Paul Reed Smith Guitars Custom 22 10 Top

I really don't think "Lou" and "MK" (the reviewers below) know what they're talking about. In fact, I don't think "Lou" even owns a Custom 22 and just blindly follows the "genius" of Ed Roman, the fattest guitar douche in the universe. "MK" says that the neck is too thin which is ridiculous because its neck size is definitely above average, fatter than both my Jackson Soloist and Larrivee D03R. "eddie famine" is complaining about PRS not having a desirable sound but modern guitarists in Incubus, Linkin Park, and even Rush use PRS Guitars.

I have a 2003 model, 10-top, birds, trem. The guitar is still doing great except for tarnishing on both the pickups and bridge. I assume it has something to do with silver content in the alloys PRS uses. The 5-way rotary is amazing and the volume and tone pots are nicely chosen. The locking tuners combined with the graphite nut prevent any tuning problems whatsoever and string changes take 5 minutes tops on this guitar (no locking tremolo to screw with.) Some people don't like the fat heel on the back but it's there to ensure that rigidity is kept at its maximum. Examine the backside of a Fender anything, Gibson Les Paul or ES-335. How come no one complains about those fat heels past the 16th fret on those guitars? Don't blame the PRS for your lack of talent. I don't know why anybody would give the guitar less than a "10" for features unless you prefer separate volume/tone controls for each pickup.

I love every setting on the rotary except don't hear too much of a difference between the two parallel settings. Combined with a good tube amp, you have pretty much the versatility of 3 guitars.

It's a PRS Custom 22 10-top. It's perfect.

...Wish the hardware kept its shine.

Their website is amazing with all the information and manuals you'll ever need on your guitar. It even details the wiring schematics.

I'm can't believe the number of rave "10" reviews this guitar gets. is a good guitar. Maybe very good, but not great. Many of the reviewers seem like they just bought it and are still in the ether about spending that much money, or they only play at "bedroom" volume at the house.
I've owned this guitar since new in 1995. Played through many different amps in many different places. Beautful 10 top, trem,perfect neck, maybe adjust twice in all this time. But here is problem #1 your beautfully tapered neck turns in a 2x4 slab at about the 15th fret. If you play alot that high, this may be a deal breaker. There is nothing you can do about it. If not, see problem #2

Everbody knows what a Strat sounds like. Or a Les Paul, or a Tele or Rick.These classic instruments have a signiture sound. What is the PRS signiture sound? OK, it doesn't have one. Not a knock on the instrument, just a fact. And for each of those classic guitars you have you favorite artist who play it. Clapton/Strat, Page/Paul and so on. Now quick, which of you favorite artists plays a PRS that is NOT a signiture model(Santana, etc)? Right, I can't think of one either. Thats because problem #2, The Sound. The bridge pup is thin and brittle sounding, the neck pup is just muddy and bland. The split coil sounds are OK at low volume, but add volume and a little overdrive, it's the worst of both worlds. Now this you can do something about.

If you have a trem equiped model, you may want to notice that the stock pup at the bridge is 50cm while the strings are 53cm. This means that the only 2 strings that line up with the pole pieces are the D and G! Was mine the only one or has no one noticed? I installed Bare Knuckle Mule pickups, and they made a world of difference. It is much more musical at any volume, not thin sounding.The split coil sounds even better, no Fender, but come on.
The BKP Mule is not a superdistortion pup and gives the PRS much more of a classic sound. Not a Paul, not a Strat, but a more flexible instrument. Now the question is, if it's this easy, why didn't Mr PRS put in better pups himself?

The answer is $$$$$$$.
Why spend it. Judging by most of the reviews in H/C you're in love with jaw dropping tones, blah blah blah. You can't even hear the difference because you spent so much money in the first place, or you're in love with the way it lookes, which is great, and are hearing with your eyes.

Never had any problems.

Would I get another, I don't know. You have to replace the pups .
That makes a big difference. They are a lot of money now.
I've had it for so long I know it very well, I know exactly what I can get out of it. I'm comfortable, I guess. And kinda broke.

"07" Custom 22 10/top in deep cherry sunburst. Guitar has DOTS instead of birds, (even though the box it came in said "w/BIRDS").
Has the trem system, silver hardware, and Schaller locking tuners, (the CHEAP ones). Neck is on the thin side, and feels like a Fender 7.25 radius, but flatter. Frets are medium, and nicely done. Nut is graphite, and perfectly cut (height and spacing). The finish on the guitar is spectacular. Has 2 "Dragon 2 humbuckers, one volume, one tone, and a 3-way toggle.

