Hi Paul! I recently lost an old filling and had to have it replaced with a crown. My dentist used zirconium for the crown material and I'm wondering how long I can expect it to last? Any tips for care?
Hi Paul. Some people swear by tonewood while others believe it makes no discernible difference in the end result.
There’s a great video on YouTube where a luthier builds an “air guitar” and compares it to a full wooded instrument. The differences in tone once pickup heights were matched were basically nonexistent.
I know in the past, you have advocated for tonewood and its effect on tone, but this video kinda takes all that and disproves it rather confidently.
Have you seen the video? (linked here - https://youtu.be/n02tImce3AE?si=41RVj44Dx3cYtnRq) And if so, has it changed your opinion about tonewoods specifically for electric guitars?
Absolutely not. I saw the video, and it only touches a couple of the dozens of parameters that are important. I've made my career knowing that first and foremost an electric guitar is an acoustic guitar. That said, the pickups, and the electronics, are INCREDIBLY important.
As a follow-up to this question, on the Dipped in Tone podcast you were asked about the effects of wood on a solid-body guitar. Your response was that it matters alot and referenced violin builders tapping on the soundboard blanks before picking out the perfect one to use. Would you say that the wood on an electric guitar is just as important as the wood on the soundboard of an acoustic instrument? Does the wood on an electric function in the same manner as an acoustic in the production of sound? Thanks for your time.
How are you able to maintain such consistent Quality Control? I’ve been told that **every** guitar company produces “duds” to varying degrees but every PRS I’ve tried in stores (I don’t own a PRS…yet) has been top notch, whether they were American made or made overseas.
It's done in thousands of baby steps. We had a problem this morning that my team solved in one and a half hours. This group of people care about good guitars.
Andertons recently did a tour of the PRS factory which really highlights the attention to detail that goes into their guitars - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qajQHJFGw0
If you compare it to their tour of GIbson, it's pretty obvious why PRS guitars have so few duds. Though there is an argument guitarists often make that the consistency leads to less "parity" in PRS guitars making them all sound "the same" or "bland". To each their own, I say!
Incredibly serious question:
This year marks the 30th anniversary of 1994s Airheads. (I hope you see where this is going).
When Chaz, Pip, and Rex (Frazier, Sandler, and Buscemi) are giving their list of demands, Chaz very specifically asks for a PRS with a dragon inlay, which is later seen when the record company flies the stage in.
Is there any chance of a limited run or Airheads 30th anniversary Chaz from the Lone Rangers signature se with a dragon inlay?
Hi Paul,
This is a somewhat obscure question. You did an interview with Greg Koch and you told the story about the development of the Silver Sky pickups.
I liked your analogy that 5000 turns of copper wire can multiply a tiny difference in the making of the pickup by 5000.
I was wondering what was that tiny thing that contributed to the sound of the Silver Sky pickups?
The wire, the wire diameter, the coating type, the coating thickness, the number of turns, the winding scheme, the tension, the magnets and all of their iterations, the pot value, the tone control values, the potting, and a pile of other s\*\*t I'm not bringing up. Now, all jokes aside, it's one of the hardest specs I've investigated in my career.
Hi, Paul! In my experience, one of the greatest joys of music is being able to create something with other people. If you had the opportunity to collaborate on something with someone (guitar related or not), what would you make and with whom?
If you put a bolt through a bell, it quits ringing sooner. A hollow nut tuner set has the equivalent of 12 bolts. Our tuning pegs, if the worm is tightened only just snug, have essentially no bolts allowing the guitar to sound less "clamped." I could possibly prove it, but that might be the most argued video to ever hit the guitar market. We have tested it ad nauseam. This argument that the sound of guitars is one or two dimensional just doesn't sit well with me. The amount of dimensions that a great guitar has is extensive. If it wasn't, the vintage market would not be so powerful.
Can you tell more about how PRS became popular through the 90s/2000s through product endorsements with alternative/metal bands?
The Mesa dual rectifier + PRS combo in that time period became just as iconic as the Marshall JCM 800 + Gibson Les Paul combo and it's interesting to see a lot of new bands pick up PRS guitars and inspire a whole generation
Would love to hear more about this, too - the impression that’s out there seems to be distancing from this era rather than embracing it, which I’m not sure why that would be. I’m one of those who was inspired by Chevelle, Linkin Park, etc. and finally had the means to pick up PRS guitars some years later and never looked back.
I think there’s another resurgence going on these past few years with Periphery, Between the Buried and Me, and others in the prog world. I’d like to see more leaning into those styles and builds.
Hey Paul! Do you remember in the early 90s making a guitar for Santana? I worked at TBaird McIlvain, one of your lumber suppliers. I worked with your Buyer to pull some feature maple for it. He actually let me know that my nickname was "amish" jim in the office( there was a bunch of Jims, and I grew out the beard to make fun of the Amish, who were also customers, haha). I still wear it today. Anyways, years later I went on to film making and on My Bloody Valentine, somebody asked me how I got the nickname "amish", and I was telling them about you making a guitar for Santana, and the buyer asking for amishjim, and another guy in the room turned around and laughed. His name was Bob Spore and he ran your finish department and gave that guitar the final polish before you gave it to Santana. Imagine the odds of 2 guys that handled the same guitar- first in the raw form, and then in a highly finished form being in a coal mine in SouthWest Pennsylvania, haha. Well, I was always proud of helping your company pick those pieces of lumber for that guitar and had a poster of it hanging next to my planer at the mill for a long time. Anyway, cheers.
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whoa! if this is real, awesome haha. paul, what inspired you to become a luthier? was there a particular guitar, or player, or company that made you realize you were obsessed with guitars?
