Hi, I've been considering a silver sky for quite some time, love PRS own 2 SE models and a fender strat among others. Questions to long term owners of the silver sky. How do you feel about the guitar as a long term keeper?
Is it as impressive over time as when you bought it or are there things you don't like about it that have emerged during use?
Also for anyone with both, maple or rosewood fret board?
Hi
I have played Strats as my go to guitar for nearly 40 years. I was curious about the SS, but concerned that the neck shape might be too chunky. I finally found a second hand SS at a guitar fair and was able to try it and it felt great. I don’t have massive hands, so was very pleasantly surprised. I traded a1979 Strat for it which also required some additional cash to be added.
Bottom line - it is now my number 1 guitar!
Why?
The Positives
It feels great-I set it up with 9-42 strings with the term decked.
It sustains longer than my previous No 1 Strat - around 30:sec compared to 12 sec for my American St Strat. Paul Reed Smith talks about this on his videos and it is a good thing to check when comparing guitars.
I love the tone in all pick up positions and I like the feel of the Rosewood slab board.
I use it with a Fender Blues Junior
After buying it, I enjoyed rehearsals with it and then got to gig it and it just gets better and better as I refine the amp and pedal settings.
I have finally got the sound in the room that my head had been seeking for all these years-it is that good!
It plays evenly in all notes across the neck-I have not found that on any other electric guitar.
It is super stable-stays in tune all night and is usually still in tune when it comes out for the next session.
It is light, which I like -around 7lb 5 oz, so comfortable to the neck and shoulder.
I like the look of it- now discontinued Horizon Red- Candy Apple Red if it was a Fender-finish quality is sublime.
I think the guitar covers all the Strat tones and other territory too. The pick ups are hotter than the Am Std, but warmer and thicker. I use position 1 a lot and it is great, but I use all positions during our sets.
The locking tuners are superb. I don’t mind the plastic tuner buttons or the scarf joint in the neck. I believe Taylor use scarf joints and I can’t see an issue. Lack of string trees must help stability and tone/sustain, so the trade off, if any, is worth it.
Fretwork is immaculate. Any fears on fretboard radius and choking are also unfounded with my set up and playing style.
Overall build quality is superb. This is my first PRS, so I now understand why everyone raves about PRS quality control.
Final point is regarding signature models. I am not generally a fan, so I like the fact that the signature bit is on the back, on the neck plate, rather than shouting from the front of the guitar.
The Negatives
I have yet to find any.
People complain about the gig bag, but it is fine. I have always used hard cases, but I am getting use to it. It also overcomes another possible problem regarding PRS strap buttons. I unscrewed these to fit the strap and leave the strap on all the time. I can do this with the gig bag, but I don’t think it would fit in the close fitting hard case with the strap still on. I put a cleaning cloth in to stop the strap making contact with the nitro covered neck and the rest of the time the guitar is in a rack at home or a stand at gigs/rehearsals. If I wanted to use a hard case, I would replace the strap buttons with strap locks.
Conclusion
It takes something special to displace a guitar that has been my No 1 for 25 years and the SS has done it. It is a keeper for sure!
Is it worth the money? Well that is a personal choice…In my case I would say yes, having bought second hand. I would struggle to justify the price of a new one for me, but you get what you pay for and I think the coming together of PRS and JM has paid off big time.
If you try with an open mind, be prepared to be amazed. If you try one with a closed mind, you might still be amazed!
Hope that gives food for thought.
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