Know Your Gear Podcast with Phillip McKnight

Episode: The flaw in the "tone is in your hands" argument
Date: February 14, 2026

Main Theme / Purpose

In this live listener Q&A episode, Phillip McKnight explores the longstanding debate: "Is tone really just in your hands?" Weaves in practical gear advice, tells engaging stories from his experiences as a musician, retailer, and content creator, and offers candid thoughts on spending habits, guitar customization, and the evolving world of guitar YouTube. The show ebbs and flows between answering user-submitted questions, debunking classic gear myths, and sharing personal anecdotes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Acoustic Bass Guitars and Practicality

• [03:30] Phillip advises a listener considering a 32" scale Breedlove acoustic bass, comparing it to other scales and recounting his own experience:
  • He's not a huge fan of acoustic basses because they are rarely loud enough to compete with acoustic guitars in an unplugged setting.
  • "If you want to get an acoustic bass, that's fine. I'm just not a huge fan…you still have to plug them in."
    – Phillip [06:00]
  • Tacoma Thunderchief cited as a rare exception for volume.
  • 32" is a sweet spot but not radically easier to play than standard.

2. PRS SE Silver Sky Colors & Marketing Strategy

• [09:40] Asked if PRS is discontinuing certain SE Silver Sky colors:
  • New color releases usually mean others are phased out.
  • Core "staple" colors likely remain year to year.
  • Don't wait if there's a color you want: "If you see a new color, another color is going away... eventually, very shortly."
    – Phillip [11:55]

3. Cold Weather & Guitar Tuning Instability

• [14:10] Listener’s Les Paul won’t stay in tune after a cold snap:
  • Temperature and humidity shifts can expose underlying nut or stringing issues.
  • "Give it a good restring and set up...I would also lubricate the nut."
    – Phillip [17:00]
  • Use nut lubricant or pencil graphite as a quick fix.

4. “Don’t Feed the Bears” – Retail Sales Stories

• [22:00] On refusing sales to troublesome customers:
  • Anecdote: Deep discounts lead to persistent hagglers.
  • Sometimes refused sales to inebriated customers for ethical/safety concerns.
  • "Repairs are a bigger thing than ever selling anything...because sometimes you can look at a situation and go, this person is going to have a very unrealistic expectation."
    – Phillip [35:15]

5. Favorite Celebrity Encounters

• [38:20] Steve Vai: The personal thrill of being recognized by his heroes.
• [40:30] Zach Wylde: Most entertaining and unpredictable interview. Tried (unsuccessfully) to share an inside joke involving a borrowed $5 for an egg salad sandwich:
  • “When I met him, the first thing out of his mouth was, 'Hey, I know you. I like your channel.' Which was about the coolest thing.”
    – Phillip [39:08]
  • “He must suffer...from ADD or something…he starts like, doing laps in his backyard…and I think he, at one point, is doing dishes.”
    – Phillip [41:50]
  • Zach’s response to the kid relaying the $5 sandwich story: “Fucking get over it.”
    – Quoting Zach via a student, [47:45]

6. Kiesel Event Behind-the-Scenes

• [58:25] On positivity in the industry and being treated well by brands.
  • Kiesel, DiMarzio, Danelectro, the Ash family highlighted for genuine courtesy.
  • Story about how much the “little things” like plentiful water backstage matter.

7. Advice for Luthier Tool Prototyping & Patents

• [01:13:55]
  • Start with a patent search to safeguard your idea.
  • Draft NDAs before sharing prototypes with companies.
  • Be aware of industry margins if pitching to major vendors like StewMac.
  • "You definitely want to have an NDA written up…you just want to make sure that anyone who you show that tool to has signed the NDA, which is going to lock them down..."
    – Phillip [01:15:00]

8. Impulse Gear Buying & Price Psychology

• [01:29:12]
  • $500 is the average upper limit for most impulse purchases; it’s less about income, more about personal comfort with risk.
  • "It's really comfort zones and not income levels."
  • Anecdote about buying fancy furniture and choosing less expensive options out of worry/comfort rather than affordability:
    – Phillip [01:31:28]

9. PRS SE, S2, and Core Lines: Value vs. Aspirational

• [01:44:00]
  • S2 isn't "much" better than SE; differences are often aspiration and materials.
  • "You buy core PRSs to collect them...S2s are USA made...They don't seem to have that same cachet, but they're great playing guitars."
    – Phillip [01:45:35]

10. Locking Tuners & Tuning Stability

• [01:54:00]
  • Locking tuners are mainly about fast restringing—not dramatically improving tuning.
  • The nut and setup impact tuning stability most.
  • Hipshot highlighted as his go-to affordable tuner ($69–$105 per set).
  • Detailed advice on non-destructive modding and resale (use UMP plates).

