What piece of equipment do you have to show us today?
My Paul Reed Smith SE 277 Baritone.
How did you come across this particular item?
I was in the market for something that could handle the lower tunings that Circles uses better than my Tele, and this guitar had just been released. Perfect timing, really.
What is it that you like about it so much?
The longer scale length (27.7 inches) allows me to smack the strings like I really want to without worrying about the note going sharp. I could just control myself, but I don’t really want to.
I’ve always loved PRS guitars. This one is from their cheapest range (the SE line), and it holds up really well. It looks great, holds tuning well, feels right in my hands, and the stock pickups were surprisingly decent, although I’ve swapped out the neck for a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder. I’ll probably do some more swaps in the future, but right now, it’s killing it.
How do you use it and how has it shaped the way you write music?
This is the main guitar I use for all Circles shows. Like I mentioned, the longer length allows me to really dig in and play the way that our music makes me feel like playing. The scale also gives it a pretty clear, focused sound quality.
Tell us a little about what you have coming up?
We’re releasing an album called The Last One on August 31, then we’re heading around Australia with TesseracT before we head over to Europe with Caligula’s Horse and I Built The Sky in October and November.
The Last One is out Friday August 31 via Wild Thing Records/Seasons Of Mist. Catch Circles on tour with TesseracT in September thanks to Live Nation.
