Find Your Next PRS with the Core Buyer's Guide!

*A pdf of this Buyer's Guide is available for download at the bottom of this page

For some of the finest guitars made in the USA, look no further than the PRS Core Series. These flagship Maryland-made instruments have been the foundation of the PRS lineup since 1985, pairing premium materials and exacting design with quality-driven craftsmanship. This guide will help you find which PRS Core guitar fits your style, whether it’s the legendary Custom 24, the timeless and vintage-inspired McCarty, or one of our versatile and diverse Specialty or Signature instruments.

Heritage: Core guitars are the “DNA” of PRS, and the foundational instruments of our brand. Paul Smith’s iconic PRS design has endured and evolved over the last 40 years to set the standard for what an electric guitar should be. PRS Core guitars incorporate modern innovations in guitar building while paying homage to the history and tradition of the instrument, continually pushing the envelope to create some of the best guitars available.

Craftsmanship: All Core guitars are built by skilled luthiers in Stevensville, Maryland, USA to the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship. Our team of experienced builders ensures that every Core guitar is an inspirational tool for creative expression – trusted by musicians around the world for their most critical moments in the studio and on-stage. From delicately crafted violin tops and expertly shaped neck profiles to meticulous fretwork and the intricate detail of our signature bird inlays, Core guitars embody the relentless pursuit of tone and quality that has come to define PRS.

Materials: A great guitar starts with great materials. PRS Core guitars feature premium woods hand-selected for tone and appearance, carefully dried to ensure stability and optimal resonance as well as an all-nitrocellulose finish, iconic bird inlays, exclusive Maryland-wound pickups (with American AlNiCo magnets), and proprietary top-ofthe-line hardware.

The Details: At PRS, details are everything. Core guitars are built following the “rules of tone” laid down by Paul Reed Smith himself. This means careful attention is paid to selecting and drying premium woods, carefully shaping the fretboard roundover and neck shape, meticulously designing each pickup, and refining PRS’s proprietary hardware for optimal resonance (down to removing metal plating on string contact points). The ultra-thin all-nitrocellulose finish further adds to the guitars’ resonance and feel, and the final setup and inspection are critical to ensure every component works in tandem to create the “secret sauce” needed to make a magic guitar. Core guitars all feature a violin-carved top, ergonomic recesses for the controls, the trademark PRS “scoop” body contour, and, depending on the model, PRS Phase III tuners with “wing” tuning buttons and proprietary pickup bobbins. Our patented Gen III bridge is the culmination of decades of engineering, providing industry-leading tuning stability and tone transfer, and our stoptail and two-piece bridges feature unplated brass at critical contact points for tone transfer from strings through the body of the guitar.

Professionals: Whether in the studio tracking the latest record or on stage making the crowd go wild, professional guitarists rely on PRS Core guitars to get the job done at the highest level. Core guitars can be found in the hands of some of the most notable and respected icons of the music world.

Collectors: From the highly figured flame maple on a 10-top to the understated beauty of an exquisitely crafted violin carve, Core guitars are some of the most sought-after pieces for the discerning collector. They showcase the meticulous artistry and effortless playability for which PRS has become renowned.

Enthusiasts: PRS Core guitars aren’t just for looks, they’re instruments designed to inspire. Guitarists of all stripes deserve a great instrument to make great music, and the Core series brings world-class tone and playability to rigs and gigs of all kinds. PRS artists often attest to their PRS guitars “getting out of the way” so they can “just play.” For players who don’t want to fight their instrument, PRS Core guitars offer an irresistible playing experience.

• 24 frets
• 25” Scale Length
• PRS Patented Gen III Tremolo Bridge
• DMO Pickups (Dynamic. Musical. Open.)
  • Balanced Tonal Range & A Vocal Quality
• Phase III Locking Tuners
  • With Proprietary Wing Buttons

Explore the Custom & Standard Family of guitars:

• Custom 24
• Custom 24-08
• Custom 24 "Floyd"
• Custom 24 Piezo
• Standard 24 Satin

• 22 frets
• 24.594” and 25" Scale Length
• Stoptail and Two-Piece Bridges
• McCarty III Pickups
• Traditional 4-Knob Control Layout
  • 594 Models Only
• The Original McCarty was the first guitar named after Ted McCarty

Explore the McCarty Family of guitars:

• McCarty
• McCarty 594

• 22 Frets
• 25" Scale Length
• PRS Patented Gen III Tremolo Bridge
• Three Pickups Designs featuring PRS Proprietary Narrowfield and TCI Pickup models
• Hum/Single/Hum & Single/Sungle Hum configurations
• Phase III Locking Tuners
  • With Proprietary Wing Buttons
• Coul-Taps and EQ Mini-Toggle switches provide added versatility

Explore our Specialty Models:

