14 Best PRS Guitars in 2024 (All Price Ranges)

Among the top guitar brands today, PRS Guitars stand out as a truly unique and innovative brand. Paul Reed Smith, aka PRS guitars, are some of the most renowned and well-made guitars that exist today. The first PRS guitar was introduced in 1985, and since then, they are known for embracing modernization and innovation to complement classic style guitar designs.

Best PRS Guitars (Featured Image)

Their very first model was the PRS Custom 24, which is still their most iconic model today featuring a mahogany body with high-tech features and electronics. The PRS Custom 24 also has instantly recognizable looks, a unique body shape that resembles both Les Paul and a Stratocaster in some ways, humbucker pickups, PRS tremolo and locking tuners, PRS Signature head, and bird inlays. PRS originally only offered high-end electric guitars, but due to the high demand, they started offering affordable PRS guitars in the early 2000s. And now, guitar players of all levels and styles can find their own perfect PRS guitar from high-end master built electric guitars, to affordably yet still high quality manufactured electric guitars, and even an acoustic guitar lineup as well.

Name of ProductImage of ProductDescriptionPrice RangeFull Review
1. PRS Custom 24Paul Reed Smith Custom 24 10 TopStyle: Double Cutaway Solid Body
Top: Carved figured maple
$3600Read Full Review Below
2. PRS Custom 22PRS Custom 22Style: Double Cutaway Solid Body
Top: Carved figured maple
$3700Read Full Review Below
3. PRS CE24 (Best Under $2000)PRS CE24Style: Double Cutaway Solid Body
Top: Maple
$2000Read Full Review Below
4. PRS McCarty 594PRS McCarty 594Style: Double Cutaway Solid Body
Top: Curly Maple
$4300Read Full Review Below
5. PRS John Mayer Silver SkyPRS John Mayer Silver Sky 

Style: Double Cutaway Solid Body
Body Wood: Alder

$2300Read Full Review Below
6. PRS Tremonti (Best For Metal)PRS TremontiStyle: Single Cutaway
Top: Carved Figured Maple
$3700Read Full Review Below
7. PRS SE Paul’s Guitar (Best Under $1000) PRS SE Paul’s GuitarStyle: Double Cutaway
Top: Carved Maple
$1000Read Full Review Below
8. PRS S2 Standard 22 (Best Value)PRS S2 Standard 22Style: Double Cutaway
Body Wood: Mahogany
$1380Read Full Review Below
9. PRS SE Custom 24 (Best For Beginner)PRS SE Custom 24Style: Double Cutaway Solid Body
Top: Figured Maple
$790Read Full Review Below
10. PRS SE Floyd Custom 24PRS SE Floyd Custom 24Style: Double Cutaway Solid Body
Top: Maple Quilted
$930Read Full Review Below
11. PRS SE Custom 22 Semi-HollowPRS SE Custom 22 Semi-Hollow Style: Double Cutaway Semi-Hollow Body
Top: Maple
$830Read Full Review Below
12. PRS CE 24 Semi-HollowPRS CE 24 Semi-HollowStyle: Double Cutaway Semi-Hollow Body
Top: Maple
$2240Read Full Review Below
13. PRS SE A50EPRS SE A50EStyle: Angelus Body Style
Top: Solid Spruce
$900Read Full Review Below
14. PRS SE P20 ParlorPRS SE P20 ParlorStyle: Parlor Style Acoustic Guitar
Top: Mahogany
$500Read Full Review Below

Here Are the Best PRS Guitars

1. PRS Custom 24

Paul Reed Smith Custom 24 10 Top

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Estimated Price $3600
Body Style Double Cutaway Solid Body
Top Carved figured maple
Back and Sides Mahogany
Neck Mahogany (Pattern Regular)
Fret Count 24
Pickups PRS 58/15 Bass and 58/15 Treble Humbucker Pickups

My Review: The PRS Custom 24 is the original PRS that started it all. Equipped with groundbreaking technology and eye-catching design, the original design still remains their most popular and iconic product. The PRS Custom 24 is also a super versatile guitar and you can play all kinds of genres from rock and blues to pop and jazz. You can find this guitar in the hands of world-class guitarists like John Mayer, Orianthi, and Al Di Meola. This guitar is perfect for professional guitarists and advanced guitarists looking for a high-end touring and recording guitar. If this guitar is way above your budget, there is a much cheaper version of this guitar that will be introduced later on this list.

Key Specs and Features: Looking at the guitar body, the PRS Custom 24 has an extremely ergonomic body shape that is lightweight but very resonant. Many describe this body as a mix of a Gibson Les Paul and a Fender Stratocaster, and you can easily see that Paul Reed Smith included advantages from both Les Paul and a Strat. The body and the neck are both made of mahogany and it’s finished with a carved figured maple top. In terms of the fretboard, the PRS Custom 24 has a rosewood fretboard with a 25 inch scale length.

Another advantage of this guitar is its top quality bridge and locking tuners. The bridge is PRS’s own PRS Gen III Tremolo bar and the tuner is PRS Phase III Locking tuner. Both the bridge and the tuner are very functional and easy-to-use. You can easily install a whammy bar and you won’t have to worry about going out of tune after wild whammy bar bends.