I have played Fenders and Gibsons only, for the past 35 years. It seems to me that Mr. Smith set out to combine the tones of a Strat, and Les Paul, in one guitar. Sadly, no cigar. Every PRS Ive tried, (and thats alot of different high-dollar models), fail miserably at getting the crunch of a humbucker, or the sting of a single coil from the before mentioned brands, reguardless of ANY amp or effect you put them through. The scale length of his necks is odd, and feels rather short when wearing the guitar, but it does ballance well. I opened it up and found the electronics to be a bit cheezy, but thats an easy fix for most of us. Where these guitars shine, is their finishes, and the detail that is put into getting things right the first time. I have NEVER seen one with a bad nut, bad string allignment, poor harmonics, or any finish flaws right out of the box. After playing this guitar along side a stock strat, and Les Paul,I will tell you that it DOES NOT cut through anywhere close. Its really a shame, because as I said, its one of the most beautiful guitars you'll ever see.

This catagory gets a 10 (flat-out).

I dont know as yet how it will fare in years to come. The hardware seems to fog over pretty easily, and Im guessing that this perfect finish wont stay that way forever with constant giging, (even being very careful. So far, it has towed the mark reliability-wise, stayed in tune ect. (so yes, at this point I would say that you can depend on it).

Here's a "Ripley's" for you.....THEY SHINE! Dont find that anymore with the other two.

Quite a few Fenders and "Gibbys", Marshall, Fender, Vox, and Sunn amps, an array of studio effects (hardly used anymore). I bought this guitar based on how it felt (different, but comfortable), its stunning looks, and (thinking) it would fit in the mix (blues, and rock). Unfortunately, it didnt deliver in the sound catagory. Way too thin (clean, or overdriven). There is NO DOUBT that these guitars have better production QUALITY than the two "You know Who's", but I play for a living, and tone and dynamics are the bottom line.
The Les Pauls are nothing new, and the only thing keeping them alive at this point are all the new FINISHES, (but they still have no competition for that crunch). Fender went the opposite way, with their "BATTERED" look, ( but again, nobody comes close to their single coil sound). Personally, Id like to see a battered Les Paul, or a Strat with a finish similar to one on these PRS's.

2001 Model purchased in 2003. Beautiful amber 10-top, best looking guitar I've ever owned. Wide fat neck with bird inlays. Dragon II pickups and 5-way rotary swithch (would prefer the toggle, but no big deal). Amazing tuners that stay rock solid even after a night of playing and aggresive string bends.

Played mostly through a Fender Deluxe (clean tone) and Rivera Chubster (overdriven) and have been very satisfied. You can pretty much get any sound out of this guitar you're looking for, yet it has it's own unique tone that is hard to mimic.

I purchased this guitar used, but all the new PRS guitars I've played locally have been set up pretty well. The finish on my guitar is beautiful and along with the bird inlays make it look like a piece of art. The bridge and pick-ups tend to oxidize quickly and need to be wiped down after played and polished regularly. Tuners and controls have been perfect, no issues.

The guitar seems durable enough and the reliability would not be an issue. However, this would not be my first choice to play live. This guitar looks great in mint condition, but would not look as good with the nicks and dings as say a Strat. Strats look great with those character scars that come with years of use.

Never needed to contact them.

I've owned many guitars over the years, and this is one of the keepers. Great sound, unique tone, excellent playability and intonation, and stays in tuner better than any guitar I've ever owned. I still own a Gibson Les Paul and a 1987 Stratocaster, both of which are better for some applications, but the PRS is easily the most versitle.

My model is a 2004 Custom 22 10 top with bird inlays. I have the dark cherry sunburst finished that I picked up in July of 2005 at a Guitar Center used. It was in like new condition so I think I got a pretty good deal on it. The neck is wide fat, the pickups are Dragon 2s, it has the 5-way rotary switch. The guitar is solid and sounds amazing. I walked into the store not planning on buying a guitar that day. My dream guitar had been a Custom 22 for some time but then I changed my mind. I had seen too many punk acts playing PRS and decided it wasn?t for me before playing one. I went into Guitar Center and tried out a few Les Pauls. I was really digging the Standard and the Classic. I saw the PRS behind the counter and thought, ?What the heck?!?? I plugged it in and instantly fell in love. The tone was more refined and modern. The sound was so different that even my wife noticed (that is really something!). Well, after a couple of hours I left Guitar Center with the guitar. Though I love the sound of Les Pauls this guitar just sounded better to me and covered so much more ground. I think all my nice guitar purchases in the future will probably be PRS. The build quality is just excellent, and the sound is amazing.

For most of us, this is the defining characteristic of the guitar. The Custom 22 sounds amazing. I?m in a band that plays a lot of covers as well as originals. We cover everything from classic rock to modern rock to country. The Custom 22 covers those sounds easily and helps in creating my own unique sound. I run my Custom 22 into a Peavey JSX head into a Genz-Benz G-flex cab. I also use a variety of effects. The guitar plays nice with everything. I love the sound of the bridge pickup. It is raw but not too brittle. It is great for lead work and sounds good for rhythm as well. I do wish it was a little better with harmonics though. The neck pickup is really where it is at for me. It gets very bluesy and the tone control does a lot for the sound. This guitar is just so versatile. I can cover everything from classic rock, to modern rock, to metal, to (heaven forbid) country, to pop. It will do anything and do it well. My only complaint with the pickups is the split coil sounds don?t stand out as well as the full humbucker sounds. It isn?t quite strat single coil but it still sounds great.

