D
Deleted member 5962
Guest
It's lighting up like a Christmas Tree over there! 
Tele?!?!
- Thread starter RedGuitars
- Start date
That sure looks like a Teletype to me, or at least more than a passing nod at one. The body shows telltale and familiar signs of having a PRS wand (or carving knife?) waved over it, and isn't handsome (compared to a Tele) in the way that the PRS singlecut isn't terribly handsome (compared to a Lester). But as with the PRS singlecut design, I suppose we'd all get used to it and defend the slightly stuffed-up homage if the guitar was ALL THAT.
And I'd never put it past Paul & Co to make the guitar all that. They've sure perfected others' seemingly codified builds in the past.
I see that the bridge narrowfield is slightly angled: an effort toward Tele tone, or just appearance? One would have to take the guitar in hand (and ear) to know. But it seems like an obvious step on the way to Teletopia - if only a default first step. You know, "well, the narrowfield works pretty well in our 2-1-2 sortasuperstrats, so it makes sense to start here."
Seems to me the best PRSeses gradually evolve to their state of highest perfection in a methodical, incremental way - which process of perpetual improvement is a Durn Good Thing, and I completely approve. Since none of us have actually held, played, or heard this possibly-prototype - do we even know the scale length, fergawdsake? - I spose we should refrain from judgment. But at least superficially, I have to wonder if a slightly angled narrowfield mounted in wood will actually deliver paroxysms of Tele satisfaction.
Because, yeah, that bridge pickup behavior is an awful large part of what makes a Tele, a Tele.
Also too and additionally, I'm not sure how far a guitar's shape can vary from True Tele and still SOUND like a Tele. I know that sounds perfectly nutty. It sure does to me. If I were forced to, as for a creative writing assignment, I could probably propose fanciful physics for how the shape of a guitar's body (as opposed to its overall weight, mass, and density) could possibly determine its tone - but I'd have to practically puncture cheek with tongue, and I'd be ashamed for a scientist to think I took myself seriously.
Meaning I have a hard time seriously proposing such a thing.
But.
I hold that empirical doubt sacrosanct in one hand, while in the other I keep kneading my hands-on experience - wherein guitars with ostensibly Teletastic specs (scale, woods, pickups) haven't screamed TELE, but Tele-shaped guitars with different scale length and humbuckers, dammitall, sound more like Teles.
So I don't know.
The PRSians obviously determined that a triple-single solidbody had to look like a Strat to really fly (in the silver sky, get it?). So, in the event this apparent (and very non-PRSily non-visually-spectacular) one-off really IS a prototype for a PRSTele (whether early or late in the iterative process), I guess I'll be curious to see/hear how the body of any eventual actual announced model looks.
Because if it looks kinda like a Tele (in the way a PRS singlecut kinda looks like a Less Paul) but doesn't sound like one...well, that would be pointless (to me) and presumably embarrassing to PRS. On the other hand, if it truly captures that unique and distinctive bridgepup tone (and has even a merely competent neckpup)...it might not matter how it looks.
And I shouldn't even care: I have all the Teles I feel like I need. But I do keep trying different variations on the build - and sometimes just another instance of the classic specs. Why do I do that? Why do we do that? Because good enough is never enough? Because we wonder if something can be better than perfect? Because it's our responsibility to support our consumerist economy? Or because I buy (guitars), therefore I am?
Durned if I know.
At this rate I'll be dead by the time they release a PRS Flying V.
I wish I could sing like that dude....
sergiodeblanc
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2012
- Messages
- 27,388
Do you think you’ll die before they announce it, or before they start shipping?
On one hand it seems like they’re running out of ideas or Joe Knaggs designs, but on the other they’re so backed up with Gibson and Fender “homages” they can’t fill demand.
Either way, I’m very happy for Paul and Co. Get dat money.
RAM Engineer
New Member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2021
- Messages
- 37
I wonder why Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason didn’t rate a PRS Telecaster, but Myles Kennedy does (maybe)?
Either way, I’m not hung up on the body shape. You could make a CE body with a telecaster pickup and bridge. Heck, they put a Tele bridge pickup (and EMG neck!) in one of Alex Lifeson’s early CE24.
