The PRS Mira displays a well-thought out design in every aspect - aesthetics, playability, and comfort.
Whereas a lot of different guitar companies seem to introduce 100 "new" models every year, Paul Reed Smith takes the opposite approach: only introduce a new guitar when you've got something new to say. So, when they showed off the new PRS Mira, it was obvious that they had a worthy contribution to their lineup.
What's odd about the Mira, though, is that while it's one of the newest guitars in the PRS lineup, it has a vintage style and look about it. Let's take a look at the details.
Features
The guitar's top is a flat-top and made of mahogany. The Mira features exposed coil humbuckers, master volume and tone, and a 3-way pickup switch. A mini-toggle for coil-tapping is also standard. The Mira also has a mahogany set neck design with the popular wide/thin profile. The guitar is a 25" scale and sports a 10" fingerboard radius and 24 jumbo frets. The Mira has the Phase II low-mass locking tuners and a compensated stoptail bridge.
Performance
Like any PRS we've ever played, the fretwork is immaculate. Fast runs, bends, and chording all come easily. We've come to expect superior playability with PRS guitars, so this wasn't a great surprise. With the Mira, though, the little things do matter. For example, even the control knobs (translucent) let you know that they're striving for something a bit different.
Perhaps the most striking feature of the Mira is its vintage vibe. It has a look unlike other PRS guitars that sets it apart from the crowd. We tested one with a really cool Wild Mint finish and the optional bird inlays. The Mira has a simple class that gives it a feel all its own. Really, it's the little things that help set it apart, like a matching pickguard and truss rod cover. The cutaways are reminiscent of an old Gibson Les Paul Special. These "little" things show that the folks at PRS put a lot of thought into the Mira's design.
The Phase II tuners do a perfect job of keeping the guitar in tune, and the compensated bridge provided excellent intonation. The Mira also weighed in at about six and a half pounds, which, if you gig regularly, could be a real life-saver (well, back-saver at least).
The electronics are made especially for the Mira, and like all PRS pickups, are tightly matched to the guitar. The pickups are pretty hot, which gives them a wide range of tonal options. Both the highs and bottoms are clearly pronounced, and the mids are strong without being nasally. You can also engage some convincing Strat sounds by engaging the coil-tap switch. Though the Mira's pickups definitely favor the blues and rock and roll range, the tone controls and coil-tap provide a good deal of versatility.
We tested the Mira through a variety of amps - Marshall, Fender, Mesa Boogie - and the Mira sounded great through all of them, whether it was a clean, dirty, or fully distorted tone. It doesn't exactly look like a "shredder" guitar, but the Mira can definitely do some serious damage if need be. Again, it's a pretty versatile guitar.
The Bottom Line
Few guitar makers have mass manufacturing down to a science the way PRS does, and the Mira is just more proof of that. It displays a well-thought out design in every aspect - aesthetics, playability, and comfort. With the Mira, PRS offers a guitar with just a little different feel from the norm.
Name of Gear: PRS Mira
List Price: ,849.00
Manufacturer Info: Paul Reed Smith Guitars; prsguitars.com
Pros: Good value; very good action; perfect fretwork; wide array of sounds
Cons: None
| Price : $379.99
