The Best PRS Guitars at a Glance:
| PRS Guitar | Best For | Approx. Price | Key Specs |
|---|---|---|---|
| PRS Custom 24 | Best overall PRS | About $4,260 (10 Top about $5,490) | Maple/mahogany, 25″ scale, 24 frets, DMO pickups, 5-way blade, Gen III trem |
| PRS McCarty 594 | Best for vintage humbucker tone | About $4,820 | 24.594″ scale, 22 frets, McCarty III pickups, 2 vol/2 push-pull tone |
| PRS Silver Sky | Best single-coil PRS | About $2,749 | Alder body, 25.5″ scale, 7.25″ radius, three 635JM single coils |
| PRS CE 24 | Best bolt-on humbucker PRS | About $2,000–$2,700 | Maple neck bolt-on, 85/15 pickups, push/pull coil split, 24 frets |
| PRS S2 Custom 24 | Best USA PRS value | About $2,249–$2,299 | Asymmetric bevel top, 85/15 pickups, 5-way blade, Phase III locking tuners |
| PRS SE Custom 24 | Best PRS for beginners and students | About $849–$949 | Flame maple veneer, wide thin neck, 85/15 “S” pickups, push/pull tone |
| PRS SE Silver Sky | Best budget single-coil PRS | About $949 | Poplar body, 8.5″ radius, 635JM “S” single coils, gig bag |
| PRS SE McCarty 594 | Best budget vintage-style PRS | About $949 | 24.594″ scale, 22 frets, mahogany neck, coil-split humbuckers |
I’ve been teaching guitar for a long time, and one question comes up in lessons every single year: “Is a PRS worth it, and which one should I get?” Paul Reed Smith guitars have a reputation for feeling great, staying in tune and looking stunning, but the lineup is big. You’ve got the USA-made Core line, the Bolt-On models, the CE, the more affordable USA-built S2 series, and the import SE series. In this guide I’ll walk you through the best PRS guitars I’d recommend right now, from a sub-$900 student instrument all the way up to the flagship Custom 24.
For each pick, I’ll give you the real specs (pulled from PRS’s own spec pages), an approximate street price, and my honest pros and cons as a teacher who has watched a lot of students choose, play and sometimes regret their first “serious” guitar. These are the best PRS guitars for real players, not just collectors. Prices move around, so treat the numbers as ballpark figures.
Related: 5 reasons why all electric guitars sound different and 10 best lightest electric guitars that play & sound great. For the full overview, see our guide to the best electric guitars.
Go here if you’re looking for the best guitar pedals (effects pedals) overall.
New to this? Read How to Choose an Electric Guitar: A Complete Guide first for the basics, then use the picks below.
The Best PRS Guitars: My Top 8 Picks
1. PRS Custom 24 – Best Overall PRS Guitar
The Custom 24 is the guitar that started it all. PRS brought it to its first Winter NAMM show in 1985, and it is still one of the best PRS guitars ever made, the model I picture when someone says “PRS.” The current version has a carved figured maple top, mahogany back, a one-piece mahogany neck with the Pattern Thin carve, a rosewood board with bird inlays, a 25″ scale and 24 frets.
The big update is the DMO (Dynamic, Musical, Open) pickups and a 5-way blade switch, which gives you both humbuckers, each one alone, plus two split-coil combinations. Add the Gen III tremolo and Phase III locking tuners and you get a guitar that covers clean pop, worship, blues, rock and heavier styles without fuss. Expect to pay about $4,260, or around $5,490 for a 10 Top. Full specs are on the official PRS Custom 24 page.
Where to buy: PRS Custom 24 (approx. $4,260 (10 Top $5,490))
Pros:
- Huge tonal range from the 5-way switch
- Excellent tuning stability with Gen III trem and locking tuners
- 24 frets and a slim neck are easy for lead playing
- Ships with a hardshell case
Cons:
- Expensive for a first electric
- Pattern Thin neck may feel too slim if you like chunky necks
2. PRS McCarty 594 – Best for Vintage Humbucker Tone
If your heroes play older-style humbucker guitars, the McCarty 594 is the Core model I’d point you toward among the best PRS guitars. It uses a 24.594″ scale, a bound 22-fret Pattern Vintage neck, a two-piece zinc/brass bridge, a bone nut and McCarty III pickups.