The action is just right. The finish is amazing. The 10 top looks great under lights and up on stage. The bird inlays are pretty cool as well. The guitar feels solid and feels good. It sounds good unplugged. You pick up the guitar and it just feels like a quality instrument. I?ve played Gibsons and Fenders and other big name guitars and this just feels like they put more time and attention to detail into it. The guitar plays like it should, it is reliable, and it sounds like it should. Custom 22s cost a lot of money but you can tell that you are getting quality craftsmanship for the price you pay. To me, it is worth how much I paid.
My only complaint about the finish is that they pickup covers get hazy easily. I clean them off after each time I play but bridge pickup cover is really hazy. I also sweat a lot and that probably doesn?t help.

This guitar is very reliable and durable. I would gig without a backup, given the strings are fairly new. The only issue I've had is the 5-way selector knob came off. I emailed PRS and they told me how to fix it. Really easy fix. PRS just makes a top notch guitar that you don?t have to worry about.

I?ve emailed PRS a few times with questions and they have always been prompt. They have given me concise answers to my questions in a timely manner.

I would definitely buy this guitar again if it were lost or stolen. It is my single most important piece of gear. PRS has done an excellent job of making me a loyal customer. Hopefully my next purchase will be a McCarty. Most other guitars I play just can?t compare with the craftsmanship and the sound of my PRS. That being said, this guitar isn?t for everyone. Some people will not like it. Some people will love it. Strat players may not find it gives them enough of a single coil sound. Les Paul players may say there isn?t enough of a ?chunk? to the sound. The guitar has a sound of its own but it will be convincing in the Strat and Les Paul territory as well.

2002 PRS Custom 22 10 Top Tobacco Sunburst Tremolo

Original Dragon II Pickups upgraded to Gibson Burstbuckers. 5 way rotary changed to 3 way rotary (the music store guy told me an original Gibson switch, not sure about that but works well, anyway)

Wide-Fat Neck w/ Birds

Full warm tone. The neck pickup really rules. Perfect combination for this guitar. Neck pickup's sound is somewhere between Gary Moore and Santana. Warm and singing.
The bridge pickup is a little too muddy for my kind of music (Rock, Hard Rock w/ metal-elements. Looking forward to replace it with a Tremonti Treble or a PRS #7 Treble.
The Burstbuckers are way better than the Dragon II's. More full tone but, as mentioned, on the bridge position a little too bassy. Neck-PU is perfect and will never be replaced.
Because I've owned a stoptail Cst22 before I can say that the tremolo has no negative effect on the tone as mentioned so often. I really don't hear any differences in sustain or anything.
The volume pot is very well defined. You can do some nice crunch sounds with it.

Bought it used and it was dead-mint. Kept in the case most of the time by the pre-owner. Had to set it up to my specifications. A little more difficult due to the tremolo than on the Stoptail Cst 22 I owned before.
The 10 Top is not bookmatched. Don't know if that should be? Seen an artist package Cst and it wasn't bookmatched too. Anyway, great finish as well. When polished the clear coat looks like it is a hundred meters deep. Really really nice. No errors in the lacquer or the wood.

No fear using it without a backup. Never disappoints me. The strap buttons delivered ex work are pretty good with a high rim. I usually use strap locks but no necessarity on this one.
The tremolo rocks!! It never goes out of tune even when doing monster divebombs. Never seen that on non-Floydrose guitars.
The finish is very sensitive for pick scratches. But with a good polish that is no problem, too.

No repair or contact to the company.

I'm playing since 1993. I've owned some Les Pauls, Strats, Peavey Wolfgangs and ESPs. That PRS is definitely the best of all. It doesn't have to hide behind the Les Paul and is as versatile as the Strats. It is a guitar to keep for the rest of your life or at least stay with the company. You don't want a Les Paul back when you've played a PRS Custom for months. Only thing I could imagine is to sell it for an Artist Package Custom.

This is an update from the last review. The Tortise Shell Custom. I believe a new review is in order after 2 full months. My opinion has changed a bit.

While Im in the Features part, the tuners are rock solid. No tuning issues, easy string changes.

Last time I complained about that bridge. Well I gotta tell you. I am very impressed at how the bridge works with the guitar. I can put either 9's, 10's, or 11's, in any tuning (I've tried Drop-C and everything above Drop-D and Standard style) and the intonation is SO ON!!! Its stupid!!! Most times I didnt even have to make the adjustments that ARE available on the bridge. It stays rock solid. Its easier to clean because there are no little spaces for dirt to build up!

