]-[@n$0Ma☩!©
Zombie Zero, DFZ
- Joined
- Aug 1, 1985
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In an effort to stop the propagation of BS terms associated with PRS instruments on the various auction sites and to to help explain terms that are commonly used in PRS circles, I offer this thread.
Please add as you see fit.
~Hans
COMMONLY MISUSED TERMS
Hand-Made - ALL PRS guitars are largely hand-made. In the days before CNC machines, PRS used duplicarvers to help create the initial shape of the parts. CNC machines do the same job with greater accuracy but they do not complete the process. People do. Check out some of the videos in the Blog section (click here).
Pre-factory - Does not mean guitars made in the Virgina Avenue factory (yes, factory). It means, guitars made prior to serial number 5_0001; which hit the streets mid-1985.
Mint - If there are any excuses concerning the guitar's condition (like pick swirl, faded stain, any finish repairs, any alterations, any restoration, etc.) then the guitar is not mint -- nor is it any other colloquial variation of the word (like "Minty"). If it isn't just like the day it left the factory in every possible way, it is NOT mint.
Rare - Please stop calling every PRS product listed on [insert favorite online sales site] "Rare." If it's Bonni (Not Bonnie) Pink, Metal pinstriped, Magenta Pearl, or Banana Yellow, it's rare. If it's a Sig LE or Rosewood Limited with a Trem, it's rare. If it has Icarus or a nekkid chick inlaid on the headstock, it's rare. But a Blue Matteo CU24 with moon inlays and HFS/VB pickups is NOT rare. Sure, it's a cool guitar, but let's keep it real.
TERMS THAT ARE JUST B.S.
Heel from Hell - A derogatory term coined by the now deceased Ed Roman to describe bigger neck heels on PRS guitars. These larger heels have nothing to do with an automated process, as suggested on Mr. Roman's website. This change was made to increase sustain and neck stability.
Pre-Lawsuit - PRS won the lawsuit. This terms doesn't mean anything. Using this term to describe your guitar only serves to make your advertisement the subject of guitar-geek ridicule when things get quiet on the net.
GENERAL MISCONCEPTIONS
Doctors & Lawyers - The number of Engineers who own PRS guitars far exceed all Doctors and Lawyers; combined.
Star In the Neck Pickup Cavity - The pentagram in the neck cavity (not to be confused with the asterisk-shaped star) is NOT Paul Smith's maker's mark. Is was placed there by Mr. Mike Deely; a cool-cat who started with PRS Guitars in 1985.
Sweet Switch Washers - Yes, they were occasionally seen on guitars leaving the factory. It's a fact. Just ask Markie. You can also see a washer on a guitar in the first catalog.
THE USUAL SUSPECTS
Butter - Have you ever actually tried to play butter? Nothing plays "like" butter. As far as I can tell, that's a good thing.
Justice - Photos never "do [the guitar] any justice". For the Love of pie, it's a PRS -- this is a given. There is no need to say it. Again.
THE FUNNY ONES
Hippie Sandwich - What PRSh calls guitars made from a whole bunch of different woods glued together. 11top hears him say this a lot.
GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACRONYMS & TERMS
3-Mike-7 - SE Custom 7-string.
1st Generation Stamped "T" - Around serial number X_1800, the B & high-E magnets in the stamped T pickup were replaced with slugs. These can be visually verified by most PRS enthusiasts.
BaM'er - A member of the deceased PRS fan site called Birds and Moons. BaM ran from early 2004 until March of 2012.
BRW - (AKA Brazzy, AKA Bazillion) Brazilian Rosewood.
CuRo - Custom with an East Indian Rosewood neck.
DIBS - A sincere request for first crack at your sweet-ass guitar if you ever sell it.
LE - Limited Edition. 300 signed and numbered plus a few extra. Often called the "Sig LE" due to the signed headstock, this is the 1st ever limited run PRS model.
McBLE - Brazilian Limited Edition McCarty. Not to be confused with the Brazilian Rosewood McCarty (McBrazzy).
