gringopig's guitars
2021 PRS Silver Sky Lunar Ice
Limited Edition
Released in 2021, this limited edition PRS was the second limited model after the Nebula finish and features a 'flip-flop' paint job which cycles through shades of blue, green and purple. This one came in a PRS hard case which actually weighs more than the guitar itself which is very lightweight.
This was the first of the maple fretboard Silver Sky guitars and has a separate fretboard like the late '60's Fender guitars. So no skunk stripe.
It originated in 2018 with John Mayer's move from Fender to embrace PRS. He previously favoured 1963/4 Stratocasters, mainly for the neck and pickups and with the move to PRS, he got Paul Reed Smith to make him an 'idealised' Stratocaster like guitar but with specific features that mirrored his favoured vintage Fender.
It looks like a Strat. I remember all the controversy surrounding this guitar and the real bile with which is was discussed, as if it was some sort of heresy and I admit, I was sceptical. I remember playing one though after it hit the shops and being impressed. I liked the feel of the tuners in particular; a lovely tactile feel to the buttons.
People were really up in arms though but this has largely gone away as Mayer has played this model almost exclusively since albeit the rosewood fingerboard model. The rosewood was the only option until January 2021 when this model was released and PRS introduced the maple board versions.
This one has a 2020 model date and must have been an early one as they were making them in preparation for the release and it came with quite an expectation after the Nebula limited edition - a 'flip=flop- finish but in a dark blue/purple combination. Only 500 of the Nebula were made but PRS decided to up the release of this second one to 1000 and each one has 1-1000 on the neck plate. Mine isn't number 1 sadly.
Subsequently, there has been an SE release too of the Indonesian made models which look substantially similar and differ only in the pickups and the bridge arrangement as well as being made of Poplar not the Alder of the USA variant. They also lack the locking tuners. I tried one of the early ones after release but noticed the tuner bushings on more than one were popping out. Not the quality you would expect. Later ones seem to be fine though.
The USA model has 635JM pickups and these are absolutely fantastic! They have bite and clarity but sound vintage to my ears also. With the sound of the pickups and the tuning stability of the PRS reverse headstock with the direct string pull into the locking tuners.
Click on gallery for larger version
I bought this used at Coda and did notice that a previous owner had made the tremolo 'float', using only 3 springs and with the back of the trem sitting up from the body. I didn't let this bother me and got it anyway.
However, it wasn't the easiest job to fix it and put it back to factory specs. I had add the 4th spring and change the 6 pivot screws to move the front of the bridge up and it took me a while to work out what was going on.
So, the screws actually have a lip on which the tremolo unit sits and unscrewing them evenly allows the front of the block to rise up and the back to sit flush with the body as per the intended function. The spec states 0.78mm gap at the front of the tremolo unit. It is not 'decked' as some might say but rather sits at a slight angle up at the front and touching at the rear. Like this:
This is how it is meant to be from stock. I have never seen Mayer play a Silver Sky with the tremolo attached but it only allows downward movements in pitch. I don't use tremolo on a Strat like guitar as I have Jaguars for that which is the superior system, so it's no problem but I wanted to reverse to futzing the previous owner inflicted on it.
You also have to have the action as per the spec, which is about 1.75-2.00 mm from high e to low E and make sure the strings follow the 7.25" radius. It's not low action. I don't like low action personally, so this is fine. I like stock PRS string height actually.
So after a lot of work and subsequently with the purchase of a brand new out the box Silver Sky (maybe foolishly) I was able to compare directly with the stock setup and I had nearly got it spot on.
The sound of the guitar is great. It plays better than any Fender and maybe even better than my Fender custom shop. The high e doesn't slip off the frets anyway as that one does.
It's got a precise feel and sound with huge clarity in the pickups and a balance between them, after I adjusted the height back to stock after the bodger had messed it up anyway, that is fantastic. It sounds like the same guitar on all pickups which isn't always the case. Just tonal variations of the same base sound. Love it!
After buying the rosewood board 2023 model, I can now hear differences between the two. I can't say whether it's the maple board or just that it is a different guitar but the Lunar Ice sounds more focussed and 'chirpy' with a harder edge to the attack. Perhaps more hollow in a way. Hard to describe but the rosewood board one sounds more 'slow' with a fuller midrange.
Check out the comparison video below and watch in 1080p for best results
