PRS has announced its first round of new models and updates for 2019.
New electrics include a revamped “Paul’s Guitar," the CE 24 Semi-Hollow and a new SE Custom 24. A number of new acoustic models have been announced as well.
PRS Paul's Guitar
Historically, the Paul’s Guitar (like the Modern Eagle before it) has been a realization of Paul Reed Smith’s latest discoveries surrounding tone. This revamped model is intended to represent Smith’s vision as both a guitar maker and a guitar player. Smith's personal design choices include mahogany bodies with maple tops, Honduran rosewood fretboards, Nitrocellulose finishes, “Brushstroke” bird inlays and narrow pickup bobbins. The Paul’s Guitar model also includes PRS’s TCI (Tuned Capacitance and Inductance) treble and bass pickups with two mini-toggle switches that allow players to put either or both pickups in either humbucking or true single coil mode.
“I don’t just like the newest version of my guitar, I love it," Smith said of the guitar. "With these new pickups, I can move from a strong bridge pickup to a very clear, “whoopy” neck pickup – you can hear every note – by just setting the mini-toggles and using the 3-way as normal. It’s a highly musical and very usable setup. This guitar has clear, spanky single coils when you split the pickups but a very full soapbar quality when they are in humbucking mode. It’s just beautiful.”
PRS CE 24 Semi-Hollow
The original CE was introduced in 1988, offering players traditional PRS design and features with a bolt-on neck. A favorite throughout PRS history, the CE 24 was reintroduced in 2016 and is now expanding to include a semi-hollow model.
PRS SE Custom 24 Ziricote
For 2019, PRS will be offering the SE Custom 24 in both zebrawood and ziricote veneers for players who want a more exotic look.
PRS SE Acoustics
On the acoustic side, PRS Guitars has expanded its assortment of SE Angelus and Tonare Grand models with both new wood combinations and new colors. The SE A55E and T55E feature quilted maple back and sides, and are offered in two colors: classic Black Gold Burst or Abaco Green.
The SE A60E and T60E feature ziricote back and sides, curly maple binding and heel cap and abalone purfling and rosette details. Both the 55 and 60 series acoustics feature solid spruce tops, PRS’s hybrid classical/X bracing, bone nuts and saddles and the Fishman GT-1 pickup system. Rounding out the acoustic additions are burst options for the 40 and 50 series guitars.
For more on the new models, head on over to prsguitars.com.
