Experience PRS 2009 on a Roll – Page One

Paul Reed Smith rockin' at the Experience PRS 2009 trade event.

The third annual Experience PRS trade event officially opened its doors on September 25, 2009 near the banks of the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland. Two years ago Paul and his colleagues fashioned Experience PRS to bring together dealers, distributors and fans of PRS guitars from all over the world.

The success of the 2007 and 2008 trade shows weighed in on the decision to make the get-together an annual tradition. The evening before the opening, Paul held a party that was more of a house warming event than anything else with a couple of surprise guests…blues legend Buddy Guy and the most supernatural of guitarists, the great Carlos Santana.

A series of large white pup tents were erected to keep folks dry in the event of rain. Milling in and out of the tents were over 1,700 PRS fans who concentrated on the exhibits that offered insights into guitar sanding, finishing, set-up and other PRS guitar building operations. Full-bodied guitars, as well as components were also on display to help inform the crowd on how the various pieces come together to become a PRS guitar. Binding, tone wood samples, necks, as well as some superb examples of PRS inlay of flowers, bird and moons and dragons.

Under the PRS Operations & Displays Tents

: Young PRS enthusiast, Mark Nakamura staining a piece of wood just like the PRS employees do in the plant, while his father Michael Nakamura from Maryland oversees the process.

: A cabal of PRS devotees do some live testing of final product.

: PRS Guitar Display

: PRS’s outstanding inlay work was on-hand to touch and appreciate the craftsmanship.

: Rebecca Eaddy, PRS PR/Media Manager shows off a striking PRS finished guitar.

Unlike earlier shows, the 2009 crowd appeared to open the doors to more family members. Young kids grabbed hooked up guitars and headphones and wailed away to their hearts’ content. We met Carol Davis, her guitar-laden son Gram and young Jack Gill hanging out playing PRS axes that had been staged for passersby to grab and strike a few chords.

: (Left to Right) Jack Gill, Carol Davis and her son, Gram Davis from Bill’s Music, Catonsville, Maryland.

And dealers and distributors from China, Italy, Germany and other parts of the world checked out the latest guitars, amps and gear PRS had on display and for sale. I briefly met with Frank De Fina, Vice-President, PRS in the sales shop in the nearby warehouse block that housed a couple of hundred guitars who noted that sales were good and, unlike previous shows, purchases were not limited to dealers and distributors. Private individuals could pick out and purchase the guitars lined up to ogle, caress and play.

: Frank De Fina, Vice-President, PRS Guitars was working in the Sales Shop set up for X-PRS 2009.

: PRS guitar at the Chuck Levin Guitars sales area.

: Guitar expert Brian Meader at Chuck Levin’s (Wheaton, Maryland) Sales Area.

PRS endorsees were walking around and checking out the gear, along with everyone else. Johnny Hiland drew a crowd when he got up to play, then he hung out with his lovely wife in between gigs. Bugs and Patty Henderson were roaming around in their very cool colorful sneakers. While Bugs was cranking out riffs on-stage, Patty pulled out her high-end camera and caught the show for the Henderson family’s posterity.

: Coolest kicks under the tent belonged to guitar aficionado Bugs Henderson and his lovely shutterbug wife Patty, who sported some shocking pink laces to boot.