Either way, I’m not hung up on the body shape. You could make a CE body with a telecaster pickup and bridge. Heck, they put a Tele bridge pickup (and EMG neck!) in one of Alex Lifeson’s early CE24.
Going Modal
I should be practicing right now.
Dude, my (sadly no longer here) Swamp Ash Special--even though it was a PRS with, gasp!, McCarty humbuckers--was a fanTASTIC "tele" in my book. Crap, I loved the squawky twang from the bridge pickup on that thing.
sergiodeblanc
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2012
- Messages
- 27,388
Yeah, sounds like a PRS and looks like a Tele isn’t something I’ve ever heard anyone wish for.
Not that there’s anything wron…. Oh, I can’t even say it.
RedGuitars
Thread killer
Hiland was only a PRS player for 5 minutes. Brent not much longer. And both got a sig model.
Do you think you’ll die before they announce it, or before they start shipping?
On one hand it seems like they’re running out of ideas or Joe Knaggs designs, but on the other they’re so backed up with Gibson and Fender “homages” they can’t fill demand.
Either way, I’m very happy for Paul and Co. Get dat money.
Dead before they announce if you want to split hairs. All this talk about ergonomics and guitars being tools for the musician must mean "only if you are a skinny guitar player like PRSh". If you are a cranky old Harley riding biker with a big ol' beer gut, a Flying V design is the most ergonomic guitar you can play which will not jab you in the gut with any manner of an upper horn or rounded singlecut body design. But who cares about me? I'm just a cranky biker with a short fuse and a beer gut who likes to suck at playing guitar. PRS will never make a V body because people like me keep on buying normal PRS guitars. So why would they make a V when they know I'm going to continue compromising and just buy what they offer from their regular production line?
jak3af3r
Jake
I have the SAS Narrowfield and I'll just go on record and say those will get right up in tele territory in a band mix. My McCarty will get very close too.
Freshante
New Member
- Joined
- May 13, 2022
- Messages
- 18
You (we) keep tweaking our guitars because we chase the tone in our heads, and through that endeavor, we make our guitars more unique like we are individually. It’s a good thing, that we make these guitars our own and not like every other one of the same model.
One of the best things about Fender is they are the easiest to modify and try new things to, due to their more assembly line-parts nature. My PRS 97 Standard 22 has a Super Distortion and X2N I put in, and I took out the stock 5-way rotary and put in a 3 way switch with push pulls for phase and coil tap. Gets the crunch and many sounds I was originally looking for.
Uhh...
Breadwinner
Many 1970’s guitar builders began to experiment with ergonomic designs and active pickups. The Breadwinner is the culmination of this era – most vintage collectors agree that this model is one of the most comfortable guitars ever made. Modern day manufacturing and electronics makes today’s...
eastwoodguitars.com
Collywobbles
Border Collie
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2017
- Messages
- 485
They already did
HERE. The pics have now mostly gone (just a shot of the headstock is left) but it was / is a white 12 string Vee made for Paul's mate 'Rabbit'...The text from the now archived Vintage PRS website (as per the link above) as below:
Talk about a wondrously one-of-a-kind piece of Pre-Factory PRS history. Hand-built by Paul Reed Smith for his friend Rabbit in the late 1970′s, this solid mahogany Flying V is also a twelve-string!
The guitar is absolutely all-original, peeling paint and all, and sounds FANTASTIC, having been well-played and loved since Paul first built it. You’ll notice the same Schaller “Made in W. Germany” tuning keys which would later turn up on the 1985 Customs. There’s also a custom “rabbit” inlay on the twelfth fret of the Brazilian fretboard.
The creme bobbin “Alex/Special” pickups were most likely manufactured by Gretch. Alex Axe was a NYC boutique guitar brand in the late ’70′s, and Alex had pickups commercially made for the Alex Standard and Alex Double Cut guitars he was producing. Although these humbuckers are often assumed to be DiMarzio’s, a legitimate authority on the subject believes they were actually produced by Gretch.
So get busy building a time machine if you really want one
Me, I'd just try and fine a nice Gibson and be done with it.
ruger9
New Member
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2014
- Messages
- 511
I gotta' say, the tele is my favorite guitar ever. Mine has been my #1 since 1994. My general opinion has always been "why buy a non-Fender tele? Just go to the source. Sure, you might want to swap the bridge or pickups out of preference, I've done that on many guitars. But if you want a tele, get a Fender." Same thing for a strat (altho the Silver Sky did look very interesting).
