PRS... PLEASE SAY HE IS A NEW SIGNATURE ARTIST!!!

[kbprs]

That is PS to a T. Anyone know what those switches do?????

I think the leading guess is 3 switches for individual coil splits, and 2 switches to reverse the polarity of the in-between positions -- probably polarity of neck and bridge? And it looks like a Gen III trem, not a piezo.

I'm curious if these protos will be used to narrow down to a most-used set of controls, or if the full control set will stick.

 

[Jazzedout]

Yeap... the trem looks like a GEN III with locking saddles; not a piezo bridge...

 

[rugerpc]

...continued deployment of the apparatus is hardly a necessity.

Oh, but it is... Even if you are only going to - perhaps I should just stop right there.

Mayer looked pretty dorky bobbing up and down in that video. I think Clapton was laughing at him.

I really like John Mayer's playing, but watching him play reminds me of John Belushi doing Joe Cocker.

 

[themike]

That is PS to a T. Anyone know what those switches do?????

3 pickup splits and 2 preamp controls.

 

[alantig]

That is PS to a T. Anyone know what those switches do?????

- One switch opens the door to the Batpoles
- One switch activates the pod bay door
- One switch changes between heating and cooling
- One switch makes you bigger
- The other makes you small

 

[Dusty Chalk]

And one doesn't do anything at all? I'll have to ask...

No, they probably took that one out.

 

[Milchschnitte]

There is a video on youtube where John explains the layout of the guitar. It does have a battery.

 

[ViperDoc]

Hahah! Nice. "Calls Batman". "Makes me a sandwich."

I thought NF pickups don't split, so I'd buy into a series/parallel or phase switch. That guitar is like Houston control at any rate. I'll be looking for that video.

 

[Tosca]

I had this switching layout described (with pictures) to me when I was last at the factory in May. If my limited electronics knowledge and memory are correct...3 coil splits, 1 treble booster ("blower") switch, the final switch/knob control an internal tube screamer type overdrive.

 

[themike]

Hahah! Nice. "Calls Batman". "Makes me a sandwich."

I thought NF pickups don't split, so I'd buy into a series/parallel or phase switch. That guitar is like Houston control at any rate. I'll be looking for that video.

1) They figured out a way

2) Who said anything about NF pickups?

 

[G-Man]

You guys have all been punked….that is a BC Rich from the 80's that has been photo shopped.

 

[parek]

Even if I'm not a fan of Mayer's girly blues songs, he's bluesier guitar playing and style is just fantastic.

BTW, I have always wondered PRS "artist endorsements"...I find the chosen artist mostly a little bit odd. Most of the names I have never heard. I have ZM SE guitar, but had never heard of ZM's own music. As guessed, it was very modern and "young" and did nothing for me. Then there are a couple of great session guitarists who surely can play in a monster way, but...I am not exited about session guitarists signature models. Then there are a couple of heavy metal guys; that style of music I liked when I was 15, not as a adult. PRS's are not the cheapest guitars around, so in that light I find those heavy metal signatures quite strange. I suppose PRS buyers are mostly adults. Sorry, I hope I'm not sounding too negative.

Mayer would be a great addition to the artist lineup.

PS: I love my ZM, but would definitely prefer the same guitar without ZM/Shinedown connection.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Just to knock at a couple of your points:

Why wouldn't you be excited about a session guitarist's signature model? Session guitarists are often the best (and certainly PRS signature artists are across the board great players with great tone). And they sometimes come with some very well thought out features, like the humbucker split on whosever signature model that is that makes it the same level.

I'm an adult, and I still listen to metal, and I'm not going to defend it. You can think of me as juvenile if you care to make sweeping generalizations, but you'd be wrong. Sure, there's a lot of juvenile-ity (?) in metal, but for great swaths of time, that's also where the most interesting and progressive things were happening.

 

[parek]

Why wouldn't you be excited about a session guitarist's signature model?

It's little bit difficult to explain... Probably because I don't listen to styles of music (or artists) that use session guitarists. I am not denying that there are great players and their signature models might be great. I can name a few outstanding country session guitarist and really adore their playing, but hearing their work in the band context (behind the singer, so to speak) does nothing for me (because I cannot stand country music, but love good country guitar picking).

I'm an adult, and I still listen to metal, and I'm not going to defend it. You can think of me as juvenile if you care to make sweeping generalizations, but you'd be wrong. Sure, there's a lot of juvenile-ity (?) in metal, but for great swaths of time, that's also where the most interesting and progressive things were happening.

I did not say that one has to be juvenile to listen to metal. I would say that majority of metal is listened by youngsters and most of the people who buy high dollar guitars are adults, so that I find a little bit odd combination to have high dollar metal signature PRS guitars. Well, PRS do have those SE models that appeal to young metal crowd also, so maybe that is a good thing after all. And of course there are other brands that also have high dollar metal signature guitars...

