PRS Paul Reed Smith NF3 Electric Guitar, Maple Fingerboard (with Case)
Experience the rich sonic character of korina wood with the PRS NF3 guitar -- and get the most of that sound with its 3 lively 57/08 Narrowfield humbuckers.
Overall User Ratings (based on 3 ratings)
Submitted February 7, 2013 by JJ M
"well built, versatile and great sounding"
As a previous reviewer mentioned, this guitar is not as flashy or downright beautiful as other PRS guitars, but once you grab and plug it in... That's where the magic happens. It sounds amazing, no doubt about that, it plays fantastically, I have the pattern regular model and it is one of the most comfortable necks I have ever played. It's a good middle ground between a beefy vintage style neck and a thinner more "modern" one. The construction is flawless, the finish, fret finishing, and just about every other aspect of the guitar is built to what we all expect from PRS. The sound of the guitar is very very nice, it doesnt exactly sound like a strat, but the narrowfields dont sound quite like humbuckers either, it's in a gray area, but it works perfectly and has a way of fitting perfectly in a band context, it doesnt clash with either humbuckers or single coils. One of the nice things about the pickups is that you get a lot of variety in sounds from the volume and tone controls, you can get a nice big round with an acoustic quality sound by just turning the volume and tone down a little and it can go into humbucker territory with the bridge pickup with the controls wide open. The best way to describe the sounds is like a very focused, articulate humbucker with single coil chime. Works great clean and works great with distortion. It can cover all sorts of musical genres, Maybe not my first choice for metal, but it retains its note to note deifinition with high gain setting on an amp.
Overall a fantastic players guitar, this will definitley be my go to guitar for a long time. I have had this guitar for 7 months and it just keeps getting better.
Musical Background:
15 years playing, working musician, paying gigs and solo projects
Musical Style:
Rock, blues, jazz, Hard rock,
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Submitted July 15, 2012 by Steven Giordano in Rochester, NY
"BEST GUITAR YOU WILL EVER OWN"
Verified Customer
zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
i OWN 3 OTHER prs GUITAR ALL SE'S FROM THE SANTANA TO THE SINGLECUT P-90'S TO THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY MODEL TO THE NF-3 AND NOTHING COMES CLOSE TO THE NF-3 AND i HAVE NEVER HADA BETTER MADE INSTRUMENT IN MY LIFE..iT KILLS A GIBSON AND FENDER WELL, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO ANNOYING HUM IN ANY POSITION. THE SOUND IS MAJESTIC, BOLD AND SO ADJUSTABLE. i HAVE BEEN PLAYING FOR OVER FORTY YEARS (I'M 55) tHERE IS VEry little I haven't played or owned I owned tons of Strats and as soon as I got the NF3 I sold my american Deluxe because it sounds like a toy when compared tgo the NF-3. DON'T HESITATE..This will be the finest guitar you will ever play and the Smoked Amber finnish is beyond gorgeous. It's not flame maple but it looks way better than any Flame Maple you you could vcompare it to. Look on the site for the smoked Amber. The most beautiful of all the Finnishes of all my PRS's even the curly maple and the Flamed Maple. There is just no comparison. This is one of the finest guitars you will ever hear the pickups are absolutely amazing and sound like no other guitar you'll ever own. The is a working musicians guitar. Buy it and you WILL NOT be disapointed. I'rom Parkers (back in the day before they sold out to Washburn and this guitar is as good or probably BETTER than any guitar you'll ever own and I'v owned about every guitar you can name Deluxe American Strats and Gibson LesPauls . This guitar is not a heavy guitar but it has it's own sound, Plays like a dream and is a giging machine!
Musical Background:
beem in over 4 bands that were VERY successful and now I pay for my own enjoymen and will fiull in on a gig if someone if needed
Musical Style:
classic rock, jazz, blues, just about anything and the NF-3 covers everything I need FLAWLESSLY!
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Submitted July 17, 2011 by a customer from kw.com
"I have owned 4 PRS guitars in my life. You may want to read my review."
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zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
Sound
PRS makes superb instruments, there is no doubt about that. I have owned four in my life. I was not jumping up and down about NF3 however. I don't get the point of the NF3. Is it a strat with humbuckers? The DC3 I think should be the only strat-style guitar PRS makes, because it has single-coil pickups. So, I am going to buy the DC3 and see if it accomplishes my goal: a strat with a modern design and tone that is vintage but modern at same time. The NF3 was a little plain sounding.
Features
The locking tuners are nice. The vibrato arm works well. The volume knob cleans the sound nicely as it is lowered. I was satisfied with those features.
Ease of Use
This PRS is rather easy to play and execute notes. I am sure the rosewood neck would have played nicer if I ordered it. The thin neck and the well-balanced neck-to-body weight ratio is nice too. Playability is top-notch.
Quality
PRS quality goes without saying.
Value
I felt this guitar was a bit pricey. It goes for about $2,000, when I think it really is worth about a few hundred dollars lower than that.
Manufacturer Support
Never dealt with them.
The Wow Factor
This guitar is not as sexy or exiting -looking as some of PRS other models that exist. NF3 does not have a flamed top. I think alot depends on the color you like. If you like the blue frost color, you may feel that it is more desirable than the "antique white", or "sunburst". Anyway, it is still a nice guitar, and is appealing. Some don't like the pick-guard, but I guess if they did make strat style one, they might be copying Fender a bit too much?
Musical Background:
Somewhere between Active Musician and hobbyist.
Musical Style:
Rock, classic rock, funk, blues.
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