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Since they were first manufactured in 1998, the PRS Hollowbody & Archtop guitars have stood above in the industry for both natural and amplified tone.  I bought my first PRS Hollowbody in 2003 and said ever since:  “These PRS Hollowbody (and Archtop) guitars cut right through the mix on stage. Every note of your tone carries and doesn't have to be obnoxiously above the mix to be heard. Each note of a six string chord rings out with clarity and in perfect balance with each other."  I’ve owned more than a dozen since and they never disappoint. 

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I've owned this guitar through and beyond the 20 years that I was buying and selling PRS guitars online.  This is one of the several that have stayed with me as hundreds of others came and went.  Our sound man at the time I bought it was also a PRS guy.  He was accustomed to seeing me show up at a gig with a different guitar on any given night.  The first time I brought this guitar to a gig, he left the sound board after the third song and approached the stage just to tell me: "You should never play any other guitar than this one. The tone is simply incredible".  Needless to say, I was equally impressed with it and have kept it for over 20 years.  Plays like a race car but sings like an angel whether plugged in or natural.  I rarely gig it anymore, but I commonly bring it home from storage, just to play it around the house.  This old friend spends its time on the sofa now (photo #16) so I can pick it up and play it at any time.  Now it's time for someone else to make it a part of their journey.

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The original Archtop Bass & Treble pickups are perfectly designed for complete control of any feedback that players commonly associate with hollow body guitars.  You can dress your tone with whatever pedals you like.  It's never a problem.  I’ve never done anything but plug my guitars directly into my amps going on 50 years now and this guitar can pull that off too.  Also great for playing unplugged around the house.  The natural projection is a considerable boost in volume, to be heard over ambient sounds.  The maple back on these Archtop II models, makes them a little bit brighter than the mahogany backed Archtop I.  Both the Hollowbody and these deep body Archtop models are built with a with a center post beneath the bridge, which transfers the resonance throughout the body while controlling feedback. You can see the center post through the f hole in photos #1 and #9.

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The exposed binding of the flame maple back makes these Archtop "II" models really stand out.  The action is excellent and the first three frets show only the slightest amount of play wear as seen in photo#20.  I rate the physical condition of this guitar to be 9.4 on a scale of 10.  There are just three little nicks as seen in photo#19. The gold plating has worn thin at the bottom of the Bass pickup.  These minor cosmetics were all there when I bought the guitar.  I take very good care of my instruments whether around the house or at gigs.  Excellent played condition, all things considered.  It's "playable" by virtue of having been played.  Even as beautiful as it is, this guitar wasn't meant for a glass case.  Comes with the original hardshell case.

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I’m a working (weekend) musician who has bought, owned, gigged and sold over 300 different PRS guitars of all models since 2001.  I’ve played a few rather impressive (electric) SE’s that were pleasantly above my expectations for their price point though I've encountered more planks than gems.  That said: The SE Hollowbody models do not come even close to the tone and quality of a core Hollowbody, nor an Archtop (if they made them as SE).  Not at any price.

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I’ve heard it said in the forums that a non-Piezo Hollowbody is of less value that a Piezo model.  The piezo guitars surely cost more, but that doesn’t mean you “need” it.  If you know what they are and you know you want one, Piezo is a great option.  You should look for a Piezo PRS.  I have some Archtop Piezo guitars available here on my site.  If you’re not likely to ever use the Piezo (most players that own them don’t), then don’t buy one.     Here’s why:   First, the piezo units increase the weight of the guitar considerably.  The Piezo guitars are still quite light, even with the option on board, but they are meaningfully lighter without it. Second, the piezo bridge frame is slightly thicker and the Piezo saddles are a little higher than either the adjustable or non-adjustable bridge that comes on a non-Piezo guitar.  The neck angle is fixed and built right into the guitar. No amount of truss adjustment will change that.  The higher contact point on the Piezo bridge for each string, limits how low the guitars action can be set.  I'm only trying to be helpful.  Please understand that I have both Piezo and non-Piezo PRS guitars.  I love them all and play both versions regularly.  I’m just saying, make sure you’re looking for the guitar that you want, instead of the guitar that you think you want.  The Piezo is an expensive option if you’re not going to use it and it does impact playability in some small measure.

 

 A Word About Core PRS Guitars:

 

PRS has always made great guitars and they still do today.  From 1985 until 2001, all PRS guitars were core PRS guitars.  The 2001 Santana III was their first model created as a second-tier instrument.  Basically, a financial decision to explore the lower price point market with an eye on producing off-shore.  Their USA and off-shore guitars are essentially made by two different companies, creating two different families of instruments.  There are the cores in one family and everything else in the other (not to mention the Wood Library pieces or of course Private Stock, both in a league of their own).  In the Forums I see a lot of SE’s with problems right off the rack or that have been so modified by their owner, they could have just bought a core PRS to begin with. PRS still regards the new CE-24 as a core model, but they are less than one-half the guitar that core CE’s were from 1995 to 2016 and one-quarter the guitar that the pre-factory alder body CE-24’s are. Those second (S2) and third tier (SE) guitars lose whatever value they ever had rather quickly.  The new core guitars are fabulous instruments, but sticker north of five or six grand and will be worth far less in 4-5 years.  If you’re casually looking here out of curiosity, while thinking more seriously about buying your sixth SE in a different color, your third S2 or a new CE-24, give some thought and consideration to selling some of what you’ve already got, to buy a Core PRS instead. Core PRS guitars hold their value and every Hollowbody core I’ve owned or played is LEVELS ABOVE every SE Hollowbody that I’ve ever encountered.  Just the opinion of a PRS enthusiast that has bought, sold, owned and gigged over 300 PRS guitars across the last 25 years.

 

If you've come to this page directly through an organic Google search,

click this link to see a list of all the guitars I currently have for sale before leaving this page.

 

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 $4,200.00 includes shipping anywhere in the lower 48.  

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​I recently heard someone a lot smarter than I am say: 

"Life is short..... Buy the guitar"