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Table of Contents

  1. Which Artists Play PRS Instruments?
  2. What are the different PRS models?
  3. What are the differences between pickups?
  4. What about the different electronic packages?
  5. What are the different birds on the fretboard inlays?
  6. What might get me banned from this Forum?
  7. Setting up your PRS guitar
  8. Why can't I find out how much longer my PRS order will take?
  9. Are Brazilian Rosewood necks one piece?

Which artists play PRS Instruments?

Player List Current as of July 2000 (List Supplied By PRS)

Chris Henderson

Guitar

3 Doors Down

Tim Mahoney

Guitarist

311

Al Demeola

Vocals/Guitar

Al DeMeola Band

Larry Hanson

Guitarist

Alabama

Nick Lashley

Guitarist

Alanis Morrisette

Ed Robertson

Guitarist / Vocals

Barenaked Ladies

Steven Page

Guitarist / Vocals

Barenaked Ladies

Justin M-Johnson

Bass

Beck

Chris Peters

Guitar

Beth Hart

Ronnie Ecker

Guitarist

Betty in Black

Doug McCarvell

Guitar

Bif Naked

Steve Stevens

Guitarist

Billy Idol

Rob Echeverria

Guitarist

Biohazard

Paul Carbonara

Guitarist

Blondie

Larry Campbell

Guitarist

Bob Dylan

Brian Henneman

Guitarist

Bottle Rockets

David Ryan Harris

Guitar / Vocals

Brandnew Immortals

Will Turpin

Bass

Collective Soul

Ed Roland

Vocals/Guitar

Collective Soul

Ross Childress

Guitarist

Collective Soul

Jimmy Dormire

Guitarist

Confederate Railroad

Jimmy Buffett

Vocals/Guitar

Coral Reefer Band

Mark Tremonti

Guitarist

Creed

Ted Nugent

Vocals/Guitarist

Damn Yankees

Dave Matthews

Vocals/Guitar

Dave Matthews Band

Reaves Gabrels

Guitarist

David Bowie

Billy Roan

Guitarist

Deadlights

Derrick Trucks.

Guitarist

Derrick Trucks Band

Chris Robosan

Guitarist

Dial 7

Josh Wienberg

Guitarist

Dragmules

Sean Joplin

Guitarist

Dreamland

Art Alexakis

Vocals/Guitar

Everclear

Will Salazar

Guitar / Vocals

Fenix TX

James Black

Guitarist

Finger 11

Jock Bartley

Vocals/Guitar

Firefall

Steve Weinmeister

Vocals/Guitar

Firefall

Scott Fisher

Guitarist

Foam

Wayne Healey

Guitarist

Freddy Jones Band

Carl Bell

Guitarist

Fuel

Benji Coombs

Guitar

Good Charlotte

Warren Haynes

Guitarist

Gov’t Mule

Axl Rose

Vocals/Guitar

Guns &Roses

Chris Traynor

Guitar

Helmet

Mike Einziger

Guitarist

Incubus

Keith Jenkins

Guitarist

James Brown

Tim Curtin

Guitarist

Janet Jackson

Warner Hodges

Guitarist

Jason & The Scorchers

Jimmy Herring

Guitarist

Jazz Is Dead

Jimi Davies

Vocals/Guitar

Jimmies Chicken Shack

Pete Huttlinger

Guitarist

John Denver/Self

Goddfrey Townshend

Guitarist

John Entwhistle Band

Andy York

Guitarist

John Mellencamp

Neil Schon

Guitarist

Journey

Jonathan Cain

Guitarist / Keyboard

Journey

Peter Parente

Guitar

Julio Eglacias jr.

Rich Williams

Guitarist

Kansas

Bob Ritchie

Guitar / Vocals

Kid Rock

Craig DeFalco

Guitarist

Laidlaw

Buzzy James

Guitarist

Laidlaw

Wes Borland

Guitar

Limp Bizkit

Paul Berrere

Guitar

Little Feat

Cesar Rosas

Guitarist

Los Lobos

Ray Herdon

Guitarist

Lyle Lovett

James Olson

Guitarist

Mark Chestnut

Butch Walker

Guitarist/Vocals

Marvelous 3

Angelo Bruchini

Guitarist

Massive Attack

Kyle Cook

Guitarist

Matchbox 20

Adam Gaynor

Guitar

Matchbox Twenty

Melissa Etheridge

Guitar / Vocals

Melissa Etheridge Band

John Shanks

Guitarist

Melissa Etheridge Band

Mark Macoway

Guitarist

Moist

Bobby Ingram

Guitarist

Molley Hatchet

Nikki Sixx

Guitarist

Motley Crue

Mick Mars

Guitarist

Motley Crue

Chad Kroeger

Guitar / Vocals

Nickleback

Danny Lohner

Guitarist

Nine Inch Nails

Trent Reznor

Vocals/Guitar

Nine Inch Nails

Kai Markus

Guitarist

Noise Therapy/ Methods of Mayhem

Ric Ivanisevich

Guitarist

Oleander

Stuart Fraser

Guitarist

Olivia Newton-John

Taylor McLam

Guitarist

Orange 9mm

Jimmy Page

Guitarist

Page/Plant

Pat McGee

Guitar / Vocals

Pat McGee Band

Howard Leese

Guitarist

Paul Rodgers Band

Dewayne McKnight

Guitarist

P-funk

Micheal Hampton

Guitarist

P-funk

Larry LaLonde

Guitarist

Primus

Mike Scott

Guitarist

Prince

Mark Karan

Guitarist

Rat Dog/The Other Ones

James Olson

Guitar

Reba MacIntire

Kent Wells

Guitarist

Reba MacIntire

Dave Navarro

Guitarist

Red Hot Chili Peppers/Janes Addic.