McBrazzy - Brazilian Rosewood McCarty (250 signed & numbered plus a few others).
McCarty Switching - 3-way toggle used to select pickups instead of the traditional 5-way rotary switch.
McKorina - McCarty Korina.
McRosie - McCarty with an East Indian Rosewood neck.
McSoapy - McCarty with p90 pickups (AKA Soapbars).
Metal Model - One of the most copied designs, Metal models were mahogany bodied (typically) PRS guitars with a varying pinstripe motif. All of the original Metals were painted by Mr. Bud Davis of Elizabethton, TN. There are many guitars painted in tribute to the Metal theme and to Mr. Davis.
Mil-Com (AKA MannMade) Trem - One-piece vibrato bridge that was phased out around 1993.
NGD - The happiest day ever. New Guitar Day.
PRSh - Paul Reed Smith, himself. Refers to the person, not the product or the company.
PRSi - Plural form of PRS; more than one PRS Instrument. This one drives some people nuts. PRS's means the same but it's proper.
Pre-Standard - Properly called "The PRS Guitar", this term refers to solid mahogany guitars from 1985 and 1986 only. As of 1987, they were properly named "Standards."
Pie - A way for members to express that a thread has run it's course and has become too dramatic to be taken seriously. Just as you should never cry wolf, you should not invoke pie unless you are serious. Pie is not to be taken lightly. Posting the recipe of your favorite pie is the ultimate expression of disapproval.
RL - Rosewood Limited. 100 made with Tree of Life inlay. 1st PRS model to feature solid rosewood necks. Not to be confused with the 2011 "Tree of Life" model.
Sig LE - See LE
Siggy - Signature Limited (with 408's) introduced at the 2012 Winter NAMM show in Anaheim.
Sig - General term for any of the "Signature" models. Usually used when referring to the original Sig model that ran from 1986 through 1991.
Sinker - Au, contaire mon frère. Don't you even go there. Me without a mic is like a beat without a snare.
SS - Silver Sky, John Mayer Signature guitar. 20 March 2018
Stripper - Stripped SC58.
Unicorn - A *truly* rare PRS.
Westy - 1980 West Street Limited
Please add as you see fit.
~Hans
COMMONLY MISUSED TERMS
Hand-Made - ALL PRS guitars are largely hand-made. In the days before CNC machines, PRS used duplicarvers to help create the initial shape of the parts. CNC machines do the same job with greater accuracy but they do not complete the process. People do. Check out some of the videos in the Blog section (click here).
Pre-factory - Does not mean guitars made in the Virgina Avenue factory (yes, factory). It means, guitars made prior to serial number 5_0001; which hit the streets mid-1985.
Mint - If there are any excuses concerning the guitar's condition (like pick swirl, faded stain, any finish repairs, any alterations, any restoration, etc.) then the guitar is not mint -- nor is it any other colloquial variation of the word (like "Minty"). If it isn't just like the day it left the factory in every possible way, it is NOT mint.
Rare - Please stop calling every PRS product listed on [insert favorite online sales site] "Rare." If it's Bonni (Not Bonnie) Pink, Metal pinstriped, Magenta Pearl, or Banana Yellow, it's rare. If it's a Sig LE or Rosewood Limited with a Trem, it's rare. If it has Icarus or a nekkid chick inlaid on the headstock, it's rare. But a Blue Matteo CU24 with moon inlays and HFS/VB pickups is NOT rare. Sure, it's a cool guitar, but let's keep it real.
TERMS THAT ARE JUST B.S.
Heel from Hell - A derogatory term coined by the now deceased Ed Roman to describe bigger neck heels on PRS guitars. These larger heels have nothing to do with an automated process, as suggested on Mr. Roman's website. This change was made to increase sustain and neck stability.
Pre-Lawsuit - PRS won the lawsuit. This terms doesn't mean anything. Using this term to describe your guitar only serves to make your advertisement the subject of guitar-geek ridicule when things get quiet on the net.
