PRS Guitars has announced the opening of its new “West Street East” Museum Room and retail store and the commencement of free public tours of the Stevensville, Maryland manufacturing facility.
When touring the PRS factory, visitors will get a firsthand look at PRS Guitars’ processes, instruments, and amplifiers from raw wood or blank chassis form to finished guitar or amplifier. PRS intends to give visitors a unique view into PRS quality and the dedication of the people building PRS instruments. “We have a passion for building instruments and also for the music that these instruments help create. Most here are dedicated players, refining our craft as builders and musicians. There is a special kind of pride and individual ownership surrounding our instruments. From our experience, there is no better way to see this unique aspect of PRS than to walk through the shop,” stated PRS President Jack Higginbotham.
The guided tour, which lasts approximately 90 minutes, takes scheduled visitors through the electric guitar manufacturing line, amplifier department, and acoustic shop. While not physically demanding, the tour does include walking and climbing a flight of stairs (elevators are available for guests with special needs). The tour is not recommended for children under 10 years old due to its length and technical nature.
Tours will conclude at the company’s new “West Street East” store and museum room where visitors will find PRS apparel, parts, and accessories. The store also features a selection of guitars from the PRS archives for visitors to see as they learn about Paul Reed Smith and PRS Guitars’ history. A broad line up of current offerings will be available for visitors to play test as well.
The start of public tours and the opening of “West Street East” – named as a tribute to Paul Reed Smith Guitars’ humble beginnings in a small shop located on West Street in Annapolis, Maryland – are part of the company’s 30th Anniversary celebration.
Guided factory tours will be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:00AM EST and 1:00PM EST. Tours began Tuesday, February 3rd, 2015. Group tours are available by request; certain restrictions apply.
