As a prs employee seeing the guitars out in the wild is an incredible feeling. Even better knowing people often hate on the brand until they try it out themselves.
Normal people have no idea it's not a strat. Only guitar players know the difference. It's a fantastic guitar, if you like it play it, who cares what anyone thinks.
A strandberg has soo much more to offer than a PRS. And yet what prevails are the stereotypes about guitar shapes and genres associated with. Its sad really 🫤
Sounded brilliant! The Lyme Regis pub crowd was lucky to have two such terrific guitarists on hand. Also, you did a terrific job yesterday demolishing the arguments against the Silver Sky.
I’m lucky enough to have a 63’ strat . And my silver sky nails that vintage sound to a tee. All my reservations about the aesthetics etc, go out of the window when I play or record with it. It’s a high quality instrument. You shouldn’t have any reservations about playing or being see with one, sounds great in your hands . Enjoy it!
I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the £2K version and the £600 SE one. And wouldn't care either way if I saw someone playing either one. It sounded great.
I’ve played my Silver Sky for every gig for 4 years and it’s absolutely rock solid. The only annoying thing is getting asked “do you like it??” Yes I do, very much.
You dudes sound FANTASTIC! I played hundreds of “shoved in the corner” gigs back in my day. Aside from some highlights in later years they were my favorites.
Yeah, toured for years and had my share of "shoved in the corner" gigs. Played some massive shows too, but the corner gigs were always my favorite and most memorable.
@@mrelmoresmusiclab when I was doing a lot of those corner of the room gigs, I’d meet people and they would ask me, how good a guitar player are you? I would say when I’m at home playing or when it’s a full contact sport ? Because when I play those corner of the room gigs, I’m constantly taking elbows to the ribs, having my guitar pumped, people walking on my pedalboard, a gig was a full contact sport
I was able to pick up a 2 month old silver sky SE for £390 a few weeks ago and definitely enjoy playing it more than my 1996 Mexican made Fender Stratocaster - mainly because it's lighter and more resonant
I think the audience is there to enjoy their night out, hear music they like, dance, have fun, unwind, etc. They probably care about what brand guitar you're playing as they care about what color shoes you're wearing.
Since I’ve had my silver sky, my much loved fenders have taken second spot. I’m not or ever have been a Mayer fan, but for me it was all about the feel,sound and playability. I really can’t see why people have a problem with this guitar?
Somewhere deep inside they know the Silver Sky is making the Stratocaster look old and feel outdated. They cling to their beloved Strat because "That's what my heroes played" Basically, they have to hate the Silver Sky, or admit their guitar is outclassed.
Wow! What a great band! I am so glad that you included the clips of the band at the end of your video! I listen to your content every day! I love almost everything on your channel… Except discussions about if people like John Mayer or not.
Silver Sky’s are great feeling, sounding and reliable alternatives to Strats. That’s what they’re supposed to be. They’re supposed to exist along with fender- not replace them.
It's a guitar. A Fender Strat is a guitar. They're just guitars. No prejudicial judgement needed or warranted ... any given says everything about the person doing the judging. I don't own a SS ... I do own a Fender Strat. I've played a SS and was thoroughly amazed at tone and playability. I would happily own and play one ... with no stigma.
Cheers John these gig related videos are really enjoyable, cause it's real world stuff. Also I'm coming to the UK shortly and I'm looking forward to hopefully part of it :) Had fly open at a gig once as a main singer and a nice gentleman from the audience approached me between songs to let me know. The Silver sky is an objectively good guitar, a good feeling neck out of the box, while most PRS are heavily lacquered. I'm not too keen about the esthetics of the SS. Mayer is a great player, but the signature products can always be "divisive"..
The US made Silver Sky is an excellent guitar. I've never tried an Silver Sky SE, but PRS has always had extraordinary QC and value in their SE line. I've owned other SE models in the past. Never disappointed. That said, the only issue with the Maryland-made Silver Sky is the damn pickups. _I also wish they went with a more modern trem system, and ditched the bent-steel saddles. Not a deal breaker._ The pickups are OK. Not terrible. Maybe a bit "sterile" compared to a Fender. They subtracted some of that "ice-pick" high frequency from the standard US Strat pickup. Especially the bridge position. In doing so, it's definitely more balanced overall, but it missed that certain "something", that "throaty" or vocal "quack" Strat players know well. It has some quack, but not enough imo. _What I've seen seems to suggest that Paul focused on tuning the pickups to make the middle pickup the "go-to" on the instrument. I don't know but that something intangible is lost by doing that._ The fit and finish is excellent. Frets are beautiful, I love the input jack redesign and the balance of the guitar is great. *The best part by far is the neck.* I've never felt a 7.25" radius neck before the SS. Wow! Where have you been all my life? So many modern guitars are going in the "dead flat" radius direction. 12", 16", 12-16" compound radius, etc. That's too flat for me. Strandberg even goes with a 20" radius on their guitars, which the EndurNeck™ design does somewhat mitigate, but still. So flat. One needs long fingers. The Silver Sky is like playing a baseball bat with strings. In a good way. Very comfortable, no fretting-out on bends, a great design.
Silver Sky is THE American made strat to buy imo given that Suhrs are a bit pricey now, not even gonna consider Fender because it's just a bit ridiculous at this point. MJT if you're stateside seems to be a great option cause the pricing is really reasonable and you don't need to get them super relic-ed if you don't want to (1750USD/1400ish GBP for complete instruments)
Guitar gear snobs bug me. I guess that makes me an anti-guitar snob snob. Any gear that works is fine, including PRS. Brian May played a homemade guitar - it wasn't a Gibson or Fender. Snobs need to get over their snobbery - and yeah, I'm working on it.
The only downside to the silver sky is if you want a used one in the US they generally hover around $1,600-$2,000. Having owned 2 SS SE's and one SS.. I prefer my 87' strat and 93' strat plus deluxe. Both cost less than a used SS and in my opinion, are better.
When I sit in with another band, I try to find out what they play and bring a guitar that’s a good counterpoint. Like, if they play a Strat, I’ll bring an LP or other humbucker or P90 guitar. I love how the two complement each other.