GENERAL MISCONCEPTIONS
Doctors & Lawyers - The number of Engineers who own PRS guitars far exceed all Doctors and Lawyers; combined.
Star In the Neck Pickup Cavity - The pentagram in the neck cavity (not to be confused with the asterisk-shaped star) is NOT Paul Smith's maker's mark. Is was placed there by Mr. Mike Deely; a cool-cat who started with PRS Guitars in 1985.
Sweet Switch Washers - Yes, they were occasionally seen on guitars leaving the factory. It's a fact. Just ask Markie. You can also see a washer on a guitar in the first catalog.
THE USUAL SUSPECTS
Butter - Have you ever actually tried to play butter? Nothing plays "like" butter. As far as I can tell, that's a good thing.
Justice - Photos never "do [the guitar] any justice". For the Love of pie, it's a PRS -- this is a given. There is no need to say it. Again.
THE FUNNY ONES
Hippie Sandwich - What PRSh calls guitars made from a whole bunch of different woods glued together. 11top hears him say this a lot.

GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACRONYMS & TERMS
3-Mike-7 - SE Custom 7-string.
1st Generation Stamped "T" - Around serial number X_1800, the B & high-E magnets in the stamped T pickup were replaced with slugs. These can be visually verified by most PRS enthusiasts.
BaM'er - A member of the deceased PRS fan site called Birds and Moons. BaM ran from early 2004 until March of 2012.
BRW - (AKA Brazzy, AKA Bazillion) Brazilian Rosewood.
CuRo - Custom with an East Indian Rosewood neck.
DIBS - A sincere request for first crack at your sweet-ass guitar if you ever sell it.
LE - Limited Edition. 300 signed and numbered plus a few extra. Often called the "Sig LE" due to the signed headstock, this is the 1st ever limited run PRS model.
McBLE - Brazilian Limited Edition McCarty. Not to be confused with the Brazilian Rosewood McCarty (McBrazzy).
McBrazzy - Brazilian Rosewood McCarty (250 signed & numbered plus a few others).
McCarty Switching - 3-way toggle used to select pickups instead of the traditional 5-way rotary switch.
McKorina - McCarty Korina.
McRosie - McCarty with an East Indian Rosewood neck.
McSoapy - McCarty with p90 pickups (AKA Soapbars).
Metal Model - One of the most copied designs, Metal models were mahogany bodied (typically) PRS guitars with a varying pinstripe motif. All of the original Metals were painted by Mr. Bud Davis of Elizabethton, TN. There are many guitars painted in tribute to the Metal theme and to Mr. Davis.
Mil-Com (AKA MannMade) Trem - One-piece vibrato bridge that was phased out around 1993.
NGD - The happiest day ever. New Guitar Day.
PRSh - Paul Reed Smith, himself. Refers to the person, not the product or the company.
PRSi - Plural form of PRS; more than one PRS Instrument. This one drives some people nuts. PRS's means the same but it's proper.
Pre-Standard - Properly called "The PRS Guitar", this term refers to solid mahogany guitars from 1985 and 1986 only. As of 1987, they were properly named "Standards."
Pie - A way for members to express that a thread has run it's course and has become too dramatic to be taken seriously. Just as you should never cry wolf, you should not invoke pie unless you are serious. Pie is not to be taken lightly. Posting the recipe of your favorite pie is the ultimate expression of disapproval.
RL - Rosewood Limited. 100 made with Tree of Life inlay. 1st PRS model to feature solid rosewood necks. Not to be confused with the 2011 "Tree of Life" model.
Sig LE - See LE
Siggy - Signature Limited (with 408's) introduced at the 2012 Winter NAMM show in Anaheim.
Sig - General term for any of the "Signature" models. Usually used when referring to the original Sig model that ran from 1986 through 1991.
Sinker - Au, contaire mon frère. Don't you even go there. Me without a mic is like a beat without a snare.
SS - Silver Sky, John Mayer Signature guitar. 20 March 2018
Stripper - Stripped SC58.
Unicorn - A *truly* rare PRS.
Westy - 1980 West Street Limited
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