Peter Buck

Guitarist

REM

Dave Cabrera

Guitar

Ricky Martin

Phil Hamilton

Guitarist

Roberta Flack

Chris Haskett

Guitarist

Rollins Band

Alex Lifeson

Guitarist

Rush

Victor Johnson

Guitarist

Sammy Hagar Band/Waboritas

Carlos Santana

Guitarist

Santana

Jorge Santana

Guitarist

Santana

David Sinclair

Guitarist

Sarah McLachlan

Vernon Reid

Guitar

Self

Robben Ford

Guitarist/vocals

Self

Felicity Hunter

Guitarist

Self

Brinsley Schwartz

Vocals/Guitar

Self

Carl Filipiak

Guitarist

Self

Jewel

Guitarist

Self

Levon Ichkhanian

Guitarist

Self

Lloyd Cole

Vocals/Guitar

Self

Marshall Crenshaw

Vocals/Guitar

Self

Steven Segall

Actor

Self

Adrian Belew

Voals/Guitar

Self/King Crimson

Clint lowery

Guitarist

Sevendust

Shannon Curfman

Guitar / Vocals

Shannon Curfman Band

Daniel Johns

Vocals/Guitar

Silverchair

Jeff Blando

Guitarist

Slaughter

Jeff Ried

Bass

SR-71

Pat Dement

Guitarist

Starseed Speed

Eric (Roscoe) Ambel

Guitar/Producer

Steve Earle Band

David Grissom

Guitarist

Storyville

John Mcdermott

Guitarist

Stroke 9

Jim McGorman

Guitar

Tal Bachman

Melvin Jordan

Guitarist

Temptations

Ralph Perucci

Guitars

The Dragons

Paul Smith

Guitar/Vocals

The Dragons

Barry Martin

Guitar/Vocals

The Hamsters

Mike Campbell

Guitarist

The Heartbreakers

Alphonso Johnson

Bass

The Other Ones

Jerry Jost

Guitarist

The Urge

Micheal Ward

Guitarist

The Wallflowers

Stephan Jenkins

Vocals/Guitar

Third eye blind

Denny Hemmingson

Guitars

Tim Mcgraw Band

Bob Minner

Guitarist

Tim Mcgraw Band

Steve Austin

Vocals/Guitar

Today is the Day

Tracy Chapman

Guitar /Vocals

Tracy Chapman Band

Adam Clayton

Bass

U2

Jerry Olivieria

Guitarist

Ultraspank

Neil Godfrey

Guitarist

Ultraspank

Bruce Kulick

Guitar

Union

Rob Brewer

Guitarist

Unwritten Law

Matt Scannell

Guitar / Vocals

Vertical Horizon

Kieth Kane

Guitar

Vertical Horizon

Ted Ledbetter

Guitarist

Virgos Merlot

Brent Broadfoot

Guitar

Wings of the Heart

Brett Detar

Guitarist

Zao

Ziggy Marley

Guitars ./ Vocals

Ziggy Marley Band

 
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What are the different PRS models?
SET-NECK MODELS:

BASIC FEATURES BY 1985

SET-NECK MODELS

PRS: ‘85-'87. Evolved from pre-’85 all-mahogany guitar, became Standard in 1987.

CUSTOM: ‘85-current. The definitive original PRS. Figured maple top, 10 top option from ’87.

METAL: ‘85-’87. Heavy metal version of the PRS Custom with custom striped finish. Appeared on the cover of the first color catalogue.

SIGNATURE SERIES: ‘86-’90. The first ‘ultimate quality’ PRS, hand-signed by Paul Reed Smith and based on the Custom. Extremely figured maple top, bird inlays, only 1,000 made.

STANDARD: ‘87-current. See ‘PRS’.

SPECIAL: ‘88-’91. Developed for the ‘hard rock/metal player’. Wide-thin neck, tremolo routing for more up-bend, tone control, HFS Treble pickup, single coil Bass pickup (changed to Vintage Bass humbucker by ’89).

STUDIO: ‘88-’91. Same specs as Special but with standard neck profile, Hot Vintage Treble pickup and two PRS single-coils. The studio’s h/s/s pickup configuration offered as option until ‘97.

LIMITED EDITION: ’90-'91. Signature quality. Semi-hollow body with cedar, redwood, or maple top, gold hardware, tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece (trem not available). Signed and numbered, only 300 made.

ARTIST SERIES: ‘91-‘94. Replaced Signature Series. Inlaid headstock logo, wide-fat neck, exceptional woods including artist grade maple top, abalone bird inlays, special thin finish, tone control, Artist Series pickups. Semi-hollow, gold hardware and stop-tail options.

