Paul Reed Smith Custom 22 Soapbar

My guitar is from 2008. It has the new inlays, which are nice but not as classy as the older ones. It doesn??t have a ten top but looks close to one through the blue matteo finish. It comes factory set with three custom adjusted S. Duncan p90, which are overly hot unless you want to play metal (12 k resistance for a bridge p90!!!!). The rest is perfect as it should be in a Custom 22. Perfect bridge, perfect neck, perfect body fit.

I ordered this guitar knowing that I wanted a p90 guitar sound. When it arrived to the shop, the duncans were so stupidly hot that as soon as I got the guitar home I began searching for replacement pickups. There was no way to get a soulful sound out of them, they were so hot that it was almost impossible to get different shades with the tone and volume controls. I don??t have a clue as to what has decided PRS to put such hot pickups in this guitar. Now the good news: I started searching online for the best p90 replacement and got to the point where I felt that Lollars would be a good bet. I installed the pickups and viola!!! A different guitar was there. The output was normal, the frequency response was completely different, the volume and tone controls became interactive giving thousands of shades with overdrive, the intermediate positions had a quack quality to them that made me think about selling my strat for a moment. To change the pickups on this guitar was by far the best 270 dollars that I spent in music. No I will give a 10 in sound, but if it were for the factory fitted Duncas I would have given it a 6.

Perfect as in other PRS I have. Everything works as it should, the instrument works, it is a professional instrument except for the pickups which suck. They are so hot that make you think the whole electronics suck, which is unfair because with the Lollars the controls work brillantly.

Built to last.

Average through e-mail.

Great guitar, not as sweet as my old custom 22, but almost. I have Fenders, a Custom shop Gibson 359 and 2 other PRS. This guitar has come alive with the Lollars. I had been hearing that PRS was no good with pickups and trusted with this particular PRS thinking that with the Duncans there was no way to go wrong, but I was mistaken. I will deffinitely buy Lollar pickups for my HBII, because the Lollars show a frequency response and detail I had never heard in any other pickups. Beautiful in this guitar.

This is a 2008 "Limited Run" edition of the Custom 22 Soapbar (only 100 made in this issue). Beautiful deep red color, highly figured flame maple top (but not a 10-top), 3 P90 Seymour Duncan soapbar pickups, 5-way switch, new-style PRS locking tuners, glued-in mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard, PRS tremolo.

I didn't really need or want the bird inlays on this guitar, but I believe all of this limited run edition has them.

My modest goal has been to find a guitar that could "do everything"; i.e. credible renderings of all three of the main solid-body guitar sounds, Strat, Tele, and Les Paul. Is it possible to have one guitar that can cover all these bases without pedals, and without having to switch between songs? Other PRS models have pretty convincingly covered the Les Paul sound along with a reasonable facsimile of a Tele sound; the McCarty does a version of these sounds pretty well. But the characteristic "in-between" Strat sound has been more elusive. I have a great sounding CE22 that attempts the Strat sound, but is not especially convincing.

The PRS Custom Soapbar model would certainly be on any short-list of the most versatile sounding guitars available. Of PRS's current mainline guitars, this one comes closest to providing a believable Stratocaster tone. The beefy single-coil P90 pickups are laid out in a Strat-like configuration, and the 5-way switch gives most of the strat switching options, except for middle-pickup alone. The middle switch position instead selects the two outside pickups, more like a Les Paul middle position... and more useful, I think, than middle pickup alone.

The P90s, while much fat enough to substitute for humbuckers, cleans up nicely when the volume is rolled off, and can provide the kind of note clarity, articulation, and chime that Fender-lovers like. When cranked, it can capture the various humbucker tones: a convincing snarly lead, warm crunchy overdrive, or smooth creamy hornlike "woman tone" with all the treble rolled off on the neck pickup.

Like all PRS's it gets a bit closer to the Gibson sound than to the Fender. It is, after all, constructed more like a Gibson, with mahogany and maple, and with much fatter pickups. But with the pickups set in the 2 or 4 position, I don't think the average non-musician could easily distinguish it from a Strat in a blind test. A very toneful and versatile guitar.

The usual superb PRS fit and finish. The neck is a PRS "normal", meaning it's similar to a wide fat neck, just as thick but a hair less wide. Very playable and comfortable. The PRS tremelo is great; the bar pops right in and when used, doesn't throw the guitar out of tune.

