So what do you prefer PRS or Gibson?

I own PRS, Gibson and Fender guitars and wouldn't want to part with any of these wonderful instruments. A Tele, CE24 and an SG standard '61. I play each of these guitars nearly daily. I don't have a favorite. I love them all.

I have both a Les Paul and PRS. I Really cannot tell which one is better, it depends on the mood I am in. I love both my kids equally ;-)

Man I freaked out a little bit when the Gibson started moving to the floor, thought you were about to let it drop.

I've played a bunch of Gibson and PRS in all price ranges from SE/Epiphone to Custom Shop/Private Stock, and personally I prefer the tone and feel of PRS. There are things I like about Gibson, but when it comes to spending my money, it's going to PRS. I respect anyone's opinion which differs from mine, as well. If you like Gibson better, that's totally cool. There are way more important things in this life to fight about rather than guitar brand preference lol

I prefer playing my PRS. People sometimes dislike PRS pickups but there’s something about them that really sits with a band well.

I would like to see you compare a single cut PRS to the Les Paul. I think the traditional PRS’s have a great blend of a Strat and Les Paul.

I have both a PRS McCarty and a Slash LP Standard as my main guitars. I prefer the tone of the LP, but favor the ergonomics of my PRS. Whichever one I use kinda depends on my mood at the time, I’m just thrilled to have both.

I actually liked the neck pickup on the prs more, had a bit more clarity and I could hear separate notes easier the finish as well is gorgeous btw

You can’t compare a 79 KM Les Paul with a new DGT. That specific Les Paul is one of the best I’ve ever heard.

I don't play or have ever touched either one, but that Gibson sounded better right from the first strum. Just to my ear. It was something I noticed right away.

Feel like PRS is what you get crossing a Les Paul and strat

I’ve specifically wanted a “Les Paul Sound” on plenty of covers and originals but I can’t say I’ve ever really insisted on having a “PRS Sound” on anything. Maybe just because they’re newer overall but they just seem kinda bland tonally.

Your intro riff with the les Paul was sick, sounds similar to siege engine by Buckethead, check it out! Great video as always

Finally? Has been since 1985!

I’ve had my Les Paul for 44 years and as much as I like it, my 99’ PRS Custom 22 blows it away. It just resonates in my hand and feels alive!

I like the LP more, but I prefer a SG. Nice playing on both beautiful instruments.

Holy crap dude. That very first rythm deal you played on the Les Paul was awesome. Please do a video on that rythm. Please My Guy.

4:53 yup, I agree! The Les Paul is not as comfortable, not as balanced, perhaps less versatile, BUT there is something about them that makes 'em very special and awesome guitars. For me I think its the feel of the neck and of course the unmistakable tones :)

I love both but agree LP tone is second to none. I like the quality of construction and the comfort of PRS core instruments. Basically I alternate practice and gigging between both brands and love their sound and respective differences!

I tried a ton of PRS’s and ended up buying a McCarty Korina about 13 years ago or so. I feel like it has it’s own vibe and sits real well in between a sparkly strat and the darker sound of a Les Paul. When I played normal PRS guitars they came across, to me, as a version of a Gibson rather than its own thing. My McCarty is my favorite guitar for any type of crunchy rhythm work and for doing some 80’s session style leads.

I’ve owned a total of 7 USA PRS and 4 Gibson Les Paul’s. Currently have 1 PRS(the cheapest one, too…an S2 satin singlecut 😂) and 3 Gibson Les Pauls. I always preferred playing the PRS for comfort and quality feel, but the Gibson’s just have that “X” factor to the tone. It was after trying many different pickups with the PRS that I decided i just liked the Gibson sound a lot better.

I love Les Pauls...the tone, the iconic look, they're classics! I've had 3 or 4 from different decades and there's no mistaking the sound. But as a regular player I need something that stays in tune better...I can't be looking down checking my B and G strings throughout the entire set. All that said, as a TOOL, a PRS wins. Mostly because of the design, but also because of its versatility. Some say they sound more generic, but that 10% more character you hear when you're sitting in your basement or studio...it gets lost in a live mix. That's why I say PRS...or better yet, a Suhr strat!

is there really such thing as better? Or does it depend on personal preference?

