Muybien04
New Member
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2020
- Messages
- 77
Hey everyone,
I'm new here and have run into an issue regarding my first new (used) PRS. I bought the guitar from a reputable dealer, I dont want to drag their name through the mud so Ill leave it out. They have offered to take back the guitar if I wish just so everyone's aware up front. I'm trying to figure out if I should.
I've been looking for a quilt top blue PRS for a while. I'm probably weird for shopping by color but I remember looking at the Blue quilt in magazine ads when I was younger and have been chasing that dragon ever since.
I purchased a Blue 2003 Brazilian Custom 22.
I go to find out more about the guitar and according to PRS the serial number is wrong. Ouch.
I pull the pick up and get the MODCAT info to have that checked and everything comes back correctly - except for the serial number. It's a custom 22, blue, Brazilian fretboard, quilt 10 top, mixed hardware - its all correct. Inside the pick up block it even has "10 braz" hand written too.
The serial number that's on the guitar now comes back to a blue 2003 custom 22, all right so far, but not the special brazilian model.
PRS insists the serial on the headstock was changed after it left the factory. The guitar came with all the case candy except the hang tag (oyi) and the signed cover plate (done for the 2003 braz custom run).
I've looked over the back headstock closely and and I cant see or feel and differences in the finish of the instrument - ie, I cant see where someone would have sanded off the original number and write a new one in unless they refinished the entire back headstock and neck. There is just no seam there. For reference, the number on the instrument now is XX289 and apparently should be XX019. Its not like the 2 was written over the 0...
I just don't know how I feel about it having the wrong serial number on the headstock. It doesn't make sense that someone would "downgrade" the number to a basic custom 22. If someone faked it the other way, that is a standard up to a Brazilian, why would they get every single part of it right including modcat, hardware, etc, but leave the headstock serial? Thatd be like the easiest thing to change. (The front headstock has the correct "brazilian" abalone inlay).
Maybe it was stolen at some point and they did this to cover it up? But if so, they got the model, year and color correct? Any advice on things I can check to see if someone actually sanded the serial off (allegedly)?
For reference - I was looking at another blue PRS and it was listed for sale as a 10 top but did not have the "10" written on the headstock. An email to PRS did confirm that it was indeed a 10 top. My point is people do make mistakes - even PRS. Do you think they made a mistake here too? Not attempting to besmirch the company in any way, I'm just trying to throw all the options out there.
Ultimately I like the instrument and it looks and plays great and aside from the serial number, it is what it's supposed to be. I dont plan on moving on from it but if I did keep it and decide to sell it later would this be a huge issue if you were in the market?
I'm new here and have run into an issue regarding my first new (used) PRS. I bought the guitar from a reputable dealer, I dont want to drag their name through the mud so Ill leave it out. They have offered to take back the guitar if I wish just so everyone's aware up front. I'm trying to figure out if I should.
I've been looking for a quilt top blue PRS for a while. I'm probably weird for shopping by color but I remember looking at the Blue quilt in magazine ads when I was younger and have been chasing that dragon ever since.
I purchased a Blue 2003 Brazilian Custom 22.
I go to find out more about the guitar and according to PRS the serial number is wrong. Ouch.
I pull the pick up and get the MODCAT info to have that checked and everything comes back correctly - except for the serial number. It's a custom 22, blue, Brazilian fretboard, quilt 10 top, mixed hardware - its all correct. Inside the pick up block it even has "10 braz" hand written too.
The serial number that's on the guitar now comes back to a blue 2003 custom 22, all right so far, but not the special brazilian model.
PRS insists the serial on the headstock was changed after it left the factory. The guitar came with all the case candy except the hang tag (oyi) and the signed cover plate (done for the 2003 braz custom run).
I've looked over the back headstock closely and and I cant see or feel and differences in the finish of the instrument - ie, I cant see where someone would have sanded off the original number and write a new one in unless they refinished the entire back headstock and neck. There is just no seam there. For reference, the number on the instrument now is XX289 and apparently should be XX019. Its not like the 2 was written over the 0...
I just don't know how I feel about it having the wrong serial number on the headstock. It doesn't make sense that someone would "downgrade" the number to a basic custom 22. If someone faked it the other way, that is a standard up to a Brazilian, why would they get every single part of it right including modcat, hardware, etc, but leave the headstock serial? Thatd be like the easiest thing to change. (The front headstock has the correct "brazilian" abalone inlay).
Maybe it was stolen at some point and they did this to cover it up? But if so, they got the model, year and color correct? Any advice on things I can check to see if someone actually sanded the serial off (allegedly)?
For reference - I was looking at another blue PRS and it was listed for sale as a 10 top but did not have the "10" written on the headstock. An email to PRS did confirm that it was indeed a 10 top. My point is people do make mistakes - even PRS. Do you think they made a mistake here too? Not attempting to besmirch the company in any way, I'm just trying to throw all the options out there.
Ultimately I like the instrument and it looks and plays great and aside from the serial number, it is what it's supposed to be. I dont plan on moving on from it but if I did keep it and decide to sell it later would this be a huge issue if you were in the market?
