Dave Navarro is currently gearing up to record his first new post-Jane’s Addiction material, and he’s already picked out which electric guitar he will use for the project – and it’s a celebratory milestone build from PRS.
Navarro is poised to start the latest chapter in his musical career, after last year’s high-profile Jane’s Addiction reunion came to an abrupt end when the guitarist was punched on stage mid-solo by vocalist Perry Farrell.
A few days after the incident took place, Navarro seemingly pulled the curtain down on Jane’s Addiction when he released a statement that confirmed the band had “made the difficult decision to take some time away”.
Now, though, Navarro is about to head back into the studio to do some “work” with his former Jane’s Addiction bandmates Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins, and he’ll be bringing a PRS beauty with him for the job.
The guitar in question is an ultra-limited 40th Anniversary Custom 24 of which only 25 examples – all signed by Paul Reed Smith himself – have been crafted.
Stylistically, it looks similar to Navarro’s own PRS SE signature guitar (it’s got a pristine white finish and HH configuration) but opts for white humbucker rings and chrome hardware. It also has a 40th Anniversary truss rod cover and Smith’s signature scrawled on the back of the headstock.
“Thank you to @bevfowlerprs_ar and @prsguitars for this amazing 40th Anniversary edition work of art,” Navarro writes on Instagram. “This is 1 of 25 builds signed by Paul himself and I am humbled and honored to be gifted such a rare and historic piece. Getting ready to do some work with @ericaveryinsta and @stephenperkinsdrummer and this will be the first tool I reach for.”
2025 marks the Maryland brand’s 40th birthday, and as such PRS has been celebrating accordingly with a string of limited edition instruments – and a star-studded celebration concert. Over the past few weeks, the firm has unveiled special edition 24-08, Charcoal Phoenix, Custom 24 Dragon guitars.
Given there’s only been 25 of these guitars built and signed, and there’s no sign of a wider release, we’re guessing they’re being kept as gifts for the firm’s nearest and dearest – so it will be interesting to see if we can spot any more of these appearing ‘in the wild’.
For Navarro, this marks the latest milestone in his long-standing relationship with PRS, whose guitars he’s been playing since 1991. Speaking to Guitar World last year, Navarro reflected on his affection for PRS guitars, and recalled how he made the switch after throwing out all his Ibanez guitars to the audience during a gig.
