My Encounter with Paul Reed Smith & Brian Ewald

RVA

RVA

Ambassador
I went to a seminar / meet and greet tonight at the Music Zoo in Roslyn NY. I will start with pics and video. Then I have a story, which has me feeling; odd - bad - weird?

Here are some pics

The performance with Brian Ewald, who can really play!
20180905_191712.jpg
20180905_192247.jpg
20180905_205656.jpg
Paul and I

20180905_214311.jpg

Paul signed my family pic

20180905_220835.jpg
 
Last edited:
So now the story:

The theme of the night was "debunking internet myths". He took questions and then proceeded to tell his spin on why it was wrong or a partial truth. As part of this, he mentioned that if you put Grovers on a '56 Les Paul, it would not sound good anymore and he had learned that this was essential to tone. I shook my head, but kept my mouh shut. The questions opened up when everyone relaxed, and he proceeded to rip people's musings apart. Most were bad questions. Hide glue, whether the position of the switch in the body affected tone (yes, I swear), and whether Brazilian Rosewood sounded better than Indian rosewood. Well, since things were flowing, and tuners came up a second time, I said

"Paul, your bridges and tuners are the absolute best in the business. Also, you have changed your tuners over the years to be lighter and open back. I was just wondering, why do you think that tuners affect tone since they are after the nut."

Paul: So yo were not buying what I said before
RVA: Not really, no.
Paul: If you had a Stradivarius, would you put Grovers on it
RVA: I do not know anything about violins, but I think it would not matter on a guitar as long as the strings were stable and you did the nut correctly
Paul: If I put a rubber bridge and tuners, would that affect the tone.
RVA: Bridge, yes, tuners no, unless it was not stable
Paul: If I was building you a $ 100K guitar, would you want me to put Grovers or plastic, would it not matter?
RVA: I would want your tuners for sure, but for reasons other than tone.
Paul: Do you own any PRS Guitars?
RVA: Yes, 7
Paul: Then I guess I should be quiet and thank you for your support

At the signing:
Paul: I am sorry we got in a disagreement about the tuners
RVA: I am only here to learn from you. Your instruments inspire me to play, but you inspired me to tinker and learn all I could about the guitar and how it works. You are a hero of the guitar world and truly historic. I always wanted to say that to you.
Paul: Well, now you said it......(pause)...Thank you. What is your name? (while signing)
RVA: Ray
Paul: I am going to call you Mr. Tuners.
RVA: Umm, OK
Paul: Do you own a private stock?
RVA: Not yet, but I always dreamed about going to Maryland and picking my own wood.
Paul: You should
RVA: OK. Hope to see you there!
Paul: (no response)

----
Ugh
 
Last edited:
RVA said:
I learned that A. He did not have an answer to the question and B. I annoy him.

Meeting your heros is a mixed bag.
Click to expand...
I've seen a couple of interviews with him. Since I have never met him in person, I can't claim to know anything about the guy, but he strikes me as a bit of a strange fellow. If he was annoyed by your questions (or simply the fact that you disagree with him), quite frankly, that's not a very grown-up reaction, is it?

Btw., I agree with you on the tuners.
 
Aww, NOW you’ve done it!

Now, I have to run up to his part of Maryland and apologize for you!

“Seriously, Mr. Smith, that ‘Ray’ guy...you know...’Mr. Tuners’? Well, he really is okay. I’m sure he didn’t mean to get on your nerves. Oh, by the way, wouldn’t you know it...my last name is ‘Smith’ too! Pretty wild, huh! And my father’s first name was ‘Paul.’ Can I have a guitar? The Custom 24 will do.”
 
Ray--- proud of you man---

first off -- great event-- and I MUST SAY--- I am impressed "MR PRS" would do such a small intimate meeting type thing-- very cool on his part--very cool--

I am sure that most folks are "awe struck" and drooling and giddy like school girls to meet and MAYBE say "I LOVE YOU MAN" to the "Legend" PRS ---

You SIr-- asked a legit question -- and stuck to your guns-- and made HIM think---- now-- I gurantee you contact him again--- or show up in Maryland at the front desk and say "tell Paul Mr Tuners is here" --- he WILL remember you ---(might throw you out) -- but Im betting he would take the time to meet with you -- help you pick wood and get your guitar ordered---

unlike the other rabble at the event YOU made impression on HIM---

well done

no UGH ---- YAY!!! and Congrats----

:)

on the other note-- yes meeting our HEROS can sometimes be a very humbling experience-----they become human -- and fail to be HEROIC anymore---
 
eSGEe said:
Ray--- proud of you man---

first off -- great event-- and I MUST SAY--- I am impressed "MR PRS" would do such a small intimate meeting type thing-- very cool on his part--very cool--

