Know Your Gear Podcast: "The Guitar Secret You Can’t Unsee"

Host: Phillip McKnight
Date: March 1, 2026 (Recorded Feb. 20, 2026)
Episode Number: 443

Episode Overview

In this episode, Phillip McKnight answers a slew of guitar-related questions from his audience with his trademark blend of deep knowledge, transparency, and approachable humor. Main topics include the nuances of PRS hollowbody models and piezo systems, the future of G&L guitar value, advice on buying/selling, hardware cleaning tips, a sentimental "Guitar of the Week" segment, and industry observations from decades of experience in repair, retail, and YouTube. There are spirited discussions about guitar collecting, factory quality assurance, and even ketchup vs. mustard preferences!

Key Discussion Points & Insights

PRS Hollowbody, Piezo Systems, and Market Gaps

• PRS Hollowbody Models (00:05–17:00)

  • Phil discusses the in-depth differences between core, SE, and discontinued PRS hollowbody models.
  • Details how the new Indonesian-made SE models ($1,900) now resemble the core’s carved top and back ($6,000), with nothing available in between.
  • "Carved tops and backs are extremely expensive and extremely time consuming. It's a triangle of crap...a small market of players, an extremely expensive guitar, and it's extremely hard to make." (07:00)
  • Addresses the lack of S2 or CE models with a piezo and why PRS likely won’t do a mid-priced carved hollowbody.

• Why Carved Tops?

  • Carved tops resonate more acoustically, are louder and lighter—factors some players prefer.

• Piezo System Guitars Across Brands

  • Discusses alternatives: Schecter, Godin, Taylor T5, and Parker—each their own flavor of electric/acoustic versatility and associated compromises (19:40).
  • Parker Piezo repairs and why he avoids problematic models: "Parker guitars...are either built perfectly and never have an issue, or they're prone to have tons of issues because there's so many components, there's so much going on." (29:45)

• Piezo Sound Preferences

  • Ranks piezo systems across his collection:
    1. PRS SE Hollowbody (import) – "That's my hands down favorite piezo sounding guitar now." (36:05)
    2. JP15/Majesty (Music Man)
    3. Kiesel Zeus (acoustic-only)
    4. Taylor T5
    5. Parker
  • Emphasizes importance of a good preamp/acoustic amp for optimal piezo tone.

The Guitar Market: Valuation, Collecting & Company Futures

• G&L’s Uncertain Future (48:00–60:00)

  • Listener asks about G&L’s value should the company decline or disappear.
  • Phil contextualizes using Washburn, Hamer, and Parker as examples—values decline post-company demise but often rebound as supply dwindles and nostalgia grows.
  • Quote: "The value ultimately does go up. That's how it works. They eventually just go up...But we've seen it before. Parker's now are worth a fortune compared to what they were five, 10 years ago." (56:35)
  • Personal perspective on inheritance and guitar collection liquidation—advises simplicity for heirs and shares a pragmatic approach: "Pick out any ones that they just want to keep. If they want to keep any, take everything to Guitar Center, whatever Guitar Center gives you, take that check and go." (61:40)

• Philosophy of Collecting vs. Investing

  • "Some of us buy things we love and some people just make business decisions about everything."

Guitarist Habits & Market Observations

• Acoustic vs. Electric Player Spending (72:30)

  • Higher tolerance for expensive guitars among acoustic and bass players owing to fewer instrument purchases and a focus on construction/materials.
  • "Bass players just tend to spend more money on average...Acoustics are different because...you really can't get around the design of a good acoustic." (73:55)

• Gear Trading and Selling Advice

  • Weighing pros and cons of trading vs. selling outright at Guitar Center or online:
    • "Guitar center is going to give you half of what they can sell it for and they're going to want to be aggressive what they sell it for. So you'll lose half...What you will get though is no headaches." (112:00)
  • Suggests maximizing value by selling desirable items directly and less-sought after gear via big retailers.

• Amp Preferences: Why He Still Uses a Katana (122:20)

  • Despite owning multiple, arguably 'better-sounding' modeling amps, Phil returns to the Boss Katana for its reliability and ease-of-use, especially when demoing affordable guitars.

Guitar Maintenance Tips & Hardware Cleaning

• Recommended Cleaning Products (129:00)
  • Prefers Music Nomad and Lizard Spit brands for polish/lube.
  • Uses Dr. Strings Pure Nickel for bass, Ernie Ball or D’Addario for most guitars.