Electronics: The PRS Custom 24 is equipped with relatively new PRS 58/15 pickups. 58 represents 1958, meaning they were trying to recreate humbuckers from 1958 but also improve and make their own changes. These pickups are very clear in the high midrange and have less low mid-range, and are also strong on the bass frequencies. This makes each note of the guitar sing, and the sound of the guitar will easily cut through the mix.

PRS Custom 24 offers five unique pickup positions. The first position is the bridge humbucker, the second position is bridge humbucker with neck single coil (in parallel), the third position is bridge & neck humbucker, the fourth position is neck single coil with bridge single-coil (in parallel), and finally, the fifth position is neck humbucker. These positions were designed by PRS to give the players a great-sounding single-coil guitar tone while also getting an excellent humbucker guitar sound as well. The second and fourth pickup position is very unique in that you get to experience a complete single coil sound (neck single + bridge single) and a mix of both single-coil and humbucker sound. With these combinations, you have access to a much wider palette of guitar tone than your regular Gibson Les Paul or Fender Stratocaster.

Bottom Line: PRS Custom 24 is an electric guitar that can be described as “close to perfect” – equipped with the best quality tonewoods, ergonomic body shape, versatile guitar sound, and very sturdy and trustworthy hardware. The downside is that the price is well above $3000, but this guitar is worth the expensive price. I recommend this guitar to professional guitarists and advanced guitar players. It’s easily one of the best PRS guitars out there.

2. PRS Custom 22

PRS Custom 22

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Estimated Price $3700
Body Style Double Cutaway Solid Body
Top Carved figured maple
Back and Sides Mahogany
Neck Mahogany (Pattern)
Fret Count 22
Pickups PRS 58/15 Bass and 58/15 Treble Humbucker Pickup

My Review: PRS Custom 22 is the closest cousin of the famous PRS Custom 24. It has very subtle differences from the PRS Custom 24 and the most obvious difference is that the Custom 22 comes with 22 frets and Custom 24 comes with 24 frets. Both are excellent instruments and the PRS Custom 22 can be described as more vintage-sounding, while the PRS Custom 24 is a more modern guitar. The PRS Custom 22 would be more suitable for guitarists that play genres like Blues, RnB, and Pop. But frankly, every guitar player might have different opinions about the two guitars and it’s always best to try them both out for yourself. One thing for sure is that both guitars are produced with the highest craftsmanship at the PRS factory in Maryland.

Key Specs and Features: The Custom 22 shares many similarities to the previously introduced PRS Custom 24. The body shape is the PRS double cutaway body with a mahogany body and mahogany neck. Even though the Custom 22 only has 22 frets instead of 24, the scale length is still 25 inches and it also has the carved maple top. One difference with the body is the neck profile – the Custom 22 comes with the Pattern Neck, whereas the Custom 24 has the Pattern Thin or Pattern Regular Neck. The Pattern neck is a much more vintage-style neck profile that is chunkier and thicker than the Pattern Thin or Pattern Regular. If you’re into that thick neck profile that the vintage guitars have, Custom 22 would be more suitable for you than the Custom 24.

Like the Custom 24, the Custom 22 comes with PRS’s Gen III Tremolo – which is a feature that was only available for the PRS Private Stock line, but now it’s available on the Custom line as well. Gen III offers better metal-to-metal contact between the tremolo bar and the bridge. Other than the tremolo, the PRS Phase III Locking Tuners provides the guitar with very stable tuning.

Electronics: Another distinguishing feature from Custom 24 comes with the neck pickup of the PRS Custom 22. Although the two guitars have different amounts of frets, they both have a scale length of 25 inches. Because of this, the distance between the neck and the bridge pickup is different on a Custom 22 and a Custom 24. On a PRS Custom 22, the neck pickup is much closer to the fretboard. This changes the whole sound of the neck pickup and the result is a throatier and deeper tone. And because the neck pickup sits at where the natural harmonics occur (where the 24th fret would be), the tone is sweeter. Some guitar players might feel that differences in tone might be too subtle to hear, but I personally prefer the neck pickup sound on the Custom 22 compared to the Custom 24.

Bottom Line: The PRS Custom 22 is an excellent instrument that shares many similarities with the PRS Custom 24, but has clear differences when it comes to things like the number of frets, neck profile, and the placement of the neck pickup. PRS Custom is more closely associated with the “vintage” sound, while the Custom 24 is associated with a “modern” sound. But at the end of the day, I highly recommend you to try both of these guitars and see which guitar suits you better.

3. PRS CE24 (Best Under $2000)

PRS CE24

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Estimated Price $2000
Body Style Double Cutaway Solid Body
Top Maple
Back and Sides Mahogany
Neck Mahogany (Pattern Thin)
Fret Count 24
Pickups PRS 85/15 Bass and 85/15 Treble Humbucker Pickup

My Review: Next up, we have another classic PRS guitar that has been revised and released again. The new PRS CE24 was originally introduced back in 1988 and it was marketed as the first “affordable” PRS guitar. Although this guitar might not have been so “affordable” for most guitar players back then, the versatility and the excellent build quality of the guitar make the PRS CE24 worth the price. The guitar was built in Maryland and you can expect the best quality craftsmanship from the guitar body, neck to nuts, and frets. Over the years, the CE24(stands for classic electric with 24 frets) has become a PRS classic and has many guitar players that are huge fans of the guitar.

