PRS Silver Sky - Is It Time To Sell My Fender Custom Shop Strat?
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- Опубликовано: 8 июл 2024
- Last week I took possession of a Paul Reed Smith Silver Sky. Join me in this video to see if the Silver Sky is the guitar I would take with me if I needed strat-type tones on the road or in the Studio.
The PRS Silver Sky is an idealized version of a vintage single-coil guitar where every detail adds up and sets this guitar apart from the pack and the past. The result of a close collaboration between Grammy Award-winning musician John Mayer and Paul Reed Smith, the Silver Sky is based off of years of development. Incorporating Mayer and Smith’s favorite elements of 1963 and 1964 instruments with an eye toward modern references, the PRS Silver Sky delivers the warmth and familiarity of an old guitar with the finesse of a brand-new instrument.
Some of the more distinctive specifications include, the headstock shape, tuners, bridge, pickups, and neck and fretboard options. The headstock shape is based on PRS’s trademark design, but inverted both to accommodate Mayer’s playing style and also to keep a consistent length of string behind the nut, which makes staying in tune easier. The tuners are a traditional vintage-style, closed-back tuner, but with PRS’s locking design. The steel tremolo takes the patented PRS design and incorporates Gen III knife-edge screws. Setup flush to the body in the neutral position so that the tremolo bridge only goes down in pitch, the bridge’s increased contact with the body allows the guitar itself to be acoustically louder, which in turn improves the signal to noise ratio of the single-coil pickups. The 635JM single-coil pickups are very round and full, with a musical high end that is never “ice-picky” or brash.
The Silver Sky comes with the option of a rosewood or maple fretboard. The maple fretboard option comes with the original 635JM neck shape, while the rosewood fretboard option has been subtly modified in the shoulders to feel more “rounded” in your hand. Both neck shapes were designed by researching vintage instruments and Mayer test-driving guitars on stage to find what felt right. The fretboard radius on both options is 7.25”.
Other high-quality specifications include a bone nut, a molded metal jack plate (curved to make plugging and unplugging a guitar cable hassle-free), retooled knobs, and PRS’s double action truss rod (accessible from the front of the headstock for ease of use). PRS premium gig bag included.
The Studio Rats are core band members Paul Drew on guitar/production/mixing, drummer James Ivey and Dan Hawkins on bass. They collaborate with singers and musicians to produce radio-ready songs.
#prsguitars #prssilversky 
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That just sounds so amazing! Best sound demo of the PRS Silver Sky that I've heard so far.
Twenty 5 seconds in & you know this man can seriously play. I'm a beginner in every sense of the term but Mr Drew here inspires me to practice every day. 👊🏾
It really is amazing how PRS has such consistency and quality, and this is the first guitar that doesn’t sound like a PRS and that’s a good thing. I do like how the tone control seems much more usable. But I would still take the custom shop because I can’t make logical decisions being a bedroom rocker.
Hey Paul, the intro to this video is some of the smoothest playing I’ve heard you do. Great stuff mate!
That intro was pure magic!
The intro piece was gorgeous. Pop sensibilities with great chops and tone. Fab.
Thanks so much.
The best iteration of the stratocaster, the look and the sound is amazing
what an intro track.. practising it since video release, thank you so much for this inspiration. Greetings from OverNorthseas
Wow!!! Wonderful PRS!!!
Wow! Your playing is beautiful!
What a beautiful tone from the Silver Sky.
The guitarist in one of my bands (I'm a bassist) has a red silver sky. I took it for a spin myself. It's gorgeous. Other than another bandmate's 1963, it's the best Strat styled guitar I've ever played. And I'm not a strat lover nor a PRS lover.
Incredible video! This pushed me over the edge to purchase the Silver Sky. That will go with my beloved PRS Fiore which is also a wonderful instrument! Got the same color/configuration as you are using as well.
Lovely sound in that opening man. 👍🔥🎸🎼🙏
Both sound beautiful!
I LOVE THIS INTRO RIFF ALMOST brought me to tears cause of stuff on my mind. Absolutely excellent
Nice Paul! I also see that new sig model from Mark Lettieri. Wow. A little steep for my cash flow but HSS has been my go to for ages now. Bless you man!
