Pre-Factory Paul Reed Smith (PRS) Guitars

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

I ran a Google search on the term "pre-factory" to try and determine why so many people continue to use this term incorrectly (especially on eBay). I found links to a lot of bad info and was surprised that this forum didn't pop-up in the search results. This thread has been created in the hopes of getting the discussion picked-up by more web browsers and bring an end to the misconception.

For the record:
There are only about 80 true pre-factory PRS guitars in existence. I called Paul about a year ago and verified that number. They were all made prior to mid-1985; when PRS Guitars was formally launched. True pre-factory PRS Guitars are quite expensive - ranging from $20k to $160K (and growing). If your PRS was made after mid-1985 and has a serial number of any kind on the back of the headstock (or back-plate for CE's), it is not a pre-factory PRS.

Most pre-factory guitars were built in Paul's small workshop that was located at 33 West Street, Annapolis, MD. Guitars made in the Virginia Avenue factory between late 1985 and 1995 were initially carved out with dupli-carvers and jigs and then finished by hand. Guitars made in the Stevensville factory are initially carved out by a CNC machine and then... finished by hand.

For other common PRS terms, please read this thread: http://prsguitars.com/forum/showthread.php?1044-The-PRS-Lexicon&highlight=lexicon

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Yes. Please stop calling them that. It's okay... we are not mad at you, you just didn't know. Now that you have googled it and read this thread you will never call a 94 CU24 pre-factory ever again... Peace has been restored to the galaxy.

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

Google has already picked up this thread. That was F-A-S-T!

 

[Fbrandw]

I feel this thread would be much more...umm...informative...with PICTURES! :wink:

But really, thank you Hans for the straight truth on this, I'm not ashamed to admit that I had no idea what was truly a pre-factory PRSi.

 

[Dan-d-1985]

Great idea Hans, in my early PRS days, I really was confused since the term was thrown about like water.

Hopefully this leads to better private descriptions.

I have to wonder however, as to how many of those 80 or so true pre factory PRSi are in chateau markie.... I know he has one 1980 as he's posted it elsewhere before and it looks cool as hell.

I wonder if there'd be a re-issue run maybe of replicas of the original West St. models. That'd be seriously cool. Just make sure you give me like 10 years notice so I can save for one

 

[Boogie]

I have to wonder however, as to how many of those 80 or so true pre factory PRSi are in chateau markie....

I believe BF Egypt is home to the official retirement community for pre-factory PRSi.

 

[John Beef]

Most pre-factory guitars were built in Paul's small workshop that was located at 33 West Street, Annapolis, MD.

So, the Ram's Head Tavern is located there now, right? And if so, is there memorabilia there paying homage to the building's former, at-the-time-unheard-of-but-now-totally-famous occupant?

 

[David Eaton]

Actually, the old shop is upstairs from the Ram's Head. There's a set of steps from the street to the second floor, the old "shop" was to the right of the steps. I think it had one window on the front of the building.

 

[Danerada]

How about this for pre-factory PRS:

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

Who's that?




















:tongue::tongue::tongue:

 

[WEDGE]

He related to Geddy Lee?

 

[Paul L]

He related to Geddy Lee?

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Spikedog007]

Wait till the marketing folks at Gibby get ahold of that pic....LOL

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

Wait till the marketing folks at Gibby get ahold of that pic....LOL

"9 out of 10 beginners prefer Gibson."

 

[RichardJ]

Asked the seller about this - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1991-PRS-...al_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item20cf32d0ba

and got this response - "well thanks, but the Pre-factory term used here is used in a different context.. sorry to confuse you."

This was The Acoustic Fellowship in the Netherlands, not sure what different context this could be and I'm fairly sure I wasn't confused

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

Asked the seller about this - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1991-PRS-...al_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item20cf32d0ba

and got this response - "well thanks, but the Pre-factory term used here is used in a different context..."

Willful ignorance.

 

[alantig]

Wait till the marketing folks at Gibby get ahold of that pic....LOL

"What it was like...in the dark ages..."

or

"When I was a kid, we had to walk to school, uphill both ways, in our barefeet. And when we got home, we only had Gibsons to play!"

or

"Gibson: The step-mother of invention."

or

"Gibson: Inspiring artists since 1902."

 

[dadoffive]

the look on his face is like, "this certainly can't be the bee's knees of tone"!?!?!?

 

[Spikedog007]

"What it was like...in the dark ages..."

or

"When I was a kid, we had to walk to school, uphill both ways, in our barefeet. And when we got home, we only had Gibsons to play!"

or

"Gibson: The step-mother of invention."

or

"Gibson: Inspiring artists since 1902."

Gibson: Nothing new since 1960, and proud of it.

 

[John Beef]

Gibson: Nothing new since 1960, and proud of it.

Except the firebird X, which we all know is a modern miracle and god's gift to all guitarists.