Key Specs and Features: The PRS CE24 has many similar qualities to a Fender Strat and the Gibson Les Paul while also having a bunch of new features. The key feature is the bolt-on maple neck and the body is made of three pieces. Similar to a Gibson guitar, the PRS CE24 has a mahogany body and has a gorgeous maple top topped with multiple options of beautiful finishes. The body shape is the classic PRS ergonomic body and the guitar will sit super comfortably onto the player’s body.

In terms of the guitar neck, this guitar features the PRS Pattern Thin neck, which is much thinner than the Pattern neck of Custom 22. Many guitar players describe the Pattern Thin as a neck that is just the right amount of thickness and is effortless to move around up and down the guitar neck. The bridge and the tremolo system of the PRS CE24 is also very impressive. The PRS-designed tremolo system has a sensitivity that is somewhere in between a Fender Strat and a Bigsby tremolo, which means it’s great for both heavy and light tremolo use.

Electronics: The PRS CE24 is equipped with PRS 85/15 pickups and has a Gibson-style three-way toggle switch. The 85/15 pickups are 2015 revised models of the original 1985 PRS humbucker pickups and these pickups have a sound of a classic humbucker and have defined lows and clear high-midrange tones. They are both super responsive and “hot” pickups, therefore they respond extremely well with distortion and overdrive. Another amazing feature of these pickups is the coil-split feature. The PRS’s pickups are often praised for their high-quality coil-split tones and with these, you can experience genuine single-coil tone that will make your guitar sound like a Fender Stratocaster.

Bottom Line: If you want a US-made PRS guitar but if your budget is under $3000, PRS CE24 is the next best thing available. With the best features from a Gibson Les Paul and Fender Stratocaster all combined into one guitar, this modern invention is a beauty of a guitar. I highly recommend this guitar to intermediate and advanced guitar players, and also to professional guitarists.

4. PRS McCarty 594

PRS McCarty 594

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Estimated Price $4300
Body Style Double Cutaway Solid Body
Top Curly Maple
Back and Sides African Mahogany
Neck Mahogany (Pattern Vintage)
Fret Count 22
Pickups PRS 85/15 Bass and 85/15 Treble Humbucker Pickup

My Review: PRS McCarty 594 is a vintage-inspired modern masterpiece and simply put, it’s one of the most perfect commercial electric guitars that you can get anywhere. The guitar is dedicated to Ted McCarty, who was the president of Gibson during 1950-1966. Ted is an absolute legendary figure in the industry and is responsible for innovations like humbuckers, Flying V, and SG. Ted also played a crucial role in PRS’s development and so Paul Reed Smith dedicated their most high-end instrument to Ted McCarty. In 2015, PRS came out with the McCarty model and after it came out, PRS started developing an even more boutique and special instrument that became the McCarty 594.

The name McCarty 594 comes from the 24.594’’ scale length and it’s an instrument that has a vintage sound but has the best features from modern guitar technology. The thought process behind this guitar is that rather than spending thousands of dollars on a pre-existing vintage guitar, you can purchase a brand new guitar at about the same price as a high-quality vintage guitar but with modern technologies. The guitar was designed by PRS’s elite Private Stock team to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Private Stock Program.

Key Specs and Features: The PRS McCarty 594 is loaded with special upgrades and changes, but first let’s talk about the features that are similar to the other PRS guitars above. McCarty 594 has the usual PRS double cutaway solid body with African Mahogany as the main component for the body. The top wood is Curly Maple, and the neck is also Mahogany. And just like the other PRS guitars above, the bridge and tremolo is the PRS designed tremolo bar with PRS Phase III Locking tuning machines.

Now moving onto the new features, the McCarty 594 has a rather unusual scale length of 24.594 inches. This was an effort by Paul Reed Smith to recreate the tone of the legendary 1959 Gibson Les Paul and Paul found the sweet spot for getting that vintage Gibson sound. The neck profile is new as well, and this particular guitar has the new PRS Pattern Vintage neck carve. The neck profile is similar to the PRS’s Pattern neck, but it’s slighter thicker from front to back, and has an asymmetrical curve that is deeper on the lower part of the neck. This kind of neck suits the guitar players who are used to playing a thick vintage guitar neck, but the new asymmetrical shape will also make the transition easier for guitar players who are used to modern thin necks.

Electronics: The pickups on this guitar are PRS 58/15 LT pickups and the LT stands for Low Turns. This means the pickups have a sweet lower output tone. The unique thing about the pickups is that both the bridge and treble have the exact same pickups on them, which is quite unusual for any electric guitar. But in any case, you can be sure that these pickups will roar with some overdrive and also give you the experience of playing a ‘59 Les Paul. The clarity and sensitivity of the pickups are also mind-blowing and the versatility is unmatched.

Following the Gibson tradition, the McCarty 594 has a three-way pickup switch and 2 volume + 2 push/pull tone controls. The pickup switch and the controls are thoughtfully placed at the most easily accessible places of the guitar and the top quality coil-split feature on the tone knobs will give you so many different tones for you to work with.

