Jazz fusion legend John McLaughlin might have made his name on a string of Gibson guitars and the odd Strat, but he’s pivoted to PRS builds in recent years. Now, he’s just let it slip about the revolutionary prototype he’s been testing out.
The guitarist joined Paul Reed Smith's crew of signature fretboard burners around 2017. A host of collaborative builds have followed since, including a stunning Private Stock model in 2023 – an axe that has since inspired Smith’s Charcoal Phoenix.
But the luthier’s latest creation – which McLaughlin may or may not have had permission to reveal details of – is said to be extra special. He’s one of two guitar stars entrusted with the prototypes.
“I was just talking to Paul Reed Smith – and I don’t know if I should be telling you this, but he’s made a new guitar that I call ‘The Yellow Guitar,’” he tells Guitarist.
“It’s like a revolution. I can’t say much more about it, but he was also on the phone with Eric Johnson, one of my favorite guitar players, and he’s got one too,” he develops. “We were both going on about it.”
After giving that much away, McLaughlin zipped his lips. So we’ll have to wait and see what PRS has in store.
Speaking to Ultimate Guitar around the release of one of his two new live albums, Live at Montreux Jazz Festival 2022, the 83-year-old was full of praise for his Private Stock PRS.
“It's the best guitar I've ever played,” he says. “And I’ve played quite a few. It's an outstanding instrument.”
PRS has been in an especially innovative period of late, having ripped up its template for Herman Li’s long-awaited signature, which has now been extended into the SE range. One of the firm’s newest recruits, Keith Urban, is also hard at work on a template-dashing PRS.
The guitarist's full chat with Guitarist features in the new issue. Copies can be bought from Magazines Direct.