Let's just call a spade a spade. I own and love an American Pro II series strat. And I own a Silver Sky (Maryland). The Silver Sky is just a sexier, souped-up strat. Paul and John sat down and actually figured out a way to make Fender's flagship guitar, quite frankly, better than Fender. And yes, I'm a Fender fanboy
Props for hitting The Ship in Lyme Regis where I spent a good portion of my yooof back in the 80s drinking, playing pool, and feeding the juke box. RIP Joe O'Donnell - a fine publican.
Gigged an SE Silver Sky for a couple of years and finally recently moved up to a Core. They’re just really solid guitars that sound great, play great and are built very well. They have a reputation, but everyone who’s played one of mine is always blown away by them.
Guitar snobbery, whether inverted or not, is odd. As a lefty on a budget for many years my go to guitars were 3 Fender Mexican (2 strats & a tele). you used to get the gear snobs going up during the break and checking out behind the headstocks to see the spec/serial numbers. Same with amps. I have an incredible 410 Fender 93 Pro combo which is a brilliant amp. I also have a backup Fender DRRI 65 which gets all the attention even though the 410 is a far better sounding amp and more enjoyable to play through. Silver Skys aesthetically don't do much for me with that headstock. Its a preference thing though and I sort of feel similar about my MIJ Fender strat with the 70s style large headstock. So I still play the Mexico made strats mainly.
I am a big Mayer fan and I held off on getting a Silver Sky for years. Finally got one and don't know why I waited. Have gigged with it a few times. Sounds spectacular. Plays perfectly. Mine is super light. About 6.5 pounds. Only issue is balancing the pickups, as you said. I may get another one and put a humbucker in the bridge!
Digging the live clips in this John. As a lefty I’ve never had the opportunity to try a Silver Sky, so i am curious to at least try the SE version when it is released.
I honestly would have had some of those ignorant thoughts until I played one. One of the best playing, feeling, and sounding instruments I have ever picked up and for a lot less money than a custom shop. I'm still pining for one. Not a huge Mayer fan, and this guitar speaks volumes to understanding what he's after. It's pretty brilliant.
Looks like a great guitar. I have a Tom Anderson, which is nice as well. As long as the Sky doesn't have a big JM signature on the front, I don't think it's an issue. I vastly prefer the Gibby-style 3x3 tuner layout on the PRS.
I honestly hate how good mine is. I picked it up from a gigging guy out of Nashville for very little money in a trade. I just got it to pass on for a little money for a Chroma console pedal or something. I like PRS and Les Pauls but man, I adjusted the truss rod and put new strings on it and it just rips. It feels more like my grandpa’s originals than my fenders or handmade MiJ guitars. It’s lightweight, has a dark rosewood fretboard, good fretwork, pickups are insane for single coils, and even has a flamed maple neck - and I paid less than I did for my MiM Jimmy V strat. 😭
think give it few years and the "John Mayer Signature" thing will fade, and the Silver Sky will be like the DGT. Where you play it and people just think "ah they love PRS but want a Les Paul" Silver Sky will be "ah they love PRS but want a Strat". The signature nature will be irrelevant.
I wish we still had bars (our word for a pub) here where I live where you could hang out, have a drink and listen to good live music. Unfortunately, after a decade or two of “we don’t pay musicians but you can get good exposure” the scene finally died. Used to be awesome back in the day, though. (Tampa)
I was always told by older musicians to never play for free because it’s a slippery slope. Unfortunately DJs helped to kill off most of the local live music scene.
@@Dreyno It’s baffling but also completely understandable. When there are so many people kind of living virtually, on their phones all the time instead of interacting with others, the fun of having a live band or even just a singer with a guitar doesn’t carry as much thrill. When I go skiing, the places that have live music are packed, people are paying for covers that they want to hear, you have to think the talent is getting paid a reasonable amount just based on that. You’re in a great location why live in your phone? But back home it’s just a dead zone. The sad part is there are some incredible musicians who can’t get gigs and they all move to Nashville now.
@@philipmarsh3522 Having worked in the industry, we found that social media really killed it off. What initially worked as free advertising turned out to be damaging. People would make their decision to go out or not according to the amount of likes an event got on facebook. If it didn’t look like loads of people were going out early in the day, people would decide not to go out. Nights that used to get 500 customers needed up getting less than 100. Everyone would go on the big nights and you couldn’t cater to them all. Profits nosedived, venues closed and then people complain that there’s nowhere to go.
All the nu-metal bands were playing PRS at one point, when it really hit peak levels the brand put their guitars in the hands of bands like Creed, Alter Bridge, Story of the Year, Linkin Park, P.O.D., Incubus. It was the modern rock answer to all the shred heads and "boomer benders", a rich man's guitar that wasn't associated with everybody's dads.
At 67 I have no idea about the JM hate and only know of a few songs of his and they’re pretty good . Won an SE version and it’s great . The core version doesn’t come with a case which is a joke tbh , the SE with the gig bag is a better deal than a Player Strat but haven’t tried the mk2 version which has the same pickups as mk 1 ?? Second hand SE is the way to go , bargain at @ £400 ! Lyme Regis a hike from Glasgow , sorry and I’d buy you guys a pint -great playing !! 🎸
PRS Custom 24 owner here (amongst just a couple other guitars). I finally picked up a practically new American Strat II a couple years back, love the tone, but bends on the some of high frets bottom out a bit, even after taking it to the local well respected luthier for a setup. The thing is, if I play along and listen to David Gilmore - "On the Run" from Dark Side of the Moon, you can hear his Strat bottom out on the exact same bends as my Strat. (??). So I guess I have the authentic Strat sound there (lol). My PRS Custom 24 plays so beautifully and smooth on those same high bends without the sitar effect, just crazy that this Strat can't behave up there. So.. does the Silver Sky bottom out on those same high notes? I'd like the PRS neck with the Strat pickup sound, maybe I'll keep an eye out for a Silver Sky deal..
