Amplis PRS: Andy Fuchs cuenta la historia del "casting"

[Ariel Pozzo Seredicz]

Los amplis PRS son diseñados y construidos en un ala especial de la fábrica PRS en Stevensville, USA, por Doug Sewell, un especialista en amplis valvulares oriundo de Texas. El equipo de técnicos que construye los amplis consta de 6 personas (Doug Sewell incluido)...y cada ampli es construído a mano, terminado y probado por el mismo operario. No muchos amplis PRS se fabrican, lo que hace que su precio sea relativamente elevado y su disponibilidad bastante escasa.

Pero cómo llegó Doug Sewell ahí?

Al parecer, alrededor de 2004 Paul Smith estaba buscando un "amp guru" que diseñe amplis para PRS y contactó a varios constructores reconocidos, y sin que ellos lo supieran hizo un "casting" o competencia entre ellos...lo que dejó un sabor bastante amargo entre los que no ganaron.

Andy Fuchs, diseñador y fabricante de los Fuch Amps (amplis boutique re grossos) nos cuenta su versión de la historia, y nos muestra el prototipo que envió a PRS en 2005:

 

 

"I was told Paul had orginally chased Koch (who's amps he liked) for quite some time, and I guess they either declined, or couldn't come to terms, so he began the quest to find another amp designer or manufacturer.

 

There were three (maybe four) players apparently invited to the table: Me, Matt Garcia (from whom I learned a lot about all this scenario in a long phone conversation), Doug Sewell, and one other guy who was (i'm told) hired away from Fender. That particular guy designed the short lived hardwood (PCB, btw) amps, with the built-in tuners.

 

Apparently Matt and I either demo'ed or submitted prototypes, maybe Doug did too, and Doug Sewell "won" (in Paul's eyes), and was chosen to be the "VP of the PRS amp division". I honestly never knew it was an actual multi-player competition, which Matt later told me. It took me over a year to produce a prototype, during which time I was dealing with my Dad's ALS, filing a patent (one of my bucket list life items), and growing a business. By time the prototype was submitted, apparently things had changed, and I was politely thanked and PRS and I moved on. Much of the R & D was not lost, as it had found it's way into the later Fuchs ODS/TDS/ and even a little of the DNA is in the Casino amps. The one remaining prototype was sold to a collector (I think a TGP'er), who still uses and enjoys it. The picture is the actual production-grade prototype sent to PRS. I pride myself on making prototypes that don't look it.

 

In hindsite, a handshake and a smile instead of an actual contract might have been wiser, but I was young, a little smitten, and caught up in the experience. It's understandable when you're told a legendary amp builder "hung up the phone on me twice, so I called you".

 

Lots of water has passed beneath the bridge since then. While there are some reeeeeally good "nuggets" within the riddle wrapped in the enigma here, maybe I'll save them for a book or some articles someday..

 

To paraphrase Elvis Costello: I used to be disgusted, and now i try to be amused."

[edu.cook]

No me hubiera gustado, que no me comunicaran que era un concurso. Si yo hubiera estado en su lugar.

Una política un tanto desagradable.

 

Saludos

[JorgeChernac]

Tanto tiempo y esfuerzo del tipo,para enterarse de que era un casting,a mi no me gustaria romperme el lomo convencido de que lo estoy haciendo para una empresa como Prs y al final mi obra la tiene un coleccionista

[loisinio]

a bueno ,parece que la gente de prs no va de frente eh ??

[Erotomaniac]

Y muy probablemente, el coleccionista debe haber pagado dicho ejemplar y Fuchs no debe haber visto un verde. PRS fraude? (?) :mrgreen:

[Ariel Pozzo Seredicz]

Y muy probablemente, el coleccionista debe haber pagado dicho ejemplar y Fuchs no debe haber visto un verde. PRS fraude? (?) :mrgreen:

El prototipo estaba en poder de Fuchs, y él lo vendió.

[Javier Fracchia]

a veces veo en Paul un gran parecido con Steve Jobs

[Erotomaniac]

Y muy probablemente, el coleccionista debe haber pagado dicho ejemplar y Fuchs no debe haber visto un verde. PRS fraude? (?) :mrgreen:

El prototipo estaba en poder de Fuchs, y él lo vendió.

 

Ah, mirá, los de PRS se lo devolvieron? Creí que el tipo les daba el prototipo a modo de obsequio.