David Grissom

"I spent an entire year developing them. The benchmark was my ’59 ES-335, which has incredible PAFs. An almost magical upper harmonic blooms out of the note. We built a test guitar where we could change pickups in seconds, so you could really do an objective comparison. Then we took the necks of my two favorite PRS guitars—both of which were atypical due to the way the sander had finished them—and interpolated them for the neck shape. I think it’s the most vintage-inspired guitar that Paul makes."

"I started playing PRS in 1985, so the guitar was almost 25 years in the making. In 1991, when I was working with Mellencamp, I wanted a PRS that had a little more low end and a little less midrange, to add a more vintage character. I collaborated with Bonnie Lloyd, who was the artist-relations person, on a bunch of changes to a stock model. They made that guitar the McCarty, which became my guitar for many years, although I always got mine with a tremolo arm. That adds liveliness and a natural reverb to the tone."

"They made that guitar the McCarty, which became my guitar for many years, although I always got mine with a tremolo arm. That adds liveliness and a natural reverb to the tone."

According to Premier Guitar's interview, one of the items listed under his "gear" is the 1952 Fender Telecaster.

According to Premier Guitar's interview, one of the items listed under his "gear" is the Gretsch Double Anniversary with TV Jones pickups and whammy bar.

"I had one electric guitar, a 1960 Fiesta Red Stratocaster. We were playing barrooms and it was hotter than hell—I would be soaking wet at the end of every gig. I remember watching the Fiesta Red just come off the guitar onto my white shirt. I didn’t realize how much the guitar would eventually be worth. When I think back, it is hilarious that I was literally wiping the paint off the guitar. "

"I got to Austin and everybody was playing a Strat, me included. I traded a 1959 Esquire for an all-mahogany Sea Foam Green PRS in ’85. I thought it would be something different. I met Paul Reed Smith at a guitar show in ’87, and he gave me the Gold Top that became my main guitar for many years."

"There’s a 30-watt and a 50-watt model. I use the 30 exclusively live, because it’s plenty loud. They have totally unique circuits from the ground up, so they achieve their end result in different ways. I worked with Doug Sewell at PRS for three years. He’d come down to Austin, and I’d say, “Listen to the low end of this 50-watt Marshall. Listen to the midrange of this AC-30, and how this tweed Deluxe records amazingly well. How can we get all of those qualities into one amp?” They were road tested on at least 100 gigs and 75 record dates. If I take the DG Custom 30 to a session, with the DGT’s coil-tapping sounds I can cover everything. The amps are super touch-sensitive. We achieved a sweet spot with the small amount of natural compression in the amps and their gain structure. You can go from clean to overdrive just with the attack."

According to the Premier Guitar's 2009 interview done with Grissom, one of the items that was listed under his gear is the PRS Dallas guitar amp head.

According to the Premier Guitar's 2009 interview done with Grissom, one of the items that was listed under his gear is the Park 75 Amp Head.

According to the Premier Guitar's 2009 interview done with Grissom, one of the items that was listed under his gear is the 1965 Vox AC30.

According to the Premier Guitar's 2009 interview done with Grissom, one of the items that was listed under his gear is the 1964 Fender Vibroverb.

According to the Premier Guitar's 2009 interview done with Grissom, one of the items that was listed under his gear is the 1960 Fender Tweed Deluxe.

in his pedalboard.

On his pedalboard for leslie sound and chorus

On his pedalboard

According to Premier Guitar's interview, one of the items listed under his "gear" is the Xotic EP Booster.

According to Premier Guitar's interview, one of the items listed under his "gear" is the Ernie Ball VP JR. passive volume pedal.

According to Premier Guitar's interview, one of the items listed under his "gear" is the Line 6 M9 stompbox modeler.

"I used a Fulltone Fat Boost, which is a clean boost, to barely hit the front end of the amp harder, and my Line 6 DL4 for a touch of slap delay. "

According to 2009 Premier Guitar article, one of the items Grissom used back then was Fulltone Choralflange.

According to 2009 Premier Guitar article, one of the items Grissom used back then was the Boss DD-3 digital delay.

According to 2009 Premier Guitar article, one of the items Grissom used back then was the Boss DD-5 digital delay.

According to 2009 Premier Guitar article, one of the items Grissom used back then was the Klon Centaur overdrive guitar pedal.

“The Cali 76 Compact Deluxe has landed on my pedalboard. I’ve been using it to make both rhythm parts and solos jump out a little more. It’s really great for fattening up single coil sounds without losing the front end attack. Hard to believe it’s all happening in that small pedal!”

According to Premier Guitar's interview, one of the items listed under his "gear" are the D'Addario EXL115 nickel wound 11/49 guitar strings.

According to the Premier Guitar's 2009 interview done with Grissom, one of the items that was listed under his gear is the Marshall Basket Weave Slant Cabinet.