Bottom Line: PRS McCarty 594 is hands down one of the best electric guitars out there. With this guitar, you can play everything from blues, rock, funk, RnB, jazz to pop – the sky’s the limit. McCarty 594 is truly a PRS masterpiece that encapsulates the best of both vintage and modern. This guitar is highly recommended to anyone that can afford the $4000+ price point.

5. PRS John Mayer Silver Sky

PRS John Mayer Silver Sky 

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Estimated Price $2300
Body Style Double Cutaway Solid Body
Body Wood Alder
Neck Maple
Fret Count 22
Pickups 635JM Single Coil Pickups

My Review: As we all know, the Fender Strats are probably one of the most iconic guitars on the face of this planet. The shape of the Strat will probably be immediately recognized everywhere in the world. And since their initial release in 1954, it’s probably one of the most copied and revised guitars as well. So when the modern guitar legend John Mayer and Paul Reed Smith started working together on a new guitar, many people were very skeptical about the project. It took them almost two and a half to finish this controversial project and when it was released, the reaction from the guitar community was mixed. Some guitar players thought this was just another Strat among thousands of other Strats, and some thought this was a special one. But the fact is that the PRS John Mayer Silver Sky is a special instrument that stands out from the many modern takes on the Fender Strat.

John Mayer and PRS collaborated and paid attention to every single possible detail on an electric guitar. From the headstock all the down to the bridge, all the small details are well-thought and picked for a reason. Their initial goal was to create a guitar based on the 1963-1964 Fender Strat and create a modern take on their favorite vintage Strat. It has a unique mix of features from both vintage 1963/1964 Fender Strat and a PRS guitar.

Key Specs and Features: Looking at the body of Silver Sky, it has a Fender Stratocaster body but you might notice something is slightly different. First off, the treble side of the body isn’t as deep as the original Stratocaster while the bass side of the body is deeper and has a sharper nose than the original. The body material is Alder and has a Gloss finish, and the neck is a bolt-on Maple neck and it has a classic Strat scale length of 25.5 inches. Something that is very unusual is obviously the headstock of this Strat and it has a modified PRS headstock that John Mayer altered to fit his playing style. As for myself, it took a while for me to get used to the combination of PRS headstock on a Fender Strat body, but now I find it strangely attractive and luxurious.

One of the amazing things about this guitar is the playing feel and the neck profile. The neck profile is based on the 1963-4 Strat and guitar players will instantly recognize how incredibly comfortable it is to play this guitar. The guitar comes with numerous other features like the PRS Tremolo Bar and Gen III Knife-edge screws. The bridge also only goes down in pitch and this results in a guitar that is acoustically louder. Other features include a bone nut and molded metal jack plate that makes plugging in much easier.

Electronics: The pickups themselves are 635JM Single Coil pickups, which are John Mayer’s Signature PRS Single Coil pickups. These pickups showcase a full and round tone and have a musical high that will pop out of the mix but is incredibly pleasant to the ear. PRS Silversky comes with a 5-way blade switch as any Strat would. In terms of tone, all five pickup positions have a distinct sound – neck pickup has a beautiful full sound with a bunch of low ends and the bridge has just enough “honk” with plenty of bites to them. The middle, 2nd, and 4th all have their distinct color and present so much tone variety within the guitar.

Bottom Line: The bottom line is that the PRS John Mayer Silver Sky is not just another boutique modern Strat. This guitar is a final product of years of collaboration between two great minds of the guitar industry and from the playing feel, sound, to looks, Silver Sky is definitely worth the price. This guitar is great for everyone from professional guitarists to intermediate guitarists.

6. PRS Tremonti (Best For Metal)

PRS Tremonti

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Estimated Price $3700
Body Style Single Cutaway
Top Carved Figured Maple
Back and Sides Mahogany
Neck Mahogany
Fret Count 22
Pickups PRS Tremonti Pickups

My Review: PRS is known for partnering with some of the top guitarists in the industry and their signature lines are some of the most unique and high-quality guitars you can find in the market. Their partnerships are also diverse across the genres and each signature model is uniquely different from the other. One of their best signature models is the PRS Tremonti, which is a product of collaboration with rock guitarist Mark Tremonti of Alter Bridge and Creed.

The relationship between Mark Tremonti and PRS started when he was offered to try out the PRS McCarty model while he was out on tour. Mark immediately fell in love with the guitar and wanted to have a model that was more suited to his specific style. After a long process of collaboration, the PRS Tremonti model was born. It’s aggressive and powerful while also keeping the PRS tradition.

Key Specs and Features: The PRS Tremonti has quite a different look from the standard PRS guitars. First off, you will notice that the guitar has a single cutaway body shape instead of a double cutaway. The body shape and the finish is just gorgeous and the body material is all mahogany. The single cutaway shape is designed to give the players maximum fretboard access all the way up to the 22nd fret and the body shape is designed for maximum comfort. The fretboard is rosewood and the scale length is 25 inches. Some things that are kept the same are the masterfully built PRS Gen III Tremolo and PRS Phase III Locking Tuners. The tuners and the bridge keep the tuning of the guitar dead accurate and the Gen III Tremolo allows you to bend notes both up and down. The tremolo bar is very sensitive and it’s smooth as butter.

