Long Distance: Paul Calls Wes Borland | PRS Guitars

On this episode of Long Distance, Paul Reed Smith calls up multi-talented musician and longtime PRS Artist Wes Borland! The duo dives deep into their gear preferences, using Pro Tools like an instrument, and how Wes prepared to perform with Danny Elfman at Coachella.
You can follow Wes and listen to his music at:
Website - thewesborland.com
Instagram - / thewesborland
Twitter - thewesborland?lan...
Spotify - open.spotify.com/artist/3Uzo5...
Apple Music - / wes-borland
Are you a Limp Bizkit fan? Follow their music here:
Website - limpbizkit.com
KZbin - / @limpbizkit
Instagram - / limpbizkit
Twitter - / limpbizkit
Spotify - open.spotify.com/album/2lZ9Rq...
Apple Music - music.apple.com/us/album/stil...

[@VibhasPatil]

Wes is definitely one of the most underrated guitar players of the last two decades. So great to see this interaction between him and Paul.

[@christophercharlesonelifetime]

I'd like to edit with not even just a Guitarist... He's such a great musician. Period. Overall!!

[@CRTW]

Who told you that he is underrated?)

[@kevinmoore5206]

​@CRTW The fact that he's not recognized as much as some other less talented musicians.

[@GeorgeZimmermen]

It’s been longer than 2 decades buddy

[@edwin.jansen]

always appreciate people who just take the compliment like Wes. No fuss, no pooha, no bs, just real inner passion.

[@Ottophil]

Wes is one of the reasons I picked up a guitar in the 1990’s

[@justjarvis106]

Wes is the reason I started drumming He’s such a cool artist he just made me wanna make music Not even play guitar

[@diarrhea_splatter]

Wes is so humble.

[@radosawpendziaek7503]

Wes is VERY influential guitarist. He's "the Edge" of nu metal. Hats off Sir! And your scenic image is just killer!!

[@GeorgeZimmermen]

Don’t insult Wes by calling him “the edge”

[@dukeviking]

having helped Wes in Detroit in 2017 & 2018 for his cat rescue at his house; he is as down to earth as any human can be. That is attributed to his great parents and family. He is my favorite modern musician. His solo etherial music is WONDERFUL! I think a man-date was just created at the end of this interview; I'd love to be a fly on the wall for that as well.

[@scramblesthedeathdealer]

I respect him even more now. 🐈🐈‍⬛

[@minmogrovingstrongandhealthy]

He have his corks tho when it comes to creativity. Sometimes he is too much into his own stuff that he finds hard to take no for an answer. He mentioned this in few interviews when asked why did he had arguments and fallouts in Limp Bizkit to which he said he didn't had his medication at the time and he was basically a mental mess and hard to work with. Something tells me that other places where he worked that also had a drama attached to it, it really comes down to him not being able to cope and work with others when he is either missing his medication or have the wrong medication on.

[@standinsilence]

@@minmogrovingstrongandhealthy Whats he medicating for? Depression?

[@sipnscoot3049]

Wes is an amazing guitar player. He is my top 3 players for sure. I’m glad Paul is working with him on his signature guitar.

[@MattBorchert]

I've been on this Wes Borland rabbit hole today and have this profound respect now for the person he is and the art he creates.

[@mattshackelford6624]

Wes Borland is the reason I picked up the Instrument in the first place. Thank you for sharing this talk. Too cool...

[@onionheadguy7094]

I love wes's step dad look. One of my favorite guitarists ever!

[@g.koch.]

"Oh no, help me stepdad, my Floyd Rose stuck" 🤣

[@ddrumdude]

@@g.koch.🤣

[@ddrumdude]

Stepdad look…. what does that even mean? 😂

[@stopit2964]

I'm really glad wes is mentioning his band eat the day a bunch on this. people really do not understand how spectacular eat the day is. its this fusion of epic monster riffage and the musical scientist side of things like radiohead and bjork. its kind of like everything i wish metal would do but hasn't done before...and this is what wes was doing in like 2003.

[@KastreraDkatt]

Wes is such an inspiration. No riff sounds like his i think. Also grew up listening to his riffs. Still love them 15 years later.

[@bnzboy]

We need Wes' 4 string signature model asap!!!!

[@dukeviking]

yes please!

[@e2theoc]

Wow Wes is such a humble genius, the most memorable guitarist of my youth, created such a distinctive sound with Limp Bizkit. Amazing to see them in Europe this year ❤ 🎸

[@garrettboomerbender]

Just from this interview Paul seems like such a humble guy

[@MrKjohnson123]

Met him several times, he is. And sharp as a diamond tack too.

