Keith Urban has announced a new partnership with PRS Guitars to create a custom Tele-style electric guitar.
This marks a notable change for Urban, who has been closely associated with Fender guitars for much of his career. He is famously linked to his 40th Anniversary Fender Telecaster, known as ‘Clarence,’ which he has played since 1989. Urban explained that his desire for a guitar with a slightly improved sound over Clarence led him to work with Paul Reed Smith, the founder of PRS.
In a recent interview, Urban shared that John Mayer’s collaboration with PRS, which resulted in the ‘Dead Spec’ Silver Sky for Mayer’s Dead & Company tour, inspired him. Mayer’s approach to using a single guitar for the entire performance made Urban consider a similar path.
“I can play anything on Clarence; I just wish it sounded a little bit better,” Urban said, acknowledging his long-time frustration. This drove his decision to work with PRS to develop a guitar that would offer the same feel as Clarence but with enhanced tonal qualities.
The new guitar will feature Urban’s personal touch on the classic T-style design. “I like a little bit of a hollowbody,” Urban explained, revealing that the guitar will include a customized f-hole shape inspired by the phoenix tattoo on his forearm. The pickups, designed by Paul Reed Smith, are humbuckers that Urban described as having a wide harmonic range similar to that of a Dumble amp, allowing him to produce unique sounds and effects. “I can get squeaks and squawks out of them; it’s unlike any other guitar I have,” he added.
One of the more unusual aspects of Urban’s request is his desire for the guitar to have a bit of “fight,” something that stands in contrast to PRS guitars’ reputation for smooth, effortless playability.
“I like a little fight out of a guitar,” Urban said, emphasizing his aggressive playing style. “I’m used to a bit of resistance, and I’m trying to see if Paul can help me create a guitar that offers a bit of struggle, even though PRS guitars are known for being effortless to play.”
Urban admitted that his request might seem odd, but for him, the challenge of playing a guitar with a bit of resistance enhances his performance. “I do better when I struggle a little bit with the guitar, if that makes any sense,” he concluded.
