PRS has truly been celebrating its 40th anniversary in style.
In January, the company hosted a star-studded concert at Anaheim, California's House of Blues featuring John Mayer, David Grissom, Orianthi, Herman Li, Mark Lettieri, and the man himself, Paul Reed Smith. The following month, it issued the Charcoal Phoenix, a limited-edition version of the guitar Smith played at the anniversary show.
Now, the company has kept the party going with the 40th Anniversary Custom 24-08 Semi-Hollow Limited Edition model, an updated version of the Custom 24-08, one of the company's foundational designs.
The updates in question are both visual and sonic; the latter coming in the form of TCI pickups and EQ mini-toggle switches, the visual being a “10-top” grade figured maple top, a ziricote fretboard and headstock veneer, and a special inlay package.
The EQ mini-toggles, which also feature on the aforementioned Charcoal Phoenix, are designed to act as tuned high-pass filters when switched to the up position, “removing shelved low end and allowing the high frequencies through for more clarity and musical highs.”
Built with American alnico, the TCI pickups, meanwhile, aim to blend the best of single-coil and soapbar worlds, without the dreaded hum.
“The Custom 24 is one of the first two guitars I made to launch the company and has been our flagship design,” Paul Reed Smith said in a press release. “Updating the 24-08 version for our 40th Anniversary with a semi-hollow body, EQ mini toggles, and this wood combination really allow the instrument to ‘sing’ in a full, beautiful voice of its own.”
Only 300 examples of the model – which comes in four finishes, Faded Whale Blue Smokeburst, Charcoal Tri-Color Burst, Faded Whale Blue Natural Back, and Charcoal Cherry Burst – will be produced. Each guitar will be accompanied by a certificate signed by Paul Reed Smith.
Coming as it does from the top of the PRS line, the 40th Anniversary Custom 24-08 Semi-Hollow Limited Edition rings up at $6,950.
For more info on the guitar, visit PRS.