[@adhaskym.a9536]

Wes got to be an actor soon. He got the build and the face. Talent and yeah. He gotta be one soon.

[@__-bc4bs]

I love how he presented that spaceship guitar… Yeah… yeah… 😎🤙😄😄😄

[@scramblesthedeathdealer]

I remember having posters when I was a teenager of Wes with the black contacts, back when he was still with Ibanez. I'm still an Ibanez guy, I have 3 RGs now (one I just built from parts, finally learned to solder!), but I respect PRS guitars, as well.

[@jayteesgear]

Good to see Wes still lookin sharp and rockin. Had sushi next to him in Studio City and talked about singin for him but he was burnt on his post Limp Biz project fallin through. Pretty down to earth guy for the amount of wucess hed seen

[@stopit2964]

he mentions that project in this interview, it's called eat the day. he put the two albums of music they did (back around 2001 to 2003) during the lockdown (the albums are called the demos and the addendum) and are two of the best albums i've ever heard. the songs have no vocals, but the must is so outlandishly spectacular that you won't care. your conversation with him must have been around 2004. what all did he say about it when you saw him?

[@ryangunwitch-black]

Wes shreds. He is killer.

[@b.w.22]

Mmm, this was genuinely touching. You both feel so genuine and humble and so charmed to be speaking to one another and that is made plain by this interview. My esteem for both of you has been elevated enormously through this and I thank you two.

[@JoeDread316]

Wes is the guy that made me want a PRS, once he left ibanez. Didn't know what that metallic colored guitar was at first, but I wanted it.

[@thanhhuynh2044]

Me too, also the master cremona guitar. Own a custom cremona ❤

[@JoeDread316]

@@thanhhuynh2044 nice

[@AyBi_Studio]

​​@@thanhhuynh2044 I think that Cremona maker is DJ letha'sl dad.

[@ThatIrishCowboy]

OK this call was absolutely fun to listen to. I didn't expect it at all I heard about the wes borland custom prs but I definitely didn't expect Paul to give him a ring that was so cool to see these two worlds collide.

[@rendyandrian7149]

I enjoy this conversation A LOT. Wes clearly likes and respect Paul and vice versa.

[@endezeichengrimm]

All right partner. Keep on rolling baybeh. You know what time it is.

[@andre.slmartins]

I wish there were more of these talks with Wes. I've pretty much heard them all by now.

[@nickfox7756]

Awesome conversation! Wes is a very interesting person and I’m glad you two are working together

[@bradleydrawsweirdstuff]

the part at 22:00 is so true about musical limitations are great, Jack White talks about that as well.

[@BaltimoreRockGuitar]

What a cool conversation. I'd love to hear more of this!

[@ronfalkoff]

These are always so amazing!!!

[@Colemanectomy]

PRS IS SUCH A CHARMING DUDE! LOVE THIS INTERVIEW

[@silverfr3ak]

PRS is still a new company (comparing with gibson and fender), but Wes were already commited with the brand when it was even newer by the early 00s. It was a vote of confidence.

[@clothbooster]

In the early 00s PRS blew up. Almost every relevant band played a PRS, especially nu metal guitarrists.

[@dergener]

amazing guitarist

[@ZblockWoW]

This interview is sooooooo good. 🎸

[@bsriaudio]

So cool to hear the story of the evolution of the 4-string. I've been playing in GGCFAD for years and went down a similar path to get there.

[@blakeanderson7906]

Very cool interview, Wes rocks!

[@mrfivethirteen8919]

I like his unique sound and playing, and it's for the music/song and not for him seeking the spot for showing off. Great musician.

[@theanalogbar]

This was a great conversation, interesting to learn from both!

[@stephenreese9841]

What an interesting conversation, thank you for sharing Mr. Smith....

[@badm0t0rf1nger]

Not sure why this popped up 5 months late in my recommendeds, but it's always cool to hear from Wes, & this works really well here with Paul - I bet the 2 of them could happily spend hours in the right studio / gear cave!! :)

[@mykneeshurt8393]

Real fun interview. I don't know much about Wes and I'm not much of a gear head but I really enjoyed this interview / phone call.

[@pemlonineoh]

It’s been a long time since I bought any kind of bass or guitar, but if there was an option of any kind of PRS/Borland model, 6 or 4 string, I’d be in serious trouble of having to own one asap.

[@matthewpaluch777]

😎👍💗🇺🇸🎸 LONG LIVE PRS!!! Relic free since 1985!

