PRS Silver Sky Defender Willow Green

Willow Green: the Defender color that brought John Mayer from the road to the guitar

The PRS Silver Sky Defender Willow Green stems from a collaboration between PRS, John Mayer, and Land Rover Defender, and that’s no marketing story but a personal obsession. Mayer collects Defenders, and his own Arles Blue specimen served as the starting point for this series. “As a collector and enthusiast of Defenders, this is the perfect intersection of two of my great passions,” says Mayer. From that vintage 4x4, a palette of four heritage colors was chosen, and Willow Green is the most understated of them: a green you would sooner expect on a classic off-road vehicle than on a stage. Worldwide, only 500 units per color will be made, and 2,000 in total.

That automotive story is also in the details. Where Defender is known for bold body colors with a contrasting roof, PRS translates that contrast to the guitar with a matching painted headstock, a detail used only for select limited-edition Silver Sky models. Moreover, each instrument receives a unique neck plate with the color name and “1 of 500,” and comes with a Land Rover gig bag. For years, guitar builders have taken their colors from the road, but here that tradition has become very personal.

Beneath that new finish is the Silver Sky that players know. Three PRS 635JM single-coil pickups deliver the open, dynamic sound for which the Silver Sky is known: clear highs, a firm but controlled bass, and a musical midrange, from crystal-clear cleans to expressive overdrive. The 25.5-inch scale length, 7.25-inch radius, and the 635 JM-R neck profile ensure a familiar playing feel, and the steel PRS tremolo responds smoothly to subtle vibratos and larger pitch bends. The solid alder body is combined with a bolt-on maple neck and a rosewood fretboard with Small Birds inlays and 22 PRS Medium frets. Vintage-Style Locking Tuners keep tuning stable, the bone nut contributes to the resonance, and the electronics consist of one volume, two tone controls, and a five-way switch.

The expected delivery time is November/December. Color has always been part of the Silver Sky story, but this time the inspiration was simply in Mayer's own driveway. Visit our store or call us for more information about the PRS Silver Sky Defender Willow Green.