I own both and they both have there place. There both absolutely wonderful guitars and I’m so glad I’m fortunate enough to own both! Great vid!

I always felt like PRS is similar to Taylor in that they’re both so beautifully engineered and crafted, but their tone is so “perfect” (for lack of a better word) that they sound more like machines than wooden instruments played by human hands. There’s just a certain warmth and character that’s missing.

Great video… it will be greater if there wasn’t a lot if reverb that doesn’t help too much to decide difference in tone, like it hides it sometimes. Anyways, thanks!

Let’s not forget how many LPs don’t actually have that ‘vibe’ and feel off the shelf. And a lot of the diff is in the pickups. Slap some burstbuckers in a single cut PRS and you get too close to really tell the diff.

PRS has been better since PRS became an option. The real question is why are some people so blind to not realize this?

Think you got it Rob. LP notes have a roundness to them. PRS sounds jagged.

Honestly love the sound of a PRS more. It's sounds a little more focused and ergonomically it just ticks all the boxes

You should do a comparison video of Harley Benton's SC 550 Plus and a Les Paul. It would be interesting to see how a highly acclaimed budget Les Paul compares to the real thing.

I would like to hear/see how your LP is set up in this video. Those cream colored pickups harken back to vintage rock times when combined with the tobacco burst. The tones are spot on as well. Tell us more!

I like and have both. Although the PRS is definitely more refined.

I totally agree! As someone who owns many guitars, my Gibson Les Paul Standard outfitted and finished like a classic 59' has fabulous tone, killer looks, and is the easiest to play. Coupled with my Marshall half stack, it's a rock monster that's even too loud for my outdoor concerts.

Ive done the same comparison. Les paul definitely has the thump. Another factor is scale length. PRS with the 25 inch and Gibson with 24.75 inch. PRS seem very mid focused. But you crank both through a 4x12 and it’s a lot closer. Both are great IMO

I think you nailed it. It's like the difference between a Taylor and a Martin acoustic. Taylor and PRS are functionally great instruments that are extremely versatile, but tend to lack character and can sound a bit sterile. I also find PRS to be a little too "pretty" with all the figured tops and fancy colors. Gibson and Martin may be "imperfect" in some ways, but have a character that's inspiring and lend themselves to certain kinds of music. If I'm playing in a worship or wedding band that covers a lot of stylistic ground, I might choose a PRS. If I'm playing blues, rock, or Americana, it's a Gibson all day long.

I have both a Gibson Custom Shop and a PRS Core line and I think the PRS has a slight lead. The Regular line Gibsons are not up to the Core line PRS. They sound different to me, the LP cannot be compared to in tone. Nothing beats a LP thru a Marshall.

Nah. All hail Gibson! Big fat heavy chunk of wood that sustains for days.

The Les Paul just has that tone.

It doesn’t matter they’ll always be posh guitars for posh players. Gibson has the vibe, the look, the tone, the history and .....The Vibe....for Daysssssss 😎

i own both, and they are equally great

Personally I tend to play stuff that suits the instrument but I think this is your strength that vibe with instrument playing what you feel and getting the way you feel to be right in tonality. Dude loved the strat vibe when you did the pedal stuff with Rhett and Tim.

Man, I agree with this so much. PRS is better in EVERYTHING on paper. But LP has that LP sound. PRS can get there with one very small change. They just need to move the bridge pickup closer to the bridge. Won't work on Trem models, but on a 594, it needs to happen. I overcame the difference with a different (Bill Lawrence) pickup.