PRS ACOUSTIC/ELECTRIC: '92. Mahogany Cutaway; mahogany back and sides, spruce top, rosewood fretboard, rosewood bridge and headstock veneer, natural finish, and optional gold hardware. Custom Cutaway; 3-piece figured maple back and sides, spruce top, Brazilian rosewood fretboard, Brazilian rosewood bridge and headstock veneer, bird inlays, abalone rosette, and optional gold hardware. Rosewood Signature; rosewood back and sides, master grade spruce top, Brazilian rosewood fretboard, Brazilian rosewood bridge and headstock veneer, bird inlays, abalone rosette, abalone trim around top, wooden marquetry backstrip, gold tuners and endpin, antiqued natural finish. Only 11 prototypes ever made.

DRAGON SERIES I: ‘91-‘92. First 22-fret PRS. Featured new PRS stop-tail (wrap over bridge), increased headstock angle, Dragon pickups, wide-fat neck and gold hardware. Dragon inlay on fretboard made from 201 pieces of abalone, turqoise, and mother of pearl. Limited edition of 50.

DRAGON SERIES II: '93. Specs as first Dragon. Dragon inlay on fretboard made from 218 pieces of gold, coral, abalone, malachite, onyx, and mother of pearl. Limited edition of 100.

CUSTOM 22: ‘93-current. Based on Dragon without the inlay. Left handed version offered in '99.

DRAGON SERIES III: '94. Specs as first two Dragons. Dragon inlay on fretboard made from 438 pieces of gold, red and green abalone, mother of pearl, mammoth ivory, and stone. Limited edition of 100.

STANDARD 22: '94-current. 22-fret version of the Standard.

ARTIST SERIES II (Artist 22): ‘94-‘96. As Artist but with maple bound headstock and fingerboard, 22 frets, stop-tail, gold-plated hardware. Semi-hollow, PRS tremolo options.

ARTIST LIMITED EDITION: ’94-'96. Only 200 made. As Artist Series II but with abalone purfling on neck, head, and truss rod cover, 14-Carat gold bird inlays. Inlaid mother-of-pearl and abalone eagle on head.

McCARTY MODEL: ‘94-current. First 100 signed and numbered. Wide-fat 22-fret neck, red maple top, thicker body, stop-tail, vintage-style tuners, covered humbuckers (changed to McCarty Series type in ’95 with coil-taps), tone control, 3-way toggle pickup selector. McCarty Rosewood ('98-current) with East Indian Rosewood neck. Left-handed version offered by ’99.

10TH ANNIVERSARY MODEL: ’95. Only 200 made. Artist Limited Edition-style with wide-fat or wide-thin neck, engraved gold abalone birds, 22-fret ebony fretboard. Abalone bound headstock/fingerboard. Engraved eagle on head. Gold plated hardware including stoptail. Electronics as McCarty.

McCARTY STANDARD: '95-cuurent. Same specs as McCarty but with solid mahogany body. Only offered with stoptail bridge option.

CARLOS SANTANA MODEL: ’95-'98. Reproduces Santana’s original. First 100 signed and numbered. Pre-’85 shape and headstock (with eagle inlay) 24 ½" scale, 24-fret (11 ½" radius) fretboard, bird inlays, maple top (with paua shell purfling) Santana humbuckers, tone, twin mini-switches.

PRIVATE STOCK: '96-current. Non-production instruments. Each guitar is handmade for a specific customer and comes with a letter from Paul Reed Smith documenting the history of the instrument.

ROSEWOOD LIMITED: '96. 100 piece limited production run, PRS etched Tree of Life inlay on fretboard, truss rod cover, and headstock (mammoth ivory, brown lip mother of pearl, abalone, mother of pearl, paua, coral, and gold), 22-fret wide-fat East Indian rosewood neck, Brazilian rosewood fretboard, mahogany back, curly maple top, McCarty style body, McCarty electronics with gold plated nickel silver covers, gold anodized PRS stoptail and gold vintage tuners or gold PRS tremolo with gold PRS locking machines, leather/hardshell case, certificate of authenticity.

ARTIST III: ’96-'97. Mahogany back with exceptional maple top, 22-fret wide-fat or wide-thin mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard, paua bird inlays, paua purfling on neck, headstock, and truss rod cover, Artist Series pickups, 5-way rotary, volume, tone, gold PRS stoptail and locking tuners, certificate of authenticity, leather/hard-shell case.

ARTIST IV: ’96-'97. Mahogany back with exceptional maple top, 22-fret wide-fat or wide-thin mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard, etched 14 carat gold bird inlays, gold purfling on neck, headstock, and truss rod cover, original PRS etched gold bird inlay on headstock, McCarty electronics with gold plated nickel silver covers, gold PRS stoptail and locking tuners, certificate of authenticity, leather/hard-shell case.

GOLDEN EAGLE LIMITED EDITION: '97. Original carving by Floyd L. Scholz of golden eagle or bald eagle on a basswood body, 22-fret curly maple neck, Brazilian rosewood fretboard, engraved solid gold bird inlays, McCarty electronics, gold hardware, PRS stoptail bridge. Limited to 10.

McCARTY HOLLOWBODY: '98-current. Hollowbody; carved spruce top, carved mahogany back and sides, Hollowbody I; carved maple top with carved mahogany back and sides, Hollowbody II; carved maple top and back with mahogany sides. All models are 1 3/4" depth at rim, 3" depth at bridge, 22-fret wide-fat mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard, PRS adjustable stoptail bridge, McCarty Archtop pickups with 3-way toggle. Piezo bridge pickup option added in '99.