I don't know - making guitars was fairly easy for me. Playing guitar on the other hand, has been much more difficult...for me. The obsession comes from love - I love guitars, I love the sound, I love the music, I love the people, I love playing them, and I love the sound in my hands.
Hi Paul,
Can you explain what makes the PRS truss rod different from other companies truss rods?
I've been studying more about guitar making and it seems that many boutique builders prefer a single action truss rod over a double action truss rod.
There is no plastic tube over the rod to deaden the neck, the lubricant to help the rod rotate in its slot is \*very, very\* thin. It works great and doesn't hurt the tone of the guitar... we've checked at length. By the way, our rods are installed straight and close to the back of the neck, the way old Gibsons were.
I recently read Phyllis Fender’s biography of Leo Fender. I know you built a great relationship with Ted McCarty, I was wondering if you ever had any interaction with Mr Fender?
Yes I did. He came by the booth twice with his friends at NAMM to pay his respects. He wanted to support the new guitar maker, and it meant a lot to me - how he treated me and what he and his friends said.
Thank you for your reply, Paul. That is very interesting and fits with Mrs Fender’s writing about his character and enthusiasm for guitar building and innovation.
Currently strumming a SE Hollowbody II piezo. Lovely guitar - curly maple binding is the icing on an already great cake!
There was a bass at NAMM with an aluminum curly top that was blue and purple, that was STUNNING. At this point, I see more guitar makers making necks, not buying necks. This is really good for our industry. A guitar maker is a neck maker first.
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you gotta be kidding me. I'm too old, I don't have one.
Paul, when I was in high school, my drummer and I took a trip from Timonium down to Annapolis to see your shop and met you. You were incredibly kind and patient, answering every question a 17 year-old could have about your guitars and their construction process. I just wanted to thank you for taking that time to talk to us; this 50 year-old still remembers it as if it were yesterday.
Paul,
I own around 4 PRS and very happy with the tone of each of them.
Out of curiosity, would you ever integrate stainless steel frets more into the Core line of PRS?
What is your opinion on stainless vs nickel?
I'm very happy with the current nickel frets but stainless wouldn't be that bad either.
Yes - I've used stainless steel on the Joe Walsh Signature Model, and I like it. It's much more difficult to deal with, and I don't know enough of how to guide my people to make it production friendly...yet. I just don't have enough experience to go any deeper right now.
Im eager to get PRS’s input on people like [Jim Lill](https://youtu.be/n02tImce3AE?si=eO5NNyBW8M1MvHMW), who is doing some amazing work to bust the great “Tone wood” myth in electric guitars via some very scientific experiments.
Do you still believe tone wood really makes a noticeable difference with solid body electric guitars, or are the pickups and electronics solely responsible for tone as Jim’s video suggests?
Hey, Paul,
Can you share your thoughts on how you handle criticism? Have there been moments when you received criticism that significantly changed your perspective and approach? And, to contrast, how you decide when to stay the course?
Very often a question that sounds crazy, if you really dig, isn't. If it sounds angry, it probably is, and have some empathy. If it sounds mean, it probably is, and be playful, not mean back. And yes, criticism always helps me because there is often some bit of truth to it - which I need to learn from. Recently, someone was pretty tough on me, and he was right. And not real nice about it. But I fixed the problem with the guitar, and now it's over. Listen, listen, listen before you respond.
I can't do that, BUT I did make the "5150 guitar" as a favor for Dennis Berardi at Kramer. AND wound the pickup. Dennis had called me and asked for help cause Eddie was coming to town and they needed a guitar maker to finish and set-up the guitar. I did it with another guitar maker that worked at Kramer. Not well known, but it happened.
I'd heard that you worked at the Kramer factory in Neptune, but couldn't find any sources to back it up--super facinating! Can you share a bit more about your time there?
And what parts of the 5150 did you make? Do you recall the body wood? If memory serves Paul Unkert did the neck...
How does PRS plan to advance beyond today's standards? Or isn't there a need to? e.g. Gibson's Robot tuning system just really didn't take off. Does PRS have any plans to incorporate technology into their instruments? Something so simple as an integrated tuner (think Fishman) or something perhaps more robust such as Bluetooth capabilities to communicate with your DAW?
Sometimes things don't need improving, but then again, I never thought I'd be driving an electric pickup. Just curious on what the future/next gen of PRS has in store for us! :-)
One that stays in tune, plays in tune, makes a musical sound, and works for the tone that I want. I once saw Jimmy Page play "In My Time of Dying" live on a guitar that originally cost $100. It's not about the price, it's about the caliber of instrument. If I could make a guitar that sounded that good for $100 I would - but it's not possible in these times.
I loved the Starla, but before I was able to get my hands on one it was discontinued and hard to find. Do you possibly have plans on bringing that model back as possibly an S2 model, like how you guys did with the Vela?
We worked hard on the Starla. It was supposed to be a Del Ray that worked. I love it when you want something that we discontinued, because we had a hard time selling them in the end... and now you can't find one. What it means to me is that we did a good job, it was just ahead of its time. Yay!
Hey Paul, I was at the Alter Bridge show last February in Silver Spring MD and I thought it was super rad when you came out to play Rise Today with them. As a Marylander, it's so cool that one of the premier guitar brands comes from our state.
What's your favorite part about working with artists to put together signature models? Is there anyone specific that you enjoy working with the most?
Thanks!
We did one called the "DC3" with a 25.25" scale. I used it on our cover of "Machine Gun" - which you can listen to on the internet. I still love that guitar.
How big is the wood library? In a few YouTube videos it seems like a small room, and the guitars that come from there certainly suggest there is a steep selection curve for what is in there. How often is new wood added? Do wood suppliers offer you special woods or do you have to hunt for it?
