Know Your Gear Podcast with Phillip McKnight

Episode 447 – “Companies Show Who Really Makes Their Product”
Date: January 23, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Phillip dives into predictions for 2026 from major guitar brands (Gibson, Fender, PRS), discusses the impact of "who actually makes the product", and reviews recent gear releases. He brings his industry-insider insights, relatable analogies, and trademark humor to everything from movie-influenced guitars to transparent manufacturing, gear trends, and common guitar tech concerns.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. 2026 Predictions: Gibson, Fender, PRS

Timestamps: 02:10–22:40

Gibson:

• Phillip predicts a Jack Black “School of Rock” SG release, inspired by recent media. He anticipates Gibson would do a small, premium run (20 guitars at a high price, e.g. $10k+) and a larger run of 666 Epiphones for more availability.
• Discussion on movies that inspired guitarists.

  “Top five movies, in my opinion... [that] made people take up guitar... Crossroads, Back to the Future, School of Rock for sure.”
  (05:03)

Fender:

• Predicts expansion of the Indonesian Standard Series, especially after the lines’ commercial success.
• Expects further moves away from tube amps into solid-state/digital products.

  “Fender... [will] expand the standard series and... expand the non-tube amp market.”
  (15:11)

PRS:

• Anticipates more SE models, new higher-end launches (possibly at NAMM), and a familiar SE price rebate in November.
• Commends PRS on consistently including premium gig bags even with their budget guitars—a level of value rare in the industry.
• Notable quote:

  “PRS SE to me is the pinnacle of high-quality obtainable guitars... They’re just giving you a lot of value for the price points.”
  (20:09)

2. Iconic Guitar Movies & Pop Culture Inspiration

Timestamps: 05:00–10:30

• Audience chimes in with “Spinal Tap”, “Wayne’s World”, “Bill & Ted”, “La Bamba”, and more.
• Phillip draws a parallel between movies’ cultural impact on guitar interest and movies’ impact on other professions, e.g., “Top Gun” with Navy pilots.
• Emphasis on fictional characters inspiring real-life pursuits.

3. Transparent Partnerships vs. Ghost Building

Timestamps: 30:00–39:00

• Review of the Earthquaker Devices & Dr. Z Z-Drive Preamp Pedal:
  • Lauds the open partnership. Appreciates that Dr. Z and Earthquaker co-brand, rather than "ghost-building" with no clear credit.
  • Sum-up: The industry is trending toward transparency about who makes what, which benefits consumers and clarifies value.

Memorable moment:

“I think the ghost building thing’s done. I’m sick of it.” (36:25)

4. Ibanez 2026 Line-Up and “Inspired Designs”

Timestamps: 40:00–57:00

• Ibanez releases all new models pre-NAMM, from the Alpha series to reissues.
• Controversial new Alpha models spark debate—he calls them “Teemu version of an Abasi guitar,” noting their resemblance to Tosin Abasi’s designs, but at $2k price points made in Indonesia.
• Discusses the shifting economics of import guitars—Indonesian and Chinese guitars are inching upward in price, even matching domestic boutique options like Kiesel.
• Story about Tosin Abasi:

  “What [Tosin] told me... this was his dream guitar... Ibanez took years and never made it, so he did it himself. And it took Ibanez 7 years total to actually make something close.”
  (53:46)

5. New Gear of the Week

Timestamps: 32:58–1:01:40

• Earthquaker/Dr. Z Z-Drive Preamp
• Ibanez’s Alpha guitars and reintroduced Zyphos
• Iceman reissue (mahogany/cherry stain)
• $6,000 Japanese-crafted Ibanez Vision bass
  • “A $6,000 bass you’ve never made before... looks like the other high-end basses... Not in love with it, but it’s interesting.” (1:01:33)
• Extended talk on Fender’s new Bluetooth speakers—feels like a “copycat of Marshall’s success” but less iconic in look.

6. Value, Pricing, and the Factory Factor

Timestamps: throughout; esp. 42:00–50:00, 1:01:40–1:09:10

• Ongoing concern about rising MSRPs for Asian-made guitars.
• Observes that U.S. buyers are now asked to pay import prices close to U.S.-made boutique brands, undermining the original “save you money” promise of offshoring production.
• Transparency about which factory (Cortek, etc.) makes which product is increasingly relevant for buyers.

