Admit it—there are times when that you listen to a certain song or album and feel a little guilty and hope
your friends and loved ones don’t find out. This month, the PG staff and Guest Picker Pete Huttlinger cop to
their guilty pleasures. Feel free to email us at info@premierguitar.com and tell us what song you sing along to
when nobody’s listening.
Joe Coffey – Editorial Director
What am I listening to?
Gregg Allman, Low
Country Blues. Allman,
T-Bone Burnett, Doyle
Bramhall II, and Dr.
John cover Blind Lemon Jefferson, Junior
Wells, and more.
What is my favorite guilty pleasure?
Phil Keaggy’s “March of the Clouds.”
Before airline rules changed, I rocked it
during takeoff. Bursting through the clouds
as the bridge hit was amazing. Symbiotic
tone dork? Yes, I am.
Rebecca Dirks – Web Content EditorWhat am I listening to?
Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. West samples King Crimson and Smokey Robinson, Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon lends vocal and songwriting chops, and West and guests are powerful and spot on.
What is my favorite guilty pleasure?
Katy Perry’s singles. I don’t want to like them, but I always end up singing along.
Andy Ellis – Senior EditorWhat am I listening to?
Danny Gatton and Tom Principato, Blazing Telecasters. Backed by tight keys, bass, and drums, Gatton and Principato duke it out, trading chorus after chorus of snappy bends and snarling phrases.
What is my favorite guilty pleasure?
Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours. A perfect blend of righteous guitar, hooky songs, and amazing vocals.
Shawn Hammond – Editor in ChiefWhat am I listening to?
Buddy Miller, The Majestic Silver Strings. On “God’s Wing’ed Horse,” the acoustics are so pristine, the lap steel is so ethereally winsome, and Buddy and wife Julie Miller’s vocal harmonies are so serene even agnostics and atheists will be moved.
What is my favorite guilty pleasure?
I’m not a prog guy, but Dream Theater’s 1994 album, Awake, is full of incredible musicianship and strong songs—and the vocals have never sounded less annoying.
Chris Kies – Associate EditorWhat am I listening to?
Timeless: Hank Williams Tribute. Legendary artists like Keef, Petty, Dylan, and Cash honor the drifting cowboy’s tradition with simple arrangements and true-to-original covers—it’s epic.
What is my favorite guilty pleasure?
Maroon 5’s Hands All Over. My fiancée spun this album nonstop last year, but after hearing guitarist James Valentine’s live chops and tone (especially on “Hands All Over” and “Stutter”)—and M5’s overall rhythm and groove—I’ve put it on my iPod.
Matt Roberts – Multimedia CoordinatorWhat am I listening to?
Band of Horses, Infinite Arms. It goes from folk and country stylings to really rocking your face off. Give it a spin and see them live if they’re anywhere near you. You won’t be disappointed.
What is my favorite guilty pleasure?
Any ‘90s music. Who doesn’t love Third Eye Blind or Goo Goo Dolls? And don’t even tell me that you don’t know all the words to “More Than Words” or “Losing My Religion”!
Pete Huttlinger – Guest PickerWhat am I listening to?
Jeff Beck, Emotion & Commotion. When he performed “Nessun Dorma” at the Crossroads festival last summer, he had 30,000 people screaming their heads off, and he had just played one of the most famous arias in opera. He makes me totally rethink everything I do on guitar.
What is my favorite guilty pleasure?
It would currently have to be Bing Crosby and Some Jazz Friends. Bing’s phrasing was beyond fantastic and, man, he could swing.
Charles Saufley – Gear EditorWhat am I listening to?
Loren Connors, Night Through: Singles & Collected Works 1976– 2004. A beautiful, sprawling showcase of the NYC guitar minimalist’s jams—from early primitivist blues to spacious, ethereal, dots-and-dashes impressionist pieces. Take a Saturday-afternoon nap to this set.
What is my favorite guilty pleasure?
I refuse to feel guilty about music, though my love of many ’70s light-rock classics (see Andy Ellis’ pick) has irked more than a few road-trip companions.
Jason Shadrick – Associate EditorWhat am I listening to?
Jeff Beck, Rock ‘n’ Roll Party: Honoring Les Paul. There’s just something about Beck playing authentic rockabilly on a hollowbody Gibson . . . it’s some of the most pure guitar playing I’ve ever heard.
What is my favorite guilty pleasure?
The soundtrack to La Bamba has been embedded in my musical subconscious since I was 7 years old and playing air guitar along with Los Lobos.
“The distinctive pickup configurations of these five guitars deliver a versatile tonal platform, whether you’re exploring subtle textures or pushing the envelope. The deep dive into our Narrowfield technology is obvious with this launch. With both the S2 models made in our Maryland factory and the SE models made in Indonesia, our goal has been to create guitars that will inspire you and spark creativity, all at an exceptional value,” said PRS Guitars COO, Jack Higginbotham.
S2 Special Semi-Hollow
The PRS S2 Special Semi-Hollow features a pair of 58/15 LT humbuckers in the bass and treble positions and a PRS Narrowfield in the middle. A 5-way blade switch and two mini-toggles allow players to tap the humbuckers, creating twelve distinct pickup combinations for sonic exploration. The carved maple top and mahogany back encompass a semi-hollow body that adds a natural airiness and depth to the guitar’s tone while enhancing sustain.
S2 Studio
The PRS S2 Studio delivers a wide range of sonic possibilities through its distinctive single-single-hum configuration. Featuring two proprietary PRS Narrowfield pickups in the bass and middle positions and a 58/15 LT humbucker in the treble position, the S2 Studio offers a palette of sounds from single-coil clarity to vocal humbucker tones. This model also has a 5-way blade switch and push/pull tone control.
SE Special Semi-Hollow
The PRS SE Special Semi-Hollow is designed with the versatility of a hum/“single”/hum setup, bringing PRS’s Narrowfield DD pickup design to the SE Series in a classic maple-top guitar. The semi-hollow construction also enhances sustain and resonance, while the f-hole adds a classic aesthetic. The coil-tap switching system unlocks a wide range of tones through a pair of 58/15 LT “S” pickups in the bass and treble positions and a PRS Narrowfield DD “S” in the middle.
SE Studio
The PRS SE Studio’s “single”/”single”/hum pickup configuration provides a wide range of tonal options. This combination of PRS Narrowfield DD “S” bass and middle pickups with a PRS 58/15 LT “S” treble humbucker offers humbucking warmth, single-coil sparkle, and everything in between. The 5-way blade switch and push/pull tone control further enhance its versatility.
SE Studio Standard
The only bolt-on neck in this release group, the PRS SE Studio Standard brings the tone, playability, and versatility of the Studio model to the SE Series and into an all-mahogany design with a vintage-style pickguard aesthetic. At the heart of the SE Studio Standard is its versatile trio of pickups: an 58/15 LT “S” humbucker in the treble position with two Narrowfield DD “S” pickups in the middle and bass positions. The 5-way blade switch and push/pull tone control allow for an array of pickup configurations.
PRS Guitars continues its schedule of launching new products each month in 2025. Stay tuned to see new gear and 40th Anniversary limited-edition guitars throughout the year.