McCARTY ARCHTOP: '98-current. Archtop; carved spruce top, carved mahogany back and sides, Archtop I; carved maple top with mahogany back and sides, Archtop II; carved maple top and back with mahogany sides and rosewood headstock veneer. All models are 2 3/4" depth at rim, 4" depth at bridge, 22-fret wide-fat mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard, PRS adjustable stoptail bridge, McCarty Archtop pickups with 3-way toggle. Piezo bridge pickup option added in '99.

McCARTY ARCHTOP ARTIST: '98-current. Specs as Archtop II but with artist grade figured maple top and back, Brazilian rosewood fretboard, abalone bird inlays with 14k gold outline. Each guitar numbered on back of headstock.

McCARTY SOAPBAR: '98-current. As McCarty with 2 Seymour Duncan soapbar single coil pickups with 3-way toggle.

CUSTOM 22 SOAPBAR: '98-current. As Custom 22 with maple neck and fretboard, regular D neck carve, 3 Seymour Duncan soapbar single coils with 5-way blade selector

SANTANA II: '99-current. As Santana but features 3-way McCarty style switching and Brazilian headstock veneer.

DRAGON 2000: '99. Specs as McCarty. Brazilian rosewood neck and fretboard with no fretboard inlay. Dragon inlay on body made of 242 pieces of mastodon ivory, rhodonite, agoya, coral, onyx, sugilite, chrysacola, red, green, and pink abalone and paua. Limited edition of 50.

BRAZILIAN ROSEWOOD McCARTY: '99. Specs as McCarty but with Brazilian rosewood neck and fretboard. Each individually signed and numbered.

BOLT-ON MODELS

CLASSIC ELECTRIC (CE BOLT-ON): ‘88-current. 24-fret maple neck, unfaced headstock, dot inlays, alder body, PRS Vintage pickups, tone control, 3-way toggle selector. Rosewood board, wide-thin neck options by ’89. Black headstock face and 5-way rotary switch by mid-’89. HFS Treble/Vintage Bass finalized by ’91. Maple top version- the CE Bolt-on Maple Top- added in ’89. Mahogany body from ’95 as well as stop-tail option.

EG BOLT-ON SERIES I: ‘90-’91. New squarer shape. Alder body, maple neck, 22-fret rosewood fretboard. EG3 s/s/s and EG4 h/s/s scratchplate mounted pickups. Volume, twin tones, 5-way selector, PRS tremolo, Schaller non-locking tuners.

EG BOLT-ON SERIES II: ‘92-’95. Rounder shape. Alder body, wide thin maple neck, 22-fret rosewood fretboard. Scratchplate mounted pickups in three formats, volume, tone, 5-way selector, coil taps, PRS tremolo, locking machines. EG bolt-on maple top adds three piece maple, ‘10’ option.

CLASSIC ELECTRIC 22: '94-current. 22-fret versions of CE Bolt-on and CE Bolt-on Maple-Top. Mahogany body from ’95 as well as stop-tail option.

SWAMP ASH SPECIAL: '96-current. Carved swamp ash body, PRS stoptail or PRS tremolo with locking tuners, 22 fret bolt-on figured maple neck and fretboard, abalone dot inlays, McCarty Bass, Seymour Duncan Vintage Rails, and McCarty Treble pickups, 3-way toggle, volume, push-pull tone (coil tap)

BASSES

BASIC FEATURES FOR BASSES

BASS-4/BASS-5: ‘87-’91. Solid mahogany body, rock maple neck, Brazilian rosewood fretboard, moon inlay, 3 single coil pickups, 1 hum canceling; optional: bird inlay, gold hardware.

CURLY BASS-4/CURLY BASS-5: ‘87-’91. Maple top, mahogany back, rock maple neck, Brazilian rosewood fretboard, moon inlay, 3 single coil pickups, I hum canceling; optional: bird inlays, 10-top, gold hardware, quilted top.

SIGNATURE SERIES 4 OR 5 STRING: ‘87-’91. Signature maple top, mahogany back, rock maple neck, Brazilian rosewood fretboard, abalone bird inlay, 3 single coil pickups, 1 hum canceling; optional: gold hardware, quilted top.

CE BASS-4/BASS-5: ‘90-’91. Solid alder body, bolt-on rock maple neck, rosewood or maple fretboard, dot inlay, 3 single coil pickups, 1 hum canceling.

CE MAPLE TOP BASS-4/BASS-5: ‘90-’91. Maple top, alder back, bolt-on rock maple neck, rosewood or maple fretboard, dot inlay, 3 single coil pickups, 1 hum canceling.

*Complied by Dave Burrlock and Paul Day, 1995  *Revised by Greg Pope, 1999

 

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What are the differences between pickups?

CURRENT PICKUPS

The HFS: Hot Fat Screams. Stock bridge position on Custom 24s, Standard 24s, and CE 24s. This is PRS’s most popular pickup. The HFS has a powerful ceramic magnet and hot coils for an aggressive tone when cranked, with clear highs, searing midrange, and thumping bass. Wound to sound a little dark when clean, the HFS comes alive when cranked up through a hot amp. The single coil sounds are also real nice. There is a trick to making a ceramic magnet pickup musical and not harsh; the HFS incorporates this specialized winding. Rock.

The Vintage Bass: Stock neck position pickup on Custom 24s, Standard 24s, and CE 24s. This style humbucking has been on so many recordings that one couldn’t begin to list them. Round, fat tone to complement the HFS. Classic alnico pickup tone. All styles of music.