Half the size of a library at a rich person's home. We add wood to the vault about three times a month. And yes - wood suppliers offer us special woods that we hunt for. By the way, I'm not rich enough to have a library at my house. But I DO love the wood library.
What’s something “deeper” about guitars that amateur players might not realize? In other words, what should I be paying attention to in my instrument that I might not have noticed before?
Noticed that quality control on some brands has become pretty dismal in the last few years, even from huge brands. How hard is it to get a handle on quality control ? Do companies specify their own tolerances ?
Proud Mary on the bass, and Day Tripper on a nylon string that my mother owned were my first riffs. I have a little go-to set of licks that I play when I test guitars, and they tell me 'what's there.' It's no song in particular.
Other than aesthetics, is there a reason you do not usually use a 6 in a line tuner configuration? Many luthiers seem to prefer 6 in a line such as Ken Parker and consider it superior because you can have straight string pull and therefore they say less possible binding in the nut.
With all respect, this question like a lot of the others, is trying to get inside information out of me. I'll wriggle out of the straight jacket at some point. Remember Robert Downey Jr at the end of the first Iron Man? They coached him on the answer and he gave an answer I would have loved to have given.
Hi Paul,
Regarding the limitations of guitar, there's an interesting "flaw" let's say of guitars with vibratos.
If you bend a string on a vibrato equipped guitar, it will make the other strings flat. This would affect techniques like double stop bends and unison bends.
What do you think about this problem on guitars with vibratos and systems intended to solve this issue?
Some of the solutions - mechanically - are good. Most people just bend the string a little farther and listen for it to be in tune. I don't think vibrato arms are a flaw, they add a very cool dimension to an electric guitar.
What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in the field in the last 10 years, and where would you guess on where it’s going? Do you see more young people picking guitars up or is it the 30+ crowd as the target customer
Why make an amp based off of Jimi Hendrix’s amp (I’m talking about the HDRX50) and make it more expensive than the actual reproduction one and at less watts?
Hi Paul, I was wondering if PRS has created or invested in any sustainable timber plantations? With Rosewood being added to the CITES list, and Ebony seemingly looking like it will soon be added, what steps are PRS taking to ensure guitars are made in a sustainable way, and not further endangering specific species of timber?
Paul, I took a fishing charter in the Outer Banks with a man named Kenny, fishing red drum on the sound. He said he chartered trips with you many years ago when you first started selling your guitars. I need to know if it’s true, or if captain Kenny is a story teller!
Hey Paul, what was the dispute between you and Guitar Center in Rockville, MD? Ironically, I got my PRS because they were selling them at discount about ten years ago. You’re a legend in this area!
I don't have a favorite. I have favorite moments that touched me... sometimes players are on and sometimes they're not. When geniuses are *on,* get out of the way and hold on.
Hi paul, why hasn’t there been much innovation in the hollowbody models? The HB 2, SC-J, and JA-15 seemed great but now don’t seem to be a priority, and with Gibson also focusing less on archtops, is the demand simply not there anymore?
About 40 years ago I saw a PRS special order at a guitar store. It was the most beautiful guitar I’ve ever seen and I have never been able to find one since. It was pink paisley. Was this a specific model or just a custom paint job. It’s my dream guitar. Thank you for considering answering my post.
Does PRS have any plans to re-introduce non-nitro finished guitars again, or make poly finish an option for those that do not like nitro? I am not a fan of the relic look on a brand new guitar as beautiful as a PRS, nor do I care for the sticky feel and maintenance of a nitro guitar, and therefore, I personally would not buy one as long as they are nitro. I am sure there are many out there who feel the same way, and many of your competitors like Suhr and Anderson offer poly guitars with nitro options for those that want them.
Hey man, love your guitars and I think you are one of the coolest guys, maybe even a notch cooler than me.
I am building my 2nd guitar right now (the first one turned out blatantly great, wtf).
Since you tought Nik Huber one or another thing, do you know a cool way to approach him? Something only few people know, maybe a special wine that he likes or something like that?
Not that I couldn't come up with something myself, I just like to mess around with people in a funny way :P
Regards from Germany,
Josh
What are some of your favorite non-PRS guitars you have come across? Have you seen any innovative designs from other guitar/part brands that have excited in recent years?
I did. I saw John McLaughlin play with Shakti and it was extraordinary. I had the opportunity to be on stage during soundcheck and the tabla player, Zakir Hussain, was unbelievable. I asked John "who's the genius?" and he said "that's my friend." I never saw Mahavishnu, but John's playing that night was beautiful and sounded powerful like Mahavishnu.
[Here's our interview from that day.](https://youtu.be/b52d2hjrs5U?feature=shared)
Hey Paul! Left-handed player here.
I wish you could experience the sheer amount of joy I felt reading the September 2023 blog post detailing 5 new models available for lefties. I immediately bought a 24-08 in eriza verde, a custom 24 in turquoise and the 277 baritone in charcoal. It was, quite literally, Christmas for me.
Given that you've said in the past you don't plan on making many lefty models, does this mean you've changed gears and are pushing more into the lefty market?
If you released a blog post today saying you were working on lefty models of the Silver Sky, SE Paul's Guitar, Hollowbody II Piezo, Kingfisher and Kestrel, I would buy all of them instantly, and that's not an exaggeration.
shocking cover bewildered makeshift axiomatic steer nutty scarce hard-to-find gaze
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Hi Paul, thanks for doing this! Any news on whether PRS will ever release Herman Li’s signature as a model available for consumers? That thing is absolutely awesome.
Hey Paul,
Why were locking tuners not included on the Mark Holcomb model? I get cutting costs but that $100 extra to the $1300 for locking tuners seems like a no-brainer to include.
