Why PRS's 2025 New Guitars are more 'affordable'

[@JTB--]

The 3 newest 2025 PRS models are anything but affordable. The prices of certain models have consistently gone UP by a LOT

[@bgrierofficial]

PRS has not just caught up to Fender and Gibson, but they are better, IMO.

[@HeavyBells]

Did you also notice that the Paul’s Guitar is no longer in the Core Catalog? Also, the coil tap/split coils are now different “tone switches” in the models with the TCI pickups such as the 2408 and MEV. Surprisingly they didn’t do a new Paul’s Guitar version with this new change.

[@simonedimarzio2557]

Also the original Mccarty is no longer available on the website, there is only the 594 model and the Hollowbody version. Maybe 594 sells better but I always preferred the Mccarty as it was.

[@CourtManley-y8q]

This is an excellent assessment of the brand and the market! Kudos!

[@zz-.-]

16:28 we’ve already seen the private stock guitars piling up in inventory and being sold for significant discounts. Despite global governments assuring everyone that inflation is under control and their unsustainable debt is OK and they are stressed financially more than ever but hey, S&P500 is all time high right, so everything is great right? Read between the lines. When you see high end manufacturers going down market, in any industry, who already have a volume business in place….its because they don’t believe the consumer is healthy, or confident. We know. Great segment. Looking forward to getting my hands on a new Standard24.

[@rowbags3017]

I'll be interested to see PRS's reveal of their 2025 line-up. There are a couple of things that I'm hoping to see - an SE NF53 and an SE DGT15 in a combo form.

[@JTB--]

They have revealed 3 Guitars for 2025 so far. There are a few demo's of them too. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fn6zoXeAdpuJrJI kzbin.info/www/bejne/kH7anaN6dseZhpI

[@canyonproductions7683]

Great update! Thank you

[@DavidFeilyMusic]

Love my 25th anniversary swamp ash specials with three narrowfields!

[@NoelHaven]

Me 3! 🤘🏻😅

[@donciseau]

Excellent video!

[@jarexxsuvexx8212]

2024 was the year i became educated on the benefits of stainless steel frets and after getting a taste of how expensive fret replacement is(can actually cost more than the guitar)there is no way i will ever purchase another guitar that's not equip with stainless steel frets.

[@progpogs]

I find most PRS almost gaudy in how ostentatious they are, I find the simpler aesthetic of these standards quite desirable. The solid color where you can see the top in the scraped binding is incredible too. All hail this new era of simple PRS- imagine if they release a hardtail standard 24 then its an instabuy.

[@progpogs]

Although I should note that the price of these is more than the topped cu24s in 2019.

[@vakindianhistory]

@@progpogsyup that’s the inflation we have seen worldwide in the last 5 years

[@juanvaldez5422]

I like beautiful things

[@brandonbryson3317]

I also prefer the standard, but the price they are asking is a little crazy…the super fancy 10 tops used to be $3500 and it wasn’t that long ago.

[@predigr]

Don't miss the point. They offer you now the cheapest possible Core for the price a regular core had some years ago.

[@tymanngruter1808]

Hello Utkarsh, this new year has started with your great news! The DMO pick-ups are getting a place into my SE models, onley two, but i am for sure that sounds a lot better than now, do you think its a right deccicion? Have yourself a musical 2025. Greatings from Holland.

[@ministryofguitar]

I'm certain that PRS is always throwing latest understanding into their products so I'm sure the DMO pickups will be decent at the very least. Let me know what you think. Happy new year

[@vintageswiss9096]

PRS have updated their Indoneasia and American factories. The Indo factory now uses a self-painting conveyor system with hand sanding between layers. They are just passing along some of the savings/manufacturing capability to the end user. Paul has said for years, he doesnt do this to become wealthy... he does this to employee people and provide the best guitar that he can possibly build for the price. PRS is listening to customers and giving them what they asked for... the horror 🙄

[@Watching-h5r]

He doesn’t do this to make money? Great lower the crazy prices

[@vintageswiss9096]

@Watching-h5r i never said he didn't do it to be profitable, you have to make money to keep employees on the payroll... I just said that he's stated in interviews that he doesn't run the company directly to get wealthy off of it. They just put their American pickups in their S2 line and they all get a nitro finish now. They *are* trying to supply value. You simply can't get a hand-made American product under a certain price, I'm afraid.

