Well, I did some thing I didn't think I was going to do, I bought another guitar, this makes 11. I ordered a PRS SE Singlecut, with Bird inlays. I have always wanted an orange guitar and finally went ahead and ordered one. I have been looking at the Xaviere selections in orange and thought I might go that way but I decided to give Sweetwater a try with a PRS SE. Sweetwater claims they inspect every guitar and do a set up and I decided to give them a chance to impress me. Sweetwater is just over the state line in Indiana and I'll get it soon. A sales rep calls every time I order some thing and actually remembers things about my band, so I like the personal touch as well. I should get it tomorrow and I'll report back with my impressions.

I thought this was the frugal guitarist forum! PRS is NOT frugal.
Here is the "Poor Man's PRS with bird inlays";
http://www.rondomusic.com/ISIS1CUS24AM.HTML

I got the amber CUS22 myself for even less, around 6 years or more ago.
As far as really orange flamed maple even on the fretboard, but with abalone dots and no birds, I got this one, similar except mine is bolt on and open humbuckers with switch for tube driver, #20 out of a total of 200 built, some like this, some brown. Blows away about every guitar I've got, and ties with just a couple,
http://s22.photobucket.c...7/gear/Malden%20Stiger/
It wasn't too frugal, but more so than PRS, and now more valuable because of the limited high quality run and selling the company right after without continuing the exact model (going inferior, then recently selling out again).

I got the single cut with birds. One tone and one volume with a switch, 25"scale. I looked at the 245 and thought about it but they had this one in Orange, so I jumped on it. It will be delivered today. I bought it from Sweetwater. You can go to their gallery and pick the guitar you want by serial number. I have bought several things from Sweetwater and I have a Sales Rep, that is also a musician, assigned to my account. He called yesterday and told me they had the guitar and it was with a tech and getting the set up checked and giving it a good once over before shipping. This is the only on-line shopping place that calls and discusses my order and lets me know when it will be delivered. I feel pretty good about the purchase.

I am trying to find a link to show the guitar I bought but it looks like the PRS website does not have this model there anymore. Musicians Friend only has pictures in white.

http://www.musiciansfrie...-electric-guitar/h70026

Here is the color.

http://www.musiciansfrie...-electric-guitar/h70029

I did look at the Isis and might eventually buy one some day. But I wanted a guitar I did not have to change pickups and make improvements to, just pick it up and play.


To me this is a frugal purchase mostly because what Will said. I have played many of these in the local shops and almost bought one several times. These do not compare to most other guitars from Korea. When you compare the price of this guitar with an American made PRS, it is very frugal.

LOL Big T!

Well it was at the house when I got home from work yesterday, and it did not disappoint!

It's incredible. Set up was perfect, it seems to have new strings and one of the nicest necks I've ever had the pleasure to play. The finish is perfect. This guitar resonates and individual notes ring out beautifully. I think the Koreans are making some of the best guitars right now, and coupled with PRS specs and parts, the results are some special instruments.

So first impression is very positive, I didn't take time to take pictures last night, I couldn't put it down.

I paid $625 for this delivered and it has the feel of a much more expensive instrument. It takes me countless hours of fine tuning on most of my other guitars to get this feel out of an instrument.

Pictures to come soon!

On Harmony years back one guy wrote he had a couple of PRS made in USA in the past but thought his SE PRS was better than those when he put some Bareknuckle pups on it. The stock pups would probably be fine for most of us.
I love the look of your new guitar, so we await pictures with that finish.

Korea indeed makes excellent quality guitars. I bought some Aria PE, SPL DX
on Ebay for cheap, made in Korea,,, these are Les Paul copies but 6 pounds.
The quality was as good as my Gibson 1986 Les Paul Studio, but lighter and better looking. THE Gibson 490 pups are better the HB-103 pups but not by a lot.

You probably couldn't do much better with your choice if you dropped 3 grand on an axe. So rock on man. Congrats.