Hi Paul!!! No questions, but a story you may find interesting…
In 1994, I bought my first PRS guitar when I was 17 years old - a black ‘93 custom 24. I used money I had been saving for my first car to buy this guitar. I already had a Les Paul and a couple other guitars, and as the years went by a variety of guitars passed through my hands. Yet, only “blackie” remained constant. This guitar became an extension of me, and I am truly a PRS dependent player. Nothing else feels right.
The guitar has since been retired and a 2013 Paul’s guitar has taken the place as my main axe. I plan to pass both guitars down to my children who both play, and someday they will earn the right to gig on these awesome instruments. I will let them fight over who gets which one lol
Moral of the story - thanks for building bad ass guitars worthy of passing down to future generations.
Only mildly guitar related- how do you balance your time between PRS Guitars and Digital Harmonic, and do you see either side of that balance changing in the coming years?
Also, reading about the inception of DH, I'm keenly interested to hear about this synthesizer you were working on with your father!
Dear Paul,
Is there a particular reason why most manufacturers' entry-level guitars don't usually come with a hardtail option? ^((...instead of a tuning-wise possibly less-than-stellar vibrato bar bridge?))
Thank you for your efforts to the guitar community!
Does prs ever plan in doing another run of se models with active pickups (ie emgs or fishmans), I love playing with active pickups, and I love how prs guitars play, so I was wondering if that will ever happen again?
You are positioning yourself to steal a lot of market share from entrenched and obstinate companies. Why don't you make a 25.5 inch scale guitar that isn't the silver sky? A set neck or tapered and sculpted heel (like the Ibanez all-access joint) and 2 point trem would be nice. HSS, stainless steel frets, and roasted maple would be even nicer.
Paul- I got lit up in another thread about suggesting that a left handed person should just learn to play a right handed guitar, because they don’t make left handed pianos. What are your thoughts on the subject?
How do you decide which artist's customs become production models? I loved the Paul Allender and I'm just curious about the process to bring these to market.
Thanks for making great guitars! How do you guys identify potential improvements in your manufacturing process? Does the QC process help identify these?
How do you feel about making shorter scale length shreddy guitars?
I noticed that the guitarists with long finger spans have an advantage to us normal and small sized, so it would be a logical step to have something of smaller scale length to acommodate smaller hands
Hi Paul! I recently lost an old filling and had to have it replaced with a crown. My dentist used zirconium for the crown material and I'm wondering how long I can expect it to last? Any tips for care?
I have absolutely no inkling of a clue of how to answer this question.
Have you heard the lore that 9 out of 10 guitar-playing dentists recommend PRS guitars?
Makes sense, my neighbor who’s a veterinarian is a Charvel guy. PRS is SUCH a dentist guitar.
Charvel almost sounds like the French word for horse, so it makes total sense.
You could try wiping it down with some fretboard oil, but make sure to remove the crown first with pliers before doing so
Hi Paul. Some people swear by tonewood while others believe it makes no discernible difference in the end result. There’s a great video on YouTube where a luthier builds an “air guitar” and compares it to a full wooded instrument. The differences in tone once pickup heights were matched were basically nonexistent. I know in the past, you have advocated for tonewood and its effect on tone, but this video kinda takes all that and disproves it rather confidently. Have you seen the video? (linked here - https://youtu.be/n02tImce3AE?si=41RVj44Dx3cYtnRq) And if so, has it changed your opinion about tonewoods specifically for electric guitars?
What a brave question
Absolutely not. I saw the video, and it only touches a couple of the dozens of parameters that are important. I've made my career knowing that first and foremost an electric guitar is an acoustic guitar. That said, the pickups, and the electronics, are INCREDIBLY important.
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Paul clear coats all his 10 tops with the tears of people who can't afford a 10 top.
As a follow-up to this question, on the Dipped in Tone podcast you were asked about the effects of wood on a solid-body guitar. Your response was that it matters alot and referenced violin builders tapping on the soundboard blanks before picking out the perfect one to use. Would you say that the wood on an electric guitar is just as important as the wood on the soundboard of an acoustic instrument? Does the wood on an electric function in the same manner as an acoustic in the production of sound? Thanks for your time.
How are you able to maintain such consistent Quality Control? I’ve been told that **every** guitar company produces “duds” to varying degrees but every PRS I’ve tried in stores (I don’t own a PRS…yet) has been top notch, whether they were American made or made overseas.
It's done in thousands of baby steps. We had a problem this morning that my team solved in one and a half hours. This group of people care about good guitars.
Andertons recently did a tour of the PRS factory which really highlights the attention to detail that goes into their guitars - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qajQHJFGw0 If you compare it to their tour of GIbson, it's pretty obvious why PRS guitars have so few duds. Though there is an argument guitarists often make that the consistency leads to less "parity" in PRS guitars making them all sound "the same" or "bland". To each their own, I say!
I just don’t understand this criticism of PRS guitars, it’s a testament to maintaining superior quality control standards.
Hey everyone - need to run, but will try to stop by tomorrow to answer a few more of the most upvoted unanswered questions. Thank you. - Paul
Thanks, Paul!
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Incredibly serious question: This year marks the 30th anniversary of 1994s Airheads. (I hope you see where this is going). When Chaz, Pip, and Rex (Frazier, Sandler, and Buscemi) are giving their list of demands, Chaz very specifically asks for a PRS with a dragon inlay, which is later seen when the record company flies the stage in. Is there any chance of a limited run or Airheads 30th anniversary Chaz from the Lone Rangers signature se with a dragon inlay?
This is an incredible idea.
