Spot the PRS

[kingsleyd]

I did a bunch of clips yesterday to do a little sonic comparison of some of my humbucker guitars. I thought it might be interesting to post them here and see if people can identify the PRS guitars by sound alone. If you don't mind, give a reason for your guesses, OK? (i.e., tell us what you're hearing that makes you think "PRS" or "not PRS")

There are four guitars. Two of 'em are PRSi. Two of 'em are not. (here's my collection: http://images.lilypix.com/thumbnails.php?album=1374 -- feel free to guess what specific guitars are which if you want) With each guitar, I recorded a little blues progression in my looper then soloed over three choruses, one chorus for each pickup setting. If a guitar could tap/split the coils, I didn't bother with that. Then I broke up the clips into one clip for each pickup setting so they'd be relatively short. (30 seconds) FWIW, the volume controls are all on 8 (better headroom for clean playing) and the tone controls are on 10.

OK, here we go:

Neck pickups
Guitar 1: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...ongID=12147500
Guitar 2: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...ongID=12147506
Guitar 3: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...ongID=12147511
Guitar 4: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...ongID=12147517

Middle (both pickups)
Guitar 1: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...ongID=12147501
Guitar 2: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...ongID=12147508
Guitar 3: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...ongID=12147514
Guitar 4: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...ongID=12147519

Bridge pickup
Guitar 1: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...ongID=12147502
Guitar 2: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...ongID=12147510
Guitar 3: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...ongID=12147515
Guitar 4: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...ongID=12147520

The clips are downloadable so the quickest way to listen is to load 'em into iTunes or whatever mp3 player.

Other info
The amps are a K&M Custom which is basically the same as Steve Kimock's amp, and a Juke 1210. Tone Tubby hempcone speakers with the T-R, the stock alnico Webers in the Juke. A little Strymon Flint reverb in the K&M FX loop but otherwise no effects save a Bob Burt clean boost that I use as a buffer, not for extra gain. Recorded with my portable Sony PCM-D50 and mastered in Bias Peak Pro with some plug-ins that did some minor EQ, compression, and room reverb. The EQ and compression were mainly to compensate for the Sony's little built-in mics (which are pretty good but they have a bit of a hard time with transients) and make the overall sound closer to what I heard in the room.

[Johnny]

My PRS guesses are:

Neck - guitars 2 and 3
Middle - guitars 1 and 4
Bridge - guitars 3 and 4

[kingsleyd]

FYI: the guitars are in the same order, so guitar 1 in each set is the same guitar.

[Johnny]

Well I hit em all! So it has to be one of them! Hah

[Nacho]

I'd say that 1 and 4 are solid body PRS. I hear these two are balanced between thicker sound (les paul thicker body type) and maybe a hollowbody telecaster or p90 type.

[bernard]

1 and 3 neck are the best for my taste.

[kingsleyd]

1 and 3 neck are the best for my taste.

Cool. Does either one sound like a PRS? And what makes these two "best"?

[kingsleyd]

I'd say that 1 and 4 are solid body PRS. I hear these two are balanced between thicker sound (les paul thicker body type) and maybe a hollowbody telecaster or p90 type.

What makes 'em sound like solid body PRS? And there is a semi-hollow in there although its construction is typical Gibson. (set neck, 24.625" scale, center block like in a 335 although the body is more of a LP/Tele size overall)

[Nacho]

What makes 'em sound like solid body PRS? And there is a semi-hollow in there although its construction is typical Gibson. (set neck, 24.625" scale, center block like in a 335 although the body is more of a LP/Tele size overall)

Not too bright, not too thick... Just half way through. That would lead me to believe they are PRSi. I spot differences in volume but I won't say the loudest are PRS, I just think there is a ceramic bridge pup amongst one of the prsi. An HFS.

[Twinfan]

I don't hear a huge difference between them to be honest, certainly not enough to identify a brand of guitar.

What I did notice though was that 2 and 4 seemed clearer and snappier, which makes me think they're longer scale - either PRS or Fender. Number 3 sounds like a shorter Gibson scale to me, and I think it sounds like a great guitar. I'd be interested to know what it is...