The Dragon Treble: Paul’s personal favorite, fat with zero loss of clarity. Fat, fat, fat with zero loss of clarity. Sounds great clean or high gain, the Dragon Treble has a powerful ceramic magnet combined with our highest number of turns. A huge sound. Blues, rock, and metal.

The Dragon Bass: This lower output pickup has a great combination of rich, warm bass with sweet "angelic" high end. The tone is perfect. Beautiful for solos and rhythm. The Dragon is also our best jazz pickup. Vintage alnico and vintage winding. All styles of music.

The Dragon II Treble: The nickel cover and many hours of tweaking resulted in a pickup with warm, McCarty like tones and a little more output to cover all modern styles.

The Dragon II Bass: A warm, toneful neck position humbucker with enough output for any style of playing.

The McCarty Treble and Bass: A unique manufacturing process taught to us by Ted McCarty, combined with vintage alnico magnet and special nickel silver cover give the McCarty its fat tone and warm, silvery treble. The bridge position has a few more turns on the coils to balance it with the neck position pickup.

The McCarty Archtop Treble and Bass: Stock on all McCarty Archtop & Hollowbody models. Carefully calibrated coils, different on bridge and neck versions, and alnico magnets give these pickups moderate output with a fat but well defined traditional "jazz" tone, which sounds ½ way between a 335 and a County Gentleman.

The Artist Treble: Sounds clear and full with tons of tone. This bridge pickup is built similar to the Artist Bass with extra turns for added warmth. Blues, rock, and jazz.

The Artist Bass: Driven by vintage alnico, this neck pickup has a unique and beautiful tone. The winding is a little hotter than our Vintage Bass. A favorite of Paul’s. Blues, rock, jazz.

DISCONTINUED PICKUPS

Deep Dish II: The alnico driven coils of this pickup are wound deeper and with more turns than a vintage humbucking pickup. Similar in sound to an old P-90 single coil – big and warm with clear high end. The Deep Dish II is the perfect bridge pickup for fattening up the tone without losing clarity or adding unwanted grind and harshness. Mississippi Queen to jazz.

DH Treble: DH stands for Dann Huff – studio guitarist from the band Giant. Dann’s tone is "giant" – a wide, modern sound, grinding and powerful while retaining the clarity and audibility of each note. Hot alnico for modern rock.

David Grissom: David gets a tone all his own. This pickup combines alnico magnet types for a big Texas sound. With a vintage Marshall and a 4x12 cabinet and the gain on 6, look out!

Vintage Treble: This is our Artist Bass pickup built for the treble position. A clean, clear treble pickup for the discerning guitarist. Vintage alnico and vintage winding. Country to rock.

HFS II: Powerful humbucker with "metal" bass, solid mids and smooth highs.

Standard Treble: Classic sounding humbucker with extra bite.

Standard Bass: Classic sounding humbucker with extra bite.

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What about the different electronic packages?

PRS CE BOLT-ON, STANDARD & CUSTOM ELECTRONICS

5 Position Rotary-Hybrid Pickup System

ROTARY POSITIONS

  1. Position 10: Treble pickup—PRS HFS Treble pickup. Hot, fat, screams
  2. Position 9: Outside coils—deep and clear
  3. Position 8: Series single coils—warm version of the "in between the treble and middle pickups"
  4. Position 7: Parallel single coils—crisp version of the "in between the treble and middle pickups"
  5. Position 6: Bass pickup—PRS Vintage Bass pickup—warm, with tons of character

PRS CE BOLT-ON, STANDARD & CUSTOM ELECTRONICS

3-Way Toggle, Master Volume, and Push-Pull Tone Pot

PUSH-PULL DOWN POSITIONS

  1. Position 1: HFS Treble Bridge Humbucker
  2. Position 2: Both Humbuckers
  3. Position 3: Vintage Bass Neck Humbucker

PUSH-PULL UP POSITIONS

  1. Position 4: HFS Treble Bridge Single Coil
  2. Position 5: Both Single Coils
  3. Position 6: Vintage Bass Neck Single Coil

PRS CE 22 BOLT-ON, STANDARD 22 & CUSTOM 22 ELECTRONICS

5 Position Rotary-Hybrid Pickup System

ROTARY POSITIONS

  1. Position 10: Treble pickup—PRS Dragon II Treble pickup. Fat and powerful with definition
  2. Position 9: Outside coils—deep and clear
  3. Position 8: Series single coils—warm version of the "in between the treble and middle pickups"
  4. Position 7: Parallel single coils—crisp version of the "in between the treble and middle pickups"
  5. Position 6: Bass pickup—PRS Dragon II Bass pickup—warm bass, sweet highs

 

PRS CE 22 BOLT-ON, STANDARD 22 & CUSTOM 22 ELECTRONICS

3-Way Toggle, Master Volume, and Push-Pull Tone Pot

PUSH-PULL DOWN POSITIONS

  1. Position 1: Dragon II Bridge Humbucker
  2. Position 2: Both Humbuckers
  3. Position 3: Dragon II Neck Humbucker

PUSH-PULL UP POSITIONS

  1. Position 4: Dragon II Bridge Single Coil
  2. Position 5: Both Single Coils
  3. Position 6: Dragon II Neck Single Coil