When it came to the neck profile, Mark Tremonti wanted a thin neck for maximum shredding and bending access. So the PRS Tremonti has the Pattern Thin neck with Gloss neck finish. It’s absolutely effortless to move up and down the neck, and you can shred and bend easily.

Electronics: The electronics on this guitar are also quite different from the standard PRS models. In terms of controls, the PRS Tremonti has two volume knobs and two tone knobs for both neck and bridge pickups. On the treble side of the body, there is a 3-way pickup switch. But the main difference is the pickups on this model. PRS Tremonti comes with signature Tremonti bass and treble pickups – you can think of these as high-gain, high-output versions of preexisting PRS pickups. These pickups can pack some serious punch and even with a clean tone, you can get a gritty breakup sound when you dig into the strings. When paired with some overdrive and distortion pedals, you can easily get a powerful metal and hard rock guitar tone. The neck pickup is great for heavy palm muting and rhythm guitar playing and the bridge pickup can be used for wild rock and blues guitar solos.

Bottom Line: If you’re a rock guitarist and you’re interested in getting a PRS guitar, PRS Tremonti is one of your best options. This instrument is visually gorgeous and is a serious powerhouse. I highly recommend this to professional guitarists and advanced guitarists that need a rock guitar. If you love how this guitar sounds and looks but it’s way out of your budget, there is an affordable version called the PRS SE Tremonti as well.

7. PRS SE Paul’s Guitar (Best Under $1000)

PRS SE Paul’s Guitar

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Estimated Price $1000
Body Style Double Cutaway
Top Carved Maple
Back and Sides Mahogany
Neck Mahogany
Fret Count 22
Pickups PRS TCI “S” Pickups

My Review: The previous PRS guitars we introduced were the USA-made high-end guitars that PRS offers. Now we are going to look at some affordable PRS guitars that are manufactured in Asia. These “Student Edition” or PRS SE guitars are excellent instruments in their own right while the price is very reasonable. Even though these PRS guitars are manufactured overseas, the PRS headquarters QA consistently checks the quality of these instruments and you can expect the top PRS quality from the SE guitars.

Key Specs and Features: This particular model is the PRS SE Paul’s Guitar and it’s a Student Edition version of one of PRS’s Core models – Paul’s Guitar. Paul’s Guitar is a guitar that embraces all of Paul Reed Smith’s latest innovations and his favorite features all packed into one instrument. The original guitar costs almost $4000, but the Student Edition only costs 20% of the original guitar. The SE version is made in Indonesia and you can find similar features that are on the original Paul’s Guitar.

The body is mahogany and the top is carved maple, finished with flame maple veneer. The finish options include Aqua, Fire Red, and Amber. Scale length is 25 inches with rosewood fretboard, 22 medium Jumbo frets, and the classic PRS bird inlays to finish the look. The hardware is slightly different, and the SE version comes with a PRS stoptail bridge and PRS tuners. The neck profile is a Wide Fat neck profile, which is definitely thicker than the PRS Pattern Thin neck, but it will allow you to dig into each note a little bit more.

Electronics: The electronics on the PRS SE Paul’s Guitar is quite unique. Firstly, there is only one master volume and one master tone with a 3-way toggle pickup selector on the top of the body. But the really unique feature is the two-position mini-toggle switch that is placed between the volume and tone knobs. By pushing the toggle switch down, you will get the humbucker sound and by pushing it up, you’ll only get the single-coil sound. The overall tone is crisp and has a lot of clarity in the sound. Just the fact that you can access both single coil and humbucker sound is amazing and gives the players so many tone options.

Bottom Line: PRS SE Paul’s Guitar is a masterfully designed guitar that is both innovative and versatile. The price point of this guitar makes it very accessible for all guitar players and I highly recommend it. In my opinion, this is the best PRS guitar under 1000 dollars.

8. PRS S2 Standard 22 (Best For The Money)

PRS S2 Standard 22

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Estimated Price $1380
Body Style Double Cutaway
Body Wood Mahogany
Neck Mahogany
Fret Count 22 Frets
Pickups PRS 81/15 “S”

My Review: PRS S2 Standard 22 can be described as a hidden darkhorse of PRS guitars. They are often overshadowed by the other PRS guitars, but this guitar is one of the most affordable models that are coming out of the Maryland PRS headquarters. PRS S2 Standard 22 is for the modern guitarist – with a futuristic design and modern features. The tones coming out of this instrument are diverse and the tones can be modern or vintage. Many might be skeptical about the quality of this guitar because of the price, but the truth is that this guitar is beautifully built, versatile, reliable, and a great gigging guitar.

Key Specs and Features: PRS S2 Standard 22 has a double cutaway mahogany body with S2 curve, which has a much more aggressive cutaway body than the PRS Custom models. S2 also has a very unique pickguard that is very reminiscent of Brian May’s Red Special. The scale length is 25 inches and there are a total of 22 frets on this guitar. The guitar has PRS S2 Low Mass Locking tuners and PRS non-locking tremolo on the bridge. Both systems are very high-quality and you can rely on the guitar to stay in tune even after wild bends and terrible weather.