N/A

Does this guitar achieve the goal of "doing everything"? Well, yes and no. Yes, it covers the basic solid body sounds well... well-enough, I think, to be the only guitar you'd need at a gig, even if you want some Strat sounds. This is quite an achievement. Of course it has it's own sound that is darker than an actual Fender and is somewhat rounder and fuller-sounding in most settings. It can feed a much stronger signal to your amp and push the sound into the humbucker tone zone if desired.

I've played for 40 years and have several Strats (all sounding a little different from each other, but all very strat-ish nonetheless), a couple of other PRS's, a Tele, and a good Les Paul. If I could only take one guitar to a gig, this would be the one I'd pick since it sounds great, plays like a dream, and comes closest to covering all the sonic bases.

1999 Custom 22, amber flamed 10 top, rosewood fretboard with birds, wine-red mahogany back. 3 cream P-90s, single volume, single tone, 5-position blade switch, trem bridge.

I use this guitar 100% of the time on stage. The PRS also handles 80% of my recording chores. The pickups provide beautiful full sound at clean and heavily distorted levels. Also perfect for modern blues. Love the center position (neck+bridge) which is missing on the strat. I often noodle on the PRS without even plugging it in and still find inspiration. I play through a Fender Twin, a Vox Valvetronix and a Mesa/Boogie Mark III-C. A lot of guitars sound good with particular amps and this is no different. While it sounds good with all the amps, it literally mates with the Boogie. I've lusted after a PRS for several years, but was never thrilled with the "LesPaul-oCaster" sound of the humbucker setups. also didn't like the rotary pickup selector. This guitar has the distinctive P90 sound with all the beef I need from humbuckers and all the glass I need from single-coils.

Bought used. The action was a little high, but easily adjusted down. I don't care for the placement of the blade switch. It's tucked a little low between the knobs and with the trem bar in place it can be tough to hit really quickly. The finish is impeccable. I also feel I got very lucky with the find. There isn't so much as a belt scratch on the back.

Very durable feeling. I didn't trust the strap buttons, so off they came and I installed Dunlop strap-locks, like on all my other guitars. Even the case exudes quality. I usually bring a backup to gigs, but have not had to use one yet.

No experience.

I've been playing since '74 and have owned well over 30 different guitars. I currently own a Jeff Beck Strat, Les Paul Standard, Carvin DC-150, American Standard Tele and a Martin D-35. If I lost this guitar, I would seek to find a duplicate. Pricey, but worth it. Shame they discontinued this model, but I guess in the long run it makes mine worth more.

My axe has a ten top, maple neck, three soapbars and a whammy bar. I believe it was made in '99. Hated the tuners initially but they've grown on me. I like the neck but prefer the wide fat on my McCarty.

This guitar is orange and it's really pretty. The kind of instrument you can enjoy spening time with.

I had tried to play my Fenders live but was always dissappointed with how full they sounded. I don't have the luxury of cranking an amp like SRV to get a full sound. This guitar seems to cover any song needing strat timbres but it sounds much fuller. Pickups are actually slightly higher output than my McCarty. This guitar really resonates and the range of tones available is quite diverse. A strat on steroids is a fair description of the sounds this great axe makes.

This guitar seems perfect. I don't mess with my guitars at all and this axe plays very consistently. I miss the ability to do oblique bends but that's the trade off you get with a wang bar.

Everyhting solid in this category. The gold finish is wearing off of the bridge but that seems to give it more character. The top looks as good as new even though I'm fairly hard on it as I hit it quite hard when I play live. No excessive string breakage compared to my McCarty that always has trouble with breaking the high E at the bridge. I think funk rhythms cause this as I'm not very soft. This guitar never breaks a string so I never have to put it down in a show. I break the high E on my McCarty at 75% of our shows.

Shouldn't need them I suppose. When you spend that amount on a guitar it should hold up forever and only get better with time.

Fret wear should be the only reason to work on a guitar as intonation should not drift.

I've been playing for over 30 years and have two strats, a 52 tele, Hamer LP style and two PRS guitars as well as an Alvarez WY-1 and a Taylor classical. I play the PRSs exclusively live as the scale length is the same which helps keep my bends in tune when I get pumped up with adrenaline. My Fender guitars get used in my studio but they don't get on the stage anymore.

