Here's a weird observation...

[MR D]

Can't argue with you there, D. Sometimes an artist becomes so synonymous with the guitar they play that seeing them playing any other guitar just looks wrong, like going to and AC/DC tribute and the guy doing Angus is playing a Tele or a Hendrix tribute and the guy's playing a Les Paul. Technically, yeah, it's a guitar and it gets the job done but ultimately, like epic fail, man!

Fuckin' Hilarious really, ain't it Dude ? BWAH HA HA !!! Ya God damn Right Bro !!! so obviously, in the new Sabbath Band Tribute you will look the part and I know if I were standin there and you, of course, NAIL IT ! I would just automatically know that YOU belong to the Club ! Obviously AGAIN, w/GIBSON SG you at least are giving yourself a SHOT at getting close to the TONE of the Metal Master himself.....if I were to attempt it: an SG Standard w/a Naga Vyper Treble Boost and a Laney/Marshall TUBE Amp would all be MUSTS, and then add? Maybe BK Butler OD Pedal or BOSS 'Heavy Metal' Distortion Pedal (BOSS just re-issued them) or both stacked..........and off we go !

Seriously DUDE ? I couldn't even imagine trying to perform in public, A SABBATH TUNE, and not have an SG in my hands ! I probably wouldn't do it .....(unless it paid me a fortune ! Coz I'm such a WHORE, I mean no.... LMAO !!!! !!!!)

 

[Steve D]

PRS is designed as a compromise. Gibson scale - 24 3/4" and fender scale length = 25 1/2" so Paul Smith said "I'll put mine in between" and he got 25". He said "Gibson radius is 12" and Fender is 9.5 so I'll go with 10". He doesn't pretend otherwise, he intentionally made it a sort of in between guitar. It has it's own feel for sure. I have an old one and I love it in spite of the weird 5 way rotary switch and substitution of a two-way "sweet switch" toggle instead of a real tone knob. For me THAT particular PRS is a forever guitar. But they aren't for everyone.

I thought Paul was using 7.25" as the Fender neck radius...

Actually you are correct. Since my PRS is a 1990 I once searched YouTube for "1990 PRS" and came across a promotional video from ... you guessed it ... 1990 where Paul talks about how they make the guitars. In it he specifically says "Fender, in the '50s, used a seven and a half inch radius..." so that was his reference point. Here's the vid, will take you to the spot where he talks neck radius.



For me this video was a godsend because back then PRS kept changing their wiring and some other stuff and I couldn't find anything about about the specs for my guitar and lo, there it was from Paul himself. There Some interesting things in their about different woods, design tradeoffs and compromises, etc all with a "PRS is the best" slant, of course but that's to be expected.

 

[3bolt79]

I thought Paul was using 7.25" as the Fender neck radius...

I guess the radius on the PRS SS is 8.

 

[Cooltouch]

In response to the OP's original question, yes 3mm can be quite a lot at the nut. I play classical guitar, which is famous (or infamous, depending on how you feel) for having wide nuts, typically 52mm, or 2". I also build classicals. Back in 2005, I built a classical that was to be for myself, that is, I wasn't going to offer it for sale. Well, in my previous guitars, I've built 52mm nuts, but with this one, I decided to build it with a 54mm nut Lemme tell ya, that 2mm made all the difference in playability down toward the open position. It might seem strange to a non-classical player, but 52mm can feel cramped in some situations and that extra 2mm just loosens everything up, making it easier to move and coordinate.

So, yeah, 3mm can make a big difference, you ask me.