PRS Mira...sweet!

[Joe Porto]

I just picked up a PRS Mira, and thought I'd post a quick review.

First off, I have never been a fan of fancy guitars. I don't mind paying money for a good guitar (I own three Music Man supersports), but I don't like binding, and AAA caps, and inlays. I'd rather put my money into a solid guitar with a good neck, frets and pickups.

I've always liked the way PRS guitars played, but they were just too fancy, and for the most part, two heavy.

Well, I saw this Mira in the store and didn't even think it was a PRS. It looked like some kind of hybrid SG/Brian May custom type of thing. Single piece mahogany body, Stop tailpiece, two humbuckers, V&T controls, a 3 way switch and a coil tap.

I tried it out, and I gotta say it plays wonderfully, has a full thick sound, coil taps to a twangy shimmer, and it's half the price of a standard PRS!

So if anyone is looking for a very nice, but all business stoptail guitar, definitely check this one out.

[theGeek]

the mira is the only good thing to come from PRS in a long time.

[wesarvin]

Only the SEs and really high end PRS's have been good. Just really expensive.

I have a 1991 CE24 that I swear kills many a newer models. I'd love to try a Mira someday. Are they made in the same US factory or contracted out to Samick like their SE models?

[Joe Porto]

Originally Posted by guitarwes

Are they made in the same US factory or contracted out to Samick like their SE models?

They are made in Annapolis, MD, USA.

[wesarvin]

Sweet. I'll have to make a trip to GC to exploit the salesmen then order from a different dealer.

[octatonic]

PRS seem to get a really raw deal on the internot- particularly here.
Success does weird things to people's perception of a company, I guess.

I remember back in the late 80's when they were a little known guitar company with some very nice guitars that were way more expensive (comparatively) than they are now.
This was before the 90's players got a hold of them- they were f*ckin cool guitars to play.
I saw Aussie rock band "The Angels" playing and both guitarists had PRS's.

They sounded pretty amazing.

They became popular for a reason- Paul knew how to make a guitar and then how to market them.
This is no different from Fender or Gibson, really.

I met Paul a few years ago- he was a great guy- cared very much about what people thought of his guitars, listened to my complaints about the pickups- which was acknowledged as a problem.
Personally I haven't found a PRS pickup I can live with, but that is fine.
My '89 Custom 24 is used an awful lot though- I flit between a lot of guitars but seem to always come back to it.
Had it since around '92- 16 years is a long time to be playing a guitar if it truly sucks- so either I don't know what the f**k I am talking about, or maybe PRS aren't as bad as some people make out.

The Mira seems to be the guitar a lot of people are asking for.
The PRS equivalent of the Les Paul Studio.

I'm thinking about one set up for slide.

[wesarvin]

Ok-- now for my review and opinions about PRS guitars and the company.

PRS is a great company that turns out great guitars. I personally prefer the older ones, but I've never played a bad PRS, just ones I like better than others. The Mira looks promising.

I met Paul a couple of times also, once years ago at a clinic (I was 11...long story...) and then 3 years ago at NAMM. He remembered me and we had a cool short conversation. Great guy still (even though he's now a busy rockstar). Shoot, my friend in college lived down the street from his MD house and dated his daughter! He'll definitely vouch for the company.

The lower end PRS models (excluding the SEs contracted overseas, which are still some of the best Samick-esque guitars out there) seem to retain the quality of the upper-end models. The price and features don't really make them "better" than others, just "different." This distinction reminds me of Taylor guitars.

As for pickups, they all sound pretty darn good. The single coil taps on some are a little harsh sounding at times, but are usable. Once in the studio, we tried a wall full of new and vintage Teles, Strats, LPs, and an SG, and kept coming back to my lil' old CE24 with rusty-arse stock pickups. Our producer was also sponsored by PRS, had a sweet Custom 22, and still preferred the old junky bolt-on.

Some people are Gibson guys, some are Fender guys, and now we have PRS guys. It seems with the introduction of Ted McCarty to PRS, they've taken more of a turn towards a Gibson style of production, but I'd still rather buy any model of PRS over a Gibson any day. The company, guitars, and general business practices are far superior. Paul's actually a pretty darn good player... is Gibson's current president a musician? Hmm...

[theGeek]

Originally Posted by guitarwes

is Gibson's current president a musician? Hmm...

Leo Fender, as far as I know, wasn't a musician either.

Or is that just a myth?

[wesarvin]

Hmm... go figure. (google did wonders lol)

Eh, Gibson's new business practices still seem cruddy. The price keeps going up and the quality seems to go down. Oh well.

[octatonic]

Originally Posted by theGeek

Leo Fender, as far as I know, wasn't a musician either.

Or is that just a myth?

He couldn't play a note.
And Leo was all about the profit.

That isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Selling something good to make money is fine.

Selling something bad (or average, or boring) for a lot of money and basing it all on former glory is despicable.
We all despise Harman, don't we?
For taking Lexicon, dumbing it down, making it worse but selling it as though it was as good as it used to be?

Don't we all despise CBS Fender for the same reason?
Steinberger Inc (ie Gibson)
Present day Gibson?

[theGeek]

Originally Posted by guitarwes

The price keeps going up and the quality seems to go down. Oh well.

yeah, I do agree there. I used to live not far from the old gibson factory (where heritage guitars are made) in Kalamazoo and THOSE are great instruments. Way underrated!