By David Gedge
FLY LIKE AN EAGLE
PRS Super EAGLE II
Day of The Eagle The Sequel
PRS Super Eagle II
It’s no secret that John Mayer’s main
guitar for The Dead & Company tour was
the PRS Super Eagle that launched last
spring. During the 2016 tour, PRS made
Mayer a second version of that instrument
with some updated woods and aesthetic
appointments. Mayer played the Super
Eagle II on the very last show of the 2016
tour and is continuing to play it for The
Dead & Company 2017 summer tour. PRS
and Mayer are excited to offer this new The Private Stock Super Eagle II is a high-
version, the Super Eagle II, to fans and col- end instrument that reveres the history of
guitar-making and guitar tone but pushes
lectors.
“Just like with the first edition Super the boundaries of materials, design, and
Eagle, you’re literally getting the same gui- craftsmanship. The resulting instrument
tar that is in John’s rig. It’s been an honor embodies the PRS Private Stock culture of
to help create a tool that John can use to meticulous workmanship as well as
work with Dead & Company and Mayer’s keen eye for playability, tone, and
detail.
beyond,” said Paul Reed Smith.
Like other PRS Private Stock instru-
Some of the specifications Mayer and
Smith collaborated on for this special run ments, the Super Eagle II will be limited to
of instruments include a longer scale 120 instruments. Full specifications are
length of 25.375”, specially-wound 58/15 available at www.prsguitars.com.
JM treble and bass pickups with a special-
ly-wound Narrowfield JM pickup in the Fender Fighter
middle position (with
Supro USA 1685RT Neptune
three individual coil-
Reverb Amp
tap mini-switches), a
Supro USA is now
JCF Audio preamp
shipping the 1685RT Neptune
with treble boost, as
Reverb amplifier: a 25W, 2x12
well as a hand-signed
combo amp created in
sticker in the f-hole of
response to artist and backline
the guitar that was
requests for a Supro amp with
designed by Mayer’s Supro USA 1685RT Neptune Reverb a pair of 12" speakers and
friend David Smith
spring reverb. Developed in
(who also designed the cover art for partnership with SIR, the USA's largest
Mayer’s 2012 Born and Raised album). The backline rental company, the Supro
pickups deliver a bright, clear tone that has Neptune amplifier is a loud, clear answer
been heard in venues across the USA in to the Fender Twin and the Vox AC-30.
Mayer’s recent performances with the
The Neptune's microphone-friendly
Grateful Dead.
midrange is largely derived from its vin-
Some new woods and aesthetic choices tage-correct, 25W, Class-A power section.
were also selected for the Super Eagle II, It is this unique, "self-biasing" power amp
including a one piece Private Stock curly that holds the key to the vintage Supro
maple back, African blackwood finger- sound. The Neptune Reverb's remarkably
board and headstock veneer, paua birds low noise floor makes this amp perfect for
and a green ripple abalone 12th fret violin live performance at any volume. Even
bird and Private Stock eagle, as well as a when pushed hard, the Neptune's power
new color: Hemp Green.
section overdrives with a distinctive clari-
Continued on page 54
62 illinoisentertainer.com july 2017