THE ONLY GUITAR COMPANY OWNER/FOUNDER/CEO (WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL HIM) TO ACTUALLY PUT HIMSELF OUT THERE BOTH PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY... MUCH LOVE AND RESPECT FOR PAUL REED SMITH
In our lifetimes, anyways - I would argue that all of Leo Fender, Epaminondas Anastasios, and C. F. Martin all did exactly what you're describing, in their era - but we're talking about the 1820s, the 1910s and the 1930s respectively. Paul is the current generation's inheritor of that mantle.
And don't forget he started out as a hand builder. He learned on his own how to build guitars, then built a company, all the time making his guitars better and better. He's not just a "businessman" who doesn't know how to do what his business does. He's the real deal.
Nice. Paul is a very interesting guy. He will no doubt go down in history as one of the best guitar builders around. Quite an accomplishment in my book. Also a great marketer and businessman.
This is something I needed to hear. Thanks Paul. Also, I'm glad he left his mic on while he played.. you hear that he's putting in work. I love Paul. Solid advice from a solid man.
I never really “got” PRS for many years. I mean, they played PERFECTLY but I always felt they had an identity crisis. They couldn’t be a Fender or a Gibson. A great guitarist friend said to me “You don’t get it. PRS are their own, unique thing. Don’t try to make it something less” While still not “my” sort of guitar, I now appreciate the boundaries he stretched and the quality he insists on.
Yeah - and that's the answer to all the 'Why I hate PRS guitars' videos out there. When you dig in, you very quickly realize that the guys who hate PRS guitars are guys who bought one expecting to hear either a Gibson or a Fender sound. The whole point of a PRS guitar is that you get a PRS sound.
i have been to the Experience PRS for 5 years now. Ive been playing guitar for over 25 yrs now. the first year i went to the factory i was hooked on prs guitars. it wasnt just the amazing guitars it was the passion paul had every detail was fasanating. every employee well they werent reaily employees they were Family members, now i feel i am a family member too in fact my entire family is a member of the PRS guitar family. my family is the most important thing in the world to me, .
ii stopped playing music for over 8 yrs since i have become a part of the PRS Family i will never stop playing guitar i just hope i can pass it on to my kids . this was very inlighting and everyone should watch this vedio. and indirectly paul is my Mentor thanks for what you have taught me in the last few years even if it was only at the experience and whereever i can see you talk or play Gary Norris a PRS player for LIFE
this vedio was very inlightening in fact the last five years i have played prs guitars has changed my life. just becoming a part of the prs family and listining to every word paul says he is my mentour thanks gary norris a prs player for life.
"I couldn't decide whether to pick up the Strat or the Les Paul for the next tune, so I made a guitar that was a combination of both and called it "my new thing." That includes the scale length, found right in between the other two. Then I just put in better materials." In a nutshell that is the whole PRS philosophy. For all who play corporate guitars including his, you will find out one day that a single luthier build is vastly superior (to a factory stock model) to fit your needs once you find out what they are over time and experience. I'm not kidding about this. Once your needs are defined- Sell your six telecasters and buy a single guitar to your spec and you'll be happy. Meticulous love is the key ingredient. Brian May and his dad weren't even builders and the testimony and legacy of that piece has stood the test of time.
"Sell your six telecasters and buy a single guitar to your spec and you'll be happy." Except that my Tele fits what I need it to do. But yeh - I understand your point. Your point about May and his dad and what they created isn't lost on me, for sure. That one is a truly beautiful guitar!
No thanks. A custom built guitar can be perfect. It can also be a disaster. If all your "corporate" guitars make you happy and make you want to pick them up and play them all the time, then you should never let them go...
My "corporate" Vela is exactly what I need in a guitar. Its electronics I will most certainly change but I view the electronics and the guitar as completely separate parts of the whole sound (along with amps, effects, personal touch/feel etc.....) A guitar might feel perfect and to me thats a perfect guitar. Perfect pickups and pots is different search. Very rarely is anyone's number 1 guitar 100 percent stock. Remember, most(not all) luthiers arent good pickup winders and most(not all) pickup winders arent good luthiers.
