PRS Guitars’ 40th trip around the sun just keeps delivering the hits, with the latest in its monthly drops a limited edition reimagining of its Special Semi-Hollow, which swaps out the mahogany and figured maple build for black limba and artist grade figured maple, and goes all in with the aesthetic details.
Details such as the “pre-factory” eagle inlay on the headstock. The “Special” designation from the Core lineup model’s truss rod cover has been replaced with a 40th anniversary engraving. They are only making 280 of these, with your finish options comprising Faded Whale Blue and Yellow Tiger.
Those tops take some beating. It’s hard to drag your attention away from them – if figured maple is your thing, your ship has come in. But fundamentally this is a Special Semi-Hollow and that makes off-the-charts versatility.
As Judy Schaefer, director of marketing at PRS Guitars, explains, this guitar is a BFD, and it presents players with so many core electric guitar tones before they have to touch any dials on their amp or consult their pedalboard.
“This has been an incredible year of releasing special limited-edition guitars to celebrate our anniversary,” she says. “The 40th Anniversary Special Semi-Hollow Limited Edition is the culmination of this year’s anniversary lineup.
“With a dozen pickup combinations, the ability to summon both humbucker and single-coil sounds, and beautiful woods, this instrument will inspire you to play. Have fun exploring this versatile tonal palette.”
With a McCarty III humbuckers at the neck and bridge positions, a hum-cancelling PRS Narrowfield dual-coil pickup in the middle position, you have volume and tone knobs, a five-way pickup selector switch, plus a pair of mini-toggle switches for tapping the coils on those humbuckers.
Sometimes high-end electric guitars are all about doing one thing brilliantly – the ne plus ultra of boutique singlecuts, ‘Burst replicas, or the LP Junior “just like they made ‘em in ’56”, and all that. But the Special Semi-Hollow is a do-it-all guitar.
It it a jazz guitar? Probably. It’ll work just fine for blues guitar. Rock? Pfft! Those McCarty III humbuckers were made for that, and clean up nicely. Fusion is all but encouraged by the spec alone.
The hardware is primo. There is the PRS-patented Gen III tremolo system, all Rolls Royce class. The PRS Phase III locking tuners (with “Wing” buttons)...
This is one to consider when the session cheques keep coming in. But if they don’t, and the asking priced – $6,990 – is a little steep, then at least we can recommend an alternative in the do have an alternative in the MusicRadar approved PRS SE Special Semi-Hollow.
But if you have the funds, if you just want to gawp at this beauty, head over to PRS Guitars. The PRS 40th Anniversary Special Semi-Hollow Limited Edition is available now.
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