305: PRS’s redheaded stepchild?

[Alnus Rubra]

You are the best enablers....... now I want one.... I need another guitar. Thanks

Fixed

 

[Jamme]

Had to go get one thanks

 

[phillybri]

The same could be said about the DC3.

 

[mcbprs]

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.

I have 24 PRS guitars and aside from my ME1s my 2 305s are probably my most played/gigged in recent times. One is a stock 25th anniversary the other I believe to be a prototype it’s from 2009 and has neck and bridge 513 pickups with a pull pot on the tone which reduces their output to give more traditional strat like tones a highly flamed maple neck with slightly more rounded shoulders than the rw boarded anniversary and its body appears to be maple at least from the figuring, both very fine guitars though.

 

[Jimi D]

I have 24 PRS guitars and aside from my ME1s my 2 305s are probably my most played/gigged in recent times. One is a stock 25th anniversary the other I believe to be a prototype it’s from 2009 and has neck and bridge 513 pickups with a pull pot on the tone which reduces their output to give more traditional strat like tones a highly flamed maple neck with slightly more rounded shoulders than the rw boarded anniversary and its body appears to be maple at least from the figuring, both very fine guitars though.

Oh, we gotta see some pics of that 2009!

In the meantime here's a pick of my 2010 with my SAS SE:

 

[Colin Humphrey]

I picked up a PRS 305 25th Anniversary about 18 months ago Sunburst maybe ( smokeburst ) finish. Alder body rosewood fretboard, great guitar , it made a nice addition to my other PRS guitars including a 513 Rosewood . Really do not understand why PRS has sent them into oblivion !

 

[VHTStark]

Crazy seeing a 305 post pop up. I pulled mine out this past weekend and was reminded how awesome it was: a true Core level, PRS strat that plays and feels awesome!

I still prefer a thicker sounding bridge position pickup and routing for a humbucker, like Hans' "The Raven" would make my 305 perfect. Sent the PTC an email to see if it can be done. They didn't flat out say no this time (focus on warranty related work), so fingers crossed it will be a go this time!!