This guy is throwing himself and life lessons on a Stage, and you all are saying his trying to sell PRS guitars? The only place to say the company name is the video comments, and One single time in the video descriptions. Thankfully he loves guitars, because loving the average guitarrist must be tough.
@wildcatter63 This is totally false. PRS makes many guitars under $800, and PRS guitars (the expensive ones _or_ the cheaper ones) are easy to get-- just walk into the store and buy one. No wait list. Unless of course you're talking about having a custom shop guitar built *specially for you* , then of course you'll be waiting (the same as you would with any brand).
I have two standard lines about Paul: First, that it's really unusual to find an engineer this good who has also learned to be a highly skilled salesman. And Paul absolutely is that; his TED talk from the following year, on the 25 Principles of Tone topic, is the reason I now own one of his guitars - he sold it to me by talking about the engineering. But I also describe him as a Guitar Saint. If folks like Santana are Guitar Gods, then Paul is a Guitar Saint - and I regularly take his name in vain, because this dude taught me to hear the difference, and that's going to cost me a lot of money over the next couple of decades....
after that comes music . Im 49 now i missed my chance to play music for a living. i am now disabled and have a very painful medical condistion i still play my guitar as much as i can, without music and my Family standing behind me i dont think i would be here. what paul talked about in this vedio i beleave is so important and my children will benefit from it. i stopped
This is just awesome... - and I am just regretting to own 30+ guitars and not a single PRS guitar is in the herd. Definitely want to change this NOW! :-)
ALSO I LOVE HOW PAUL ENDS BOTH HIS TED TALKS, BEAUTIFUL SALUTE TO ALL YOU MILITARY MEN AND WOMEN... ANYONE WHO SAYS OTHERWISE, IN THE WORDS OF PHIL ANSELMO, WALK ON HOME BOY
You should watch the other TED talk, from the following year - you have this exactly backwards. Paul's approach is very solidly about physics, not emotions; the 25 Principles of Tone are all measurables. The 'emotional' aspect of his work is that he took a purely emotional idea, a non-measurable - the concept of a 'magic guitar' - and then spent thirty years *doing the math* on how to build one of those every time. The whole point of PRS is that Paul is an engineer *and also* a poet in wood and wiggly air.
In a very literal sense yes. Parenthood is a choice which costs a very large amount of money and makes an enormous mess everywhere for twenty years - sounds like a hobby to me.
On average, it takes 7 internet-based comments for people to initiate and develop a conflictual, rather than a collaborative, approach toward others. The future of mental health is measured by the ability to know one's own mind and reasonably know the mind of the other (typically significant other). What is more reasonable here, that this presenter wanted to deceive us, by being dishonest (his assistant threw away the card, not he) or he spent the time developing this talk just to sell guitars? So, there is nothing worthwhile about this presentation? Are you not "selling" your ideas here as well? Big 3: we are all human beings; we all want similar things, e.g., safety, security, love, health for our families and children; and, contextualization. If we understood context, we would understand that we would do the same thing as anyone else in his/her given lot in life. Practice lightheartedness, maybe you'll be a better guitar player or, manufacture your own line of guitars (I am not a guitar player- just curious about this presentation). Our actions effect everyone. Be your best- leave negativity with the people who taught that to you. I presume Paul's doing his best here...
Rob Jaskiewicz that you're an over analytical assface. yes, he's trying to FURTHER the future of his company. but you attack him for pushing a product he believes in & had been an under dog...for 30 years! ! his products are FAR SUPERIOR to Gibson & Fender nowadays. bc he had passion. don't knock a man for wanting you to have a GREAT GUITAR instead of a SHITBOX!! are you tone deaf??? have you NOT LISTENED to the resonance & feedback the guitar NATURALLY CREATES??? hell, Gibson doesn't even use ebony fretboards anymore. & that's on their $4000 plus guitars! they use bakolite or whatever the hell that is, plastic & recycled paper & resin! learn smthg before you comment your psychosomatic crap, PLEASE
On average, it takes one moderate disagreement on UA-cam to attract one pseudo-expert in lecturer mode, and one very rude response. All I get from Smith's talks is that he wants to share his knowledge, interest and enthusiasm about them as instruments. There are lots of people who build things that others can use more skillfully than the tool maker. Few of them are as passionate about what was created for them as the makers.