Paul Reed Smith has in depth knowledge of guitars that gives me a confidence with purchasing their guitars. He had a relationship with Ted McCarty who used to be at Gibson. Paul knows how the frets used to be put on the Gibson's, what type of glue they used, what all the specs are. He knows how the pickups were wound, what type of wire, all the little details about making a Gibson that Ted shared with him. He used this knowledge to make a better guitar. When making the Silver Sky, he x-rayed the John Mayer Fender pickups and studied them. He has a piece of equipment with software that tells him all the details about a pickup that you need to know. He knows the 21 rules for tone. He said there are about 2 or 3 where most people are dead wrong. He knows all the little secrets of making a good guitar great. You feel his passion about guitars every time he speaks. A guitar that sustains 45 seconds is better than one that sustains 25 seconds. With all of his hard work, he and his team earned to be where the company is today. Leo Fender did not stay with Fender as long, and we all know about the CBS Fender guitars and what many thought about them. Paul and his team focus on making sure a guitar that was made on a Monday morning and one made on a Friday afternoon are as close to each other as they can. For that window of changes between guitars to be as small as they can. This does not mean every guitar is perfect, as when people are involved, sometimes things happen. But with PRS, they happen less often. They also have weekly meetings that include a discussion on what can we do better? Having this knowledge about the team at PRS, gives me the confidence of the little things you don't see behind the paint job, and that construction, parts, and what you don't see inside the guitar they have taken the greatest care to make. This makes me want to own PRS guitars and when owning them proud to play them. The other guitars I have sit in their case more as the PRS 594 and Silver Sky I own generally meet the needs of a session or live gig.

I'm really liking all these intros that you make. Makes me pick up my guitar and learn it

I own a Gibson Les Paul Tribute and a PRS S2 Custom 24. I find that the PRS is my go to when I want to play Post Rock style music (i.e.; loads of reverb, delay, etc...). It just fills that niche for me. The Paul is pretty much my all around go to. Mainly use if for rock and older metal. Really works for when I want to get that Tool sound. I also have a Mexican Strat that I break out occasionally for grunge and 90s rock. All in all, I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. I think guitars are like mood pieces. Depending on how you're feeling in the moment, will dictate what guitar you pick up. As I get older, brands mean less. Feeling and sound mean so much more.

Les Pauls are uncomfortable, heavy, have shitty access down the fretboard but NOTHING sounds like a Les Paul. Plus LEGENDARY recordings have been made with a Les Paul which all of us want to emulate

It hasn't been an argument for years. PRS have had the upper hand for a long time. Amazing craftmanship. Amazing tone. They feel perfect in your hands. My PRS Tremonti's are the best guitars I've ever played.

I have had more than one of each...both great. Of course the Les Paul has the "classic" sound...that you have to keep tuning every five minutes to keep. PRS is the present. Their star is rising.

The PRS pick ups are warmer, clearer and push the amp to saturation quicker. Here is how I feel after listening to the comparison: Want something dirty to push a Fuzz, OD, Pitch Shift, Octave, or Distortion with some Flanger or Phase Shift? Choose a Gibson LP Standard (or Studio). Want something that has a lot of expression and breaks through the noise or for creating headspace by boosting into Chorus, Vibrato, Echo, Delay, Uni-vibe, Tremolo/Pan, Reverb? Choose a comparable quality PRS Custom 24 or better. I prefer a longer scale length. I just like the feel and a compound neck is easier on the hand and wrist IMO. I usually just jam through a bunch of different guitars, but I seem to always start with the heaviest and work my way to the lightest before I am done. I have a Gibson USA LP Studio, a LP 50's P-90 Gold Top, an Epiphone LP PRO II (very similar to the LP in the demo here), and a PRS 35th Anniversary Artist Series ($$$). The PRS plays easier, more range. I grab the PRO II before the Gibby's, and the PRS because of the comfort, quality, and balance. Did I mention that I bought it without playing it first? I figured that it had better be worth it, based on the hype. So we are actually comparing apples to apples, but it is more like comparing a Honeycrisp to a Red Delicious. Both are great to eat, or put in a pie. But which flavor is better is up to the one tasting it...

