PRS Silver Sky
A modern classic.
PRS seems to be a very polarizing brand. Praised by many professional musicians as versatile session and gigging tools; written off as soulless and overpriced by traditionalists. John Mayer’s Silver Sky seems to fit right into this pre-established narrative.
Judging by the specs, PRS have basically made a 63’ Stratocaster reissue. Alder body, thick C shaped neck, the controversial 7.25” fretboard radius. Based on that alone it already sounds like a good deal, given that a Custom Shop Strat will set you back £3500. Then again, if you want a non-Fender Strat, there are plenty of high-end options to choose from, such as Suhr, Tom Anderson and many others.
The Silver Sky is different, however. For starters, I have never played a guitar this light and balanced at the same time. Every Silver Sky, I tried, was almost exactly 3.2kg (7lbs) and not at all neck heavy. While it may not seem very different to a typical 3.6kg (8lbs) S-type guitar, it actually makes a very big difference to playing comfort.
The neck is a 60s C-shape and is quite chunky. Combined with the 7.25” fretboard it makes chords, as well as slower lead licks, very comfortable to play. You probably would not be inspired to shred on it, but bending high up the neck will not be a problem. This is not unique to the Silver Sky though. My 52’ Vintage Reissue Telecaster also has a 7.25”, and bending up one-and-a-half steps on the 15th fret rings out beautifully. The Silver Sky has the signature PRS cutaway for easier upper fret access. The frets are quite low, sticking true to the vintage spec. The fretwork on the Silver Sky is flawless, which further contributes to playing comfort.
By now there are lots of colour options to choose from and you get your pick of rosewood or maple fretboard. The rosewood fretboard comes with a lightly lacquered, glossy neck, while the maple option comes with a satin neck.
Before we talk about the sound, let’s address the hardware. The knobs are a little weird. I don’t see how they are an improvement over standard S-style knobs or over PRS’s lampshade knobs. The output jack can be a bit tight. Supposedly it is raised to provide easier access, but it is too narrow for my D'Addario guitar lead, and definitely won’t fit a Line6 wireless transmitter.
The bridge is fine. Palm muting won’t be as comfortable as on a modern bridge, due to the saddle screws poking out. Nothing wrong with that, but certainly worth noting. The bridge is set up flush with the body, which, according to PRS, makes the guitar louder. The trem arm can be a bit hard to control because of this, but the overall setup definitely leads to an amazing sounding guitar. Not only is the Silver Sky very loud and resonant acoustically, but it also sustains longer than any other guitar I have ever played, so they must have done something (or everything) right!
The Silver Sky has vintage style locking tuners. The tuning pegs are plastic - most likely to reduce the weight on the headstock and ensure the perfect balance of the guitar. They feel very nice. The 3+3 design is very functional, as it allows for bigger tuning pegs, which makes it much quicker and easier to tune. This may not matter to most people, but gigging artists will certainly appreciate it!
Finally - the sound. It is really good! The JM635 pickups are fairly low output, yet very loud and very clear. Positions 1, 3 and 5 are articulate and will cut through a mix without sounding too trebly. Positions 2 and 4 sound very warm and smooth. The guitar is wired so that positions 2 and 4 are in series, which means they will cancel out the hum. This is particularly useful if you find yourself at a gig with noisy mains power. You may have to stick to those 2 positions, but at least you will be able to finish the show! Once again, this guitar was designed with a working musician in mind.
To sum up, the Silver Sky is a fantastic guitar. It is particularly well suited to someone who wants a vintage-feeling instrument with modern playing comfort and stability. A professional musician in need of a Strat could do much worse than picking up a Silver Sky. Then again, an American Professional Stratocaster would also do the job for about half the price. For what it’s worth - I own a PRS Silver Sky and don’t intend to ever get rid of it.