PRS Guitars

PRS Guitars (also known as Paul Reed Smith Guitars) is an American guitar manufacturer headquartered in Stevensville, Maryland, founded by guitarist and master luthier Paul Reed Smith in 1985.

PRS has a reputation as a manufacturer of high end electric guitars made in the US, and known for their custom shop instruments. However since the 1990s they have expanded production to Asia, where they manufacture the more affordable 'SE' line of instruments. As of 2013 they have begun making more affordable guitars in the US with their 'S2' line. PRS Guitars also manufactures guitar amplifiers. Two of PRS's most notable endorsers are Carlos Santana and Gustavo Cerati. In addition to this, many other artists endorse the company, including Mike Oldfield, who has used a PRS Artist Custom 24 for studio recordings and live shows since the late 1980s; Clint Lowery; Mikael Åkerfeldt; Dave Navarro; Ted Nugent; Al Di Meola; Mark Tremonti and Orianthi.

History

PRS

PRS or prs may refer to:

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Paul Reed

Paul Reed may refer to:

See also

Reed Smith

Reed Smith LLP is an international global law firm, with more than 1,800 lawyers in 26 offices throughout the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Its lawyers provide litigation and other dispute resolution services; deliver regulatory counsel, and execute strategic domestic and cross-border transactions. Reed Smith is an advisor to industries including financial services, life sciences, health care, advertising, technology and media, shipping, energy and natural resources, real estate, manufacturing, and education.

The firm counsels 13 of the world's 15 largest commercial and savings banks; 25 of the world's 35 largest oil and gas companies; and the world's three largest pharmaceutical distribution and wholesale companies. Reed Smith's shipping practice has been designated among the most preeminent in the world, and its advertising law practice is regarded as among the legal industry's finest.

In 2014, Reed Smith was listed by Law 360 as one of the Global 20 Firms, firms that had the biggest global presence and handled the most large, significant and groundbreaking international and cross-border matters.

Paul Reed Smith

Paul Reed Smith (born February 18, 1956), is a master luthier and the founder and owner of PRS Guitars, which is considered one of the top makers of high quality guitars in the United States. Smith is considered to be one of the preeminent master guitar makers in the world.

Early life

Smith graduated from Bowie High School in 1974. He also attended St. Mary's College of Maryland where he began his guitar making career.

Career beginnings

He made his first guitar while a student at St. Mary's College of Maryland, and continued to build guitars after he finished college, making them one at a time, one a month. Together with another local, John "Orkie" Ingram, they formed the nucleus of what would become Paul Reed Smith Guitars.

Smith would often bring his guitars backstage at concerts, and eventually got his break when Derek St. Holmes, of the Ted Nugent Band, agreed to try out #2, the second guitar Smith had ever made. St. Holmes played the guitar for the first few songs of his set, and Smith told him that after he showed it to some other musicians, he would fly out to Detroit and give it to him. St. Holmes eventually sold the guitar for $200. Another artist who grew loyal to him through this method of salesmanship was Carlos Santana. Santana now has several signature guitars with PRS and endorses them as his only supplier.