NGD: 2020 Silver Sky Rosewood in Golden Mesa!

MA Pete

Pattern Thin Convert!
Joined
Apr 27, 2012
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So in the spirit of trying all the cool new 2020 TCI Models, I wanted to check out a 2020 Silver Sky. ;)

Also the 2020 Rosewood has the new 635JM-R neck carve with supposedly slightly softer shoulders, so I made sure to grab one that was confirmed with that carve.

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Wow, I love it!!

Dig the Golden Mesa finish, especially with the Rosewood Board. Blends right in with all my vintage vibe Sunburst guitars.

I do feel the difference in the neck carve - I had just played a 2019 model earlier this week in a dealer. The shoulders do feel subtly smaller, the Hendrix thumb over the top thing is a little easier. (I wish the 2020 Maple Board ones had this carve as well, as I probably will get one of those as well.)

These pickups are to die for, the best S-Type pickups out there, IMO. I had two terrific Fender Custom Shop Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child guitars with Fender CS 1969 pickups in there - those were great, but these PRS pickups are better, and better than any of the Fender CS pickups I tried over the past two years, by a long shot in my opinion. And I have tried most of them!

I had a Silver Sky in 2018, these pickups seem even better this time around, perhaps the TCI thing?

I still think the frets are kind of small, hopefully I get used to them. If not, maybe I will get it refretted with 6105s (or Jescar 55090, their 6105 equivalent). But I will give them a chance first, perhaps I just get used to them.

The Board Radius didn't seem to bother me this time around, that felt fine.

As advertised, all 5 pickup positions sound great! I played it through my new Metropolous DVL-1, and hot-rodded EL34 Marshally amp, both with Plexi cleans and with higher gain, it sounded terrific. To die for in the '65 Mode with sparkly Plexi cleans.

Also of note, I don't find the headstock to look odd anymore, like I did in 2018. I guess with stuff like that, we just get used to it! ;) I think it looks great overall.

More importantly, it plays and sounds great!
 
Great addition to your fantastic collection!

I hope the small frets work out for you! I couldn't get along with them, and I don't think I can justify replacing the frets ... just yet.

Getting that FOMO not having one of these ...
 
Congratulations! I’m really curious to try one of the new ones with that neck carve. I have a 2018 and love everything about it but only like the neck carve. It does seem to be the “shoulders” too. I have a Robert Cray Strat that feels a little deeper and narrower. I don’t think it is actually either, but it’s shoulders drop away quicker and I think it creates that impression. I find the thumb over on the bass strings notably easier/more comfortable on that neck...

-Ray
 
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