7. Guitar Tech Q&A: Pickups, Fret Sprout, Trading Guitars, Sprayer’s Choice

Timestamps: Scattered, esp. 1:09:15–1:55:30

Pickups:

• Addresses online hate for Gibson's 490R and 498T pickups; attributes it to echo chambers, old strings, misunderstanding, and “holy grail-ism” rather than facts.

  “Just because you know a thing, doesn’t mean you know everything.”
  (1:16:20)

Fret Sprout & Sharp Frets:

• Explains why "dressing" fret ends is largely permanent and why panicking about wood re-expansion is largely unwarranted when work is done right.

  “Wood is a sponge… [but] it is not likely going to expand out again… we’re removing material at such a small level, it’s almost immeasurable.”
  (1:33:43)

Trading Up/Down:

• Advises that trading multiple lower-end guitars for one high-tier instrument is often a good upgrade path, but warns about the law of diminishing returns and not “missing out” on higher prices if you’re already happy.

Sprayer’s Choice Guitars (PRS):

• Now revived, historically used to keep U.S. factory workers busy when custom orders were slow. Seen as a practical and creative solution, not a scam.

8. Personal & Community Highlights

Timestamps: 1:56:00–end

• Talks about clearing out gear at local stores to manage space and resources (“literal truckloads”).
• Recommends personal bass practice setups: Phil Jones combo amp, Eden preamp pedal, and Fender Rumble 40 for value.
• Endearing mini-story about putting his guitar picks in vintage ashtrays for nostalgic fun:

  “When I was a kid, all of us put our picks in our parents’ ashtray. I don’t know why, I just thought it’d be fun to put my picks in an ashtray.” (2:03:16)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On pop-culture inspiration:

  “What movies did someone watch—walking in the theater, not knowing that when they walk out...‘Hey, I want to be a guitar player’?” (05:29)

• On value in PRS SE:

  “It’s not that I’m fanboying PRS, it’s that I want other companies to take notice...This is a lot of value for the money.” (22:25)

• On ghost-building:

  “I think the ghost building thing’s done. I’m sick of it.” (36:25)

• On “Teemu Abasi” guitars:

  “My first opinion? Teemu version of an Abasi guitar. I was just like—almost reeks of ‘here’s how we’re not getting sued making an Abasi guitar’.” (44:29)

• On import guitar pricing:

  “You went from November going, ‘How could Herman Lee’s guitar in Indonesia be $2,000?’ to now, look, more $2,000 Indonesian guitars. It’s almost like I saw this coming…” (45:41)

• On used gear and regret:

  “Try not to go back. Every time I bought the thing I thought I missed, there’s a reason it was gone in the first place.” (1:29:07)

• On handling fretwork concerns:

  “We’re more about polishing than removing actual metal. The tools a repair person uses are more like jewelers’ tools than carpenter’s tools.” (1:38:38)

Episode Timeline (Key Segments)

| Timestamp | Topic/Quote | |:---|:---| | 02:10–22:40 | 2026 predictions for Gibson, Fender, PRS | | 05:00–10:30 | Movies that inspired people to play guitar | | 30:00–39:00 | Earthquaker/Dr. Z partnership; ghost-building vs transparency | | 40:00–57:00 | Ibanez 2026 releases; Alpha guitars & pricing discussion | | 53:46 | Tosin Abasi's Ibanez saga | | 1:01:33 | New Ibanez $6,000 bass – “not in love with it, but interesting” | | 1:09:15–1:55:30 | QA: Pickups, trading up, sprayer’s choice, fret sprout science | | 1:56:00+ | Gear purging, practice amp recs, vintage ashtray pick story |

Tone & Style

Phillip’s tone remains conversational, self-deprecating, sometimes sarcastic and always guitar-nerd friendly. He mixes in relatable life stories, practical advice, and welcomes community interaction—frequently reading and responding to live chat input.

For Listeners New and Old

This episode is a lively blend of topical insights about industry transparency (knowing "who really makes the gear"), actionable predictions, and honest gear reviews. New listeners will come away smarter about both the business and personal sides of guitar culture, while long-timers get the usual mix of nostalgia and on-the-ground wisdom.