Musician's Friend PRS Bernie Marsden SE

Alcatrax

Hi All

A few months back, Guitarist mag featured the new Bernie Marsden PRS SE Singlecut, inspired by his '59 Les Paul.

I have fancied one ever since (the '59 as well, but thats another whole different lottery win). Unfortunately enquiries at local guitar dealers were fruitless and I was informed that there were none in the country and that an order would require 12 units to be brought in and the agents felt it wasn't worthwhile.

Fortunately we live in a global economy, so I got onto the USA Musician's Friend website and located a "lightly used" model that was selling for $519 compared to $649 for a new one. Door to door shipping via UPS was an additional $224 dollars and SA VAT and handling was another R830, making the entire cost R7 592.00.

I was naturally concerned about the guitar surviving the trip, but it arrived about a week later in a large cardboard box with bubble wrap and cardboard packing material, inside a PRS SE Gig Bag.

I have been massively impressed. If this guitar was ever played at all, they must have been wearing cotton gloves. There was not so much as a fingerprint on the guitar. All the usual case-candy was present and it still has the plastic on the switch covers at the rear. This guitar is absolutely immaculate. It was perfectly set up out of the box and it sounds great.

If anyone is considering buying from overseas retailers, my experience has been extremely positive. Some retailers won't ship new guitars to SA, but a trip to myus.com and a $10 payment will take care of that. However, my so-called "lightly used" guitar was in better condition than a lot of new guitars I have seen.

Pics are attached .....

Sean

Wow, congrats, lovely looking instrument ?

FRALIN-FAN

Congrats! She is awesome!

I nearly pulled the trigger on the same one, based on this video by Nstuff music.

=

Looks like I should have...!
?

AlanRatcliffe

Hi P! ?

That looks wonderful! Congrats and all that... ?

Pity they are not available locally, otherwise I'd have to try one (OK - maybe a good thing ?). How's the neck size/shape? And how does it sound? PRSi always have a magnetic pull for me, but I've never found one (for sale) that really grabbed me, so I'll not order one without playing it first.

Unfortunately enquiries at local guitar dealers were fruitless and I was informed that there were none in the country and that an order would require 12 units to be brought in and the agents felt it wasn't worthwhile.

Who knows? Might be a bit of a conflict with the same importer handling Gibson and Epiphone?

aubs1

Congratulations dude. I love PRS guitars! :applause:

Sean

Aubs1 wrote: Congratulations dude. I love PRS guitars! :applause:

...and Gibson guitars...and Fender guitars...and Ibanez guitars...

AlanRatcliffe

FRALIN FAN wrote: I nearly pulled the trigger on the same one, based on this video by Nstuff music.

There is some horrendous compressor pumping in that video. ☹ There are a lot of vids of Bernie Marsden himself playing it on YouTube though.

aubs1

Sean wrote:
Aubs1 wrote: Congratulations dude. I love PRS guitars! :applause:
...and Gibson guitars...and Fender guitars...and Ibanez guitars...

........ and Tokai guitars!! ?

Alcatrax

It was interesting to view the video, so thanks for that. The point about the machine heads is that the PRS was inspired by Bernie Marsden's own 59 LP. When you know that, the aged tulip machine heads make sense.

Measurements were taken from the '59's neck and the dimensions are pretty close apparently. Its whats known as the PRS Wide Fat profile and is 43.7mm at the nut. I can tell you its extremely comfortable and has some beef without being a baseball bat. I only received it this morning though, so there is lots of experimentation to get through yet.

Alan, I also noticed the compressor pumping in the video too, although no compressor was mentioned in the list of effects used. It was probably an Automatic Gain Control on the video mike.

Regarding the Gibson\Epiphone importer also handling PRS - I didn't realise that was the case. Given Gibson's reaction to the Singlecut and PRS's eventual winning of the lawsuit I am surprised that Gibson would have supplied guitars to a company also handling PRS! A couple of years ago I toured the Gibson factory in Memphis and asked the tour guide what Gibson's problem with the singlecut was. I got a very blank look and am still waiting for an answer.

For more info on how it sounds - here it is in the hands of its endorsee, courtesy of Guitarist magazine. (Size 22 mb)

http://s926.photobucket.com/albums/ad101/Alcatrax_photos/?action=view&current=BerniePRSLOW.mp4

ZarK

Veeeery Nice Axe! ? Congrats! :goodtimes:

Sebber

Alcatrax wrote:If anyone is considering buying from overseas retailers, my experience has been extremely positive. Some retailers won't ship new guitars to SA, but a trip to myus.com and a $10 payment will take care of that.

Hey man, just a query on your comment here: this www.myus.com does the retailer ship it to them and then they forward it on? How does that work because I've got a similar issue at the moment where there's a guitar listed on ebay but the douchebag seller won't ship it out of the US?

Alcatrax

Sebber wrote:
Alcatrax wrote:If anyone is considering buying from overseas retailers, my experience has been extremely positive. Some retailers won't ship new guitars to SA, but a trip to myus.com and a $10 payment will take care of that.
Hey man, just a query on your comment here: this www.myus.com does the retailer ship it to them and then they forward it on? How does that work because I've got a similar issue at the moment where there's a guitar listed on ebay but the douchebag seller won't ship it out of the US?

That's exactly how it works. MyUS.com will give you a quote for the shipping and as most retailers in the US offer free shipping within the US, it probably won't cost any more than if the merchant was shipping the item directly.

They can even arrange payment with a US credit card if the merchant won't accept a SA card. I signed up for $10 and now have a US address and phone number. I haven't used the service yet as the PRS was classed as a used item and therefore can be shipped to SA, but all the reviews I have found online have been very good. All the details are on the website.

AlanRatcliffe

Sebber wrote: Hey man, just a query on your comment here: this www.myus.com does the retailer ship it to them and then they forward it on?

Surely it would have been quicker to simply follow the link than ask the question? ?

singemonkey

Great looking guitar. Looks like a great option for someone wanting a top quality Les Paul type that won't break the bank.

Big-G

I've always been a big fan of PRS's, especially once they released the much more affordable and realistic SE range! Personally, I always have my eye on a hollowbody, but I still like all of them.

My friend back in the UK got one of the first SE's they released, and I was surprised by the very good build quality and especially the tone and playability, considering what he paid for it! I hope your new addition gives you as much joy as his one gave him! But if ever you decide to part with it..... ?

Cheers
G!

dee

Very very nice...I might just sell my SE and get one of those ?

Nicholas-L

oooh that is niceeeeee!!!! ?