I am sure that most folks are "awe struck" and drooling and giddy like school girls to meet and MAYBE say "I LOVE YOU MAN" to the "Legend" PRS ---

You SIr-- asked a legit question -- and stuck to your guns-- and made HIM think---- now-- I gurantee you contact him again--- or show up in Maryland at the front desk and say "tell Paul Mr Tuners is here" --- he WILL remember you ---(might throw you out) -- but Im betting he would take the time to meet with you -- help you pick wood and get your guitar ordered---

unlike the other rabble at the event YOU made impression on HIM---

well done

no UGH ---- YAY!!! and Congrats----

:)

on the other note-- yes meeting our HEROS can sometimes be a very humbling experience-----they become human -- and fail to be HEROIC anymore---
Click to expand...
No more visits for me. I am disenchanted. After being rebuffed, my memory became less forgiving. For instance, in a discussion about sustainable woods, the topic shifted to fretboards, and I asked if he would ever use Richlight. He ignored me, but 3 others nentioned it after me. He said, "what's that?" as if he never heard of it (right). Someone yelled "a composite material" and he responded "that's not wood, so why are we even talking about it." He also pretended he hever heard of hide glue. In general, there was a lot of BS fed to an audience that was not knowledgeable about guitars.

His ultimate point was that you should go by your ears and feel of the instrument, which is fine...unless you are trying to promote internet sales. I guess he forgot he was sitting in a showroom with limited hours and that The Music Zoo does lots of internet sales.

BTW, here is the reason for his "cool" visit

PRS Guitars lays off 30
 
Ray,

I've never met Paul, but I have met (and pestered) Semie Mosley, Grover Jackson and Wayne Charvel. I was younger then, so I didn't have as much research and tinkering under my belt as I do now, but my memory is good and I can draw some similarities.

I can recall - with the utmost clarity - that each one of these masters had a different opinion. To one, wood had everything to do with tone and to the other, it meant nothing. Their collective answers, to the same questions, were as widely varied as that of several psychologists evaluating the same patient.

What I see now, as I look back, is each man had an opinion and stuck with it throughout their career. I can recall the brass nut question in vivid detail. Only Grover believed it influenced tone in a positive way.

I personally believe that the sheer intensity of the research done by you - and the forum at large collectively - is a far more broad database than someone like Paul has access too. He's successful and he no longer needs to collect data.

We also must accept that guitar guys are opinionated and - at least to some degree - resistant to change.

I think he was expecting worship and not questions.

I've personally switched between locking tuners and Gibson Green Keys on the Les Paul with no difference in tone and I have back-to-back recordings to prove it, so I consider his statement about a '54 Les Paul to be rooted in personal opinion as opposed to fact.

I think your questions were relevant and well thought out to say the least. I don't think he expected to encounter someone on that level.

I think you handled the situation very well.

When I have met those I consider heroes of music or guitar, I intentionally give no indication that I am impressed by them. I have never asked for an autograph. I intentionally meet them on their level.

Not long ago, I bumped into Doug Aldrich at Suhr while visiting their facility. As we passed each other I said, "Hey, Doug...nice to see you." He nodded and passed by.

A bit later, we passed again and he asked where we had met before (we hadn't) and a conversation over guitars - Les Paul's in particular just happened. Very relaxed.

I've done the same with other heroes in this industry...its kind of SOP for me and ive been invited into all manner of gatherings I would not otherwise find my way into because of my neutral demeanor.

I think Paul is a smart fellow. However, look how much exposure to tone, problems and myths our collective here has debunked with fact. Secondly, and lets be honest, the tonal 'mystique' of magic woods and capacitors sells guitars. Any firm involved in guitar production would be a fool not to capitalize on that...
 
Well Ray-- there is only 1 thing you can do now---- send me the blue green beauty picked above second from right on the bottom of the family pic--- because --- looking at these guitars is now going to cause you grief -- and well-- Im a giver :)


Or we can go to Maryland --- and bring down the HAMMER OF JUSTICE!--- and kick his ass.......

Id prefer the first thing above though -- unless your paying for air fare--- then either will work.....see I can compromise....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top