PRS SE Silver Sky - Summit Purple
Full disclosure: we have never really connected with PRS guitars. Not entirely sure why. We have frequently heard them derided as “dentist’s guitars,” which we take to mean as expensive, pretty, and probably well-made instruments intended as showcase items for someone with a lot of disposable income. As opposed to a “player’s guitar,” which would be a more affordable, yet quality workhorse instrument for the gigging musician.
Their main guitar is the Custom 24, which is a sort of blend of Strat and Les Paul shapes and features, but we have just never cared for how they look.
Years ago, we watched a TED talk by Paul Reed Smith, the details of which we now can not recall, but we distinctly remember thinking, “I hope he’s better at building guitars than he is at public speaking.” Which of course is highly probably, as those are completely unrelated skill sets.
We have also noted that PRS guitars are disproportionately popular among Christian artists and worship leaders. In and of itself, that is not inherently good or bad, just a curiosity that we noticed, and we can theorize as to why, but it is merely speculation.
Still, Paul Reed Smith, and/or PRS guitars have been innovative. Keeping in mind that information was spotty in the pre- and early internet days, so we can not guarantee that they were THE first, but from our own recollection, they were the fist company that we knew of to do CNC inlays for their signature bird fretboard markers, employ a tapered 3-on-a-side headstock design allowing straight string pull through the nut for increased tuning stability with a vibrato bridge, a neck joint* where the full width of the neck extends into the body and under the pickup cavity, and complex pickup switching utilizing resistors and capacitors for partial coil splitting.
The Silver Sky was designed in conjunction with John Mayer, who, after ending his endorsement deal with Fender, approached PRS to make… um… it’s a Strat. It’s a just Strat with a PRS neck, and the PRS tapered carve in the cutaway. It’s a PRS dressed up like a Strat for Halloween.
This is the import SE model, so it is affordable for regular players. And it is purple. We like that. Apparently these are wildly popular, although (other than John Mayer) we do not know of any artist who plays one. So perhaps instead of a “dentist’s guitar” this is a “Youtuber’s guitar”‽
Also, we thought St. Vincent was cheeky for reversing Music Man’s 4+2 headstock? [https://beige.party/@Neat_hot/113286447440007799] John Mayer reversed a 3+3 headstock**. C’mon, man.
So for many reasons, we were not impressed. But we thought about it. We LOVE a hybrid mashup of guitars from different companies. Furthermore, we have posted plenty of expensive, work-of-art guitars that no serious musician is taking out to the gig. We have even posted a handful of straight up knockoffs. So WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE‽
Therefore, consider this our Mea Culpa. Keep doing your thing, PRS. (P-R-S, PRS! Put their guitars to the test!)
*We first learned of this as the “PRS neck joint,” (as opposed to a Gibson neck tenon, for example). Although now that we think about it, Rickenbacker must do something similar, and have been for a lot longer‽
**Except if you look closely, it is not a normal PRS headstock, as the tuners are staggered. So there.
#PurpleGuitarPhursday #PRSguitars
Chad 
Marco Ciappelli🎙️✨
timoth‽
The Warning Mastodon Post
JWcph, Radicalized By Decency
