What an “Experience” it was

This past weekend was the “PRS Experience 2008” held on the grounds of the Paul Reed Smith guitars factory and office building in Stevensville, MD. This was the 2nd annual experience event, and since I didn’t get to attend the inaugural event last year, I made sure I would not miss this one, in case it wound up not being an annual event from here on out. When registration kicked in back in the early summer, I asked my friend Zac if he would be interested in joining me and he agreed to do so, since he is into the building of guitars as much as he is in playing them, just like me.

The “experience” was basically two long, jam (pun intended) packed days of guitar nirvana—with everything from artist clinics to new product debuts and demos for us to choose from. Word on the street was that the attendance was almost double what it was last year, putting it at 1,300 + this year. From the minute we got in there (after waiting 1.5 hrs in the long registration line) and had some of the great FREE food that was offered, it was non-stop, and LOTS of fun. 

Highlights for me on Friday were the FREE food; the DGT David Grissom clinic; new product demonstrations by J. Hayes and Joe Knaggs; “From the Beginning” by Paul Reed Smith and special guests Howard Leese, Derek St. Holmes and Al Dimeola, where the beginnings of PRS guitars were discussed in detail; the “Archive Seminar” by Paul Reed Smith where there were dozens of guitars on display—from the first guitar he ever built, up to the latest prototype of the Modern Eagle II guitar, and the concert to wrap up the first day. The concert had some amazing talent in it—Mike Scott, Gary and Greg Grainger, Paul Jackson, Jr., David Grissom, the Paul Reed Smith Band and more. It was a long show, and LOUD, but good. Lots of diversity among the players and genres of music.

Saturdays highlights were a plenty—the day started with a “Guitar Making Seminar” by Paul Reed Smith, then we took in the factory tour which was stellar, followed by new product debuts and demos, featuring the Modern Eagle II, Starla and Al Dimeola Prism. There was a guitar making area where you could learn how to do various things associated with building a guitar, so I learned how to press frets into a fretboard and then trim them, and I also got to stain part of a flame maple top which was lots of fun. Zac and I got to play some of the new models that debuted at the event, and went to other seminars on the beginnings of the company, amps & acoustics as well as clinics hosted by Paul Reed Smith and featuring Al Dimeola and Kenny Greenberg. I got to attend a special members only “Signature Club” event as a charter member of the club, which was a lot of fun and we took in another amazing but long concert to cap off the day. Some of the artists that performed Saturday night were Nick Moroch (David Sanborn band), Howard Leese (Heart/Paul Rogers Band), Pat Travers and Mark Tremonti, Al Dimeola and band, Johnny Hiland, and Kenny Greenberg and his all-star band from here in Nashville, backing up Ashley Cleveland.

At the end of each night, we were very tired, but had a great time. I was so thankful to be able to go and to enjoy such a top notch event by a top notch guitar maker. As you can see from the list above, a lot was happening, and those were just my favorites that I listed. PRS has a lot planned for 2009 and I am sure Winter NAMM is going to be huge for them as they officially launch a ton of new products that we got to see at the event. It was quite “the experience” and I hope to go to as many as possible in the future. If you would like to see my photos from the event, go here and check them out.