I use the super affordable SE version alongside a CS strat on a theatre show. The sky sounds amazing, plays well and I couldn’t care less what people think! However if you turn up with one of those headless guitars I’ll just judge you 😂
Fantastic neck shape and setup on my one that I owned - hated the rest, though, unfortunately, and sold it. The pickups had a spikey plastic sounding top end to them, and not much harmonic complexity happening, tbh. None of that nice woody strat tone, either. It just sounded too metallic and harsh for me. It was decent for the money I paid second hand but the thing just had no character about it in the sound or look. Again, greatttt neck shape though - one of the best I've ever played.
I tried one at a few gigs and decided my Nick Johnston Schecter SSS was so much better and cheaper! I use it as a backup to my Suhr Tele but it sits nicely as a main guitar depending on the gig!
It's funny how all the negatives were just perceived judgements from other musicians or feeling weird because an instrument (or amp) is expensive. Nothing to do with the instrument. (which is part of your point I think) But I totally understand that thinking. I have to admit that would be part of my criteria in buying a guitar or amp: how would other musicians see me or judge me. Embarrassing but true. But let's face it, the regular non-musician public doesn't care at all.
I was very close to getting a Silver Sky - But i ended up getting a Fender Ultra Strat... However i do have a Core Custom 22 PRS from 2006 and love it...
I played an SS in the store and thought it sounded great. I could not live with the 50-cent knobs stolen from a nearby Chibson. I see we have move into the "bendy" faze of our playing. Any thoughts from the people there?
I think they’re alright. I’m just not a fan of the shades of paint it’s offered in. Like the berry colored one looks weird. If some people are into different colors, so it’s cool. Different strokes and all that.
I am not a huge John Mayer fan, I have a Silver Skye and really like it, it plays well IMO 😊. I was going to buy a Nile Rodgers Strat, and ended up buying the Silver Skye instead.
I looooove showing up to gigs and pulling out my Silver Sky. It’s gets the best looks from musicians. They all love it, every one who has played it has been convinced of its quality. I’m in Rhode Island, the smallest state in the US, and they’re not commonly seen at gigs here. Especially not the Midnight Rose color, which is what I have. Sparkly hot pink PRS Strat with birds on a maple neck. It turns heads! And everyone compliments the tone. PRS hate is such crap. Any working musician who is serious enough can save for it. I played for 17 years before buying a PRS, I’m not a dentist, I only did community college lmao. But I’m gigging, making a decent living, and I mainly use a PRS Strat copy ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ talk is cheap. The Silver Sky is amazing
I actually applaud companies trying to build on and improve 70 year designs. Why would anyone turn their nose up at a SS player as being Mayer wannabes? Like me saying strat players wannabe Hendrix and LP player wannabe Page. Sire, schecter, Suhr etc all make S-type signature models (Carlton, Johnson, Thorn) and no-one bats an eye at them? PRS has some great guitars and some great players playing them (Mayer, McLaughlin, Santana, Ford, Tremonti, Grissom). Don’t think I would judge any good gig player using any guitar…
Great sounding group! Nothing Bad about JM’s guitar playing! He’s just. Polarizing personality. Come on guys, in the end they’re just tools to help us get what’s on the inside…out into the room. (by the way, just a sidenote… If I could play guitar like John Mayer, I would quit my day job!
In Canada they are 3700$ so they are very up there. I had a se version and it was good but I found I was never picking it up because I already had a custom shop strat and a couple AVRI so I am interested to see where they stand up again a custom shop
Starting with the local band scene, I became a singer in my youth because I couldn't really play any of the popular instruments, my musical education pretty much stopped with the recorder, my single parent mother couldn't afford more that than. But I became good at singing, doing it a lot, and so curiosity got me some jams. I brought a recorder to the jam. And played it. The one that organized it, made fun of it. And that toughtt me a lot of things that are relevant to this video: - don't get distracted by side glances when it is not about what you are playing - if a musician thinks you're worth less because of the status your instruments exude, don't play with them anymore. If those were really about the instrument and not about the way I played it avoid the "alpha" that did that (because than it is a hierarchy thing) in the future.Not that I accuse any of your band mates there, because: Besides, a lot of those side glances might be completely misinterpreted by you, and were more along the line "I'm curious about the guitar". What I mean is, be aware that stuff like that is all to often in your head, and the ones that count are the audience, who I guaranty you, don't give an f. as long as they recognize the song and the lick.
Btw. Even if initially that guy that were so demeaning about myself taking a recorder to a session because he had some tv recognition at the time, he ended up pretty much unliked by the creator community in the end and couldn't really progress in that career.
John, I could never buy or play a Silver Sky. The resale value is horrible. I'll take a Mexico or US made Fender Stratocaster any day of the week over a PRS Silver Sky.
I haven't played a ton of american silver sky's but a lot of the SE's I've played have the tremolo in them. Have you used the whammy on that silver skye? I wasn't a huge fan of the trem on the SE's and in general because it seems to go out of tune quicker/intonation problems. Obviously floyd roses exist but that would seem silly on this guitar and are pain in the ass in general. Love to hear your thoughts.
I watched about half of this, it seems like I've heard it all before. I agree with JNC 100%. Just get John Mayer out of your head and this is a great guitar for a gigging musician. My last 3 Fenders were junk. I finally built one from some old Fender parts and some new parts I bought from Warmoth (neck specifically). My old guitars I just wore out, I'm 72 and have been doing this for 50+ years. In 2017 I did find a new ES335 that was built right and sounded great (with a '58-9 LP neck carve). Peace --gary
I had the opportunity to buy one for a small but significant discount but I passed out it due to the tiny vintage frets and the nec shape that made it hard to play for my type of hands. It sounded great though.
I don't care about the Silver Sky, but I have a couple of PRS guitars, and they are great and not expensive. All the "problems" I'm hearing in this video are users' perceptions or errors. Of course, bridge and neck pickups can be tricky to balance, it's the same for all strats' guitars. Unfortunately, SSS guitars can't be used for everything unless you have an effects modeler previously preset for all applications, or kind of music, and more so in a Two guitars band.
