Paul Reed Smith 10th Anniversary

Made 1994 to mark Pauls 10th year as a professional guitar builder. Typical PRS shape, but with the most incredible flame maple top finished in a deep cherry sunburst. 22 fret fat mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard. 25 inch scale. 2 Dragon humbuckers, 1 volume, 1 tone, 3 way pick up toggle and push pull coil tap on the tone control. Wrap round bridge and PRS locking tuners. Gold hardware. Scrimshaw engraved abolone bird inlays. Scrinshaw engraved PRS eagle on the headstock with 10th anniversary banner. Abalone bound fingerboard and headstock. Leather case and signed certificate showing this to be number 46 of 100. A second batch was made in early '95 making this 1 of only 200 made.

Well, I have been a PRS player for many years and my main guitar in a covers band that I play in is a Custom 24 with a few mods (PAF at bridge and three way toggle installed with a coil tap on the neck pick up only). To be honest I bought this guitar for it's looks, which are quite stunning. However, on plugging in it has the most wonderfull full yet crisp tone with a beautiful singing treble and great depth. It sounds so much more 'springier' than my Custom, but at the same time has so much more depth. To get a wonderful clean sound I just back off the volume; no need to use the coil tap. I only really play this at home through a simul class Mk3 Boogie and it sounds fantastic. I took it to one gig and it went through both my Blue Angel and Marshall and sounded equally wonderful. Trouble is, I would feel sick if anything got damaged and spoilt the look, so I guess I closset this baby a little; perhaps too much.

Perfect. The action is as low as anyone could want without any choking or rattles. I actually raised it a little. The finish....it is difficult to find words that describe the quality of the finish. It is classy, not flashy; the colour and application of paint and laquer is perfect; the inlays are perfect and if you have never seen srimshaw engraved birds....5500 lines of detailing engraved on the headstock eagle alone, and each of the birds up the neck is equally impressive. The top is the best book matched flame maple that I have ever seen...period. That includes books. It's 8 years old now and the gold hardware looks new. In a nutshell, action fit and finish are perfect.

The guitar will withstand live playing, I just don't want to use it too much live. Everything is up to, and in many cases above, PRS' high standards. My custom has stood up well to live and this will be no different.

They don't go wrong. I have only contacted the factory by e-mail for a couple of general enquiries and they have responded promptly.

I have been playing for 26 years and this is the classiest guitar I have ever owned. I own several others, including two other PRS'.The others are fine instruments and great work horses (strat, tele, SG, Les Paul, Music Man). This guitar and my Santana 2 are it, as far as ultimate guitars for me. The others are fine instruments and great work horses (strat, tele, SG, Les Paul, Music Man); but these are perfect examples of functional art - just like my Ducati 996.