Wait, PRS's personal assistant threw out PRS's possible dishonesty card! Shocking! By definition, he is being dishonest. He is using somebody he pays ( who has a vested interest in lying to PRS to keep him happy ) to decide, on their own, if PRS is dishonest! Wait, I will get all my great group of people around me ( probably 90% benefit directly from being nice to me ) to tell me about myself, in an honest way! Seriously PRS, wow! This is world record Ego on a supernatural level! Scary!
Schael Oh no that was custom shop McCarty guitar from the real BC Rich Shop. The Exclusive is the name they gave the McCarty made by the biggest Guitar maker Sammick made Guitars for a Company that bought BC RICH rights as well as many other USA so called made Guitars . You know Ibenez don't even own a production plant? Same with Kramer ESP FENDER even Gibson had Guitars made overseas when Nashville got flooded they have a Gibson Piano Co. in China thats where those Chinese Chipsons are so close the have the Blue prints for ALL the Models , The "STARS" have their Guitars Ghost Built by a few Luthiers Beni Rico was One the Nashville Artist would bring their "THE Gibson" Fiddles mandolins & Guitars to him to have him build a neck for them. That Speaks Volumes you know what a True Oville The Gibson instrument will bring nowadays??? Yet the Players went to Cal. to have Mr Bernie Rico make the Necks for their instruments. What goy him into Guitars is he made a few Les Paul copies that were Great Eric Clapton bought one & met w/Bernie to make him one that was The SeaGull. But Guitar Mags don't ever tell you these things, like Clapton used Peavey Classic 30 on many recordings but you never find the Peavy listed as one of his main amps use on certain albums & even in Guitar mags when you can see them clearly in the Studio plugged into. Look up Ghost Built Guitars. I have a couple of BC Rich's that Play like a Dream better than like the EVO Vai $5000 Guitar. I paid way less & got Great instruments the ones like a super strats. are Some of the best the AMS the upper ended ones are really Great Guitars Shecters look good but I don't like them much I wouldn't buy one if given one I'd sell it.
***** Dear naive person, As if a huckster needs to be blatant.What he expressed is virtually common wisdom that most people come to realize at a certain point early in life. There are many credible sources for self empowerment. Mcwisdom as a thin veil for sales.
***** He makes great guitars and he likes to explain indirectly why you should buy them. He is killing 3 birds with 1 stone doing this 1. He thinks he is helping empower people with his knowledge 2. He is stroking his own huge ego 3. He is selling his product
CaribSurfKing1 Very good, those are the three elements at play. May I make one adjustment though: 1.He is stroking his own huge ego 2.He is stroking his own huge ego 3.He is stroking his own huge ego
THE ONLY GUITAR COMPANY OWNER/FOUNDER/CEO (WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL HIM) TO ACTUALLY PUT HIMSELF OUT THERE BOTH PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY... MUCH LOVE AND RESPECT FOR PAUL REED SMITH
In our lifetimes, anyways - I would argue that all of Leo Fender, Epaminondas Anastasios, and C. F. Martin all did exactly what you're describing, in their era - but we're talking about the 1820s, the 1910s and the 1930s respectively. Paul is the current generation's inheritor of that mantle.
And don't forget he started out as a hand builder. He learned on his own how to build guitars, then built a company, all the time making his guitars better and better. He's not just a "businessman" who doesn't know how to do what his business does. He's the real deal.
Nice. Paul is a very interesting guy. He will no doubt go down in history as one of the best guitar builders around. Quite an accomplishment in my book. Also a great marketer and businessman.
This is something I needed to hear. Thanks Paul.
Also, I'm glad he left his mic on while he played.. you hear that he's putting in work. I love Paul. Solid advice from a solid man.
I never really “got” PRS for many years.
I mean, they played PERFECTLY but I always felt they had an identity crisis. They couldn’t be a Fender or a Gibson.
A great guitarist friend said to me “You don’t get it. PRS are their own, unique thing. Don’t try to make it something less”
While still not “my” sort of guitar, I now appreciate the boundaries he stretched and the quality he insists on.
