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reclspeak Group: Members Posts: 7 Joined: Oct. 2004 Posted: Jan. 13 2005, 14:53 I watched the TB II & III live DVD's again recently and was struck by the prominence given to MO's PRS guitars (particularly on TBIII). Other than the red Strat on II, no other brand is featured to any significant degree. Despite his best attempts to the contrary, MO is still known to be an excellent guitarist. His technique, with fingernails rather than picks, together with his means of dampening unused strings is completely unique. In the 1970's the tones he used contributed signficantly to the popularity of the electric guitar, beyond its association with just the blues and heavy rock. That contribution greatly helped the likes of Paul Reed Smith to find a market to sell into. Yet, to all intents an putposes, PRS Guitars make no acknowedgement that MO uses PRS almost exclusively live, and that, in concert with Carlos Santana, he is one of their most internationally-known artists to be seen sporting a PRS on-stage. PRS's artist list at PRS Artist list doesn't even mention MO. And who should get the signature models? Well, Carlos Santana for one. No argument there. His Santana I,II,III and SE models are hugely deserved and his contribution to PRS should be acknowledged. Mark Tremonti - former lead guitar with Creed (who have subsequently broken-up). Popular in the US, but virtually unknown elsewhere. I don't believe Creed even toured the UK. I would struggle to think of a single Tremonti riff I would want to remember. Billy Martin - lead guitar with Good Charlotte. Up-and-coming guitar band, but not yet filling stadiums. So, anyone any ideas. Why does Mr Smith resolutely decline to acknowledge MO (even the Americans have heard of him). Has MO ever been offered a sig' model, and would he be interested? Back to top

Luca Group: Members Posts: 84 Joined: Jan. 2004 Posted: Jan. 13 2005, 17:02 Ive no idea if PRS offered mike a sig, but seeing him playing one was all it took to convince me to buy one, and anyway, artist branded guitars are allways a let down because the artists themselves never play(ed) them. They all start off using normal production models. I think PRS aim at two very different markets - all the custom 24's and hollowbodys etc are aimed at pro players who dont really have their names on their guitars, whilst all the PRS signature series are cheap (comparativly for PRS), and aimed a a much lower end market... eg american kids who listen to good charlotte, and i dont think some little known English genious would sell as their guitars as well as some short lived pop-punk band. Actully, it makes me want to cry when i see the list of people who play them, quality instruments abused by non-enduring pop bands   Well thats my rant for the day... Back to top

Phil Moakes Group: Members Posts: 47 Joined: Dec. 2004 Posted: Jan. 13 2005, 17:12 I remember reading an article somewhere years ago when MO talked about his PRS. He said at the time that the PRS was a great guitar but useless live because a broken string required too much triage (what with the way the whammy bar works etc). This seems to have gone full circle as you say, because he does seeem to use it very heavily nowadays live - especially for his most recent tradmark distortion sounds. From a commercial point of view, Oldfield's use does sell PRS guitars - I bought one because they are sex on a stick, have great colours and sound fantastic. But I probably wouldn't have checked them out if I hadn't noticed them on TB2 DVD. Back to top

Tati The Sentinel Group: Members Posts: 3360 Joined: Feb. 2002 Posted: Jan. 13 2005, 18:43 The fact that PRS doesn't mention MO on their artist list is the fact that Mike doesn't endorse PRS...don't forget that Mike also uses Fender... Me a fan of PRS,even when I wasn't a MO fan. -------------- "But it's always the outsider, the black sheep, that becomes the blockbuster." - Mike Oldfield, 2014 "I remember feeling that I'd been judged unfairly and that I was going to prove them wrong." - Peter Davison, 2011 Back to top

raven4x4x Group: Members Posts: 1535 Joined: Jan. 2002 Posted: Jan. 13 2005, 21:40 I don't play guitar at all, but PRS are certainly the best looking!! I agree that Mike deserves a signature guitar, but even if he doesn't want to go to the trouble of endorsing one, he should at least be mentioned on the PRS website as an artist who uses them. Off topic here: that artist list really needs to be put in proper alphabetical order. The convention is to order by surname, not first name. -------------- Thank-you for helping us help you help us all. Back to top

Luca Group: Members Posts: 84 Joined: Jan. 2004 Posted: Jan. 14 2005, 06:55 Perhaps slightly off topic, but what model have you got Phil? Back to top

Tati The Sentinel Group: Members Posts: 3360 Joined: Feb. 2002 Posted: Jan. 14 2005, 08:21 Quote (raven4x4x @ Jan. 13 2005, 22:40) I don't play guitar at all, but PRS are certainly the best looking!! Off topic here: that artist list really needs to be put in proper alphabetical order. The convention is to order by surname, not first name. I don't play guitars at all,but PRS is soo good in terms of design and sound also.But it's quite expansive and not well known! About the artist list: In Brazil,the order is by first name,not last name.The typical in US,UK and Europe is by last name. -------------- "But it's always the outsider, the black sheep, that becomes the blockbuster." - Mike Oldfield, 2014 "I remember feeling that I'd been judged unfairly and that I was going to prove them wrong." - Peter Davison, 2011 Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: Jan. 14 2005, 10:01 Some artists actually don't play the brands they endorse at all... Slash, for example, endorses Gibson, and his main guitars say Gibson on it, but are, so I'm told, mostly copies hand built for him by a luthier in California. Slash isn't the only one either, some of Steve Vai's early Ibanezes were apparently made by a guy called Joe Despagne... I have a feeling that Mike isn't fashionable enough to warrant a signature model from PRS. I suppose that the kind of people who are fans of his are seen as being the type who'd buy one anyway, and so the signature models go more to those who are going to attract buyers from new market sectors (i.e. the young pop-rock fans). I'd actually like to see artists like Mike champion the work of small builders more - there are guys out there making the most fantastic instruments who tend to suffer not because their work is lacking in quality, but because their instruments don't have a famous name on the headstock, and they're not the same guitars that all the stars play. Still, such is the way... Back to top