Great demo, I have a Fender CS which I have the same issues tuning, pickups etc.. There was a real quality to the tones of the Silver Sky (lovely playing) which makes me really want to try one out .
Got a 2021 maple board silver sky and think it’s perfection. Love my American pro strat but the silver sky is head and shoulders above it and so it should be considering the difference in price. However I won’t sell my strat, be greedy and keep them both
I am a huge PRS fan! I've got two core models; a Tremonti w/stoptail bridge and a 408. Both are the best guitars I've ever owned (would like to change out the neck pickup in the Tremonti - it's a little muddy for me), but I love Fenders and Gibsons as well. While I noticed the pickups in the Silver Sky were definitely hotter, the Strat pickups were cleaner to my ears... which is the beauty of a Strat. This was my first time on this channel and loved how your presented the comparison. IMO, don't get rid of your Strat... they're different guitars. That's why we have GUITAR COLLECTIONS!!!
I've got three PRS too... core 24, CE 24, Chris Robertson, Gibson Les Paul, American standard strat, etc... but I have been intrigued by the silver sky. Not sure it sounds much different than my strat to justify buying... but it does sound great. I replaced the bridge pickup in my strat to the SSL-5 designed by David Gilmore and Seymour Duncan...it's fatter single coil sound without losing the quack and clarity. All these guitars... PRS, strat, etc... great but different...
Thank you for another great video, personally I prefer the PRS, it has more composure and control giving a more musical sound that I could play and listen to for longer 👌
Neither was better than the other. They are both incredible.
Great video. SS definitely seems to have more clarity/articulation. I had a Custom 24 that I never bonded with but am thinking of giving of the SS a try. It has that fret induced "sizzle" that all PRS guitars seems to have. It's something I didn't really care for on the Custom 24, but it naturally works on a strat.....
Wonderful guitar... but guitars in general have come a long way and quality has become fantastic even in lower priced ones. What a great time to be a player. Cheers!
What a tone you’ve got there my friend! Your playing is fantastic too… great video… subbed
Big fender enthusiast here and I have to give it PRS on this god what a killer tone I can’t wait to get my hands on one!
Loved the intro jam 👌
I may be in the minority, but I think I like the sound of the Fender better. Why, maybe because it sounds more like a Strat. I have a 64 Strat and have often compared it to my friends Silver Sky. I do think the PRS is an amazing guitar and very well built, but, and maybe this is just psychological, I don't feel the PRS has the Mojo of the Strat. I also have Strats from the 80's, 90's, and early 2000's and I would likely choose the PRS over them, but the 64 is just a different animal. You are comparing it to a Custom Shop 62 so I would imagine that that would be closer to my 64 than to any of my other Strats, so theoretically that that makes your comparison closer to mine. Anyway, even in this video I have to say that I like the sound of the real Strat better. Maybe it's because I'm just more used to that sound. I have a 64 Black face Twin Reverb and a 66 Black face Super Reverb and any combination of my 64 Strat with either of those two amps is simply magical to me. Again, though, this might simply be psychological.
I agree with you. The PRS is bright and modern, the Fender has more guts and glory. Also, when you have vintage amps, the range from dark growl to singing bite of a true Strat comes through much more. I compare my Custom Shop Strat into my '64 Tremolux and '66 Super Reverb, with my Tom Anderson Classic into my Divided by 13 FTR37 and there's no comparison to the guts and mojo. Fender moves the soul. Modern stuff moves the ears, but it's short term excitement.
Same feeling here. The Silver Sky is a great guitar but it’s not a strat.
I agree. The bass response of the Fender was sweeter to my ears. But if I'm honest the Silversky still, with eyes closed, sounds like a strat. Just a different one. I wouldn't say, "it's not a strat" except in brand and name. It's a strat totally. Haven't played one though. Don't feel the need either.
@@GraniteSoundtrack I played one and I was very impressed with build quality and overall looks. Plays like a dream but it is just not the same as a fender strat. Which was not their goal to make a strat copy. Would still want one in my collection someday though.
