PRS 25th inlays

[Elliot]

There's a shop nearby with a CU24 25th anniversary with shadow bird inlays and the 25th bird that kind of looks like a PS bird. The top looks downright dull and the "shadow bird" inlays look almost painted on. But that might be the normal look, as I've never seen them in person. Anyone have close up pictures of the headstock bird and the fretboard? Google isn't yielding anything very fruitful.

I would post a picture but I know the shop does consignment and I wouldn't want to put down someone's guitar on the forum.

 

[veinbuster]

This is the best I can do on short notice.

 

[n24re]

There's a shop nearby with a CU24 25th anniversary with shadow bird inlays and the 25th bird that kind of looks like a PS bird. The top looks downright dull and the "shadow bird" inlays look almost painted on. But that might be the normal look, as I've never seen them in person. Anyone have close up pictures of the headstock bird and the fretboard? Google isn't yielding anything very fruitful.

I would post a picture but I know the shop does consignment and I wouldn't want to put down someone's guitar on the forum.

The 25th is an odd bird (pun) in that they do look more like decals than actual inlays. I am not sure the process they followed but if you compare them to a current core offering they just look off to me.

I would like to know more about the inlays myself.

Steve

 

[Elliot]

If the top were more attractive, I probably wouldn't have been suspicious. I kind of just suspected thats how they look but wanted to be sure.

 

[veinbuster]

The 25th is an odd bird (pun) in that they do look more like decals than actual inlays. I am not sure the process they followed but if you compare them to a current core offering they just look off to me.

They aren't my favourite inlays, but I don't have a problem with them. The white outline is the standard bird shape and the black nicely plays the role of a shadow. Looking at the guitar they look very much like inlays. They just aren't as exciting to look at as the shell inlays that we see so much of.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I love the ME-like headstock eagle on these.

 

[veinbuster]

I love the ME-like headstock eagle on these.

Yes. It is quite excellent.

 

[Stoptail22]

Can I help with pics of my two 25th Anniversaries?

 

[bodia]

I dig that bird. Don't have one on a guitar, yet. But I almost got it as a tattoo a couple weeks ago.

 

[Elliot]

Can I help with pics of my two 25th Anniversaries?

when you look at them really close up, is it pretty clear that they are inlays?

 

[veinbuster]

when you look at them really close up, is it pretty clear that they are inlays?

Yes.
I'll try to remember to take a closer photo tonight.

 

[Stoptail22]

Sorry that I'm not able to make a significant picture, but, using your own words, when I look really close at them, it is clear that they are inlays. They are two-colored: cream birds and black shadows.

The 2010 PRS catalog states that they are "25th Anniversary shadow bird inlays", in no case PRS will publish incorrect information for a product. Maybe other manufacturers sometimes do that, but PRS will not. End of message.

 

[Elliot]

Sorry that I'm not able to make a significant picture, but, using your own words, when I look really close at them, it is clear that they are inlays. They are two-colored: cream birds and black shadows.

The 2010 PRS catalog states that they are "25th Anniversary shadow bird inlays", in no case PRS will publish incorrect information for a product. Maybe other manufacturers sometimes do that, but PRS will not. End of message.

Yeah my concern is not that PRS was mislabelling them as inlays. My concern is that this particular guitar is a fake. If the normal inlays are a little subtle then maybe what I'm seeing is normal. They just don't look like the quality other PRS inlays I've seen, or even inlays at all for that matter. I'll post a close up of just the inlays on this particular guitar a bit later today. But as I said before I don't want to post a big picture of it because it may be on consignment at the shop and I wouldn't want to trash anyone's guitar.

 

[veinbuster]

Here are some detail shots of my 25th:
headstock - the wood is dark enough it is tricky to see the black

fingerboard inlays are much easier to see both colours

classy case - and why I had to buy one

and a free giant signature

 

[Elliot]

Not a great picture. But you can see how I thought they were painted on originally.

 

[Bogner]

The hollow birds are my least favorite by far. I didn't like these inlays much when they first came out but they did grow on me a bit over time. Still far from my favorite but they are interesting and something different. The Modern Eagle II stuff ruined me along with the silver etched birds for the unique side of things. I still love the shell birds too!