11. The Flaw in the “Tone is in Your Hands” Argument

• [02:04:20]
  • Phillip lays out why he dislikes the absolute “all in your hands” statement:
    • Technique matters, but so does gear: “Of course your hands matter…It probably even matters the most. But it ain’t everything.”
    • Hypocrisy in the argument—people attribute changes in gear to changes in tone, even for the same player.
    • “If everything is in your hands, why doesn’t a 5150 sound like a Marshall with the same player?”
      – Phillip [02:07:45]
  • Cites examples from Eddie Van Halen, Metallica, Dimebag Darrell, etc.
  • “It’s not fun to argue absolutes. All these things matter. What things can I use to get where I want to be?”

12. Shoutout: Steve Cassidy Guitar Channel

• [02:16:30]
  • Praises Steve Cassidy’s video on improving as a player after taking Tim Pierce’s lessons, and discusses the value of finding positive content amidst YouTube mediocrity.

13. Gear Price Increases, Value, and Comfort Zone Over the Years

• [02:26:00]
  • Observes how his willingness to spend on guitars has shifted with inflation.
  • “I think once you start breaking $1500, you’re pretty much there,” for ‘greatness’ in guitars (compared to $5-7k models).
  • Comfort/trading stories: "At this point, mostly I'm trading. Money’s not changing hands very often… I'm swapping guitars."

14. Enjoy Your Instruments, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

• [02:35:00]
  • Story: Used to obsess about dings and scratches, but learned through retail experience that buyers/sellers are less concerned than we think.
  • “Not only because you spent the money for it, but that’s its intent: to be enjoyed.”
    – Phillip [02:39:10]
  • Critique of “collector” philosophy (toys, unplayed vintage guitars) vs. actual use.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Worst thing you can do on a Friday is ask us if you should buy something. Absolutely. Help the economy, help that small store. Get that acoustic bass. Or another bass. Get another bass.” [07:40]
• “We had a saying...in the store: Don’t feed the bears. If a customer was...not great, you always gave good service, but you didn’t throw in freebies.” [22:14]
• “If you see a new color [of PRS SE Silver Sky], another color is going away...eventually, very shortly.” [11:55]
• “Steve Vai was the coolest celebrity I met...Zach Wylde was the most fun. But interviewing him was like herding cats.” [41:20]
• On Zach Wylde: “He must suffer...from some kind of ADD or something...” [41:55]
• “It’s really comfort zones and not income levels.” [01:31:28]
• “Of course your hands matter. It probably even matters the most. But it ain’t everything.” [02:07:33]
• “All these things matter. What can I use to get where I want to be?” [02:10:00]
• On scratches and dings: “You have to enjoy this stuff...That’s its intent, right?” [02:39:10]

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 00:03:30 – Acoustic bass practicality and breedlove advice
• 00:09:40 – PRS Silver Sky color strategies
• 00:14:10 – Guitar tuning issues in cold weather
• 00:22:00 – Refusing sales to troublesome or inebriated customers
• 00:38:20 – Celebrity stories: Steve Vai and Zach Wylde
• 00:58:25 – Kiesel event and what makes a good company experience
• 01:13:55 – Patent & business advice for luthier tools
• 01:29:12 – Impulse buying—comfort vs income
• 01:44:00 – PRS SE vs S2 vs Core
• 01:54:00 – Are locking tuners worth it?
• 02:04:20 – Tone is NOT just in your hands (main myth bust)
• 02:16:30 – Shoutout to Steve Cassidy Guitar Channel
• 02:26:00 – Accepting inflation and comfort price for “great” guitars
• 02:35:00 – Enjoy your instruments and stop worrying about dings

Language, Tone, and Atmosphere

Phillip’s style is conversational, candid, and peppered with dry humor and self-deprecating asides. He’s unafraid to push against sacred cows of guitar dogma and often pivots between advice, storytelling, and gentle ribbing of himself and the audience (“Tell your significant other…it’s Valentine’s Day and you need…a shredder guitar!”). There’s a strong sense of community, therapy, and practical wisdom gathered from decades in the business.

Useful for Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In

• Get practical, real-world gear wisdom—grounded in user questions and relatable stories.
• Hear why “it’s all in your hands” is, at best, an incomplete maxim—and how gear choice, setup, and psychology all play a part.
• Laugh along at tales from the front lines of guitar retail, gear collecting, and meeting legends.
• Find new guitar YouTube channels to check out (Steve Cassidy Guitar).
• Leave with permission to both enjoy your gear and ignore myths that don’t serve you.