[@saltpeter7429]

Nice haircut dude!! Looks snazzy ( thats my mom's word for cool, from the olden days..) Great video as usual.

[@dougversion2.0]

As the market continues trending towards affordable guitars made in Asia, USA made guitar production is going to slow and become more expensive. PRS is getting ahead of this by making some of their USA made guitars more affordable to produce. Satin finishes, bolt on necks, and not adding maple tops reduce labor and material expenses. S2s getting USA pickups last year was a much needed change that should boost sales for that line over the next few years. I'd be willing to bet the SE line sales are several multiples larger than Core/S2. This is PRS's attempt to further balance that while still offering USA made guitars for the small market that wants them. The traditional Core guitars will still exist, but the prices will continue increasing as fewer are produced each year. For example, the Core McCarty singlecut isn't listed as a 2025 release.

[@blakedyeguitar]

I also noticed the Core 594 Singlecut also isn’t listed any more. That’s a shame and I’m sure it would have sounded great with the new McCarty III pickups.

[@mortonwilson795]

Another interesting vid, thanks! I'm a relative newcomer to the world of PRS, I bought my first, an SE Custom 24-08 a couple of years ago, and the more I read / hear the more interested I am in the brand (this after 40+ years of playing Gibson LPs, Fender Strats etc.). I should mention I am a big fan of the PRS trem set-up, closer to Fender and Gotoh - I find my Bigsby & Duesenberg trems just a bit too bulky / clumsy but both the 24-08 & Tremonti feel great! I like the satin idea because the only thing I really dislike about PRS is the garish flame-tops . . . just too much for my delicate sensibilities! I may grab an SE Tremonti in plain ebony at some point, I have tried a couple and the Gibson scale and set-up feels familiar but right now I'm wondering if PRS offer a higher quality pick-up set for the 24-08 I could upgrade to? I like the versatility of the 24-08 but suspect there may be more 'responsive' or articulate split-coil options from PRS I could replace the Indonesian made pick-ups with? Any advice would be most appreciated, thank you.

[@Neuroanalisis]

57/08 Prs pickups are so good and versatile. I have them on all of my PRS guitars.

[@mortonwilson795]

@@Neuroanalisis Thanks so much for he info!

[@mrfivethirteen8919]

As far as I concern, the tuners of the Core and above manufactured PRS guitars in the USA factory are made by Gotoh (starting with Phase II). Gotoh is Japanese. The Wing tuners were Schallers, German made. A few pieces of the PS guitars (wooden knobs, tips, tuner buttons come from a German company aswell). PRS signature instrument cables are made by VanDamme in London, UK. A main difference in the production (wood work) among the different production lines (Core/WL/AP/PS - S2 - SE, taking in consideration US model exceptions likewise Silver Sky, Fiore, MK, and NF53) is the full violin top carve, that makes the most difference.

[@ministryofguitar]

Helpful. Without having thoroughly investigated the source of all of PRS's components (technically all the rosewood is from India, my home country), what I can say with confidence is that the core hardware feels much better quality than the SE hardware

[@mrfivethirteen8919]

@ministryofguitar I agree and extent it. I changed the tuners and nut of my SE Mark Holcomb. Locking tuners make re-stringing very quick and the USA nut is of better quality for proper slotting. I'm still a little bit concerned about the cheap locking and cheap haptic response of the hardware of Fiore and Silver Sky (USA made, Core and even with the limited run of certain colours like Nebula). I love my core 513. Perfect PRS business cards 😉

[@Watching-h5r]

I don’t have a PRS but I prefer the 3way switch with the little toggles that split the hbs.

[@bluwng]

Any insider information on Ibanez new lines specifically the AZ Standard.

[@nieko3038]

Was in a guitar store last Friday (that’s quite unique these days) They had a PRS wall. Some guitars looked quite small. The bodies. Maybe they where thinner than others. Not sure. They had a nice hollow body. Shame they didn’t have the cheapest one. Would have loved to try that and have it in my hands. Only played an SE once many years ago. Even was the first P90 guitar I’d ever played.

[@Watching-h5r]

Where because I like a smaller body. I think you’re in another country. We live in a major city with one mid level guitar store.

