Paul Reed Smith Mira (Core Model) Guitar

Make / Model: Paul Reed Smith Mira Guitar (Core Model)
Year: 2011

Build Quality

Superb.

Functionality

Amazing.

Impressions

Let me first say, that when I first saw this guitar, I hated the way it looked. And after I bought it, I still hated the way it looked. And ultimately when I sold it, I was glad to not have to look at it.

PRS guitars, were to my 12 year old self, the guitar of Santana, and awe inspiring. Then I played a CE, and started questioning that.

Fast forward to now, and PRS guitars are the guitars of douchey rock guys, and aging millionaires looking to buy investment instruments. Or they are the starter guitar for douchey rock guys, with their SE line. Aesthetically, horrible.

This guitar doesn’t have that aesthetic. But I hate it anyhow.

However, it was very light. It was very resonant. It sounded amazing. And the fretboard….

The fretboard was the most perfect thing for my hand I had ever encountered. The neck wasn’t that thick, so I couldn’t understand it (as I had thought that was what was lacking on my strats). And the radius wasn’t exactly huge. Then I remembered nut width. Strat 1.5. This 1.69. Does it make a difference? Fuck yes it does.

And despit what this looks like, what it really is, is basically, a les paul junior. Mahagony body and neck. Both thin. Very light weight. With humbuckers. And it’s a better one than Gibson can make officially, because PRS tuners are better, their nut is better, and their finishing and setup is better. Everything is better quality.

So what happened was, this was basically the BEST guitar I have ever played.

And in playing it, it rekindled a guitar playing habit in me, that hadn’t existed since I was a kid (IE, the last time I had an amazing guitar, the SRV). So everyday, I’d play it, and just get lost in flow states playing this through the Mesa Subway Rocket, or even just by itself. Playing this guitar confirmed that it was an equipment issue, and not a lack of interest in guitar, that is the reason I don’t play more for a hobby. For fun. See, instead I treat the guitar like a tool: I play it to write and record. But playing used to be fun, and was fun again, with this. I was VERY grateful for that.

Unfortunately, this guitar was old. This wasn’t the S2 Mira that exists now. This was an older, Core model. A guitar that costs around $1500 more than an S2. And it had been PLAYED. And I realized it would fret out all over the neck. The verdict? It would need either occasional truss rod adjustments to keep the action where I wanted it (with minimal dead spots) or it would need a refret, about $200.

So seeing as how I hated the way it looked (like serious hatred, this color is horrible) I decided to just get rid of it.

Sad day, but atleast I don’t have to look at it anymore.

Edit- In 2021, I ended up getting another one of these, a 2008 model. And while it was a little heavier than my first one (7.6lbs vs the 6.8 or whatever of first one), it sounded just as good, maybe better. It has become my main guitar, and the first guitar in YEARS that I have had as a relaible guitar, that I can confidently play ANYTHING on. Amazing instrument. Of course, I am not a fan of the PRS finishes, so with this one, even the Vintage Cherry it came in seemed too wrong for me. So I hit it with the sander, and did what I should have done to the my first one: stripped it, and repainted it. I also removed the neck pickup, as I didn’t really need it, and upon removing it, the weight of the guitar became a bit better, and the acoustic sound of it as well.

I am not a fan of the PRS aesthetic or the way some folks just worship this company, but what they do; making amazing guitars, I am definetely a fan of.