No, you're not alone. My main Strat is an 08 Eric JohnsonI and had a Silver Sky loaned to be for a few weeks. It was a great guitar; played very easy, really well built, good construction and design. That said, it was just missing "something."
The only way to describe it is like when Digital started to become how things were made: Digital recording, effects, CDs vs Album, etc. Everything sounds really clear and "pure." After a while though, people recognized that in spite of the added clarity and reduced noise, there was something was lost there, but they can't put a finger on what.
The PRS was a CD, my Strat is vinyl.
I love that gold color. that prs is a keeper for sure! If I didn't have so many guitars, I'd buy one...maybe one day :) excellent sounds ..love the intro
Give me one , and buy a silver sky.
Doing u a favor😅😉
I bought a Silver Sky and I will say that out of all of my guitars, it is the best sounding/best playing/best everything guitar I own. I will never get rid of it. I might buy another if they come up with some better color schemes.
GREAT PLAYING BROTHER AND GREAT REVIEW. THANK YOU FROM NYC.
Cheers Googo
Silver Sky for me all day, every day. Thanks for this.
The intro has the sweetest strat tone I've ever heard.
Wow that SS really sings, what a great sounding guitar!
Wow Silversky is a great one 😍
Both Sound so good 🙌🏻😃
That's a sweet song. I might need to pick up one of these.
I just bought a silver sky without being able to play it first. The fender actually sounded better to me than the silver sky or maybe just warmer although the articulation was tighter on the PRS so I am still excited!
Oh man that Sound 😍😍😍
My Fender CS strat had the Custom Shop 60s strat pick-ups, with the gray backing. They were alnico 2s, and sounded too mellow and soft - a bit murky, perhaps like your CS strat. I changed the pickups to Seymour Duncan Antiquity IIs, and that made the guitar come alive. More articulation and clarity.
you look more happy, while playing on your Fender😇... I understand why - great video as always!
Great video Paul! I thought both guitars sounded wonderful. About 3 months ago, I bought a maple neck Silver Sky. I wasn’t looking for one. I had been searching for a strat and had played classics, EJ, custom shop, APII. All were lovely guitars, but I didn’t click with them. Then, by chance, I tried a Silver Sky and I was intrigued. I tested both maple and rosewood neck versions and settled for the maple neck (quite unusual for me as I prefer rosewood). I loved the satin neck. The chunky neck is wonderful in my tiny hands. It is the most comfortable guitar I have ever played and is my go to axe today. This guitar has mojo for me and I love it. This just goes to show that it is such a personal journey with guitars and what suits me, may not suit you. If you can, keep both as they both have their own vibe. Nice one and welcome to the club. Haha.
Cheers Scoobs.
I agree it's also the most comfortable guitar I have played. It just feels so smooth especially with the satin neck.
Lovely review. I sure wish PRS made these Silver Sky's left handed. On the subject, I'd love a DGT also....oh the woes of left-handedness.
Been a Fender boy for years. Custom shop strats and teles mainly. I'm also late to the silver sky. But this vid made me try one out at my local dealers. What can I say. Purchased! It was a no brainer as soon as I'd played it. What a guitar. Thank you for this vid.
still own it? what's your experience with the guitar so far?
@@YM_82 I still own it. My most played electric guitar still as well. Really couldn't be happier with it. The pickups are probably the best strat style pickups I've used. Mine is the Tungsten with rosewood board.
@@ashjohnson7165 that's nice to hear. I'm looking for the same one just with maple neck as I already own fender custom shop 1961. just to feel Hendrix sometimes :)
I’m not really a PRS kinda guy I sold my PRS to a friend because I didn’t like the pickups in it. But I have been impressed with the Silver Sky. And in this demonstration you did, it seems the PRS has a fuller and more round sound that really fills the voided space and I love my Les Paul and my 335 for that very reason. But that is just my opinion
You can hear what you wanna hear but there is not enough difference to make a difference.Strats are strats they sound straty!😊
I just feel like the Fender has more character and sparkle. Both are cool I’d go with the Fender all day
That chime is why you get the PRS. I’ve sold most of my Fenders.
