experience prs

experience prs 2007

september 28/29, 2007

day one

experience home --- bay bridge --- concert --- day two

experience prs was held at the prs factory in stevensville, md. what a great experience. the atmosphere amongst employees, artists and attendees was spectacular - much mutual respect. i think the employees thanked us as much as we thanked them. johnny hiland repeatedly referred to "the prs family", and that's really what it felt like - a big family reunion. i've told several people that the weekend was the way the world at large should work. at the final q&a session, paul reed smith said they'd had no security incidents over the entire weekend. what an incredible statement, especially considering that there were guitars set out in several tents, including the new mira model, and not a single security incident. even in the archives, where the historic prs instruments were set out. it made me proud to be a prs owner.

one of the cool things is that i got to drive across the bay bridge for the first time in about 20 years. it's a cool bridge in a place where a bridge really doesn't have much business being built. for my money, it's about the coolest bridge i've seen - and you can see it here.

swag!!! experience prs 2007 t-shirt and hat, autographed catalog, and a back issue of fretboard journal with an article about prs. swag rocks!!! especially cool swag.

i missed al dimeola on day one - i didn't arrive until almost 1:30. so the first thing i got to see was the first guitar making seminar with paul reed smith himself.

the man himself. i attended at least portions of about four of the guitar making seminars over the two days. lots of cool stories and interesting questions. not to mention musician jokes.

mmmm....abalone.... it was such a great experience to see all the various materials laid out on the front of the stage, and to be allowed to handle them and inspect them up close. the only admonition - don't steal (well, that and "move faster"). prs said he has a sign in his office that says, "if you steal, i'll kill you after you bleed." nothing was stolen.

crackwood!!! a nice slab of brazilian rosewood. prs tapped it for us near the microphone - it rang like a bell.

with a private stock that was being picked up that very day.

what would you do with a $30,000 amplifier? play it?

the prs private stock amplifier. played in public for only the second time at this event. sounded great, too - covered all kinds of tones. would i like one?

click here to go to the concert pictures.