LOL, you guys are toooooo concerned about the look, or at least the headstock. Only weird other guitarist see it. I prefer the 3x3 design. Tuning stability. It's just a great tribute to how a 64 strat should sound and feel. The neck and the radius of it becomes nature once you play it for awhile. What John isn't talking about are the tone pots. They are like filters and ACTUALLY do something. All my strat tone pots are near useless. The SS tone pots are just another way to dial in your tone. About John Mayer. I've seen him 18 times with Dead and Company (I'm a huge deadhead) and I'll tell ya. The boy can PLAY. Basically, the SS rules and the haters hate because they got nothing better to do.... Enjoy the guitar John. The more you play it, the more it soaks in and you keep reaching for it. Experiment with them tone knobs.
I have 2 fender strats that are great, I also own a Silver sky SE, its the PRS that is the one I grab as it is just so great to play and sounds really good.
PRS definitely have that reputation, all of my close friends are musicians and when i told them i bought a prs se 245 as my first guitar, some of them were a bit shocked lol. it was used and i got it for 375 so it didnt really warrant that reaction haha great guitar nonetheless but PRS def has that high end stigma attached to its brand. its funny i remember before i bought that guitar i was doing tons of research on guitars and purely picked the prs because of all the good things i had read about PRS SE guitars online even though the PRS was the ugliest of the guitars i was picking from. im quite a minimalist or traditionalist i guess so the red flame maple top and the bird inlays are not my style at all haha but i think that its probably the best guitar i could have gotten at that price to be honest and probably will never sell it
PRS is already just not my thing. Not least the Silver Sky. I’m sure, as is the case with every other guitar, if I played ten I could find one that I liked. But I’d still have to live with a PRS. There’s an analogy to women and relationships in here somewhere.
Never been a fan of any PRS, and with the tonewood debate, now I like them even less, if forced to, I'd take Mark Lettieri's Fiore anytime over a Silver Sky, but I'd prefer that Custom Shop Strat that Jake is playing in this video.
I just got one yesterday on a trade. Its very very nice. I enjoy the g-shock plastics. Mine weighs in at 6.7lbs and is finished in Golden Mesa nitro. Also im not a John Mayer fan. I just wanted a lightly built strat.
In New Zealand, and in Austrslia ( I believe) there is this thing called the " tall poppy" syndrome, where if you say or do something remarkable or different, you are often judged by the other Hobbits as being "up yourself" just for sticking your neck out! Sounds as if the same thing happens in your neck of the woods. When I bought and played a Marshall 100 plexi in public for the first time, there were only about three in the whole country, seeing as no import lisences were allowed ( I bought mine second hand) and as very much a beginner guitarist,I was judged a bit for being that rich ( which I wasn't) mind you at the equivalent of £3000 in the early 70's I could have bought a house in Auckland, which is now one of the most expensive real estate cities in the world! I was askeed to join bands just to show the amp onstage, and I quickly realised I had to buck up my playing to match the gear. I think John Mayer is a really good guitar player, average singer, and even more average songwriter, but I find his onstage public personna a little much to take. I don't judge him for that though because it is maybe just insecurities he's been unable to overcome yet, but I don't listen to him much. I was judged positively for using gear that resembled famous players, and this used to annoy me anyway, so if someone didn't like an artist associated with a bit of gear, and judged me for that, I would be so angry at the stupidity I would be all the more set in my ways. If people can't get past basic prejudices like these, they warrant no consideration. If you like gear and play well... to hell with the trolls!
The only time someone comes up to me asking about my guitar at a gig is when I've got the Silver Sky. To be fair they usually just ask if that's the "John Mayer PRS"
As a prs employee seeing the guitars out in the wild is an incredible feeling. Even better knowing people often hate on the brand until they try it out themselves.
Normal people have no idea it's not a strat. Only guitar players know the difference. It's a fantastic guitar, if you like it play it, who cares what anyone thinks.
Well said...
I use a Taylor T5 in the studio and it’s crazy how reactions have changed since it was discontinued. From overrated to… stunning!
The entire YT Guitar Ecosystem would collapse overnight if everyone really thought this!
If you think showing up with a Silver Sky is an energy you should try turning up with a Strandberg.
LOL! The prog-frog has entered the building. 😂
@@lou.yorke.xyou just proved the original posters point
Yah next time try a yamaha samurai!
A strandberg has soo much more to offer than a PRS. And yet what prevails are the stereotypes about guitar shapes and genres associated with. Its sad really 🫤
I break out my NX 7 to play skynyrd all the time!
Sounded brilliant! The Lyme Regis pub crowd was lucky to have two such terrific guitarists on hand. Also, you did a terrific job yesterday demolishing the arguments against the Silver Sky.
I’m lucky enough to have a 63’ strat . And my silver sky nails that vintage sound to a tee. All my reservations about the aesthetics etc, go out of the window when I play or record with it. It’s a high quality instrument. You shouldn’t have any reservations about playing or being see with one, sounds great in your hands . Enjoy it!
That was the intention.
Well said.
I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the £2K version and the £600 SE one. And wouldn't care either way if I saw someone playing either one. It sounded great.
Watching you play “Ain’t no Sunshine” shows that you need to play more blues/soul/R&B/reggae on your channel.
I’ve played my Silver Sky for every gig for 4 years and it’s absolutely rock solid. The only annoying thing is getting asked “do you like it??” Yes I do, very much.
“do you like it??” ahah as if you would bring a guitar with you all the the time if you hate it LOL
@@lollofunkyI was just going to say that. 😂
You dudes sound FANTASTIC! I played hundreds of “shoved in the corner” gigs back in my day. Aside from some highlights in later years they were my favorites.
Yeah, toured for years and had my share of "shoved in the corner" gigs. Played some massive shows too, but the corner gigs were always my favorite and most memorable.
@@mrelmoresmusiclab when I was doing a lot of those corner of the room gigs, I’d meet people and they would ask me, how good a guitar player are you? I would say when I’m at home playing or when it’s a full contact sport ? Because when I play those corner of the room gigs, I’m constantly taking elbows to the ribs, having my guitar pumped, people walking on my pedalboard, a gig was a full contact sport
@@shanemcconnell1736 yes, more like being in a rugby match at the same time. Ha ha.
