The PRS SE Silver Sky takes the basic recipe behind one of the most recognizable modern signature guitars and puts it into a remarkably accessible package. Designed with John Mayer, the Silver Sky is very much a player's guitar: familiar proportions, a comfortable vintage-inspired neck, three single-coil pickups, and a tremolo that actually encourages you to use it. The SE version brings that formula to a much more approachable price point without losing the personality that makes the Silver Sky what it is.
And in Trad Blue, this one definitely doesn't blend into the background. It's a great color for the Silver Sky — bold enough to get noticed, but still very much in keeping with the vintage-inspired aesthetic of the design. PRS describes the current colors as being inspired by traditional American fashion, and Derby Red fits that idea perfectly.
The Poplar body is paired with a bolt-on Maple neck and Rosewood fingerboard, giving the guitar a familiar combination of snap, warmth, and clarity. The neck uses the original 635JM carve, which was developed specifically around the feel John Mayer wanted from the Silver Sky. The 8.5" radius is a particularly nice middle ground — more comfortable and forgiving for bends than an extremely vintage 7.25" radius, while still retaining a distinctly old-school feel.
The 22-fret, 25.5" scale neck also makes the Silver Sky immediately comfortable for anyone accustomed to traditional S-style guitars. PRS finishes it off with their familiar Small Birds inlays, giving the guitar a little extra PRS personality without losing its vintage-inspired character.
The heart of the Silver Sky, of course, is the pickup set. You get three PRS 635JM “S” single-coils, specifically designed to deliver the full, warm, vintage-inspired character associated with the Silver Sky. They have plenty of sparkle and bite when you want it, but PRS deliberately voiced them to avoid becoming overly sharp or “ice-picky.”
The control layout is wonderfully straightforward: one Volume, two Tone controls, and a 5-way blade switch. You get all five traditional pickup combinations, from the bridge pickup's bite through the warmer neck position, along with the familiar in-between sounds that make a three-single-coil guitar so versatile.
The hardware is equally well considered. A 2-point steel tremolo provides comfortable vibrato and excellent tuning stability, while the vintage-style tuners complement the Silver Sky's old-school personality. A synthetic bone nut and nickel hardware round things out. PRS also equips the SE Silver Sky with a gig bag, making this a particularly practical choice for a working guitarist.
The Silver Sky isn't trying to reinvent the three-single-coil guitar. Instead, PRS and Mayer spent a lot of time refining the familiar formula — and that's really what makes it work. It's comfortable, responsive, extremely versatile, and has enough of its own personality that it doesn't feel like simply another take on an old design.
Add the Trad Blue finish, and you've got a Silver Sky that's every bit as good-looking as it is good-playing.
