What do you do.... Silver Sky dilemma

[dmatthews]

When your other guitar player loves your Silver Sky?
I always bring two guitars to practice. Gotta have a backup, ya know?
I walked into practice and saw my lead player twangin' on a nice Strat owned by another friend. Bad setup though, and dirty. Needed a cleanup and setup.
I said here... you've twanged on that, now try the Silver Sky and tell me the goods/bads…
No bads…
All goods...
He played it all night. I played my lovely P22.
His leads were crystal... awesome... cut through.
Massive wonderful tone.
His statement upon exit was "bring it next week".
What to do?

I want to play it of course...

Do you let him play it and try to seal the deal for another PRS purchase?
Do you play it yourself and make him suffer?

I'm leaning on letting him play it again... but I'm stupid like that...

 

[BWV548]

1) Charge a rental fee.
2) order one for him and charge a finder’s fee
2a) if he doesn’t have the cash or credit line for the purchase, find him a credit facility and charge a finder’s fee.

Or...
Bring it and give him your P22 to play and then sick some of the members of this board on him “strong arm” him into purchasing one.
Or...
Just let him play it. It’s your guitar, why should you listen to me?

 

[RaySachs]

I’d let him play it OCCASIONALLY, but you should play it the lion’s share of the time because it’s YOUR damn guitar! Don’t let him think he has rights to it, but as a friend let him have a taste every now and then. If he likes it enough, he’ll probably eventually find a way to buy one. If not, not...

As a lifelong strat guy, I’m sure that once the supply catches up to the demand and the used inventory gets to where the used prices come down (instead if go UP!), I’m sure I’ll try one eventually. Out of curiosity more than any burning desire - I already have a strat I freaking LOVE! But so many non-strat guys seem to love these things while so many strat guys (but far from all!) seem to like them a lot, but not more than their favorite strats - I’d just love to find that out for myself. I don’t assume one outcome or the other, but could easily imagine either reaction... and I love PRS quality and the Silver Sky might be the only PRS out there currently I could comfortably play long term...

 

[bodia]

I think I'd go the "it's mine, and you can't have it!" route.


Ah, who am I kidding. I'm too nice of a guy to do that. I'd let him play it, and try to find a way to get him to buy one.

 

[DreamsiclesPlz]

I'm too nice of a guy to do that. I'd let him play it, and try to find a way to get him to buy one.

I think this is the best route. "You know, you seem to love this guitar so much, why don't you get one?"

 

[goat-n-gitter]

Nip it in the bud!
It's great that he likes the guitar, but more than a song or two (or a practice or two) and it's more like a loan or a subsidy.
I let my buds play my guitars here and there for grins, but everyone in a band is responsible for their own instruments. I want to know that any scratches/dings/serious play wear came from me (at least on guitars that I bought new).
But hey, I'm OCD like that, if you're OK with it, good for you (and him).

 

[Shawn@PRS]

Let him play it, but make him buy the beer

 

[markd21]

I may have missed it, but what guitar does your guitarist own? Is his personal instrument of the same caliber/equivalency of the Silver Sky? If so, the likelihood you can get him to get his own is there. If not - it seems based on your original post that he borrows guitars - then it'll never happen. Some people just aren't gonna drop coin on high-end instruments, and if yours is there to play there is NEVER going to be a reason....

Personally, I have never needed a back-up guitar in practice. As long as you bring two, there is no reason for him to NOT want to play your Silver Sky. Next practice, just show up with the Mayer and use it. You bought it for yourself, right? If he gets all bummed, tell him you can: 1) Sell it to him for what you paid, or 2) Help him find one of his own. If he shows up to practice without his own guitar - or another borrowed guitar - that's something else that you gotta contend with, lol.

BTW - I am jerk about this kind of stuff. I worked hard to get my gear, so nobody gets to use it but me. I'll have friends over to the studio and they can try my guitars out, but they can't borrow them in a band situation.....

Just my 2 cents.

 

[László]

[Friend] “Can I play your guitar?”

[Me] “No.”

 

[derFunk]

Time to start a rental fee. The first hit is always free, right?

 

[dmatthews]

To clarify, My friend of 40 years is the other guitar player. He would happily loan me anything as well.
There is no danger of him commandeering/absconding with the Silver Sky.
Funny thing is, he'll happily pay many thousands for a boutique rowboat from Europe, yet invest little in his guitars.
To each his own though.
He plays Ibanez, and a Parker Fly mostly. Not sure what model of Ibanez, but it has very hot humbuckers in it.

 

[Tucson Thump]

Let him play it, but make him buy the beer

And the next two sets of NYXLs

 

[jxe]

buckle rash his rowboat.

 

[bodia]

buckle rash his rowboat.

Best plan yet!

 

[veinbuster]

I’d let him play it. Especially if his name is Steve. If he keeps liking it better than his own, he’ll buy one.

 

[Boogie]

Backup guitars...bah! If you can’t finish your Eruption solo on your trem-equipped P22 with a snapped E string, then you’re just being lazy! Then have the drummer start his Innagoddadavida mini solo to buy you restringing time. I’ve thought this thru and haven’t taken a backup PRS guitar in quite a while.

 

[veinbuster]

haven’t taken a backup PRS guitar in quite a while.

Somehow I picture you walking in with the Vela and Mr Clean.
I wouldn’t consider either to be a backup though.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Let him play it and then take it away. That should teach him!

 

[Deleted member 5962]

after reading all these carefully thought out ideas, I decided to "make him pay" for it if he's going to use it. I found out long ago, that if you have something that someone else really wants, you CHARGE them for it. I used to do that with my wife, many years ago. Then we got married and she reversed that completely.

Now that I think about it. Let him play it for free.

 

[Rockmark]

Let him use it. First ding/scratch he does tell him it is now relic'd and he needs to buy it from you at a premium. Seriously, depends on your relationship and how much you care about accepting it back possibly damaged without being upset. I had an ME1 back from a new PTC gloss and neck customization and 5909's install, only a week when my buddy walked up to me w his generic guit too close and took a chunk out of my edge. I told him and he didn't understand why I even mentioned it to him. So, everyone just doesn't care the same. I blame myself not him but I learned that any accident happens unexpectedly and easily so if I do let someone play my babies it is rare and I have great confidence that they understand my feelings. Tell your buddy jokingly that he can play it but one ding gives you reason to kick his favorite collectable rowboat.