As with the amazing 'Calypso Green' model in our Sold gallery, this instrument, too, comes from the inaugural Paul Reed Smith 'open house' Experience in 2007, and is just as spectacular! Following that first show, the PRS Experience is now an annual event, held each September, with major PRS dealers and special guests invited to the factory in Maryland for a chance to have a first look at the new models for the upcoming year, as well as partake in special workshops and concerts and place orders for the pick of the new models. Each year an Experience production run of just 200 instruments is available exclusively to those top dealers attending the Open House.
'Experience PRS 2007'
For the 2007 Experience, those first Limited Edition instruments were rightfully based on the Custom 24, the guitar that built the Paul Reed Smith legend. Each of the 200 guitars ordered was built in a special production run during in early 2008, and each bears a handwritten 'Experience PRS 2007' notation on the back of the headstock, (see pic # 5). Just fifty guitars each in four exclusive colors were built, making these original instruments both highly desirable and eminently collectible – as well as next to unattainable outside the US!
Limited Edition
Finished in jaw-droppingly stunning 'Calypso Green Metallic', 'Warp Speed Blue', 'Champagne Fizz' and 'Raging Ruby', all with matching, painted headstocks, these limited edition Custom 24s became instant classics, with most immediately disappearing into private collections, or dealer's vaults, tucked away for their investment potential. Just Guitars is therefore incredibly chuffed to be able to offer this exceedingly rare guitar to the Australian music community.
Never been owned
In 100% BRAND NEW condition - that's right, this amazing instrument has never been owned – the build quality is out of this world, from the unbelievably sexy paintjob to the vibrancy of the Abalone birds-in-flight inlay work. One feature worth pointing out is the natural exposed binding; an intricate production task, this is not a separately applied binding, but the edge of the one-piece carved Maple top, allowed to show through to the edge of the guitar! Pic # 8 shows the Maple stripes almost glowing, as they peek out between the Dupont Hot paintwork and the warmth of the one-piece natural Mahogany back.
Abalone birds
We've mentioned the matching painted headstock, but adding to the total wow factor is a one-piece Natural Mahogany neck, (standard profile); 24-fret/25" scale East Indian Rosewood board; the Abalone birds-in-flight inlays; a custom matched set of PRS # 6 humbuckers, with exposed black-and-white "zebra" coils; plus McCarty-style switching with a 3-way pickup selector and push/pull coil-tap through the tone control knob.
Pickups
The # 6 humbuckers are one of PRS's most highly sought: the neck unit is powerful and clear, with vintage alive characteristics; the bridge is clear, warm and extremely well-balanced across the entire spectrum. (The # 6's are identical to the PRS # 7's, except minus covers, to expose the black-and-white "zebra" coils. Both pickups are used by many of the world's most famous acts)
Icing on the cake
The famous PRS floating tremolo system and low-mass locking tuners are a bit like icing on the cake – a bonus on top of everything else that makes the Custom 24 the icon that it has become. Like when the Stratocaster, the Les Paul and the Telecaster all made their first, industry-staggering apperances, the Custom 24 was such a well-built machine that the five-star reviews and praise from all quarters began rolling in almost immediately after Paul Reed Smith showed it off at his first trade show in 1985.
It scarcely seems to matter what style of music you play with a Custom 24 – the guitar seems able to take on anything you want to throw its way. Searing Santana licks, cool jazz, country twang, Chili Peppers funky rock, classic rock… the pickup and control system has the whole lot covered.
Only one in Australia
BRAND NEW, this is the only one in Australia, and shipping in its original hard shell PRS case, complete with original hang-tag and paperwork, this rare and wondrous guitar would likely have carried a RRP somewhere in the $8000 - $9000 range, had it been possible to obtain one in Australia at the time. Almost unbelievably priced at only $3900, this highly collectible, limited edition Custom 24 is going to make one lucky Just Guitars customer very, very happy for many, many years to come!
Just Guitars