Yeah - and that's the answer to all the 'Why I hate PRS guitars' videos out there. When you dig in, you very quickly realize that the guys who hate PRS guitars are guys who bought one expecting to hear either a Gibson or a Fender sound. The whole point of a PRS guitar is that you get a PRS sound.
i have been to the Experience PRS for 5 years now. Ive been playing guitar for over 25 yrs now. the first year i went to the factory i was hooked on prs guitars. it wasnt just the amazing guitars it was the passion paul had every detail was fasanating. every employee well they werent reaily employees they were Family members, now i feel i am a family member too in fact my entire family is a member of the PRS guitar family. my family is the most important thing in the world to me, .
ii stopped playing music for over 8 yrs since i have become a part of the PRS Family i will never stop playing guitar i just hope i can pass it on to my kids . this was very inlighting and everyone should watch this vedio. and indirectly paul is my Mentor thanks for what you have taught me in the last few years even if it was only at the experience and whereever i can see you talk or play Gary Norris a PRS player for LIFE
An expert luthier who calls himself a "guitar maker" is a humble man.
this vedio was very inlightening in fact the last five years i have played prs guitars has changed my life. just becoming a part of the prs family and listining to every word paul says he is my mentour thanks gary norris a prs player for life.
I like the way you can hear his breathing on that anthem !!..
+Petre .W. I thought he was crying for a sec
Petre .W. I thought he was gonna pull something. WOW sounds like it hurt!
"I couldn't decide whether to pick up the Strat or the Les Paul for the next tune, so I made a guitar that was a combination of both and called it "my new thing."
That includes the scale length, found right in between the other two.
Then I just put in better materials."
In a nutshell that is the whole PRS philosophy.
For all who play corporate guitars including his, you will find out one day that a single luthier build is vastly superior (to a factory stock model) to fit your needs once you find out what they are over time and experience.
I'm not kidding about this. Once your needs are defined-
Sell your six telecasters and buy a single guitar to your spec and you'll be happy.
Meticulous love is the key ingredient. Brian May and his dad weren't even builders and the testimony and legacy of that piece has stood the test of time.
"Sell your six telecasters and buy a single guitar to your spec and you'll be happy."
Except that my Tele fits what I need it to do. But yeh - I understand your point. Your point about May and his dad and what they created isn't lost on me, for sure. That one is a truly beautiful guitar!
Or you end up with more than one PRS. There is a lot of variety in their line up these days.
No thanks. A custom built guitar can be perfect. It can also be a disaster. If all your "corporate" guitars make you happy and make you want to pick them up and play them all the time, then you should never let them go...
My "corporate" Vela is exactly what I need in a guitar. Its electronics I will most certainly change but I view the electronics and the guitar as completely separate parts of the whole sound (along with amps, effects, personal touch/feel etc.....) A guitar might feel perfect and to me thats a perfect guitar. Perfect pickups and pots is different search. Very rarely is anyone's number 1 guitar 100 percent stock. Remember, most(not all) luthiers arent good pickup winders and most(not all) pickup winders arent good luthiers.
The only card I need is the ace of spades.
@16:30, that's actually Paul himself making the heavy breathing...almost as if every time he plays the guitar, it's something incredibly emotional
and/or hard work. There's something about enthusiasm that sometimes gets us to exert ourselves without realizing how hard we are working.
I needed this thanks
This guy is throwing himself and life lessons on a Stage, and you all are saying his trying to sell PRS guitars?
The only place to say the company name is the video comments, and One single time in the video descriptions.
Thankfully he loves guitars, because loving the average guitarrist must be tough.
By definition, the average ANYTHING is mediocre. You accept mediocrity as inevitable, you don't need to love it.
@wildcatter63 This is totally false. PRS makes many guitars under $800, and PRS guitars (the expensive ones _or_ the cheaper ones) are easy to get-- just walk into the store and buy one. No wait list.
Unless of course you're talking about having a custom shop guitar built *specially for you* , then of course you'll be waiting (the same as you would with any brand).
