“A whole new family of guitars”: PRS’s new Tekton series is aimed squarely at shredders
PRS has announced an entirely new range of guitars, the Tekton series, and they’re aimed at the “most technical of modern players”.
Comprising four new models – the hardtail bridge-loaded Tekton, two-point trem-equipped Tekton T, Tekton Floyd and seven-string Tekton SVN – the series introduces a completely new body shape for PRS, plus a thinner neck and flatter fretboard for speed, plus longer scale lengths and PRS-designed pickups engineered to get the most out of digital rigs.
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PRS’s new Stylus pickups have been designed specifically for the Tekton series, and feature Alnico 5 magnets voiced for “clarity, articulation and character. Usable in split or full humbucking modes, these pickups are said to possess a flatter output than other humbuckers, with the objective of retaining character while catering more to digital gear.
Also notable is the fact that Tekton series guitars have the thinnest body and thinnest neck of any guitar in the standard PRS product lineup. It’s said to find a “middle ground” between the flagship Custom 24 and offset Vela models. Upper fret access is facilitated by an exaggerated scoop, while a comfortable belly carve ensures comfort during long shredding sessions.
Credit: PRS
In terms of build material, the Tekton Floyd has an alder body, while the other three have mahogany backs with highly figured mango tops.
The fretboard looks uber-sleek, with a 16” radius, stainless steel frets, plus a new simplistic inlay design with offset dots – another first for PRS. These guitars also feature Luminlay side dots for guidance in low light environments. Each fingerboard is made of Indian ebony, a material known to form mineral deposits as the tree grows. This leads to spots or streaks in the grain – known as “birthmarks” – which make every fretboard on each Tekton series guitar unique.
Every Tekton series guitar also sports a thin near “D shape maple neck, with a hormigo strength rod for support – similar to carbon fibre – and the same material found in PRS’s Chleo Herman Li signature model.
Any guitarist who has dabbled with higher speeds knows the importance of having the right string spacing. And PRS says this was a key part of the design process for the Tekton series. String spacing on the Tekton series is the same as the Silver Sky and the Fiore models, a little wider than PRS’s traditional spacing, catering to more advanced shred techniques like sweep picking, for example.
“This is not just introducing a new model. We are planting a flag for a whole new family of guitars. Since day one, PRS has been built around a combination of player feedback and our experience as guitar makers,” says Jim Cullen, Director of Sales at PRS Guitars.
“Listening to musicians while continually refining our craft has helped us create instruments that serve as tools for a wide range of players. Over the years, we have heard a growing call for more modern spec’d PRS guitars. The Tekton is our answer to that call.”
Learn more about the Tekton series at PRS.
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
