Trying to get some information/educated opinions on an Artist Relations Guitar

[XSNRG]

I acquired an artist relation PRS custom 22, that was owned by Tony Rombola. It is a 2015, and apparently was one of the first couple he received when he move to PRS. It is a beatiful Liingston Lemon finish. it is one of the most resonant, an amazing guitars I have played.

Per PRS;

Serial# 15 215XXX is a 2015 Custom 22 built for Tony Rombola (lead guitarist from Godsmack), with a Flame Maple Artist top, Mahogany back and neck, East Indian Rosewood fretboard with bird inlays, adjustable stoptail bridge, 57/08 treble and bass pickups, finished in Livingston Lemondrop, with nickel hardware.

The real question I have is, how rare is this model ? I originally traded a pretty high-end Gibson and the original owner wants to re-aquire this guitar and need a reference for trade.. what other PRS models would be in this range.

https://imgur.com/abd9QgF

https://imgur.com/a/QhWScKc

https://imgur.com/a/WwFDOog

 

[László]

Yes, it was owned by Some Famous Guy. You can decide whatever value that adds to a guitar - to me, it wouldn't be important - in any case, it's not a 'rare' model for PRS at that time.

Livingston Lemondrop was a stock finish (gorgeous, BTW), the fretboard was stock, and the inlays appear to be stock. It wasn't a one-off build. But this is the more important thing:

The Artist Relation guitars are very, very good sounding instruments, hand picked, etc. PRS doesn't mess around with that stuff. They want happy artists!

So if I was the seller would I ask more for it because it was A/R? Sure, because PRS artist relations guitars are usually superb examples. Based on your post, that's exactly what you're hearing when you play it.

I own an Artist Relations Private Stock McCarty Singlecut from 2014 that never went out to an artist; my dealer bought it new at the factory. I paid the standard Private Stock price for the model (it was a limited PS run), and nothing extra because it was Artist Relations. I bought it the day it showed up at my dealer, I wasn't going to pass it up.

It's a killer guitar, and it's been tops for me since the day I got it in 2014.

It's none of my business whether you sell it, since it isn't my guitar, but it sounds like you have a great one, and you might consider hanging onto it.

[edit] I should mention that I recently downsized to only a few instruments, but when push came to shove I couldn't bear to sell the A/R guitar. It speaks to me in a unique way.

 

[Stephen J.]

the original owner wants to re-aquire this guitar

The person you traded with or Tony Rombola? If the person you traded with, why not just get your Les Paul back and start over?

I would say it is worth the top end of a production Custom from that era. Unless someone is buying it because it was once owned by the artist, there isn’t a lot of added value. You have someone who wants it, so that is to your advantage. Don’t expect more from someone else down the road.

 

[XSNRG]

Yes, it was owned by Some Famous Guy. You can decide whatever value that adds to a guitar - to me, it wouldn't be important - in any case, it's not a 'rare' model for PRS at that time.

Livingston Lemondrop was a stock finish (gorgeous, BTW), the fretboard was stock, and the inlays appear to be stock. It wasn't a one-off build. But this is the more important thing:

The Artist Relation guitars are very, very good sounding instruments, hand picked, etc. PRS doesn't mess around with that stuff. They want happy artists!

So if I was the seller would I ask more for it because it was A/R? Sure, because PRS artist relations guitars are usually superb examples. Based on your post, that's exactly what you're hearing when you play it.

I own an Artist Relations Private Stock McCarty Singlecut from 2014 that never went out to an artist; my dealer bought it new at the factory. I paid the standard Private Stock price for the model (it was a limited PS run), and nothing extra because it was Artist Relations. I bought it the day it showed up at my dealer, I wasn't going to pass it up.

It's a killer guitar, and it's been tops for me since the day I got it in 2014.

It's none of my business whether you sell it, since it isn't my guitar, but it sounds like you have a great one, and you might consider hanging onto it.

[edit] I should mention that I recently downsized to only a few instruments, but when push came to shove I couldn't bear to sell the A/R guitar. It speaks to me in a unique way.

Thank you so much for this information. I really, I have no clue about this one. Plus it's very hard with all the different designations that PRS has to figure out some of these models. Unfortunately, I traded a very hard to find Gibson for it because a luthier I knew/trusted indicated it was basically close to or on par with private stock. While the guitar plays great, I am mostly a bass player, so I have thought about selling it or trading it possibly but have really hesitated due to how well it plays.

 

[XSNRG]

The person you traded with or Tony Rombola? If the person you traded with, why not just get your Les Paul back and start over?

I would say it is worth the top end of a production Custom from that era. Unless someone is buying it because it was once owned by the artist, there isn’t a lot of added value. You have someone who wants it, so that is to your advantage. Don’t expect more from someone else down the road.

It was not Tony, and unfortunately the person then sold my guitar to Trogly (Trogly's guitar show) so I can't trade back for it.

 

[Rider1260]

It is a very nice looking Custom 22 , very nice old school birds , fancier headstock overlay nice top adjustable bridge , and 57/08s
If it was me selling I would look at Custom 22 Wood Library pricing on reverb, I mean it says Custom Made for XXXX
So that is as close to Private Stock as you could get without it being Private Stock.

 

[László]

I am mostly a bass player, so I have thought about selling it or trading it possibly but have really hesitated due to how well it plays.

I completely understand both thinking about selling or trading, and hesitating due to how nice it is.

One day, 'great idea to sell', the next day, 'nah, it's a keeper'!

Sometimes it's just really hard to decide.

 

[KentuckyBoiledChiccan]

Nice! I used to listen to a lot of Godsmack

 

[XSNRG]

Update: Decided to go through with the trade back to the original trader. Received this gorgeous 2010 PRS Experience 25th Anniversary Custom 24. This was a limited run (50 in this color- 25 with this neck spec- 200 total [in 4 colors]) done for the 2010 PRS Experience and PRS 25th Anniversary.. I am probably going to do a NGD post as well with the specs.

https://imgur.com/a/FQ5y1OE

 

[Stephen J.]

The other guitar was really nice. But I think you traded up. That looks amazing!

 

[bodia]

The other guitar was really nice. But I think you traded up. That looks amazing!

Ditto!