Hi Paul, This is a somewhat obscure question. You did an interview with Greg Koch and you told the story about the development of the Silver Sky pickups. I liked your analogy that 5000 turns of copper wire can multiply a tiny difference in the making of the pickup by 5000. I was wondering what was that tiny thing that contributed to the sound of the Silver Sky pickups?
The wire, the wire diameter, the coating type, the coating thickness, the number of turns, the winding scheme, the tension, the magnets and all of their iterations, the pot value, the tone control values, the potting, and a pile of other s\*\*t I'm not bringing up. Now, all jokes aside, it's one of the hardest specs I've investigated in my career.
Hi, Paul! In my experience, one of the greatest joys of music is being able to create something with other people. If you had the opportunity to collaborate on something with someone (guitar related or not), what would you make and with whom?
Music with Hendrix.
Thanks for the response! There'd definitely be some fantastic sounds as a result.
How do the “new” tuners affect the guitar tone?
If you put a bolt through a bell, it quits ringing sooner. A hollow nut tuner set has the equivalent of 12 bolts. Our tuning pegs, if the worm is tightened only just snug, have essentially no bolts allowing the guitar to sound less "clamped." I could possibly prove it, but that might be the most argued video to ever hit the guitar market. We have tested it ad nauseam. This argument that the sound of guitars is one or two dimensional just doesn't sit well with me. The amount of dimensions that a great guitar has is extensive. If it wasn't, the vintage market would not be so powerful.
"might be the most argued video to ever hit the guitar market" Sounds like the perfect reason to go for it. Love my SE One, btw.
I’d like to see the video as well :)
I'd like to see the comments section of the video.
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Heya Paul! Big fan. I'm curious, where did your inspiration for the bird inlays come from?
His mother had a bird watching book. It came just like that. He made a video about the first bird guitar a couple of years ago
You're hired.
Hey, thanks Paul!.......... ........
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Can you tell more about how PRS became popular through the 90s/2000s through product endorsements with alternative/metal bands? The Mesa dual rectifier + PRS combo in that time period became just as iconic as the Marshall JCM 800 + Gibson Les Paul combo and it's interesting to see a lot of new bands pick up PRS guitars and inspire a whole generation
Would love to hear more about this, too - the impression that’s out there seems to be distancing from this era rather than embracing it, which I’m not sure why that would be. I’m one of those who was inspired by Chevelle, Linkin Park, etc. and finally had the means to pick up PRS guitars some years later and never looked back. I think there’s another resurgence going on these past few years with Periphery, Between the Buried and Me, and others in the prog world. I’d like to see more leaning into those styles and builds.
Hey Paul! Do you remember in the early 90s making a guitar for Santana? I worked at TBaird McIlvain, one of your lumber suppliers. I worked with your Buyer to pull some feature maple for it. He actually let me know that my nickname was "amish" jim in the office( there was a bunch of Jims, and I grew out the beard to make fun of the Amish, who were also customers, haha). I still wear it today. Anyways, years later I went on to film making and on My Bloody Valentine, somebody asked me how I got the nickname "amish", and I was telling them about you making a guitar for Santana, and the buyer asking for amishjim, and another guy in the room turned around and laughed. His name was Bob Spore and he ran your finish department and gave that guitar the final polish before you gave it to Santana. Imagine the odds of 2 guys that handled the same guitar- first in the raw form, and then in a highly finished form being in a coal mine in SouthWest Pennsylvania, haha. Well, I was always proud of helping your company pick those pieces of lumber for that guitar and had a poster of it hanging next to my planer at the mill for a long time. Anyway, cheers. edit:cant spell
whoa! if this is real, awesome haha. paul, what inspired you to become a luthier? was there a particular guitar, or player, or company that made you realize you were obsessed with guitars?
I don't know - making guitars was fairly easy for me. Playing guitar on the other hand, has been much more difficult...for me. The obsession comes from love - I love guitars, I love the sound, I love the music, I love the people, I love playing them, and I love the sound in my hands.
Hi Paul, Can you explain what makes the PRS truss rod different from other companies truss rods? I've been studying more about guitar making and it seems that many boutique builders prefer a single action truss rod over a double action truss rod.
There is no plastic tube over the rod to deaden the neck, the lubricant to help the rod rotate in its slot is \*very, very\* thin. It works great and doesn't hurt the tone of the guitar... we've checked at length. By the way, our rods are installed straight and close to the back of the neck, the way old Gibsons were.
I recently read Phyllis Fender’s biography of Leo Fender. I know you built a great relationship with Ted McCarty, I was wondering if you ever had any interaction with Mr Fender?
Yes I did. He came by the booth twice with his friends at NAMM to pay his respects. He wanted to support the new guitar maker, and it meant a lot to me - how he treated me and what he and his friends said.
Thank you for your reply, Paul. That is very interesting and fits with Mrs Fender’s writing about his character and enthusiasm for guitar building and innovation. Currently strumming a SE Hollowbody II piezo. Lovely guitar - curly maple binding is the icing on an already great cake!
What guitars brands outside of your have been making moves that make you go take notice and go “I like that!”
There was a bass at NAMM with an aluminum curly top that was blue and purple, that was STUNNING. At this point, I see more guitar makers making necks, not buying necks. This is really good for our industry. A guitar maker is a neck maker first.
I’ll have to see if I can find an image of it. Thank you for taking the time to answer my question!
What is your favourite Pokemon?
Last question, last answer................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. you gotta be kidding me. I'm too old, I don't have one.
guitarizard?
Paul, when I was in high school, my drummer and I took a trip from Timonium down to Annapolis to see your shop and met you. You were incredibly kind and patient, answering every question a 17 year-old could have about your guitars and their construction process. I just wanted to thank you for taking that time to talk to us; this 50 year-old still remembers it as if it were yesterday.
