Paul Reed Smith thinks tonewood is important, but says a “good guitar player can make it sound like them no matter what guitar they’re holding”

PRS founder Paul Reed Smith is a big believer in the importance of tonewood, but he also believes that achieving a tone that is unique and full of character comes down to the player.

This isn’t the first time that Smith has argued that tonewood is vital, he also did so back in 2022 where he explained that the most important measures for what makes good tonewood are how it rings and how much it weighs.

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Now, speaking on an episode of Sweetwater’s Plugged In, Smith gives a more in-depth explanation into the complexity of the tonewood vs player debate, and the role materials plays in tone.

“I wish I could just blame it on the wood,” he says, going on to explain the ways in which the bridge or nut will also alter your sound. (via Killer Guitar Rigs). “Look, in a lot of guitars, the nut is made out of the same material you hook your toilet to your septic tank with. Do you think that’s a good idea?”

He adds, “I mean, the industry standard in acoustic guitar is bone because those guitar makers have decided that of all the materials that they fussed with, that’s the best one. So it’s a combination of a pile of things.”

Despite the way materials alter our sound, Smith knows that overall, skill and passion conquers all: “Look, an incredibly good guitar player can make it sound like them no matter what guitar they’re holding. You got to remember that Clapton played a [Gibson] 335 with nylon saddles for a long time, and if you change that to brass saddles – which we did in every repair shop I worked in – the guitar will always sustain more. But he was so good, it would always sound like him.”

He later concludes, “It’s powerful stuff. What I’m trying to do is make a better tool so they can be themselves. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

Listen to the full episode below: