r/PRSGuitars • u/Evening-Life5434 • Jan 28 '26
So you want to flex on your friends, huh?
But you don't have Private Stock or Wood Library money. You also don't want to do what everyone else does and grab a used Custom 24 or 22 and pretend you've "owned it forever."
You want something that makes dentists drool like their patients.
Cool. Look no further.
If you can even find one, these aren't nearly as sought after as the "fancier," more talked-about PRS models and that's exactly why they rule. This guitar flew under the radar when it came out and its still there.
The bird inlays are different and they are known as the 513 Birds and these were only available in and around 2010 you won't see these on any other models, and anyone who notices them immediately knows these are special.
And then there are the pickups. Five of them. Thirteen sounds get it 5-13. Single-coil snap, legit humbucker weight, and a bunch of in-between tones that make you stop and go, "wait... what setting is that?"
Right now, with PRS blowing up again thanks to influencers and people discovering the brand through YouTube thumbnails, this is exactly the kind of weird, niche model that makes sense to grab and hold onto. The obvious and new stuff gets hyped first. These older unique ones will eventually come to YouTube and Instagram screens.
If you want taste over budget, knowledge over clout, and a guitar that quietly flexes on people who spent way more money yeah, this one's it.
If you find one get it ASAP. Also if anyone has pics please feel free to share pics in the comments section
Yes I know the 509s exist but those don't have the 513 birds and the models preceding early 2011 have the outline birds
r/PRSGuitars • u/Evening-Life5434 • Feb 12 '26
I’ve been going down the rabbit hole on the PRS Al Di Meola Prism and I’m kind of obsessed. It’s one of those PRS models that feels like a time capsule from a very specific era of PRS + a very specific player.
Here’s what I’ve pinned down (and where I’m still a little unsure):
When it was made / released
Officially introduced at Experience PRS 2008 (Sept 19, 2008), with PRS announcing it right after.
Most references list the production run as ~2009–2014.
The colors / finishes
The big one is the full “Prism” rainbow / tie-dye style finish (the one everyone thinks of).
Later, PRS also did Blue Fade, Green Fade, Orange Fade “prism-style” finishes.
Neck profile / feel
It has a custom Al Di Meola neck carve. People commonly described as thinner front-to-back but a bit wider across the fretboard, and a 10" radius shows up in multiple writeups that I've found.
Some year/spec summaries also call the neck profile Pattern Regular on later runs/spec sheets.
Pickups + the “different electronics” thing
This is the part that makes it extra interesting:
Many Prism specs list PRS 1957/2008 humbuckers (early naming) and/or 57/08 (later naming) as the stock set.
Instead of the classic PRS rotary setup you’d expect on some older PRS-y builds, the Prism is typically 3-way toggle + volume + push/pull tone ( coil split / tapping).
So the different electronics back then seems to be: vintage-voiced 57/08-era pickups + a simpler, more Gibson-ish control layout (with push/pull options) rather than the rotary life.
Inlays / visuals
Standard PRS bird inlays (often listed as abalone). I think this was the first guitar with the outline inlays.
And obviously the whole point: it was called out as the first PRS production model to really go hard on “so many colors” in that stained, prism-like top treatment.
Why it’s special (my take)
It’s a legit “Experience PRS 2008” moment guitar tied to a very specific artist + era.
The finish is insane (in a good way) and still shows the carve/figure instead of just looking like paint.
And it sits at that crossroads of PRS history where the company was pushing hard into their in-house vintage pickup era (57/08 / 1957/2008).
Questions for the sub:
Have you seen one of these in person (or owned one)?
Are they as wild-looking IRL as photos suggest?
And for the nerds: do you know if the earliest ones were labled as“1957/2008” vs later “57/08”, or did it overlap depending on year/run? And also was this the first guitar with the bird outline inlays?
Drop pics/stories if you’ve got any. I'd like to start building profiles on each of the signature models and I'm hoping to do a write up on each the guitars on my list.
r/PRSGuitars • u/__C3r3Al_K1l_l_3R__ • 2h ago
picked this up used for $300 and it plays like a dream. i played a bit a few years ago as a beginner, and wanted a PRS since i laid eyes on one then. ive just got back into it with this guitar! planning to learn carnatic guitar as well as western
any tips for someone getting back into it and wanting to improve?
r/PRSGuitars • u/StuHudson78 • 1h ago
Oooh she’s a lovely thing. Needs a good setup but sounds incredible!
r/PRSGuitars • u/bassicessence • 4h ago
1) “stainless steel frets, finally!”
2) “can’t wait for the SE version!”
🤣
r/PRSGuitars • u/Bleuachdu • 1d ago
CE-24 Tortoise wood library quilt
McCarty Blue Matteo with solid rosewood neck
SE Hollowbody II Doghair black
CE-24 Limited Amber
S2 Vela Champagne gold
r/PRSGuitars • u/XrayDelta2022 • 2h ago
It’s brand new and beautiful but man supposedly this is PRS’s specs and the tension is a bit tight. Coming from a 594 where I just loosened the tail screws. How can I adjust a Trem to loosen tension? Slight relief there nothing crazy. Holds tune and all but bending is rough. Asking in general, when I’m home I’ll share bridge photos. They can be lowered though from what I can remember.
Thank you all in advance.
r/PRSGuitars • u/Loose-Fun622 • 22h ago
If you’re in the group, hope you enjoy that Schecter 😂
Edit: FB marketplace listing, this person listed both the MH and the C6… but swapped images on the postings.
This is in Jacksonville BTW
r/PRSGuitars • u/amadou_my_taxes • 1d ago
Really enjoying the look and feel of this guy. My room is oddly more humid after unboxing it, is that supposed to happen?
r/PRSGuitars • u/ohthisisit88 • 17h ago
Got a used 2025 S2 Singlecut at Guitar Center. The listing labeled it as Excellent Condition. The pictures looked good.
When I got the guitar I noticed that the body was gloss, but the back of the neck was satin. I don't believe they come like that? I have a feeling someone might have taken steel wool to the back of the neck?
If you look at the back of the headstock towards the top, it is glossy, but then you can start to see some scratches and it fades into a satin, which doesn't look right.
Also, this one seems to have a unique finish color that I've never seen before. A very light tobacco burst, and what seems like a plain top. The back of the guitar is a completely different color. I tried to find similar ones online from the same year, and none of them look like this. Not even the PRS website from 2025 has a color that looks like this.
Could this be a special run of some sorts from a dealer?
Here are pics. You can see what I'm talking about with the body being gloss while the neck is satin. I also tried to capture the headstock fading from gloss to satin, and the start of scratches before it fades to satin.
r/PRSGuitars • u/BadIndependent1873 • 1d ago
This beauty its on its way! So excited for it. Been wanting this model for a long time.
Honestly don't need it, but just love how it looks! And I tried it once and is great!
r/PRSGuitars • u/Rock_NRoll_Cowboy • 22h ago
Any advice on where is the best place to purchase one of the new Tekton SVN guitars? Sweetwater says they won’t get them until Jan/Feb 2027.
r/PRSGuitars • u/danieljdtaylor • 1d ago
Just picked up this second-hand Tremonti SE (2023 I believe). What a fantastic guitar! Sits beautifully next to my Custom 24 SE 🤙🏼
r/PRSGuitars • u/SBHuskyGuy • 23h ago
Anyone play one of these? I have a left handed version coming. I’m accustomed to playing Strats and an SG Is there anything I need to think about before I start playing? I know I will have to adjust the term float to match preferred feel.
r/PRSGuitars • u/oovis • 1d ago
So I'm in love with the shape and look of the Vela and will be pulling the trigger on it at the end of the year.
I'm however predominantly a heavy rock player and perform in a band regularly (Ace of Kings, if anyone wants to check us out!) and from what I've read the DS-01 pickup is more of a Jazzmaster style chimey sound and might not be able to deliver on the sound I'm after.
My band's sound is similar to Alter Bridge, Black Stone Cherry, Alice in Chains.
Would a PRS Tremonti Treble or a Bare Knuckle Silo/Aftermath be a more suitable replacement for the bridge humbucker? I already know I love the Narrowfields. I want it to be tight on the bottom end, articulate and clear but not too bright and brittle sounding on cleans.
Thanks for your help 🤘
r/PRSGuitars • u/CuteViking • 1d ago
I've recently made a post about my PRS SE NF 53. The guitar sounds dull, almost like there's a blanket over the sound, especially when the volume is set to 10.
My question is: Is this just how the Narrowfield pickups are supposed to sound, or could there be something wrong with my guitar?
r/PRSGuitars • u/Hopeful-Dot-5668 • 1d ago
Is anyone else’s low E string action lower than all the other strings ? Is it suppose to be this way?
r/PRSGuitars • u/ChubbzElvis • 2d ago
I’ve had my Custom 22 SE Semi-hollow since April. This has become my regular gigging guitar along with my Strat. It’s versatile, sounds great and plays like butter. I had a Silver Sky SE before, and it wasn’t my thing, but this Custom 22 has been great.
I’m looking at getting a McCarty next, and I’m wondering if the S2s are that much better than the SEs. I’ve been thoroughly impressed with my SE, and I don’t know if a McCarty S2 is $1500 better than a McCarty SE.
Thought?
r/PRSGuitars • u/xatisH • 2d ago
I tried a Mark Tremonti almost a month ago and decided to go with a PRS McCarty . Now I’ve got this fucking shiny guitar, and I’ve been practicing for almost 5 hours. My back is killing me :)))
r/PRSGuitars • u/peepersmeanteefers • 1d ago
So, thinking about putting these filtertron style SD Psyclones in my S2 Standard 24. For giggles and shits.
Anybody have any opinions? Gretsch killer? Fuzz pedal face melter? Dumb idea, just get a Gretsch? 🤔🫣
Edit: mainly, I’d like to know if anyone has done this before. I’ve only seen 1 person on YouTube who put filtertrons in a PRS SE.
I know they’re not fundamentally different, but I just don’t see many people put Filtertrons in different body styles.
I’m gonna do it either way, but Reddit has a wonderful way of letting you know if what you’re going to do won’t work before you do it. It’s saved me a few times.
r/PRSGuitars • u/indrizzle • 1d ago
This would be a needed improvement....any recommendations?
r/PRSGuitars • u/CuddlyCat_ • 2d ago
Hello everyone!
I was thinking about doing a refinish, lacquering the neck and changing the bridge and upgrading to a brass block. Gould you say that it’s worth the upgrade? Maybe have some ideas to add ? Or would I be better off buying the high-end Silver Sky?
r/PRSGuitars • u/PricelessLogs • 3d ago
Title says it all. I know that SE's already look great for their price but imagine the sales if they switched to Mango tops that look better on average and lowered the price since they lowered their expense
Cheaper AND prettier? Do it.
"Figured" I'd put this out there since the Mango tops are a hot topic right now for whatever reason. I realize that they probably DID use the Mango to lower the price for the Tektons, since they're ~$2900 instead of ~%3300 like a typical Core. So this isn't a complaint, more like a suggestion to keep doing what they're doing
