Sparkly PRS

[ram]

OK here is one of my friend/guitarist’s PRSs with a new look. The pictures just don’t do it justice! The thing is almost liquid to look at. And when a spot hits it there is an eruption of dazzling zapped reflection. The truss rod cover somehow works here…..

http://www.soundclick.com/members/defau ... &id=210122

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showth ... p?t=321189

Here are the mods:
Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro Neck PU
Lindy Fralin Unbucker Bridge PU
Push-pull switch at volume to split PU (push/pull at tone still engages middle PU but does not affect splitting)
Chrome skull knobs volume and tone
Chrome knob selector switch
PU rings painted black
Ebony/MOP mudflap girl truss cover
SPECTACULAR silver sparkle paint (pictures cannot do it justice) by Marty Bell http://www.martybellfinishing.com/index.html

[jimk]

How about his Rickenbackers?

JimK

[ram]

None yet... perhaps someday. But he does pretty darn well with the assortment of PRSs, Strat, Tele and a host of others. If interested, here are some of his more sanguine attempts:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default ... dID=132766

[eatswodo]

I'm sorry, but I think that looks awful. It's an unholy mishmash of styles and colors, and about as subtle as a flying brick. The truss rod cover sums it up perfectly. Talk about mud flaps.....

IMHO, of course.

[jingle_jangle]

Same IMHO. What's going on here? It seems to be an Uncle Albert effort--small stuff strung together with no unifying feature except they're hung onto a frame...are those REALLY skull knobs? And are those birds or something n the inlays? The glitter is a bit OTT, too.

OTT can be cool, but must be managed with insane sensitivity...

[jimk]

oops. nevermind.

[elysrand]

That's OK, Jim! It is unusual to be able to talk about non-Rickenbackers somewhere other than the "Others" forum, but it is great to be able to now post photos of any PRS here you want.....

Like THESE! :

[/quote]

[elysrand]

Unfortunately, I don't have much room to talk when it comes to silver-glitter guitars either.....

It is gonna take a bit of work for me to restore THIS OTT 1972 4001 Rickenbacker back to its original 1972 MG

[jimk]

Well Elys, I just about stuck my foot farther into my mouth. I need to start paying more attention to what I'm doing, or not staying up so bloody late.

JimK

P.S. that's a gorgeous PRS you have. Nicely done!

jrk

[paologregorio]

Unfortunately, I don't have much room to talk when it comes to silver-glitter guitars either.....

It is gonna take a bit of work for me to restore THIS OTT 1972 4001 Rickenbacker back to its original 1972 MG

I'm no stranger to sparkle finishes myself,

and I LOVE the sparkle finish on that Rick! It's too bad that it's covering up a MG finish, rather than done over a solid color, but personally, I'd probably rather have a sparkle finish Rick . I know, it's sacrilege. I have it mind to someday find a beater 330 to have WB-ized and given a sparkle finish, so I'll probably be upsetting some fellow forumites with such a creation at some point .

I hope that stripping off the sparkle reveals a nicely charactered maple grain after you go through all the trouble

[ram]

Well, judging from responses, I think the intent has been achieved. He has so many ‘standard’ looking guitars… this was just intended to be a zap, an affront to sensibilities. Not so much ‘OTT’ as ‘IYF’, a disjointed Frankenstein approach, a visual dissonance. The little skulls were originally black or silver standard knobs; but the black seemed to match the tuners too much. If there was an easy way to get the eyes to glow on the skull knobs, that would have been there as well. The skulls maybe going away anyhow as there is a slight interference with the whammy bar. And yes, I agree, the mud flap girl in simulated mother of pearl, does kinda say it all – doesn’t it?

Like I said the pictures don’t do the sparkle justice – it is bright and almost liquid looking. It sounds great thru his Buddha.

I think my friend will revel in your comments. Honestly I’m kind surprised there weren’t more.

His other PRS is a midnight blue with a hint of grain showing – beautiful…..

The inlays on the finger board are factory issue – I think doves. Santana is one of the brands big users and I think this may be something to do with them being there.

Thanks gang, for spending time on this......

[elysrand]

Thanks Tom - hey, your thread motivated me to get out these two PRS and play them for a couple of hours today, through a pair of 4x12 1970 Ampeg cabs stacked under a 1969 V-4 head. Sweet sustain....

[paologregorio]

I would like to clarify my response : I like the Rick sparkle, but the PRS was way over the top for me-not into the bimboflap girl silhouette, nor the skull knobs, but then I'm not a PRS fan. The sparkle finish was the one thing that I actually liked about the guitar. I hope I don't ruffle too many feathers with that comment. I think it's the headstock and the body shape that the brand uses that don't appeal to me.

I think a good fix for the guitar would be to ditch the skull knobs for some plain chrome Burns type knobs, switch out all of the black hardware for chrome, and use chrome covers over all of the pickups with either chrome or pearlescent surrounds, Gretsch style. Finally, I'd ditch the bimboflap trc for a plain black one. The changes would smooth over the overall look of the guitar and give it more of a unifying theme.

[ram]

Elys, I thought I heard something today up here in Winchester .... 12s are nice.... especially with a PRS! Great stack to play them thru.

My friend may change it - he may not. Right now it is doing what he wants it to do. Personally I like the sparkle and black look. The silver on silver is cool too.

Personally I find no ruffelment in any of this (I really hope no one else does) … pro or con… just a matter of what you like and what statement you might be trying to make. More interesting than anything else.

Please note nothing but veneer and easily replaceable parts have been modified and can be in the future…

[johneek]

Call me a traditionalist, but if you want a PRS, then IMHO it ought to look something like this....

Custom 24, 10 Top Whale Blue