So I met Paul Reed Smith today

[NewWorldMan]

As earlier stated, you don't succeed by walking around with the mentality that your product is "4th best in the market"...you have to have the mentality that you're the best, and you're going to be the best. If you don't strongly believe in your product, why would anyone else? I don't think it's ego. That's just a business mindset that's thankfully backed by a passion for what he's doing.

 

[moronmountain]

To summarise he was basically saying that there is only a finite amount of energy you can put into an instrument, let's call it 10. The instrument can then only subtract from that by absorbing the energy in some way. He told me to think of a good guitar as putting 10 in and getting 9.8 put and a bad one as putting 10 in and 2 back out. So with this theory, he said there are about 25 separate things he has changed on his guitars to reduce their subtractive nature to a minimum.

We did a few back to back tests and messed around with some components, and gave chatted about the results. It was just a nice fresh way of looking at whole "tone" conversation.

Luke

Thats an interesting analogy. It would explain a lot

Yeah but it's probably a crock of mythical bs lol! Sounds neat though.

As hokey as it sounds, I can relate and understand exactly what he's getting at. And it's not just instruments, it's everything...

Guy's deep. This is cool. Makes me like him and his product even more.

Heh I was J/K bud. I get it too, but in reality, it's probably not quite as "deep" when it comes down to it scientifically. True artists are like that though. They take something that is based on physics, and get so passionate about it that it becomes more of an art than science. This is what makes them successfull most likely. It's just funny to think about.

 

[JerEvil]

Most people I know that have met the man generally say he is very cool to talk to. I'd personally love to have a chat with him sometime.

 

[squank]

I met him a few months ago and he was great. Like others have said, he's extremely passionate about what he does, and he is in the enviable position of not having to sell someone else's line of BS. The upgrades they continue to do at PRS, those are his ideas and other PRS employees ideas, or even customer suggestions that Paul really liked. He's so excited about continually making a better guitar, and the truth is there isn't another guitar out there, made in large quantities, that can touch PRS in terms of fit, finish, QC, and overall construction. It may not be your cup o tea, but PRS guitars are world-class instruments.

When I got to talk to him, I found myself telling him about all the big shows I'd played with his guitars. It was weird - it was like I wanted him to know that when I played a big show, a PRS Singlecut was the guitar I would take every time. The pride the guy showed when I told him that was obvious.

 

[voodooradio1]

He brought his road show to the local shop I buy from. Never been a fan of his guitars but went to check it out anyway. After listening to him ramble on for over an hour about nut materials, and why his guitars were better than anything else out there, the direct comparisons began.
First up was an acoustic he had built for himself compared to several models of Taylor. I've never heard a Taylor that could produce what I consider to be good tone, and these were no exception. That being said, they were miles above the PRS in tone.
The electric comparisons were down right embarrassing. He was using a private stock PRS with a hefty price tag. Soundly whipped by a Suhr Strat. As if that were not enough to negate everything he had spent the last hour boring the audience with, when he asked for another guitar to compare, some smart ass handed him a Nik Huber Orca. I felt bad for him until he mumbled something about Huber being his student,blah, blah, blah. I thought it was pretty douchey to belittle the Huber. Especially when every player in the room took note that it was the superior tone machine.
IMO, his guitars have a great feel and looks, and the build quality is flawless. None of which means anything when the tone is sterile.
I did like the PRS amps he had with him that night.
At any rate, I would like to thank Paul, because I went back and bought that Huber, and have never been more pleased with a guitar.

 

[Mudder]

You can't fault a guy for defending his life's work, even against superior competition.

 

[jwhitman]

Paul's an awesome guy. It's incredibly easy for someone with a "Type A" go getter personality to come off like a d-bag. I'm sure there's a few people in my town that think I'm a crock for how passionate I am about my job in the instrument retail business. But there's a reason I'm successful. For every person that thinks I'm a cocky ass-hat, there's 5-10 that know every word I say, I stand behind and when I'm wrong, I will take care of it. Being wishy washy creates an image of instability and for a multi-million dollar company producing guitars that are the equivalent and in most cases more expensive than the typical musician's car, it cannot happen.

 

[the rossness]

I was at a GC and he was doing a clinic. He seemed nice and douchy. He was egotistical about his products being better than everything else out there and frankly, they're not =]

For strictly quality if you go into GC PRS is the best you can find. Take your average LP standard off the wall and a typical PRS and the PRS usually wins for detail, quality, etc. I'm not talking tone or what someone feels they prefer, just craftsmanship.

I think the Anderson's and Suhr's of the world are as good or better than PRS though, but they're not what you typically see in GC.

I think EBMM is better than his stuff. GC sells them too.

 

[Beret]

I think EBMM is better than his stuff. GC sells them too.

Yeah, and Sterling Ball is not egotistical at all.... </sarcasm>

Ernie Ball does make good guitars but they're certainly no better in quality than PRS. They make very different guitars than PRS so a comparison is close to apples and oranges.

~B

 

[skoora]

Can't say I've ever played a PRS I liked that much. Tone is indistinct or generic? Hard to describe tone of course. Can't connect with his neck shapes and the frets /radius of the boards. I'm glad he likes his guitars though

 

[the rossness]

Can't say I've ever played a PRS I liked that much. Tone is indistinct or generic? Hard to describe tone of course. Can't connect with his neck shapes and the frets /radius of the boards. I'm glad he likes his guitars though

i hear that one

 

[Scottfn308]

I met him twice, (two years in a row), several years ago at the PRS booth at the NAMM show in Nashville. That was about 1997-1998, or 1996-1997 as I recall. He had a LOT of high-end PRS guitars at the booth, and was not at all bashful about letting my play anything I wanted to, signing posters and such, or giving away CDs, shirts, and anything else you wanted. His guitars are exceptional, and he is, (or was to me), a very gracious host.

Regards,

Scott