The "Official Silver Sky" Thread

It's the nature of the plating. Just enjoy the guitar for what it is, a very precise tool.

Oh, i'm sorry to hear that because i may be misunderstood. I'll enjoy for sure and looking forward to play it. Besides, if i cared rusty saddle so much i wouldnt bother to buy, it is just a part that replaceable. It was my curious, asking about tech stuff; on the other hand i live in Turkey and it is hard to get replacements so i wonder if i could get one from prs when i need it.
 
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Oh, i'm sorry to hear that because i may be misunderstood. I'll enjoy for sure and looking forward to play it. Besides, if i cared rusty saddle so much i wouldnt bother to buy, it is just a part that replaceable. It was my curious, asking about tech stuff; on the other hand i live in Turkey and it is hard to get replacements so i wonder if i could get one from prs when i need it.

I'm sure the parts will be available eventually, but Paul makes the call as to when he wants to sell accessories. For example, we waited almost 10 years before he would allow us to sell the 57/08 pickups.
 
I'm sure the parts will be available eventually, but Paul makes the call as to when he wants to sell accessories. For example, we waited almost 10 years before he would allow us to sell the 57/08 pickups.

I see your point but this is different issue, for example i bought a prs 594 and something is broken or wrong, switch doesnt work the way it should be or etc, prs should send the part which is broken free. I dont demand the part for no reason :) if i have a problem, i'll contact with customer service. We'll see!
 
I see your point but this is different issue, for example i bought a prs 594 and something is broken or wrong, switch doesnt work the way it should be or etc, prs should send the part which is broken free. I dont demand the part for no reason :) if i have a problem, i'll contact with customer service. We'll see!

You are correct, if a part was broken we would send a free replacement. We don't consider this plating style to be "broken". Paul and John specifically chose electroless plating for tonal reasons and believe the tone they offer outweighs the potential for surface rust if the saddles aren't wiped down. BTW - this is the same plating that was used on vintage Strats.
 
I really like the Sky a lot but given the choice between owning a new Fender Professional Stratocaster and the Sky, I would pick the Stratocaster. With that being said, I would still be very interested in also getting a Sky as well.

Now as I already have a Fender Stratocaster I am interested in thr Sky but not before I purchase a 594.
 
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I really like the Sky a lot but given the choice between owning a new Fender Professional Stratocaster and the Sky, I would pick the Stratocaster. With that being said, I would still be very interested in also getting a Sky as well.

Now as I already have a Fender Stratocaster I am interested in thr Sky but not before I purchase a 594.

I owned a 2017 Fender Professional Stratocaster. I was not a fan of the V-Mod pickups or the modern tremolo. I sold it.

I like my American Special Stratocaster more than the Professional.

With that said, the Silver Sky has build quality more on par with a Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster at a more reasonable price. The SS pickups are outstanding. It’s a great guitar.
 
I really like the Sky a lot but given the choice between owning a new Fender Professional Stratocaster and the Sky, I would pick the Stratocaster. With that being said, I would still be very interested in also getting a Sky as well.

Now as I already have a Fender Stratocaster I am interested in thr Sky but not before I purchase a 594.

Each to their own...

The Silver Sky though is more comparable to a Fender Custom Shop but also with the tone of a 63/64 strat. If you can find a guitar that sounds as good as a 63/64 strat with the build quality of a PRS for the price of a Silver Sky then congratulations. I know not everyone likes the thought of playing on a 7.25" radius - at least until they have tried it. Its period correct though and it seems, so are the saddles.

The cost of a 63/64 strat, plus the rarity and fact that they were not all 'great', is a big reason that Mayer collaborated with PRS to build the Silver Sky. No longer does he have to go hunting for another vintage strat that has the feel, the sound, the quality etc and have to pay a fortune for something that may not be in the best condition, not sound just right etc, he can walk into any PRS dealer and take a Silver Sky off the wall that feels, sounds and plays perfectly.

Still people just want to see 'Fender' on the headstock regardless - just like some will want to see Gibson on a Les Paul type regardless - even paying more for that than something that may actually be better. As I said at the start, Each to their own...
 
Each to their own...

The Silver Sky though is more comparable to a Fender Custom Shop but also with the tone of a 63/64 strat. If you can find a guitar that sounds as good as a 63/64 strat with the build quality of a PRS for the price of a Silver Sky then congratulations. I know not everyone likes the thought of playing on a 7.25" radius - at least until they have tried it. Its period correct though and it seems, so are the saddles.

The cost of a 63/64 strat, plus the rarity and fact that they were not all 'great', is a big reason that Mayer collaborated with PRS to build the Silver Sky. No longer does he have to go hunting for another vintage strat that has the feel, the sound, the quality etc and have to pay a fortune for something that may not be in the best condition, not sound just right etc, he can walk into any PRS dealer and take a Silver Sky off the wall that feels, sounds and plays perfectly.