Then, I got older. And less uptight. Then I bought a DGT.
I don't need another tele, but this one definitely has me interested. I no longer care about "tradition". I want it to sound good, feel good, play well. Period. THE NECK really can be the sole deciding factor for me I have discovered. The rest is changeable. I don't care who makes the thing. The only caveat: PRSi are expensive, and I do think you can get similar quality elsewhere for less money. My MIA strat (basically a partscaster) that I assembled with my choice of parts is every bit the guitar my DGT is. Well the DGT has slightly better fretwork, but otherwise, once *I* set it up, it's near-perfect. For like 1/3 the cost. (this is not a criticism of PRS; it's just a discussion about value. I do not regret my DGT purchase even tho it costs more money than any solid body should, IMO).
The narrow field pickups would be my main concern: I know nothing about them, and I don't think I would swap those out for something else, as they make the guitar what it is. Just like I wouldn't pull the DGTs out of a DGT.... (but of course there are no "rules"...)
Then, I got older. And less uptight. Then I bought a DGT.
I don't need another tele, but this one definitely has me interested. I no longer care about "tradition". I want it to sound good, feel good, play well. Period. THE NECK really can be the sole deciding factor for me I have discovered. The rest is changeable. I don't care who makes the thing. The only caveat: PRSi are expensive, and I do think you can get similar quality elsewhere for less money. My MIA strat (basically a partscaster) that I assembled with my choice of parts is every bit the guitar my DGT is. Well the DGT has slightly better fretwork, but otherwise, once *I* set it up, it's near-perfect. For like 1/3 the cost. (this is not a criticism of PRS; it's just a discussion about value. I do not regret my DGT purchase even tho it costs more money than any solid body should, IMO).
The narrow field pickups would be my main concern: I know nothing about them, and I don't think I would swap those out for something else, as they make the guitar what it is. Just like I wouldn't pull the DGTs out of a DGT.... (but of course there are no "rules"...)
Sybo
Jim
Could be sooooooooo yummy!
Dirty_Boogie
Still got the ol' tagger on it
@DreamTheaterRules … you’re a legend!
guitar.com
Is PRS about to release a Telecaster-shaped electric guitar?
Alter Bridge frontman Myles Kennedy has been spotted out in the wild with a PRS guitar that sports a Telecaster body and bridge.
guitar.com
They already did
The text from the now archived Vintage PRS website (as per the link above) as below:
Talk about a wondrously one-of-a-kind piece of Pre-Factory PRS history. Hand-built by Paul Reed Smith for his friend Rabbit in the late 1970′s, this solid mahogany Flying V is also a twelve-string!
The guitar is absolutely all-original, peeling paint and all, and sounds FANTASTIC, having been well-played and loved since Paul first built it. You’ll notice the same Schaller “Made in W. Germany” tuning keys which would later turn up on the 1985 Customs. There’s also a custom “rabbit” inlay on the twelfth fret of the Brazilian fretboard.
The creme bobbin “Alex/Special” pickups were most likely manufactured by Gretch. Alex Axe was a NYC boutique guitar brand in the late ’70′s, and Alex had pickups commercially made for the Alex Standard and Alex Double Cut guitars he was producing. Although these humbuckers are often assumed to be DiMarzio’s, a legitimate authority on the subject believes they were actually produced by Gretch.
So get busy building a time machine if you really want one
* PRSh building a one-off guitar for that guy in Super Troopers doesn't count as "they". He isn't going to build one for me.
* Gibson build quality is consistently inconsistent and I've already managed to get my hands on ONE amazing 2019 Gibson USA Flying V. But if one guitar is good enough, then why do I have TWELVE amazing PRS guitars? (11 Core+ & 1 Grainger 5-string bass)
alantig
Zombie Four, DFZ
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2012
- Messages
- 14,950
@DreamTheaterRules … you’re a legend!
Is PRS about to release a Telecaster-shaped electric guitar?
Alter Bridge frontman Myles Kennedy has been spotted out in the wild with a PRS guitar that sports a Telecaster body and bridge.
Similar threads
