PRS Artist Models

Before PRS guitars turned into the juggernaut they are today, Paul Reed Smith got his start by making artist models, albeit on a small scale. It worked like this: Paul would slip past security with a couple of his guitars whenever a major artist came to town. He’d find a way to get the guitar in their hands, and if they liked it, he’d offer to build them one to their specifications. It may seem crazy to imagine pulling such a stunt today, but Paul’s spectacular craftsmanship (as well as his single-minded determination) earned him several custom orders from players like Carlos Santana, Howard Leese, and Al Di Meola. In a sense, some of the earliest PRS Guitars were artist models!

Paul Reed Smith might not have to become buddies with the roadies to pitch his guitars to rock stars, but collaborating with artists to create spectacular guitars is still a huge part of PRS’s DNA. For years, they have developed signature models that fulfill the creative vision of guitar players from all corners of the musical map. Perhaps because Paul has so much practice catering to each player’s specific needs, PRS excels at capturing the vibe and personality of each artist in their signature model. For instance, they’ve captured the essence of roots-rock session legend David Grissom, shredlord Vernon Reid, and bluesy pop star John Mayer, just to name a few.