PRS vs Carvin CAlif carved top?

: I was looking for a used PRS Custom or Standard w/trem and came across the new Carvin CT series, which is a PRS, style wise, imitation.

: Have you had experience with both guitars? If so It would be great if you could share your thoughts comparing eachd.

: I have played both, in the store, and they both felt great, tone wise I will never venture an opinion unitl I have it home and in my own rig to play with for a while.

: I like the PRS Standard in natural Mahogany. Used it goes for $1200 (Ebay prices). New best you can find is $1550 which includes shipping.

: The Carvin is $936 out the door. It has gold HW, which might be another $100 or so added to the equivalent PRS above.

: So a $500 difference between new and used.

: Both seem to take about a 25% hit from new online best street price to used Ebay price..

: PRS has the image, and the market desire. Carvin lesser known.

: have you had experience with both guitars? If so It would be great if you could share your thoughts.

: Thanks!

Carvin has been making guitars since the 60's that I know of. I have a 1961 catalog from them. I have a Carvin DC150 (looks like the Ibanez GAX 70) custom built to my own specs and I wouldn't trade my nuu....well you know what I mean....for it. Also have a Carvin DC127 (like the Ibanez S470DXQM), same feelings for it. An original 80's era Fender Koa Squire (not the Squire "Strat" model) neck-thru-body w/orig Floyd Rose, looks like the 470 above. Also had a PRS Custom 24 Top Ten. I hardly played the PRS enough to warrant changing the strings on it. So I unloaded it a year or so ago. Don't get me wrong here the PRS was a great guitar, but it did not compare to the others in playability, tone or sustain. But then I always say, "It's not the price of a guitar or the brand of it's origin that makes it great. It's the sound of it, how well it plays and "your" creativity that makes this so". You won't go wrong with either one. You can however save $500.00 and that is always a plus.