How did you discover PRSi?

[Tremontinator]

I would've gotten here eventually but, for me, it was the exact moment that I discovered the amazing band \m/(0.o)\m/ CREED \m/(0.o)\m/

How did you find PRS?

 

[Mozzi]

I discovered PRS when I went shopping for my first guitar. Whilst looking at something affordable - an Epiphone Les Paul Custom - I saw this incredible looking guitar with the most incredible inlays that I had never seen before in a 'stock' guitar - the birds. From that moment on, I vowed I would own a PRS 1 day...

 

[Tone-y]

Guitar magazine adverts in 1997 (when I first started playing electric guitar whilst at University). I remember it was the one with Ted McCarty and had picture of a vintage yellow McCarty with a trem. I lusted after that. Then came the NuMetal movement with everyone toting a PRS and they went off my radar as I wasn't into that (and I didn't realistically ever think I'd afford one anyway). I don't think I even saw a PRS in real life until around 2005 (and even then it was from a distance) when a local guitarist who was well known for playing a PRS was doing some kind of show in a local town center on a Saturday morning as I walked past.
It was 2014 by the time I actually picked one up for the first time.

 

[pjdude]

Back in the early '80s, Guitar Player magazine did a full story on Paul and his instruments. This is back in the days of the roller nut. Then saw CEs in a music store in Lemoyne, PA in the late '80s. Fell in love, hooked ever since.

 

[ieso]

I was looking for a LP and ended up with an SC58
http://gtroblq.blogspot.com/2011/02/first-impressions-paul-reed-smith-sc-58.html

It led to a few more

 

[11top]

Guitar magazine ad back in early 90s. I saw the top and thought “that’s what I’m talking about!” I found a dealer in Indy, and I ordered 2 guitars. I still have one of them. Also, the dealer ended up being one of my best buds. Unfortunately, he no longer has his stores, but we still go to NAMM together every year.

 

[Griz]

I started playing guitar 3 years ago and like many thought acoustic was the way to start. Then it was time for an electric. I love Petrucci so of course was leaning toward one of his Music Man guitars...I also saw Steven Wilson many times and he used a PRS. So off to big box store to check them out. For some reason, the PRS just felt right in my hands compared to the Music Man. Ordered an S2 and now have 3 PRS'. (S2 Standard 22, S2 Custom 24 and SE Holcomb).

 

[Tone-y]

I was looking for a LP and ended up with an SC58
http://gtroblq.blogspot.com/2011/02/first-impressions-paul-reed-smith-sc-58.html

It led to a few more

Actually, this is nearly my story too. I was originally thinking of getting a historic Les Paul (R8 or R9), and during that search I re-discovered PRS and the more vintage voiced pickups that they had started making. The SC58 seemed like it could be an alternative to the Les Paul, and a localish store had one in (as well as an R9), so I went to try them out. That was the first time I held a PRS as I mentioned in my post above. Unfortunately, neither guitars spoke to me that day, and that's how I ended up with a 53/10 Limited.

 

[Johnny Rigs]

It was around the year 2000 I believe. I had recently moved to Danbury CT and discovered that at the end of my road was a music store called East Coast Music Mall (yes, of Ed Roman infamy). I went in looking for who knows what, had only been playing a couple years by that point. The sales guy pointed me in the direction of this new guitar model called a Santana SE. Hello PRS, nice to meet you. I bought it.

 

[veinbuster]

Early 90s I saw a dragon in Plano. Game over.

I looked up and visited PRS dealers in most cities I worked in for a few years (it was a lot of stores - I had over 40 free frequent flier flights at one point) while I saved enough to buy one.

 

[Guitpicky]

Carlos Santana, I always loved the look of his guitars before I even knew an LP from a Strat.

More recently I was on Sweetwater after I got my first electric (an LP Standard) just browsing the "nicer than what I've got" section. I think it was everything they had over $3k. It was the tops and the birds that first caught my eye and I just know good craftsmanship when I see it.

At the time I took a pass because the Customs didn't really appeal to me and I didn't know much about all the other models. A few months later they come out with the 594 and that one had everything I liked so I spent the next few weeks browsing every 594 I could find.

The one I landed on was a 594 WL from Eddie's. My friend has a long standing relationship with them so he got it at a price they never would have given me. When I actually saw it in person for the first time I was blown away. He also had an R9 and Tom Anderson drop top right next to it but I was so captivated by the 594 that I didn't pay much attention to them.

Once a perfect fit finds me, I tend to count my lucky stars. Something found me when I just happened to be looking for it. I feel no need to go out chasing "more perfect" because I'm satisfied that what the universe threw into my lap is the best fit for me I could have hoped for.

I've got the guitars covered, now if the universe could just throw some skills my way

 

[markd21]

Saw my first PRS guitars in 88-89 at Thoroughbred Music in Tampa. I remember getting to play one - a green 10-top CU24. It was everything I wanted in a guitar, but being 16 years old, I couldn't afford one. Plus, I was BIG into the early death metal scene, so all my guitars were pointy and black, lol. Fast forward a few years - oh, maybe 10 years? - and I snagged a Tortoise CE24. It didn't gel with my rig, so I moved it on.

I kept trying the brand over the years, but it wasn't until the introduction of the 57/08s that I fell in love with PRS guitars. Now they are all I have!!

 

[WA Paul]

Guitar mag ads from the early 90s. Had their catalog cards (featured the Dragon III in Indigo, would love to find one in the wild!) on the wall in college for motivation and bought my first one after earning my professional credential which took 3 more years after college. Now resides with my brother - apparently he’s a patient and savvy buyer

 

[ElrytNamrogo]

I had known of PRS through Carlos Santana, but I was never a big Santana fan. I liked his music well enough, I suppose, but never really connected with it.

