How We Sand Guitar Bodies | From the Factory Floor | PRS Guitars

[@jeffs6114]

Tony the neck joint sander has got some interesting technique, I’ve never seen someone use their face to guide the work thru a tool. Good thing he has his protective beard on at all times 😆 safety first!

[@thedevilinthecircuit1414]

Many sanders use their chin or nose on the guitar. It adds a 3rd point of support (2 hands plus nose = 3) to help keep the body steady and square on the horizontal spindle sander.

[@jamescbender43081]

More staining videos please. They’re oddly satisfying. Thanks!

[@juana1483]

Really?

[@araiariyanto4248]

its my current job here in PRS guitar factpry Indonesia ❤

[@nobnobnobnob]

Why you guys don't wear dust mask?

[@BAMozzy69]

This is where the difference in price & quality really shows... The amount of handwork that goes in to them!

[@robsonf6683]

Every detail covered with master level guitar builders and carefully trained craftsmen. I just started playing again after 30 years. I'm saving for a Se

[@lancegeorge71]

Beautiful guitars, would like to get one eventually.

[@andreanderson1017]

Com certeza vamos conseguir 🙏🙏

[@AaronNetsell]

Love it! And THAT's why PRS quality is world class! :-)

[@Ruth-vm1sp]

Paul: “We use non-water glue on the frets because we spend so much time to get water out of the wood.” 2:40 hits the wood with water “to see what is really going on” 😆

[@nobnobnobnob]

usually, water-based chemicals are less durable than oil-based counterparts. So yeah, probably he doesn't know what he is talking that time.

[@Mindctrlpankak]

Damn give that top sand guy a raise!!!

[@zeusapollo8688]

The hardest part of manual woodworking is not the tool. It is getting your body behind the tool. These folks have great form...

[@liveliferusty734]

I will own a PRS this year. Justin Johnson showcased one - wow! Beautiful work

[@allthekingsmen5020]

Great guitars! I have a private stock 12 string. I already knew you guys were putting out a great product, but this shows the care you put into it. To all, a job well done! 👍🏽💯

[@homeworldmusic]

Impressive video, great explanation and such a super team you have.

[@liorauf]

Amazing!!! You guys are something special!!!

[@juana1483]

[@travgpeters1]

perfect timing . on my lunch break . might as well watch this while eating a burger !

[@flybynight1929]

Still put other companies to shame with their finishing. And having people put their initials gives them ownership and traceability of their work. The finishes are flawless, and the wood is amazing on all the guitars that aren't solid colors. BTW, PRS is the only company that consistently puts out these videos to highlight their workers and essentially brag about themselves. They're completely open about how hard they strive for perfection.

[@RByrne]

No they don't. The PRS SE c24 I got had the worst finish I'd seen on a guitar. It was so pitted and Orange peeled, with visible seems in the middle of the body. I was so upset as my mom bought it for me as a gift when I'd gotten out of the hospital. PrS first refused to do anything, as it was a "subjective" issue, and they also stated that because it was given to me as a gift, it was "transferred" from the original owner, and void of warranty. Absolutely appalling.

[@synonyx]

@@RByrne you are talking about an Core-Tek made SE vs. A Maryland made PRS.

[@RByrne]

@Rory J it doesn't matter, since other brands in the same price range would not have let this one out. Fender, Epiphone, LTD, Ibanez, etc. SE, Ce, Private stock, s2 doesn't matter. Paul Reed Smith has his name on the headstock, and is ultimately responsible for the Quality and dealing with any issues regarding it.

[@francescobarbaro7114]

@@RByrne Nope. A 6-700$ guitar does't have the same QC as a 3-4-10000$ guitar. And Epiphones, Squiers, LTDs, Ibanezes, you name them, do have minor imperfections very often as well. If you're unhappy with your guitar, send it back to the dealer...

[@RByrne]

@Francesco Barbaro I don't think you've read my comments through. 1)I said other companies In this price range 2)I've yet to see any 1k guitar(this was to have the premium finish, it costs $1250 cdn) With this bad of a finish. 3)PRS owns them all, and while it isn't the same quality, they should all maintain the same responsibilities to the customer to provide an acceptable product, built as shown in any advertisements or website photos for all levels. What I got isn't acceptable for any decent guitar company to put out. 4)it was past the 14 days, dealer wouldn't accept it. Call PRS, who then say it's not a problem, it's supposed to be like that, and whether it looks bad or not is subjective. They ask for proof of purchase, then see it was by my mother, rather than me. My family purchased it and gifted it to me, which they noted as "transferred of ownership". Warranty voided. Is there anything else you want me to clear up?