The neck profile is PRS Pattern Regular and it’s a comfortable neck profile that is suitable for modern guitarists that like to play fast. It’s certainly not as thin as guitars like PRS Tremonti, but it’s a good in-between between thick and thin. One thing that can be a little disappointing for some PRS fans, is that the S2 Standard doesn’t have bird inlays and just has white dot inlays on the fretboard.

Electronics: PRS S2 Standard 22 is equipped with PRS 81/15 “S ” Pickups with push/pull feature included on the tone controls. The tone from these pickups are on the warmer and fatter side, but you can always utilize the bridge pickup position for a high-end cutting tone. These pickups are perfect for playing rock and blues. In terms of controls, it has a classic 3-way pickup selector, one master knob, and one tone knob. The coil tap feature adds another layer of versatility, and you can always expect a gorgeous single-coil sound from a PRS guitar.

Bottom Line: For all the casual PRS fans and guitar players who don’t have a high budget for a PRS guitar, the PRS S2 Standard 22 is a versatile guitar that can be used for many different playing styles. I highly recommend this guitar to beginner guitar players all the way up to advanced guitar players.

9. PRS SE Custom 24 (Best For Beginner)

PRS SE Custom 24

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Estimated Price $790
Body Style Double Cutaway Solid Body
Top Figured Maple
Back and Sides Mahogany
Neck Maple
Fret Count 24
Pickups PRS 85/15 “S’ Humbucker

My Review: For anyone that has been dreaming of buying a PRS Custom 24 but doesn’t have the money for it, here is your chance to buy the cheaper version of the same model. At almost 1/5th of the price, you can get a similar-looking guitar that has many of the same features as the original model. Although made in South Korea instead of the USA, the quality is absolutely fabulous and very reliable.

Key Specs and Features: In 2017, PRS updated this model for a more modern look and they redesigned the headstock and added a newly updated signature headstock logo. Honestly, it’s hard to believe that this guitar is under $1000 because of its luxurious design. The body is the classic PRS mahogany body shape, which was taken from the PRS Santana Signature model. In terms of features, PRS SE Custom 24 has a 25-inch scale length, classic PRS bird inlays, 24 frets, and a Wide Thin neck profile. The Wide Thin neck profile allows the players to get a good grip for bends and vibratos, and it’s also an appropriate amount of thickness for fast playing. If you’re used to playing Fender Strats or Telecasters, the neck might feel similar but you might feel that the neck feels long because of the 24 frets.

Electronics: PRS SE Custom 24 comes with one master volume and one tone volume, as well the 3-way pickup switch that is placed between the master volume and tone knob. The placement of the 3-way pickup switch is reminiscent of Fender guitars. The pickups are Korean-made PRS 85/15s, which are 2015 versions of the original PRS pickup designed in 1985. Tones coming out of this instrument is versatile, and it can cover genres like funk, classic rock, blues, pop, and more. It’s a great do-it-all guitar that can cover many styles or tones. Compared to the USA models like PRS McCarty or PRS Custom 24, the tones are thinner and have less power behind the notes. The single coil tones from the coil split feature is on the treble-y than some of the USA-made PRS guitars. But regardless, tones from this guitar are gorgeous and versatile for the price.

Bottom Line: Although PRS SE Custom 24 is the “cheap” version of its original, you can expect excellent quality and flawless craftsmanship that will suit many different styles of music. Considering its price, I’d rate this guitar 5/5. It’s highly recommended to everyone from beginner guitarists to advanced guitarists.

10. PRS SE Floyd Custom 24

PRS SE Floyd Custom 24

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Estimated Price $930
Body Style Double Cutaway Solid Body
Top Maple Quilted
Back and Sides Mahogany
Neck Maple
Fret Count 24
Pickups SE 85/15 Treble, SE 85/15 Bass

My Review: PRS SE Floyd Custom 24 is another guitar similar to the PRS SE Custom 24, but this particular guitar is more suited for rock guitar. If you are a fan of wild bends and expressive guitar playing by using the tremolo bar, this guitar is for you. This guitar might not be well-known as the PRS SE Custom 24, but it’s another best-selling guitar from PRS.

Key Specs and Features: Similar to the PRS SE Custom 24, this Korean-made guitar has a mahogany, double cutaway body shape with a 25-inch scale length. It has the classic PRS bird inlays on a Rosewood fretboard with 24 frets. Even the neck profile is the same – Wide Thin neck profile. But the real catch of this particular model is the Floyd Rose 1000 Tremolo. The Floyd Rose 1000 Tremolo is the highlight of this guitar and the build quality of the Floyd Rose is top-notch. It’s made out of steel for the most part, and it offers amazing tuning stability as well as easy control of the pitches.

Electronics: Like the guitar above, PRS SE Floyd Custom 24 comes with Korean-made 85/15 Treble and 85/15 Bass pickups. The pickups might not be as high quality as the USA-made pickups, but it sure does its job of working beautifully with some overdrive or distortion. The sound and the features of this guitar makes it more suitable for modern rock or blues playing than vintage sound. And like the SE Custom 24, this guitar is also very versatile and can work with many different playing styles.

Bottom Line: PRS SE Floyd Custom 24 is a guitar that is almost identical to the SE Custom 24, but has the unique Korean-made Floyd Rose 1000 Tremolo attached on the bridge. It’s a great guitar for shredding on rock and fusion!

