In my experience, the color of the board clearly identified the amp type...brown (CAD) or blue (higher production). The Tuxedo amps are obvious. I've had one of those punched turret boards (they come to PRS prepunched) in my hand and there were no traces (note the lack of the extra 'r' ) on it, anywhere. No question: the turret boards take more labor to assemble. And the reasoning behind the hybrid board (keeps backside jumpers from falling out during repair) makes sense. But there's a slight assembly difference between the product lines.
A board that is wave or UV soldered doesn't automatically discount being hand-wired. Thru-hole pick-n-place machines aren't commonplace anymore and are expensive to maintain. So unless they're using a contract assembler (I believe they did for the SE amp line) they can claim hand wiring across the board. But I believe all of their amps, made in Maryland, are hand soldered.
If I wanted Randall Smith (or Mike B) to make me a Mark V, personally, on a turret board, it would cost many, many thousands of $$, and probably never happen. But I can go to PRS, with a custom design or request, and get Doug and/or Jeff to make a magical amp for a practical price...all on an old school turret board. For a big production company, that's very cool. And the results speak for themselves.
A board that is wave or UV soldered doesn't automatically discount being hand-wired. Thru-hole pick-n-place machines aren't commonplace anymore and are expensive to maintain. So unless they're using a contract assembler (I believe they did for the SE amp line) they can claim hand wiring across the board. But I believe all of their amps, made in Maryland, are hand soldered.
If I wanted Randall Smith (or Mike B) to make me a Mark V, personally, on a turret board, it would cost many, many thousands of $$, and probably never happen. But I can go to PRS, with a custom design or request, and get Doug and/or Jeff to make a magical amp for a practical price...all on an old school turret board. For a big production company, that's very cool. And the results speak for themselves.
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