Buy that dream guitar or complete a garage jamming setup?

[jumpingtam]

I'm in the market for a nice PRS guitar, a 408 specifically. I want one because I want to have one. The thing is, I already have 4 guitars. A fender standard strat, a nice flamed Ibanez RG, Taylor 314 and a Wahburn Idol. I also have 1 Line 6 DT25 and a Warwick bass amp.

Last night I was thinking, is it better to spend my money on a mid level Roland e-drum and a PA system rather than buy another guitar? It would be nice to jam with my mates rather than jamming with a backing track all the time.

Your thoughts?

[sunburster]

If the guitar is hard to find, or you play it and it's a particularly nice example, I would prioritise that. Electronic stuff doesn't exhibit intra-model differences, and you can buy most of it whenever.

[sizzlingbadger]

If had your gear I'd buy an amp.

[JHorner]

If had your gear I'd buy an amp.

I'd buy 2.

Find a drummer with a drum kit.

In my experience PA ownership is not much fun, mostly resulting in a sore back and being on a first name basis with speaker repair techs.

[Single coil]

All you need is a pa that you can hear the kick and vocals through. A used one that isn't made of cardboard and broken dreams won't set you back too much.
If we're talking like 5 grand for said prs (which I still maintain is an acronym for Please Reduce Stupid prices), that's about 10 good enough pa things.
You only need one; I've had flash guitars before. I've never felt like I could really let them have it, as it were. Always worried about being precious and resale and so on.

If it were me, I'd buy a capable pa - nothing special,
a guitar to make sounds your current one doesn't,
A capable amp easy to transport and mod (peavey vk112?),
Maybe an eq and a compressor pedal. Eqs are super useful.

Then I'd go blow the remainder at super cheap when all the good oil is on sale next.

[sam_the_bogan]

If you're negotiable on the PRS model and willing to wait, $2-3.3k on trademe will buy you a very nice PRS. Also, if you want to sell it on, you won't be taking a bath on resale.

What Singlecoil and Jhorner said makes total sense re PA and drumming situation.

Also, totally agree with Nik, use the leftover cash to buy a tasty amp. If you've got room and freedom to crank it a bit, you'll notice a huge difference in quality of sound and general enjoyment.

[sirvill]

Only 4 guitars?


I would also spend that money on an amp.

[Vince]

Well... first thing I'd ask is... how often do you jam with your mates? And if the answer is "often", can they not chip in for the PA, etc, too?

I mean, I've been in lots of situations where I have a couple of jams with people and then they start talking about the wife, the kids, the DIY, the whatever and it all starts to drift away. If it's that sort of thing, go for the guitar.

[Conway]

PRS 408 is an excellent choice, my favourite. But there aren't that many kicking around in NZ and they come up very rarely secondhand.

I also agree with others above, get a proper amp.

[calling card]

There's no gas like pa gas, power amps in the kilowatt range, hours & hours of soldering/wiring up xlr cables, mixing desk mystical tour wondering where the sound has gone. Huge fufu valve blowing bass cabs, top cabs etc... Add lighting schemes too. You ought to see the bag with all the coiled up cables.
My Dirtstock stage is a full 8hr day rigging it up, then I'm too fucked to play

[jumpingtam]

After reading your comments I've decided to buy a nice guitar and a nice amp
Cheers for your inputs.

[Single coil]

Shit yeah

[willow13]

I have more than 22 guitars and honestly I would have no ethical problem adding to that number