PRS had made 2 prototype guitars for EVH

[Black-Viper75]

I had no idea PRS had made 2 prototype guitars for Eddie Van Halen in the late 90's. I just found this out on Instagram. Here's the link
https://www.instagram.com/p/CRPP9sCMyis/?utm_medium=copy_link

 

[Drew]

Thats pretty old news. We have a member here who owns one of those.

The more interesting thing I didn't know about is the strat bodied semi hollow floyd that PRS built for Neil Schon and he is currently auctioning off. If you read between the tea leaves, he's a bit salty that PRS didn't go with his design but ultimately did the Mayer model.

 

[markd21]

Yeah!! That's cool. I think a dude here owns one. Or both.

 

[Black-Viper75]

Thats pretty old news. We have a member here who owns one of those.

The more interesting thing I didn't know about is the strat bodied semi hollow floyd that PRS built for Neil Schon and he is current

Yeah!! That's cool. I think a dude here owns one. Or both.

Seriously, I had no idea. Looks like I've flunked PRS History class.

 

[Buildermike]

Hansomatic owns one of them, scroll down a ways.

https://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/the-hansomatic-collection.35238/

 

[WEDGE]

Those are Hans’s pics I believe, didn’t he paint the case and tuners?

 

[Black-Viper75]

Hansomatic owns one of them, scroll down a ways.

https://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/the-hansomatic-collection.35238/

Thanks for sharing that post. I'd never came across it before. That's one jaw dropping collection that Hansomatic has.

 

[Buildermike]

Those are Hans’s pics I believe, didn’t he paint the case and tuners?

Yes Paul, those are Han's pics. He painted the tuners and case in EVH theme. It did not come from the factory that way.

Hope Hans will chime in to fill in the details.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Seriously, I had no idea. Looks like I've flunked PRS History class.

Nah, don't feel bad about that. There are those who have been here long enough to know all of this stuff, and then there are the rest of us.

I did know this one though so maybe.... someday...

 

[bodia]

Cool stuff, for sure.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

what really is food for thought though, is where PRS would be as a company if Eddie had jumped on board back then. The tremendous growth spurt they've had the last few years would have happened back then, and the company would have had much more opportunity to try new things and all things on a bigger scale. Then again, they may not have been able to handle the overnight success that may have resulted. Trying to scale up quickly has been the downfall of many companies. EDIT: especially ones that strive for top of the line QC. Usually that suffers when scaling up quickly.

But where would PRS be today if Eddie bought in to that and immediately requested a line of high gain amps? Maybe a very different company...

 

[garrett]

https://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/the-edward-van-halen-evh-prototype-prs-1-of-2.8656/

 

[RC Mike]

what really is food for thought though, is where PRS would be as a company if Eddie had jumped on board back then. The tremendous growth spurt they've had the last few years would have happened back then, and the company would have had much more opportunity to try new things and all things on a bigger scale. Then again, they may not have been able to handle the overnight success that may have resulted. Trying to scale up quickly has been the downfall of many companies. EDIT: especially ones that strive for top of the line QC. Usually that suffers when scaling up quickly.

But where would PRS be today if Eddie bought in to that and immediately requested a line of high gain amps? Maybe a very different company...

Ah, the joys of alternative histories! Given what Peavey went through with EVH, one has to wonder how quickly any relationship between PRS and EVH would have lost its luster. The idea of PRS not improving/changing/evolving a design over a period of time is hard to accept now, but in the late 90s to mid-2000s, maybe not. Same with the idea of strong personalities each giving in to the other with the idea of creating more success. Historically, that wasn't EVH's strong suit.

Imagine the need to immediately expand production, followed a few years later by a fizzling of the relationship. I suspect that's part of what caused Peavey to leave the market, eventually.

What might be most interesting to me would be the acceleration of the SE line, to include a mass-market PRS/EVH product. The S2s might have come along earlier, had PRS ramped up US production, then have excess capacity once the relationship inevitably crumbled.

It may have accelerated PRS's pickup evolution, too.

The drive towards more vintage sounding/feeling guitars that PRS began with the McCarty, then really dove into with the Singlecuts... That would have been a very different direction from where EVH wanted to go. PRS with a super-strat focus?

 

[Black-Viper75]

Nah, don't feel bad about that. There are those who have been here long enough to know all of this stuff, and then there are the rest of us.

I did know this one though so maybe.... someday...

I've only been here little over a year now but with how everyone is so welcoming, friendly and helpful it feels like I've been a member of the forums for much longer. I'm starting to wonder what other coll tid bits of PRS' history I haven't came across yet ?

 

[alantig]

I've only been here little over a year now but with how everyone is so welcoming, friendly and helpful it feels like I've been a member of the forums for much longer. I'm starting to wonder what other coll tid bits of PRS' history I haven't came across yet ?

The PRSh/mouse farts era, I'm guessing.

 

[Tosca]

I've only been here little over a year now but with how everyone is so welcoming, friendly and helpful it feels like I've been a member of the forums for much longer. I'm starting to wonder what other coll tid bits of PRS' history I haven't came across yet ?

Just be happy you missed sinker-mahogany-gate and the felt washer controversy.

 

[DISTORT6]

Just be happy you missed sinker-mahogany-gate and the felt washer controversy.

Don’t forget Sweet Switch washer debacle.
That might predate this place.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

And the Nigel Tufnel resonance debacle!

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Ha, I missed all those. But, you know...