These guitars have some quality that makes one treasure them. It's a combo of looks, tone and feel. My Tele is my best rhy guitar but I can't play my solos and get good tone everywhere on the neck. The PRS axes seem to play well and the tones are full and fat without being boomy. Even my McCarty has a stringiness to it that allows me to cover strat tones convincingly.

I use this guitar primarily with a Mesa Mark 4 or a Lonestar but it works well with every other amp I have. The sound through a Marshall is really cool but I haven't warmed to the clean sound of that amp even though it's JCM2000.

I really think that it's best to buy top quality gear and be done with it. Spending money on weak gear causes you to lose money in the long run and also affects your ability to really get comfortable with a guitar which can have an adverse affect on your art. I hate to admit it but I think I need a PRS hollow body to add to my stable. These guitars cause a little worry as I never keep an eye on them during set breaks. I play in fairly rural areas where people seem to be a little more honest. I keep my eye on it when we play in big cities but that is rare for us. I also use it with a DL4 and Fulltone Chorus with Alessandro interconnects. If you think high quality interconnects are BS, you are missing a key part of getting a great tone without having to crank your amp up. I use the midline cables as the top of the line costs as much as a good amp. Hell that's just crazy obsessive in my HMO. I would give it a ten if it didn't cost so dang much.

3/02 custom 22 soap bar. 24 fret. craved maple top/mahogony back
5-way switch,volume /tone. seymour duncan p-90 single coils
maple neck,rosewood fretboard,moon inlays. satin finish on neck and
headstock. flamed top. laquer finish. tremolo, new style locking tuners. 25 scale, d-shape neck. case and set-up tools

im playing rockin blues, southern rock, 60s-80s rock
useing a fender super reverb reissue, fender blues jr. and twin amp.
marshall blues driver II. thats all. i like my amp setting with a little reverb and let the guitar and my fingers do the rest..
think of a strat on steroids...very full and defined single coil tonr
not too bassey, not too bright, mids are clean and not over toned..well balanced tone...i belive this pick up is a result of mr.
smith, mc carty and duncan have created as the pefect p90 sigle coil
pickup. exploiting the weakness of past p90,s of the past.
it,s not fair to compare the tone against a strat or a gibson single coils. but the pickups have sparkle, quack, and spank if needed. just dial in my amp and 5way switch. i can acheive vintage
tones to modern. tone switch is veristile for bright rock or dial down for jazz. its all there for you to create a tone of your own.
if you like a single coils...these pickups are perfect for the blues.
neck is creamy and neck/middle positons are perfect. bridge positon is fat and spanky. think tele. pickups are not weak as a strat or tinny. but have guts without loseing tone. not as punchy as a humbucker. very well pleased with set-up.

i orderd this guitar sight unseen through internet. it was set up for 9,s. i restrung for diaddaro 10s. if you can set up a strat, then
you can set up any guitar. adjusted tremelo, neck and string height.
then intonation,,after that...it a playler to my likeing...it took some time to adjust the pickups...but they are perfect. no flaws in workmanship...its a prs...you get what you pay for in this market...
if its quality...you need to save up some bucks to get it,,,,

this baby will withstand any type of gig...then again i take good care if my guitars,,,and always have some one to keep an eye on my
axe in between sets,,,its almost too good of and axe too play and
look at..make me nervous sometimes that it might walk away....have
had a es355 stolen one time. i always have a second guitar..not a back-up, but an additional for differant sets. its a prs custom 22.

never delt with prs for customer support...i repair my own stuff or have my take to my luthier......

playing for 25 years, weaned on a tele. have had too many strats and gibsons.
too many .....all my strats and gibsons have been sold...prs has turned my attitude for quailty and tone..but i still have my 67 tele
and 78 martin d35...prs has set the standard..for quality and tone..

3 Duncan P90's, maple top (not a 10 but beautiful never the less) finished in a deep blue, mahogany body, maple set neck with rosewood fingerboard (most have maple fingerboards so this one is unusual), moon inlays, PRS trem and ebony locking tuners. The D shaped neck is meatier than a wide/thin.

