“Four new colors inspired by traditional American fashion”: PRS and John Mayer unveil fresh finishes for the best-selling SE Silver Sky – and add new Maple models

Eight months into PRS’s 40th anniversary celebrations, which sees the Maryland firm launching new builds every month, it’s turned its attention to the best-selling PRS SE Silver Sky. The result? Four new eye-popping colourways.

The affordable version of the John Mayer guitar has sold in droves since its launch in 2022. That saw it top Reverb’s best-selling guitar list multiple times, although it has since been outsold by Paul Reed Smith’s Tele-like NF 53.

A left-handed model finally dropped last year, following the release of a Faded Black Tee Satin colorway. This time it’s the turn of more vivid options: Derby Red, Trad Blue, Laurel Green, and Dandy Lion (yellow) – the latter of which brings to mind Graffiti Yellow, the color Jeff Beck first introduced to Fender.

Image 1 of 4

The guitar’s recipe, which includes a poplar body, bolt-on maple neck, and 22-fret rosewood fingerboard – complete with signature bird inlays – and three 635JM “S” single coil pickups, remains. As does its 25.5” scale length, 8.5” fretboard radius, two-point steel tremolo, and vintage-style tuners.

The aesthetic shake-up makes them look more like classic Stratocasters than ever before. Plus, anyone wanting a model with a maple fingerboard can now get their hands on the previously rosewood-exclusive colorways of Moon White, Stone Blue, Summit Purple, and Nylon Blue.

“The new Silver Sky SE lineup features four new colors inspired by traditional American fashion,” explains serial Grammy-winning guitarist and cool customer John Mayer. “These are time-tested hues that have been popular through decades, and I’m excited to share them with the world as the latest SE colorways.”

Image 1 of 2

The all-new PRS Silver Sky models are available now and priced at $849 apiece. Head to PRS Guitars for more.

Standout release from PRS’s birthday shenanigans includes a wild, tradition-ousting signature guitar for Herman Li, and the gorgeous, and positively reviewed SE NF 53, which might just be one of the best sub–$1K guitars of 2025.

Elsewhere, Paul Reed Smith has spoken about the chances of making a headless guitar, and why the firm's strategy is not to dethrone Fender or Gibson from the top of the electric guitar hierarchy.