When the girl knocked into the mic stand during Purple Rain... my teeth felt that.
I was able to pick up a 2 month old silver sky SE for £390 a few weeks ago and definitely enjoy playing it more than my 1996 Mexican made Fender Stratocaster - mainly because it's lighter and more resonant
Phillip Sayce is now a PRS endorsed artist. Love it. Hate the plastic tuning pegs though…
I thought I’d hate the plastic pegs (was ready to replace em) but turns out I love them. In a colder room it’s nice when the tuners aren’t cold.
Same here, extremely comfortable and turns out a bigger peg makes for easier incremental tweaks
@@mattc1176 I have to say that is possibly the most random reason to like plastic tuners I’ve seen on the internet 😂
@@MintyBitesBack I can’t disagree but sometimes the heart wants what it wants 😂
I hate the look, but seriously love them in use.
The rosewood board looks great. Nice and dark
Zac Galafanakis was diggin' it from outside at around 12 mins. Nice.
I think the audience is there to enjoy their night out, hear music they like, dance, have fun, unwind, etc. They probably care about what brand guitar you're playing as they care about what color shoes you're wearing.
Since I’ve had my silver sky, my much loved fenders have taken second spot. I’m not or ever have been a Mayer fan, but for me it was all about the feel,sound and playability. I really can’t see why people have a problem with this guitar?
I have two core SS's. 4 strats. The strats live in their case. Period
Somewhere deep inside they know the Silver Sky is making the Stratocaster look old and feel outdated. They cling to their beloved Strat because "That's what my heroes played" Basically, they have to hate the Silver Sky, or admit their guitar is outclassed.
@@MichaelBassVideos I agree. I love my strats and will always keep them. But the silver sky is so much better In many ways.
Wow! What a great band! I am so glad that you included the clips of the band at the end of your video! I listen to your content every day! I love almost everything on your channel… Except discussions about if people like John Mayer or not.
Silver Sky’s are great feeling, sounding and reliable alternatives to Strats. That’s what they’re supposed to be. They’re supposed to exist along with fender- not replace them.
No interest in PRS SS. But then again I love Bullet strats with rosewood boards and dots no birds so what do I know? Cheers! ✌🎸
It's a guitar. A Fender Strat is a guitar. They're just guitars. No prejudicial judgement needed or warranted ... any given says everything about the person doing the judging.
I don't own a SS ... I do own a Fender Strat. I've played a SS and was thoroughly amazed at tone and playability. I would happily own and play one ... with no stigma.
I’ve done a number of shows with my USA SS, and will be doing another one this week. It’s such a wonderful instrument.
Cheers John these gig related videos are really enjoyable, cause it's real world stuff. Also I'm coming to the UK shortly and I'm looking forward to hopefully part of it :)
Had fly open at a gig once as a main singer and a nice gentleman from the audience approached me between songs to let me know.
The Silver sky is an objectively good guitar, a good feeling neck out of the box, while most PRS are heavily lacquered. I'm not too keen about the esthetics of the SS. Mayer is a great player, but the signature products can always be "divisive"..
Love the vibe of the live vid from the set!
You gotta demo the new Stratocaster Player II’s in White Blonde and Cherry Bursts! They are made of ash and are chambered!
Love these live performances. Great playing. I'll have to drop down to Lyme Regis to see one of these gigs.
2 damned good guitarist, there,
The US made Silver Sky is an excellent guitar. I've never tried an Silver Sky SE, but PRS has always had extraordinary QC and value in their SE line. I've owned other SE models in the past. Never disappointed.
That said, the only issue with the Maryland-made Silver Sky is the damn pickups.
_I also wish they went with a more modern trem system, and ditched the bent-steel saddles. Not a deal breaker._
The pickups are OK. Not terrible. Maybe a bit "sterile" compared to a Fender.
They subtracted some of that "ice-pick" high frequency from the standard US Strat pickup. Especially the bridge position.
In doing so, it's definitely more balanced overall, but it missed that certain "something", that "throaty" or vocal "quack" Strat players know well. It has some quack, but not enough imo.
_What I've seen seems to suggest that Paul focused on tuning the pickups to make the middle pickup the "go-to" on the instrument. I don't know but that something intangible is lost by doing that._
The fit and finish is excellent. Frets are beautiful, I love the input jack redesign and the balance of the guitar is great.
*The best part by far is the neck.*
I've never felt a 7.25" radius neck before the SS. Wow! Where have you been all my life?
So many modern guitars are going in the "dead flat" radius direction. 12", 16", 12-16" compound radius, etc.
That's too flat for me. Strandberg even goes with a 20" radius on their guitars, which the EndurNeck™ design does somewhat mitigate, but still. So flat. One needs long fingers.
The Silver Sky is like playing a baseball bat with strings. In a good way. Very comfortable, no fretting-out on bends, a great design.
Silver Sky is THE American made strat to buy imo given that Suhrs are a bit pricey now, not even gonna consider Fender because it's just a bit ridiculous at this point. MJT if you're stateside seems to be a great option cause the pricing is really reasonable and you don't need to get them super relic-ed if you don't want to (1750USD/1400ish GBP for complete instruments)
Guitar gear snobs bug me. I guess that makes me an anti-guitar snob snob. Any gear that works is fine, including PRS. Brian May played a homemade guitar - it wasn't a Gibson or Fender. Snobs need to get over their snobbery - and yeah, I'm working on it.
The only downside to the silver sky is if you want a used one in the US they generally hover around $1,600-$2,000. Having owned 2 SS SE's and one SS.. I prefer my 87' strat and 93' strat plus deluxe. Both cost less than a used SS and in my opinion, are better.
What makes them feel better to you if I may ask?
When I sit in with another band, I try to find out what they play and bring a guitar that’s a good counterpoint. Like, if they play a Strat, I’ll bring an LP or other humbucker or P90 guitar. I love how the two complement each other.
Let's just call a spade a spade. I own and love an American Pro II series strat. And I own a Silver Sky (Maryland). The Silver Sky is just a sexier, souped-up strat.