Rich, thick sound as would be expected from the P90's. More detail (but not quite as thick) as humbuckers. Fatter and richer than a strat or tele. Positions 2 and 4 don't quack quite like a strat would. Instead they are thicker and more complex with less high end than the pickups individually. Position 3 is neck and bridge together rather than the center pickup by itself as I would have expected. Though this is a nice setting, I would like the option to solo the center pickup.
The pickups themselves are hotter than your typical P90. The output level appears to be halfway between a typical P90 and a PAF. This is good news for driving a tube amp directly. Noise is the same as for a typical P90 and will limit the usefulness of this guitar with very high gain amps. However, at these gain levels the detail of single coil pickups is lost anyway, so what's the point?

This guitar was purchased new in 2001 and was one of the last of this model produced. As is typical with a PRS, the fit and finish was excellent, the fretwork great, and it played like a dream out of the box. That did not stop me from tweaking it a bit, however.

At this pricepoint you expect a pro instrument that will go the distance, and this certainly will.

It (and the 1998 CE I also own) have never broken, so I have no idea how good the support is.

This is one of 20 guitars I currently own. I've been playing for 40 years (semi-pro) and play a wide variety of styles.
I had been watching this model since its release, but didn't like several things about it. First, I don't like maple fingerboards (too bright and hard to maintain) and second I didn't like the shape of the neck. Still, 3 P90's...
Then I was talking with the owner of the local PRS dealer about possibly custom ordering the Custom Soapbar 22 configured more the way I would want it - wide/thin with a rosewood finger board. He followed up with the factory and found out there weren't going to be any more produced. However, he did have one with a rosewood fingerboard. I tried it and found the neck was a nicer than the others I had tried (PRS does not produce their stuff using CNC, so individual necks can be quite a bit different). I bought it and it has lived up to expectations. Not perfect, but neither is any guitar...

Last production year, which I believe was 1999? No sure. I'm about as good at reading serial numbers and understanding them as I am at performing organ transplants. Anyway, this was purchased new from a store I buy a lot of guitars from. I had been eyeing it for some time in a search for a P-90 style guitar. I stayed away originally because of the price and as with most PRS guitars, they almost look like they should be in a glass case and not on somebody's body being played. Set-in maple neck and fingerboard with abalone(fake) moon inlays, solid black with maple top and mahogany back. 22 frets and a nice thick neck, but a bit smaller than the wide-fat. PRS tremolo and older style locking tuners with black tuning keys. Simply a beautiful guitar. Three Seymour Duncan Soapbar pickups with a 5-way switch. Similar to the pickup variations on a strat, except the middle position gives you the neck and bridge pickups, which is fine with me because I don't know of anybody that ever uses the middle pickup alone.

Simple but beautiful and terribly unique (in a good way)

It's a Paul Reed Smith. What can I say. And I'm referring to how it sound unplugged. Every PRS I've either owned or played has this unique and very tight total guitar resonance that makes the whole guitar vibrate. In fact, the soapbars are kind of high in nature and with my pinky resting on the bridge pickup, I feel my finger vibrating like it's part of the guitar. Now to the plugged in sound. Smooth and punchy. More output and a greater ability to distort over my Guild Bluesbird with humbuckers. The Guild is also semi-hollow and the pickups are not high output, so I understand that, but I have another guitar with P-90s (Ernie Ball Music Man Axis Super Sport) and the PRS is clearly louder and more punchy than that guitar, which is great as I hate to have too many guitars that do the same thing. Through an amp (currently using a Rivera Quiana) it sound great and as I said, picks up the dirty channel at lower levels than my other guitars. The bridge provides plenty of punch and what's nice is with the P-90s, the neck is nice and smooth. Still tight, but not overly bassy as with a solid body with humbuckers. I also should mention these P-90s are remarkably quiet for single coils.

Despite the maple top and maple neck, this guitar is not overly bright. Perhaps because P-90 pickups can emphasise mids and be dark to begin with. This is also fine with me, because my Super Sport is bright and I use it for my Super Tele sound, and I use the PRS as my straight-ahead rock sound. This guitar also does a very good strat imitation in the 2 and 4 positions. Sure it's not as thin or nasally, but it still works and if you're playing live and need that Rober Cray or Buddy Guy sound, it will work just fine. Very nice indeed.