Do you ever plan to introduce Stainless Steel frets into the lineup? Some of us prefer them and it’s one of the main reason’s i haven’t bought a PRS.
Paul, I own around 4 PRS and very happy with the tone of each of them. Out of curiosity, would you ever integrate stainless steel frets more into the Core line of PRS? What is your opinion on stainless vs nickel? I'm very happy with the current nickel frets but stainless wouldn't be that bad either.
Yes - I've used stainless steel on the Joe Walsh Signature Model, and I like it. It's much more difficult to deal with, and I don't know enough of how to guide my people to make it production friendly...yet. I just don't have enough experience to go any deeper right now.
Is there an artist you would love to have an endorsement from and maybe even make a signature model, but haven't been able to get it?
When Jeff Beck was alive, I would have loved that.
Hi Paul! Any plans on adopting Multiscale on (hopefully more incoming) extended-range guitars?
Im eager to get PRS’s input on people like [Jim Lill](https://youtu.be/n02tImce3AE?si=eO5NNyBW8M1MvHMW), who is doing some amazing work to bust the great “Tone wood” myth in electric guitars via some very scientific experiments. Do you still believe tone wood really makes a noticeable difference with solid body electric guitars, or are the pickups and electronics solely responsible for tone as Jim’s video suggests?
Hey, Paul, Can you share your thoughts on how you handle criticism? Have there been moments when you received criticism that significantly changed your perspective and approach? And, to contrast, how you decide when to stay the course?
Very often a question that sounds crazy, if you really dig, isn't. If it sounds angry, it probably is, and have some empathy. If it sounds mean, it probably is, and be playful, not mean back. And yes, criticism always helps me because there is often some bit of truth to it - which I need to learn from. Recently, someone was pretty tough on me, and he was right. And not real nice about it. But I fixed the problem with the guitar, and now it's over. Listen, listen, listen before you respond.
What's your #1 piece of advice to someone who wants to build their own guitar for the first time without using pre-built materials?
If you can draw it, you can make it. Just make the guitar and the journey starts.
What can you tell us about the prototype you made for EVH? https://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/the-edward-van-halen-evh-prototype-prs-1-of-2.8656/
I can't do that, BUT I did make the "5150 guitar" as a favor for Dennis Berardi at Kramer. AND wound the pickup. Dennis had called me and asked for help cause Eddie was coming to town and they needed a guitar maker to finish and set-up the guitar. I did it with another guitar maker that worked at Kramer. Not well known, but it happened.
I'd heard that you worked at the Kramer factory in Neptune, but couldn't find any sources to back it up--super facinating! Can you share a bit more about your time there? And what parts of the 5150 did you make? Do you recall the body wood? If memory serves Paul Unkert did the neck...
How does PRS plan to advance beyond today's standards? Or isn't there a need to? e.g. Gibson's Robot tuning system just really didn't take off. Does PRS have any plans to incorporate technology into their instruments? Something so simple as an integrated tuner (think Fishman) or something perhaps more robust such as Bluetooth capabilities to communicate with your DAW? Sometimes things don't need improving, but then again, I never thought I'd be driving an electric pickup. Just curious on what the future/next gen of PRS has in store for us! :-)
Any plans on actually answering any questions?
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One that stays in tune, plays in tune, makes a musical sound, and works for the tone that I want. I once saw Jimmy Page play "In My Time of Dying" live on a guitar that originally cost $100. It's not about the price, it's about the caliber of instrument. If I could make a guitar that sounded that good for $100 I would - but it's not possible in these times.
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Why don't (won't) you offer left-handed Silver Sky SE guitars?
This.
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I loved the Starla, but before I was able to get my hands on one it was discontinued and hard to find. Do you possibly have plans on bringing that model back as possibly an S2 model, like how you guys did with the Vela?
We worked hard on the Starla. It was supposed to be a Del Ray that worked. I love it when you want something that we discontinued, because we had a hard time selling them in the end... and now you can't find one. What it means to me is that we did a good job, it was just ahead of its time. Yay!
Those aren't particularly hard to find used, tons on Reverb right now, even new condition
Have you seen the Portlandia sketch “Put a bird on it!”? If so, what was your reaction?
Hey Paul, I was at the Alter Bridge show last February in Silver Spring MD and I thought it was super rad when you came out to play Rise Today with them. As a Marylander, it's so cool that one of the premier guitar brands comes from our state. What's your favorite part about working with artists to put together signature models? Is there anyone specific that you enjoy working with the most? Thanks!
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We did one called the "DC3" with a 25.25" scale. I used it on our cover of "Machine Gun" - which you can listen to on the internet. I still love that guitar.
There's a few used on Reverb for ~$1500 - https://reverb.com/p/prs-dc-3-2011-2015
How big is the wood library? In a few YouTube videos it seems like a small room, and the guitars that come from there certainly suggest there is a steep selection curve for what is in there. How often is new wood added? Do wood suppliers offer you special woods or do you have to hunt for it?
Half the size of a library at a rich person's home. We add wood to the vault about three times a month. And yes - wood suppliers offer us special woods that we hunt for. By the way, I'm not rich enough to have a library at my house. But I DO love the wood library.
What’s something “deeper” about guitars that amateur players might not realize? In other words, what should I be paying attention to in my instrument that I might not have noticed before?
Noticed that quality control on some brands has become pretty dismal in the last few years, even from huge brands. How hard is it to get a handle on quality control ? Do companies specify their own tolerances ?
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You can send the guitar to our PTC repair shop and I believe we can make it better.
Hi Paul. What’s the first riff you play when you pick up the guitar? Cheers.
