PRS Electric basses ?

PRS is a company that is run by and caters to guitarists, and it shows in their basses IMO.

You get better designs and better value elsewhere.

 

i dont even think they look that nice....

 

PRS making basses? Thats like Nike making asprin!

 

For that price, there's a whole bunch of other choices

But, if it floats your boat, go for it.

 

They are hugely expensive in the UK - way overpriced - and they don't look that good. To me they look quite basic compared with other basses I've seen at much lower prices. I just can't imagine why anyone would buy one, when you could get so much more bass for your money.

But their guitars are a whole different thing- I've seen these in shops and they do look fantastic. I've also heard some UK-based Jazz guitarists using them and getting wonderful sounds out of them - they certainly seem to be worth the money.

 

Didn't like the original PRS bass and don't like the new one. I just don't think they get it.

Love the guitars, though.

 

I think many of the people here haven't actually played one, but just went by what they read in Bass Player.

I bought mine for about $1450, and I love it. I compared it to a Peavy Cirrus 4 & a MIA Jazz, and the PRS beat the pants off of both basses. All of the aforementioned basses were plugged in through a Gallen Krueger head and Fender Custom Shop Cabinets (4 x 12 and an 18, if I remember correctly, which I probably don't).

It sounds even better in a band setting... it cuts perectly through the mix without getting in the way. I usually play over the neck pickup with it on full, the treble at 3/4, I fiddle with tone as needed, and I usually leave the preamp on.

I recommend that you try it out, but seeing as you're in Austrailia, you might have to pay alot more then I did. Also, I didn't pay for any of the cosmetic options, which are unnecessary.

If you get a chance to try it out, let me know what you think.

edit: Remember that I'm talking about the newer models... I haven't had the chance to play the older ones.

 

I have played on the older PRS bass... It was ok.. but one of the pots made a funny sound when I was turning the knob.... but it wasn't the greatest bass I've ever played... the guy was askind $1000 for it.. i didn't buy it.. but 3 weeks later, I was a a guitar expo in Columbia south carolina and the guy from bass palace was there with 3 PRS basses (the older ones) and one of them was the exact same one I had played 3 months before... Same nicks and scratches... but they were asking $1400 for it... I think they are over priced IMO. they are decent basses but I would much rather have something else

 

Yamaha makes motocycles, and I haven't heard any complaints.

 

I swear those PRS basses are like a mythological unicorn or something. Everyone has heard tons about them, good and bad, but no one has sat down and played one and seen one. Ha, whatever. I think Id like to have one to kick around the studio, see what it can do.

 

I have to admit I saw one in a Tom Lee in Vancouver.... The guys there said they are quite good for studio work and are used for just that by some of the local pros.... I played it, and personally... I thought it was pretty sterile... Played well though...


later


Mikey

 

Every1TookMyName wrote:

I'm not sure your comment helps us out much. Could you be more specific about what you mean by the "beat the pants off" comment. What specifically made you choose the PRS over the Cirrus and Jazz?

 

I ''have" played both the new model and a bunch of the older ones, I know Paul and have been to his shop when it was in Annapolis. Haven't been to the Stevensville factory. He worked on my 78 Tobias around the same time he introduced his first bass line.

I stand by my comments on the board about the new basses. They're not bad but for that price I'd want a lot more than "not bad".

As far as pricing, unless the BP review was wrong, you can double the price of the bass with options. That makes no sense to me.

 

I dunno, the Jazz and Cirrus are both great basses, its just that I preferred the sound of my PRS to both of them. I found that my PRS had more bottom and punch then the Cirrus, and I'm not a big fan of 35" 4 string basses... I understand how it helps for the low B, but it seems like a lot to handle for a four. Plus, I'm not a fan of active basses... I can see why other people like them, its just not for me. And as for the Jazz, I just preferred the feel and sound of my PRS bass to the Jazz... however the jazz was much better looking then mine (Jazz -cream colored with a tortoise shell pickguard vs PRS - flat black )

Ultimately it comes down to opinion; I should have added a couple of IMO's in there.

That comment wasn't directed at you, Brad, I've read alot of your posts, and I respect your opinion. It was mainly directed to some a couple of other posts in this thread (the writer(s) will remain unnamed )

And yes, the list of options is extensive, and I'd rather not pay $1000+ for a bunch of fancy woods... however, if someone does want to do that, then the option is available... but for that kind of money you could buy 2/3 of a Sadowsky. I wish I would have had gotten those famous PRS bird inlays, though.

I think ultimately it comes down to preference. Whatever floats your boat.

edit: fixed a couple of punctuation errors.

 

The trick is to be glad you found something you like.

BTW I don't disagree with you about people judging without touching them. Good thing you didn't have that problem. I just wanted to mention that in my case, I did. Sorry about my negative tone, it really is a pretty nice bass... and I'm admittedly spoiled.

Congrats

 

Okay, here's my opinion: I'm a big fan of expensive basses. Those that I'm interested in, however, TEND to be those made by bass guitar builders, not guitar builders who build basses.

Before this gets taken out of context, because I know it can, Fender, G&L, Music Man, and many other manufacturers do both very well. I don't deny that. But, I don't really see their image as being "boutique" builders. They don't price themselves as "boutique", either. PRS does. I have not played a PRS and frankly don't care to. I do care somewhat about the image of what I'm playing. But, who doesn't?

 

We have a platinum PRS bass in my shop, and I played it quite a bit, and then took it to a gig. I thought it was pretty good in the shop, but live, unlike the earlier poster, I could'nt get it to cut through. I play in a 6 piece latin band, and it got buried. After two numbers, and mucho knob-twiddling, I gave up on it. It has a great round sound, but I found the mids were'nt happening. I liked the hardware on it, but the neck pocket was poorly fitting (a big gap on one side), and the fret ends were a bit sharp, not nicely rounded. Not good for an expensive bass.

 

I presume this is the sort of knob-twiddling you can only do in a Latin context?

One hand on the knob and the other around the waist of your Salsa dancing partner?!