Overall, this guitar sounds really good.

I respect Ed Roman. I believe he tell the truth, and I believe that PRS is not the guitar it was prior to 1995. That being said, it's still miles ahead of anything else being mass-produced. I can't find a single flaw in workmanship on this guitar. I've had hand-made guitars before and this is built as good if not better. There's a slight bit of glue residue at the neck joint, but nothing very noticeable. The guitar feels like it was made with one piece of wood it's so solid and the resonance when strummed is signature PRS. I know these guitars are the latest fad as they have become more available and younger people like them, but you still can't deny why they are so popular. Not just because they're different, but because they are very well built. Handmade or not there is still a high attention to detail and the sticker prices are expensive, but after trying several new Gibson Les Pauls, for nearly $2,000.00, I know where I'd rather spend my money.

Man, this guitar could be used as a battering ram for some ancient English feudal castle and if this guitar won't hold up, then nothing will. The hardware is top notch and a welcome change from gold or chrome hardware that will tarnish in a short amount of time. I love the black tuning keys and I like how the bridge and saddles are kind of a matte stainless which will hold up from hand prints and sweaty hands. Black PRS finishes seem to show scratches as most black finishes, but even after long hours of playing, this finish is as shiny as the day I bought it. Take care of your guitar and it will take care of you. The strap buttons are oversized to secure even the most stubborn strap and I'd gladly use this guy without a backup.

Never had to use them, so I'll leave this blank. The folks at the store I bought this from know Paul very well and I'm sure if there is a problem, they will help me get it resolved.

Playing 20 years and I'm still an impulsive child when it comes to guitars. I'll have a guitar I refer to as my soul mate and then the next week I'll be selling it for something else. I had a nice collection a few years ago and sold it when I was mentally ill. In building up my collection, I've tried to keep a good balance with having guitars that I'll pick up and play and with enough versatility to cover everything and use for an entire gig or practice without having to use anything else. At the same time, I want each guitar to have it's own unique personality and offer it's own vibe to the sound range I'm looking for. My current collection consists of a Guild Bluesbird, Ernie Ball Music Man, G&L Comanche and the PRS Soapbar. I play though a Rivera Quiana and practice though a POD (neat tool).

At first, after putting this guitar on layaway, I tried to switch my layway to a Rivera Fandango, then a McCarty. After great salesmanship from Corner Music, I took the Soapbar and after having it some time, I've never been so glad Corner Music didn't give in. I find this guitar to have as much or more punch than a McCarty, it plays absolutely fantastic, and best of all, nobody else has one. Sure it doesn't have the "10" top, but I don't know about anyone else, but I'm sick of the tops that are beginning to look like the blizzard deserts at Dairy Queen. Once the cheap manufactures started offering quilty and flamed tops (be it they are photo flames or ultra-thin veneers) I found myself getting off the flame bandwagon. I don't want a guitar to attract attention. Having an ultra-gorgeous guitar does not make you an ultra-great player. Some of these fancy tops and appointments remind me of a Lexus with Gold trim and tires. Or a diamond studded gold and silver watch that other people will notice before they see your face. Yuck,,,,not for me thanks.

I still found myslef wanting to sell it for something else, but the longer I had it and played it, the more attached I got. It sounds nothing like my other P-90 equipped guitar that is relatively lower output and stratier than P-90, and it's not as muddy or thumpy as a Les Paul, so it's really hard to find a negative here. Sure, sometimes the retro look can turn people off, but I believe the functionality and versatility of P-90s are definitely under-rated. They really are the perfect compromise of a too-thin strat for every style of music and a too punchy, high output humbucker that can't be used for everything. Now, it's not going to sound exactly like a strat and it's definitely not a Les Paul, but what it gives you is the ability to play parts where these guitars are normally used without sounding obviously too much or too less.

