1986 PRS Amber Custom

I take back every bad thing I ever said about PRS guitars based on this 1986 PRS.  She sports a serial number in the 700’s and doesn’t have the fancy bird inlays, but wow that wood is good!  And I will be damned if this isn’t one of my top 10 playing and sounding guitars. 

This guitar came from my late friend Chris’ collection and while I questioned many of his purchases, my friend had a knack for finding truly great, early factory PRS guitars.  A typical PRS in his collection had a wild top, near perfect condition, and all the documentation you could ever want with a guitar you plan on holding for a while.  

As you can see, this 86 came with the 1986 PRS catalog and price list.  Appears this was a $1260 guitar and the case was an extra $120.  Not that $1400 isn’t a lot of money today but back then, that was Jackson Soloist money.  I know this because at age 14 my parents took me to New York City to “music store row” where I could check out all the guitars that were never available in Smallville, Ohio.  I remember holding a trans black flametop PRS with birds in Manny’s Music and hearing from the salesman that “this is from a brand new builder – Paul Reed Smith.  About the same price as that Jackson you like.  This is a prototype and it’s been here a while, so we can make you a great deal if you buy it today.”  

I passed and stuck with my goal of getting a Kahler-equipped Jackson Soloist.  Yeah, I know.  We all make mistakes.

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