paul reed smith

“As a repairman working on every conceivable type of guitar, I became convinced that vintage instruments were desirable not because they had improved with age, but because they had been built differently from current models,” says Paul Reed Smith.

PRS himself talks about learning from Ted McCarty, building guitars for the stars, elbowing the competition, his distinctive headstock design, and more.

Paul Reed Smith could be gloating. At a time when other majors have made layoffs or are coming down from the lockdown-era sales buzz, the company the luthier founded literally with his own hands in 1985 has become a $100-million business. PRS Guitars’ $849 SE Silver Sky—a 6-stringed Clydesdale—was this year’s top seller on Reverb. Recently, the Stevensville, Maryland-based operation introduced its debut pedals, plus a limited-run Robben Ford signature axe that’s a Rolls-Royce with strings. And a raft of new instruments are already in the wings for 2023.

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An articulate, immaculately constructed Annapolis native that speaks in many voices.

An extremely well-made guitar boasting easy playability, stand-out looks, and super-impressive sonic versatility.

It's pricey. You'll want to ensure you're onboard with the Narrowfield voice before you invest.

$4,660 with 10 Top, as reviewed ($4,000 with standard top)

PRS Studio
prsguitars.com

4.5
5
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Even among a stable of instruments known for their versatility, PRS's Studio model is arguably one of the company's most sonically and stylistically malleable instruments. Reintroduced to the U.S.-made Core lineup for 2021 after first appearing in 2011, this new Studio is hyper-flexible, configured with a distinctive humbucker set and modified switching that takes that versatility up a notch.

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PRS Guitars has announced the return of their popular Archon amplifier. The new line-up features both a 50-watt 1x12 combo and a 50-watt head with matching 1x12 and 2x12 cabinets. Fans of PRS amps may have noticed the model disappear from the lineup at the start of 2021, but the Archon is now back and better than ever.

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