In the market for a strat and this helps thanks!
great playing
Both sound great. Win-win.
GREAT DEMO!
PRS is amazing!!!
Stays in tune even when using tremolo!!!
YUGE FAT lows & sweet highs that don’t melt your ears!!!
PRS increased signal to noise ratio of pickups for less hum!
For your High Gain Settings and the intense use of the Vibrato System I would recommend a modern Super Strat like a Suhr. Locking Tuners, Humbucker at the bridge and you are good to go. A Custom Shop 62 Strat is completly wrong here. Everyone in the 80`s with a Strat , who wanted these Sounds, changed Vibrato and Pickups in their Guitar . I remember these times very well 😉
This guitar garbed me by surprise. I was not in the market for a guitar then I played this at my local store, had to sell 2 guitars to get this but it was totally worth it.
When I heard the strat it reminded me of all the strats I've owned.. and sold. Does look the best though.
Sounds Really nice !
I bought a Suhr Strat with a Gotoh 510 Trem-unit (phenomenal tuning stability) and Lollar Dirty Blondes - then Sold my Vintage Fender Stratocaster. My Suhr is on another Stratosphere (however) I do currently own a 65 Princeton Reverb and a Rumble 100 and I do love them both. I like their Amps better than the guitars now.
Good video. I put in Xotic hand wound 60's pick ups in my strat. It's just sensational and blows away anything I compare it to. Tried their 50s and don't like them. 60s are the go. Hope that helps.
PRS simply makes superior instruments.
No
Agreed.
Strato is the winner for my ear :)
Great video!
I have a SS and I’m obviously biased, but I didn’t hear anything from the CS that would make me want to pay the difference. Both are fine guitars and I would be happy with both.
Mine is coming in January. Got the Pink one :)
Great play. In this case PRS level seems a bit louder to my cheap earphones. I already sold my awesome Fender CS. I needed money. But now I am satified with Fender Japan now anyway.
I liked the strat on the neck and the prs on the bridge.
The helicopter photo going along the screen earned you a sub hahaha was so funny
I’m still to try out a silver sky but it would have to be exceptional for the price.
I’ve got a first generation USA std 1987 that had a slim neck that changed in 88/89 I believe and it’s done literally 100’s of gigs and never let me down.
Recently put some lace sensor golds in it which are very quiet true single coil noiseless pickups and I’m really liking them for clean and crunch tones.
I know there’s some hate out there for them but I’ve tried loads from BKP Irish tours which were superb to Texas specials and now these lace sensors and IMO they do the business.
But I will treat myself by having a go on the silver sky hopefully through a cranked Princeton reverb
I love a telecaster too.
9 months late sorry just saw this. I had gotten and still
have an 88 American standard strat bought new in 89. It was my first playable guitar. My first two were horrid. Anyway, the neck is still slim. Just wanted to say that.
That's a huge difference. Usually on these RUclips guitar AB is the difference are subtle....not here though. Youare an amazing player BTW. I think I will hit the subscribe
I sold my Silver Sky to fund a 63 custom shop strat. Nothing wrong with either of them. I think the ultra strat is as good as either as well.
Great video. I have 3 CS strats (two 56 Relics and a 60 NOS) and a maple board SS. They all have a slightly different feel and sound. I can’t say one is better than the other though. If I had to pick one…I don’t know what I’d do!
What has more soul?
🤣🤣@@macauley70
To me, the Silver Sky just has more attack. More clarity & life.
Great review and honesty 👍
I assume you bought the silver sky without playing that guitar first.
I remember hearing Paul Reed Smith And John Mayer talk about them developing the pickups and taking forever to get it right.
Apparently they based it on John’s 63 original strat
A mixture of a 63/64
That 3rd position clean tone on Silver Sky sounded incredible. CS Fender still is a magical guitar, so don't part with it. ; )
Consider the vega-trem systems! They are wonderful drop in systems
Prs sounds great. I’m hoping the se version will come very close
I sold mine it was a nice guitar but I was just not blown away.
