As for the PRS, if you can comfortably afford it, and it is what you really want, then yes the price is worth it. They hold their value really well, especially the higher end ones with the select wood choices.

From what I understand, Kent was a budget brand that never actually manufactured guitars, but had them made for them by various (mostly far east) companies. The quality can vary from fairly decent to pretty terrible, but it seems that the one I got is of the higher quality variety.

Kent was a 1960s/1970s electric guitar brand. The “Kent” brand was established by Buegeleisen and Jacobson, a musical instrument distributor based in New York City, in 1960. Early Kent guitars were made by Hagstrom, based in Sweden. These were branded “Kent” in the United States and “Futurama” in the United Kingdom.

American-made PRS guitars are more expensive than many other brands because of several factors, including labor and materials cost, manufacturing method, and build quality. PRS also manufactures overseas-made models at lower price points to appeal to less-experienced or more cost-conscious players.

Generally, the PRS Custom 24 is better for metal and hard rock than the Stratocaster. This is because the Strats single coil pickups can produce a humming sound when you crank the gain up.

Overall, you can’t really go wrong with either Gibson or PRS. While cheaper Gibson models are great, they do tend to be overpriced for the quality and the features that you get. A cheaper PRS might even be half the price of an entry-level Gibson, yet it will provide players with the same, if not better, quality.

What makes them special is the design, Smith came up with a design that feels like a Stratocaster, sounds like a Les Paul with a 25” scale that adds just a touch of that Fender “snap” and they’re a good bit lighter than the LP. They’re a best of both guitar.

A PRS that is made similar will sound close, but is way to easy to play to be mistaken for a Les Paul (especially at time of sale).

If you’re looking for a true iconic classic guitar then you’ll probably lean towards the Gibson Les Paul. But if you want something a bit different looking, lighter, and with a coil splitting function, then you’ll love the PRS Custom 24.

The closest sounding to my Les Paul is the SC594, followed by my Marsden (not pictured). If you’re trying to compare a Floyd equipped LP to a PRS equivalent, the SC Trem is closer than my Tremonti. Feel wise, the SC Trem neck is a bit thinner but not as thin as my Tremonti.

The ESP Original series has three other lines of guitars, the Edwards, Grassroots and Navigator series and are largely based on these models as well as some ESP Standard series Models. The ESP Navigator Series on the other hand is a line which produces replicas of Gibson and Fender guitars and basses.