I may still someday replace it with a fully adjustable bridge. But honestly, I am in NO rush whatsoever. Im actually thinking about maybe since the bridge is a one piece of solid metal, instead of having individual saddles, that string vibration is transferred even better to the 2 main studs which run into the body.

I am impressed.

I had mentioned last time how it took me a while to start to REALLY like my PRS. Well...I basically have kept liking it more and more everyday I play it. I've since played a few shows out with it as well. As time goes on I love it more and more. I was playing it for a solid hour right before I stopped to write this new review.

It sounds amazing. Same compliments as last time but Wow. I mean Wow.

So far it has been a pleasure to clean and re-string. A pleasure to setup. I dont even have to set it up! So far its done nothing but perform beautifully.

I DO still believe my top is not a 10. But you know what? Its still beautiful!!! And what this guitar does makes what color it is not even matter.

Awesome. Shows were great. Playing it is just awesome. It so much fun playing something that feels so solid!!

THIS is a freakin' guitar ladies and gents!

I recently took a tour of the PRS factory in Maryland!!! It was AWESOME!!!

Drew the accessories guy took me through and showed me everything from where the bare wood is kept to where the guitars finally ship. He was awesome and all the employees there kicked ass.

I have SEEN these guitars being made. They LOVE making these guitars. They only use CNC machines for very rough parts. Mostly the parts you want to use a computer anyway!! Eveything else is hand done. Finishing, frets, inlays, the list goes on and on.

They ligit work hard on these guitars. I take away my statement that these guitars are not worth the $$$. After the way I've grown with my PRS, I would pay 3 times what I payed!! This is what I have been waiting 13 years for.

I know this review seems way to good and glowing. But please. I am being completely honest. Truth is, I'm used to playing somewhat mediocre guitars. All Ibanez. Which Im not gonna bash. They were GREAT guitars for the money. Which was like 400$ each. Great for the money. But PRS is ALSO, great for the money. And a whole lot of money at that!!!

You know guitarists' evolve and change. We grow to like different things after time. But I would be willing to bet PRS is my guitar of choice for a long long time. If not forever. Until something comes along and does better what my PRS does. Which I doubt is gonna happen.

I have really fallen in love with my PRS.

2004 Custom 22 in Tortoise Shell. You know the other specs. If you don't, read the reviews above, their accurate.

I originally bought a trem-equipped model. After a month I exchanged it for the exact same model with the hardtail. Problem was it came from another store and I basically didn't see it before accepting it. I trusted on PRS quality reputation to go ahead and have it sent. Well PRS held their reputation just fine. The replacement guitar I received was excellent.

Now. I do think its absolutely absurd that they don't include the adjustable bridge on all their American models. It fact, a very very small part of me is somewhat offended. I love my PRS. But it is not fun spending 2700 dollars on a guitar with a bridge that is not the best for it. The guitar loses 3 points stock because of this very very important feature. Shame on PRS for making a cost-cutting move like that. Pa-leeze. Fine for your Korean(SE) models. But not your Americans.

Its funny. It took a little time for me to finally hear the quality. Usually people pick up a PRS and in a second go, "WOW!!", I didn't. Oh sure I could hear it sounded better then most other guitars I've played, but it wasn't until I could get some slightly heavier strings on it and "broke it in" a little to really make it scream. When I get my poweramp tubes hot its gets even better. It sounds full, it sounds correct. It sounds like the strings are playing with each other in harmony instead of sounding different and somewhat off. Of course it probably helps to mention I switched out the Dragon II with a Duncan JB. But the Dragon was a GREAT pickup. Just didn't have enough output for my own tastes.

Well the setup seemed great from the factory. But everytime I buy a new guitar I already begin messing with it to suit my own taste. I like slightly higher then average height, while retaining very accurate intonation. This guitar performs beautifully.

This is a "10-top" model. BUT. I do not consider my top a 10. I rate my top probably a 7 or 8. It looks great don't get me wrong. But I have seen MUCH better. But I didn't buy the guitar for the top (although I did pay for it!)

The finish itself is exceptional. It looks like glass, and at a certain angle is like a mirror. Thats a good laquer finish. To bad I'll probably scratch it up a decent amount. But hey you only live once. And sadly when you die, you can't take your PRS with you. ;)

I don't understand people who buy PRSs, and won't play them out live. C'mon man! You need to shine when your onstage!! Its no fun having an excellent guitar like this and only playing it at home. Where no one can hear it. Or only using it for recording. I understand if you had three or four PRSs and decided to keep one or two for home and studio use only. But most can't afford that many of these.

So yes. I believe these guitars are very reliable and durable.

O.K. I have heard some good things about PRS customer support. I have also heard some bad things. I will tell you only of my encounter with them. When changing the Dragon Treble out for a Duncan JB, I e-mailed PRS asking if I should get the pickup f-spaced(for the trem) or regular spaced(which is spaced for tune o matic style bridges).