I have a 2019 Golden Mesa and sold a really good Strat after I got it. I also prefer the Silver Sky over my Starplayer TV and Gretsch Sparkle Jet. Just a fantastic guitar! I’m curious about your signal chain/amp setup. Sounds great!
I always wanted to try to play a Fender CS Strat and possibly buy one day. Afyer playing and buyinf a Silver Sky I couldn't care less about a CS Strat anymore. It is just as good and almost half the price
I think the ability to make these guitars sound almost identical is a tip of the hat to you! Bravo sir. I have multiple CS Fenders and can only dream about playing at your level. I will look into PRS Silver Sky stratocasters.
Didn't hear too much difference on position 1 & 5 but the other 3 positions sounded much clearer on the PRS
Have played the same strat since 1979. Have two more and four telecasters.
Bought the gold ss a month ago. The neck sits perfectly in my hand, love the pickups. Didn’t have to get to know the guitar at all. It was as if I’ve had it forever from the first moment.
I do believe it’s gonna be my no1 from now on. Just keep my old no1. as a backup and sell the other two.
The knobs are slippery, gonna have to do something about that. Also, gonna have to fix the trem bar angle. And maybe try out the perfect treble bleed. Otherwise, the guitar is perfect. The tuning machines are kinda ugly, though...
By the way, it would have been interesting to hear about the gear you used in this video...
Great video but going to be the dissenting opinion here. John Mayer fan!
I played 5 different Silver Sky guitars at a big dealer. I found them all to be thin sounding. Very consistently. My guitar player friend that came along agreed. I also played a Fender CS Strat with Fat 50s pickups in the same shop on the same amp and it was way... More. Strattier. Fuller. Bigger. Warmer but still Strat. It just felt more awesome. I guess I like it warmer. They all played great. The Silver Skies felt newer but the CS was very much relic'ed. Still want one, though. Because I love the styling and... Well... John.
For me on the Silver Sky the Middle and Bridge positions are just killer the positions often lacking on the many Strats I have owned, Ive set both of mine to float :)
Put your middle pickup without reverse polarity and problem solved
I actually do not agree that the middle position on a Fender sucks. I am almost always on the middle position, I think it is the positon where the string vibrations have certainly the most harmonics. The bass position and treble position are less rich voice, for when you want to limit the harmonic frequencies. Playing on the middle position has the advantage you can also flip your hand and get too clearly distinct voicings. When you are always on the bass pickup, like 99% of players then you just flip to the treble. And you essentially have two voices, the cello voice and the violin voice. A matter of taste, for me the middle pickup on any proper guitar should be the true voice of the instrument and the other two positions are meant accentuate rythm or notes.
I prefer the Fender.
I'd love to have a PRS bolt-on hardtailed strat.
I bought the PRS Silver Sky when they first came out amongst all the controversy. I had been gigging with my Custom Shop Strat for over 20 years and the Silver Sky is my main guitar now. It is a beautiful, rock solid, giggable work horse with every sound unique and usable. My Strat has Texas Specials. Is swamp ash and I locked the trem for the exact reason. I have kept the Strat because I love it, but the Silver Sky is my main guitar. Well done and good purchase..
Well, the Texas special pickups are very far from the more scooped sound of the Silver Sky pickups. Try CS69 or other low output pickup in your Fender and compare again 😊
@@MrBossei Thanks, however I have no problem with the old Texas Specials, they give the classic Strat quack which I really enjoy. The JM PUP’s on the Silver Sky have their own voice which is very similar and all 5 positions are very useable. It is a great gigging guitar.
@@kenphillips3282 Great. Tried the Silver Sky and it was not my cup of tea but it’s of course a matter of taste 👍
@@MrBossei indeed it is and thank goodness for that. It would be awful if we all liked the same stuff, played the same stuff and created the same stuff. Rock on 👍
There is something intangible with some guitars like that CS Fender you got. I think I’d describe it as the strat just has “soul” in the tone that the PRS just doesn’t. Both amazing guitars obviously!
Sound like the amps and effects/ reverb was set diffrently for each guitar
SS sounds the best.. looks better too… only reason I didn’t buy one was because the tuners look kinda cheap, I did get a new Fiore and love it!