In summation, I'm really happy with this guitar. It plays great, sounds great and looks extremely cool. The maple neck is a joy to play and it still provides a unique vibe to my other guitars. Unfortunately, if you're in the market for one of these guitars, they don't make them anymore, but you can still find them used on ebay and I'm sure some music stores will get one occasionally on trade. Expensive, yes, but in the day of high-priced guitars where high-end makers are starting to appear everywhere, this is a good bet. Why? Well, despite Ed Romans criticism of the new PRS guitars (and to a large degree justifieably so), this is a safe bet as the re-sale is there. PRS has broken into the what, at one time, seemed the impossibly un-penatrable stratosphere of Gibson and Fender as far as overall name recognition and widespread popularity and most of all, resalability. If anything PRS has improved the quality of these giants by making them pay more attention to detail and value for the price they charge. I still think Gibson can get sloppy and I'd buy a Heritage or Hamer before I'd buy another Gibson. Fender has improved their base strat, but I can't forgive them putting veneers of ash over poplar on their translucent finis

PRS Custom 22 Soapbar. No longer made. Buy them now while you can find them! Three P-90 pick-up's. Set neck. Rosewood fingerboard- moon inlays. Five way selector switch. PRS locking tuners. PRS trem system.

I'll give it an "8"....but I was a little disappointed. I had read many reviews that said this would "blow away a strat". It seems to be missing the real snap and snarl that a strat has...I thought I would get with the 3 P-90 pickups. Nonetheless, don't get me wrong, this guitar produces many great sounds, rock, jazz etc.

PRS Quality. Can't beat it. Cost a lot - it should be quality and it is.

Seems durable.

Haven't had to deal with them (yet).

I bought this guitar for three reasons. 1: Rick Derringer plays one and swears by it! 2: They will be a collectors item as PRS has stopped production. 3. It's a PRS and it sounds pretty damn good. Just depends what you want. I do believe that this guitar is/was overpriced new. Loaded, these cost 2200-2500 bucks. For that same money you could get a nice PRS Artist package. But still, it is a unique guitar.

The PRS Custom 22 Soapbar seems like a great idea for players who want something different. The guitar is basically similar body wood
constrution-wise to a CE-22 with a mahogany body w/ a maple top and a
rock maple neck. After that, the similarity ends by using 3 P-90 PUs
w/ a 5 way Strat-style blade switch. The neck is glued on, instead of bolted on so thatit may give the guitar more sustian. Other features are the world famous PRS tremelo, ebonized world famous PRS locking tuning machines, volume and tone controls. The neck profile is also a
"D" shape, in contrast to the usual world famous wide-fat or wide-thin.

This guitar sounds really great, the in between sounds especially similar to a Strat, but thicker. You ain't gonna be able to do Metallica or Creed type distortion, but what you get is a milk-shake
thick sound that just about puts most other PUs to shame. I have played this guitar through a Dr.z Route 66, a Vox modeling amp and also the limited edition Marshall JTM 45. I just could not get a bad sound especially w/ the 66 and JTM 45. Really punchy in the bridge
and out of phase positions, OW! The neck pos is deep but not excessively dark, like some P-90 guitars, this sounded like a fat Strat with a fat boost engaged. Overdrive open chords and the guitar really comes alive, almost a woody transparent tone. The tremelo springs really help contribute to the open complexity of the tone,also. Yeah buddy! Think roots music. Rock. Country. Jazz. Blues.

World famous PRS 10 top, what can you say? As for the set up, I believe PRS is struggling to get guitars out the door, because since
about 1998 I have noticed the set up on these instruments is not quite the same as in the past. The last new PRS I bought was in late
'98 and it took me about five months to get it where I started to really get everything straightened out. I don't usually take me guitars to a tech, I generally make adjustments a little at a time.
This one is not to bad though. I guess the music store probably left this one alone as well. Some music stores are notorious for jacking with new guitar setups, especially the bigger ones if you know what I mean. Changing away from the stock guage of strings, that's jacking with the stock setup. If you buy the guitar, by all means, set it up however you want. By all other accounts, the finish and fit was impeccable.

The guitar is solid, but the world famous locking tuners will probably last you maybe 3-4 yrs of hard playing. That's what I've seen
from personal experience and from talking to other real world musicians who use these things. They loosen up to the point where the slack in the tuner is really evident, but guitar still can stay pretty much in tune. They just flat wear out. Sperzels wear out too, but they don't cost a damn small fortune to replace. The biggest complaint that I have about PRS guitar is their world famous stap buttons. I absolutlely hate 'em. The only reason I dislike them is, they are harder than xxxx to put a strap on and take it back off. It's Dunlop Time! It is a dependable guitar, but I have learned you don't gig without a backup! It's that simple! Ever pop a string?

