2016 marked the 20th Anniversary of PRS Guitars Private Stock and to celebrate, PRS brought back the program that started it all: Guitars of the Month.
Each month the Private Stock team let their creativity shine using some of the most exotic and exquisite tonewoods and inlay materials available including African ribbon mahogany, Madagascar rosewood, highly-figured curly maple, green ripple abalone, ziricote, and swamp ash. The cumulative result of the program is twelve collectible models, each crafted in very limited quantities and each bearing the Private Stock Eagle and engraved banner stating the commemorative month.
Available through select authorized PRS dealers and distributors, the Private Stock 20th Anniversary Guitars of the Month models are:
January – Hollowbody Bass 4 (6pcs)
February – McCarty 594 (26pcs)
March – Maple Top Singlecut Archtop (6pcs)
April – DGT Birds of a Feather Semi Hollow (20pcs)
May – 509 (10pcs)
June – Paul’s Guitar (10pcs)
July – Grainger 5 Fretless Bass (6pcs)
August – Custom 24 8-string (8pcs)
September – 24 Fret McCarty Singlecut Trem (20pcs)
October – Lotus Knot Custom 24 (20pcs)
November – Singlecut McCarty 594 (20pcs)
December – Hollowbody II Piezo (12pcs)
“Celebrating Private Stock’s 20th Anniversary by revisiting the Guitars of the Month program gave the team the opportunity to showcase both innovation and specialization. These instruments are simultaneously art, musical Instruments, and treasured possessions to joyfully spend time with,” stated Paul Reed Smith.
PRS Guitars completed the first Private Stock on April 19, 1996. The twenty year old program started as a way to recapture the original essence of the PRS workshop with a small team making fewer guitars with more customization. With this mentality, Private Stock has allowed customers the opportunity to design the guitar of their dreams, and along the way Private Stock has also developed exclusive models and one-off instruments of their own design. In addition to customization opportunities, Private Stock instruments are built with the finest woods, materials, and attention to detail.
The original Guitars of the Month were cased between December 1994 and March 1996. They provided the opportunity to experiment with new ideas and led directly to the creation of the Private Stock program with the first “official” Private Stock instrument casing on April 19, 1996.
