Can someone explaing the various PRS models to me?
- Thread starter Mark Wein
- Start date
baimun
Funkasaurus Rex
The bread and butter for the longest time was Custom 22 and 24... both mahogany set necks, 25" scale, two humbuckers and trem. (normally)
Then the McCarty is similar to a Custom 22, but with a thicker mahog/maple body, thinner headstock, vintage tuners, and a stoptail.
The Modern Eagle is similar to the McCarty in shape and specs, but the neck is rare brazilian rosewood, the tops are usually fanicer and the finishes are custom shop nitro or satin. Later the Modern Eagle II split the difference as a slightly less expensive type of rosewood and gloss finish on the body.
The CE 22 and CE 24 were almost Custom 22 and 24 specs but with a maple bolt on neck. Some had solid alder or solid mahogany bodies.
The "Standard 22" or "Standard 24" are basically the Customs but with solid mahogany bodies.
When PRS started making the Single Cut, it was basically a maple topped McCarty in specs but with a Single cut carved top, hard tail, and the 2 vol /2 tone/ upper selector layout. Later the SC250 was a weight relieved version of the Single Cut with optional trem. Using the same naming convention, the SC245 was a 24 1/2" version of the single cut. While the SC250 uses locking tuners and offers the trem, the SC245 leans more vintage with kluson tuners and stoptail.
The Swamp Ash Special originaly was maple 22 fret, 25" scale bolt on with a H/S/H config in a Swamp Ash body, but the new SAS Narrow Field has three narrow humbuckers. bigger than a mini-bucker but not quite a P90 in size. Open coil with little bezels.
The 513 is a model with a longer scale (25 1/4") and is named for the 5 single coils that can be switched with a 5 position pickup selector and 3 way mode switch for full humbucking/clear humbucking/or true single for 13 different sounds. The original 513 had a brazilian rosewood neck, but they've later released mahogany necked versions with solid mahog body, mahog body with maple cap, or even the 513 swamp ash which is a maple neck and swamp ash body.
The 305 followed the 513... it's kind of a strat killer. 25 1/2" scale maple neck, trem, 3 single coil pickups, but the alder body is carved in the standard PRS shape with no pickguard.
The Mira and Starla are basically "Gibson Slab" style guitars... humbuckers with set mahogany necks, mira is a flat double cut, starla is a flat single cut with a larger pickguard. The starla was later released with an optional bigsby and filtertron style pickups. The Mira X is a lighter bodied (something related to basswood) with a shorter scale.
There are several hollow body models made over the years...
All are 25" scale, set mahognay necks... but the original hollow body was a big hunk of mahogany with a chamber carved out that was capped with maple or spruce. All have stoptails but some have Piezo.
The Hollowbody II had just a mahogany ring, with a maple front and back. The new hollowbodies have a solid block down the center of the body for more of a ES 335 sound.
I'll post this so far... then I'll go into some of the variations and signature models.
Then the McCarty is similar to a Custom 22, but with a thicker mahog/maple body, thinner headstock, vintage tuners, and a stoptail.
The Modern Eagle is similar to the McCarty in shape and specs, but the neck is rare brazilian rosewood, the tops are usually fanicer and the finishes are custom shop nitro or satin. Later the Modern Eagle II split the difference as a slightly less expensive type of rosewood and gloss finish on the body.
The CE 22 and CE 24 were almost Custom 22 and 24 specs but with a maple bolt on neck. Some had solid alder or solid mahogany bodies.
The "Standard 22" or "Standard 24" are basically the Customs but with solid mahogany bodies.
When PRS started making the Single Cut, it was basically a maple topped McCarty in specs but with a Single cut carved top, hard tail, and the 2 vol /2 tone/ upper selector layout. Later the SC250 was a weight relieved version of the Single Cut with optional trem. Using the same naming convention, the SC245 was a 24 1/2" version of the single cut. While the SC250 uses locking tuners and offers the trem, the SC245 leans more vintage with kluson tuners and stoptail.
The Swamp Ash Special originaly was maple 22 fret, 25" scale bolt on with a H/S/H config in a Swamp Ash body, but the new SAS Narrow Field has three narrow humbuckers. bigger than a mini-bucker but not quite a P90 in size. Open coil with little bezels.
The 513 is a model with a longer scale (25 1/4") and is named for the 5 single coils that can be switched with a 5 position pickup selector and 3 way mode switch for full humbucking/clear humbucking/or true single for 13 different sounds. The original 513 had a brazilian rosewood neck, but they've later released mahogany necked versions with solid mahog body, mahog body with maple cap, or even the 513 swamp ash which is a maple neck and swamp ash body.
The 305 followed the 513... it's kind of a strat killer. 25 1/2" scale maple neck, trem, 3 single coil pickups, but the alder body is carved in the standard PRS shape with no pickguard.
The Mira and Starla are basically "Gibson Slab" style guitars... humbuckers with set mahogany necks, mira is a flat double cut, starla is a flat single cut with a larger pickguard. The starla was later released with an optional bigsby and filtertron style pickups. The Mira X is a lighter bodied (something related to basswood) with a shorter scale.