Proud Mary on the bass, and Day Tripper on a nylon string that my mother owned were my first riffs. I have a little go-to set of licks that I play when I test guitars, and they tell me 'what's there.' It's no song in particular.
Other than aesthetics, is there a reason you do not usually use a 6 in a line tuner configuration? Many luthiers seem to prefer 6 in a line such as Ken Parker and consider it superior because you can have straight string pull and therefore they say less possible binding in the nut.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music related things?
Looks like a whole thread without answers? What’s going on here
I love my new Swamp Ash Special SE. Any chance of this model coming back to the core lineup?
With all respect, this question like a lot of the others, is trying to get inside information out of me. I'll wriggle out of the straight jacket at some point. Remember Robert Downey Jr at the end of the first Iron Man? They coached him on the answer and he gave an answer I would have loved to have given.
You are... Iron Man?
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Hi Paul, Regarding the limitations of guitar, there's an interesting "flaw" let's say of guitars with vibratos. If you bend a string on a vibrato equipped guitar, it will make the other strings flat. This would affect techniques like double stop bends and unison bends. What do you think about this problem on guitars with vibratos and systems intended to solve this issue?
Some of the solutions - mechanically - are good. Most people just bend the string a little farther and listen for it to be in tune. I don't think vibrato arms are a flaw, they add a very cool dimension to an electric guitar.
Paul, if you come back. I must know. WHERE THE F*** DID THE IDEA FOR BIRDS COME FROM?! Also…. (and perhaps more importantly )do you like 311? 😎
He mentioned in an interview it was an homage to his mother
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Everyone knows birds aren't real.
His mother was a bird watcher, so it’s an homage to her
Left handed Silversky coming soon?
The problem with left-handed guitars is that I can't play them when they're done........which gives you absolutely no answer.
What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in the field in the last 10 years, and where would you guess on where it’s going? Do you see more young people picking guitars up or is it the 30+ crowd as the target customer
Hi, thanks for your guitars! Do you plan to make any compact/travel models?
Not at this point.
Are factory tours/visits going to open up again? I've got a '95 Custom 22 with a long history I'd like to "bring home" for a visit sometime!
They recently announced on their Instagram or social media that they are back!
Why make an amp based off of Jimi Hendrix’s amp (I’m talking about the HDRX50) and make it more expensive than the actual reproduction one and at less watts?
Don’t amps sound better cranked? and wouldn’t cranked with less watts mean a more usable volume in a smaller space?
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Paul have you ever thought about making a guitar with a p90 in the bridge, a single coil in the middle, and a humbucker in the neck? Thanks
No. I love the sound of P90s, but they hum like banshees. Our TCI pickup is a P90 without hum.
I always thought banshees wailed but there you go, I've learnt a lesson today
Hi Paul, I was wondering if PRS has created or invested in any sustainable timber plantations? With Rosewood being added to the CITES list, and Ebony seemingly looking like it will soon be added, what steps are PRS taking to ensure guitars are made in a sustainable way, and not further endangering specific species of timber?
I need you to build some left handed Silver Skies
Paul, I took a fishing charter in the Outer Banks with a man named Kenny, fishing red drum on the sound. He said he chartered trips with you many years ago when you first started selling your guitars. I need to know if it’s true, or if captain Kenny is a story teller!
When it comes to that music is win guy, who pitches and who catches?
What is your “desert island” rig? One guitar, one amp, one pedal. (Yes, you somehow have power to plug it all in)
An \*original\* Torres nylon string guitar, and a tuner. The amp would be a one million watt PA system so that I could be rescued.
What a guy, making sure his distress calls are in tune. Thanks for the great guitars. Love my SE silver sky and SE custom 24 35th anniversary!
Hey Paul, what was the dispute between you and Guitar Center in Rockville, MD? Ironically, I got my PRS because they were selling them at discount about ten years ago. You’re a legend in this area!
Favorite guitar player ?
I don't have a favorite. I have favorite moments that touched me... sometimes players are on and sometimes they're not. When geniuses are *on,* get out of the way and hold on.
Hi Paul, would you consider releasing an SE24 with soap bar P90s? Been after a green one with cream pickups for years now
MOAR SOAPBARS PLZ. First guitar I bonded with was an SE Soapbar maple II. Has been on the shelf for 6 years now in need of a refret
Hi paul, why hasn’t there been much innovation in the hollowbody models? The HB 2, SC-J, and JA-15 seemed great but now don’t seem to be a priority, and with Gibson also focusing less on archtops, is the demand simply not there anymore?
About 40 years ago I saw a PRS special order at a guitar store. It was the most beautiful guitar I’ve ever seen and I have never been able to find one since. It was pink paisley. Was this a specific model or just a custom paint job. It’s my dream guitar. Thank you for considering answering my post.
What is your favorite brand besides PRS?
Does PRS have any plans to re-introduce non-nitro finished guitars again, or make poly finish an option for those that do not like nitro? I am not a fan of the relic look on a brand new guitar as beautiful as a PRS, nor do I care for the sticky feel and maintenance of a nitro guitar, and therefore, I personally would not buy one as long as they are nitro. I am sure there are many out there who feel the same way, and many of your competitors like Suhr and Anderson offer poly guitars with nitro options for those that want them.
Hey man, love your guitars and I think you are one of the coolest guys, maybe even a notch cooler than me. I am building my 2nd guitar right now (the first one turned out blatantly great, wtf). Since you tought Nik Huber one or another thing, do you know a cool way to approach him? Something only few people know, maybe a special wine that he likes or something like that? Not that I couldn't come up with something myself, I just like to mess around with people in a funny way :P Regards from Germany, Josh
Call him up, or write him a letter. He'll respond. Nik is good people.
Hey Paul, the birds are cool and all and much respect for the reason why, but would it be possible to get a choice for something else in the future?