Still people just want to see 'Fender' on the headstock regardless - just like some will want to see Gibson on a Les Paul type regardless - even paying more for that than something that may actually be better. As I said at the start, Each to their own...

I Purchased and sold a few strats prior to getting my Silver sky. They were all custom shop..

- 69 RI (big headstock)
- 57 RI to spec
- 63/64 NAMM (was defective and had to send it back)
- Suhr Classic S

I'm sure there's one I forgot too. The silver sky, for me, killed all of them. Better neck, better fret work, even the 57 I got which had a 7.25 radius was harder to play than the SS. The Suhr was nice but I hate stainless steel frets.

So I would 100% agree that the SS is comparable to the 63/64 (since that's what it's based on), except it's built exceptionally well. I've had zero issues with the radius on this guitar.
 
Here's a pic of me with the 63/64 NAMM strat. I frigging miss this guitar, because the finish was BEAUTIFUL (seafoam green) with a medium relic job which made the neck really nice. Too bad Fender custom shop doesn't seem to think they should use a Plek machine. That being said, my silver sky more than makes up for it.

58383680_10156086576262522_6655175369886269440_n.jpg
 
You are correct, if a part was broken we would send a free replacement. We don't consider this plating style to be "broken". Paul and John specifically chose electroless plating for tonal reasons and believe the tone they offer outweighs the potential for surface rust if the saddles aren't wiped down. BTW - this is the same plating that was used on vintage Strats.

yes. indeed sir. i didnt mean that plating is bad, then it rusted, what i mean is this is fault of store because they should keep it clean after someone try out.
 
So I picked up the SS today and noticed that the washer came off from the input jack. Then when I tried to put it back on, noticed the input jack is recessed INTO the guitar. I'm going to go ahead and say that's not a good thing.

Is this warranty-able? Bueller?
 
So I picked up the SS today and noticed that the washer came off from the input jack. Then when I tried to put it back on, noticed the input jack is recessed INTO the guitar. I'm going to go ahead and say that's not a good thing.

Is this warranty-able? Bueller?

Take it back to the store and exchange it.
 
To me PRS guitars are a little more towards Gibson than Fender while Tom Anderson guitars are a little more Fender than Gibson. I would be curious how the Tom Anderson Strat guitar compares to the Sky.

With that being said, I was blown away with the two Sky models I played. I have to admit the headstock on a Strat type guitar I prefer the Fender traditional look over the PRS headstock. But that would not stop me from buying a Sky in black, thank you.

I wonder if they would ever put a maple neck on the Sky?
 
Guitar.com gave a insightful description on the Sky pickups.

"The Silver Sky’s neck dimensions are reminiscent of a pre-CBS Strat but its 635JM single-coil pickups have been voiced to eliminate some of the very high trebles that Mayer usually dials out of his vintage Fenders."

I have to admit the back pickup on my Fender Strat has too much high end. However in toggle switch 2, it's magic with my Fender Twin amp. Do you find the Sky to lack some of the brightness in toggle switch 2 or 4 and that it offers a slightly darker sound that may be perfect for certain music?
 
My SS arrived yesterday. I ordered it without ever playing or seeing one in person. I’m new to PRS guitars. I’ve been playing guitar since the mid ‘80’s. I just never got around to buying a PRS before now.

I apologize in advance to all of the SS veterans but I’m going to provide a lengthy review for the folks on the fence about the SS.

My initial impression:

1. The gigbag is nice. Thick padding, heavy duty zippers, heavy duty stitching. nice handle, back pack straps and plenty of storage space. It has a built in headstock guard to keep the string ends from damaging the inside of the gigbag. It also has rubber bump guards on the ends where it is most likely to get the most wear and tear when traveling. I can honestly say it’s one of the nicest gigbags I ever owned. As a side note: I like cases but have no problem with a nice gigbag. All of my cases and gigbags get stored away. The guitars hang on the wall.

2. I know this is cliche but the horizon finish looks better in person. It looks more burgundy than red at certain angles in the light. I consider it to be a deep read with a touch of metallic. Almost candy apple but a tad darker / deeper. I chose horizon because I don’t own any red guitars. The finish is flawless. I couldn’t find a single blemish anywhere.

3. It was built on 12/12/2018. I was slightly surprised it was built nearly 8 months ago with how fast they are selling but I think horizon is not one of their most popular colors. I weighed it at 7 lbs 3 oz. The weight seems to be in the average range with other SS guitars. It is 12 oz lighter than my American Strat (alder).

