PRS Hollowbody II

I bought this on a Ebay auction for $2250.

When I tell you this thing sounds INCREDIBLE, believe me. It does everything wonderfully. I have 21 guitars and nothing comes close this, not my Gibson, Fender or any of the others.

The only thing that I don't like about it is, that it is so beautiful and immaculate that I am scared to death of putting a scratch on it. So it spends 98% of its life in its fantastic leather hardshell case.

You should know what these guitars are but for those of you how do not, here goes. It is a hollowbody made of flamed maple on the top and back. Mahogany side rim and set neck. Rosewood fretboard with abalone bird inlays and McCarty archtop electronics. I know that a large part of thier production is done on computer controlled CNC machines for high tolerances but they are assembled by hand and the work is impeccable. The PRS line of guitars are the most sought after now because of thier beauty and craftmanship.

I liked this so much I bought a PRS custom 22 that I would feel more comfortable playing on a regular basis. Go and at least try one out if you can. They stopped making the Hollowbody I and I hope they stop making these so mine will only increase in value(awfully selfish).

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Made in USA
Flame maple top and back
Mahogany neck
Rosewood fretboard with 22 frets
Bird inlays
PRS Phase II locking tuners
PRS pickups
Piezo
Hollow body with f-holes
Volume, tone, 3 way pickup selector, 3 way mini toggle for mag/mag piezo/piezo

Great FEATURES, not necessarily great guitar.


UTILIZATION

This guitar seems like it would be great. It's easy to play. It's a bit neck-heavy, which is annoying, but not enough to be a deal breaker. The deal breaking occurs with the overall flatness/dullness of the vibe. I know, it's incredibly intangible, and as a writer and an informed guitar owner and player I should be able to pinpoint exactly what it is about the guitar I don't like, but I can't. It just does not do it for me. This is one of the most blah instruments I've ever picked up. It's not bad, but it's not good either.

SOUNDS

It sounded ok, I guess. I've played much better sounding PRS guitars, and much better sounding hollowbodies. This guitar was really uninspiring to me. The piezo in my Parker and my buddy's Schecter sounded better than this one.

OVERALL OPINION

Have you ever heard the phrase "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts"? That doesn't apply here. In fact, just the opposite. The features are fantastic, and the guitar should by all accounts be incredible. But I just thought it was pretty dull overall. I don't know if I played a bad example of one - everything checked out just fine - but I was not impressed. I love hollowbody guitars, and I love a lot of PRS models, and I love piezo pickups, but this one just did not do it for me. It was set up well and everything... Who knows. I just think it's not a great buy for the money.

NB: I = model HBIISC25th anniversary single cut version, which looks like a LP, but hollow and gills. not that of the photo, then.
v / features on the site please PRS (the list is very long).
I am not "perfect" because I personally prefer the system of knobs Gibson (= 1x volume + 1x tone for each pickup) which I believe offers opportunities awesome middle position. but this is really nitpicking. (That I would see the price of the beast, for this price, nothing is forgiven ...). this is also an option taken by PRS on all models with 2 humbuckers, and therefore not a "default".
ahead, the piezo is mixable with humbuckers in all selector positions.
WARNING: In a video about this guitar on youtube, the guy "change" sounds, without realizing that it is permanently set to "piezo only". So that the sound remains the same, and even thinner and sour, as it plays with a setting amp w / humbucker, piezo mas on. DO NOT trust this video to judge this guitar, please. (Abstention comment on the guy ...)


UTILIZATION

body: a les paul, but 3 kg!
access to acute: with optimized heel, super comfortable up "at the top"
handle: amazing: thick enough at first, and finally super comfortable. (I have small hands, and the sleeves do not suit me hard. Wherever I find comfortable, most guitarists already speak motorway ...) makes a great handle, fairly flat, wide enough, when same thickness (v / sustain and reactivity / dynamic) and easy to play. (I put 12-54 strings, thick enough so, and yet it remains easy). Maybe not handle the shredder type, but a good scratch can go very fast on it. and the characteristics already mentioned are in agreement, it is really a beautiful handle. Increasingly, straight, flat, and finally say, in relation (= OK) with the price (I know, I Repette but considering the claim "high end", I do not think so badly to clarify).
Gets it easy to sound good: see below! good but, frankly, if you can not learn to sound good, you buy such a thing?
Again, I am not "10", but that's just because despite its huge versatility, there's still stuff where nothing is "real."

