doesn't build an Elitist version of the SG, except a bass, so they only approach the standard level. I agree with the statement above that the QC on Gibson standards out of Nashville is spotty, and I would inspect and play a Gibson SG standard thoroughly before I paid good money for it. The good ones are very good guitars.


The top of the line Korean Epis, and the Elitists are all underated guitars. The cheapest of the Gibsons are overated guitars. Regarding PRS- the expensive ones are very nice, but I've never played the cheaper newer models.No clue.-Richie

 

[ibanezrocks]

Theres significant differences in Epiphones and Gibsons not counting the pickups. I always test guitars by playing them unplugged first, and I have never found an Epiphone that sounded as good as a Gibson, so to comment on Richards statement its definitely not just pickups. That is an important thing to do when choosing a guitar, because any guitar that sounds good unplugged can be made to sound good when plugged in with new electronics, theres no other trick to it.
To me an Epiphone has no character to the sound and often sounds dull, but that is my complaint about most cheap guitars: They can be set up to play great and sound decent but rarely as great as a better guitar can be. I have heard the Epiphone elitists are good but I haven't played one of those so I won't comment. The regular Epiphone SG's though are no comparison to a Gibson SG Standard, regardless of pickups.

 

[pohaku]

I've owned a PRS CE-24. Traded it for a PRS Custom 24 (10 top, birds etc.). I also have an 83 LP Standard. The CE was a great guitar and in retrospect, I should have kept it and bought the Custom too. Very playable, great sound. It will not, of course, sound exactly like either a Fender or Gibson. Close in some settings, but not the same. I use the Gibson when I really want that sound (and it has a faster neck). The PRS is my main guitar though. I don't think the set neck offers any particular significant advantage over the bolt on neck. It is largely a matter of aesthetics.

My impression through unscientific sampling is that the PRS guitars are more consistent than the current Gibsons. That said, you should play as many of each as you can and pick the one that sounds and plays best. I personally think the PRS is a more "flexible" guitar, offerring a broader variety of sounds (and weighs a lot less than my LP), but YMMV. You might consider Tom Anderson guitars as well.

 

[sk8bobby10]

I actually just bought an Epi SG and it is fantastic. I have owned many Gibson SG's, 61 Re-Issue, Standard etc. I really don't like the neck on Gibson SG's, the Epi's are more rounded and smoother. To me, they are much easier to play. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another Epi. I would never buy another Gibson.

thats exactly what i think

 

[gvarko]

True

Epiphones are better than they used to be and Gibsons are worse than they used to be they're still lightyears apart in terms of sound, though the feel is close.

One set of Gibson PU's can close that gap

 

[apl]

Consider the Carvin CT Series.

 

[ibanezrocks]

One set of Gibson PU's can close that gap

I test them all unplugged first, most I don't bother to plug in afterwards. And just a side note: I haven't ever been impressed by Gibson pickups either, especially not those on an SG Standard, though they are still better then Epiphones, I'm just saying I'd replace them either way.

I'm not bashing Epiphone, they're great guitars for the money, so I don't want a bunch of replies complaining that of course I talk that way since I own a Gibson. There is definitely a difference between the two in sound, whether or not that difference is worth the extra money is up to you, had I not gotten a really good deal on a used Gibson SG Standard, I definitely wouldn't have one right now and I'd be happy with whatever I have. Though I haven't seen this first hand I'd assume that if an Asian built guitar were to use the same quality of materials as American guitars they would be just as good if not better (due to the existence of quality control over there, vs. that of gibson). I still have yet to find an Epiphone that has the same tone as a Gibson, close but always a bit off.

 

[blazingstrings]

Hey some good point here, thanks guys!

Just to sort of add to what I have played since I posted this.

I played this SG knock-off buy a company I think is called ECHO or EKO.
It play so nice and smooth and had a Bigsby on it. The seller wanted way to much but It gave me a thought.

I hadnt concidered it till now but what about a Warmouth parts guitar?
I could do a best of both worlds thing with it.
Bolt on neck(I tend to like best), Mah/Maple body, maple neck, and the satisfaction of building an axe myself..........

I play a SG standard at Guitar Satan yesterday......... Sort of a disapointment. Though the CE I played was very nice.......

Thanks for the info and any further thoughts.

-Blaze

 

[ibanezrocks]

Thats a pretty cool idea. If you've got the money and feel like putting a guitar together that should be a lot of fun. What body style would you go with on the warmoth guitar though? SG I hope

 

[lotuscent]

prs all the way. I have owned both. i actually like bolt ons better - it would take too much to explain why, but that's beside the point anyway. the prs is just plain better workmanship, better quality, fantastic trem that stays in tune, great sound. the sg has a great to the point rock tone, but other than that, no advantages at all over the prs. prs is much more versatile as well. i've owned a ce and an old eg (discontinued), i had to hawk both in a pinch and i regret it.

 

[gvarko]

Agreed, sort of

I still have yet to find an Epiphone that has the same tone as a Gibson, close but always a bit off.

I would say they have better mojo and perhaps a slight edge in the tone dept. I still maintain with the right PUP's it will be close.