In response to requests from our readers and forum members, we're putting a Paul Reed Smith on the test bench once again. I say once again because this isn't the first time we've tested instruments from this brand at ISP. Our impressions of the previous models we tried were excellent: impeccable guitars with a spotless finish, personality in their sound and spectacular intonation. We admit that the last PRS to go through the ISP test bench cost far more than the one we're showing you today, so we were looking forward to the test to see the results in a more moderate price range.
A nice gig bag protects the instrument (once it's out of its box). I say nice because it's soft and therefore light, but it seems quite well padded and gives the impression that the guitar travels "comfortably" in it.
The guitarist who has done the most to make these six-string gems famous is very likely Santana—because he's one of the most legendary, at least in terms of time on stage, and, why not, let's give him his due, because he was a very innovative guitarist in his day. On that note, I'd like to pass on to younger players and beginners the idea that you shouldn't dismiss historic guitarists just because they don't seem to have "chops" or aren't the fastest. One of the things that lifted many of them out of anonymity was their innovative character, their daring or their personal way of playing, which makes them instantly recognizable in the "crowd." Naturally, we may like one guitarist more or less than another, but before dismissing any of them as a source, we should look into their style, learn what made them famous and what they contributed in their day as pioneers of their own sounds—sounds that many guitarists surely adopted as part of their everyday toolkit.
About Paul Reed Smith
The designs of this Maryland manufacturer made a significant impact in the late '80s. Smith started making his instruments in an attic in 1975. By '82, he had already refined his now-famous design, which aims to combine the best of Fender and Gibson in a single piece, blending construction styles and shapes in the pursuit of an instrument that is both classic and new. It was in 1985 that Smith set up and established his factory to produce his product line—guitars that showed only subtle changes to the original design.
Now let's focus on the model on the test bench.
Paul Reed Smith SE Billy Martin
This is the PRS SE Billy Martin model, named for Good Charlotte's lead guitarist, a musician loyal to the brand who has been playing its guitars for some time. In creating this model, B. Martin worked actively with the design team to develop this unique instrument tailored to him.
Among the special features of this exclusive model are distinctive fluorescent green inlays on the fingerboard and, above all, a drawing by Billy himself: a glow-in-the-dark bat at the 12th fret.
Body, construction and finish
Built by World Musical Instrument Co. Ltd., Korea, under exclusive license from PRS Guitars, the instrument struck me as particularly light. That's something to be grateful for when you've had it strapped on for a good while in the rehearsal room or at a gig. I like the PRS-style body design. This company has managed to create a distinctive design that isn't copied from either of the two well-known parent lines. The shape is sleek and easy to handle, thanks both to the contour on the back of the body, which helps the instrument fit well against your torso, and to the curved shape of the lower "horn" (on the front), which gives easier access to the highest notes on the fingerboard.
The guitar has a good finish. It's entirely matte black: body, neck, knobs, headstock, pickups and hardware. The fluorescent markers and especially Billy Martin's drawing give it an aggressive and curious edge, because when you play in the dark you can see the bat "fluttering" near your hands.
As for materials, we can't complain. Rosewood and mahogany, materials that partly justify its price and show a certain care in its making. These materials (mahogany) are also among those Gibson uses in its Faded series.
Hardware and tuning
The hardware technology is PRS's own. A fixed bridge, discreet and simple, but curious because the strings pass by the side of the bridge pickup, wrap around behind the bridge and finally head toward the fingerboard and tuners. Discreet because it's almost imperceptible, being the same color as the guitar, and also because it's particularly flat and ergonomic.
As for tuning, we find PRS tuners, also lacquered in black. They have a smooth yet firm feel. They're precise and look sturdy. I made several passes, running scales along the entire fingerboard without detecting any tuning problems or fret buzz.
Pickups and controls
Given its discreet but relatively aggressive appearance, with its "mourning look" and glowing bats, I expected nothing less than two powerful humbuckers. You get two double-coil pickups, bridge and neck, covering the highs and the lows. We've already discussed, and you've read in earlier reviews, the tonal color of humbucker pickups. Well, here we find those same qualities described in other tests: dark, dense sounds with long sustain and plenty of body overall.
There are two knobs on the lower part of the body for adjusting tone and volume. And of course it includes a three-way pickup selector to combine the different sounds coming from the humbucker artillery.
The sound
Every guitar maker with a certain consistency in its construction offers a more or less uniform line of sounds. Obviously, depending on the components and materials of each instrument, the sound will vary, but it's common to find a common thread in the sounds of different builders' guitars.
In my experience with the models I've tried (and with the logical differences between them), PRS guitars have dense sounds with plenty of natural sustain. A thick, dark color, but rounder than that of other guitars in this vein. It's hard to put into words. Focusing my assessment on this model, I can confirm that I found that "heavy," dense sound both in distorted chords and in fat solos. If you select the neck pickup and add heavy distortion, you get a fairly dark, hard-hitting vibe.
Looking for versatility, I tried the opposite extreme, that is, getting thin, more crystalline sounds. By selecting the bridge pickup and tweaking the EQ parameters a bit, you can also get sharper tones.
Playing clean, that is, without overdrive, the guitar shows the same tendency: thickness, although it has generous attack when you dig into the strings. Not as much as you'd find in single-coil configurations or in guitars specifically designed for more cutting sounds. I'd therefore say it has medium versatility, since it covers various areas of the tonal spectrum, although personally I think it performs best in hard-hitting, darker settings, as you'd expect.
Among other things, you'll find the range of models on offer, the types of pickups installed and in the catalog, the artists associated with the brand, an accessories store, etc.
The most interesting part is the pickups section, because there are charts rating the characteristics of each one in terms of output (low or high), tone and character (vintage or modern). You can also listen to MP3s of the different types of pickups.
For information about the artist in question, Billy Martin, visit the band's website http://www.goodcharlotte.com
Of course, you can also visit our home page www.ispmusica.com to listen to demos and browse this or other reviews.
Conclusions
A €650 guitar (VAT included). Bear in mind that it's a Paul Reed Smith, which already earns it some points for the brand's guarantees. Relative to its value and the company's seal, we find the price fairly reasonable, also considering the construction materials and that it's an exclusive model. In my opinion, it isn't one of the best PRS guitars I've tried, although I have to say that the ones that passed through my hands before were higher-end. It's important to highlight how smooth it feels and how flexible its strings are. That's one of the things that caught my attention most about this guitar.
Aggressive yet discreet, with the curious touch of the fluorescent designer markers, balanced and rather combative. Bosco (the distributor) also inspires confidence, since its know-how and position in the guitar market are more than proven. Sometimes we don't consider these variables, but this is an added guarantee we should value when we buy.
The fact that it's made in Korea should perhaps help bring the price down a bit more, although more and more people are satisfied with Korean guitars every day. For this amount of money, you can find plenty of options to choose from, so the best thing is to head to your usual store, grab a Paul Reed Smith SE Billy Martin and give it a real workout to see whether your fingers and ears get hooked on its sound and feel.