I have two standard lines about Paul: First, that it's really unusual to find an engineer this good who has also learned to be a highly skilled salesman. And Paul absolutely is that; his TED talk from the following year, on the 25 Principles of Tone topic, is the reason I now own one of his guitars - he sold it to me by talking about the engineering.
But I also describe him as a Guitar Saint. If folks like Santana are Guitar Gods, then Paul is a Guitar Saint - and I regularly take his name in vain, because this dude taught me to hear the difference, and that's going to cost me a lot of money over the next couple of decades....
after that comes music . Im 49 now i missed my chance to play music for a living. i am now disabled and have a very painful medical condistion i still play my guitar as much as i can, without music and my Family standing behind me i dont think i would be here. what paul talked about in this vedio i beleave is so important and my children will benefit from it. i stopped
Thanks Paul Reed Smith
This was very interesting and an amazing ted talk.
In PRS we trust...!!!!
If only I'd have grokked this wisdom 35 years ago!
This is just awesome... - and I am just regretting to own 30+ guitars and not a single PRS guitar is in the herd. Definitely want to change this NOW! :-)
Did you?? If not, you should!
This is so much better than his other talk.
Is the audience dead?
It's a TED talk, not a concert.
ALSO I LOVE HOW PAUL ENDS BOTH HIS TED TALKS, BEAUTIFUL SALUTE TO ALL YOU MILITARY MEN AND WOMEN... ANYONE WHO SAYS OTHERWISE, IN THE WORDS OF PHIL ANSELMO, WALK ON HOME BOY
The Steve Jobs of Guitar
Very inspiring, Paul! I look forward to meeting you someday.
-your nephew's girlfriend
How's that relationship going? 5 years on..
@@johnleschenkoo8 OVER! lol
🙏🤘🏻💯
He does seem to have a disposition to the irrational/emotional approach. But that can be a good thing. He's like the John Free of guitar making.
You should watch the other TED talk, from the following year - you have this exactly backwards.
Paul's approach is very solidly about physics, not emotions; the 25 Principles of Tone are all measurables. The 'emotional' aspect of his work is that he took a purely emotional idea, a non-measurable - the concept of a 'magic guitar' - and then spent thirty years *doing the math* on how to build one of those every time. The whole point of PRS is that Paul is an engineer *and also* a poet in wood and wiggly air.
Good advice Paul...
i wish he could be my mentor. What could i do...
Go to his house and show respect and passion for guitar building
tough crowd
theres 4 parts to my responce so start reading at the 4th one down and read up thanks gary
I don't get paid to be a parent.Does that make it my HOBBY?
elektrolyte you don't get paid to be in prison either.
you made a decision, a CHOICE. & you gotz to serve boy!!
be a great parent! thumbs up
In a very literal sense yes. Parenthood is a choice which costs a very large amount of money and makes an enormous mess everywhere for twenty years - sounds like a hobby to me.
he should have brought santana to play
But Paul, what about all the countries we have destroyed and stolen resources from, who now don't have their own TED talks?
Exactly. Hopefully someday he will realize that war is a racket, and it is optional - not mandatory, and we will prosper without it.
On average, it takes 7 internet-based comments for people to initiate and develop a conflictual, rather than a collaborative, approach toward others. The future of mental health is measured by the ability to know one's own mind and reasonably know the mind of the other (typically significant other). What is more reasonable here, that this presenter wanted to deceive us, by being dishonest (his assistant threw away the card, not he) or he spent the time developing this talk just to sell guitars? So, there is nothing worthwhile about this presentation? Are you not "selling" your ideas here as well? Big 3: we are all human beings; we all want similar things, e.g., safety, security, love, health for our families and children; and, contextualization. If we understood context, we would understand that we would do the same thing as anyone else in his/her given lot in life. Practice lightheartedness, maybe you'll be a better guitar player or, manufacture your own line of guitars (I am not a guitar player- just curious about this presentation). Our actions effect everyone. Be your best- leave negativity with the people who taught that to you. I presume Paul's doing his best here...
What do most people say to you when you write something like this?
