PRS Guitars after Paul Reed Smith - speculation

[CivoLee]

Let's start off with a disclaimer here...I don't claim to speak for anyone else, least of all the Man himself, but Mr. Reed Smith could very well retire by the end of the decade. What will happen after that? I'd hate to see the company taken over by some investment firm (or worse, become a subsidiary of Fender or Gibson) that cuts corners in the QC process and/or shuts down the Private Stock program in favor of the cheaper SE/S2 lines.

Personally, I'm hoping his son takes over, but that doesn't always work out well either...

 

[Greywolf]

Paul will be involved until he physically can't .

 

[László]

All the more reason to order your Private Stock now.

Seriously.

However, I'll be dead before Paul retires. I hope.

 

[veinbuster]

I expect to see Paul at Experience 50 talking enthusiastically about all the new ideas.

 

[AP515]

If he retired, where would he find all that electronic stuff to mess with? He's not doing a job; he's doing what he wants to do.

 

[CivoLee]

Paul will be involved until he physically can't .

I have no doubt about that. But the day will come when Paul Reed Smith is just a name on the company like (Leo) Fender and (Orville) Gibson.

 

[RickP]

Paul is about the details. It has made him the greatest guitar maker of his generation, and arguably ever. I have no inside knowledge, but can’t imagine a guy who sweats the details like he does hasn’t also been long into succession planning for the sad day when he is no longer physically there. PRS guitars are what they are because he cares about a quality product bearing his name, and I can’t see him not insuring that continues, so far as it’s possible for any person to do so.

The future will tell the tale; we can only guess. My guess is Mr Smith has a plan, and it’s been under way for some time now.