PRS + Mesa... why do they work so well together?

The Boogie Board

Help Support The Boogie Board:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

screamingdaisy

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 24, 2005
Messages
4,512
Reaction score
4
Location
South of Heaven
PRS + Mesa... why do they work so well together?

I'm not a PRS dude and I've never actually played a PRS through a Mesa... just wondering what people's opinions are on the subject?
 
I'm a little biased but I think all my PRSi work well with many amps. Just a versatile guitar IMO. Mesa amps are pretty versatile too. I use my PRS SC's and CU24 for classic rock, disco, pop, 80's metal, alt etc though I don't like the CU24 for my pop country project as much as my SC's.

YellowJacket, did you mean Marshal and Les Paul? Though Gibson and Les Paul do go very well together too!
 
Not that other guitars don't sound good thru my MkIII, but my PRSi just seem magical. They were made to drive the amp, so if you've dialed it in right, the combo is awesome. The best-of-the-best likes working with the-best-of-the-best! I love my Cu24 like one of my children, but my SE One is, arguably, the best sounding guitar I've run thru a MkIII. And that's the least expensive PRS made!
 
I don't know about PRS real deal.
But the SE models... they are... i don't want to hurt anyones feeling here :)
I tried the MV with the first time with an SE, and the amp sounded good but not that TONE that i have with my cheap LTD!
On the cheap ones there is too much effort on looks and not so much for the quality of the wood probably.
 
screamingdaisy said:
Out of curiosity... anyone know what kind of amp Paul himself used?

(You know... prior to him making his own amps)

My Pap met him back in the 50's. He went to see him at a show and then got to meet him back stage. My Pap was a great musician himself and wanted to pick his brain. He told me then he was playing through Epiphone amps. At the time my Pap had the same amp.
 
I meant Paul Reed Smith.

I've read his new line of amps are somewhat Mesa-ish on the lead channel. Makes me wonder if he originally played through a Mesa himself and maybe that's why his original styles of guitars seem so well suited to the amp?
 
screamingdaisy said:
I meant Paul Reed Smith.

I've read his new line of amps are somewhat Mesa-ish on the lead channel. Makes me wonder if he originally played through a Mesa himself and maybe that's why his original styles of guitars seem so well suited to the amp?

Not sure, but if I get to meet him sometime soon, I'll try to remember to ask him if the opportunity arises. I love my Toreros through the Mesas. The EMG's aren't traditional for PRS guitars, but they help a lot in the sound that I am after and sound HUGE, and I have had guitars where the EMG's did not sound that great in too.

-AJH
 
Maybe it's the Santana+PRS+Mesa connection?
I don't know for sure, but last rehearsal was:
PRS McCarty (10 top, birds, stock p/ups) > Tuner > Mark III (Blue Stripe Simul, Texas Heat, STR-454s and 450s)
and it was like butta!
 
Paul (PRS Paul) used to play test his guitars in the old shop with a Mark that Carlos gave him as a present. Pic should be on line somewhere.
 
Both companies have so much love for their artform. The similarities are there too see within their products. Both are built to the highest specs, the companies are small and still run by their founders therefore aren't subject to cost cutting by 'suits'.

I've used a PRS/Boogie setup for about 4 years now and I can honestly say its every bit a pro setup, the guitars and amps are built like tanks to take the punishment of gigging night after night and still produce the goods.

Buying PRS/Boogie will never be cheap, but once you've got it, there is no going back, and its a setup that will serve you for years to come with world class tone.
 
I'm pretty sure that the symbiotic nature of PRS and Boogie is no accident. Up until the PRS amps were released, there was always a Boogie or two in the PRS booth at NAMM to demo guitars through.
 
The PRS/Mesa combo has become a classic. Just a great vibe to the pair. I wouldn't trade my Cu24/Mark V combo for anything else!
 
I'm sure Randall was influenced by Santana when developing the early Marks.

Personally, I've never heard a guitar that doesn't sound great through a Mesa. 8) Although very thin, bright sounding guitars don't match well with Marshalls for example.
 
screamingdaisy said:
Out of curiosity... anyone know what kind of amp Paul himself used?

(You know... prior to him making his own amps)


Amps by Doug Sewell after he stopped using Mesa's. He even went as far as to hire Doug Sewell to design and build all of the PRS amps they currently manufacture.

As for PRS+Mesa. It's just like Mesa+Gibson. Or any Humbucker + Mesa. Both guitar and amp kickass. My Only PRS is a Cu22 that I have strung with 12-60 and tuned a half step down (or Drop C# depending on the gig) and it just sounds huge through my DC3.
 
MkIII Renegade said:
I'm sure Randall was influenced by Santana when developing the early Marks.


Absolutely. However, back then Carlos was playing Yamaha guitars, and picked up the PRS later on. PRS as a company wasn't big until 85 or so. By then the C+ was starting to come into production.
 
Vogelsong said:
screamingdaisy said:
Out of curiosity... anyone know what kind of amp Paul himself used?

(You know... prior to him making his own amps)

My Pap met him back in the 50's. He went to see him at a show and then got to meet him back stage. My Pap was a great musician himself and wanted to pick his brain. He told me then he was playing through Epiphone amps. At the time my Pap had the same amp.

Just the keep the record straight, Paul was born in 1956; it's doubtful he was playing before he was 4.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top