I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Paul Reed Smith for a couple of years now (The man, not the company – like most guitarists, I’ve been aware of the company for many years!). It’s always interesting to meet and to get to know the person behind something you value, whether that’s music, guitars, amps &mdash whatever. I was introduced to Paul by my friend Craig Anderton at an AES show in New York, and since, at Experience PRS events in Baltimore, I’ve had a couple of chances to visit his home and to tour the factory.
After all that, I’m a dedicated fan of PRS guitars. At the first Experience event, I purchased a McCarty with a solid rosewood neck and soapbar pickups. At the 2008 event, I ordered a DGT (a goldtop, of course) and bought one of the first Modern Eagle IIs to come off the line. Fortunately, I have a wife who is a huge fan of guitars.
What turned me into such a PRS fan is the passion Paul has for his work. And it’s not just Paul; his whole crew is deeply into making the best instruments they can. After meeting them, seeing the operation, understanding the way they approach things, and realizing how much of themselves they put into every guitar was truly inspiring. Then, I pulled that McCarty off the rack, hit one note, and heard (and felt) it ring like a freaking bell; that was it for me! When my ME II came in, I pulled it out of the case; strummed it unplugged; and, instantly, five people gathered around, amazed at the resonance, sustain, and life it had. I can honestly say that guitar has literally changed my playing. This only happened to me once before, two years ago when my custom handmade classical guitar was delivered; my playing instantly improved by a noticeable amount &mdash same thing with the Modern Eagle II.
I didn’t think it was possible, but those guitars have been topped. I just (very reluctantly) put down one of Paul’s 28 guitars. (If you’re not familiar, this is a super-limited-edition run of 28 guitars, made of the rarest of the rare tonewoods and crafted by Paul himself.) We’ve had a couple come in here &mdash the first one sold in 15 minutes, but I was able to pull this one out of the case and sit down with it.
Hands down, this is the loudest solidbody electric guitar I’ve ever played. I thought my other PRS guitars rang well, but this one is absolutely unbelievable &mdash and that was before I plugged it in. Like my ME II, these guitars use PRS’s new 1958/2007 humbuckers, which are stellar PAF-style pickups. It’s even better plugged in than it is unplugged. I hesitate to use the word “perfect,” but this may be as close as I’ll ever get to playing a perfect guitar.
There’s been a lot of noise on the forums about Paul’s 28. I can understand all the blather about the gorgeous looks and the price tag. A guitar like this isn’t for everyone. But, all that noise is missing the point completely. Yes, Paul’s 28 are expensive works of art, and they’re clearly collectors items, but don’t forget, they’re equally stunning as guitars &mdash instruments to be used to make music. If you have a chance, then put your hands on one. You won’t believe how good it is. As for me, 36 grand is too much for my bank account, but I’ll enjoy the memory of playing that beautiful guitar. It’s one of those guitars that will haunt me. Not that I’m complaining, as I have a stable of guitars I love, but man, that’s a guitar!