4. I played the guitar unplugged for a solid 45 minutes prior to running it through my amp. The fretwork is incredible. The setup out of the box was comfortable - not too high with just a touch of neck relief. It plays buzz free with no dead frets. It resonates well and sounds great acoustically. No dead fret out on bends anywhere on the neck. I was doing 2 whole step bends with ease. The frets are smooth. I found myself doing tons of slides. More than normal. The tremolo is silky smooth. Much smoother than my American Strat. I suspect it has something to do with the knife edge screws and zero slack in the trem bar. Very impressive.

5. Neck profile / fretboard radius: I read and watched a bunch of reviews of the Silver Sky over the past year. There are so many different opinions and descriptions of the neck - many conflicting. People claim it’s thick, wide across the fretboard , soft V, flat D, etc, etc. I never seen so many different descriptions of a neck profile. I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I’ve owned many guitars over the past 35 years. I have average size hands. I don’t consider the SS neck to be thick, a soft V, a flat D or wide across the fretboard. In my hands it feels like a C shape neck profile just a touch thicker/ deeper than my EVH Wolfgang neck profile with a similar shape and width. I never owned a 7.25” radius. The combination of the neck profile with the rounder radius makes the neck fit perfect in my hand. I don’t even think about the rounder fretboard. It’s just super comfortable and natural. I can wrap my thumb around to fret the E all the way up the neck. It’s hard to explain but I can honestly say it’s more comfortable than the modern C - 9.5” radius neck on my American Special Strat. PRS and Mayer designed a killer neck.

5. Fret size: PRS calls them narrow / tall. I owned an Eric Clapton Strat with vintage frets. The frets on the SS are nearly identical in size. They may be a tiny bit taller than standard vintage frets but they are far smaller than the modern narrow / tall frets Fender puts on their American Professional Strat (I owned one of them too). The fretwork on the SS is superior to the fretwork on the EC Strat I owned. They are more polished, more crowned and super level. They are glass smooth, vibrato and bending is effortless. All my other guitars have jumbo frets but I’m very flexible when it comes to fret size and neck profile. I believe the vintage frets, fretboard radius and neck profile work extremely well together. I don’t think it would feel right with larger frets. That’s just my opinion.
I think the frets are perfect for the guitar however, if you’re convinced you can only play medium jumbo or jumbo frets the SS is not for you.

6. Pickups / electronics: I realize tone is subjective. The pickups are outstanding in my opinion. I assumed I would have to lower the stock height nearly flush to the pickguard like I do on Strats to tame the brightness. I was wrong. The SS pickups don’t have the traditional ice pick brightness I associate with traditional single coil pickups. I’m not sure how they did it, but they sound balanced - plenty of bass with out getting muddy and plenty of treble without sounding shrill and loud. You can roll off the volume without sounding muddy. In addition, the tone pots give it a wide range of usable tones.

7. Is it a glorified Stratocaster knockoff? Not in my opinion. I believe it is an updated version of a classic guitar. It’s a blend of Strat concepts and PRS engineering combined with Mayer’s tastes in playability and tone. I believe the tilted headstock (no string trees), PRS knife edge tremolo screws, PRS locking tuners, PRS electronics and pickups set it apart from the typical Strat.

8. Problems: My Switch tip is cracked in the center. I noticed it right away. I think it’s a design flaw. The steel switch creates a weak point in the wide plastic knob. Like splitting a log. I sent an email to PRS. The static noise - crackle and pop - I read about it on the forums. My guitar does it when I touch the neck. It’s very slight. No big deal. Interestingly, I had the same problem with an Eric Johnson Stratocaster but it was more severe - especially in the winter. The EJ Stratocaster has a lacquer neck like the Silver Sky. Unlike the SS, It has lacquer on the fretboard as well. I believe the lacquer is the issue. I believe it builds up static electricity. I may be wrong. I tried shielding the EJ pickguard and the dryer sheet trick. It didn’t eliminate the static.

In conclusion, I think it’s a great guitar. I’m happy with my decision to buy it.
Great review!
Funny that you make the comparison to the Clapton strat in regards to the vintage frets. I too have a Clapton and they feel very similar when it comes to the frets. Love both my SS and "Blackie" , but they are different beasts. Glad I have both.
I also bought a Horizon for my color of choice. Very cool color, and my only RED guitar. I just received mine about 5 days ago, No static issues or cracked switch tip. Hoping to avoid those issues. Mine was built 4/19/19. Maybe they corrected those issues. I hope so....

Thanks again for the detailed review!

Appreciate it.
 
The saddles are plated with a very thin vintage style plating called electroless plating. They more prone to rust, than saddles with modern plating, especially if you sweat on them. This is the plating Paul and John chose for this bridge, so it's best to wipe down your saddles after playing. You might want to put a little oil on them as well, for some added protection.
just regular household oil? a small amount I imagine.
 
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