Premier Guitar features affiliate links to help support our content. We may earn a commission on any affiliated purchases.

PRS Announces Starla X, PRS 30 Amp, New Santana & McCarty Signatures, and 25th Anniversary Models

Details on the 25th Anniversary Dragon Limited Run, Starla X, Carlos Santana SE One Abraxas, Limited Run Ted McCarty SC and DC 245, 25th Anniversary Acoustics, and PRS 30 tube amp

Stevensville, MD (September 29, 2009) - Coming off of a successful Experience PRS weekend, PRS Guitars has announced a number of new guitar and amp models.

25th Anniversary Dragon Model Limited Run
In celebration of the model and in honor of PRS Guitars’ upcoming 25th anniversary, a special 25th Anniversary Dragon model featuring a new complex dragon fretboard exotic multi-material inlay will be available later this year in very limited quantities. The headstock will feature a green ripple abalone Modern Eagle with a black composite shadow veneer.

Appointment highlights include 24 frets, 24-1/2” scale length, rosewood neck and fingerboard, carved curly flame maple Private Stock top and African striped mahogany back wood. The guitar will feature the new 59/09 Treble and Bass pickups and a PRS tremolo.

The body shape and electronics for the 25th Anniversary Dragon are modeled after one of Paul Smith’s early guitars which was most recently featured on the Howard Leese Private Stock guitar released in 2009. Dragon models painted by renowned artist Jeff Beasley are also being planned as part of this exclusive run.

Limited quantities will be available in the fourth quarter of 2009 with the remainder being completed in 2010.





Carlos Santana SE One Abraxas

In celebration of Carlos Santana’s long history with PRS Guitars, a limited run of Carlos Santana Abraxas SE models are now available. The guitar features a whitewash finish with a graphic from Santana’s 1970s era Abraxas album and a peace sign at the 12th fret.

All Abraxas SE models include a mahogany body, mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard, single soapbar pickup in the bridge position, and volume control only.

Drawing acclaim from the mixture of Latin influences and familiar rock themes, Abraxas, Carlos Santana’s second album, is considered by many as Santana’s pivotal work.











Limited Run Ted McCarty SC and DC 245 Models
PRS Guitars is honoring its legendary mentor with the new limited production Ted McCarty SC and DC 245 models. Made in the spirit of the original PRS Sunburst Series, the two models feature a short 24-1/2" scale, special bound fretboard, original PRS birds, Santana headstock shape with curly maple veneer and 1957/2008 pickups or optional Soapbar pickups.

Ted McCarty SC (single-cutaway) and DC (double cutaway) 245 models are currently available.

PRS Guitars 25th Anniversary Acoustics

In honor of the upcoming 25th anniversary and the launch of the new acoustic program in 2009, Paul Reed Smith Guitars is proud to offer an exclusive limited run of 25th Anniversary PRS Acoustics. Only 30 will be available stateside and another 20 will be available overseas. Models available domestically will include 4A spruce tops, Madagascar spider web rosewood backs and sides, Brazilian fingerboard and bridge, 25th anniversary bird spanning between the11th and 13th fret, mammoth ivory, rare curly mahogany neck, and a proprietary pickup system.

Models available in export markets will feature 4A red spruce top, quilted mahogany backs and sides from “the log” (the famous quilted log featured in the Sept/Oct 1985 issue of Fine Woodworking magazine), ebony fingerboard and bridge, 25th anniversary mammoth ivory bird between the 11th and 13th fret, rare curly mahogany neck, and a proprietary pickup system.

PRS Guitars Acoustic Business Unit Manager, Larry Urie said, “PRS Guitars’ acoustic line has been extremely well received all over the world by guitar aficionados as well as world renown artists. We are happy to be able to offer this very exclusive limited run. The materials, playability, and craftsmanship and extraordinary tone are exceptional.”

Starla X
Paul Reed Smith Guitars is pleased to debut the Starla X, the newest model in the Mira/Starla series. The Starla X’s retro inspired design and appointments appeal to players in search of instruments with 24-1/2” scale length, PRS craftsmanship and build-quality but with unique aesthetics and tone.

Features include singlecut, flat obeche body with arm carve, 22-fret sipo wide fat neck, rosewood fretboard, pearloid dot inlays, traditional 2-piece stoptail bridge, vintage style tuners, volume & tone control, and a 3-way blade switch. Mira X Treble and Bass pickups are standard with optional soapbar pickups. Available colors include Vintage Cherry, Black and Sepia Burst as well as new colors such as Cardinal Red, Grandma Hannon Pink, Lime Green, Orange Zest, and Powder Blue.

Starla/Mira Business Unit Manager Rick Hodgson said, “The new Starla X model gives guitar players a new and affordable option that does not compromise quality.”

PRS 30 – Paul Reed Smith Guitars’ New 30-Watt Tube Amp
Described as an English sound with an American twist, PRS Guitars’ new amp, the PRS 30, is the first 30-watt cathode biased amp in a series of lower wattage amps that started with the Sweet 16 model earlier this year. The PRS 30 model features a quartet of EL84 tubes with a control layout similar to the Dallas model PRS amp.

PRS 30 amps are handmade in Stevensville, Maryland, and will be available in head and combo versions. Other features include reverb and a special master volume that’s dialed out of the circuit as the amp’s volume is at max setting. PRS 30 amps will be available this winter at authorized PRS Signature Dealers and PRS Amp dealers nationwide.

PRS Amp Business Unit Manager Michael Clark said, “The PRS 30 excels at vintage EL84 tones while offering modern versatility.”

For more information:
PRS Guitars