[@_clauscarstensen]

"I'm a tree, I don't want to be a guitar." I heard some guitars of yours that clearly wanted to be one :)

[@nickmizell1141]

Wow!!

[@sticustom]

How good must one feel knowing that the fruits of their labour may one day perform a master piece or be the reason the next potential master guitarist picks up their first guitar. I’d love working there.

[@juana1483]

I'd love working at Squier and Epiphone on the weekends...lol

[@stealingtomorrowband]

I own a PRS 408 wood library edition and it is stunning.. i was very satisfied with it. Has a great tone to it and feela great all around. The inly issue that i have is the location of the volume knob sometimes I hit it when playing and i start to lose volume.. maybe i ahould work on my technique

[@AndyA1234]

It's good to have QC throughout the process. And who to go see if it's not right.

[@0000song0000]

i like the card sanding.... although a hairspray can is a good friend when sanding the cutaways and the waist at home 😊

[@Tomijee]

I love how that shirt says "Five minutes of extra care saves an hour". Dude knows that little things are big and deserve attention.

[@SteveBeckwith]

Agreed!

[@PauloMoreteOficial]

Best guitars !

[@MurdaMetz]

Pretty Impressive.

[@docjeffry]

Go body team!

[@SeaingTheWorld]

The videos are amazing. Since retiring last year, I started to pursue numerous hobbies. Currently, I'm building my first kit guitar. The question I have is what do you do with the bodies and necks that don't pass QC? Can I purchase for my new hobby to experiment with different stains and designs? Thank you in advance.

[@DrPuddingBones]

Top sand guy is GOAT. Change my mind.

[@jerrymorgan1752]

The first PRS I laid me eyes on was from the video of Ted Nugent with Damn Yankees. Never plaid one and never had one gravitate to me. Until I found my 2018 Custom 24 ten top wood library grey to black fade Floyd rose natural back and flamed maple neck. I purchased this guitar without playing it first. Now I understand why some guitars cost more than others. I’m almost afraid to touch it.

[@allthekingsmen5020]

Go ahead, touch that guitar a lot... you'll feel great doin it!

[@lucastriplets]

Tony, watch out for that dust man!

[@thebadterrorists5323]

It's PRS dust...it's good for you.

[@stoppax]

i want more more!!!! :) could be very interesting/fan/exclusive if each buyer that order a prs can see some photo/video of the process making!

[@juana1483]

Yah that would bring the price way down eh???

[@elenbrandt290]

Coolness....

[@twisantigo]

Nice and smooth for Daddy...

[@tyrantstomper]

Once you guys get through showing the process for making core guitars, maybe you could show the the process of making an S2. I'm a big fan of the S2 line, and I wonder what the differences are when it comes to finishing time and materials.

[@thedevilinthecircuit1414]

The S2s and CEs are all sanded by the same people you see here. There are very few sanders that 'specialize' in a single operation or on a specific model range. One such case is the ash Lettieri/Fiore model: it requires some particular techniques.

[@notinmyUSMC]

Tony - wear safety glasses when using the tube sander!!

[@superhotbread]

Great video. Great product. Unfortunately, I've never seen so many guitars wash out over time with their finishes.

[@killemall1983]

yeah, thats the down side to their traditional side, using nitro will always fade

[@talkychris]

@@killemall1983 PRS guitars don't have a traditional nitrocellulose finish like a Gibson does.

[@killemall1983]

@@talkychris not sure where you heard that, but they do. The SE line doesnt, but the real PRS do.

[@talkychris]

@@killemall1983 "From 1985 - 2019, PRS used a polyester basecoat and an acrylic topcoat. During 2019, we started to transition to a nitrocellulose over CAB (catalyzed acrylic) finish". That is from the PRS website. Only since 2019 have they used nitrocellulose, but it's over acrylic and certainly not a "traditional nitrocellulose finish"' like a Gibson which doesn't have an acrylic base coat and uses several layers of nitrocellulose. That's "traditional."