 

SWAMP ASH SPECIAL

3-Way Toggle, Master Volume, Push-Pull Tone Pot

PUSH-PULL DOWN POSITIONS

        1.    Position 1: Bridge Humbucker
        2.    Position 2: Both Humbuckers
        3.    Position 3: Neck Humbucker

PUSH-PULL UP POSITIONS

        1.    Position 4: Full Bridge Humbucker and Middle Pickup
        2.    Position 5: Neck Single Coil, Middle Pickup, and Full Bridge Humbucker
        3.    Position 6: Neck Single Coil and Middle Pickup

McCARTY ELECTRONICS

2 PRS McCarty Humbuckers

3-Way Toggle, Master Volume, and Push-Pull Tone Pot

PUSH-PULL DOWN POSITIONS

  1. Position 1: Bridge Humbucker
  2. Position 2: Both Humbuckers
  3. Position 3: Neck Humbucker

PUSH-PULL UP POSITIONS

  1. Position 4: Bridge Single Coil
  2. Position 5: Both Single Coils
  3. Position 6: Neck Single Coil

SANTANA ELECTRONICS

PRS STUDIO ELECTRONICS

5 Position Rotary Pickup System

ROTARY POSITIONS

  1. Position 10: Treble Pickup—PRS Hot Vintage—hot, sweet bridge position
  2. Position 9: Treble single coil and middle
  3. Position 8: Middle—PRS single coil
  4. Position 7: Middle and Bass
  5. Position 6: Bass—PRS single coil

SWEET SWITCH

  1. Adds sweetness to the tone of all positions
  2. Pull up to activate

PRS EG BOLT-ON ELECTRONICS

SWITCH POSITIONS

  1. Treble pickup—PRS HFS Treble pickup. Hot, fat, screams
  2. Treble pickup and middle single coil
  3. Middle single coil pickup
  4. Middle and bass single coil pickups
  5. Bass single coil pickup

TONE CONTROLS-one for Bass pickup and one for Middle pickup

NOTE: Single coil pickups manufactured by Seymour Duncan Research

 

PRS EG-1 ELECTRONICS

Hum/Single/Hum with Coil Tap Switch

5 POSITIONS – HUM/SINGLE/HUM WITH COIL TAPS

  1. Bass humbucking pickup
  2. Bass humbucking and middle single coil pickups
  3. Middle single coil pickup
  4. Middle single coil and treble humbucking pickups
  5. Treble humbucking pickup

PUSH-PULL COIL TAP SWITCH

  1. Push down for hum/single/hum
  2. Pull up for all single coil sounds

 

PRS EG-2 ELECTRONICS

Hum/Single/Single With Coil Tap

5 POSITIONS- HUM/SINGLE/SINGLE WITH COIL TAP

  1. Bass single coil pickup
  2. Bass and middle single coil pickup
  3. Middle single coil pickup
  4. Middle single coil and treble humbucking pickup
  5. Treble humbucking pickup

PUSH-PULL COIL TAP SWITCH

  1. Push down for hum/single/single
  2. Pull up for all single coil sounds

 

PRS EG-3 ELECTRONICS

Single/Single/Single With Dual Position Tone Pot

5 POSITIONS- ALL SINGLE COIL SOUNDS

  1. Bass single coil pickup
  2. Bass single coil and middle single coil pickups
  3. Middle single coil pickup
  4. Middle single coil and treble single coil pickups
  5. Treble single coil pickup

PUSH-PULL TONE CONTROL

  1. Push down for normal tone control
  2. Pull up for midrange control

 

PRS BASS ELECTRONICS

5 Position Rotary—Hybrid Pickup System

ROTARY POSITIONS

  1. Position 10: Middle pickup
  2. Position 9: Bass pickup
  3. Position 8: Treble and Middle pickups
  4. Position 7: Treble and Bass pickups
  5. Position 6: Treble pickup

CONTROLS

  1. Volume: Self explanatory
  2. Deep Control: Adds depth below normal "Bass"
  3. Clear Control: Adds clarity, not fret noise
  4. Pre-Amp Bypass Switch: If the battery goes dead (approximately 200 hrs. life), you can still play
  5. Internal Jack Switch: Unplug jack cord to turn off battery
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What are the different birds on the fretboard inlays?

Headstock: Bald Eagle
3:   Peregrine Falcon
5:   Hen Harrier
7:   Ruby-throated Hummingbird
9:   Common Tern
12: Red-tailed Hawk
15: Swallow-tailed Kite
17: Eastern Bluebird
19: British Storm Petrel
21: Golden Eagle
24: American Eagle Owl

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What might get me banned from the Forum?

    The webmaster insists on reasonably polite interchange in your posts. Obvious things like posting personal attacks on other members or using excessively foul language are sure ways of getting banned.  It is very hard to define what is offensive beyond that. Basically, if you are consistently obnoxious in your posts, or are obviously looking to put others down, you run the risk of being banned. The webmaster seeks to keep a peaceful website for people to visit. It is at the discretion of the webmaster to determine if someone is violating the general philosophy behind the website and decisions to ban are made based on the webmaster's personal views of whether a member is a positive or negative force.