That's really what it comes down to, the guitar needs to just feel right, and that is an individual thing. I have an 80's Vantage Les Paul copy that I paid $200 for new. Definitely not a top end guitar, but it feels and plays awesome to me. I put a Carvin Allen Holdsworth pickup in it that probably cost me almost the same as the guitar. That guitar responds perfectly to my touch. It's awesome to find an instrument that has "that sound and feel" that makes your brain smile.

I legit think that PRS guitars are the most perfect guitars out there. If there was an objective answer to subjective question of "what's the best guitar that exists right now?" I honestly think that this title should go to the Custom 24. It literally takes the best of both worlds between the two most iconic styles of solid body electric guitars (the Stratocaster and the Les Paul) and mixes them into a single instrument. Too bad they're so expensive, the Custom 24 is literally my dream guitar.

I like PRS if for no other reason than you don't have to play 20 of them before you find a really good one, unlike with a Les Paul.

Prs is from my hometown, he used to come to our guitar class in high school, great guy, Bowie MD by the way

I own a CE24 made during Covid with the split coil setup. I grew up playing my uncle's Mexican Stratocaster. Played on Epiphone LP models as well throughout my bullshitting through guitar. To me, my PRS is the best of both Fender and Gibson. But you have to understand that the dynamic of having the best of both worlds means sacrificing something in return. Therefore, it's not fully a Strat, and not fully a Gibson. But again, with that you encounter a new sound on its own, which I think have become synonymous with PRS today.

The tone on that Les Paul beat the shit outta the PRS.

No, but its still awesome

I have both and the PRS is definitely a more evolved Gibson .... but I have to have both in my arsenal .. They just "Vibe" very differently.

I heard this somewhere but it really stuck, "I can pick up any guitar and like it, but I picked up the PRS, and it didn't feel like a guitar, it felt like an instrument"

After trying multiple samples of both they both sounded great. But I bought a Les Paul as it just felt more fun to play and it was closer to the sound I was looking for.

I love playing a nice resonating guitar. I remember those the most when I try out guitars. I have only encountered about 4 like this. Two Firebirds, one Eric Clapton Strat and a Les Paul. I wish I had the money at the time I tried those out after understanding this. The Les Paul put me in auto rocker mode. I was playing Journey licks and melodies to songs I never learned when I tried out the Les Paul. It felt like I played with intuition with that one.

Over the years I have come to learn that the 24 3/4 inch scale length is KING!

Had a 2016 Gibson LP Standard. It's a solid guitar, but my band plays a variety of songs from slow jazz to punk rock to heavy rock to pop music to country, etc. Got real old real fast having about 5 different guitars up there because of being a tone-chaser. Decided to focus on 2 guitars to cover the wide range. After woodshedding it for a couple months, I found what works for me is a 1994 PRS Custom 24 for about 80% of all the songs, and my Telecaster with Texas Special pickups (made the Tele from a kit!) for the remaining 20% of songs that just need that extra treble to sound right. Fiddling around with stomp pedal effects, my PRS sounds close enough to an LP or a Strat that the casual listener won't really notice or care. Gibson makes some kick@ss quality LPs, but it is a bit limited. Fender makes some kick@ss Stratocasters, but it is a bit limited. PRS is more like a Swiss Army Knife compared to those two, but the tradeoff is that it sometimes feels like it's a Jack of All Trades, but a Master of None. Still, it is far preferable to being a Master of only One.

A few things that would be important to note... both companies offer multiple pickup options - different windings, different wiring, different magnets, etc. Comparing one Les Paul to one PRS doesn't begin to cover the field of tonal variety. The PRS in your hand looks like an SE, which has different pickups than a McCarty or a Santana (which has different pickups than both) or a Special 22. What pickups are in your LP? The '59 Standard has different pickups than the '69 Standard and both are different than the LP custom or Slash, etc, etc...

