Paul Reed Smith weird

[Tag]

Perhaps, but I see nothing further here on your hot tub search.

Who needs 5g with you around!
I just got off the phone with them, seriously!!
I got the floor model for 2k off, and the stereo system worth an additional 800 bucks free! Or so said the salesman, who oddly struck a slight resemblance to PRS himself.
Hmmmm...what's going on here???

 

[JMintzer]

That was funny, wasn't it?

I miss the relative intimacy and looseness of our earliest PRS Forum Events.

That's @Brian Scherzer to Paul's immediate right. Directly above in the back row you can spot me (look for the 'stache ). Jim, is that you in the top row 5th from the right? And is that @Scott Peterson (pre-bald look!) standing above the guy to Paul's immediate left?

That's me, in the shadows, next to Carl Werkmeister, who is next to Paul (on his right, to the left in the picture)...

Pretty sure that was the 2nd Original Forum Event...

Me, with Paul, wearing the same jacket that evening...

I miss those days...

 

[Jon Silberman]

Who needs 5g with you around!
I just got off the phone with them, seriously!!
I got the floor model for 2k off, and the stereo system worth an additional 800 bucks free! Or so said the salesman, who oddly struck a slight resemblance to PRS himself.
Hmmmm...what's going on here???

OK, now you only need to remember, DO NOT BRING YOUR GUITARS INTO THE TUB WITH YOU!

 

[Buck Woodson]

Paul always reminds me of Larry David. Kind of awkward but he is who he is unapologetically.

...and don't forget that Larry David is George Costanza

 

[Dasein]

I’ve watched a lot of PRS interviews and every time Paul makes the interview weird imho. He makes it so tough for the interviewer that it’s hard to watch. I don’t get it- I do love his guitars but can’t take him.

I know the interviewer is from the UK and hasn't seen the sun in about 6 months, but he ain't doing radio and walking around in a baseball T and wearing shorts to do on camera interviews might not be the look you want to communicate to the world (including the CEO of one of the premiere American guitar companies). I'd have given him a hard time too if I was Paul...

 

[Jon Silberman]

I miss those days...

Me, too.

 

[phretbored]

I like this one...the interviewers planned ahead to goof on Paul and throw him off his game...

 

[Anacharsis]

There is a long history of top personalities in the guitar and amp businesses not all being Mr. Congeniality. I found Paul to be generally pretty pleasant when I took part in the first PRS Forum event many years ago. I agree, his interview performance can be a little cringe-y these days. But hey, Leo Fender, Paul Bigsby, and others were not exactly known for being silver tongued charmers.

 

[Goldfinger62]

I don't like neck binding on any guitar that doesn't have a bound body. BC Rich made the bound neck mistake on their later USA models. My formula: No body binding = no neck binding. A bound body with an unbound neck is fine. Neck binding feels great, but a rolled fretboard edge feels even better. e.g. Music Man EVH / Axis.

 

[phretbored]

PRSH is a baller in the guitar nerd sense!

Interesting and creative types can certainly be awkward and quirky but that's part of their wiring and etc

His sense of design is awesome and I like that he keeps pushing to try new things with their instruments.

As a PRS guitar fan it has been a fascinating journey enjoying many of the various models they have produced over the years while watching the company grow and change.

I think it's great that Paul gets out and about championing his brand.

His success is well earned and the story behind it all is great too.

I am still a huge fan of the 80s Custom 24s.

The various 594 models have really caught my attention but I haven't played any yet

 

[Paleolith54]

In most cases, Paul doesn't make interview easy, turns awkward, etc, so I'll politely disagree.

I stated what I disliked about interviews with PRS and guitar-related interviews in general; how can you disagree with that? It's like disagreeing if I said "I dislike mustard, but I really hate ketchup." When it comes to what I like or don't like, I'm pretty sure I get it right every time.

 

[DrumBob]

I'm sure he feels the same about you.

I knew someone would make this remark. I'm sure PRS has no idea who I am, unless he's read some of my articles somewhere.

 

[Jab_Guitar]

As far as I know, Paul reads a lot of stuff online as well. I saw in an interview before where he spoke about all the internet myths that people talk about in regards to PRS or guitars in general.

Despite his personality or coming off as a little 'off' or 'strange' I have actually learned some things from his interviews that I did not know of before. He is worth listening to at times, even if its a little inarticulate.

 

[Pointy Headstock]

Yep. He is Larry David + Steve Jobs.

Having met both PRS and Steve Jobs multiple times, the comparison between the two is accurate. Both make/made seriously beautiful things, but both go/went out of the way to be complete dicks to people when there's been no call for it.

 

[NortheastHick]

I wouldn't spend 2 seconds listening to the owner of any Guitar Company.

Either I like a certain brands guitars or I don't. I don't get persuaded by a 70 year olds sales pitch.