"Guitar of the Week": The Ikea Caster (139:00–151:30)

• Story & Sentiment

  • Showcases a unique, “Frankenstein” guitar: old Peavey T60 neck grafted to a hollow Hagstrom body with random parts—a $100 rescue find.
  • Loved for its quirky history, oddball sound ("a weird, nasally, vibey" tone), and physical evidence of the former owner's playing style, especially "deep" wear marks showing heavy vibrato technique.
  • Quote: "It's got its own vibe...I think it's magical...if I parted it out, I think I'd die inside my soul." (144:50)
  • "Whatever value it has, the value is the mojo."

• Notable Story:

  • Discovered while visiting Zims Music shop; Phil keeps it in its original, 'hacked' state out of respect for its unknown builder—"Old country, old rock and roll, country blues. That's kind of what I think." (149:10)

Factories, Quality Assurance & the Secret You Can’t Unsee

• Factory & Q.A. Realities (152:00–end)
  • Discusses differences between factories (Cortek, Samick, etc.), but explains why final guitar quality largely depends on the manufacturer’s (and retailer’s) filtering, not just factory capability.
  • Reveals the 'guitar secret you can't unsee': Nearly all major brands ship guitars with 2mm action at the 12th fret—a compromise setup that hides flaws, isn't what most players want, but statistically reduces returns.
    • Quote: "They set that action because that action...hides some sin." (156:00)
    • "The customer should not be your quality assurance department. They should not be the ones finding the problem." — quoting Paul Reed Smith (161:15)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Piezo Guitars:
  "By far the best one is the PRS SE Hollowbody. That's my hands down favorite piezo sounding guitar now." (36:05)

• On Collecting and Afterlife Value:
  "What I can tell you is after someone passes away...getting rid of their stuff...was a horrible experience...I've instructed my family: pick out any ones that they just want to keep. Everything else, take it to Guitar Center, whatever they give you, take it." (61:40)

• On Acoustic vs. Electric Player Mindset:
  "Acoustic players don't usually play an acoustic that sounds horrible because it looks cool. Electric guitars? Some are literally stage props." (73:59)

• The IKEA Caster’s Magic:
  "I picked it up and I played it and I fell in love. I love this guitar. I love the way it sounds...I love the vibe." (141:10)
  "If I parted it out, I think I'd die a little inside my soul." (144:50)

• On Guitar Action Setup "Secret":
  "They all come to that conclusion because that's what works. That's what sells the guitar. That action that setup that way." (153:18)
  "If you got out of the box...lower your action and all of a sudden you find six dead frets, what happened? The guitar has moved? Nope. It was always like that." (155:30)

• On Quality Control:
  "The customer should not be your quality assurance department. They should not be the ones finding the problem." — Attributed to Paul Reed Smith (161:15)

• Hot Take: Mustard Over Ketchup

  • "Just so I can lose some subscribers real quick — I prefer mustard. I would put mustard on anything that you would probably put ketchup on." (95:00)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• PRS Hollowbody SE & Piezo System Discussion: 00:05–17:00
• Piezo System Brands (Schecter/Godin/Taylor/Parker): 19:40–38:00
• Piezo Sound Ranking & Preamp Importance: 36:00–43:00
• G&L Value/Collecting Philosophy: 48:00–61:00
• Acoustic Player Spending Habits: 72:30–79:30
• Buying/Selling/Trading Gear: 112:00–124:00
• Amp Talk – Katana & Modeling Amps: 122:20–127:00
• Hardware/Finish Cleaning Tips: 129:00–130:00
• Guitar of the Week – The Ikea Caster: 139:00–151:30
• Guitar Factories & Quality Control Realities: 152:00–end

Tone & Style

• Friendly, down-to-earth, and honest—Phil mixes deep-dive expertise with a relaxed conversational mode, including personal anecdotes, practical advice, and the occasional food tangent. He demystifies the guitar industry while keeping things light and approachable.

Summary

This episode is packed with guitar wisdom, critical market insights, and hands-on experience, with plenty of humor and real-world advice. Phil’s signature authenticity makes even complex topics and industry "secrets" easy to understand—essential listening for guitarists, collectors, or anyone interested in how the sausage (or guitar!) is made.

End of summary.