PRS SE series guitars
The PRS SE series (which stands for Student Edition) are the most affordable PRS electric guitars. They’re manufactured in facilities outside of PRS’s main factories in Maryland to cut costs, but they keep many of the quality features found in the higher-level guitars.
You can find many of the guitar models from the PRS Core and S2 series available in the SE line, like the PRS SE John Mayer Silver Sky. Other popular SE series guitars include the PRS SE Santana and the PRS SE Paul’s Guitar.
PRS acoustic guitars
PRS also makes several quality acoustic-electric guitar models. The PRS SE Angelus A60 and the PRS SE Angelus A50 are two exceptional acoustic guitars with PRS’s hybrid X/Classical bracing that really allows the top to vibrate freely for exceptional tone and projection.
And if you thought these guitars sounded good acoustic, plug them in and listen to the Fishman Sonitone pickup system sing! Easy-to-access volume and tone controls help you dial in the perfect sound for any show.
Looking for something a bit smaller and easier to handle? The PRS SE Parlor P20 is the perfect companion for any traveling musician.
History of PRS Guitars
Going through school, Paul Reed Smith took as many shop classes as he could. He just loved to work with his hands. As a challenge for a college professor, he built his first guitar by hand and decided to take his passion for guitars and guitar building to the professional level.
The next several years were spent with Paul Smith building a guitar, playing a few gigs to field test it, then redesigning his models from the ground up to make them even better. Eventually, he met up with another guitar-building legend, Ted McCarty (who was the former president of Gibson and the creator of the iconic ES-335, Explorer, and Flying V) who became his mentor and partner while designing the early PRS models. In 1985, Smith was finally ready to open a factory of his very own, and PRS was born!
What set PRS guitars apart was their dedication to quality. Initially, all PRS guitars were completely hand built with custom tuning pegs, patented vibrato, and high-quality electronics — which included Paul Smith’s custom rotary pickup switch and incredible humbuckers.
To sell his creations, Paul Smith would go around to different venues and talk to artists, seeing if they’d want to buy his guitars. Through his dedication and tireless efforts, he managed to get in with several big-name players like Carlos Santana, Howard Leese, and Al Di Meola.
As PRS got bigger, Paul Smith expanded his small operation to a 20,000-square-foot manufacturing facility on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Despite their incredible growth, PRS remains dedicated to producing the best quality guitars possible, no exceptions.
Today, PRS builds perhaps the finest factory-built electric guitars anywhere, and they show no signs of slowing down. If you’re looking for the best of the best, there’s nothing like a PRS!