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There are so many different models and it's hard to tell what the differences are between the Custom 22, CE 22 and the McCarty 24 (used as an example). What are PRS' more notorious models? What are their more affordable models? Which models are best 'bang for your buck?'

Why are these guitars so espensive and what makes them such excellent guitars?

I've never really sat down to play one for a long period of time, but the few minutes I did play a PRS, I was completely satisfied with the feel and sound it produced.

And one more thing... can someone tell me why this particular model costs $26,000? It's circa 1985. But is this price really standard for such a guitar?

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I know I've asked alot of questions but I know there are some avid PRS players here... I am just a very curious Tele and Lester player.

Tv.

You can view the spec sheets for the respective models on the PRS website. In my view a second hand CE22 provides excellent bang for one’s buck. I’m gassing for one presently.

I know next to nothing about PRS guitars, but an '85 would have to be one of the first, maybe even hand carved? It's like the '59 Burst or '56 Goldtop of Les Pauls, I think.

prs has a korean made line of guitars that have the letters SE after the name ... they are typically very nicely made and much more affordable than the US made models ...

some of the differences you asked about concern the neck carve (e.g. wide/thin vs. wide/fat), pickups used, number of frets, pickup switching (e.g. 3-way toggle vs. 5-way rotary), type of tuners used (locking vs. vintage), and neck attachment (bolt vs glued) ... plenty of details on the PRS website ...

i would also refer you to the forum known as where PRS fans congregate for more comprehensive info on PRS guitars

PRS makes some great guitars and has very high and consistent quality control

good luck
t4d

The greatest differences are between the McCarty's and the rest(excluding the singlecuts and SE's), as they set up a bit differently due to also being designed by Ted McCarty. Other than that, if you strip away the fancy birds and such, the differences are quite subtle. 22 fret versions use Dragon pickups, while 24 versions use vintage bass and HSF pickups. The custom is with a maple top, while the standard is all mahogany, and the CE versions are pretty much their respective bolt on versions(the CE's also use a maple neck). Then there's the new 513 model, which I'm somewhat unfamiliar with, but it has 5 single coil pickups and an all rosewood neck.

No matter which PRS, your going to love it, but there's a few things to consider. First, if you usually prefer Gibson's, you'll want to check out the McCarty models first. If the McCarty's aren't your thing, then I advise to check out a CE model. They're a little cheaper than a standard or custom, which is always a plus, but they sound great too. I prefer the CE models in fact, and don't let anyone tell you that it's a cheap guitar because it's a bolt on. There's also a few other models, such as the modern eagle, and so forth.

Check out the PRS website I'd say, but in the end, just go to the store and try them out. Personally, I think your in a good position, going in blind. I remember when I bought my PRS, I knew nothing about the different models, so I didn't have any preconceptions. Standard, Custom, CE, didn't matter to me, I didn't know the difference. I ended up playing most of the PRS guitars at the store(except for the hollowbodys which were far out of my price range), and left with the one that I though played the best, and had the best tone(and it also looked the best to me as well). That guitar turned out to be a CE-24, and it was the best guitar in the store, or at least, it was the best guitar for me. Had I known a lot more, I probably would have dismissed it and focused more on a custom or something, and would never have known the joy my CE brings. Just goes to show, sometimes not knowing a lot of specifics can actually help you, and knowledge can hinder.

Paul Reed Smith makes fantastic guitars. I just ordered a PRS CE22 and it will be done in six months. There isn't any other way I'd rather spend my $ 1,800. As for the model differences, here's a quick run through.

Custom 22/24: Mahogany back/Maple top, glue-in Mahogany neck (wide-fat on CU22 and wide-thin on CU24). Rosewood FB. Dragon II pup's on the 22, HFS's on the 24. From my experiences, this is most popular model.

McCarty: Mahogany back/Maple top (Larger body shape), Rosewood neck (fatter curve than the Custom's wide-fat). Special McCarty pickups. This is also a very popular model, but seems to appeal to different audiences than the Custom.

CE 22/24: Mahogany back/Maple top (same body shape as Custom), bolt on Maple neck (wide-fat on 22, wide-thin on 24), Rosewood FB. Dragon II's on the 22, HFS's on the 24.

