Earlier this week, PRS finally confirmed the full details, pricing and even a demo of its much-anticipated John Mayer SE Silver Sky. But the Maryland champs aren’t stopping there.
Today PRS has unveiled a slew of additional 2022 guitars, including a brand new Orianthi Private Stock, 24-08 SE and S2 models, plus updates and colour options for a number of existing models. Let’s take a look at what’s been keeping PRS busy.
PRS Private Stock Orianthi Limited Edition
Orianthi has long been attached to PRS guitars, and the new Private Stock Orianthi isn’t cutting any corners in terms of spec and finish. It’s largely based on a one-off PRS Custom 24 which was built for Orianthi in 2017, and has become her go-to instrument.
The pink-to-purple burst you see above is called Blooming lotus Glow. and the trademark PRS bird inlays have - as with previous Orianthi models - been replaced with an extremely ornate Lotus Vine inlay which spans the length of the fretboard. Forget acrylic, that flower has been cut from pink mussel and mother of pearl.
The striking visuals are matched by a premium spec: resonant mahogany body with a violin-carved maple top (made with Private Stock-grade wood); Pattern Thin neck with a 10-inch radius; 24-fret rosewood fingerboard; 58/15 humbuckers Gen III vibrato and Phase III locking tuners.
Now, it’s limited edition, but not limited numbers. What that essentially means is that you have a window of January 11-December 31, 2022 in which to order. With a full price of $11,700, it’s certainly no budget model!
PRS S2 Custom 24-08 and SE Standard 24-08
2021 saw the launch of the SE Custom 24-08, but now PRS is offering the flexible 24-08 switching in its SE Standard and American-made S2 line-ups too.
Key to the models are the two mini-toggle switches, which when combined with the guitars’ regular three-way selector and master tone/volume controls unleashes eight pickups configurations, including full humbuckers and independent coil-splits for both pickups.
Both the SE Standard and S2 Custom guitars feature the same basic blueprint as a Custom 24: mahogany body; maple neck with 24-fret rosewood fingerboards; PRS’ familiar 25-inch scale length.
However the S2 Custom version ($1,929) is (obviously) US-made with a maple top and 85/15 “S” pickups. Meanwhile the SE Standard 24-08 ($729) is a purely mahogany body with TCI “S” pickups.
"It’s not so easy to get eight musical, usable pickup settings in one guitar,” Paul Reed Smith tells us. “Being able to go from full humbuckers to the crisp clarity of single coils and having all the in between sounds brings a lot to these instruments.”
PRS-Voiced Fishman Sonitone Pickup for SE Acoustics
It’s not all fancy inlays and switching though - PRS has been busy under the hood of its acoustics with a newly tweaked Fishman Sonitone under-saddle pickup, calibrated especially for PRS acoustics and their X/classical bracing.
Designed in collaboration with Larry Fishman himself in Paul Reed Smith’s studio, the PRS-voiced Sonitone promises “a warm, organic tone that allows the natural sound of the instrument to come through.”
“The EQ in this pickup system sounds like you mic’d the guitar,” says Paul Reed Smith. “It’s very musical. Everyone here is pleased with the sound.”
Updates to current models
As well as the brand new guitars and electronics, PRS has made some updates to its existing models.
The SE Marc Holcomb, Marc Holcomb SVN (seven-string) and SE Custom 24 Floyd will now feature PRS’ Shallow Violin top carve.
The SE Hollowbody and SE Paul’s Guitar are both now offered in Black Gold Burst and Faded Blue Burst.
Finally, the entire fleet of 24-fret S2 Series guitars will now feature a Pattern Thin neck profile, as well as Black Amber, Bonni Pink Cherry Burst, Lake Blue, Mahi Blue, and Scarlet Sunburst offered as colour options on selected models.
For more information, head over to the PRS website.
