PRS Paul Reed Smith 35th Anniversary Custom 24 10-Top Guitar, Faded Blue Burst

Celebrate the PRS Sound: 35th Anniversary Custom 24 Models

PRS Guitars is celebrating 35 years of guitar making and innovation with three new 35th Anniversary Custom 24 models in its Core, S2 Series, and SE Series line ups. Designed around the guitar that started it all, the Custom 24, these limited-edition models capture the foundational elements of the iconic PRS model and add the musical functionality of the Paul’s Guitar, creating a new, versatile platform. The 35th Anniversary Custom 24 models feature TCI (or TCI “S”) treble and bass pickups that are paired with two mini-toggle switches that allow players to put either or both pickups in humbucking or true single-coil mode. The clarity and unique tone of these vintage-inspired pickups is both big and nuanced, so players can easily find their sweet spot.

“35 years…it’s special what is going on at PRS right now, and we wanted to capture that by celebrating the guitar that helped put us on the map: the Custom 24. These models have new special pickups and switching system, and they sound and play great. The humbuckers are balanced, and the single coils are musical and full,” said Paul Reed Smith.

It’s All in the Details: TCI-Tuned Pickups and Nitro Finish

Paul Reed Smith is known as a man who studies history, scrutinizes the details, and never stops applying what he learns to his own instruments. It is that passion, care, and tenacity that has permeated PRS Guitars’ culture and led to the constant evolution of PRS products. Last year, PRS announced TCI (tuned capacitance and inductance) pickups on the Paul’s Guitar. But, TCI is more than a pickup, it’s a process. That process has now been applied to all PRS pickups offered on our Core line of instruments, with the exception of a few artist Signature models.

“TCI stands for Tuned Capacitance Inductance. When you wind a pickup, the coils are capacitors, resistors, and inductors simultaneously. Our more refined ability to be able to tune those factors is what we have incorporated into TCI pickups,” said Paul Reed Smith. “To our ears, the results are very musical. We are very proud of how far we’ve come in the understanding and making of pickups. It’s been a fun process.”

In preparation for shipping 2020 models, PRS is also updating the finish system in their Maryland factory. PRS has been known to tweak its finish formulations and processes, always looking to provide a great sounding, feeling, and looking guitar while maintaining a repeatable, quality-driven manufacturing process. This new nitro finish is a variation of PRS’s Private Stock high-gloss nitro with a cellulose CAB basecoat. The resulting finish is thin, hard, and clear – all qualities that help make a resonant, musical instrument that feels great.

“When you pick up a guitar with this finish, you can immediately feel that it’s not taking away from the guitar’s energy. It feels organic – like a classic, vintage guitar; it’s clear and does not hinder the figure or color of the instrument, and it sinks very little over time,” said Paul Reed Smith.

Pattern Neck Shapes

Neck shapes have always been a high priority for PRS and a hallmark of our quality. A guitar should feel comfortable, like “home,” as soon as you pick it up, and the neck is paramount to that connection. These new neck shapes reflect modern tooling and programming that allows us to even more preciously shape and consistently reproduce our necks. The “Pattern Thin” neck is an updated version of PRS’s traditional Wide Thin neck.