I think we have reached a point where all top tier brands are on the same level it all just comes down to preference at a certain point, although an example to example might vary because quality control and setup differences but I think fender, gibson, prs and other guitars on that level are equal quality with just different specs to appeal to each player

I totally agree with all your conclusions. I prefer the tone of my Les Paul Standard, period, but my PRS Wood Library Custom 24-08 is such a beautifully built machine and so playable that I'm happy keeping them both. 🙂

Killer intro there, Robert! Short but so sweet! Also, thank you for stating your preference. Too many half-hour review/comparison videos on YT that end in "I have no guts to tell you what I think so let me know in the comments what you think". (Yea, that's why I watch your videos, so I can read what others think.) Also, you made fair points for both in this comparison so totally cool. I unsubscribed from many guitar channels recently but yours is staying for sure 😉

A master violinist doesn't play a Stradivarius because it's easier to play or lighter than other violins. The primary purpose of a musical instrument is to make wonderful sounds. That said, both these guitars have their contexts, and I think the Venn diagram overlaps a bit in the middle. But outside that middle ground, I'd choose the one that owns that area and learn how to play it. As always, love the videos, Robert!

My major problem with les Paul is the tuning stability due to the angle on the headstock. So Instead of gibson fixing the angle they just say use nut sauce haha.

I agree with your feeling! And can we like, scope that AxeFX tone settings?!?

I have a lot of guitars, but I have and even closer pairing - A Les Paul Traditional HCSB with Classic 57s, and I have a PRS core Singlecut 594 with 58/15 LT pickups, designed to be the perfect PAF. The 594 is a masterpiece, Paul's take on a perfect Les Paul. it sounds spectacular and is much more versatile. Yoiu want a crystal clear ambient tone with delay, a Jazz tone, a great metal tone, etc. And because the pickups a designed to sound like PAFs, it sounds like a super clean older Les Paul. The Les Paul plugged into a Plexi with glowing tubes and a little delay is a monster. Same plugged into a Dirty Shirley (at match made in heaven) It has a bite and a mojo the PRS doesn't. I love them both, but they each have their place. I play the 594 more, but when I want to crank my 50 watt Marshall, the Les Paul is going into it.

That opening riff was Hot AF!!!!

I have a Les Paul Special Tribute that is balanced and I can take my hands of it while playing seated - it's a 2021 model with no chambering and the neck is profile is called rounded which is full but not '59 fat.

I’ve had a gibson, various fenders and more recently a PRS S2 Vela and PRS wins the day for me. Bought a Gibson Les Paul Standard which was a £2k lovely looking guitar but within 6 months had fret sprout and even one of the inlays coming loose! My fender Strat has lasted since 1995 without any issues at all and my tele could have probably been used to dig up the road and would have stayed in tune but the PRS ticks ALL the boxes for me, especially this model as it’s not as fancy looking as some of the others with various binding and 10 tops etc.

I was a Gibson guy for years, after I bought a PRS Classic I wound up selling the LP Standard and 67 reissue Flying V.

All I can say is with the LP the sound is there and how many have survived from the 50’s and 60’s on the road etc. truly legendary. PRS is the “ perfect” guitar made to align with every spec imaginable and are great. A les Paul just has something indescribable! They can vary a lot also. I would love to add a nice PRS but I’m content

PRS convert here.. I own and have owned many Gibson’s. Still a fan of the Les Paul but I reach for my PRS guitars more and more

The first selector of the prs and the 2nd selector of the les paul would be 2 perfect combinations in one guitar.

Forget about the guitars, what’s that little finger twister lick at the end of the video?

This might be the first video I've seen of a Les Paul that made me want to get another one (I haven't owned one since the 80's). Great video!

Long time Gibson and Fender player , from standard to custom shop, and never looked at prs . However, just swapped a lp std for a ( used ) prs custom 24 and I'm wondering why I've stuck to the " industry standard " . It blows em away .sound , playability you name it . Things have evolved.

Been playing both for 30 years and PRS had a pretty significant quality advantage until the early 2000's Gibson Historic's really took off and the last several years of LP standards are top notch. But I play them for different reasons. The PRS 24's are sort of like an RG Ibanez or performance guitar but in a beautifully finished suit. Versatile pickup switching, effortless playability, hot rock tones, 24 frets, a trem that stays in tune. . A true performance guitar as good or better as any super strat but so much more.