• Special Semi-Hollow
• Studio
• Modern Eagle V

• 22 Frets
• 24.594" and 25" Scale Lengths
• Stoptail and Two-Piece Bridges
• McCarty III Pickups
• Effortless Electric and Acoustic sounds from one instrument
• PRS's center-block build designs gives players more controlled feedback
• Choose between traditional 4-knob control layout and two-piece bridge, or a stoptail-equipped model featuring the PRS/LR Baggs Piezo system

Explore our Hollowbody Models:

• McCarty 594 Hollowbody II
• Hollowbody II Piezo

PRS has a long history of working with some of the premier artists in the music world, from the first guitars Paul Smith built for Carlos Santana to our latest collaboration with progressive metal icon Mark Holcomb. Our Signature guitars are purpose-built with the artist in mind, bringing unique features and tones to the PRS catalog.

• 22 Frets
• 25" Scale Length
• PRS Patented Gen II Tremolo
• Signature vintage-voiced "DGT" pickups & control layout
  • Individual volume controls for each pickup with a push/pull master tone control for coil taps
• "DGT" Neck Carve and PRS Jumbo Frets

Explore our DGT Models:

• DGT
• DGT Semi-Hollow

• 22 Frets
• 25" Scale Length
• Bridge Options
  • PRS Patented Gen III Tremolo with Trem-up Route & Adjustable Stoptail Bridge
• Signature "Tremonto" Pickups
  • Aggressive but articulate, featuring ceramic and alnico magnets
• "Tremonti" Neck Carve

Explore the Mark Tremonti Signature Model

• 24 Frets
• 24.594" Scale Length
• PRS Patented Gen III Tremolo
• "Santana" Pickups
  • For clear, smooth, vintage tone
• "Santana" Neck Carve
  • And deep violin top carve
• "Pre-Factory" Headstock Shape
  • With Eagle inlay and Ohm Truss Rod Cover

Explore the Santana Retro Signature Model

• 22 Frets
• 25.5" Scale Length
  • Perfect for down-tuning
• PRS Plate-style string-through bridge
• Mark Holcomb Signature Seymour Duncan "Scarlet" & "Scourge" Pickups
• "Mark Holcomb" Neck Carve
  • With Ebony Fretboard
• Figured Mango Top
  • With Satin Nitro finish

Explore the Mark Holcomb Signature Model

Are all PRS Core guitars made in the USA?

Yes, all Core guitars are made in Stevensville, MD, steps away from the shores of the Chesapeake Bay.

What makes Maryland, USA-made PRS guitars special?

Maryland-made PRS guitars are some of the best instruments available today, showcasing the artistry and skill built over decades of guitar making. Utilizing proprietary pickups and hardware, PRS guitars made in Maryland showcase unparalleled quality and exceptional design aesthetics, fusing classic tones with modern versatility and flexibility.

Which PRS guitar is best for professionals?

PRS guitars at all levels are designed to meet the standards of the professional musician. At PRS we know that each player has their own preferences and requirements, and our guitars feature uncompromising quality and attention to detail in every model, at every price point.

What is the difference between Core, S2 Series, and SE Series?

Although all PRS guitars share similar DNA, each series has its own defining features and characteristics. Every PRS guitar made in the USA features MD-made pickups, an all-nitrocellulose finish, and proprietary PRS tuners and hardware.

The Core Series, made in Stevensville, MD, USA, is the foundation of PRS Guitars: the “core” of our lineup if you will. Core guitars showcase the premium features and appointments that PRS has developed over the past 40 years and stand as the benchmark for quality and tone that has come to define the brand. Core guitars all feature violin-carve tops, one-piece necks and backs, figured maple tops (the all-mahogany Standard 24 and the mango-top Mark Holcomb being the only current exceptions), and proprietary electronics and hardware. Trem-equipped models utilize the patented PRS Gen III tremolo, which features compound radius saddles, unplated brass contact points (block, intonation screws, height adjustment screws, and string slots), and a milled brass block for tonal fidelity and sustain.

The S2 series (shorthand for “Stevensville 2”) is the second line of PRS Maryland, USA-made guitars, reimagining the now-classic design and tonality of the Core series with a stripped-down feature set and aesthetic. This approach allows for a streamlined build process, resulting in a more economical guitar that still maintains a high standard of quality and tone. As of 2025 all S2 models ship with MD-made pickups and Phase III tuners, previously only available in the Core series. S2 guitars feature an all-nitrocellulose finish, bevel-carve tops, and scarf-joint neck construction. Trem-equipped models utilize the molded steel PRS Patented tremolo.

The SE Series is our overseas lineup, bringing PRS design and visual appeal to a more affordable price point. SE guitars feature a polyurethane finish, PRS-designed pickups, solid maple tops with figured veneers, and a shallow violin carve. Tremolo-equipped models utilize the molded steel PRS Patented tremolo.