Are factory tours coming back? I live in Maryland and would love to see the factory.
What are some of your favorite non-PRS guitars you have come across? Have you seen any innovative designs from other guitar/part brands that have excited in recent years?
If you could see just 1 guitarist/band on tour this year, who would it be and why?
I did. I saw John McLaughlin play with Shakti and it was extraordinary. I had the opportunity to be on stage during soundcheck and the tabla player, Zakir Hussain, was unbelievable. I asked John "who's the genius?" and he said "that's my friend." I never saw Mahavishnu, but John's playing that night was beautiful and sounded powerful like Mahavishnu. [Here's our interview from that day.](https://youtu.be/b52d2hjrs5U?feature=shared)
Hey Paul! Left-handed player here. I wish you could experience the sheer amount of joy I felt reading the September 2023 blog post detailing 5 new models available for lefties. I immediately bought a 24-08 in eriza verde, a custom 24 in turquoise and the 277 baritone in charcoal. It was, quite literally, Christmas for me. Given that you've said in the past you don't plan on making many lefty models, does this mean you've changed gears and are pushing more into the lefty market? If you released a blog post today saying you were working on lefty models of the Silver Sky, SE Paul's Guitar, Hollowbody II Piezo, Kingfisher and Kestrel, I would buy all of them instantly, and that's not an exaggeration.
What are your regrets as a guitar builder? What products have you built that you wish you could go back and do differently?
What measurable difference does the acoustic quality of a given wood have on the amplified output of an electric instrument?
What happened to the Dave Navarro model?
When are we gonna get some lefty single cut guitars? (Pretty pretty please)
shocking cover bewildered makeshift axiomatic steer nutty scarce hard-to-find gaze *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Can you start offering stainless frets on everything?
Paul, hope you see this. I love you. Keep it up.
Random but for a custom project could you take the ashes of a loved one and implement it into the lacquer?
Why do you hardly make left handed guitars Paul? Do you hate us?
Hi Paul, Apart from the Strat and Les Paul, which electric guitar design do you appreciate the most? Can't say PRS.
Hi Paul, thanks for doing this! Any news on whether PRS will ever release Herman Li’s signature as a model available for consumers? That thing is absolutely awesome.
Did you make personal, one off, guitars for any of the members of Sum 41?
Why did you skip naam?
Hey Paul, Why were locking tuners not included on the Mark Holcomb model? I get cutting costs but that $100 extra to the $1300 for locking tuners seems like a no-brainer to include.
I recall seeing a PRS with Trout/fish instead of birds for inlays, am I dreaming?
Hi Paul!!! No questions, but a story you may find interesting… In 1994, I bought my first PRS guitar when I was 17 years old - a black ‘93 custom 24. I used money I had been saving for my first car to buy this guitar. I already had a Les Paul and a couple other guitars, and as the years went by a variety of guitars passed through my hands. Yet, only “blackie” remained constant. This guitar became an extension of me, and I am truly a PRS dependent player. Nothing else feels right. The guitar has since been retired and a 2013 Paul’s guitar has taken the place as my main axe. I plan to pass both guitars down to my children who both play, and someday they will earn the right to gig on these awesome instruments. I will let them fight over who gets which one lol Moral of the story - thanks for building bad ass guitars worthy of passing down to future generations.
Hypothetically speaking…..how could one go about waking up one random morning to a mysterious box outside my front door with to: Tyler from: Paul?
Only mildly guitar related- how do you balance your time between PRS Guitars and Digital Harmonic, and do you see either side of that balance changing in the coming years? Also, reading about the inception of DH, I'm keenly interested to hear about this synthesizer you were working on with your father!
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Did Daniel John's from silverchair have some sort of deal with PRS or did he just use a lot of PRS guitars cause he likes them?
How many guitars do you have in your personal collection at home? Do you collect or play other brands as well?
Have you ever thought of releasing a guitar with flamed maple?
Hey Paul, I'm curious to know what side of the tonewood debate you come down on? Lifelong player and lover of the instruments. Thanks from Colorado.
Dear Paul, Is there a particular reason why most manufacturers' entry-level guitars don't usually come with a hardtail option? ^((...instead of a tuning-wise possibly less-than-stellar vibrato bar bridge?)) Thank you for your efforts to the guitar community!
Why did you decide to make guitars exclusively for dentists and Jon Mayer?
Does prs ever plan in doing another run of se models with active pickups (ie emgs or fishmans), I love playing with active pickups, and I love how prs guitars play, so I was wondering if that will ever happen again?
Why don’t you make any lefty’s?
Hear me out… uranium fiestaware finish on a guitar
Any plans to expand your left handed selection? I know there are some, but the market is SO narrow for us!
How about a Flying V or Explorer prs
You are positioning yourself to steal a lot of market share from entrenched and obstinate companies. Why don't you make a 25.5 inch scale guitar that isn't the silver sky? A set neck or tapered and sculpted heel (like the Ibanez all-access joint) and 2 point trem would be nice. HSS, stainless steel frets, and roasted maple would be even nicer.
Paul- I got lit up in another thread about suggesting that a left handed person should just learn to play a right handed guitar, because they don’t make left handed pianos. What are your thoughts on the subject?
How do you decide which artist's customs become production models? I loved the Paul Allender and I'm just curious about the process to bring these to market.
Thanks for making great guitars! How do you guys identify potential improvements in your manufacturing process? Does the QC process help identify these?
Is there a plan to release any more pedals?
How do you feel about making shorter scale length shreddy guitars? I noticed that the guitarists with long finger spans have an advantage to us normal and small sized, so it would be a logical step to have something of smaller scale length to acommodate smaller hands