I'm a "Double-Cut" kinda Guy! I've tried to Love Gibson.....owned a few tried a LOT more, they just don't feel right in my hands (same goes for the Fender Brand!). A PRS does it for me and the original McCarty, I think, has that sound that you are missing from your DGT (although that is an Awesome guitar!). Yes, your L.P. has that Rockin' Tone, but I think I can dial that tone in on most humbucker equipped guitars that don't have a trem system. I wanted to love a Les Paul so much.......

I love my LP tribute for rhythms, but when it comes to solos, I’ll pick up my Wolfgang or Schecter Devil custom. The necks just have a better carve for me whilst solo’ing

Should I sell my American tele (the same one you just showed) for a PRS? I’m not in love with it

I would like to own a PRS DGT, but I would never think of selling my Les Paul. EVen if the PRS played much easier and was a smoother exprerience overall, like Robert says, the Les Paul has a great feel and vibe all its own. The PRS may play smoother but it's not like my custom shop LP plays bad, by any means. It plays great. I still want a PRS though. It's a different animal for sure. I love being surprised.

Should be comparing PRS single cut vs LP ?

I've tried several PRS guitars, and at least in my opinion PRS has yet to produce a guitar that's even remotely comparable to a Les Paul. PRS always has what I describe as an empty sound as if the guitar is saying to me "Hey, I know you want me to sound like a Les Paul, but watch me do my Stratocaster impression!". There's just not a whole lot of presence. One of the other things that really turned me off of PRS guitars back in the 90's, was how sales people were really pushing them on me. One instance I went to the now former East Coast Music Mall in Danbury, CT and when the sales guy asked "what are you looking for", I told him I was looking for a Les Paul and he immediately said "No, you want a Paul Reed Smith, they're better". I said that I didn't want a PRS, and it wasn't his job to tell me what he thought was better. I said when I told him "I want a Les Paul", his job was to say "Yes, sir!". After about ten minutes of insulting me needless to say I left the store empty handed, and I bought a Les Paul about a week later, which I still own to this day. I realize that story has little to do with the quality of the instrument, however I'm a firm believer in the product selling itself. PRS should be a good enough instrument that I didn't need convincing by some sales guy who had to meet a quota that week.

I have a PRS 245 Standard (single cut), and it weights and dive back like a Les Paul.

I don’t know if it’s the weight, but I’ve never found another Humbucker guitar that has the ‘oomph’ of a Paul. I’ve tried PRS, EVH, Fender, Ibanez, BC Rich, Gibson V’s, Explorers, SG’s and 335’s but nothing sounds like an LP for rattling the floorboards.

Well, my main solid bodies right now are a 2018 Epiphone LP and a 2001 PRS/Santana SE (first gen, back when they were still Santana branded). The biggest issue I have with the PRS SE's of this era is that they're flat tops. Still have the belly cut, so that part is more comfortable than a Les Paul, but my picking arm likes the LP's carved top better. That must makes me want to get a new PRS SE with their fancier carved tops, probably a Custom or Standard 24.

What model is that Les Paul? I love the uncovered pickup look!

I like the lp . What are those white pickups in yours?? Sounds great!!

The Les Paul crunky rock bridge and smooth neck pickups are hard to beat but Paul Read Smith is a genius who took the best from strats and les pauls to create a better guitar. I can buy Les Paul pickups and put them into a PRS but i cant make my Les Paul stay in tune or stop feeling like im playing an anchor. Now throw an SG into the mix and it muddies the waters. Well except for neck dive

Can you please do a quick tutorial of the Les Paul intro , so sick !

The les paul has a certain kind of rawness about it, that gives it it's unique tone.

PRS doesn't have the growl, span, iconic rock sound and vibe that a Les Paul is.

had to come back for a second round of that Intro song. That's a great one.

The first thing I do with new Gibsons & Fenders is send them to my guy for a set-up. I bought one PRS and it was perfect out of the box.