Started the PS Custom Build Process

BWV548

Custom Title
Joined
May 28, 2017
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570
I achieved a fairly major musical and life milestone this past Saturday and decided to kick off my PS build earlier that I had originally planned.
Last friday, I conducted JS Bach's Mass in B Minor, something I've dreamed of doing since I first heard the piece, around age 17. If you don't know the piece, you should. It represents the summation of Bach's musical output; sort of his own reliquary for himself and mankind.
The fact that I got to do it conducting an orchestra playing period instruments (tuned to A=415) made the experience all the more amazing. It was an incredible experience, utter fear and all - I'm not a professional conductor and it's been around 20 years that I'd conducted a group; prior to the rehearsals for this performance.

The initial specs for the guitar are:
  • Body based on 594 double cut
  • Semi-hollow
  • F-hole
  • Pattern vintage neck
  • Ebony fingerboard
  • 58/15 in bass position
  • 58/15 LT in the treble position - I like a bit less power in the treble position. That’s contrary to what most people seem to want, I think
  • NF pickup in center position
  • Toggle switch to turn NF pickup on and off
  • “Breve” inlays in abalone. Based on the rectangle breve, not the one that look like a whole note (semi-breve) with two bars on either side
  • Mahogany body. Flamed maple top in something like a faded duvall red.
I expect there will be a fair bit of back and forth, on clarifying specs, and recommendations from PRS; but this is the starting point.
Very excited to see the final product!
 
Congrats on the milestone, that's exciting! As is the PS build.

A few questions...

Is the Breve inlay a total custom inlay?

Bridge type? Any burst treatment? Describe how the controls would work, including the toggle? In other words, how do you control volume and tone for the NF pup with a 594 layout? Top finish? i.e. high gloss nitro, etc. Neck wood? Inlay and PS Eagle material? Button wood? More decisions.... :)
 
Congrats on both fronts! Are you coming to the factory to choose the wood for your PS build?
Not gotten that far yet. Just formally engaged my dealer on Monday. Once I know more about the process, I'll make more detailed decisions. I've never had a guitar custom built, by prs or any other luthier. So I'm very green!
 
Congrats on the milestone, that's exciting! As is the PS build.

A few questions...

Is the Breve inlay a total custom inlay?

Bridge type? Any burst treatment? Describe how the controls would work, including the toggle? In other words, how do you control volume and tone for the NF pup with a 594 layout? Top finish? i.e. high gloss nitro, etc. Neck wood? Inlay and PS Eagle material? Button wood? More decisions.... :)
I imagine the breve will be a custom inlay. Bridge two piece, adjustable stop.
As for the rest, too early. Just formally engaged dealer three days ago. Though I know the details of how music is put together, quite well, I'm a novice on guitar construction. So I'll be looking to PRS to advice on many things, to make sure I'm making the best decisions on what I *think* I want
 
First, congrats on conducting the Bach piece. That's amazing. I love the Bach pieces that translate to classical guitar.... well, when other people play them anyway.. haha.

Also congrats on the PS process. I also just put a deposit down on a PS build and am very close to finalizing the specs. Looking forward to seeing yours!
 
Congratulations on conducting Bach! That had to be a total rush! Did the string players use gut strings and the shorter period bows as well? The pickup combination sounds wonderful. We`ll be eager to hear the details as it develops.
 
Not gotten that far yet. Just formally engaged my dealer on Monday. Once I know more about the process, I'll make more detailed decisions. I've never had a guitar custom built, by prs or any other luthier. So I'm very green!

When things progress a little further, you can set up and appointment with your dealer to visit the factory where you can sit down with the PS team who will help guide you through the process and help you choose the woods. Their expertise is invaluable.
 
The strings were mostly gut. By that I mean some of the violin players will use a steel string substitution at times - often G. Bows seemed to be a combination of 17th and 18th century; but I'm not an expert on the bowed strings
Strings were 3,3,2 and in the continuo 1 cello and 1 violone
 
Congrats!! You are OBLIGATED by the Forum to keep us abreast of the process, including pictures whenever possible;)
 
Very sweet on both counts!

My first conducting session was accidental. I'd written and was producing the soundtrack for a Budweiser ad for an Olympics campaign back in the 90s.

