Mike's Story Part 2
Posted Nov 19, 2013
The last part of the project is where James from PTC took control. We had spoken about the logistics of the piezo trem and he made it happen. From drilling individual holes in the baseplate and body to accompany the saddle wires, to notching out a crevasse to prevent pinching when using the trem – he thought of it all. This guitar was still utilizing the original PRS rotary knob, which I actually enjoy, so the wiring would have been quite an undertaking but if you were to open up the back plate, you would see a beautifully neat and organized cavity. Speaking of the back plate, James created a custom back plate for this guitar! Why? Well the piezo unit requires a 9v battery for the preamp and since this guitar wasn’t originally created for such a thing, there was no easy way to access the battery. But alas, the PTC has custom fitted a battery door in the control cover for quick and easy changes. This is a detail I wouldn’t have even though to ask about, but I didn’t have to - they took it on themselves to go that extra mile. The piezo switch was neatly routed through the guitar’s top and placed in a spot that you would have sworn Paul designated himself upon created the guitar.
So as you can tell, this project meant the world to me. Not only was it a great experience to be able to see the guitar go from conceptualization to finished product, but I actually got to keep the guitar at the end of it! It’s found its home in the top ranks of my collection and will never leave my possession. The story, hard work and execution by the PTC will forever accompany a masterfully crafted, and now altered, instrument. Since this guitar’s transformation, I have worked with the PTC on several different projects ranging from wiring, refinishes and pickup installs to other outrageous builds, and I have no intentions of stopping now.