[@mychalmallen5434]

Wes was and remains one of my guitar heros

[@Airtrooper719]

Limp Bizkit was my gateway to heavy metal. Wes Borland was my gateway to picking up a guitar.

[@zshwn]

Yes!

[@bethbennett317]

I adore Wes. Such a talented and very funny human being. ❤

[@JoshOlsonPersonal]

Badass guitar player and a phenomenal songwriter/ entertainer. 🤟

[@adamcoe]

literally the first time I've ever seen his real face. he looks shockingly normal

[@HarryTravolta]

Having two strings an octave apart next to each other sounds interesting, I might try it

[@seerattan]

Brings back the standard treble and bass pickups

[@mbos4115]

I miss when Wes was using a black RPA custom 24.

[@jordanlloyd-mccleary3419]

Do one on Kid Rock especially Guitarist Jason Krusane, that'll be really good😈

[@marius047]

So is there going to be a production run of the 4 string?

[@tanguydelooz2881]

13:37 On Robert Smith's BassVI

[@Hudlay]

I wish Wes would switch back to PRS from Jackson.

[@clothbooster]

I wish he was still using his Yamaha signature. That thing was gorgeous.

[@ProdigalReturn]

​@@clothboosterI loved it too

[@MrRafaztar]

the apple stage is so disorientating!!! great interview but that apple feature makes me actually dizzy apparently :P

[@GospodinVito]

Это очень интересно!

[@kimblez]

still waiting to talk about summing.......

[@preciseaudioblog]

Neve 54? Wow never heard about that one...

[@johnbach2380]

Hope maybe there can be a limited run in that four string.

[@g.koch.]

Or an SE

[@yayayaokoksure]

So did you guys ever have dinner together?

[@endezeichengrimm]

Everyone else wanted 7 strings. Wes only wants 4.

[@markpotter3975]

If Paul ever reads the comments, I have a Tremonti baritone and love it. Don't worry about what people think the specs need to be. And great interview with Wes.

[@jasonmccombs8123]

Completely different than his stage persona would suggest.

[@JFeather1]

Wes has a totally original sound.

[@eustacioevangelista106]

Seems like Wes was going to say its a great hybrid between a Strat and a Les Paul and changed at last second. Lol

[@AyBi_Studio]

He doesn't hide his ideas. Even in his work on his signature with Yamaha, he said that it's a combo of any guitars he worked with and liked over the years - strat, tele, Les Paul, PRS.

[@MrKjohnson123]

B to B is nothing new to me. My friend Karl Sanders was doing this in the early 90s as Nile was getting off the ground. We ran into each other at a bar,I was leaving he just arrived.We asked what each other what the other was doing musically.He just got his custom gauge string set together. SIT was the only company that would do it for him, he had to order the sets by the case. Mind you, kids,this was when NO ONE was making 7 string guitars and Korn had yet to emerge. World travels await. :)

[@clothbooster]

Actually, Ibanez Universe, the first 7 string comercially available guitar, was released in 1990. But I understand what you mean.

[@MrKjohnson123]

@@clothbooster but it went out of production before Karl started doing his thing, and they weren't easily/readily available. The Ibanez 7 string initially had a short life.

[@lordsludge5678]

3:42 this shows me that most guitar companies don't give a rats ass about their people or customers

[@yeshuaislord3058]

wes looks so normal

[@Gasperracing]

He needs to link with Kanye. Kanye Wes project.

[@RedWhiteNBlade]

I'll have whatever drugs you're currently on

[@p.shephard2081]

So I made a comment about my frets being cheese graders on my a50e acoustic guitar and was told when buying a guitar in that price range expect to have to set it up and spend more$$ The neck on the Harley benton kit guitar I just got is better. Thanks prs so not cool.....

[@ianyoung8392]

Wes should have been kept by Ibanez and PRS, absolute fools for letting him go.

[@BBGuitars]

Jesus christ let the man speak, this was painful to watch....

[@Az_1987]

This isn't an interview, it's a conversation. Take it for what it is bro

[@BBGuitars]

@@Az_1987 yes... and in a conversation you usually let the other person speak...

[@EricMcD15]

Paul is the reason I haven’t purchased a PRS guitar yet- I just hate his vibe dude. Bad news

[@WholeLottaBulldog]

That says more about you, than him.

[@terrorizedmars8922]

He really seems like a nice guy I just think he’s misunderstood

[@__-bc4bs]

Besides Dimebag, Wes is one of the greatest.🧠🎸✨

[@alberros309]

Wes e' un grande Artista della musica e dell'immagine . ❤️🇮🇹✨