I was used to pop sessions where players would simply read Nashville style charts, and somehow expected that orchestral players would be able to follow a click track and read notation charts on the fly for a 30 second ad. Wrong.

So my agency clients were at the session, and the orchestra just sat there when we rolled tape. "We need a conductor," one of them finally said. I about pooped my pants. I had no idea what to do and had to fake it in front of clients.

:rolleyes:

Fortunately, it worked out, but unbeknownst to me, the mics were live in the control room, and my admission that "Gosh, forgive me, I've never done this," was clearly heard by the clients, who thankfully thought it was funny instead of getting pissed.

The strangest part of the experience was that I really just stood there, pretended I was Leopold in that old Bugs Bunny cartoon, kept time with one hand, and pointed to the French horns when it was their cue to come in. That was it. And they got it right on the first take, after maybe one or two run-throughs beforehand.

I could never conduct Bach. My hat is off to you, sir!
 
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Congrats - sounds like a nice build!

When things progress a little further, you can set up and appointment with your dealer to visit the factory where you can sit down with the PS team who will help guide you through the process and help you choose the woods. Their expertise is invaluable.

I can't recommend this highly enough. Aside from being just a wonderful experience, getting to discuss what you want out of the instrument with the build team is invaluable (to use Shawn's words!). Their guidance helped make my PS a better guitar, both sonically and visually. Plus you can get your hands on the wood that's available for your guitar, and what pieces are actually there that day can move some of your choices in slightly different directions - that happened w/my build. I fully intended on getting an East Indian rosewood neck. That part was decided right up front when I decided not to spend the extra money on Brazilian. Got to the library, tapped the EIRW neck blanks and picked the best...Honduran RW. It's not something I'd have given much consideration beforehand, and I'm pretty certain I wouldn't have ended up w/that neck if I hadn't been in the room.

I can't wait until I can go it again - hopefully that will happen.
 
If you can make the visit to the factory work for you, it is a great experience and will make the guitar even more personal.
Congratulations on the milestone.
Your build sounds like it should be great.
 
Do it! Oh.
  • 58/15 LT in the treble position - I like a bit less power in the treble position. That’s contrary to what most people seem to want, I think
They usually put a higher energy pickup in the bridge position to compensate for the weaker signal coming from the strings -- they don't travel as far, you see.

And then they try to make it so that both pickups transmit ~ the same amount of signal, so that those middle pickup selector positions mix nicely.

Now that said, I know someone who never uses his bridge position, because it's too bright for his tastes. Perhaps what it is you want is a mellower pickup sound in the bridge position? Just guessing, so feel free to correct me.
 
Do it! Oh.
They usually put a higher energy pickup in the bridge position to compensate for the weaker signal coming from the strings -- they don't travel as far, you see.

And then they try to make it so that both pickups transmit ~ the same amount of signal, so that those middle pickup selector positions mix nicely.

Now that said, I know someone who never uses his bridge position, because it's too bright for his tastes. Perhaps what it is you want is a mellower pickup sound in the bridge position? Just guessing, so feel free to correct me.

I was thinking along the same lines actually. What are you after in general with your current pickup configuration? "Usually" you'd see two LTs or an LT in the neck position for just this reason. Just curious, there's no right answer.
 
Do it! Oh.
They usually put a higher energy pickup in the bridge position to compensate for the weaker signal coming from the strings -- they don't travel as far, you see.

And then they try to make it so that both pickups transmit ~ the same amount of signal, so that those middle pickup selector positions mix nicely.

Now that said, I know someone who never uses his bridge position, because it's too bright for his tastes. Perhaps what it is you want is a mellower pickup sound in the bridge position? Just guessing, so feel free to correct me.
Yup. Exactly. I rarely use the bridge P/U and when I do, I roll down a lot of tone
 
Yup. Exactly. I rarely use the bridge P/U and when I do, I roll down a lot of tone
So just put in a mellower pickup. I don't think the 58/15LT is going to be any mellower. IMHO, it would behoove you to go back to amplitude matching the pickups, but maybe finding one with a different tone profile. But maybe it's less important with the 594 knob layout and functions. But it's your build, do what you want. And/or perhaps discuss it with the dealer.

Cheers! I am excited for you.
 
This is helpful and exactly why I'm looking forward to consulting with the prs folks. I have a good sense of what I'm looking for sonically, but only a rudimentary idea of how to achieve it with electronics
 
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