[@nieko3038]

@ I’m from the Netherlands.

[@Levelity]

PRs is taking the chance that smaller margins but more volume because people are buying multiple of their guitars. Probably smart.

[@jiggabaybeejones]

Can you talk about the rise of s2 and how the price is now over 2k usd and comes w mostly all USA components

[@kloudtunes]

The Standard 24 Satin to me comes across rather like an expensive S2 than an ‚affordable‘ core model. And hence feels overprized and not more affordable. But that is just my impression.

[@jdblackwell2873]

What is you opinion of Tom Anderson and Music Man Guitars?

[@andrewhitchcock3983]

The reality of guitar industry now is that the business model is antiquated. PRS should build a facility and start selling direct. Paul can design all the new pickups he wants. It's not enough anymore to get ME and other to buy a PRS, because it's just too much money. 10 top PRS is like $5500 these days. An industry leader like Paul has to see the writing on the wall in terms of the traditional retail dealer network dying a slow death. Why ship guitars to Sweetwater, where they will get substantially marked up, when they could just ship the guitars to the consumers and for less? Kiesel is very successful with the direct to consumer model.

[@matt79hz]

I've taken 8 SE's on delivery since there's no guitar shop nearby. I don't have 8 in total as I've returned 4 of them. Literally half. Inactive truss rod, poor electronics, and even a fretboard with holes and cuts in it.. I'm sure a lot of people would benefit from putting the guitar in their hands before paying.

[@Michel-r6m]

Every quality brand (premium if you wish) will have to contempate on what level of quality they will put their name on. Fender has a sub brand Squier, Gibson has Epiphone etc. One of the most interesting brand I find Gretsch (not just the expensive guitars). Their Electromatic line of guitars I got one of (G5421). Few years ago this was a €339 guitar and for me ideal in terms of quality as looks (Bourgundy wit parlour pickguard). Not sure but I assume that more affordable guitars can be made with the same branding is write off of machines. Or procurement makes it possible to sustain quality at a lower price point?

[@EliasThury]

I wish prs would embrace single coils more instead of all the beating around the bush they do.

[@christiansantos4554]

Affordable and Less Expensive are two different things.

[@michaelschuerman8826]

It’s nice to talk about but you need one in your hands

[@brandonbryson3317]

Yeah lmao the standard 24 is now the same price the Custom 24 was, not even that long ago.

[@Steinstra-vj7wl]

Can anyone buy a brand new Ferrari? No. That doesn't mean that Ferrari has to bring down the price of their car. Same with Guitars. There are a ton of cheap guitars made in Countries who we can buy made by people who work 16 hours a day just to pay the rent of their tiny apartment so we can buy cheap. You complain because you don't make the numbers to buy a top of the line PRS. That is not PRS's fault.

[@ayeapprove]

2:02 and still have the cheapo top carve.

[@mlkorade]

Never buy a new guitar when it hits the market. Wait 6 months and grab it off of Reverb. Eagle V's new are $5000, but now you can score them for $3500. The Swamp Ash is $2800... give it 6 months, $2000. This goes for any brand now. Never buy new gear in this over saturated market.

[@OldWaveKid]

Great video. I wonder how much these two will cost

[@Rob-qr2kn]

$3500 at sweetwater

[@brian6556]

Let's just cut to the chase. They are way to expensive.

[@BkBk-gy6vr]

Over priced mediocre guitars at best. I have 2 that were gifts. An S2 Custom 24 and a se McCarty and I would never have paid the amounts for either as they’re my least favorite guitars to play and the pickups are junk. I have cheaper guitars that are better.

[@dimejoe2621]

Can you tell me more about the S2 and your dissatisfaction regarding the series? I was thinking about getting one

[@bks252]

Yep, same here. I bought an SE McCarty 594 single cut. It was complete junk. Fret job was on the same par as Squire, tuners junk and pickups were muddy as crap. Sent that baby back. I’ve bought a total of 5 SE’s and have only one. It’s the Swamp Ash Special. It’s actually a pretty good guitar. I bought it used for around $500 I think. If they bring out an SE NF 53, I may take a chance on it just to see. I’ll probably just be disappointed again.

[@markinthemix6055]

My opinion very well is straight up wrong but l wouldn’t invest in PRs as an impressive return on your money.