Paul and John sat down and actually figured out a way to make Fender's flagship guitar, quite frankly, better than Fender. And yes, I'm a Fender fanboy
After Leo did it at ~25+ yrs ago G&L of course.
Props for hitting The Ship in Lyme Regis where I spent a good portion of my yooof back in the 80s drinking, playing pool, and feeding the juke box. RIP Joe O'Donnell - a fine publican.
14:41
bass player: i wish i could play like that
jake: oh ye
Gigged an SE Silver Sky for a couple of years and finally recently moved up to a Core. They’re just really solid guitars that sound great, play great and are built very well. They have a reputation, but everyone who’s played one of mine is always blown away by them.
Guitar snobbery, whether inverted or not, is odd. As a lefty on a budget for many years my go to guitars were 3 Fender Mexican (2 strats & a tele). you used to get the gear snobs going up during the break and checking out behind the headstocks to see the spec/serial numbers. Same with amps. I have an incredible 410 Fender 93 Pro combo which is a brilliant amp. I also have a backup Fender DRRI 65 which gets all the attention even though the 410 is a far better sounding amp and more enjoyable to play through.
Silver Skys aesthetically don't do much for me with that headstock. Its a preference thing though and I sort of feel similar about my MIJ Fender strat with the 70s style large headstock. So I still play the Mexico made strats mainly.
$1100 is a really good deal. The peg head is too weird for me, but the quality of the guitar, I could get use to it.
I am a big Mayer fan and I held off on getting a Silver Sky for years. Finally got one and don't know why I waited. Have gigged with it a few times. Sounds spectacular. Plays perfectly. Mine is super light. About 6.5 pounds. Only issue is balancing the pickups, as you said. I may get another one and put a humbucker in the bridge!
Digging the live clips in this John. As a lefty I’ve never had the opportunity to try a Silver Sky, so i am curious to at least try the SE version when it is released.
Band looks great, go on a UK tour!!!!
I honestly would have had some of those ignorant thoughts until I played one. One of the best playing, feeling, and sounding instruments I have ever picked up and for a lot less money than a custom shop. I'm still pining for one. Not a huge Mayer fan, and this guitar speaks volumes to understanding what he's after. It's pretty brilliant.
I played a silver sky live on a few occasions. Never got looked at twice. It’s just a guitar!!
Looks like a great guitar. I have a Tom Anderson, which is nice as well. As long as the Sky doesn't have a big JM signature on the front, I don't think it's an issue. I vastly prefer the Gibby-style 3x3 tuner layout on the PRS.
I honestly hate how good mine is.
I picked it up from a gigging guy out of Nashville for very little money in a trade. I just got it to pass on for a little money for a Chroma console pedal or something. I like PRS and Les Pauls but man, I adjusted the truss rod and put new strings on it and it just rips. It feels more like my grandpa’s originals than my fenders or handmade MiJ guitars. It’s lightweight, has a dark rosewood fretboard, good fretwork, pickups are insane for single coils, and even has a flamed maple neck - and I paid less than I did for my MiM Jimmy V strat. 😭
I’ve been seriously thinking about putting a humbucker at the bridge and just keep it.
That Jake guy is pretty good!
My flies are always down anyway, so it makes no difference
I love my American Original 60s shell pink strat, but I would totally take a Silver Sky.
think give it few years and the "John Mayer Signature" thing will fade, and the Silver Sky will be like the DGT. Where you play it and people just think "ah they love PRS but want a Les Paul" Silver Sky will be "ah they love PRS but want a Strat". The signature nature will be irrelevant.
I wish we still had bars (our word for a pub) here where I live where you could hang out, have a drink and listen to good live music. Unfortunately, after a decade or two of “we don’t pay musicians but you can get good exposure” the scene finally died. Used to be awesome back in the day, though. (Tampa)
I was always told by older musicians to never play for free because it’s a slippery slope. Unfortunately DJs helped to kill off most of the local live music scene.
@@Dreyno It’s baffling but also completely understandable. When there are so many people kind of living virtually, on their phones all the time instead of interacting with others, the fun of having a live band or even just a singer with a guitar doesn’t carry as much thrill. When I go skiing, the places that have live music are packed, people are paying for covers that they want to hear, you have to think the talent is getting paid a reasonable amount just based on that. You’re in a great location why live in your phone? But back home it’s just a dead zone. The sad part is there are some incredible musicians who can’t get gigs and they all move to Nashville now.
@@philipmarsh3522 Having worked in the industry, we found that social media really killed it off. What initially worked as free advertising turned out to be damaging. People would make their decision to go out or not according to the amount of likes an event got on facebook. If it didn’t look like loads of people were going out early in the day, people would decide not to go out. Nights that used to get 500 customers needed up getting less than 100. Everyone would go on the big nights and you couldn’t cater to them all. Profits nosedived, venues closed and then people complain that there’s nowhere to go.
When I saw the members of Linkin Park playing PRS guitars at their new gig, I realized the stigma is starting to change.
All the nu-metal bands were playing PRS at one point, when it really hit peak levels the brand put their guitars in the hands of bands like Creed, Alter Bridge, Story of the Year, Linkin Park, P.O.D., Incubus. It was the modern rock answer to all the shred heads and "boomer benders", a rich man's guitar that wasn't associated with everybody's dads.
Chevelle
At 67 I have no idea about the JM hate and only know of a few songs of his and they’re pretty good . Won an SE version and it’s great . The core version doesn’t come with a case which is a joke tbh , the SE with the gig bag is a better deal than a Player Strat but haven’t tried the mk2 version which has the same pickups as mk 1 ?? Second hand SE is the way to go , bargain at @ £400 ! Lyme Regis a hike from Glasgow , sorry and I’d buy you guys a pint -great playing !! 🎸
Played a could Silver Sky models and enjoyed them. They won't displace my strats, but could easily use on in place if I had to.
Peeping tom is psyched 12:02
Hmmm... Which would be worse? Showing up at a blues jam with a pointy Floyd-equipped shred machine, or with a Silver Sky?
Geez. Any sideways-look-givers can PISS OFF. Jack Pearson has taught us all that it’s the chops that matter. And JNC’s chops speak for themselves.