11. PRS SE Custom 22 Semi-Hollow

PRS SE Custom 22 Semi-Hollow 

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Estimated Price $830
Body Style Double Cutaway Semi-Hollow Body
Top Maple
Back and Sides Mahogany
Neck Mahogany
Fret Count 22
Pickups 85/15 S

My Review: If you were wondering if PRS makes any semi-hollow body guitars, luckily they do! PRS makes USA-made boutique semi-hollow body guitars as well as cheaper models, and we’re going to look at the Korean-made cheaper model – the PRS SE Custom 22 Semi-Hollow. Like all the PRS guitars on this list, it’s a versatile instrument with a unique F-hole on the body.

Key Specs and Features: PRS SE Custom 22 Semi-Hollow is based on the classic PRS Custom 22. Other features are all classic PRS style – 25-inch scale length, Rosewood fretboard with 22 frets, PRS bird inlays, and Wide Thin neck profile. Obviously, the main difference is the addition of the F-hole, and there’s a bigger resonance that comes with the semi-hollow body.

Like I mentioned above, the Wide Thin neck profile provides a solid grip that is wide enough for easy bends but also thin enough for shredding and moving all over the neck. Many users of this guitar praise its playing comfort and it will surely put a smile on your face when you have a go on this instrument.

Electronics: The electronics are pretty standard as well – SE 85/15 pickups for both neck and the bridge. But with the combination of these pickups and the semi-hollow body brings a whole another layer of depth and resonance to the guitar tone. It’s quite hard to believe this guitar is under $900 because the tone has so much clarity as well as versatility. With semi-hollow body guitars, it’s often difficult to manage the feedback that comes from the acoustic nature of the semi-hollow body. But these pickups and the setup allows for minimum feedback and you can use as much overdrive you want without having to worry about creating too much feedback on this guitar.

The controls on this guitar are pretty much identical to other SE models – one master volume, one tone knob, and a 3-way pickup switchblade. Also, don’t forget about the coil-split switch, which gives you access to single coil tones as well as humbucker tones.

Bottom Line: PRS SE Custom 22 Semi-Hollow has a quality that is way above its price point, and the addition of the F-hole provides another level of depth to the guitar sound. It’s an amazing instrument that is worth every bit of the price!

12. PRS CE 24 Semi-Hollow

PRS CE 24 Semi-Hollow

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Estimated Price $2240
Body Style Double Cutaway Semi-Hollow Body
Top Maple
Back and Sides Mahogany
Neck Maple
Fret Count 24
Pickups PRS 85/15 Pickups

My Review: Now let’s have a look at another semi-hollow body guitar from PRS. The PRS CE 24 Semi-Hollow is a USA-made boutique-level semi-hollow body guitar from Paul Reed Smith. This is the semi-hollow body version of the previously introduced PRS CE 24. There is a type of sound that only semi-hollow body guitars can achieve. No matter how good a solid body guitar is, there is a distinct depth to the sound of a semi-hollow body. This distinct sound is from the structure of a semi-hollow body, where there is a solid block in the guitar body. The combination of the solid block and the empty spaces in the guitar body creates more resonance and therefore gives more midrange than the solid body guitars. PRS CE 24 Semi-Hollow has a brighter tone than other famous semi hollow body guitar models, and this makes it more versatile and exciting to play.

Key Specs and Features: One of the main features that make this guitar so special is the perfect combination of maple and mahogany tonewoods. The top wood is maple, while the rest of the body is constructed with mahogany wood. This combination gives a perfect balance of warmth, brightness, and attack in the guitar sound. The body shape is a classic PRS double cutaway with a longhorn at the top, but with an f-hole in the treble side of the body. The neck is a maple bolt-on neck with a 25 inch scale length and 24 frets. Fretboard material is made of East Indian Rosewood and also you can’t forget about the PRS bird inlays on the frets.

Looking at the neck profile, this guitar has PRS Pattern Thin profile with a satin nitro thin finish. Like I mentioned above, the Pattern Thin profile provides an exceptionally comfortable grip for modern guitar players. For modern guitar players that play a variety of music, Pattern Thin profile is the perfect neck size. The bridge on this guitar has the PRS patented tremolo, as well as PRS Low-mass Locking tuners. They keep the tuning exceptionally well and you won’t have to worry about going out of tune after using the tremolo bar.

Electronics: PRS CE 24 Semi-Hollow has PRS 85/15 Treble, and Bass pickups, and these USA-made PRS pickups provide super-clear clarity and in combination with the semi-hollow guitar body, the bridge pickup provides a thick and full treble-y guitar tone with plenty of highs. The neck pickup is bold and has layers of depth in the sound. The best way to experience these tones is to just plug the PRS CE 24 Semi-Hollow into a tube amp and just play clean without any effects or overdrive. The coil-split tones are also fabulous and this allows you to get a gorgeous single coil tone on a semi-hollow guitar body. The controls are extremely simple – just a volume knob, tone knob, and a 3-way pickup selector on the side.

Bottom Line: PRS CE 24 Semi-Hollow is a modern masterpiece that can compete against other top semi-hollow body guitars. It can be used for many genres from jazz, pop, blues, rock to country. I highly recommend this guitar to experienced guitarists and professional guitarists.