The response I got was absolutely no help. It seemed like it was written in 5 seconds without even being thought of and just sent to me. Actually I can write the whole email. I asked if I should be using f-spaced, and the ENTIRE response was-

"Yes f-spaced should work fine. Thanks for your interest in PRS guitars."

Thats it. Thats all. Are you kidding me?? So I called PRS and spoke with someone there. What did they tell me? "No dont use f-spaced. We use regular spaced."

My customer support experience was not very good at all. Its like they say, first impressions are very important.

Ok so Ive gone into detail about alot of things with this guitar. My overall rating is as follows.

PRS are great guitars. They are of high quality. Everybody knows this. It is my opinion that they are not worth the price they charge. I believe a model like mine should be sold for about 1,500-7,000. That to me would be more reasonable. But. With demand comes price increases. Reason why I plan on keeping my PRS is simply because I decided to put quality and preference before cost. I decided I only live once, I should own a really nice guitar. Period.

If you love guitar enough, and have the funds available, then I could never say PRS is a bad choice.

Custom 22 Ten Top, Birds, Tremolo, Amber Finish, All -Stock Pickups Dragon II T/B.. The only thing I needed to install was some Dunlop Straplocks. It's got the Wide-Fat neck which is the way to go.

I originally hated the 5 way Rotary Knob..cause I'm used to strats and super strats..Jem, Js1, Fender Clapton etc.. But the sounds achieved via this system is amazing.. Rich Neck sound..lots of sustain..clear Bridge.. I play a variety of styles from Satriani to Eddie and even Reggae and Neo Classical and I got 18 guitars from Les Paul Standard to those mentioned to even a Parker Fly Classic..and the funny thing is this I generally would use 3 guitars on a standard gig..the main is the PRS and I generally need 2 guitars to back up that one if I were to break a string..

The absolute Best action and setup ever known to man.. I changed from 9's to 10's though..minor tweaking...good to go...Great top..The guitar fell of a stand and the neck knocked against something and has a little nick at the 5th fret..but I gotten used to it...makes me remember that I'll never sell it.

I never poped a string live with this..but I play alot of guitar dominated music.. Satch, Lynch, Toto, Blah Blah.. and I wont want to feel insecure about making a wide vibrato or bend..

I wrote once about the posibility of have the same pickup combinations via the toggle and push pull..but they said no.. I still think it may be possible.

I've been playing maybe 12 years of intense stuff.. I stated on Randy Rhoads Jake E Lee, Lynch,, Scorpions..so I got some skill I would like to think.. I win lots of Guitar competitions..If it were stolen..I would shove a rusty nail up the bastards dick hole..and run my power amps to the nail and have it arc a bit..then I'll take my guitar and have it blessed.

Mine's a 2001. I love the 5-way knob! I use all 5 settings and I never have to worry about smacking a toggle into the wrong position. It's got the PRS trem which is super solid, although I rarely use it. The PRS locking tuners are tough as well and even though I bend all night, I rarely have to re-tune. It's got a "wide-fat" neck and that's comfy as well. The case is a solid tolex hardshell.

I bought this guitar for its versatility. I play a variety of styles and find that all 5 of the pickup settings are useful for distinctly different sounds. I can get a thin strat-like single coil sound or back up to a round neck-PU. The bridge PU setting gives me the right sound w/out too much treble. The only thing I can't achieve with this guitar is a hollowbody sound, but I didn't expect it.

The intonation and action were perfect from the factory and I've only had to tweak it a couple of times. It came stock w/ 9's and I use 10's, so I had to make some minor adjustments. The top is not a "10-top" and the flame isn't perfectly symmetrical, but all that did was save me a couple of hundred bucks. Likewise for the "moons" inlays rather than the "birds". I don't want to spend hundreds on aesthetic quality just to gig and ding the hell out of it. The PU's were just the right height and I have huge output without obstruction. Again, THE INTONATION WAS AND REMAINS FLAWLESS!

The construction of my guitar is PERFECT and has held up to the beating I give it. My instrument is a TOOL rather than a piece of art, and I toss it around pretty liberally. Hey, that's what the hard case is for! But the guitar has shown its toughness despite my irreverent treatment. PRS finishes are super thick and I think that it would take forever to wear it down. The strap buttons have never seen a second of use, since I threw Schaller's on it the day I got it. The only wear and tear it's seen is on the PU covers, but that's only because I'm a slob and I never clean them. I gig without a backup every week and although I occasionally have to deal with a lightning string-replacement, I don't have the money for PRS #2 and am too dissatisfied with the other guitars I own (A Schecter with crap electronics and an Epiphone)to gig with them.

I used to work at a guitar shop in Baltimore, so I developed a personal relationship with PRS reps. They've always been great to me and my former customers. I have no clue about the warranty and I've never had to have it repaired.