They look essentially the same except for the headstock and the slight cut out in the body. I far prefer the classic Fender headstock over the PRS’.
PRS always gets kudos for their quality guitar building, but I think I am more impressed with how good they’ve gotten at building pickups lately.
The silver sky and narrowfield pickups are both sensational, and their 58/15 LT and 85/15 TCI humbuckers are both outstanding as well.
Their new amps really shocked me too. Paul is not just a wood working genius, he has some amazing electronics people working there now.
The sound or PRS silver sky!!!!!!! It’s amazing 😨😨😨😨😨!!!
My CS strat built by c Flemming, eats silver skys and suhr's for breakfast, but to be fair it kill other custom shop fenders too
Strat sounded sweeter for sure
Love my SS it is my custom shop🙂
I would love to own a CS HSS strat with a new & shiny finish (not a fan of relic). I guess my Ultra is more than good enough :)
The Silver Sky sounds absolutely phenomenal!!! I just wish he didn’t go with such a small neck radius.
Agreed. The Strat purist in him went with the 7.25" radius, but I would have preferred to incredibly playable 10" radius. Everyone skirts around it in videos, but neck radius is HUGE. With the 7.5" you better have a pro setup guy on speed dial or they can get like a trampoline on the high frets. The PRS 10" radius on all their other guitars is the most comfortable and playable neck I have ever found. Don't believe me? Play a stock 594 Single Cut vs. a Gibson Custom shop Les Paul. If you can turn off the "Les Paul is a classic" voice in your head for a minute you will go home with the 594, the pickups are better and the neck is like night and day. If you want a direct comparison play the PRS SS and then play a PRS Fiore. World of difference in the neck.
@@fotoajojo I concur with your opening statement. I bought a AVRII Strat a few months ago - 7.25" radius - and I screwed with the setup pretty much every second day since. Two weeks ago I finally bit the bullet and left it with a pro tech for a week. Now it plays like a dream but the work he had to do to get it there was not for the amateur. It wasn't a cheap operation but totally worth the spend. Had I not gone down that road I think I was close to trading what I now know to be an amazing instrument.
@@nigelsmith721 Samey Same with my Custom House Strat. A very well respected tech in Baltimore kept after it for a month and finally corrected most of it with some work under the fretboard above the 12th fret, but the setup would not hold. Then he found the real culprit - the wood at the head of the neck where the truss rod anchors had a soft spot and any adjustment wound not hold because the wood would give. So rang up Fender Custom Shop and ordered a new neck, maple fretboard this time, and finally got her where she needs to be. That said, I also have a PRS Fiore and if I had to pick one to take into battle it would be that one. The Strat is pretty much my Texas Blues thumb-wrap machine. Fiore is everything else. The 10" neck is butter, but, as it is a 2021 model, it has taller and thinner fretwire like the Strat. The new Fiores have the traditional PRS fretwire which is a bit shallower and wider.
I’m not a John Mayer guy. This weekend I listened to Continuim all the way through. I’m not sure why I did. Now, I’m a fan.
I have a USA Pro strat and love it. Played a few Silver Sky’s and just don’t get it. Likely upgrading to an Ultra this year.
Yes. Mine leaves all my vintage Strats 56,57,64,65 rest as sleeping beauties in their cases..
Beautiful playing! The Silver Sky is the only guitar that I would trade my main one for. But most everybody who gets one will usually keep it. And there is a reason why the Silver Sky outsold any American made Strats in the last year, as shown by Reverb. But some people are die hards and can't conceive replacing their CS, mostly just because, which is alright too! You can find people doing blind tests on those two and it's much more eye opening when you don't see them. Cheers!
That's not saying much since there's four or five different versions of American Stratocaster plus the custom shop.
In my opinion, a Silver Sky can’t hold a candle to a custom shop Strat.
The only reason it sold well is because of a bunch of mindless John Mayer suck boys bought them😂. Without John Mayer they would have never sold this because it wouldn’t sell. The truth is the pickups are inferior they are less capable they don’t have the bright tones of the strat. The Ibanez azes is better than the silver sky that’s just a fact but you prs fanboys don’t wanna hear it