Guitar finish colors: how often do they change?

[Rocketscientist90]

I was browsing the PRS catalog and drooling over some of the colors and hating others. It got me wondering, how often does PRS change colors for a specific guitar model?

For example, the SE Paul's Guitar:
2020: Amber, Aqua, Fire Red
2021: Amber, Aqua
2022: Black Gold Burst, Faded Blue Burst
2023: Black Gold Burst, Faded Blue Burst
2024: Charcoal, Turquoise
(2 year schedule for popular colors, so probably no new colors for 2025?)

SE Custom 24:
2021: Black Gold Burst, Bonni Pink, Charcoal Burst, Faded Blue Burst
2022: Black Gold Burst, Bonni Pink, Faded Blue Burst
2023: Black Gold Burst, Charcoal, Faded Blue
2024: Black Gold Burst, Charcoal, Turquise
(2 year schedule for popular colors, so possibly new colors for 2025?)

Seems like every now and then new colors are introduced every 2 years or so. Is there a fixed schedule at which colors are introduced or swapped out?

Is there a (fan-made?) site that keeps track of all available colors over the years?

Next week I will be visiting the local PRS dealer and hopefully come home with a SE Hollowbody II Piezo in Black Gold Burst. Eventually I want to replace my Gretsch, and it can't hurt to just drool over the catalog now, can it? An SE CE 24 (2024) in Vintage Sunburst, SE Paul's Guitar (2020/2021) in Amber or an SE McCarty 594 doublecut in Vintage Sunburst would definitely be on my watchlist. Guess I've got a type.. (and my wife gave me the stink eye when I coined putting a Bonni Pink colored guitar on our living room wall )

 

[Bobd]

I remember reading something about this :

Behind the Scenes: Creating New Colors

USA/Maryland-based Manufacturer of Electric Guitars, Acoustic Guitars, Basses and Accessories.

eu.prsguitars.com

And :

https://www.prsguitars.jp/contents/color

 

[Rocketscientist90]

Thanks Bobd! I have some reading to do.

 

[d^rren]

They likely change them when people aren't buying them any more.

 

[Rocketscientist90]

Well it does seem that some (less popular?) colors are removed after only a year or so, while others remain in use for considerably longer and also on more models. But I also guess that by just changing the colors every few years is any easy method of bringing a certain model back into the spotlight to boost sales. Just as with cars and other fashion-sensitive products.

 

[jak3af3r]

They likely change them when people aren't buying them any more.

It could also be a supplier discontinuation as well.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

About as often as men’s slacks colors change.

 

[SinSir]

PRS staples more or less stay in some variation/models. New colors are released mid January. Sometimes we start hearing word about them in the fall.

A couple years ago they released Lake Blue. An option to buy the finish was published on one of the online retailers late October but without a picture. Not long after it was pulled and PRS told me directly that no previews until 1/11.

 

[DISTORT6]

About as often as men’s slacks colors change.

Is the blue-suit-brown-shoes thing almost over?

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Is the blue-suit-brown-shoes thing almost over?

As soon as the blue guitar black amp thing ends.

 

[Rocketscientist90]

Oops, my first guitar was also blue..

 

[Zoot Allures]

I was browsing the PRS catalog and drooling over some of the colors and hating others. It got me wondering, how often does PRS change colors for a specific guitar model?

For example, the SE Paul's Guitar:
2020: Amber, Aqua, Fire Red
2021: Amber, Aqua
2022: Black Gold Burst, Faded Blue Burst
2023: Black Gold Burst, Faded Blue Burst
2024: Charcoal, Turquoise
(2 year schedule for popular colors, so probably no new colors for 2025?)

SE Custom 24:
2021: Black Gold Burst, Bonni Pink, Charcoal Burst, Faded Blue Burst
2022: Black Gold Burst, Bonni Pink, Faded Blue Burst
2023: Black Gold Burst, Charcoal, Faded Blue
2024: Black Gold Burst, Charcoal, Turquise
(2 year schedule for popular colors, so possibly new colors for 2025?)

Seems like every now and then new colors are introduced every 2 years or so. Is there a fixed schedule at which colors are introduced or swapped out?

Is there a (fan-made?) site that keeps track of all available colors over the years?

Next week I will be visiting the local PRS dealer and hopefully come home with a SE Hollowbody II Piezo in Black Gold Burst. Eventually I want to replace my Gretsch, and it can't hurt to just drool over the catalog now, can it? An SE CE 24 (2024) in Vintage Sunburst, SE Paul's Guitar (2020/2021) in Amber or an SE McCarty 594 doublecut in Vintage Sunburst would definitely be on my watchlist. Guess I've got a type.. (and my wife gave me the stink eye when I coined putting a Bonni Pink colored guitar on our living room wall )

You will love the SE HB Piezo. The black gold is sweet!

 

[Bogner]

They Have Also Been Known To Yank Away A Color Only To Reintroduce It Later...Likely To Create Sales. I Ain't Hating, I Am Just Saying. $-)