I've been playing for 15 years and I love this guitar. It's my baby and an extension of my playing. I play it through a Marshall JTM60 2x12 combo and the 3 of us get along perfectly. I got an insane deal on it as a GC employee, and it was worth every penny. I would definitely save up for another one if I had to. It feels better than any other solidbody I've ever played, let alone owned. It's perfect for me. Do yourself a favor: Screw the "birds 10-top" price increases. Although it's hard to find a CST22 or CST24 without those features, all they do is empty your wallet for nothing.

Standard guitar in my opinion...nothing special...and too many faults...I will explain later

Horrible! Heavy guitar. The flamed maple top is only a thin cheap veneer. Not a hand made guitar..completely cnc produced. Extremely over rated...everyone climbs on the PRS and gibson band wagon. The neck heel on this guitar is disgusting...frets arent properly dressed..the wrap around bridge is not adjustable.

Impossible to play past the 12th fret...waste of money.

PRS doesn't use good woods on their guitars anymore...3 grand for a guitar with a rosewood fretboard? what a joke. they dont use ebony because the machines they use to put in the frets will split the wood because the grain is so tight. Everyone who worships these guitars is ridiculous. I highly doubt they can play too. PRS does not listen to suggestions

I have play parker guitars...try them. Best guitar ive ever played. this is a waste of money just like gibsons. All machine made horrible quality wood and parts. I hate people that just buy for the name.

2001 (I think), originally designated as an "artist loaner" by PRS, i.e. one of the fine specimens of their production line guitars that they loan out to their sponsored artists. Anyway, the guy eventually bought it from them and then sold it to me.

Beautiful amber sunburst finish, ten-top, mahoganny body, brazilian rosewood fretboard, the birds (ya gotta love the birds), etc...

I specifically wanted one with push pull switch rather than the rotary deal.

Dragon II passive humbucking pickups.

The wide/fat neck style...more on this later.

PRS has indeed grown, and I'm a little concerned to see them working with guitar center; it sort of inevitably means their quality will decline. That's too bad, because this is indeed the loveliest guitar I've ever played.

I've had it for about six months now; I've only been playing guitar for about five years, but I'm serious musician with an extensive background in classical music and jazz, working primarily on what I can only call experimental (though heavily composed) noise-rock/free-jazz/electronica fusion.

I loved the sounds of Sonic Youth and other single-coil oriented indie rock bands; I also needed something a little more versatile, that could give me bigger, jazzier tone when needed. And I don't mind being able to sound like Page either.

The Dragon II pickups are a little slicker (in a bad way) to my ears than the Mcarty's; if you have any kind of fetish for a vintage sound, go with those. They have more character--more "detail" and grit to the sound. The Dragon IIs are purer, rounder, smoother; a little more phishy (that's an insult in my book). This makes the treble pickup especially a little bland sounding in humbucker mode (I end up boosting the treble on my amps a lot). But I was trying to move on sonicly from my influences, so I decided to go with it.

The tone knob has a push in/pull out function beyond its normal tone duties that is perhaps the main reason I bought this guitar. It allows you to either be in humbucker mode, or to split the coils and be in single coil mode; in either, your pickup selector still has its normal three options. I'm still planning on sanding the center of this knob a little bit so that its easier to pull out (switch into single coil) even with sweaty hands and only a beat's time.

In single coil mode, it really does sound, feel and deliver like a mellow strat. it's pretty incredible. I love the treble pickup sound in this mode--great for dense, sparkly chords.

In humbucker mode, well, you know, you can't really play anything other than power chords without things getting really muddy really fast, but any kind of hard rock riff or jazz lead playing sounds pretty great.

In the end, I incline more towards a single coil sound unless I'm playing really straight jazz (which is rare), but it is cool to essentially be able to go into a sort of low overdrive without a pedal simply by playing single coil at your amps highest clean volume, and then hitting the tone knob down to overdrive your amp with your newly engaged humbuckers.

This is also the most resonant, sustaining guitar I've ever played. Period.

I play through fender tube amps of various varieties. Analog, true bypass pedals.

The guitar had been set up by some hot shot nashville luthier before I got it, so I have no idea what a prs is like out of the factory. I've played around with the action over time and with string size; i'm down to prs 95's and the lowest, smoothest, lowest action imaginable; playing accoustic makes me feel really spoiled these days.

The finish is really quite incredible; in club lighting, it looks absolutely amazing (prs designs its finishes specifically to look good under stage lights).

The glue-in neck work is flawless.

This thing is elegantly constructed to the extreme, perfectly balanced, sits nicely around the neck. As I mentioned, it has prs's wide-fat neck, which I'm sure increases the sustain among other things; it also might feel a tiny bit strange at first. But I've come to really enjoy it; it's also improved my hand posture.

Prs strikes me as on their way downhill on the customer side of things; unless you're Santana, who can walk into any factory and pick out whatever he wants for that night's gig, I've heard they don't pay much attention to you. But I haven't actually had to deal with them yet.

