PRS Guitars – American Craftsmanship and Inspired Design
PRS Guitars stands today as one of the premier electric guitar manufacturers, though their origin traces back to a modest garage workshop in Annapolis, Maryland. Founder Paul Reed Smith showed early talent for instrument building, constructing his first guitar in college as an audacious extra credit project. Though initially an arduous journey establishing his brand alongside industry titans, PRS persisted through endless invention and refinement. Nearly 50 years later, PRS thrives as both a steward of heritage and visionary musical instrument iconoclast.
Blending old-school craftsmanship with new frontiers of quality control and sustainability, PRS echoes the ethos of Tone Tailors. We share common values of research and refinement yielding inspiring tools for creative artists. As our shop continually strives to curate the pinnacle of guitar building past and present, we felt compelled to showcase the journey, achievements and offerings of PRS.
Maverick Soul, Traditional Roots
While PRS innovates resolutely, certain traditional tenets established early on endure. Co-founder Paul Reed Smith harbored deep reverence for vintage Gibson and Fender designs but envisioned modern refinements. He patented ingenious enhancements like the PRS patented tremolo bridge and tuning machines bringing unparalleled stability. PRS leveraged familiar tonewoods like mahogany and maple while pioneering use of exotic varieties like korina, swamp ash and certain maples.
Early on Paul embraced both traditional and radical shapes from sweeping double cutaways to sleek solid bodies to ornate single-cuts. Prominent use of decorative inlays and carving established PRS guitars as both traditional yet progressive statements. As the company grew, core models like the Custom 24, Modern Eagle and McCarty anchored the lineup while new series like S2 and Silver Sky explored new visual and tonal territory.