PRS makes some of my favorite guitars but I don't give a damn about some old guys sales pitch or "philosophy" . Its a guitar FFS.

 

[VintagePlayerStrat]

I'm a pretty experienced interviewer and that would have driven me crazy. Good on that young man for not losing his patience with Paul.

Weird indeed. A combo of obtuse, know-it-allism and know-nothingism.

A few minutes into it, I made sure to change strings on a guitar to do something productive. Otherwise, a wasted 18 minutes of life. haha.

So are some USA PRS now finished in nitro, or all? Paul rambled on so much that was never really specified.

 

[superstratjunky]

Some people are always going to have a chip on their shoulder about Paul and his guitars. That's okay, no one needs to be universally loved or understood. The guy has had massive success, he did it by building quality instruments and keeping that quality going, not by how well he interviews. He's a hands on guy and can talk circles around people about guitar building ... it's very hard for people like that to put it all into layman terms for a quick soundbite. Oh well. Some people might say his success has been in spite of him, but I don't think there is any avoiding the fact that his success is because of him. He is successful because he is doing what he loves and in an expert in his field, no amount of slightly awkward Q&A is going to derail or hinder that if hasn't by now.

This...

I find Paul a bit quirky and socially awkward, and that doesn’t bother me in the slightest. I enjoy his unabashed passion for building guitars and I admire how he went from being a one-man shop to the owner of an incredibly successful, major guitar company without sacrificing his ideals or his integrity. He builds high quality instruments, and he seems to continually strive for improvements in the quality, playability and sound of the instruments his company makes. He builds stock guitars in 3 different price tiers, and working musicians can buy a quality PRS guitar at an affordable price. I used to despise PRS guitars because I thought their pickups were dreadful. I now own 4 of them, mainly because Paul listened to his customers and made needed improvements.

As far as the Silver Sky goes, there are dozens of other companies building Strat-like guitars, including some that are highly respected on TGP. Since the Silver Sky appears to be selling well the guitar obviously resonates with and meets the approval of the guitarists who are buying them. I think that’s a pretty strong endorsement from the guitar-playing community of musicians.

& this.

I remember a guy saying "You didn't build that.... Somebody else made that happen..."

No dude, Paul built that company. His designs & his hard work made that happen.

Ive met Paul a few times and have a family friend who works in the Private Stock department. He’s definitely a very quirky guy. Kind of like Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, but as a guitar maker instead of candy lol.

The last time I met him he was looking over a Single-cut I had. Really scrutinizing it with a concerned look on his face. It was one of the all mahogany satin finish models they made briefly. He asked, “Do you like this guitar? I have mixed feelings about it,not sure I like it.” I told him, yes I liked it, which was why I bought it.” His response was, “Yeah, makes sense. It made you smile. I see you smiling. But I’m not sure I like this model.” O....k. I wasn’t smiling at the time either, so not sure what that was about.

That's just the engineer in him seeing the flaws of the design.

I don’t hate the guitars, they are nice to their artists, and I respect the brand. But, after I saw that Tim pierce video, (and a little before then) Pauls credibility was shot in my eyes. Might be able to build a guitar, but he is not a great player and certainly shouldn’t be “teaching” or speaking on any aspects of playing music. Not self-aware enough to know he shouldn’t either, (or he’s drunk which is also a thing)

Tim didn't think that.

Weird personality shouldn’t be the reason one would use to not buy one of his guitars. Or for that matter, any other builder you’d consider weird. If you don’t like the guitar’s playability, styling, look, feel, mojo, then that is your personal choice and that is that. If it weren’t for the mutants, misfits, anti-establishments, freaks, and those a little off kilter, it would be boring out there. Someone’s gotta stand up for the Geniuses.

FIFY.

We don't want to include the murderous serial killers & pedophiles.

I’m with you.

and for the guys who call him a genius...he has talent and a good sense of business but genius...

You hate it that there's something else out there that's not a Gibson,, huh? Authentic right?

 

[Paleolith54]

You beat me to it, Tag. I was returning specifically to post that were Leo around to make videos today (or had there been videos then), knowing the clientele here, there'd be a companion thread titled, "Clarence Leonidas Fender weird."

“The guy doesn’t even play. Poseur.”

 

[Gig Young]

Cool, interesting guy!

 

[phretbored]

...and this cat designs/builds my favorite amps...

Reinhold Bogner

He seems to be on that edge of genius and madness like PRSH.

i wouldn't change a thing about either Paul or Reinhold because they are tapping deep into their creative side and we get to enjoy the results.

 

[Craig Walker]

Paul is a jokester if you've ever met him. I think he just likes pushing people for reactions.

I don't see anything ill-willed here, nor I have ever seen such from him. The guy seemed to give a few jabs back.