I definitely tried a whole bunch of guitars over the year or two in which I realized I needed a new guitar. Firebirds I liked a lot, various vintage strats. G&L's were high in the running at the end; those are equally well made guitars, for a better price, I would say. But this ax just sort of popped up on ebay one day, at the right price; and I believe the schtick about the artist loaner; i've tried other custom 22's and they don't feel quite as balanced and resonant as this one. In that sense, it seems kind of unique, and if I lost it I definitely might by a G&L comanche instead. But would eventually want another custom 22. It's incredibly versatile, and it really makes you feel musically empowered, instrument as extension of yourself, less mediation, all that. So maybe I would say its more of a musician's guitar than a guitarist's guitar.

mines a custom 22 black cherry top 10 with quilt top. It was made in 2000. has the stock dragon II's in neck and bridge. The guitar sounds and looks amazing. The quilt patterns make a world of difference. I think it's one of PRS's most versitle guitars.

The sound is truly amazing. I like the dragon II pickups better than all PRS pickups except for the santana's. Those are really awesome too. I think my next guitar will be a santana model.

every thing was great about the setup of the guitar, however I always play with the pickup heights frequently.

It's a very dependable guitar, I've had it for 4-5 years and never had any trouble what so ever. Ofcourse I would never gig without a back up, but if I had to gig with one guitar I would defently choose this one.

I've never had to bother with customer support, and I have no idea how long the warranty was. I personally do most of the work to my guitars on my own

I play this with a Marshall dsl 100 and I love the way they work together. This guitar is number one on my list of current production guitars. If this guitar were stolen I would eventually buy another. I won't give this guitar a perfect overall rating because they are a bit too pricey.

2002 model, Violin Amber flamed 10 Top, Wide-Thin neck, Tremolo, locking tuners, McCarty 3-way pickup switch and the ubiquitous Dragon II pickups.
This is THE guitar, the one with the mojo, that instrument that will immediately allow me to connect with the music and fly.
Feature wise, it's fine for me. It's a marked change to what I've had before feature wise (LP and Strat types), far simpler and yet the variety of tones has to be heard to believed.
This guitar+a good valve amp=TONE, heavenly tone.

I've waited a few months before writing this in order to fully, honestly deliever a proper opinion on it's tone.
From the minute I heard my first PRS (at the hands of one Carlos Santana)I was hooked on that nasal tone that seems to go with most of their guitars.
Although that's by no means all they do, I've gotten top notch jazz and rockabilly sounds as well as any higher gain tone you can mention from it.
The tone and volume controls seem to interact with one another very well, indeed far better than most guitars I've played.
The tone is by it's very nature (maple top, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard) quite rich and full, although when using the coil-tap and altering amp and guitar settings I could get it to sound quite thin.
I'm currently played this through an alibi amp which for the purposes of this article will remain anonymous, but I've tried it with MANY proper tube amps, and it seems to work best with Mesas and Vox ACs. (This is a reflection of the owners personal taste, there's nothing to say it won't work equally as well with any other marque)
It responds well to effects. I play in 2/3 bands and need anything from that tinny sound mentioned earlier to washed-out, heavily reverbed delay, to liquid gain and industrial and the guitar brings out the best in anything I use with it.
Honestly, there's nothing I dislike about the sound. It won't replace any Les Paul or Strat or Telecaster or indeed any other guitar you may have, but it'll be a great addition, and for sure, it has become the centre of my sound. For that reason, it merits a 10.

I had the guitar shipped to me from the States and had a shop here set it up after the flight. It plays like a dream. I tend to favour guitars with very low action on them, and strung with 9s this is butter smooth. It might be just me, but at first I didn't find it didn't accomodate string bends as much as say, a Les Paul. I'd credit it with the width of the fingerboard and the wide-thin neck, but with adjusting my playing style it's fine... it's actually improved my playing!

No problems with the pickup height, it was perfect.

The top on this guitar is amazing. I've heard of 3D PRS tops and I've seen a lot of them that didn't have them, but this really is something else. It seems that with the change of light there's another new dimension to it. It looks sensational. The flame is just right, and the top was well matched.

The nut was well cut, and I've had no electrical gremlins pop up and surprise me so full marks, I got a good one.

The intonation is good and it seems to hold it's tune better than any other guitar I've owned.

I'll give it a 9 here, as I can't comment on the factory set up, just the set up I had done on it.

I have friends who've owned various PRS for years without trouble, so I should be able to expect the same with my own.
I got a good one - I've found with PRS, as with any other guitar, that some either have the mojo or don't, and I was very lucky with this.
This is my 'studio' guitar so to speak (none of my bands are properly gigging at the moment)and as it's been faultless in the 4/5 months I've had it, I'd say it'd hold up well in a live situation. It's well put together, the strap buttons are big and durable and the guitar balances comfortably.
If the threat of it being stolen at a gig wasn't so high, I'd use it without a backup, without a doubt.