I think Porcupine Tree was the first band I really liked and connected with in terms of their style and tonal range. Seeing the PRS guitars capture so many different tones really made me interested in trying them.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

By accident trying to find a sailing route from Europe to China.

 

[Tremontinator]

I discovered PRS when I went shopping for my first guitar. Whilst looking at something affordable - an Epiphone Les Paul Custom - I saw this incredible looking guitar with the most incredible inlays that I had never seen before in a 'stock' guitar - the birds. From that moment on, I vowed I would own a PRS 1 day...

Now that's a great story

Guitar magazine adverts in 1997 (when I first started playing electric guitar whilst at University). I remember it was the one with Ted McCarty and had picture of a vintage yellow McCarty with a trem. I lusted after that. Then came the NuMetal movement with everyone toting a PRS and they went off my radar as I wasn't into that (and I didn't realistically ever think I'd afford one anyway). I don't think I even saw a PRS in real life until around 2005 (and even then it was from a distance) when a local guitarist who was well known for playing a PRS was doing some kind of show in a local town center on a Saturday morning as I walked past.
It was 2014 by the time I actually picked one up for the first time.

Back in I think 05 or 06 my dad took me to a car show and they had one of the PRS ZO6 models. I think he had a heart attack when I broke a string.
I wasn't good enough to appreciate it back then anyways.

I got to play a DC 594 last June, and it was otherworldly. I almost financed it but, I was just about to change jobs so, it wasn't smart.


My goal is to get a core model this year

 

[CandidPicker]

In the early 90s, read some guitar magazines and liked the look of the CE series. Bought a CE22 Tortoise Shell with uncovered Dragon II pickups in early '95. After that, I used to visit my elderly Gram in southeastern CT along the shoreline, in Groton, CT.

Groton, CT was home to Ron's Guitars (kudos to Ron) where I learned all things PRS, from what options were available on ordered guitars, to higher-end models, to PS. Spent many an hour and dollars there.

The look and finish of PRSi were indeed quality works of art that owners could enjoy, and very often would I desire to step up to the next level of quality with ever-more-costly guitars.

Years later, wallet and pocketbook thinner, am happier with a small number of guitars that are more cost-effective, and that do the job required instead of just a collection of nice things.

 

[Tremontinator]

I was looking for a LP and ended up with an SC58
http://gtroblq.blogspot.com/2011/02/first-impressions-paul-reed-smith-sc-58.html

It led to a few more

Why did they quit making those?

It was around the year 2000 I believe. I had recently moved to Danbury CT and discovered that at the end of my road was a music store called East Coast Music Mall (yes, of Ed Roman infamy). I went in looking for who knows what, had only been playing a couple years by that point. The sales guy pointed me in the direction of this new guitar model called a Santana SE. Hello PRS, nice to meet you. I bought it.

Yeah that Santana is great

Early 90s I saw a dragon in Plano. Game over.

I looked up and visited PRS dealers in most cities I worked in for a few years (it was a lot of stores - I had over 40 free frequent flier flights at one point) while I saved enough to buy one.

Thats a cool story

Carlos Santana, I always loved the look of his guitars before I even knew an LP from a Strat.

More recently I was on Sweetwater after I got my first electric (an LP Standard) just browsing the "nicer than what I've got" section. I think it was everything they had over $3k. It was the tops and the birds that first caught my eye and I just know good craftsmanship when I see it.

At the time I took a pass because the Customs didn't really appeal to me and I didn't know much about all the other models. A few months later they come out with the 594 and that one had everything I liked so I spent the next few weeks browsing every 594 I could find.

The one I landed on was a 594 WL from Eddie's. My friend has a long standing relationship with them so he got it at a price they never would have given me. When I actually saw it in person for the first time I was blown away. He also had an R9 and Tom Anderson drop top right next to it but I was so captivated by the 594 that I didn't pay much attention to them.

Once a perfect fit finds me, I tend to count my lucky stars. Something found me when I just happened to be looking for it. I feel no need to go out chasing "more perfect" because I'm satisfied that what the universe threw into my lap is the best fit for me I could have hoped for.

I've got the guitars covered, now if the universe could just throw some skills my way

I think my PRSD lost a tiny bit mone when he sold me my MT15 lol and I know the feeling about not being able to see other guitars

I had known of PRS through Carlos Santana, but I was never a big Santana fan. I liked his music well enough, I suppose, but never really connected with it.

I think Porcupine Tree was the first band I really liked and connected with in terms of their style and tonal range. Seeing the PRS guitars capture so many different tones really made me interested in trying them.

I don't think anybody truly connects with Carlos' music. We're not all out here having "spiritual orgasms" and all that hippie crap he talks about

 

[Guitpicky]

Carlos Santana was actually one of the first and still among the few guitar players I ever really connected with. If you watch him when he plays it's obvious he's having a transcendent experience, or at least obvious to others that do.

Just a bunch of head banging without any higher aspiration doesn't really do much for me. I'm a very deep thinker and have a great appreciation for music that doesn't try to keep me in the shallow end of the pool.

I enjoy what most people would consider a "mystical experience" on a near daily basis and it's completely natural. What isn't natural is not having them because the brain is too busy blocking the heart.

I'm not really into new age or hippie crap for the same reason, they are cultural movements designed to restrict our sensitive side, not promote it. There is a huge difference between playing house and actually building one

 

[Basauri]

Chad Kroegger when Silver Side Up came out. I saw his guitar with birds on the fretboard and asked about it to a musician friend. He told me “oh yeah, PRS, very expensive luthier guitars. Expensive but among the best in the world”
Who would tell me that years later I’d have 3 of those and looking for a few more!