PRS Tekton: A First Look

The Tekton isn’t a singular model; rather, it’s a complete line of instruments containing four models, each with a distinct personality. The hardtail model is aimed at modern metal, providing rock-solid tuning stability that holds up to impromptu drop tunings. The next model follows the same template, but it adds a modern 2-post tremolo for players with a penchant for whammy bars. These models both feature mahogany bodies topped with — in true PRS fashion — beautiful figured mango. The Floyd Rose model changes things up dramatically, swapping out the previous models’ mango-topped mahogany construction for a Sunset Strip–inspired all-alder body and flamboyant colors reflecting the glam-metal era. All three of these models feature 25.5-inch scale lengths and 16-inch fingerboard radii. The 7-string model offers yet another departure. Tailor-made for extreme, down-tuned metal, this model features a 26.5-inch baritone scale and a 20-inch radius. Additionally, it has a mahogany body and a figured mango top like the hardtail and 2-post trem models.

For me, the most important part of any guitar is the neck. I like to play fast and furious, occasionally bordering on shredding, and the Tekton’s thin Modern D profile certainly lends itself to this sort of playing. This profile is different from most other necks I’ve played and definitely different from PRS’s other established carves. I’d describe it as falling somewhere between PRS’s ’80s-era Wide Thin shape and a modern shred-style shape. Simply put, it’s thinner than PRS’s other profiles, including the Pattern Thin shape, but more substantial than a Wizard or Speed neck.

The 16-inch-radius fingerboards on the 6-string models are flat enough for nimble finger maneuvers while remaining comfortable during chording and rhythm work. Moreover, the 25.5-inch scale provides tighter note articulation and holds up to down-tuning better than PRS’s typical 25-inch scale. Likewise, the 16-inch radius on the 7-string model feels nice and consistent across all the strings while avoiding fret buzz during bends. Additionally, the 26.5-inch baritone scale kept things nice and tight, even when I tuned down to C-sharp standard.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the new neck heels on the Tekton series. They’re totally unobtrusive. Unless you have really unorthodox hand positioning, it’s a sure bet that you won’t even know it’s there.

For the Tekton, PRS developed a brand-new humbucker — the Stylus. The Stylus marks a serious sonic departure for PRS, trading the brand’s usual vintage-tinged tone for a healthy dose of modern clarity. These pickups, for the most part, deliver a flat, hi-fi sound that plays nice with both tube amps and digital modelers. That said, these pickups are far from lifeless; they boast a distinctive upper-midrange bump that produces all sorts of pleasing harmonics. Output-wise, the Stylus falls in the moderate range, delivering enough output to make your amp bark while remaining tame enough to avoid overloading your modeler and effects.

For reference, I plugged my borrowed Tekton into three different amps: a Blackstar HT Club 50 head and a Mesa Triple Crown head, each paired with the same Celestion-loaded 4 x 12, and a Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb combo. The Stylus represented itself well in all three scenarios, delivering glassy cleans under low gain and articulate grind under high gain. It lent a nice growl to metal riffs, and the upper-midrange bump made pinch harmonics really scream. I also enjoyed the level of clarity it afforded my leads. Beyond that, I found the onboard coil tap to be a nice added touch.

My final test was to plug the Tekton into a Line 6 Helix Stadium modeler. As with the real-world amps, the Tekton fared extremely well, adding an ear-grabbing liveliness to high-gain patches and a jazz-like chime to clean patches.

Hardware-wise, the Tekton certainly doesn’t disappoint. The hardtail model features a PRS fixed bridge bolstered by Phase III locking tuners. I really loved the stability of this option. Right out of the box, the intonation was on point, requiring only a minor adjustment to dial it in the rest of the way. After a brief string-stretching session, the instrument held tune — even when I quickly switched to Drop D tuning, then to E-flat standard tuning. The trem model, which eschews PRS’s typical Gen III tremolo for a modern 2-point design augmented by a steel plate and brass saddles, proved nearly as stable, enabling me to engage in everything short of bar-to-body dive-bombs without impacting the guitar’s tuning stability. The trem model also features Phase III locking tuners.

Also equipped with a PRS fixed bridge and Phase III locking tuners, the 7-string model was a truly intimidating beast to me, mostly because I’m not particularly experienced with extended-range, baritone-scale guitars. That said, I took this opportunity to engage in extreme down-tuning experiments, leading to some questionable nu-metal riffage in C-sharp standard. The result? Rock-solid intonation and tuning stability.

The guitar I spent the most time with (and the one PRS graciously let me take home) was the Floyd model, which features a Floyd Rose 1000 and Phase III non-locking tuners. Let me say that this model is a shredder’s paradise — especially if you’re a fan of ’80s instruments. With this axe, I was able to engage in shameless whammy abuse with absolute freedom and zero consequences. Even after about 15 minutes of aggressive dive-bombs and maximal pitch mangling, I barely had to adjust the trem’s fine tuners.