What started it all?

[OsirisProtocol]

With the new forum open and a new generation of PRS players coming into the fold I'd like to know what guitar started it all for you guys. Now I'm not looking for a particular artist you saw playing a PRSi but what particular model be it an electric, acoustic or amp that you either played or seen that helped solidified your love of these instruments?

I'll go first:
I have always been a fan of Hollowbody guitars for most of my playing life. I knew about PRS the company for a bit but I never really looked into them. One day I just happened to come across a HB Spruce model and I was smitten. Looking more into the model I found artists who played HB's in vastly different genres. I'm talking blues and jazz all the way up to aggressive metal.I then realized this is my dream guitar. I have yet to buy one yet (I need to find a way to get paid to go to college ) but since then I have acquired one of the original Singlecut Trem guitars that has become my number one until I can acquire a HB of my own.

So share your stories everyone.

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

Vintage Yellow, Semi-Hollow, CU22 with McCarty switching.

 

[gag halfrunt]

I noticed the Nuge playing a guitar that wasn't a big box Gibson long ago, but I first really noticed PRSi when I saw Tremonti playing them.

 

[JMintzer]

Gibson Les Paul...

I went guitar shopping with a buddy, planning on buying a Lester.

I left w/a CU-22... Go figure...

But to my defense, it was a bit "smokey" in the guitar store... :lol:


Jamie

 

[AP515]

Gibson Les Paul...

I went guitar shopping ..., planning on buying a Lester.
Jamie

Same here. I was on a trip to Phx. I had a Saturday to kill so I went to a GC to look for a Les Paul. Couldn't find one that didn't have issues. On the wall was a Emerald Green Cu24AP. It wouldn't let me leave without it. I didn't even really know what a PRS was. I only knew I loved that guitar.

 

[dmatthews]

Late bloomer here... Went to a Dweezilla rock camp in late 2010 in New York.
PRS was one of the sponsors there. They had quite a few gorgeous models just sitting out to play. Open a case... jaw drop...
To some degree, I did not realize what I was looking at. I won a SE ONE there and got it signed. I love that guitar (as simple as it is). When I got home, and after playing the ONE at practice and one gig, I immediately purchased the 305 instead of a planned US Strat.
Happy happy Dave...

 

[Faded]

It was looking at the PRS website as a young teenager wishing I could someday afford the beautiful blue Private Stock they had in the gallery of photos. After I played a McCarty standard I was sold on the tone and though I own other guitars a PRS of some sort has been my number 1 ever since

 

[veinbuster]

I had a tele and a les Paul and figured I should add a strat...until I saw a dragon.
Then I listed and saved and searched for the place I would buy from.
Ended up with a cherry flame cu22 with trem and dragon pickups.
A few months later I tried a cherry HBII on its way to MIAC (Canadian NAMM ) and by then I was hooked.

 

[Mike Duncan]

"The Red Violin". I saw that movie and new that Paul was the Stradivari guitar builders - so much caring and love put into these instruments.

 

[DGTplayer]

The DGT neck. Carved as though designed for my hand.

 

[baiff]

Wanting a GREAT guitar instead of 3 or 4 Good guitars!!! PRS Custom 24 in McCarty Burst Quilt with covered 59/09's did it for me.

 

[John Price]

Back in 1990-91..? I stumbled into my local music store and asked what was new, they directed me towards their new line. PRS guitars.... I walked out with a CE model.... I loved it so much that I came back a few weeks later to get a loaded Custom.....I'm still loving these guitars!....

 

[vchizzle]

Early-mid 90's...saw a display of customs. '95 I ordered a custom 22 in whale blue.

 

[MOBirds]

When I was a broke teen, I played a Ric 650 Sierra in a store. It was way beyond my price point, but I loved the neck on it.

Over the years I played a hacked together Ibanez based thing. Not sure I could call it Ibanez since I think maybe the body was all that remained from them. I sufficed, until it was stolen. Got insurance money for that far greater than the value of it (since they couldn't identify an actual Ibanez model, they decided it was a "custom" model.

