Blue with black painted backs?

Silvertree

I love the smell of a PRS case in the morning.
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
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366
Why do so many of the blue guitars have black painted backs? Is there some history there? I have never been a fan so I am curious.
 
A non-forum noob PRS junkie friend of mine was b!tching about this to me today, it’s a dealbreaker in his eyes.

PRS didn’t really used to do natural backs in the beginning, most guitars had some sort of colored back. Black Cherry, Purple, and (whatever it was called) Blue, and Emerald Green got black backs, that’s just the way it was.
 
I dislike any opaque finishes - whether that's on the front or back. I want to see the grain of the wood and I always wonder what they are trying to hide by painting over it - some mistake? some filler? some ugly wood knot? Multiple Piece body (especially if they are known for single piece woods)? Are wrap finishes where the stain bled into the edge or some one sanded too much off the top edge? Whether any of this actually was the reasons or not, I can't stop thinking that its done to hide something - besides, it cannot be as nice looking as the natural beauty of wood even if its not done to cover something up.
 
I completely disagree with most of your post, but that’s okay, taste is entirely subjective.

Bonni Pink without the Pepto back just isn’t as cool to me.

And its a good job there is a wide variety of options to appeal to all different tastes - it would be boring if we all liked exactly the same thing after all...
 
I don’t mind them, prefer natural though

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At least in the early years, Whale Blue had a black back, and Royal Blue had a blue back. Could have had something to do with the Royal stain "bleeding," thus the no "binding" on that particular color.
 
My Cu24 has a tinted clear coat that covers the whole guitar. I’m guessing it’s probably a light black stain with a teal coating. Can that be right?
 
I personally feel top should always be lighter than the back except for the white back on almost anything. I don’t care for the darker tops with the light natural back. Just my opinion, doesn’t mean I’m right. One thing that really bothers me with natural mahogany finish, when the neck wood color isn’t the same shade as the body back. I feel in most cases body back and neck should match in shade. I do not care fore light back with Rosewood neck either. I prefer body back should be black or dark brown with Rosewood neck. It makes it look “slapped” together like patch work, Not elegant. Just an opinion.
 
One thing I forgot to mention, I prefer headstock veneer to match top wood in grain and color. Not often seen with PRS except in private stock and west st. Ltd.
 
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