Tremonti Signature Pivotal?

[12manD]

OK so I will make no apologies the Tremonti signature model is my favorite guitar PRS makes. However I do feel I need to own one of every model to make sure this statement it is true

But I was wondering was the design of the Tremonti model pivotal to helping make PRS what it is today? Would Paul have ever honed the singlecut body to that exact shape without Mark's pickyness (as he puts it)? Would we have the SC594 model we do today without the Tremonti? Would PRS ever step into court with Gibson without it?

What do you think

 

[jxe]

i thought it was dumb at the time and dumb now — the les paul shape wasn’t novel in the 90s and doesn’t it have a tribal tattoo on it? i don’t know, guess it’s too late now.

 

[László]

OK so I will make no apologies the Tremonti signature model is my favorite guitar PRS makes. However I do feel I need to own one of every model to make sure this statement it is true

The Tremontis are great guitars, and certainly you should own every model!!

I think historically the Singlecut model came out a bit before the Tremonti model; maybe by a year or two? I had an early SC in January of 2000, if memory serves, and have had an SC of one type or another in most years ever since.

There have been single cutaway guitars ever since the early 20th Century, Gibson certainly didn't invent the shape. In fact, the Les Paul shape is a pretty exact copy of the 1948 Bigsby guitar's shape, only with a carved top instead of a flat one. The Telecaster that predated the LP by a few years also has a single cutaway.

So it really doesn't matter if the LP shape was, or wasn't, novel for PRS. It wasn't novel for Gibson when they introduced it, either. To my way of thinking, it's just a traditional guitar shape, period.

There are some things that the SC shape helps with, depending on what kinds of tones one likes.

The lower mids are a little bit thicker than a DC. This can be heard, of course, but it'll also show up in RTA measurement software (Waves F6 being a good example of an RTA built into a relatively inexpensive plugin).

Also the neck is a little stiffer, since it's supported on one side to a lower point on the neck. I think that, and the extra mass, contribute to the tone. So I disagree with JXE. I think the SC was a great move by PRS.

I'm not biased; I have more DCs than SCs, and always have.

 

[jxe]

There have been single cutaway guitars ever since the early 20th Century, Gibson certainly didn't invent the shape. In fact, the Les Paul shape is a pretty exact copy of the 1948 Bigsby guitar, only with a carved top instead of a flat one. The Telecaster which predated the LP by a few years also has a single cutaway.

So it really doesn't matter if the LP shape was, or wasn't, novel for PRS. It wasn't novel for Gibson when they introduced it, either.

Also the neck is a little stiffer, since it's supported on one side to a lower point on the neck. I think that, and the extra mass, contribute to the tone. So I disagree with JXE. I think the SC was a great move by PRS.

I'm not biased; I have more DCs than SCs, and always have.

my point wasn’t that the shape wasn’t novel, it’s that i don’t think a les paul (or merle travis or what have you) shape in the late 90s is the result of much honing or indicative of anyone being particularly picky.

 

[jxe]

i want to add if tremonti’s signature shape was a reverse body double cutaway i would be a huge fan of his guitars.

 

[László]

my point wasn’t that the shape wasn’t novel, it’s that i don’t think a les paul (or merle travis or what have you) shape in the late 90s is the result of much honing or indicative of anyone being particularly picky.

Oh.

 

[jxe]

Oh.

i’ve seen your hammer and am not about to be dissing it. if creed made it possible i’m a believer.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I remember seeing the McCarty Singlecut ad before seeing anything about the Tremonti.

I’d wish it came in a different neck profile, but I’m saving all my wishes for the Santana SC.

 

[12manD]

It is possible that the SC McCarty came out before the Tremonti but in interviews Mark states the SC body shape was designed by Paul as a signature model for Tremonti.

I know the singlecut shape goes way back before Paul ever built his guitars that's why I wonder if he would have ever decided to design the PRS singlecut shape we have now. The Silver sky shape was designed as a signature for John Mayer and I get the impression if it wasnt for that, a true strat shape from PRS would have never been pursued. I wonder if it's the same for the singlecut shape (assuming I'm not wrong in thinking it was designed for Tremonti) would Paul have ever designed the PRS Singlecut shape or would he have just stayed away from it.

 

[12manD]

About 40 seconds in they talk about the body shape design. I'd love to see some of the designs that got turned down.

 

[Mozzi]

The Silver sky shape was designed as a signature for John Mayer and I get the impression if it wasnt for that, a true strat shape from PRS would have never been pursued.

Have you never seen the PRS EG3 from ~1990?

And the DC3...

And you have the NF3 too

Silver Sky

The body shape of the NF3 looks virtually identical too me - Same top horn and lower horn scoop. PRS has made a 'few' more 'stratty' body shape guitars over the years - long before Mayer came along...