[@matthewpaluch777]

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

[@thebadterrorists5323]

Ha ha ha relic ha ha ha relic....ha ha what a joke. Well said that man.

[@MurdaMetz]

My new ce24 is nice and all but there seems to be a noticeable low mid build up , I can’t seem to get rid of . I’ve tried a number of speakers , sos please help . Also the action was pretty high , I think this could use a plek which is a shame on a 2399$ guitar .

[@KM-jp2wx]

It's not a fancy drill bit--it's a bit designed for removal of wood in a vertical and predominately lateral direction. Drill bits operate along one axis for the purpose of boring holes.

[@KM-jp2wx]

@@mr.nobody68 I didn't use that term because end mills are normally associated with vertical milling machines and metalworking.

[@thedevilinthecircuit1414]

@@KM-jp2wx The CNC routers used at PRS are actually CNC mills designed for metal work--not woodworking; they are superbly robust. Max used the term "fancy drill bit" because most people know what a drill does and how it removes material by spinning.

[@KM-jp2wx]

@@thedevilinthecircuit1414 Thanks for clarifying.

[@TristanJCumpole]

Not using any extraction with that Mirka DEROS at 2:08? I guess with a downdraft table most of it goes away, however the paper and the unit need dust removing via suction to prevent buildup. I presume this is to do with maneuvrability around the workpiece. I'm surprised that you guys use a 5,0mm orbit rather than 2,5mm....we shifted to that orbit purely due to it being less aggressive (and more controllable), but a side benefit is reduced vibration and user nerve fatigue. Love the detailed over-the-shoulder presentation of these videos. They underline that a true PRS is worth every penny.

[@lifeofalex9199]

On top of the downdraft there’s also an overhead fan blowing downward. The compressed air nozzle works well to clean off the buildup on the sandpaper as well

[@reddsshaker3477]

“We”?…..who are you building guitars for?

[@TristanJCumpole]

@@lifeofalex9199 Nice! The extraction hoses can be a chore working around small workpieces, so an applied solution such as things is great to see.

[@TristanJCumpole]

@@reddsshaker3477 High end designer furniture, mostly for the Japanese market.

[@AlternateUniverse]

Had no idea Wolfgamg Van Halen works for PRS!!

[@miltonfriedman9673]

Interesting to watch. Some things that are quite surprising from a QA/SOP perspective…..Im stunned that the luthier industry doesn’t use Surf Prep style sanders with foam abrasive pads. Regular DAs are great for flat surfaces but tend to cause issues from the hard edges if the pad. Also why would they lay a finished body on top of another finished body, seems like a huge no-no…

[@lifeofalex9199]

Ayeee what’s up Max

[@rajeshgumber363]

Interesting stuff but foremost ,things that concerns me being an engineer is the health and safety of the employees doing this work day after day , one person here not wearing eye protection and none of them wearing a mask to prevent breathing in wood dust? Safety should come first and the beautiful finish comes second etc etc Time 1:16 no eye protection/mask? & Time 2:28 no mask ?

[@synonyx]

They are working on top of down draft tables that esentially suck all the sanding dust and particles down and out. Does it catch everything? No.. but it catches almost everything.

[@rajeshgumber363]

@@synonyxThanks for that, Have a look at the wood dust at time 1:28-1:30 flying everywhere though.

[@synonyx]

@@rajeshgumber363 again, won't catch everything, but you can see the ductwork behind that machine and the dust being sucked back.

[@rajeshgumber363]

@@synonyx From the health and safety point of view you do want to catch everything, needs improvement.

[@robertclarkson6064]

I thought the same thing of no protection.

[@Terry3Gs]

Awesome video .... now gibson might be able to validate there pricing if THIS is what they did to each guitar they put out .. but again .. nope its mostly cnc'ed factory line produced.

[@stephenhaynes603]

This isnt for ce s2 or se but more the core and more elaborate models.

[@stonerjoe21]

I’d really love a core model but funds are always lacking

[@Drust49]

the kind of work I would like to find me who loves sanding wood

[@daviddr115111]

I hope they pay these ppl some good money for this

[@wolvesandguitars]

youtube rules

[@RobertoSunga]

I'm still disappointed my s2 mccarty came with Korean electronics and no violin carve, it's made 95% by the cnc machine after all I don't see a reason to not use the same carve on the s2s. As for the pickups now I have to go and spend extra for the real deal, I like PRS but they just offer way less for a higher price. It would be perfect of the s2s were $2,500 just like a Gibson standard and were 100% American with a hard case. The s2s don't have body binding so you'd still be saving on work hours and offer a better more complete guitar.