    The PRS Forum tends to be a community of folks who have become close to each other and who may be protective of each other when a personal attack is perceived. Trying to ignite a battle doesn't make much sense here and will not be welcomed. This does not mean that opinions that are different from the majority shouldn't be expressed. Unless a post is so over the edge that an instant ban is merited, you would receive a warning from the webmaster that asks for a change in posting behavior. It is unlikely that there would be another warning. A ban means that the member may no longer post and that the email address(es) used by the member, and perhaps the IP#, will be locked out. Continuing to post when banned may result in the webmaster contacting the offender's internet service provider with a complaint.

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Setting up your PRS guitar

Guide To Stringing Your PRS (Excerpt from post by John A. Buffaloe):

It's really critical that the opening to the cam be properly aligned before you start. The string (any of them) must fit all the way in so that it's seated fully in the opening, and extending more or less directly toward the top of the headstock; this can only be done by rotating the tuning peg with the tuning knob until the string is in the right position. Do this without allowing the cam to lock. Once this is done, follow these steps.

 

  1. Insert the string fully into the cam slot and pull excess through by hand with light tension.
  2. While holding pull through tension on the string, bend the excess end 90º toward the middle of the headstock at the point where it exits the cam.
  3. Use the thumb of the same hand being used to hold the string in position to apply pressure on the cam wing toward the top of the headstock.
  4. Use your free hand to turn the tuning knob to concert pitch while continuing to hold backpressure on the cam wing.

Quick Guide To Setting Up Your PRS (Excerpt from post by Scott Peterson, edited by Dallas Dover):

Check Relief -- Press down at the first fret and the last fret and measure from the top of the 11th fret to the bottom of the low E string. That would be your relief that you can alter with the truss rod. Most folks look for just about a credit card or a business card in there. Adjust by tweaking the truss rod nut about a 1/4 turn at a time, letting the guitar sit for about a few hours to adjust each time. Good thing is once you get this set for your taste - most likely will never have to do it again as long you keep the same gauge strings on.

Check The Nut -- Fret on the third fret and tap the string between your finger and the nut. Listen for a distinct "ping". Hear it? Then all is well. Don't hear it or does it sound more like a "bonk"? Then get thee and thy guitar to a tech to check it.

Check Action -- Take a machinist ruler (Home Depot and $5 gets you one) and measure from the top of the 12th fret to the bottom of the string and do this for each string. I personally prefer 5/64" or 6/64" on the low E, then 5/64" for the A, 4.5/64" for the D and G, and 4/64" for the B and high E strings. Personal taste dictates this to a major degree along with playing style, etc. On the wraparound PRS bridge, it is really easy - you just adjust for the low E and then the high E and *poof* done. Do this with the guitar in playing position.

Check Intonation -- Unless you have a strobe tuner, the only other half affordable tuner I would even consider using is the Korg DT-7. My opinion. Adjust the intonation by matching the tuning of the open string against the same note fretted at the twelfth fret. Do this in playing position. If the fretted note is too sharp as compared to the open string, move the saddles back. If the fretted note is too flat as compared to the open string, move the saddles forward. This becomes somewhat of an art after you have done it for a while; I tend to like the b and high e strings slightly sharp (by about 1 or 2 percent for my ear and my playing). Perhaps it is my own Buzz F. System?

Pickup Adjustment -- Fret the guitar on the last fret and use your handy machinist rule to measure from the top of the adjustable pole piece to the bottom of the string. The way I like to do it is adjust the low E and high E strings to 8/64" (aka 1/8") when they are just about flat inside the bobbin. So I just turn the screw (like the bridge screws, use the proper sized screwdriver and go SLOW!) to just about flatten them with the top of the pickup, but not quite. Adjust the overall pickup height, then do the same measure and adjust but just with the fretted string and the adjustable pole piece on the other strings and pole pieces. Using this method, you get the pole pieces matching the radius of the neck and yields the sound I like to hear and play with. Start with this and "tune in" your favorite sounds for your ear and your playing.


Why can't I find out how much longer my PRS order will take?

NOTE: This was a reply from Brian Meader at Washington Music Center, a PRS dealer, on a thread that talked about members who felt that PRS wasn't doing enough to keep folks informed about their orders.

Hi Gang,

I have posted on this subject before, but apparently nobody remembers, so let me try to dispel some rumors and clarify some things:

1. PRS does not make guitars in batches. Every day, they have a build mix, in which they build a mixture of all of their models. They don't just build Customs, then move to McCartys, then Singlecuts, etc. Each day they build a mix of all of the models, which they adjust from time to time based on demand.

2. Neither your dealer, nor the factory, can give you a status of a current guitar order while it is being built. HERE is why (please everyone pay close attention):

here is the chain of events:
1. you place order with your dealer for a guitar with certain specs (model, color, bridge, inlays, options, etc.)

2. your dealer places the order with PRS's sales department for your guitar with it's given specs.

3. PRS's sales department creates a request to to production for a guitar with it's given specs. (stay with me on this one) PRODUCTION DOES NOT KNOW WHO THE ORDER IS FOR. The production department only interfaces with the sales department, not individual dealers.

4. Production builds a guitar with your specifications. (yes, it can take more than one attempt, as not all woods will take all of the stains, sometimes wood blocks that look like 10 tops loose their figure in carving, etc.)

5. Once production has finished a guitar, they give it's specs on the list of completed guitars for that day back to the sales department. Again, they don't know who the guitar is for, sales just gives them the order for a set of specifications and they make it.

