When did you first hear about PRS and what made you want to own one?

I first learned about PRS guitars when I saw an advertisement in a British Guitar magazine, that I decided to purchase because I had a lot of time to kill waiting for a connecting flight at Heathrow Airport back in 2005
The rest as they say "is history".
 
I think the first time that I saw/heard of PRS must have been in the mid 90s. I'd stopped playing guitar a few years earlier and I was in a music store (I think it was the old Manny's on 48th, but I could be mistaken). I can't recall what I went into the store for, but found myself next to a bunch of PRSs and thought something along the lines of "those look amazing! Perhaps, I'll rethink stopping the guitar". Then I saw the prices; I was in grad school so serious consideration was a non-starter.
Fast forward to around a year ago... I'd been toying with taking up the guitar again. I'd been reintroducing music making back into my life; my big Bach concert was to be that coming August.
I had the opportunity to play someone's PRS CU22, and the guitar felt so amazing in my hands, that I'd ignored the horrid sound (of my playing, not the guitar) coming from the amp, as well as the burning pain in my fingertips.
The next day I ordered an S2CU22 SH and that began a bit of a "habit" and continued bout of irrationally throwing $$$ at PRS (the company).
No complaints! YOLO and all
 
Somewhere around '02 or '03 I went to GC to look for a new guitar and was in the market for an Epiphone Les Paul....only had a budget of a couple hundred bucks. I found a Goldtop Epiphone Les Paul for like $150.00 and snagged it. This particular model had P90's (I didn't know what P90's were back then) in it and they were just waaaaay too noisy for me.

I took the guitar back and wanted to exchange it. The salesman then took me over and showed me a used PRS SE Singlecut. I knew of the brand already through Santana and Porcupine Tree but I always assumed they were outta my price range, but this was on sale for like $350.00. The thing played and sounded better than any guitar I had ever played at the time. I payed the difference and took the guitar home.

I now have a total of five PRS guitars...three core models, an SE Singlecut trem (traded my original stop-tail for the trem version) and an SE acoustic.
 
I have absolutely no idea when. I have been a huge Santana fan for decades. But I didn't know what brands of guitars existed. At some point in learning to play guitar, or trying to, which started in retirement a few years ago, I started to learn names such as Fender, Gibson, etc. Then I saw a Santana video and he is playing some damn guitar with birds on the neck! I now own two, a Paul's and a Hollowbody I. But no Santana. That will be next.
 
I have absolutely no idea when. I have been a huge Santana fan for decades. But I didn't know what brands of guitars existed. At some point in learning to play guitar, or trying to, which started in retirement a few years ago, I started to learn names such as Fender, Gibson, etc. Then I saw a Santana video and he is playing some damn guitar with birds on the neck! I now own two, a Paul's and a Hollowbody I. But no Santana. That will be next.
A Santana will complement them nicely.
 
I had played friends' PRSi over the years, one buddy had a koa top CU24 in the early 90s, another had a Santana. They were nice but out of my price range. In 2010ish I had started using piezo equipped solidbodys, starting with an Epiphone I modded myself and then briefly owning an import Parker. I wanted a piezo guitar that I didn't want to put right back down after finishing the tune that needed the acoustic sound.
Then I discovered Porcupine Tree and went and test drove a P22 and the rest is history.
Love me a P22. Good choice.
 
Mid 80's...working in my family's restaurant, with music store (Christy`s) right next door. Bought my 1st guitar there, (used Hagstrom HB II) and took lessons there, too. ( from John Chenoweth) Another instructor (Brad M) had a white pearl standard (pretty sure) that was gorgeous...they started carrying them...first was green custom 24...and there have been MANY more...always looking to swap, if the timing is right and a nice one comes through. Work at that store now part-time and get to see many PRSi...and get to help customers with theirs...still hands down the easiest guitar to adjust, change strings, etc...
 
Larry LaLonde from Primus was my first introduction to PRS. It was love at first sight.
 
I discovered PRS after I moved to Danbury, CT in the late 90s. There was an old roller skating rink that was converted to a guitar store at the end of my new street. That was East Coast Music Mall. Little did I know...
 
I discovered PRS after I moved to Danbury, CT in the late 90s. There was an old roller skating rink that was converted to a guitar store at the end of my new street. That was East Coast Music Mall. Little did I know...

I was there once. Tried out a Morley Bad Horsie wah.
 
I forgot exactly how I heard about PRS but I can remember it was back in 2004 when I first wanted to pick up one, though mainly to play alt/nu metal stuff like Linkin Park or Taproot. When I used to actually like the early Linkin Park albums there was something about Delson's guitar tone on the Custom 24 he uses that really stood out to me. Though I'm not into that stuff anymore, especially Taproot, I still like that guitar tone and have been constantly wanting one ever since I've found out the brand.
 
There was an article in the American Airlines inflight magazine about an up and coming guitar builder. Had a killer cherry sunburst Custom in a case with the blue lining. This was in 1987 I think, and led me to search out a local dealer. I still have that 1987 Custom with a killer vintage yellow top...
 
I had seen them in git mags, those full back cover ads and was like, MAN that's nice. I had a stable of strats and others and wasn't really looking. As was my ritual, I went to GC in central Dallas one Saturday morning and saw what I now think was a Whale Blue Santana. Having an American Hamer with the same body style, I was interested. I had never ever played a guitar that was as effortless to play, bend, and overall enjoy. The price tag made me put it back quickly, and... carefully. After that, I had interest but no real funds to afford an unneeded guitar. Eventually, I played a few more and continued my long distance broke love affair. In 04 after moving to Hawaii, I was back in the store on a family visit, my lady in tow. I picked out a cherry sunburst McCarty to fool around on and liked it. I was jamming around on it as she looked around at different stuff. Suddenly, the sales guy brought over the case and candy and was like "here you go", and I was like, "I didn't buy this", and he was like,"No, but she did". I look over and she's waving the receipt.....it was a joy.
 
I had seen them in git mags, those full back cover ads and was like, MAN that's nice. I had a stable of strats and others and wasn't really looking. As was my ritual, I went to GC in central Dallas one Saturday morning and saw what I now think was a Whale Blue Santana. Having an American Hamer with the same body style, I was interested. I had never ever played a guitar that was as effortless to play, bend, and overall enjoy. The price tag made me put it back quickly, and... carefully. After that, I had interest but no real funds to afford an unneeded guitar. Eventually, I played a few more and continued my long distance broke love affair. In 04 after moving to Hawaii, I was back in the store on a family visit, my lady in tow. I picked out a cherry sunburst McCarty to fool around on and liked it. I was jamming around on it as she looked around at different stuff. Suddenly, the sales guy brought over the case and candy and was like "here you go", and I was like, "I didn't buy this", and he was like,"No, but she did". I look over and she's waving the receipt.....it was a joy.

That’s a good lady!
 
Santana/Supernatural. As for the singlecut trems, from Mark Tremonti with Alter Bridge's first album and a thousand yasseahs.

Fast forwards several years later, I delved into the deep end with the likes of death metal. Go figure.
 
When Creed’s first album came out, I saw Mark Tremonti with his and started looking into them. I thought PRS guitars were beautiful, but they were WAY out of my budget at the time. I still don’t have one, but I’m currently on the look out for my first one. I’m just having a problem of too many options, but not enough in my area to try out.
 
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