[@PearlinChains1]

Fancy drill = endmill

[@kennyjohnson336]

1:20 No eyewear is ballsy

[@emiroja]

Why don't they use masks to prevent breathing in the wood dust?

[@CocoKoi321]

The prs carve is what people love but it's absurd you gotta jump all the way to the fricken core line for it and they're 4000$ bucks Fame forum sounds way better a lot of the time then the SE line and have gotoh bridges and Seymour Duncans! And the carve! All you do is use a router to get the carve why is it seemingly *more expensive* for you to make it ? You use a machine to make the carve in the cores and above its absurd and you make it into a premium S2 line could be used for SE stuff instead... and just make maybe idk the CE have the full carve? And just made in the SE factory? Idk just something. The SE models deserve tho yhe full carve Also it'd be nice for the budget like having 10.5 radius, why? Idk it'd be easier especially to play and setup especially for beginners, my vintage CE is a pain to setup sometimes cause tbe radius 🤷‍♂️

[@mrskint55]

Dissatisfied with my PRS still waiting for customer service to sort it out shame on you PRS

[@tyraeld4958]

Give some masks to your employees for dust prot⁸ection 😷😷, or the masks are only for Covid protection, PRS ?!?!??!

[@gustavo_gg_gonzalez6638]

I was thinking the same… all day sanding with no protection. Perfection only for the guitars.

[@tyraeld4958]

There is one more alternative, they have masks but don't wear them .

[@gustavo_gg_gonzalez6638]

@@tyraeld4958 Maybe. I woul do it.

[@6strman]

I would hope when not shooting a video, the guys and gals wear a mask. Just curious

[@mattiasorre1718]

How to take all the fun out of making a guitar: divide it up into 20 stages and tell each person to only make those 5 designated movements all day

[@Njhiltd]

Wow what a waist of peoples time. One person could sand that hole guitar, max two if you want to make sure the first person has done his job properly. Is there a reason for so many people to sand one guitar body?

[@RByrne]

PRS SE has the worst warranty for QC issues I've seen. I was given a brand new SE custom 24 Poplar burl whale blue guitar as a gift from my family when I'd finally gotten out of hospital from heart surgeries. I was shocked at how pitted and Orange peeled the finish was, with the seams on the multi piece body not sanded properly and forming a sharp line down the middle, and highly visible tooling marks. I contacted them, and they said it was "subjective" and refused to do anything about it. They also mention that because it was a gift, I am not the original purchaser, and that because my mom(purchaser) had given it to me, it has been "transferred" and thus the warranty for clear manufacturing defects is void anyway. I feel so upset every time I look at it, or see people loving their own. I can't even sell it. Thanks!

[@synonyx]

You'd never see that on one of the Maryland built guitars. Don't understand why your mom just didn't return it to where she bought it from? That would have solved the whole issue. That or just had her call PRS directly.

[@RByrne]

@Rory J because it had been past 14 days, and was marked as "transferred on ownership". You don't think that was the first thing we'd tried? the shop had her call PRS as it was warranty issue, they marked it as transferred. These comments were supposed to be in response to the SE video I was previously watching. So yes i know the difference between the 2.

[@RByrne]

@Mark Harmon because PRS had marked it as Transferred. It was past the 14 day return date, and both the shop and PRS refused and said it was "subjective" rather than QC. Which it clearly wasn't. Any other obvious "why didnt you just do this..", have been tried. It's a case of neither place wanting to accept responsibility, and I suspect the shop knew PRS wouldn't accept it as a defected model.

[@synonyx]

@@RByrne That's kind of on you guys for not inspecting it and returning it quickly, regardless of the circumstances around it. 14 days is generous, most shops I deal with have a 48-72hr window for returns after delivery. This is obviously causing you alot of anger and frustration, why not just sell it or trade it in and be done with it? Or get a luthier to properly refinish it if it holds sentimental value? - I would never keep an item that made me feel that way, regardless of the situation. You'll be happier for it.

[@juana1483]

Sand it