So I went out and ordered my dream Ric... except they stopped making Sierra's. So I ordered a 370 instead. I like it, I still have it, but it wasn't as versatile as I wanted. The dream had faded, time to move on.

That started a 6 month journey trying to find a guitar that felt right more than anything else. Hanging out in a store trying to figure out what exactly it was about Fender Strats that I hate, the sales guy opened in new arrival - a Johnny Hiland sig. He said "here, try this out" and that was it, I had found the dream again - and it was called PRS.

Since sold that, loved the neck, hated the pickups and didn't want to ruin a sig by swapping them. Now have a cu-24 & p22 along with a 2 channel H. Still want a MC58, HBII, and Artist V. But dreams to come are good enough for this years budget.

 

[David Eaton]

There was a 1982 Guitar Player article on this guy making guitars in my hometown. I was 14 and thought that was the coolest thing possible. Went by the shop, Paul was very nice to a 14 year old kid, got to see a doubleneck for Santana, a black guitar being made for Al DiMeola (with a black finish, but one that allowed the grain of the wood to show). I spent some time working at Ramsey Music a few blocks further down West St. (in the furniture refinish/repair area) and every now and then Paul would come by to get some piano wire, or talk to Joe Jacobs, the man in charge of the refinish/repair area. I also played a couple of PRS guitars that friends of friends owned and decided that one day I'd own one.

Bought this in 1991 at Chuck Levin's, it was leftover from a B-stock sale they had.

I'm now waiting on PRS #8, a DGT Standard in Antique White.

There are a few other connections, high school friends who work at the factory, coworkers at the refinishing shop who played in bands with Paul, stuff like that.

 

[RedGuitars]

I bought my first PRS in 1998, a Custom 22, gray/black 10 top quilt with birds and tremolo.

The quilt was unbelievable, would be private stock today.

I made a list, and that was 21 PRS's ago :shock:

I have two today, Custom 22 semi-hollow Ltd, and Signature Ltd.

 

[themike]

My first PRS was a CE-22. It was war torn, abused and poorly put back together .The pickups were dead, the neck was rough due to dings and it was marked up to distract you from its gorgeous top and stain. I sold it, but didn't let that experience take away my desire for another PRS.

Years later I was able to aquire a Custom 24 10 top and well - it's been all down hill since then....

 

[John Price]

This is the one that got me too!

There was a 1982 Guitar Player article on this guy making guitars in my hometown. I was 14 and thought that was the coolest thing possible. Went by the shop, Paul was very nice to a 14 year old kid, got to see a doubleneck for Santana, a black guitar being made for Al DiMeola (with a black finish, but one that allowed the grain of the wood to show). I spent some time working at Ramsey Music a few blocks further down West St. (in the furniture refinish/repair area) and every now and then Paul would come by to get some piano wire, or talk to Joe Jacobs, the man in charge of the refinish/repair area. I also played a couple of PRS guitars that friends of friends owned and decided that one day I'd own one.

Bought this in 1991 at Chuck Levin's, it was leftover from a B-stock sale they had.

I'm now waiting on PRS #8, a DGT Standard in Antique White.

There are a few other connections, high school friends who work at the factory, coworkers at the refinishing shop who played in bands with Paul, stuff like that.

 

[wilerty]

My first guitar was a Supro in 1961.

My first PRS was a used CU22 AP 20th I bought in 2007 after I tried and loved the WT neck on a Navarro I played at GC. I bought it from a member here ...

 

[Chester]

Interesting thread

I played a CU24 at a guitar shop when working in Holland in 1992. Ended up in NY soon after, and bought my 1st CU24 from Sam Ash. Wish I still had that one ..

Been GASSin' for PRSs ever since - had about 30 PRSs in and out over the years, and have now stabilised the harem at lucky 13 thanks to my wife's one in one out rule. Sold my Gibbos or Strats years ago, and couldn't be happier. Got all the sonic bases covered thanks to PRS