SOUNDS

good, then I put the "10". and yet it is not "everything". But it does so much, and so well, that wow .... pffff .... gosh oh well ....
This is a guitar to tame. From the factory, it is set to "PRS" (normal, one might say ...). Ie: screws aligned flat (while the strings are slightly arc) and microphones almost the same height as the other.
Result sounds very modern, very PRS (v / acidity, slamming, précisprécisprécis) probably great on a triple bottom rectify, or funk hypersuperstéroïdien on the clean, but finally (to my taste, imho =) a little stiff, a little cold, a little hard. Super powerful, but not so musical that.
so I just re-set. Starting on a Les Paul and a rather vintage setting. = Distance vis-string set one by one (p / reach "even remotely w / each string"), height microphones neck / bridge = 1/2. (W / millimeters, v / internet ...) and there monzami ...
The Paul/SG/335/telecaster a kind of hypertrophied! I found warmth, nervousness, dynamic, grain, and without losing precision!
I explain: basically, a sound between the Les Paul and 335. (C. .... u like LP and hot as 335). Except that both knobs are really.
Examples:
neck pickup:
volume up, the middle tone: the PRS basic but set like that, very Les Paul
volume 8 or 9, the middle tone: idem, but loses acidity, LP always, but very hot, go to the 335.
volume to 6.5: rhythmic warm. the slight loss is compensated in acute back then tone.
ditto, but toward the dark with the tone: oh well, it is also a jazz guitar? astonishing. Attention, it will not replace your time argussée 175 to 10,000 euros, but frankly, it does.
volume to 4 or 5 soft play with a plectrum end, and it makes you wonder what is the piezo ...
micro bridge:
donf all: it can bite, or shout, or scream, but it will always be accurate. (Yeah finally good, do not play drunk, either ...)
volume between 4 and 6 (ccording amp) and tone 10: me and my telecaster ...
volume 7, Tone 8: arpeggios chorus delay reverb 80 years, we are ...
intermediate position:
a kind of strat, more acid if volume fon (PRS anyway), but very hot, very rich in harmonic nervous. Again, the games volume / tone is so thin that there for months before we can say if there is or not the sound you want ...
is the piezo: ben in fact, not great for my taste. listening. and then later you try it in a recording ... and keskessé konserenkompte? ben that Mr. PRS he calculated his shot to make it sound all alone in a mix. It is too hard ...
This last remark is also valid for all sounds. Unusually pros. It bothers almost at the beginning. but in groups, or recording, then it will arrive "in your face" it sounds exactly like it should, and "Where it is" in the mix. in fact, it is at this point that she reveals, and the owner realizes what he has in pognes.
yet? : I forgot to perverse: there is a position that mix micro electric with piezo. kind, I play on the neck pickup hot, but I added a tad of attack with a little piezo, etc, etc ...

In summary:
instrument hyper upscale super versatile, super efficient. BUT: may require a review of its games, its design settings. gives a lot, but does not forgive. Must play fair, play must own, must make music. Because it will retransmit all the "zoditeurs." And therefore approximations, both in attack strength in playing position, the pressure of the fingers, all will agree.
Possibility sound huge, but almost a little painful, as it takes time to really have on hand various combinations volume / tone. on the other hand, if there is, it's pretty nirvanesque.

And hey, let's be honest, it's really still in the registry it is best LP/SG/335 (2 humbuckers guitars, coincidentally). The single coil side (fender, whatever) can have the spirit and approach its not bad, but good if you want SRV strat, ben will still play a strat ... (Ditto for the TV, it may well do, but love the TV does still not be deceived).



OVERALL OPINION

- Operating time: 7 months
- Other models owned: Fender strat & telec, Gibson LP, 175 & 335 Greco, Ibanez "Joe Pass", danelectro
tested: tons .... (G & L, j'trouve well, although I've never had).
(Yes, I'm not young ....)
- Over the feature: versatility, versatility, fishing, finesse, roundness heat, acidity, dynamic playing comfort, lightness.
- The least: difficult to master, can be frustrating when trying to make it sound "just as ...". she still has her personality. (This is also rather high quality, but given its versatility, we tend to confuse it with a magic trick ... hence the frustration when she recalls that after all "only" a PRS).
- Value for money: I said nothing of the violin so far, but is exceptional. (Almost too much for my taste, I like telec wood, I found borderline "sham"). So the price is OK if you take everything into account. The finish is also exceptional, it was nice to run in all directions, there's no bug .... (Gibson, if you read me one day ...). But it is clear that it is (very) expensive. Without an inflow of $ unexpected and providential, I probably would not have bought this guitar. But I could, I often wondered if it was worth as much, but I must admit that the more it progresses, the more it looks to have been a good idea. I care!
- Again this choice? I usual, I saw more than 1000 bullets shovels and I must sell to buy, so ... . It was a time ... but what it is!