305: PRS’s redheaded stepchild?

[Wavebender]

I have searched this forum and the PRS site and can find essentially nothing about the 305. It’s like they erased if from collective memory. I don’t know what years it was made, only that mine was made in 2009 and sold in 2010. There are no spec sheets, no photos, no background other than that it was an offshoot of the 513. No schematics, no pickup design information, nothing. It was a $3k+ guitar that streeted around $2200. They sell used for around $1800. And that’s it.

YouRube has a handful of rough video “reviews” and all of the ones I’ve seen are quite positive. A couple of magazines drooled over it, but those hacks drool over everything PRS sends them because (a) they are spectacular instruments and (b) their meager salaries come from advertising revenue. I think it is sad that print dinosaurs and rank amateur video bloggers are the only source of information about this lovely instrument. I think mine is a marvelous machine, a model of simplicity, good taste, and solid engineering. I would hate to think that PRS doesn’t feel this way, but that is kind of how it looks and feels to me.

 

[Mazakou]

I’m sure the silver sky fills that space, now. I didn’t know about the 305 till 2016-2017 as I had stepped away from playing for about 8 years. My guess is that they didn’t take sell as well as expected. When you design a sss s-style guitar, it holds a “particular design language”. In other words, the masses didn’t like the aesthetics. That is my guess. I have an SS and I love it but upon seeing the 305 years ago, I was like that’s the one....well one of the ones.

 

[Mazakou]

Many of the specs exist the the same as other PRS guitars, wide fat neck, 25” scale, violin carve, set maple neck, volume and tone, and a five way blade. It was made of alder or ash I think.

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

Just to clarify above... scale of the 305 model is 25.5”.

 

[RickP]

It didn’t sell. That’s pretty much it’s story. Like the NF3 and others, it was a great guitar that didn’t find a spot in the market. I think it’s lack of mention on the site (and on the ‘net in general) is due to its short run combined with low sales number.

 

[Serious Poo]

It’s a damn fine guitar, but a lot of people had a hard time with the fact that you couldn’t change out the pickups. FWIW, I own one of the original 305 prototypes - it’s a really special instrument.

 

[Jaan]

It’s a damn fine guitar, but a lot of people had a hard time with the fact that you couldn’t change out the pickups. FWIW, I own one of the original 305 prototypes - it’s a really special instrument.

I also own one of the prototypes; it’s my favorite guitar. It is odd that the 305 isn’t anywhere on the website. You can find specs for the 408; 513 etc. But look in that area for the 305 and literally nothing; like it never even existed. The prototypes had coil taps on the single coils; very unique in the PRS world and yet no mention at all. You can’t even get parts. I called PTC to get a new scalloped nut like was also used on the 513 and I was told sorry not available. So not only no mention on the site, but no support either. Odd

 

[Tone-y]

I always fancied a 305. I have eBay alerts for when they appear on there. I think with a few tweaks to the formulae they could have been more popular. Standard single coil pickups would help as lot of that market have their own favourite aftermarket, and for me personally the aesthetics could have been a bit better, they were a little bland as their base model - standard birds, fancier top options, more colour options, a bit of flame/Birdseye maple on the neck etc. I bet there would have been some great wood library versions if they had opened it up to all of that

 

[Serious Poo]

There are a few prototypes floating around, you might want to wait and see if you can snag one. They have a few unique features you won't find on production models. This one has coil tapping and phase switching, which lets me get Strat-like sounds as well as some Brian May-ish sounds.

 

[Tone-y]

There are a few prototypes floating around, you might want to wait and see if you can snag one. They have a few unique features you won't find on production models. This one has coil tapping and phase switching, which let's me get Strat-like sounds as well as some Brian May-ish sounds.

See, and that one has a much more interesting top too. Now if only it had the old style birds. Was never a fan of those brush stroke birds

 

[Mazakou]

Just to clarify above... scale of the 305 model is 25.5”.

Thanks, I thought I read somewhere that it was 25, appreciate the correction.

 

[Steve's addiction]

I have 3 of them and love em.

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

305 Proto

Modified 305 (The Raven)

 

[Tone-y]

305 Proto

Modified 305 (The Raven)

Nice! See if they'd made more options like this I'm sure they'd have been more popular

 

[KentuckyBoiledChiccan]

Yeah, I was thinking same some time ago. 305 is the SSS PRS I would buy. No matter how great Silver Sky is I just can't see myself owning one

 

[Rider1260]

305 was my second PRS ( after the KL33 ) I thought a set neck SSS guitar , PRS hell yea.
It is a great guitar , darker than most Strats IHMO and let down by the bridge pickup ( like most Strats ) also because of the solid most pickups the 2 + 4 positions had a different sound.
Its still the guitar to get if you what a 100% PRS feel and SSS pickups.
It also has some of the coolest inlays on a PRS IMHO ( 513 birds but looked like wood )

untitled-4687 by

 

[bodia]

305 Proto

Modified 305 (The Raven)

So hot!

 

[dmatthews]

305 is a great guitar. As previously mentioned there are those who would be put off by not easily being able to swap pups. Unless you're Hans...

 

[dogrocketp]

It is a beautiful guitar model, but I’m still coocoo for Cocoa Puffs over my maple board DC3. That ended my long search for an SSS. Both of these models didn’t sell well, and should have.

 

[FlameTop]

I loved the 305 spec so much I used it as the basis for a Private Stock. Decided on a hardtail.