gringopig's guitars
2023 PRS Silver Sky Moc Sand
From 2023, this is a current model featuring three 635JM pickups with the slightly altered neck carve for the year and a satin body finish with satin maple neck and a rosewood fingerboard. Immaculate build by PRS. I really cannot fault them for anything on this. It is absolutely spot on in set up and in sound and finish. Bravo PRS!
The Silver Sky was first introduced in 2018 in a range of finishes, all with a gloss neck and a rosewood fingerboard and raised the heckles of many a fan of Fender, PRS and John Mayer. This was a signature model and made to replicate the vintage 1963 to 1964 Fenders that Mayer used. Fender had a signature model too but for some reason John Mayer left Fender and fell into the PRS camp. This guitar was the result and it wasn't universally accepted. It is now though. After a few years and changes to the model along with new colours and specs, no-one cares anymore. It's now seen as a thing of its own and not just a Strat copy.
It is certainly a Stratocaster like guitar though. Undoubtedly. Check the gallery below for more images of the 2023 model in Moc Sand with rosewood fingerboard.
Click on gallery for larger version
I bought this brand new, straight out the box at GuitarGuitar still with the pickguard plastic on and it had only been out on display for a few days there, so free of the bodgers and fumblers who might otherwise have tarnished it or attempted to fudge up the setup as they did with the Lunar Ice model I bought.
Such a beautiful guitar. A satin desert sand sort of finish and a dark chocolate rosewood board. Thick slab of rosewood. The guitar sounds as good as the Lunar Ice does and I really feel that this is a better guitar than a Fender. I have played USA Fenders and they have been really poor in terms of they way they feel and at over £2k, I don't think they offer value for money. The Fender custom shop are now sitting at £4-5k and even more often for heavy relics. There is no way they are worth that, especially since the last few I played didn't stay in tune and sounded dead and nasty. I can't stand guitars that don't stay or play in tune, so what a relief to find the PRS Silver sky which does both and not at those puffed up Fender prices.
You can get Silver Sky guitars at around £2400 if you look for them. They are often slightly discounted from the RRP of £2849. You may only get a soft case with them but it's decent quality and PRS hard cases are notorious for being heavy beasts. My Lunar Ice Silver Sky came with one and it's heavier than the guitar by quite a margin. The guitar weighed 7lbs only. The Moc Sand is light too so PRS must be using light alder.
I love the way this sounds. I was so taken with the Lunar Ice, I went nuts and bought the Moc Sand. I did have profit from the 1964 Fender Jazzmaster I sold recently, so why not right?
No regrets. They sound different. Not night and day but to me, the rosewood board one sounds fatter and less aggressive, whereas the maple board sounds punchier.
I know all the lore about maple versus rosewood and I don't want to assume this is true but it seems to be the case for at least these two. Could just be the guitars though.
I will do demos to try and draw out any differences. It might be able to be heard?
Watch the video demo below in 1080p
This guitar was for sale but I withdrew it. Mainly because I realised it was too good to sell and also because of the usual reason: buyers can be rude morons.
Either insulting low-ball offers or expressions of interest even up to arranging a visit to try and then vanishing without any explanation, trade offers for junk or assorted idiocy.
Selling a guitar can either be easy and fun; I have sold many and the buyers were serious and very nice or it can result in a deep disgust in humanity. Much like the realisation during the period since 2020 that people are morons who can't think for themselves and just do as they are told thoughtlessly, selling guitars can really dent your faith in humanity.
So be it. All those who watched my listing, or offered me something insulting just know, you lost out.
