I'm 20 years old and it's been my dream to work at PRS since I was 13. I want to work on pickups and circuits in the guitars and amps made at the PRS facility, but I don't know what degree path would best suit that. I was wondering if anyone knew if an associates or bachelor's in an electronics engineering degree would be best suited for working there. I have solidworks/cad experience and I have an apprenticeship lined up for over the summer. Any suggestions and input are greatly appreciated!
Career Advice
- Thread starter Wyatt105
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sergiodeblanc
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- Apr 26, 2012
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Move to Maryland and get a job as a sander (everybody starts as a sander).
Then, pretend you’re really into yoga and go to Shawn’s classes, bring Len Johnson lunch everyday, offer to wash and detail Paul Miles’ car weekly, and babysit Skitchy’s kids on weekend evenings. Boom! You’re running the place in 30 years.
Then, pretend you’re really into yoga and go to Shawn’s classes, bring Len Johnson lunch everyday, offer to wash and detail Paul Miles’ car weekly, and babysit Skitchy’s kids on weekend evenings. Boom! You’re running the place in 30 years.
toothace
Zombie Thirteen, DFZ
bodia
Authorities said.....best leave it.....unsolved
This is the correct path. Beer may help. Make sure you tell the boss you like his shirt.
veinbuster
Zombie Three, DFZ
I don’t think a degree is likely to help. Just apply for a job, do it well, learn as much as you can and be valuable enough to get new opportunities in line with your interests.
Not that I don’t value a degree, it’s just that some jobs are more about hands on experience.
Not that I don’t value a degree, it’s just that some jobs are more about hands on experience.
garrettb
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I'm just a guy on the internet, but I think you would want to learn anything and everything about electronic circuit design as well as some physics. Knowing the science takes most of the mystery out of pickups and amps.
A degree certainly won't hurt, but hands-on experience will teach you a lot. Wind some of your own pickups, build some effects and amps.
Like Sergio said, prepare to take whatever role is available to get you in the door. I'm sure you'd learn plenty, though not necessarily about pickups and amps. You can change roles/advance over time.
A degree certainly won't hurt, but hands-on experience will teach you a lot. Wind some of your own pickups, build some effects and amps.
Like Sergio said, prepare to take whatever role is available to get you in the door. I'm sure you'd learn plenty, though not necessarily about pickups and amps. You can change roles/advance over time.
Shawn@PRS
yogi
if you want to design pickups and electronics, an engineering degree would be beneficial, but Paul Smith does most of the heavy lifting in this department. If you want to physically build the pickups and electronics, you need a strong work ethic and some eye hand coordination. If working at PRS is a dream of yours, just apply. Fear has killed more dreams than failure ever will.
Wisdom.
Don't be afraid to study on your own time and learn other aspects. If that's truly your dream to work at PRS, you'll take a job cleaning the floors to work your way up.
Ask for help, be interested in all aspects, show up to work on time, do more than's expected.
My dream at 20 was to work for Seymour Duncan. I got a little cocky and didn't take an interview as a inside 'sales guy'.
Didn't want to do that.
Still kick myself.
I have a good paying job, like who I work with but honestly don't really care for the work.
I can take care of the wife, have a house buy some toys. But I don't find it rewarding or fulfilling. Which isn't a requirement, but it's sure a lot more fun.
Had I taken that interview/sales job...maybe I'm sales manager, maybe I'm in the custom shop with Derek and MJ...hell, maybe I'm at PRS handing Doug Sewell capacitors. You never know.
Ask for help, be interested in all aspects, show up to work on time, do more than's expected.
My dream at 20 was to work for Seymour Duncan. I got a little cocky and didn't take an interview as a inside 'sales guy'.
Didn't want to do that.
Still kick myself.
I have a good paying job, like who I work with but honestly don't really care for the work.
I can take care of the wife, have a house buy some toys. But I don't find it rewarding or fulfilling. Which isn't a requirement, but it's sure a lot more fun.
Had I taken that interview/sales job...maybe I'm sales manager, maybe I'm in the custom shop with Derek and MJ...hell, maybe I'm at PRS handing Doug Sewell capacitors. You never know.
And creates a metric ton of regret. Ask me how I know.....
sergiodeblanc
New Member
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- Apr 26, 2012
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How do you know?
bodia
Authorities said.....best leave it.....unsolved
You too? Small world!
Birdsofprey
PRS Tesseract
Education, education, education..............get the education first the jobs will always be there for the person that has the skills (read education). Many will argue that you can always go back to school but when your young it's a lot easier to grasp things. A job can be taken from you an education/ licence cannot even if you decide not to use it. You'd be surprised how many people fall back on the degree/ licence to get themselves back on track after trying that whim they've always had. Good luck its hard work but with great sacrifice comes great rewards. Don't be afraid of failure its an overused word just means it didn't work out this time around.
D
Deleted member 5962
Guest
So, lots of good advice so far, but one key piece is missing. Whatever you do, DO NOT touch Paul's car! Ever!
jxe
babe en der wood
i would sand that thing so hard.
Do NOT crawl into the sawdust dumpster.
This. I’ll also add don’t wait. If it’s what you want to do, you’re better off getting at it right away while you’re still young. I was ready to go to PRS over 15 years ago. Decided to wait to see how my new band would work out. Well, the band is still going(in a different form), and I’m stuck in a job I dislike and staying there unhappily because I have to make the money I’m making 20 some years later. You can always go back to school at some point as long as you’re smart about money and debt. There’s no better schooling for guitar building than going and doing it and learning from the best.
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