I’ve noticed that the people who make great music and the people who have a lot to say about your gear are rarely the same people.
PRS Custom 24 owner here (amongst just a couple other guitars). I finally picked up a practically new American Strat II a couple years back, love the tone, but bends on the some of high frets bottom out a bit, even after taking it to the local well respected luthier for a setup. The thing is, if I play along and listen to David Gilmore - "On the Run" from Dark Side of the Moon, you can hear his Strat bottom out on the exact same bends as my Strat. (??). So I guess I have the authentic Strat sound there (lol). My PRS Custom 24 plays so beautifully and smooth on those same high bends without the sitar effect, just crazy that this Strat can't behave up there. So.. does the Silver Sky bottom out on those same high notes? I'd like the PRS neck with the Strat pickup sound, maybe I'll keep an eye out for a Silver Sky deal..
I use the super affordable SE version alongside a CS strat on a theatre show. The sky sounds amazing, plays well and I couldn’t care less what people think! However if you turn up with one of those headless guitars I’ll just judge you 😂
Dorset music scene is bonkers good for the number of people around, You ever gig in Weymouth?
Fantastic neck shape and setup on my one that I owned - hated the rest, though, unfortunately, and sold it. The pickups had a spikey plastic sounding top end to them, and not much harmonic complexity happening, tbh. None of that nice woody strat tone, either. It just sounded too metallic and harsh for me. It was decent for the money I paid second hand but the thing just had no character about it in the sound or look. Again, greatttt neck shape though - one of the best I've ever played.
Did you think about a pickup swap or not interested?
I tried one at a few gigs and decided my Nick Johnston Schecter SSS was so much better and cheaper! I use it as a backup to my Suhr Tele but it sits nicely as a main guitar depending on the gig!
Jake was killing it too - nice playing!
I’m not a fan of John Mayer or Les Paul… but I love their guitars. Respect to them.
I saw a guitarist playing a Chapman and I'm slightly ashamed to admit that I was judging them all night long!
It's funny how all the negatives were just perceived judgements from other musicians or feeling weird because an instrument (or amp) is expensive. Nothing to do with the instrument. (which is part of your point I think) But I totally understand that thinking. I have to admit that would be part of my criteria in buying a guitar or amp: how would other musicians see me or judge me. Embarrassing but true. But let's face it, the regular non-musician public doesn't care at all.
I was very close to getting a Silver Sky - But i ended up getting a Fender Ultra Strat... However i do have a Core Custom 22 PRS from 2006 and love it...
At this price point (1900-2500 Eur), no other strat beats the PRS Silver Sky, period.
Found one for 1200 that was scratch and dent. It had one mark on the back and that was it
I love the Silver Sky, its such a great guitar.
I played an SS in the store and thought it sounded great. I could not live with the 50-cent knobs stolen from a nearby Chibson. I see we have move into the "bendy" faze of our playing. Any thoughts from the people there?
I think they’re alright. I’m just not a fan of the shades of paint it’s offered in. Like the berry colored one looks weird. If some people are into different colors, so it’s cool. Different strokes and all that.
I am not a huge John Mayer fan, I have a Silver Skye and really like it, it plays well IMO 😊. I was going to buy a Nile Rodgers Strat, and ended up buying the Silver Skye instead.
I looooove showing up to gigs and pulling out my Silver Sky. It’s gets the best looks from musicians. They all love it, every one who has played it has been convinced of its quality. I’m in Rhode Island, the smallest state in the US, and they’re not commonly seen at gigs here. Especially not the Midnight Rose color, which is what I have. Sparkly hot pink PRS Strat with birds on a maple neck. It turns heads! And everyone compliments the tone. PRS hate is such crap. Any working musician who is serious enough can save for it. I played for 17 years before buying a PRS, I’m not a dentist, I only did community college lmao. But I’m gigging, making a decent living, and I mainly use a PRS Strat copy ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ talk is cheap. The Silver Sky is amazing
I actually applaud companies trying to build on and improve 70 year designs. Why would anyone turn their nose up at a SS player as being Mayer wannabes? Like me saying strat players wannabe Hendrix and LP player wannabe Page. Sire, schecter, Suhr etc all make S-type signature models (Carlton, Johnson, Thorn) and no-one bats an eye at them? PRS has some great guitars and some great players playing them (Mayer, McLaughlin, Santana, Ford, Tremonti, Grissom). Don’t think I would judge any good gig player using any guitar…
Great playing. Beautiful color on that axe. But gee ... I thought Fender already made a Stratocaster.
LOVE Jake’s playing!! @jakeloosemore.
Great sounding group!
Nothing Bad about JM’s guitar playing! He’s just. Polarizing personality.
Come on guys, in the end they’re just tools to help us get what’s on the inside…out into the room.
(by the way, just a sidenote… If I could play guitar like John Mayer, I would quit my day job!
I have one. It's easy my favorite guitar. I didn't think I'd take to it like I did.
In Canada they are 3700$ so they are very up there. I had a se version and it was good but I found I was never picking it up because I already had a custom shop strat and a couple AVRI so I am interested to see where they stand up again a custom shop
Starting with the local band scene, I became a singer in my youth because I couldn't really play any of the popular instruments, my musical education pretty much stopped with the recorder, my single parent mother couldn't afford more that than. But I became good at singing, doing it a lot, and so curiosity got me some jams. I brought a recorder to the jam. And played it. The one that organized it, made fun of it. And that toughtt me a lot of things that are relevant to this video:
- don't get distracted by side glances when it is not about what you are playing
- if a musician thinks you're worth less because of the status your instruments exude, don't play with them anymore.
If those were really about the instrument and not about the way I played it avoid the "alpha" that did that (because than it is a hierarchy thing) in the future.Not that I accuse any of your band mates there, because:
Besides, a lot of those side glances might be completely misinterpreted by you, and were more along the line "I'm curious about the guitar". What I mean is, be aware that stuff like that is all to often in your head, and the ones that count are the audience, who I guaranty you, don't give an f. as long as they recognize the song and the lick.
Btw. Even if initially that guy that were so demeaning about myself taking a recorder to a session because he had some tv recognition at the time, he ended up pretty much unliked by the creator community in the end and couldn't really progress in that career.
