In the world of custom guitars, Paul Reed Smith Guitars have become a very highly respected name. The style that earned PRS their claim to fame was their double cutaway; they also make a single cutaway version of the same style guitar. These are the only two styles of guitar that they craft, but they make several variations of each of them. Paul Reed Smith Guitars started in 1975 when Paul started building custom, handmade guitars in his attic with his friend John Ingram. The second guitar they made was purchased by the Motor City Madman, Mr. Ted Nugent. This was only the beginning as many other professional musicians began to take notice of the craftsmanship and quality of sound that these guitars were capable of producing. While Terrible Ted sold his PRS for a couple of hundred bucks a few years later, the name had begun to be seen as a serious contender. In 1976 Paul Reed Smith Guitars built a guitar for Peter Frampton and shortly after this the company got their biggest break when they crafted a twelve string guitar for Al DiMeola. He was so impressed that he started passing the word around that PRS could build anyone their dream guitar.

In 1980 Paul Reed Smith was selected to create a guitar for his lifelong idol, Carlos Santana. For many years Santana has considered his PRS guitar as his main guitar for both live performances and in the recording studio. Paul Reed Smith guitars feature a mahogany body and neck; most models also have a flame maple cap to add color and strength. In the early days each PRS guitar was hand built from start to finish, Paul is known for telling his customers that if they did not like the finished guitar he delivered, he would return their deposit, even if doing left him broke and unable to pay his rent. This tradition is still very much a part of their guarantee of quality and satisfaction. Today Paul Reed Smith guitars are a blend of using the latest technology and combining it with old fashioned hands on hard work. While the pieces may be cut out on a CNC machine, the final fit and finish still lies in the hands of a skilled artisan.

Quality control is in the hands of every craftsman and at every level of the manufacturing process to ensure that every guitar produced is of the finest quality possible, those that do not meet these standards ever reach the finishing stage to be sold. If you are interested in owning one of these amazing Paul Reed Smith guitars, you will find a fantastic selection of them at Wild West Guitars. Here you can see their collection online, but when you visit the store you can step into one of three showrooms and test drive any one of the finest guitars ever made. If that is not enough, they are the only guitar store in the world with their own 10,000 square foot arena to see what you next guitar really sounds like.