6. The sales department matches the specs. of the completed guitars to the (STAY WITH ME) Oldest existing order in the system for said specs.

7. PRS ships the guitar to the dealer who had said oldest order.

The reason that they do it this way, and why they can't track individual guitars is very simple: They want to make sure that each completed guitar goes to the oldest order in place for it.

Why is this hard you ask? Here is why. Say 5 dealers order the same guitar in vintage yellow, at 5 different times. Say that the first guitar being run for the oldest order won't take the vintage yellow stain, and has to be started over. In the old days, that order would get pushed back, and the store that had the oldest order might get their guitar 3rd, or 4th, or 5th. Now, since the guitars get matched to their orders at the time of completion, the dealer with the first order gets the first one, the second gets the second, third gets the third, etc.

Also, say for instance dealer number 2 cancels their order before completion, dealer number 3 can now move up and take the 2nd one that is completed.

It is done so that the person with the oldest order gets their guitar first. Because of this, individual guitars are no longer able to be tracked, because they are not matched up until they are completed.

Honestly, Gibson can't track an individual guitar, (other than custom shop, which of course you can track a Private Stock guitar) Fender can't track an individual guitar, etc.

Is it frustrating to not know where your guitar is in line, YES. Would it be nice to be able to know where it is in the construction cycle, YES. Does it mean that you shouldn't buy a PRS guitar? I don't think so. IF you have to have something immediately, or need to know exactly where your guitar is at all times, you probably would be best served to try and find one in existing dealer inventory, that way there is no waiting and no worry about where your order is. IS it a life or death situation, NO.

Understand that PRS has NOTHING in stock at the moment. Understand that PRS has over 9,000 guitars on backorder at the moment. Understand that PRS makes on the order of 800 guitars in a month. (so if they stopped taking orders today, it would take them almost a year to build everything on backorder). Each month this year they have set a new record for total number of guitars built, but each month they have taken 1 1/2 times as many orders as guitars that they have built. Demand is at an all time high. All of that means they are swamped, and are doing the best they can to get guitars built as quick as possible, but they can only build a certain number of guitars a day.

Most of the forum dealers (ourselves included) have been doing a lot to bulk up our stock orders (guitars ordered for the store that are for general stock, no special orders for customers) so that we can have more guitars in stock, so that end user customers have more guitars to choose from in stock, as opposed to having to order them, so as to eliminate the wait time and other order hassles.

Also, I'll say this clearly so that everyone understands:

IF you are placing an order for a new PRS, expect a wait time of 10-12 months. Some run longer, some run shorter. IF you are ordering a quilt maple 10 top, quilt maple artist package guitar, or a quilt maple double 10 top/back, your wait time estimate goes out the window. There is no solid ETA for quilt, as it all depends on wood availability.

If any dealer is giving you an estimate that is earlier than this (3-6 months, 4-6 months, etc.) they are not giving you accurate information, and just trying to make the wait time seem not too bad, so as to get your order. Of course, this just upsets most people when their order runs longer than this, and I guess those dealers figure they can put the blame on PRS.

I hope this clears this up for everyone.

As always, just my humble 2 cents.

Brian from WMC




Are Brazilian Rosewood necks one piece?

[NOTE:  This is a response by Dave Hazel, a longtime PRS employee to a post asking about how Brazilian rosewood necks are made]

For the whole 13 years I've been at PRS we've been adding the little "wings" or what we call "ears" to the sides of the headstock. Sometimes the wood color and grain is matched up so well that it is actually difficult to tell that it's been done. Certain finishes or stains may also conceal these little glue joints better than others. There may be one or two PRS guitars out there that do not have this feature but if they exist they are flukes or unique employee models and I don't recall ever having seen one.

Now onto the real topic...1pc Brazilian necks.
Right off the bat you can see that this has never been strictly true. there's always been the two ears added on. But aside from that, what is meant by one piece and two piece?

For the series of Brazilian neck McCarty's that was made a few years ago many of the necks had to be constructed with a glue joint running lengthwise from headstock to heel. This is what I would call two piece without any question. A few private stock necks have been built the same way but the majority have not. What Joe Knaggs is calling "two piece" necks these days is something entirely different. The neck starts out as one blank of rosewood that is plenty wide but not quite "deep" enough from front to back. Smaller hunks of rosewood are glued [epoxied actually] on at the heel and the back of the headstock early in the process. It's hard to tell exactly how much of these add on pieces will remain in the finished product but generally it is a wedge shaped bit on the back of the headstock usually extending from the D and G string tuning peg holes to the tip and a very thin veneer left on the heel. [As a side note, the PRS Archtop has always had an add-on block glued to the heel]. Occasionally one or both of these added on bits will mill away completely during the normal manufacturing process. Technically this would be a 2 or 3 piece neck blank [or 4 or 5 piece one if you count the ears] and so we can't really call it a one piece neck. But, as was expressed earlier, they are essentially one piece where it counts. From the tuning pegs right down to the neck joint. Especially when compared to the ones with the lengthwise seam. At some point PRS will no doubt be forced to use even smaller pieces of this dwindling resource and will have to return to the lengthwise construction method but for now any private stock Brazilian necks will be made as I've just described.

One more note...PRS is not cutting these blanks smaller to get more necks out of them. They've actually come to us already cut at this size and we've just had to deal with it. It's simply a question of doing this or not offering them at all.

 


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Revised: January 01, 2001 .