There are several hollow body models made over the years...
All are 25" scale, set mahognay necks... but the original hollow body was a big hunk of mahogany with a chamber carved out that was capped with maple or spruce. All have stoptails but some have Piezo.
The Hollowbody II had just a mahogany ring, with a maple front and back. The new hollowbodies have a solid block down the center of the body for more of a ES 335 sound.
I'll post this so far... then I'll go into some of the variations and signature models.
baimun
Funkasaurus Rex
Wow... that's alot of words... Maybe it will be easier with pictures.
Custom 22 and 24.
22 or 24 frets, 25" scale
Mahogany Neck set into Mahogany Body, Maple Cap.
Usually trem.
The "Standard 22" and "Std 24" are same thing but with all mahogany bodies.
The McCarty
Variation on the Custom 22 (no 24).
Thicker body, stop tail, thinner headstock and klusons.
Modern Eagle is an upscale McCarty
Brazilian Rosewood neck, more spectacular tops and special finishes.
513 was a step into superstrat territory
25 1/4" scale, with 5 coils and 13 sounds.
Originally offered as brazilian rosewood neck, mahog/maple body.
Then switched to mahog neck with same body, and later all mahog body.
Now being offered with maple neck and swamp ash body.
The 305 goes "full strat"
25 1/2" scale, 3 singles.
Custom 22 and 24.
22 or 24 frets, 25" scale
Mahogany Neck set into Mahogany Body, Maple Cap.
Usually trem.
The "Standard 22" and "Std 24" are same thing but with all mahogany bodies.
The McCarty
Variation on the Custom 22 (no 24).
Thicker body, stop tail, thinner headstock and klusons.
Modern Eagle is an upscale McCarty
Brazilian Rosewood neck, more spectacular tops and special finishes.
513 was a step into superstrat territory
25 1/4" scale, with 5 coils and 13 sounds.
Originally offered as brazilian rosewood neck, mahog/maple body.
Then switched to mahog neck with same body, and later all mahog body.
Now being offered with maple neck and swamp ash body.
The 305 goes "full strat"
25 1/2" scale, 3 singles.
baimun
Funkasaurus Rex
The original single cut was set maple neck, 25" scale, 2 hums and a stop tail....
... but then variations came up with trem and eventually progressed into the modern SC250 (25" scale) locking tuners and hot pickups, or the SC245 (24 1/2" scale) with klusons, vintage pickups, and stoptail.
... but then variations came up with trem and eventually progressed into the modern SC250 (25" scale) locking tuners and hot pickups, or the SC245 (24 1/2" scale) with klusons, vintage pickups, and stoptail.
baimun
Funkasaurus Rex
The Santana was the first signature model, but it also leads into the modern Mira...
Shorter scale... 24 1/2", smaller doublecut body, different controls and different headstock.
The Mira uses a slab body similar in shape to the santana, but with a stop tail.
The Mira X is a lighter Obeche body with the shorter Santana scale.
The Starla and Starla X are both short scale, but different vintage/modern leans.
Shorter scale... 24 1/2", smaller doublecut body, different controls and different headstock.
The Mira uses a slab body similar in shape to the santana, but with a stop tail.
The Mira X is a lighter Obeche body with the shorter Santana scale.
The Starla and Starla X are both short scale, but different vintage/modern leans.
baimun
Funkasaurus Rex
This pic does a decent job of showing the original hollowbodies...
... The biggest difference was the back of the Hollowbody and the Spruce were a thick hunk of mahogany, carved out with a cap.
While the Hollow II, and the newer hollowbodies put carved maple backs on instead. The Hollowbody II CB has a solid block running down the inside middle.
... The biggest difference was the back of the Hollowbody and the Spruce were a thick hunk of mahogany, carved out with a cap.
While the Hollow II, and the newer hollowbodies put carved maple backs on instead. The Hollowbody II CB has a solid block running down the inside middle.
baimun
Funkasaurus Rex
The PRS DGT is a Dave Grissom signature model, but it's become one of the most popular models.
It's a variation on the McCarty model with a tremolo, an extra volume knob for a hint of "LP-ness" but with humbuckers that split really well for single coil sounds.
Also the neck carve is unique with 6100 jumbo frets.
It's a variation on the McCarty model with a tremolo, an extra volume knob for a hint of "LP-ness" but with humbuckers that split really well for single coil sounds.
Also the neck carve is unique with 6100 jumbo frets.
baimun
Funkasaurus Rex
Of course there are millions of variations... editions with solid rosewood necks... P90's... different switching (the Swamp Ash used to use the McCarty 3 way but now has a 5 way blade... which made it's way into something called the "Special" that's a Custom 22 with a 5 way blade).
The swamp ash has given way to a Swamp ash Narrow Field edition with these narrow humbuckers.
I wish they would use the 25 1/4" or 25 1/2" scale for this as I think that's where some of the strat "spank" comes from.
The swamp ash has given way to a Swamp ash Narrow Field edition with these narrow humbuckers.
I wish they would use the 25 1/4" or 25 1/2" scale for this as I think that's where some of the strat "spank" comes from.