Phil Moakes Group: Members Posts: 47 Joined: Dec. 2004 Posted: Jan. 14 2005, 11:58 Quote (Luca @ Jan. 14 2005, 11:55) Perhaps slightly off topic, but what model have you got Phil? I have a Whale Blue flametop Custom 24 Artists Pack Back to top

Luca Group: Members Posts: 84 Joined: Jan. 2004 Posted: Jan. 15 2005, 05:35 Nice stuff, ive got a custom 24 in amber with the artists pack (the TBII one) Back to top

Phil Moakes Group: Members Posts: 47 Joined: Dec. 2004 Posted: Jan. 15 2005, 18:38 I thought about getting an amber one, but when I saw the blue one I just fell in love with it. I haven't had mine that long. Where did you get yours ? I ran into a small company called World Guitars on ebay. They're PRS fanatics and after I spent some time talking to them I decided that they were the sort of people that I wanted to do business with. None of their guitars are played before they sell them and they go to the PRS distributor and hand pick the guitars they want to sell from the stock - so basically they choose the ones that they like the look of the most. I'll be buying my Lonestar from them next week (or thereabaouts) along with an Ovation (if I've got any money left). They also work weird hours - so I can have email conversations about necks and pickups with them at 2:00am !! Its actually a very small 2 man business & they just love PRS guitars. When I went to collect my PRS I must have spent 2 and half hours just chatting about all kinds of stuff Back to top

Luca Group: Members Posts: 84 Joined: Jan. 2004 Posted: Jan. 16 2005, 06:57 Mine was an ebay as well, i got it second hand off a chap who's apparently quite famous, hes a comedian who does loads of corperate events for companies like Boots, Johnson & Johnon, Sainsburys etc. I got the feeling that he buys loads of gear and sells what he doesnt use much to finance more. £2950 in guitar and amp down the road from me, i got it for £1350, which i think was a bargin. Only thing was a slight dent in the side and some buckle marks on the back, but its only going to get more so i wasnt too worried by it. Have a look.. On the subject of guitars, theres a nice Gibson L6-s on ebay i might have a bid on... Back to top

Phil Moakes Group: Members Posts: 47 Joined: Dec. 2004 Posted: Jan. 16 2005, 19:35 OK - this just underlines that almost all PRS guitars are to die for. I've got a photo or two of mine somewhere, which I'll post if I can find them. So, are there any more PRS owners out there ? If so, what models, colours etc and why did you buy yours. I went for mine because a) it looked great, b) sounded great c) had 24 frets d) comprehensive pickup selection (I don't have any issue with the rotary switch at all). I suppose I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't influenced by Mike Oldfield's use of it too. If it can sound like that, then I want it !! I probably won't achieve that sound, but I always know it's there. Back to top

emac Group: Members Posts: 66 Joined: May 2002 Posted: Jan. 22 2005, 03:16 Cherry red custom 24. a 92 model that I got whilst In the UK from "Sounds Great" in Hereld green. They were great to deal with! Plays like falling off a log and I find that I will become a very lazy player if I play it too long. In the end I fall back to Sg juniors. Lovely to play but still will keep you on your toes. But when you have to play somthing tricky, the PRS is handy. Back to top

reclspeak Group: Members Posts: 7 Joined: Oct. 2004 Posted: Mar. 08 2005, 09:14 Quote (emac @ Jan. 22 2005, 03:16) Cherry red custom 24. a 92 model that I got whilst In the UK from "Sounds Great" in Hereld green. They were great to deal with! Plays like falling off a log and I find that I will become a very lazy player if I play it too long. In the end I fall back to Sg juniors. Lovely to play but still will keep you on your toes. But when you have to play somthing tricky, the PRS is handy. I got my JJ Retro HB from Sounds Great, and a Valvetronix (now recently rid of, and replaced with a GT-6/Behringer setup). Best shop in the world bar none-like entering Santa's Grotto for Guitarists. I live nearby to the shop so I invariably find some excuse to visit. The wall of Suhrs, Tom Andersens, PRS's, Godins, Brian Moores and McIntuffs is a sight to behold, and one I've never found an equivalent of anywhere else in Europe. This years purchase is likely to be a Tech 21 Trademark 10 (my wife ensures my guirar-related purchases are kept in-check) although I did recently see an Ibanez cutaway nylon string elsewhere that is hugely tempting - I've been trying to play Steve Howe's Surface Tension on a conventional nylon and some of the 14 & 15 fret pulloffs are a tad difficult(! Back to top

David Mar Group: Members Posts: 457 Joined: Oct. 2001 Posted: Mar. 11 2005, 05:37 As I said before, on another post - I've noticed that a couple of other former Gibson L6-S players have since switched over to PRS guitars! Carlos Santana and Tom Johnston of the Doobie Brothers! Back to top

David Mar Group: Members Posts: 457 Joined: Oct. 2001 Posted: Mar. 12 2005, 04:38 I forgot to say that Carlos has been using PRS guitars and Mesa Boogie Mk. 1's since the mid to late '70's. Back to top

Zephro_C. Group: Members Posts: 5 Joined: Mar. 2005 Posted: April 11 2005, 02:46 Quote Original from David Mar I forgot to say that Carlos has been using PRS guitars and Mesa Boogie Mk. 1's since the mid to late '70's. I don't know about Mesa Boogie, but I know, that Corlos is using PRS since 1980. Back to top

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