Rob Jaskiewicz that you're an over analytical assface.
yes, he's trying to FURTHER the future of his company. but you attack him for pushing a product he believes in & had been an under dog...for 30 years! !
his products are FAR SUPERIOR to Gibson & Fender nowadays.
bc he had passion.
don't knock a man for wanting you to have a GREAT GUITAR instead of a SHITBOX!!
are you tone deaf??? have you NOT LISTENED to the resonance & feedback the guitar NATURALLY CREATES???
hell, Gibson doesn't even use ebony fretboards anymore. & that's on their $4000 plus guitars! they use bakolite or whatever the hell that is, plastic & recycled paper & resin!
learn smthg before you comment your psychosomatic crap, PLEASE
On average, it takes one moderate disagreement on UA-cam to attract one pseudo-expert in lecturer mode, and one very rude response. All I get from Smith's talks is that he wants to share his knowledge, interest and enthusiasm about them as instruments. There are lots of people who build things that others can use more skillfully than the tool maker. Few of them are as passionate about what was created for them as the makers.
Your entire comment is babbling nonsense written by someone who thinks he's *_way_* smarter than he actually is.
Wait, PRS's personal assistant threw out PRS's possible dishonesty card!
Shocking!
By definition, he is being dishonest. He is using somebody he pays ( who has a vested interest in lying to PRS to keep him happy ) to decide, on their own, if PRS is dishonest!
Wait, I will get all my great group of people around me ( probably 90% benefit directly from being nice to me ) to tell me about myself, in an honest way!
Seriously PRS, wow!
This is world record Ego on a supernatural level! Scary!
CaribSurfKing1 He stole the PRS Elec. Gtr. body style from Bernie Rico & Ted MaCarty it's called the Exclusive or was.
Watchman4u how? the first exclusive ever was built in '96
Schael Oh no that was custom shop McCarty guitar from the real BC Rich Shop. The Exclusive is the name they gave the McCarty made by the biggest Guitar maker Sammick made Guitars for a Company that bought BC RICH rights as well as many other USA so called made Guitars . You know Ibenez don't even own a production plant? Same with Kramer ESP FENDER even Gibson had Guitars made overseas when Nashville got flooded they have a Gibson Piano Co. in China thats where those Chinese Chipsons are so close the have the Blue prints for ALL the Models , The "STARS" have their Guitars Ghost Built by a few Luthiers Beni Rico was One the Nashville Artist would bring their "THE Gibson" Fiddles mandolins & Guitars to him to have him build a neck for them. That Speaks Volumes you know what a True Oville The Gibson instrument will bring nowadays??? Yet the Players went to Cal. to have Mr Bernie Rico make the Necks for their instruments. What goy him into Guitars is he made a few Les Paul copies that were Great Eric Clapton bought one & met w/Bernie to make him one that was The SeaGull. But Guitar Mags don't ever tell you these things, like Clapton used Peavey Classic 30 on many recordings but you never find the Peavy listed as one of his main amps use on certain albums & even in Guitar mags when you can see them clearly in the Studio plugged into. Look up Ghost Built Guitars. I have a couple of BC Rich's that Play like a Dream better than like the EVO Vai $5000 Guitar. I paid way less & got Great instruments the ones like a super strats. are Some of the best the AMS the upper ended ones are really Great Guitars Shecters look good but I don't like them much I wouldn't buy one if given one I'd sell it.
@@utubehound69 You. Are. A. Complete. Nut. Job.
Look it up for yourself. @@davecarsley8773
Paul needs to stop using TEDx as a means to sell his shit-seriously
A large percentage of TED task have become sales pitches, that is to be expected
And you missed everything else he said in order to focus on him NOT saying "Buy my guitars".
***** Dear naive person,
As if a huckster needs to be blatant.What he expressed is virtually common wisdom that most people come to realize at a certain point early in life. There are many credible sources for self empowerment.
Mcwisdom as a thin veil for sales.
***** He makes great guitars and he likes to explain indirectly why you should buy them. He is killing 3 birds with 1 stone doing this
1. He thinks he is helping empower people with his knowledge
2. He is stroking his own huge ego
3. He is selling his product
CaribSurfKing1 Very good, those are the three elements at play.
May I make one adjustment though:
1.He is stroking his own huge ego
2.He is stroking his own huge ego
3.He is stroking his own huge ego