PRS Guitars Celebrates 40 Years with Innovative New Models and Upgrades
NAMM 2025: In a vibrant continuation of its 40th anniversary festivities, PRS Guitars has introduced two exciting electric guitar models, alongside a host of enhanced specifications, brand-new pickups, and fresh color options throughout its lineup.
As part of its anniversary festivity, Paul Reed Smith’s company has already launched nostalgic designs, including a semi-hollow SE Custom 24 and an opulent McCarty model featuring a stunning 207-piece Dragon inlay on the fretboard.Now, PRS is shifting its focus to more accessible designs for the everyday player.
The company’s founder, whose recent comments on tonewoods sparked considerable discussion, emphasized that “we do not want to spend our anniversary only looking back.” This latest release is a testament to PRS’s commitment to innovation and forward-thinking.
Introducing the PRS Standard 24
First on the list is the PRS Standard 24, a modern take on one of Smith’s earliest pre-factory designs. This model joins the Core lineup and is available in a sleek satin finish with color options including Frost Blue Metallic, Pearl Black, Pearl White, and Red Apple Metallic. It features a single-piece mahogany body and is equipped with the newly developed PRS DMO Treble and Bass humbuckers.
These pickups, which stand for Dynamic, music, Open, represent a meaningful advancement in PRS’s Core range. Developed through extensive research into cherished vintage pickups, they leverage cutting-edge signal analysis and tuning technology to deliver a distinctive vocal quality and an expansive sound.
Specifications of the PRS Standard 24
The PRS Standard 24, priced at $3,500, boasts a slim mahogany neck, Smoke Black Phase III tuners with black wing buttons, a 24-fret rosewood fingerboard, and a 25” scale length. It also features a smoked black Gen III PRS tremolo system, with a five-way switch complemented by Volume and Tone dials for versatile sound shaping.
Introducing the Swamp Ash Special
The second new model, the Swamp Ash Special, is priced at $2,899 and is named for its primary tonewood. It features a bolt-on maple neck that enhances its “snap and twang,” along with a smooth satin nitro finish for added comfort.
This model also incorporates Phase III locking tuners, now with unplated brass shafts and wing buttons. The 22-fret rosewood fingerboard has a 10” radius,and like the Standard 24,it offers a 25” scale length and a Phase III tremolo system.
The ‘Special’ designation refers to its unique pickup configuration: humbucker,single-coil,humbucker,with the middle pickup being PRS’s innovative Narrowfield humbucker. This pickup is designed to emulate the radiant, cutting tones of single-coils, reminiscent of classic Strat and Tele sounds, while still providing the hum-canceling advantages of a humbucker.
Expanded Core Lineup and New Features
Beyond the new models, PRS is substantially enhancing its Core lineup. All McCarty, Hollowbody, Special, and Studio models will now feature the newly introduced McCarty III pickups, while the previously mentioned DMOs will be standard in Custom 24 models.
Additionally, select models will be upgraded with premium dual mini EQ toggles, which function as tuned high-pass filters when activated. These were first seen on the Private Stock John McLaughlin model in 2023 and are designed to eliminate low-end muddiness, allowing for clearer high frequencies and more musical highs.
New Color Options and Upgrades
PRS is also expanding its color palette, introducing options like Aurora Borealis and Black Gold on select Core models, as well as Egyptian Gold and Platinum Metallic on the Myles Kennedy signature Bolt-On. The NF 53 range has also seen the addition of five new colors, including Matcha Green and Jasper Smokeburst, while Mark Lettieri’s signature Fiore model now features finishes in Lilac Satin, Hibiscus Satin, and Amaryllis Satin.
For more details on these exciting new releases and upgrades, visit PRS’s official website.
