PRS’s first and second guitars

barnstorm

Interesting to hear these and they sound pretty good (through what looks like that ridiculously expensive Mayer amp).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W3vI-goeTI

merciful-evans

I saw this over on the PRS forum a short while ago. A piece of history! I get the feeling that PRS might be a good place to work.

richardhomer

He owned (IIRC) an early Les Paul Junior and a 50s Gold Top which were the yardsticks for his early builds. 

Whatever some think about the man - and his brand - he knows how to make guitars.

thegummy

Thanks for sharing that!

I love PRS, though the more I watch the man himself I do see what people mean about him being slightly odd with social interactions.

It's undeniable he's completely passionate about making great guitars though - much preferable to when someone from the big two companies is presented and it's either a corporate suit or a PR person hired to speak in that very specific, plastic corporate way.

PRS might be odd but he's definitely sincere in his passion!

Tenebrous

Both guitars, unsurprisingly, sound very good, & I agree with all that's been said so far. He sometimes comes across as a bit strange when put in an interview-like situation, but when you just let the guy speak, he's clearly very passionate, honest, & funny. The Carlos Santana story video is one of my favourite bits of guitar talk from one of the big names in the industry.

Jez6345789

These days of everything You Tube I don’t care if Paul comes across socially awkward or a bit geeky. 

As has has been said already I would rather have Prs speaking than a Gibson sport jacketed management type or fender PR gimp.

love or hate his guitars the man speaks with his own passion is he always right no but the guitar world is better for having him in it.

A rising tide lifts all ships

Musicman20

I do think he knows exactly how to make a high quality guitar and he loves it.

His social interaction may be part passion, part excitement, and maybe he has a touch of anxiety about him with it....we don't know. I certainly won't judge him based on his videos because we just don't know him in real life. I know plenty of incredibly nice and intelligent people who struggle in some ways socially, and they aren't on Youtube being judged. 

Those two early guitars are fascinating. I would definitely like to try a non-bling PRS at some point. Probably a PRS S2.

webrthomson

Cracking video - I like Paul and I think it's amazing just how much of a guitar geek he is

They sounds good too - always helps!

Twinfan

Paul is without doubt a proper geek.  I've been fortunate to speak to him one-to-one and the man knows his stuff, is HIGHLY passionate about guitar building and has complete and utter belief that his company makes the best guitars they possibly can.  He is the Leo Fender of our age IMHO.

The Santana story above is great, and shows he has been that driven since he started building guitars.

People who dismiss PRS guitars as too blingy, only for lawyers and dentists etc are truly missing out on some of the best musical instruments out there.

Philly_Q

Twinfan said:

People who dismiss PRS guitars as too blingy, only for lawyers and dentists etc are truly missing out on some of the best musical instruments out there.

And they do make non-blingy ones too, even in the core range!

Twinfan

Very true Phil    I've owned a few myself over the years!

DanR

I’ve recently rejoined the bling.



https://imgur.com/a/TSrzuKS

Amd I’m back to having issues posting embedded images.

wesker123

DanR said:

I’ve recently rejoined the bling.



https://imgur.com/a/TSrzuKS

Amd I’m back to having issues posting embedded images.

Nice strat

Philly_Q

DanR said:

I’ve recently rejoined the bling.



https://imgur.com/a/TSrzuKS

Amd I’m back to having issues posting embedded images.

I'm curious - ebony fretboard?  Or is it ziricote or something?  And what's the red material they've used for the inlays?

blueskunk

Paul may come across weird to us nine to fivers but this is just pure passion from doing his dream job and making a proper living from it.  

Jez6345789

I think the other thing I like about Paul is when he says stuff the factory is knocking it out the ball park these days and don’t think we have ever been as strong as we are today, You can see the pride pouring out of the guy. You never hear that from a lot of the others. 

i also think he is happy that he is picking his competitors pockets with the likes of 594 and JM Silver sky. As it’s told Fender just could not be arsed to bother making what JM needed and Like it loath it PRS picked up the baton I doubt they made much out of The Super Eagles and Amps too niche. But the Silver Sky has filled their order books to bursting.

thegummy

Jez6345789 said:

i also think he is happy that he is picking his competitors pockets with the likes of 594 and JM Silver sky. As it’s told Fender just could not be arsed to bother making what JM needed and Like it loath it PRS picked up the baton I doubt they made much out of The Super Eagles and Amps too niche. But the Silver Sky has filled their order books to bursting.

Kind of find it hard to believe that not making a guitar he wanted was why Mayer left Fender.

To me it looks like the opposite - that he wanted to leave Fender as a company but still wanted to play their guitars so basically just had his new company clone him one.

Not saying he didn't say what you're saying he said or anything, I believe he said it.

I'd be interested what he'd say the Silver Sky has that no Fender Strat does, including the ones he made all that amazing music on previously.

Jez6345789

I am sure with Mayer there was a lot of artistic ego involved certainly you get the vibe that Fenders people seemed uninterested in him or his vision. I am sure there was a shed load of sucking up from PRS. A direct line to the top here’s my number type thing. I remember reading his guy at Fender had left. Fender had also sat back with him as an artist and done little to massage him and the dead and company guitar was the catalyst, something he needed as an artist. PRS,s team played the cards brilliantly invested in getting him a guitar that worked for that very specific gig. Which gave them the in to go further. 

I agree the Silver Sky is not really a huge departure or something that unique over his Strats or that sonically different but its a good synergy Mayer gets the guitar he wants, PRS get to do the S type guitar that actually sells. If you think of how many times they have been to the S style guitar market and never really  caught people eye, EG/DC3/305/NF3 etc etc 

So your take is probably right @thegummy ;

Strat54

I think we've been over this before but Mayers dissatisfaction with Fender started with that whole warping of the neck on his Black One Relic. Cruz then made him a replacement which Mayer said was nothing like his old one nor what he requested such that he stuck the old one back on.From there I believe the relationship was soured. 

Jonathanthomas83

DanR said:

I’ve recently rejoined the bling.



https://imgur.com/a/TSrzuKS

Amd I’m back to having issues posting embedded images.

What's the middle one?

DanR

@wesker123 it’s an LSL and it’s by far the best I’ve owned.

@Philly_Q it’s brazillian rosewood neck and board and the inlays are red lava, so they sparkle.

@Jonathanthomas83 it’s a Skervessen.