What makes PRS Guitars so special? Well, they’re “really f**king nice”, according to John Mayer
John Mayer has waxed lyrical on his love of PRS Guitars, calling them “really fucking nice”.
During the brand’s 40th-anniversary show last Friday, Mayer paid tribute to PRS founder Paul Reed Smith while addressing some of the criticisms the brand has faced over the years. One such critique – that PRS guitars are “too nice” – was met with a passionate rebuttal from the guitarist.
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“How did PRS make it to 40 years? Number one, they make great guitars,” says Mayer [via Guitar World]. “You talk about PRS and some say, ‘They’re too nice.’ Yeah, they’re really fucking nice!”
“What’s too nice for a guitar? You want that special vibe that only tuning every song can give you onstage? You want that grit, just like your heroes? Bad intonation?! The guitars are incredible, the product is incredible.”
The Gravity hitmaker also reflects on the lasting loyalty he has to PRS, a relationship that began when he parted ways with Fender to collaborate on his signature model, the now-iconic Silver Sky. As Mayer explains, the true mark of a great company is not just in the product, but in the people behind it.
“The first time I called PRS was 10 years ago in 2015. What is the sign of a great company? The sign of a great company is that the same people you spoke to the first time you ever made contact are still working there at the company today.”
Pointing out Smith’s lack of ego and dedication to “innovation”, in particular, Mayer says, “If you share an idea with Paul – I go, ‘What if we could just do this and that?’ And the phone goes dead silent. ‘…Are you there, Paul?’ ‘I’m thinking, John.’”
“It’s not a guy who’s worried about whether he says a yes or a no and what you’ll think about it. He thinks about the problem. He goes dead silent. He’s concerned with innovation.”
“He is a genius, which is rare, but he is a subsection of genius, which is even more rare, which is that he is a joyous genius,” Mayer adds. “And he spreads that joy, and he spreads that creative burst and you take it up as well and you bring it on stage with you.”
“Dare I say he is the hidden member of everyone’s band all the time, no matter where you’re playing.”
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
