“After playing the Silver Sky designed for the 2023 Dead & Company summer tour, I realized the guitar was special. It quickly became apparent this wasn’t just a tool for one particular job but could be extremely versatile in other players’ hands. I’m excited to hear the music that’s made on these guitars,” said John Mayer.
The foundation of the “Dead Spec” Silver Sky is a lightweight Swamp Ash body (rather than alder) finished in Moc Sand satin nitro that is thin and strikingly sinks into the ash wood grain. The bridge is a modified PRS patented Gen III Tremolo that has been screwed to the body, effectively rendering it a string-through hardtail bridge. Keeping the tremolo’s brass block in the equation adds a musical warmth to guitar. At the other end of the strings are a brass nut and string retainer bar, which also contribute to the guitar’s resonance and tone.
Notably, the Dead Spec Silver Sky’s jack plate has been swapped out for a brass-plate Alembic Blaster preamp. This preamp can be used as a straight boost but has an internal pot that allows players to add between 3 - 14 dB of gain to the guitar when turned on. This not only gives the Dead Spec Silver Sky added punch while maintaining definitive note separation, but it compensates for the capacitance that comes with long stage cables as well. The circuit is bypassed when in the off position.
“When I heard John wanted the tone of Garcia’s old guitar for this tour, I called him and said, ‘I think I can have a prototype to you in five days.’ It was that quick and painless of a conversation. So, we made this non-tremolo guitar with a lot of brass, which gave the guitar beautiful warm midrange, and the Alembic Blaster switch that cleared everything up and gave the guitar some courage. The first time I played it, I was smiling – I really like it,” said Paul Reed Smith. “The other thing I love about this guitar is that the finish sinks into the wood. It’s part of the guitar, so the guitar feels alive in your hands. That’s really cool.”
Paul Reed Smith Explains the "Dead Spec" Silver Sky | PRS Guitars
PRS Silver Sky "Dead Spec" Limited Electric Guitar
For more information, prsguitars.com. Only 1,000 “Dead Spec” Silver Sky Limited Edition instruments will be sold worldwide.
The specifications of the SE Silver Sky Maple are all the same as its rosewood-appointed predecessor, except for the fretboard wood and colors. The PRS SE Silver Sky comes in a unique color palette: Nylon Blue, Overland Gray, and Summit Purple.
“Adding a maple fretboard option to the PRS SE Silver Sky lineup is an exciting expansion for this guitar. Players have always enjoyed having fretboard material options for tone, feel, and looks. The buzz that the prototypes have created around the office has not been small. Having the opportunity to work with John on some new colors has been a bonus,” said Jack Higginbotham, PRS Guitars Chief Operating Officer.
The original PRS SE Silver Sky is also getting an update. Originally released in four colors (Dragon Fruit, Ever Green, Moon White, and Stone Blue), the SE Silver Sky is saying goodbye to Dragon Fruit and Ever Green and adding Storm Gray and Piano Black.
Shared specifications for the two models include poplar body, maple neck, 22 frets, 25.5” scale length, 8.5” fretboard radius, 635 JM “S” pickups with one volume, two-tone, and 5-way blade pickup switch, synthetic bone nut, PRS small bird inlays, and PRS Classic 10-46 strings.
“The PRS SE Silver Sky, and the Silver Sky before it, both disrupted the market with their introductions and have since become quietly accepted as real instruments with their own personalities,” said Bev Fowler, PRS Director of Artist Relations. “It’s been highly rewarding to be John’s [Mayer’s] guitar maker and also to see these designs in the hands of so many talented musicians who trust PRS to deliver the tone and playability they need.”
The SE Silver Sky Maple | Demo | PRS Guitars
A collaboration between John Mayer and PRS Guitars, the PRS Silver Sky is a modern take on a classic three single-coil guitar. John Mayer can be seen playing his signature model on solo work and in his work with Dead & Company.
For more information, please visit prsguitars.com.
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