To sum it up: I would rather have guitar models (in all brands) that were endorsed by players, but that they would not be labeled as a "signature" models. Like I said before, my ZM SE is absolutely fantastic guitar, but I do find if slightly off-putting that that guitar is a signature model (his name is written on the headstock). I do not like the music of his band or was not exited about his playing style. Again, I don't mind if someone else does have different opinion.

I'm pretty sure John Mayer can design a great PRS with really cool features, but even that guitar I would like to rather buy without the "John Mayer signature" label. Even if I really like his style of playing.

 

[shinksma]

Having attended some "metal" concerts recently (since I'm a big ole metalhead, and prog rocker, and...), I can assure you there are more adults than kids listening to metal, or at least spending their money on it (the kids are probably just downloading torrents).

As for PRS's choice of artists to endorse, the pool of available big-name artists is not that expansive. It's not like Jeff Beck or David Gilmour or <insert your fave classic rock artist here> need to endorse any particular guitar brand anyway, they just have strong associations with certain axes, and they are really unlikely to endorse something like PRS at this stage of their career.

Just out of interest, which artist(s) would you like to see PRS pick up as endorsers?

Anyway, just like PRS with Zach Myers or whoever, Gibson had that guy endorsing their main guitar model for so many years, which he helped design (or didn't help much, depending on what you believe/read), with his name on the headstock, yet I don't really listen to that type of music very much, and I sure didn't buy mine because of him...Les Paul.

If you don't like the ZM name on the headstock, you can always get a really big truss rod cover, get the headstock refinished (or just put a veneer layer of something like rosewood or birdseye maple up there), etc.

Oh, and I would save up and buy a John Mayer sig model in a heartbeat, because I know it would be very very different from anything PRS currently does.

 

[parek]

Having attended some "metal" concerts recently (since I'm a big ole metalhead, and prog rocker, and...), I can assure you there are more adults than kids listening to metal,

Is this because youngsters do not have the age to attend to the concerts? yeah, I admit, I might be wrong here.

Just out of interest, which artist(s) would you like to see PRS pick up as endorsers?

I don't mind who endorses PRS (or whatever) brand guitars. It's fine and great that Mayer endorses PRS, but I would rather buy his guitar without the signature label etc. One of my favorite musician is Robert Cray and I have owned his signature strat, but only because it had all the good features (hardtail bridge, great neck etc.). Even that guitar I would have rather liked without the Robert Cray connection.

Anyway, just like PRS with Zach Myers or whoever, Gibson had that guy endorsing their main guitar model for so many years, which he helped design (or didn't help much, depending on what you believe/read), with his name on the headstock, yet I don't really listen to that type of music very much, and I sure didn't buy mine because of him...Les Paul.

That's a good point... There is nothing revolutionary about having Mayer PRS or Clapton strat etc. because there are hundred other PRS and strat models also available. In the case of Les Paul, he was a part of inventing a whole new guitar model (shape, style etc.).

If you don't like the ZM name on the headstock, you can always get a really big truss rod cover, get the headstock refinished (or just put a veneer layer of something like rosewood or birdseye maple up there), etc.

This would still not change the fact that the guitar is a signature model of a guitarist that I do not care about I don't mind the signature, but prefer to have the guitar without it. That's all.

Just out of curiosity, would you rather buy a amazing guitar with of without the label of it being a signature model if you would really dislike that guitarists playing style and music?

 

[drdoom8793]

It's little bit difficult to explain... Probably because I don't listen to styles of music (or artists) that use session guitarists. I am not denying that there are great players and their signature models might be great. I can name a few outstanding country session guitarist and really adore their playing, but hearing their work in the band context (behind the singer, so to speak) does nothing for me (because I cannot stand country music, but love good country guitar picking).



I did not say that one has to be juvenile to listen to metal. I would say that majority of metal is listened by youngsters and most of the people who buy high dollar guitars are adults, so that I find a little bit odd combination to have high dollar metal signature PRS guitars. Well, PRS do have those SE models that appeal to young metal crowd also, so maybe that is a good thing after all. And of course there are other brands that also have high dollar metal signature guitars...

To sum it up: I would rather have guitar models (in all brands) that were endorsed by players, but that they would not be labeled as a "signature" models. Like I said before, my ZM SE is absolutely fantastic guitar, but I do find if slightly off-putting that that guitar is a signature model (his name is written on the headstock). I do not like the music of his band or was not exited about his playing style. Again, I don't mind if someone else does have different opinion.

I'm pretty sure John Mayer can design a great PRS with really cool features, but even that guitar I would like to rather buy without the "John Mayer signature" label. Even if I really like his style of playing.

