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PG's Rebecca Dirks is on location in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where she catches up with Journey's Neal Schon. In this segment, Schon discusses his upcoming PRS signature guitars, how he uses his Axe-FX Ultra, and answers your Facebook questions.

Guitars
Schon primarily uses two prototypes for an upcoming PRS signature model. They are 15" semi-hollows with a spruce top, mahogany center, and curly maple back/sides. Both have a Floyd Rose, Seymour Duncan Custom Custom pickup, and old-style Fernandes Sustainer (which won't be in the production models). Additional tweaks by Gary Brawer include an octave above and below switch and a push/pull volume knob to single-coil mode, that can rolled off to a filter kind of effect. He also uses a Strat on "Lights" and a PRS McCarty in D-tuning on "Wheel."

Amps
Schon's guitar signal comes into his rack through Lectrosonics wireless units into a passive A/B box out to his pedalboard back into the Fractal Audio Axe-FX Ultra and stock Blackstar Series One 100 amps. The Fractal signal is a stereo out into a Roland mixer that blends the Echoplex looper onstage and a Roland Phantom guitar synth (not currently in use). The signal then goes to the FOH and Neal's in-ear monitors. The Blackstar head goes into a single 4x12 cabinet.

Effects
On the floor, Schon's signal goes through a Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Cry Baby, Boss CS-3 Compressor, EWS Fuzzy Drive, Fulltone Fat Boost, and Wampler Nirvana Chorus. A MFC-101 controller controls the Fractal Audio Axe-FX Ultra and Blackstar channel switching, as well as the Roland Phantom Guitar synth. He also has expression pedals for the gain levels of the delay and reverb.

Comments

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Richie on 02/27/2013	Love Neal but have to agree--especially with Steve's comments below. Seems that Neal has given up his fiery yet soulful playing for somewhat tasteless shredding. Killed me to see him live-left completely disappointed. I miss the old Neal,,,
marshal88/99 9 on 02/11/2013	seems lots of lads are on our ax effects mad the girls and boys in factory made the things right just needs couple on inprovements i have sent in detailed plans like the foot switcher and control pedal settou and the effects engine processing decks... new quad engine stereo effects unit and the mono 8 out laod/bridge input effects loadline drive gain roll effectore
Biff on 02/02/2013	As with his custom gibson, all the extra electronics would make them way higher priced than the already extremely high priced guitars that normal(poor)guitarist can never afford. That being said if he wants to design a guitar from scratch with gibson, prs they are going to want something in return, like a signature model.I like my volume knob close like a strat not at the bottom of the guitar and also really need a Floyd for my style of playing. Neals' Les Paul is truly a signature model knobs reconfigured closer, and the neck reset for the floyd rose, as the PRS a real Neal designed guitar. they didnt just slap his name on it for $$$.
Whip on 01/30/2013	Is that Neal Schon or Michael Jackson? On a side note is there anyone not with a PRS signature model? I spoke with the janitor at my sons high school and he was telling me he's getting a PRS signature model soon!
Steve on 01/28/2013	Neal is a legend and truly one of the greatest living guitarist. But, I hate to say his tone has sucked for quite a while and it keeps getting worse with all these hi gain amps that have too much low end and sound like mush in the mix. Neal needs to deconstruct his incredible signature late 70's Infinity/Departure and early 80's era tones that were so unique and cut through the mix with soul. He didn't have so much of a sterile lifeless modern metal tone back then. Go back to your old Marshall, Fender tones Neal. In fact Neal should steongly consider playing his very lonely Stratoblaster and lay off the Sustainer crutch a bit...go back to sustain from your amps old school! Your tone was much more captivating. Neal playing blues on a strat with either a leslie clean or overdrive sound a la "Sweet And Simple" or " Lights" is one of life's great listening pleasures...except he doesn't play enough like that live anymore sadly! In fact, how about a reasonably priced Neal Schon 1963 Lights signature strat as it looked in 1978 or new with either a floyd or non-floyd...now that would sell!
Mark Daniels on 01/20/2013	So it's signature guitar, but without the sustainer, or the wiring and with different pickups! C'mon !! Can't they just make a guitar that's exactly the same as the one he uses and then do other versions. Or even better, why do artists sign up when they know they're playing some different or modified from the one which is going on sale!!
Jordan on 01/17/2013	Hey guys, I am a big Neal fan and got a custom guitar cut to be similar to Neal's old gibsons. It has the burstbucker pro bridge, and fast track II in the neck with the fernandes sustainer. Original floyd rose, heelless neck joint and new knob set up as well. Looking to sell it to set up a new PRS. Anyone interested check out the craigs list link. http://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/m sg/3546788724.html
Eddie Jones on 01/16/2013	I love Rebecca! PRS guitars are way way overpriced - Fender rules for bargain guitars! Any other budget beauties?
dennisl59 on 01/11/2013	And I thought the Zappa PRS was ugly...these take the cake.
Trevor on 01/07/2013	Seems the exes and all there friends just can't get beyond negativity and jealousy. Happy New Year!

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