PRS is getting to the point where they realize there is a competitive
market to the niche they fill (contempory semi-custom built). They have raised the bar on what to expect (and pay), so I can tell they are listening to what important people have to say about them, especially with the internet happening and all. What guitar magazines have to say doesn't mean a tinker's damn to me. They are afraid of losing the ad dollar so you don't really hear much about customer service issues.
I have never had a warranty problem so I don't really know how it would be handled. I did have a problem recently with one of my older
PRS's and needed some parts. I promptly received them days later. A+
A 2 yr. warranty is bare bones for a guitar of this caliber. Five years seems more in line with reason.

I started playing guitar about 4 mos after the Beatles hit the States, about 36 yrs ago. Since then I have gone through quite a bit of gear Gibson, Fender, Ovation. I currently own about 22 guitars (8
of 'em PRS's) and about seven amps. I might buy another if it were lost, not really sure though. I have 3 other P-90 equipped guitars, a
'68 SG special, a Peavey Firenza, and PRS McCarty Soapbar w/a trem. This one really seems the most versatile w/ the 3 P90s and switching
options etc.
When this model first came out, I could have sworn I saw these made w/ opaque tops (any body remember Ocean Turquoise?) Then for the last few years,it seems all I have seen is figured tops,figured necks w/birds. The point I'm trying to make is these guitars were hard to move at this price point unless they were loaded to the hilt with the high dollar options to make them worth selling them at that price point. These models were and still are about at least $500. overpriced. As we all know, they have been dicontinued as of last Nov. 2001.

1999 NOS, Tortiseshell colored and extremely flamed 10-top, 3 specially designed Seymour Duncan P90's, maple neck with bird inlays, PRS trem, locking tuners. 5-way switch, master tone and volume. Hardshell fitted case. Any of you PRS fans already know the deal.

I'd been looking for a P90 guitar for a while, always been a sucker for the sound. This has the sound and then some. While this guitar is constantly compared to a Strat, I can only agree on a superficial level - its a darker sound than a strat, and its a fatter sound than a strat. It can "do" strat (and it can "do" Les Paul, and it can even "do" Tele), but you can take advantage of the less "quacky" sound of the P-90s....

The 5-way switch is nice (Neck, Neck-Middle, Neck-Bridge, Middle-Bridge, Bridge) and each of the settings is distinctive and useful. There's no "throwaway" settings, though it would be nice to be able to blend each of the pickups at a different level like an old Gibson ES-5. PRS guitars are not configured that way and it would require major modification.

Suprisingly, these are the quietest P-90 pickups I've ever heard. Minimal noise in the neck-only position, no noise whatsoever in other positions.

This is my first PRS. Everything about this guitar is solid. I've never seen a better made electric guitar. No flaws. Wood quality is perfect. Period. A bit concerned about the gold hardware, but it will take a few years to size how badly it oxidizes. Also a bit concerned that there is no pickguard, but its not like I hack at my guitars.

Like I said above, the construction is perfect. The finish is well done, and seems tough. The strap buttons are solid and oversized. The trem is perfect, tight, and well designed - better than a Strat (you don't need to screw in the bar, nor will a spring fly out if the bar is not attached). I've never seen a SMARTER made electric guitar. Period. It seems like it will last a lifetime.

Never had to deal with them. I hear the warranty is poor, but I've got a great tech, and this is a solidly made guitar. Not worried about it.

As mentioned above, this is my first PRS. For a long time I thought they were just very trendy "designer" guitars. Then I played one...

I decided to trade in some of my guitars and "downsize" my collection. My only real "must have" was that I wanted P90s. I've loved P90s for years ever since I was back in college and had a Kalamazoo-made Epiphone Century with a P90 on it. I also wanted to make sure I had trem like on my Strat, and a maple neck like on my Tele. It took me about ten seconds of playing the CU22 Soapbar to make my decision.

I guess this is considered a bit of a "specialty" guitar, because it is leaving the catalog this year. A shame. But I got mine.

Other guitars I have are Bozeman Gibson acoustics (J160 and J100) and a Guild Starfire V. I play through a Fender Deluxe 90 with a Yamaha DG Stomp multieffects box.