How Paul Reed Smith’s Mom Had an Obsession That Led to an Iconic Guitar Look

I have a confession to make: I love the birds.

This can be a bit of a polarizing statement, I realize. Some people absolutely love the birds, while others hate them. But I think I’m in good company. John Mayer seems to be in the former camp, as does Mark Tremonti. Even Carlos Santana has jumped on the “birds” bandwagon.

But whoever designed my “unicorn” guitar, the Vela, seems to prefer dots.