PRS & GRAND-AM - Syracuse, NY - July 21st

[james]

2012 marks our third straight year of partnership with GRAND-AM Road Racing and the second year that we are providing race winners in both the Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype (DP) and Grand Touring (GT) classes with a unique trophy – a fully functional PRS SE Singlecut electric guitar customized with GRAND-AM and Rolex Sports Car Series logos. To support this partnership and work to connect the music and racing worlds in new and exciting ways, we are hitting the road for a series of Guitar Center events and race day concerts with stops at Guitar Center Syracuse and Watkins Glen International.

On July 21, PRS, In Tune Monthly magazine, and Guitar Center will host a pre-race Guitar Center PRS Fan Day at Guitar Center Syracuse. This event offers players unique opportunities, including free setups on their PRS guitars, meetings with product specialists from our Maryland factory, and in-depth product demonstrations. During the event fans will also be able to see – and even purchase – replica PRS/GRAND-AM trophy guitars exclusively at Guitar Center.

But perhaps the most exciting element of the day will be the "Race to the Stage" auditions. Hosted by In Tune Monthly, the publication for music students and teachers in grades 7-12, "Race to the Stage" awards a PRS SE guitar and SE amplifier to the winning player and gives one area high school musician the opportunity to win the chance to perform live on August 10, 2012 at the Watkins Glen International NASCAR Sprint Cup and GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series race weekend. There, the lucky winner will play with PRS band The Rocky Mountain Stoneflies to open for Ithaca based power rock band Mike Brindisi and the New York Rock, British-blues phenom Davy Knowles, and country sensation Marlee Scott. If you will be at the race, be sure to go to the Red Cat Summer Stage on the infield when the race ends (around 7:30 p.m.) to see the FREE full concert.

Race to the Stage auditions will be open until July 18th. Go to www.intunemonthly.com/racetothestage to register

 

[wilerty]

I'll be there ... it's about 5 minutes from my house. It's worth it just to watch Len work his majic ...

 

[Michael B]

Think I will be there!!

 

[wilerty]

I spent several hours at GC today. Jack, Len, Mike, and Rhett were there from PRS and I had Len "detail" both my guitars. It was good to see Mike B, who brought his Mira and Tremonti in from Saratoga. The competition started at 2PM and the young guns were very good and the winner walked away with an SE guitar and amp ... and he will play at Watkins Glenn with the PRS Band in August. When I last saw him he was leaning toward an SE Hollowbody and an SE 50. I was very impressed with the SE amps.

Len after finishing ...

... then he tried it out ...

Then Rhett tried it out with two SE amps. He's an unbelievable player ... at least I now know how good my guitar can sound

... Then Mike tried it out ...

Sorry ... I didn't get a picture of Jack ...

 

[Michael B]

Great pics Bill!!! It was definately a great time!! Your Private Stock is stunning man wow!! Unbelievable in person!! It was great to hang with the guys and meet you too Bill!! My guitars play awesome after Len did his magic!!!! Definately worth the ride to get the free setup! Got to talk with Jack for quite a while,great guy, asked me all kinds of questions about what i like or don't like with anything PRS...theres nothing to dislike about PRS,told him everything you guys do is special and to keep up the great work!! He also said he has a few surprises this year at the experience after I told him how much I enjoy being there every year. Then we discussed his PRS collection....wow....would love to see those!

 

[jaydee]

Hi everyone. I'm new to the forum. My 14 year old son was the winner at the Syracuse, NY Race To The Stage audition Saturday. Winning was great and getting a PRS guitar and amp package is unbelievable. But I really want everyone to know what an incredible goup of people are at PRS. Jack, Mike, Lenny and Rhett were the friendliest, most knowledgeable and helpful people I've ever run across in the industry and I spent 30 years operating music stores in Rochester and later, in Syracuse. I am so happy to have met them. Jon is so looking forward to receiving his guitar and amp and can't wait to play with the PRS Band at The Glen in August.

 

[Shawn@PRS]

Congrats Jon, well done!

 

[Shawn@PRS]

If anyone is interested in lending a hand to the PRS team at Watkins Glen on August 10th, please drop us a line at custserv @prsguitars.com
We will have complimentary tickets along with Hot Passes for the volunteers. Must be 21 years of age or older.
Limited space is available, so first come first serve please and thank you!

 

[jaydee]

On behalf on my 14 year old son, Jon, I want to thank all the great PRS people; Jack, Mike and the complete staff for making Watkins Glen such a memorable event for us. For a 14 year old guitar player to perform with such a great group of musicians from PRS and the great Davy Knowles, in front of 10,000 enthusiastic race fans, was something he will never forget. (Or stop talking about.) Not only that, he's in love with the new MDT amp! Dad

 

[wilerty]

We need pictures or videos ...

 

[Shawn@PRS]

We need pictures or videos ...

yeah come on dad, we know you have videos

 

[jaydee]

Hope to have Watkins Glen video soon.

yeah come on dad, we know you have videos

I've got plenty of videos but I understandthat there is a PRS video of the Glen performance that may be available soon. In the meantime if you want to check Jon out, here's his web site; www.jondretto.com (I'm new so I don't know if it's OK for his link. If not, I'll delete it.)

 

[Shawn@PRS]

Fantastic, I'm sure you are very proud of him!

Hopefully Jon was able to talk to Davy Knowles. Davy is a great guy and not much older than Jon.

 

[jaydee]

The guys brought Davy on stage to join Jon. They killed together. Davy was great to Jon and he's a bit older. Jon is 14 and Davy is 26, I think.