John, I could never buy or play a Silver Sky. The resale value is horrible. I'll take a Mexico or US made Fender Stratocaster any day of the week over a PRS Silver Sky.
I think of the silver sky the same way I think of the Les Paul, both are signature guitars, but have outgrown that and stand on their own
Which drives you using here in the live clips? Sounds so nice!
I haven't played a ton of american silver sky's but a lot of the SE's I've played have the tremolo in them. Have you used the whammy on that silver skye? I wasn't a huge fan of the trem on the SE's and in general because it seems to go out of tune quicker/intonation problems. Obviously floyd roses exist but that would seem silly on this guitar and are pain in the ass in general. Love to hear your thoughts.
I love the SS! If I didnt already have an S type guitar, I would definitely get one from the used market. 😊
I watched about half of this, it seems like I've heard it all before. I agree with JNC 100%. Just get John Mayer out of your head and this is a great guitar for a gigging musician. My last 3 Fenders were junk. I finally built one from some old Fender parts and some new parts I bought from Warmoth (neck specifically). My old guitars I just wore out, I'm 72 and have been doing this for 50+ years. In 2017 I did find a new ES335 that was built right and sounded great (with a '58-9 LP neck carve). Peace --gary
I had the opportunity to buy one for a small but significant discount but I passed out it due to the tiny vintage frets and the nec shape that made it hard to play for my type of hands. It sounded great though.
I don't care about the Silver Sky, but I have a couple of PRS guitars, and they are great and not expensive. All the "problems" I'm hearing in this video are users' perceptions or errors. Of course, bridge and neck pickups can be tricky to balance, it's the same for all strats' guitars. Unfortunately, SSS guitars can't be used for everything unless you have an effects modeler previously preset for all applications, or kind of music, and more so in a Two guitars band.
LOL, you guys are toooooo concerned about the look, or at least the headstock. Only weird other guitarist see it. I prefer the 3x3 design. Tuning stability. It's just a great tribute to how a 64 strat should sound and feel. The neck and the radius of it becomes nature once you play it for awhile. What John isn't talking about are the tone pots. They are like filters and ACTUALLY do something. All my strat tone pots are near useless. The SS tone pots are just another way to dial in your tone. About John Mayer. I've seen him 18 times with Dead and Company (I'm a huge deadhead) and I'll tell ya. The boy can PLAY. Basically, the SS rules and the haters hate because they got nothing better to do.... Enjoy the guitar John. The more you play it, the more it soaks in and you keep reaching for it. Experiment with them tone knobs.
The pots on my DGT SE, are the best I've ever used. By a mile...
@@brianmiller3287 I own a DGT core 10 top. The SS's are far better...
I have 2 fender strats that are great, I also own a Silver sky SE, its the PRS that is the one I grab as it is just so great to play and sounds really good.
At this point I almost want a Silversky just out of spite!
I have a man crush on John Mayer. Seriously. Jennifer Aniston.
I checked my fly after the second show last night and it was down 😂
Bro - it has happened to me more often than I care to admit
PRS definitely have that reputation, all of my close friends are musicians and when i told them i bought a prs se 245 as my first guitar, some of them were a bit shocked lol. it was used and i got it for 375 so it didnt really warrant that reaction haha great guitar nonetheless but PRS def has that high end stigma attached to its brand. its funny i remember before i bought that guitar i was doing tons of research on guitars and purely picked the prs because of all the good things i had read about PRS SE guitars online even though the PRS was the ugliest of the guitars i was picking from. im quite a minimalist or traditionalist i guess so the red flame maple top and the bird inlays are not my style at all haha but i think that its probably the best guitar i could have gotten at that price to be honest and probably will never sell it
PRS is already just not my thing. Not least the Silver Sky. I’m sure, as is the case with every other guitar, if I played ten I could find one that I liked. But I’d still have to live with a PRS. There’s an analogy to women and relationships in here somewhere.
Sounded killer.
Never been a fan of any PRS, and with the tonewood debate, now I like them even less, if forced to, I'd take Mark Lettieri's Fiore anytime over a Silver Sky, but I'd prefer that Custom Shop Strat that Jake is playing in this video.
I just got one yesterday on a trade. Its very very nice. I enjoy the g-shock plastics. Mine weighs in at 6.7lbs and is finished in Golden Mesa nitro. Also im not a John Mayer fan. I just wanted a lightly built strat.
@@RealZacharyLee which guitar did you trade for it?
@@Sammy86 music man cutlass rs
In New Zealand, and in Austrslia ( I believe) there is this thing called the " tall poppy" syndrome, where if you say or do something remarkable or different, you are often judged by the other Hobbits as being "up yourself" just for sticking your neck out! Sounds as if the same thing happens in your neck of the woods. When I bought and played a Marshall 100 plexi in public for the first time, there were only about three in the whole country, seeing as no import lisences were allowed ( I bought mine second hand) and as very much a beginner guitarist,I was judged a bit for being that rich ( which I wasn't) mind you at the equivalent of £3000 in the early 70's I could have bought a house in Auckland, which is now one of the most expensive real estate cities in the world! I was askeed to join bands just to show the amp onstage, and I quickly realised I had to buck up my playing to match the gear. I think John Mayer is a really good guitar player, average singer, and even more average songwriter, but I find his onstage public personna a little much to take. I don't judge him for that though because it is maybe just insecurities he's been unable to overcome yet, but I don't listen to him much. I was judged positively for using gear that resembled famous players, and this used to annoy me anyway, so if someone didn't like an artist associated with a bit of gear, and judged me for that, I would be so angry at the stupidity I would be all the more set in my ways. If people can't get past basic prejudices like these, they warrant no consideration. If you like gear and play well... to hell with the trolls!
The only time someone comes up to me asking about my guitar at a gig is when I've got the Silver Sky. To be fair they usually just ask if that's the "John Mayer PRS"
I can’t imagine caring what someone else thinks about my guitar.
I enjoy playing my PRS's; they're great guitars!
If you're worrying about your fly being open you're playing your guitar too high 😜