Just for the sake of argument, PRS is the budget line. Paul Reed Smith is the flagship which tend to be expensive.

I wouldn't get sold on a guitar just because it has a name attached to it. Sure they are nice but there are many nice guitars that aren't as expensive and let's face it, if you are playing Metal or Screamo tone wood probably won't make as much a difference as pickups and a good amp.

Ibanez has incredibly "Shreddable" guitars for under $1000. Switch out the pickups and maybe the pots and capacitors and you've got yourself a pretty screaming guitar. It may not be a Les Paul look a like but people don't watch music, they listen to it.

If you're dead set on Les Paul-ish guitar, check out the [="http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Schecter-Guitar-Research-Solo-6-Electric-Guitar?sku=580155"]Schecter Hellraiser Solo-6[/]="http://guitars.musi…"]Schecter Hellraiser Solo-6[/]. Also very high quality guitars for under a grand. They have a[[url=http://="http://www.schecter…"] tremolo model[/]="http://www.schecter…"] tremolo model[/].

http://www.rondomusic.com

Great guitars worth twice the price or more. They cost less because the proprietor sells direct rather than advertising and using a middleman not because he uses cheap japanese parts like many manufacturers 8-)

That's a cool website with some nice guitars. If I'm going to buy/build a new guitar I really want exactly what I'm looking for and I want a 25 1/2" Scale Length, that "relaxed" PRS look I was talking about, and specific wood. I basically want the Tremonti Signature just with different pickups and different color. I think Warmoth guitars is a great place for me, only if they had that PRS style.

No he uses Korean parts... I would rather have the "cheap" japanese parts ;)

Agreed. One of my guitars is an Agile PS4000-their flagship, PRS-style guitar. Rondo Music states that this model has been recently upgraded with a "better-quality Japanese-manufactured" pick-up selector switch.
On this particular model, it has genuine Seymour Duncan JB and 59 pups, a Wilkinson stop bridge, and Grover tuners (THESE are Chinese!). I bought the guitar in a bundle deal from a shop that was going out of business...another casualty of GC. It is scarily close to the build quality of my genuine PRS '427'; plays and sounds great.
Please be careful when recommending guitars from places like Rondo. They offer several models of guitars, some are cheap Chinese types, others are made in the same Korean factory that makes the PRS 'SE' line and USED to make the Epiphones until Gibson turned to a Chinese supplier.
ALSO: PRS is the trademark representing ALL of the guitars, amps, and accessories designed by Paul Reed Smith and his crew. The guitars made in Korea are under the moniker 'SE'.

I've enjoyed building and modifying guitars using parts from Warmoth, USA Custom guitars and others. As you say, it is a good way to get the exact guitar you want at a fraction of the price. A couple of warnings. (1) You have to honest with yourself about how much the name on the headstock means to you. This is probably more of a problem for people who are remaking more "classic" designs, but you should give it some thought. (2) You need to be reasonably handy and have excellent attention to detail. You have to get the right tools and use them correctly. You have to be patient. (3) The only way to get any money for it in resale is to take it apart. It is worth far less as a finished guitar than it is in parts.