The CE also comes in an all Mahogany version. The Customs also come with what PRS calls a quot;ten top.quot; They do extra work to the finish to make it look extra pretty. All of the PRS's have different vibes, but there isn't one that I don't like. While they may seem pricey, I think that they are worth every penny. They do have different sounds, I believe that the PRS's are leaps and bounds above any Gibsons within this pricerange on the topic of product quality and craftsmanship.

That $26,000 axe is a custom from the first year PRS guitars were made for public sale. The numbers of guitars made in the early years were very small, and all work ws done by hand. Early PRS guitars (especially vintage yellow customs) are considered 'the PRS' to own by vintage collectors, as not only are they stunning, completely hand-made instruments, but also the first production instruments made by the only guitar brand to seriously challenge the 'big two' brands over the last 20 years. Only the pre-1985 prototypes and custom orders built by Paul himself fetch more.

PRS make fantastic guitars. They are incredibly well thought out and built to the highest possible standard. I know that if I need to replace my CU22 for any reason, all I have to do is go to my local dealer and grab another and it will be every bit as well made and great sounding as my one. The consistency is stunning.

Guitar Player magazine did a special issue solely about the PRS guitar a few months back. Ask around and see if you can find a copy. It's a very informative read.

Here's mine. '94 Whale Blue Custom 22 with 2x duncan 59s. One of the last hand built, one pice neck, old factory guitars.
aclee will probably chime in, I beleive he's pretty knowlagable about PRS'sAfter posting my quot;my rig is finishedquot; thread, I started gassing for a PRS. Even thinking about trading my MIA strat and Les Paul Standard in to get one.


Originally Posted by Napsaclee will probably chime in, I beleive he's pretty knowlagable about PRS'sAfter posting my quot;my rig is finishedquot; thread, I started gassing for a PRS. Even thinking about trading my MIA strat and Les Paul Standard in to get one.

Everyone comes around someday.


Originally Posted by Napsaleclee will probably chime in, I believe he's pretty knowledgable about PRS's

You rang?
In terms of specs, the PRS Customer Support Center has comprehensive info about virtually every model and variant ever produced.
The Custom (either 22 or 24 fret) model is the quintessential PRS. With a body that melds the LP and Strat lines, it reflects the quot;best of both worldsquot; that Paul was looking for back in 1985.
The McCarty might be the best selling model today. It was designed to cop more of a Les Paul vibe. One very cool option on the McCarty is the solid unfinished rosewood neck (not just fretboard).
Though the CE is the value-priced model of the US-made line, it was originally conceived to be a more Stratty addition to the PRS line. From 88-94 they had alder bodies (maple tops were added as an option in '89). That, combined with the bolt-on maple neck definitely tilted the guitar's balance towards the strat side.
Why are they so expensive? Top notch materials. Lots of hand work (don't let their use of CNCs fool you). Attention to detail. Top-notch customer service. Unlike some other brands lt;coughgt;Gibsonlt;/coughgt;, you're not going to run across a three grand dog. The consistency in quality is unparalled among the major guitar companies. I bought three out of my four guitars sight-unseen and had no concerns about getting a very good guitar. I was not disappointed and my experience was far from unique.
As the 160th PRS produced, that $26K price tag is based on collectability rather than on absolute quality. The person who buys that guitar sure as heck isn't gonna take it to a gig at a smoky bar. That guitar is worth $26K for the same reason that a '58 Les Paul can demand six figures.
BTW, the statement quot;early PRS guitars were handmadequot; is a load of doodoo. The very early guitars built for folks like Neal Schon and Carlos Santana were hand-carved. Those are the real quot;pre-factoryquot; guitars. Once Paul founded PRS Guitars in '85, the bodies and necks were carved with a duplicarver (uses a template instead of a computer program) and the environment was very much a factory albeit a small one.
FWIW, I own four PRS guitars: three CEs ('89, '94, '01) and an '04 Custom 24 with a rosewood neck (briefly offered as an option during Summer NAMM '03). I can tell you that the quot;older PRS are betterquot; just isn't true. In terms of build quality, my '89 is actually the least impressive of the bunch. It does have loads of mojo, though.