13. PRS SE A50E

PRS SE A50E

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Estimated Price $900
Body Style Angelus Body Style
Top Solid Spruce
Back and Sides Maple
Neck Mahogany
Fret Count Hybrid X Classical
Pickups Fishman GT1 Electronics

My Review: PRS is a guitar company known for its ground-breaking solid body guitars, and their guitars often take an existing model and incorporate modern technology. But recently, they have dipped their toes into making acoustic guitars, and their acoustic guitars are very innovative and high-quality as you might expect. In 2018, PRS released an innovative acoustic-electric guitar that turned many people’s heads – the PRS SE A50E. At first glance, the guitar looks like a weird mix of acoustic, classical, and solid-body guitars. The guitar looks very glamorous and looks like a high-end guitar, but it’s actually much less than $1000. The innovative design and technology resulted in a gorgeous-looking and beautiful-sounding acoustic-electric guitar that surprised many PRS fans.

Key Specs and Features: The body style is PRS’s own distinctive body style called the Angelus and it looks pretty similar to a Martin OM body with a single-cutaway. The curvy waist allows for a comfortable playing position when sitting down and the sleek cutaway allows you to reach up to the 20th fret easily. Its tonewoods are the typical top-quality materials – Solid Sitka Spruce for the top, figured maple for back and sides, and Mahogany for the neck.

A very unique feature that we see on this guitar is the advanced hybrid X classical bracing, which will bring out the most resonance and warmth from the tonewoods. The scale length is a standard length, with 25.3 inches in total. It’s a great length for both comfort and maximum string resonance. The decoration adds a significant level of luxury to the guitar. On the PRS SE A50E, they have added Abalone inlays for both around the edges of the guitar top and around the soundhole, and there are also beautiful bird inlays all around the fretboard. Additionally, A50E has an ebony bridge, top-quality bone nut, and bone saddle, which will all lead to a better-sounding guitar.

Now let’s talk about its sound. Even though PRS SE A50E gives a bizarre first impression due to its distinctive design, it is a complete package in terms of sound. The tone you get is bright, resonant, and clear with enough warmth. Also, the hybrid classical bracing allows for maximum projection, therefore getting quite a loud acoustic sound. Even when the guitar is plugged in, you get a trustworthy tone without too much feedback.

Bottom Line: PRS SE A50E is a versatile, trustworthy, and innovative acoustic-electric guitar that is perfect for playing shows and taking it on-the-go. I recommend this guitar to acoustic guitarists, and singer songwriters.

14. PRS SE P20 Parlor

PRS SE P20 Parlor

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Estimated Price $500
Body Style Parlor Style Acoustic Guitar
Top Mahogany
Back and Sides Mahogany
Neck Mahogany
Fret Count 20
Pickups None

My Review: For the final guitar of this list, we are going to look at a very unique guitar that people may not know about. But first, let’s do a quick history lesson on guitars. In the 19th century, the most popular guitar shape was something called parlor guitar. It looks like a Spanish classical guitar from a long time ago, and so it’s safe to say they are a mix between Spanish classical guitars and modern day big acoustic guitars. They were first designed for women as a guitar suited for women with smaller frames than men. But because of its comfort, men and women alike all loved playing the parlor guitars and they were played by the early blues musicians like Robert Johnson. Fast forward to today, parlor guitars are back in fashion, and with today’s technology, there are some amazing parlor guitars that are available at an affordable price.

Surprisingly, PRS was interested in creating their own versions of parlor guitars and that’s how the PRS SE P20E was born. The PRS SE Parlor P20 is a vintage-inspired guitar and PRS also added in modern features that have upgraded the parlor guitar. They are still in the pre-order phase, but you can be sure that they will be released very soon.

Key Specs and Features: The first thing that strikes you is that this thing looks beautiful. It comes in three satin finishes – black, charcoal, and vintage charcoal. All three have a very vintage but luxurious look, and PRS added features like herringbone creme binding and rosette and ebony fretboard with PRS Birds inlay to upgrade the looks. The headstock and tuning machines are also gorgeous – finished with vintage style butterbean buttons on the tuning machines and the classic PRS headstock.

The guitar is all mahogany from the top, sides, back, and neck of the guitar. PRS also used a new technology on this guitar called X-brace/classical hybrid bracing, and this technique combined with all-mahogany gives this guitar a much larger and resonant sound. The tone is warm and bold, and there is a lot of depth to the sound. Even to professional guitarist’s standards, the quality is enough for recording, touring, and gigging with the guitar. Now, this version doesn’t have any pickups, so you would need to mike the guitar for recording and performing purposes. If you want a pickup attached, you can invest $80 more to buy the P20E version, which comes with Fishman GT1 Electronics.

The price of the guitar at this quality is jaw-dropping, especially considering many popular PRS models are well over $2000. The scale length is just slightly shorter than an average full size guitar – at 24.72’’. But because of the slim body size, it would feel a lot more comfortable on your body than a regular acoustic guitar.

Bottom Line: Overall, PRS SE P20 Parlor is an upgraded version of the old classic that has killer looks and a gorgeous tone. It’s a great choice for anyone looking for a small and comfortable guitar!

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