I'm not going to comment on PRS Customer Service, save for that the one e-mail I sent in to them was promptly and courteously answered.

I bought my guitar from Willcutt Guitar Shoppe in KY and HIGHLY recommend them. Eric Cummins is a gentleman, and one of the most helpful people on the planet. Thanks for steering me right pal! I got myself one hell of a guitar.
Check out their site at: www.willcuttguitars.com

Been playing a number of years now, and play a number of styles and this is my tool for all of them.
I saved up for a long time to get this guitar, and now that I have it, there's not a thing that I regret about it.
If it were stolen... God help the fucker if I find him! I'd actually buy another one, if I had the money and if I didn't, I'd save up. I do plan on buying another at a later date, not to replace this one, but to go with it. It does everything I could want in a guitar, and most importantly it has it's own vibe. It doesn't feel, sound or have a vibe like a Gibson/Fender/Hamer whatever, it has it's OWN vibe and that is important. A thoroughly great instrument.

To anyone curious enough to check one out; Play lots of them before you buy, just like you would any other guitar. PRS churn out a lot of good guitars, but you gotta search for the great ones.
And if you can't check out a lot of them, get in touch with Eric above, he'll sort you out!

Thin mahogany body, thick maple top, double cut-away design with two humbuckers and the dreaded PRS tail piece. The top is a nice orange flame and looks great. Two Dragon II pickups make up the electronics along with decent pots/caps. The tuners are also decent quality although I have a thing for smooth Kluson tuners.

The sounds is fairly balanced and modern sounding. I can pull off jazz through modern rock with the turn of the dial on my amp. I don't know if the split tones are that useful in a live situation, but great for jamming at home or recording. The humbucker tones are where it is at and the reason for buying the guitar. I'll get a strat if I want single coil. I like that most PRS pickups seem balanced from low to high.....tight lows and smooth highs are a great thing! This guitar gives a different feel than say a stat, SG, or Les Paul. This will never replace my Les Paul but nor shoul it! They are different animals and the LP can do things the PRS can not and the PRS can do things the Paul can not. I love em both. I am sure I will buy another Les Paul some day as I will buy another PRS some day. I feel a Les Paul is a must have guitar but I am glad I bought the PRS as a sweet compliment. Again this is only my opnion so try it first!

Just about perfect.

N/A

Great.

See above. I would also like to mention that it may be worth it to also buy the after market PRS adjustable bridge for those who like heavier strings or alternate tunings. I think PRS may want to consider including the intonable bridge ion the future.

This guitar had everything I needed period. I loved the switchable tones on just one turn of a knob: easy access! This is the custom 22 10 top. Damn!! The single best finish bar none. The fit and finish at every angle was perfect...I mean PERFECT. I won't go through every thing here. My opinion is that I've played and owned every major and some minor manufactures and this is an exquisite guitar in every single aspect.

I 've played guitar for over 35 years. This guitar does it for me. I'm glad I finally decided to try it out. After what gibson did by suing them (PRS), I said F*** gibson. They think they own the corner on single cut guitars. They're pissed off because PRS is selling. Tough shit. PRS is at least twice the guitar that "any" gibson is. I play in a CCR tribute band. We also play a plethora of classic rock tunes. This guitar covers Chet Atkins to huge rock & roll. I don't dislike anything this guitar has, or does.

I bought this guitar from Guitar Center, San Jose, Ca. I paID ABOUT $2700.00. When I took it off the shelf, it was perfect...even polished. It just dropped in my hand. The sound was from honey dripping, to hard core Jimmy Page, Bob Seager, John Fogerty rock & roll. Zero flaws period. I don't lay out $2700.00 plus tax for something sub-standard. I work very hard for my money. This is a keeper. I bought the black burst. It looks like tobacco burst to me, but...Damn! Thisa is the guitar I've been waitnig for. gibson wishes they could manufacture a guitar like this...those greedy, arrogant bastards.

This axe is built like a shit brick house. It can withstand an earthquake, a flood, any hard vibrato yo want to give it. I'm talking absolutely the very top of the line here. Everything about this guitar is completely solid. GEEEZ...I wouldn't need any back up at all.

PRS has sent me personal emails, letters, and sent brouchures straight away. They take great pride in their workmanship and their customer service. I teach and give seminars to top end companies on customer service. I've got news...PRS could take over for me...trust me, I'm paid very well for my seminars...very well...I know what I'm talking about and the clients know it.

I've been playing for over 35 years. I guess by now I know what to ask when making a major purchase. If it were stolen, I would nail the perp's balls to a stump and push him over. If it were a woman...you don't want to know! I love seriously everything about it and hate nothing. My afvorite features are the playability, the fit and finish, and the incredible sound. I wish I could afford another one!