PRS Guitars... Can someone explain differences?

Easto

Easto

New member
Hi!

I've played a couple different PRS guitars (in music stores) but I've never had the urge to keep track or notice what the different models were or how they relate to price and options. Can someone give me the basic heirarchy of their models?

i.e. 10 top, Custom 22, McCarty, CE, 22, 24 etc.

Thanks
 
Thanks Ed,

I was thinking more in line with the "street" prices and model numbers. But I will take a look their too.
 
www.birdsandmoons.com

The "unofficial" PRS forum

basics.

-Anything 22 is 22 fret, anything 24 is 24 fret.
-The Custom was the original PRS model. It has 24 frets, the 22 fret version came later.
-The CE model is a bolt neck version. Not bolt on like a Fender, it has the same exact neck joint as a Custom, just bolted instead of glued for a different sound.
-The McCarty was named after Les paul designer Ted McCarty. It has a thicker body and thinner headstock with a different angle. It really is a Les Paul in PRS skin.

Your basic options are bird inlays on the neck and a 10 top. I *think each of these is a $400 option. A 10 top means the flame or quilt is spread evenly across the top.

Thats the basics.

H2H
 
In addition to what H2H said, "Artist Package" means gold hardware, inlays, and (I think) 10 top.

Also, modern PRSs have 2 options for the bridge: tremelo and hardtail. The Custom 24s usually have the tremelo, while the Custom 22s and McCartys usually have the hardtail. (But you can find either bridge on either). The hardtail has received a lot of criticism because you can't adjust the intonation. Light (another poster here who is a luthier) says that it's really not a problem unless you're going to use really heavy gauge strings.

The pickups are different in the 24s, 22s, and McCartys. The 24s have a Vintage bass in the neck, and a HFS (Hot, Fat, Screams) in the bridge. The 22s have 2 Dragon II pups, and the McCartys have McCarty Humbuckers.

The Customs have the fancy top while the Standards don't. There is also a Santana model with a slightly different body shape and other changes. The Swamp Ash Special has a one-piece solid swamp ash body and a maple neck. They also make a Hollowbody.

The newest model is the 513 which has 22 frets, 5 pickups, and "13 sounds."
 
dirtythermos said:
Light (another poster here who is a luthier) says that it's really not a problem unless you're going to use really heavy gauge strings.
Click to expand...



Actually, I said it was fine unless you used really strange string guages. Use lights, extra lights, mediums, heavies, whatever, but using thick and thin sets or custom guage sets could possibly give you problems.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Light said:
Actually, I said it was fine unless you used really strange string guages. Use lights, extra lights, mediums, heavies, whatever, but using thick and thin sets or custom guage sets could possibly give you problems.
Click to expand...

That makes more sense. Sorry about misquoting you.
 
Easto said:
Thanks Ed,

I was thinking more in line with the "street" prices and model numbers. But I will take a look their too.
Click to expand...

One good source for street prices are online firms like MF. They will email you quotes that are fairly close to what you would expect to pay for each model.

I have a Custom 24 and it's a great guitar.

Ed
 
dirtythermos said:
In addition to what H2H said, "Artist Package" means gold hardware, inlays, and (I think) 10 top.

Also, modern PRSs have 2 options for the bridge: tremelo and hardtail. The Custom 24s usually have the tremelo, while the Custom 22s and McCartys usually have the hardtail. (But you can find either bridge on either). The hardtail has received a lot of criticism because you can't adjust the intonation. Light (another poster here who is a luthier) says that it's really not a problem unless you're going to use really heavy gauge strings.

The pickups are different in the 24s, 22s, and McCartys. The 24s have a Vintage bass in the neck, and a HFS (Hot, Fat, Screams) in the bridge. The 22s have 2 Dragon II pups, and the McCartys have McCarty Humbuckers.

The Customs have the fancy top while the Standards don't. There is also a Santana model with a slightly different body shape and other changes. The Swamp Ash Special has a one-piece solid swamp ash body and a maple neck. They also make a Hollowbody.

The newest model is the 513 which has 22 frets, 5 pickups, and "13 sounds."
Click to expand...

I've owned probably 20 + different PRS guitars, and currently have a Modern Eagle and a Hollowbody I. Just to clarify a few points, the "Artist package" has an Artist grade top (supposedly better than a "10" top), gold hardware, and paua shell inlay instead of abalone, including the inlaid signature on the rosewood veneer headstock. The difference between the Standard 22/24 and Custom 22/24 is that the Standards are solid mahogany while the Customs have a maple top. Both are available with stoptail or trem. I think the stoptail is a work of art, and the intonation is dead on if you use a standard gauge of strings. The all have a 25" scale length and 10" radius except the Santana model(24.5 scale length, 12" radius) and the new 513 has a 25.25 scale length. McCarty's have a thicker mahogany body than the Customs and can also be ordered with P90 pickups instead of humbuckers. All the mahogany bodies are one piece. The SAS is usually a 2 piece ash body, and along with the CE model it too has a bolt-in maple neck.The McCarty model is available with a mahogany or solid Indian rosewood neck. The 513 and Modern Eagle have solid Brazilian rosewood necks. There were also a number of smaller runs and discontinued models, and I know I'm leaving a bunch of stuff out... :o
 
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