PRS American made guitar serial number question

johnnykaudio · 14th July 2011

I don't know much about guitars. I can play them but I'm a piano player. I was given a PRS standard for my birthday. It was purchased for $700 by my dad. He was told it was a $2000 guitar.

So I put it on eBay. A guy bought it for $1000 then asked to see a photo of the serial. It is a stamped serial. He said American made PRS guitars have a hand written serial number.
Can anyone confirm or deny this? I don't know much about these guitars. I didn't know it was a standard until he told me.
He said it was a copy. But it has the PRS logo on the headstock and I know what PRS' look like.

It's in great shape. It only has one tiny scratch on the back. Can anyone tell me what I have and how much it's worth? I don't play it. I'd like to sell it as I'm trying to pay off some old debt. Any info is appreciated. Thanks slutz!

johnnykaudio · 14th July 2011

Here's a few more photos.

The inlays are real, it looks like a PRS to me. But I don't know exactly what it is. Thx.

fretless · 14th July 2011

I would email PRS directly , they are very helpful . I know there were a few "transition " years and perhaps that is one of them . For the most part the U.S. highend stuff did have hand written serial #'s . Most all of them also have signed names and dates in the pickup cavities as well as the name of the pickup . It may be helpful if you pop them out and see what's under them . The tuners are not PRS either but perhaps that was done on a transition year . Drop'em a email and let us know how it goes .

AudioWonderland · 14th July 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnykaudio

I don't know much about guitars. I can play them but I'm a piano player. I was given a PRS standard for my birthday. It was purchased for $700 by my dad. He was told it was a $2000 guitar.

So I put it on eBay. A guy bought it for $1000 then asked to see a photo of the serial. It is a stamped serial. He said American made PRS guitars have a hand written serial number.
Can anyone confirm or deny this? I don't know much about these guitars. I didn't know it was a standard until he told me.
He said it was a copy. But it has the PRS logo on the headstock and I know what PRS' look like.

It's in great shape. It only has one tiny scratch on the back. Can anyone tell me what I have and how much it's worth? I don't play it. I'd like to sell it as I'm trying to pay off some old debt. Any info is appreciated. Thanks slutz!

I have never seen a factory PRS with Grover tuners. The serial number does look wrong. $700 for a Standard in good shape does strike me as VERY low.

I would agree with checking with PRS. My gut tells me that this may be a fake.

Brian from WMC · 14th July 2011

Sorry, but that is a knock-off counterfeit PRS.....

Headstock is the wrong shape, PRS doesn't use Grover tuners, etc.

PRS's also have a straight string pull headstock design, the strings don't to at angles to the tuners.

Looks like a knockoff of one of their SE guitars.

johnnykaudio · 14th July 2011

Thx for the info. So I guess I'm screwed. Guitar plays well and sounds good. Is it worth anything?

14th July 2011	#1
johnnykaudio Gear interested Joined: May 2011 Posts: 18 Thread Starter	PRS American made guitar serial number question I don't know much about guitars. I can play them but I'm a piano player. I was given a PRS standard for my birthday. It was purchased for $700 by my dad. He was told it was a $2000 guitar. So I put it on eBay. A guy bought it for $1000 then asked to see a photo of the serial. It is a stamped serial. He said American made PRS guitars have a hand written serial number. Can anyone confirm or deny this? I don't know much about these guitars. I didn't know it was a standard until he told me. He said it was a copy. But it has the PRS logo on the headstock and I know what PRS' look like. It's in great shape. It only has one tiny scratch on the back. Can anyone tell me what I have and how much it's worth? I don't play it. I'd like to sell it as I'm trying to pay off some old debt. Any info is appreciated. Thanks slutz!

14th July 2011	#3
fretless Gear maniac Joined: Dec 2009 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 237	I would email PRS directly , they are very helpful . I know there were a few "transition " years and perhaps that is one of them . For the most part the U.S. highend stuff did have hand written serial #'s . Most all of them also have signed names and dates in the pickup cavities as well as the name of the pickup . It may be helpful if you pop them out and see what's under them . The tuners are not PRS either but perhaps that was done on a transition year . Drop'em a email and let us know how it goes . __________________

14th July 2011	#5
Brian from WMC Gear interested Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 2	Sorry, but that is a knock-off counterfeit PRS..... Headstock is the wrong shape, PRS doesn't use Grover tuners, etc. PRS's also have a straight string pull headstock design, the strings don't to at angles to the tuners. Looks like a knockoff of one of their SE guitars. __________________ Brian from WMC BrianM@chucklevins.com www.chucklevins.com (Full Disclosure: I do sales of guitar gear at Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center)

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14th July 2011	#2
johnnykaudio Gear interested Joined: May 2011 Posts: 18 Thread Starter	Here's a few more photos. The inlays are real, it looks like a PRS to me. But I don't know exactly what it is. Thx.