Pretty sure every major brand makes signature models and loads of them have some sort of label or name on them to identify it as a signature model. Besides, the whole point of a signature model is typically to create a model of exactly what the artist wants in a guitar or to tweak an existing model to have different features to suit the artist's liking. Besides, while you may not like (or even know) the player, there are plenty of players (especially younger ones) that would look and say "hey, I really like (insert artist here). PRS (or whatever brand) just put out a signature model! Now I can own the same (or a similar) guitar to what he plays!"

Short answer: If you don't like it, cover it up. I seem to remember someone on here that had a Mike Mushok SE and covered it up

Just out of curiosity, would you rather buy a amazing guitar with of without the label of it being a signature model if you would really dislike that guitarists playing style and music?

If it's a sweet guitar, I don't really care who it is. I mean, I enjoy Shinedown, but honestly, I think their best work was before Zach even joined the band. Not to mention, there's plenty of guys on here who bought the ZM model who didn't know (or didn't care) who Zach Myers was, they just saw a great guitar!

 

[shinksma]

Is this because youngsters do not have the age to attend to the concerts? yeah, I admit, I might be wrong here.

Most of the concerts I go to are all-ages. Took my fiancee and her 16-year-old daughter to Five Finger Death Punch (plus Volbeat, Nothing More and Hell Yeah) last year, for example.

Just out of curiosity, would you rather buy a amazing guitar with of without the label of it being a signature model if you would really dislike that guitarists playing style and music?

I honestly can't think of a guitarist I dislike for playing style/music. I might not actively like them, but if there was a sig model from the guitarist for a band like One Direction (I assume they have guitars :wink: ) and it was a model with good and unique features I'd consider buying it. If it is a sound made by a guitar, then I generally like it! I'm sure plenty of them are jerks personality-wise, but I also wouldn't necessarily let that sway me either.

OK, how about a hypothetical: if PRS came out with a guitar endorsed by Kanye West, I would probably actively avoid it, because I really do not respect that man (I put that as mildly as I could) nor do I particularly like his specific music (although I do like some hip hop and rap). But that seems like a huge stretch - I don't think PRS would ever associate themselves with any artist not actually known for playing a guitar well. But if there was a guitarist-equivalent to Mr. West, then I would probably avoid that model like the plague.

I bought my ZM not having really known much about Shinedown (but having heard them a fair bit on the radio, as it turned out once I looked them up). I bought the ZM for the features, not the name, but I understand why the name can be important - it brings brand awareness to that artist's audience.

As it turns out, I quite like Shinedown and ZM now, and will probably get the new album. Hmm, can't remember if I've pre-ordered it or not...

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Believe it or not, PRS does not have a signature guitar with every guitarist with whom they have a relationship -- Steven Wilson and John Wesley both have PRS guitars, but no sigs. I suspect they only make a sig if one can be created that is sufficiently different from any of their lineup to justify it. And if the artist is interested. I'm sure there have been many aborted attempts at coming up with a signature guitar, but because of the wishes of either one party or the other, never came to fruition.

I don't buy or not buy a guitar because it's a signature guitar. I buy it because it does or it doesn't have a set of features that I want or don't want. I did try to recreate Gilmour's strat, but that's because I grew up on his sound and consider it an ideal to which to strive. I also love Oldfield's music, but I don't even know what kind of guitars he plays. I have a ZM now -- no idea who he is. I have a Paul's Guitar -- he's okay, I guess. I love Alex Lifeson and Neal Schon, but I don't have any of their guitars. I have no idea who most of these people are, but I'm not going to rule out a Wampler pedal because it has a country artist's name on it (don't particularly like country much).

I guess my point is, I really don't care if it has someone's name on it, and I'm not really sure why you do. I read the words, but they just seem to be backpedaling -- you brought up the 15 year old thing, that's why I assumed that you associated it with your own juvenile years. Similarly, you brought up not wanting the sig to be a sig, so when you say "you don't really mind", that just sounds like backpedaling. It's okay to have an opinion, just expect it to be challenged once in a while. Just a friendly argument. Do you think it being a sig raises the price? Because it doesn't. There are some artists that insist on having an entry level version of their guitar -- Grohl doesn't have a PRS sig, but if he did, I suspect he would insist on having an entry level version, considering his view of pawn shop guitars (good) and people like me who chase tone through gear but should concentrate on practicing more (bad). But there's some that don't care, and only want their name associated with a guitar that they feel comfortable having their name on, but then it becomes an economy of manufacturing. I don't think DGT is any more or less expensive because it has Grissom's name on it, I just don't think the guitar would have existed in the first place if it didn't.

 

[parek]

I guess my point is, I really don't care if it has someone's name on it, and I'm not really sure why you do.

For example one reason: resale value. Many people do care if the guitar is "signature" model or not. Many don't. John Mayer fans might like to have JM sig, but someone who dislikes his music might not even if the specs were nice. I would imagine that generally it is easier to resell non-signature guitars. I might be wrong - wouldn't be the first time.