Inside the Noise Episode 2: Paul Reed Smith of PRS Guitars

In this edition of the Inside the Noise podcast, Guitar Center’s Gabe Dalporto joins Paul Reed Smith at his namesake guitar factory in Annapolis, Maryland.

The pair talk PRS origins, including the significance of early endorsements by Carlos Santana, Al Di Meola and Howard Leese, and how the weight those names carry helped propel PRS Guitars to prominence in the early days. Smith also shares poignant insight from his “hardest days” as a guitar company founder, and the importance of being surrounded by good people who can help navigate murky music industry waters.

When Dalporto posed the all-important question—“How do you want to move the industry forward?”—Smith paused for several moments to gather his thoughts.

“I don’t want happy customers. I want really happy customers. I want really good instruments that are not what we call ‘guitar-shaped objects.’ Guitar makers about my age settle down at a formula—we experiment. I showed you a prototype of something that’s coming, and what I showed you today is a brand-new tone …

“I want the industry to desire high-level instruments that sound gorgeous, play really well and do everything you want them to do. A pedalboard shouldn’t fix the sound of your guitar; the guitar should drive your pedalboard. That’s what I want.”

Catch the full conversation and other episodes of Inside the Noise With Gabe Dalporto on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any of your favorite major platforms. When you subscribe, you’ll get new episodes every Tuesday at 3 p.m. PT.