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Someone has relic’d a PRS Silver Sky

Check out the, well, checking.

A Relic'd Silver Sky

Images: Riggio Guitars via Facebook

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John Mayer’s signature PRS Silver Sky hasn’t been around for 50 years. But its inspiration has – and so Joe Riggio of Riggio Guitars has taken it upon himself to give his own Silver Sky a complete refinish and ageing job.

Riggio shared photos of the guitar on social media, writing: “It doesn’t have to be vintage to benefit from my refinish and aging [sic] treatment. This brand new PRS John Mayer Silver Sky Model now has the look and feel of a 50-plus-year-old classic!”

Riggio has removed the guitar’s poly finish and replaced it with a Fiesta Red nitro finish “matched from 1959… slightly more vibrant than the more familiar 1960s version,” he explained on Instagram. Riggio also described the process of stripping the factory finish as “about typical for thin poly”.

The new Fiesta Red finish bears some healthy dings and some buckle rash, as well as some impressive checking – the lines that appear on aged nitro finishes.

Alongside the ageing applied to the finish, the back of the neck has been aged too, as well as the metal hardware, including the bridge and tuners. Subtle dings have been added to the corners of the headstock face too.

Despite the impressive luthiery, however, Paul Reed Smith himself might not approve of the relic job. When asked by Lee Anderton back in March where he stood on the relic’ing issue, Smith made clear that he’d rather see guitars accumulate their scars naturally. “Let it get its war wounds over time,” he said. “We’re shipping a brand new baby that’s just come out!”

Still, back in the day, John Mayer’s own black Strat was once replicated by Fender, wear and all, so we suspect that Mayer would approve – even if Smith doesn’t.

Check out photos of the guitar below.

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