PRS 2020 Private Stock Paul's Guitar 1985 Limited Edition | 1 out of 85 | MINT

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PRS 2020 Private Stock Paul's Guitar 1985 Limited Edition in Electric Tiger Glow w/Wide-Curl East Coast Red Maple Top, Honduran Rosewood Fretboard, High Gloss Vintage Nitro Finish, Dark Peruvian Mahogany Neck, African Mahogany Back, Vintage-style Tuners w/Ivoroid Buttons, Paul's TCI Pickups, PRS "Paul's Stoptail" Bridge & Solid Red Abalone w/MOP Outline Inlays

Serial: 309284

Limited Edition - 1 of Only 85 Worldwide - Mint Condition - "My hope is that these benchmark instruments are something remarkable for our company and the industry. There is no better way to close out our 35th Anniversary than with these extraordinary, hopefully magic, guitars."- Paul Reed Smith

| Honduran Rosewood Fretboard w/Curly Maple Binding | Honduran Rosewood Truss Rod Cover & Headstock Veneer | Dark Peruvian Mahogany Pattern Neck | Bone Nut | Curly Maple Top | African Mahogany Back | Solid Red Abalone Birds w/MOP Outlines + Matching PS Eagle Headstock & 1985 Truss Rod Cover Inlays | MOP Side Dots | Paul's TCI Pickups | PRS Vintage-style Tuners w/Ivoroid Buttons | PRS Wraparound Stoptail Bridge w/Brass Inserts ('Paul's Stoptail') | High Gloss Vintage Nitro | Certificate of Authenticity & Signed Letter | Private Stock Paisley Case |

Overview

It is a pleasure to be able to offer this rare chance to own one of the most esteemed PRS Private Stock releases from recent years - this is one tiger that we are certainly happy to catch by its tail!

This actual guitar was the very first of only a small handful of Paul's 85s to ever come to the UK back in 2020. If you missed out catching one of these on release, do not let the opportunity pass you by to own this completely mint-condition example; it will not hang around for long! 

The Paul's Guitar 1985 Limited Edition was a lifetime in the making for PRS. Widely viewed as a pre-eminent Private Stock model, it is the culmination of Paul Reed Smith's decades of knowledge and expertise, distilled into this truly breathtaking instrument.

"I picked out the tops and the wood types, personally assisted on the neck shapes, spec'd the pickups, and played and adjusted each guitar until it was 'right'." - Paul Reed Smith

Painstakingly designed and crafted to close out the 35th Anniversary of PRS with a bang, Paul personally commanded the project after striking gold with an exceptional batch of Wide-curl East Coast Red Maple - he knew these tops were destined to have something very special done with them! He and the small team of Private Stock craftsmen set out to create a "benchmark" instrument, not just for PRS, but for the industry. One glance at the photos and we don't need to tell you that they well and truly delivered! (They've got to stop doing that!).

We absolutely love this example. The Electric Tiger Glow is one of the most alluring finishes that we have ever seen from the Private Stock. This outstanding hand-applied stain and spray technique perfectly blends a powerfully vibrant and classy aesthetic, drawing out the full character of the sensational wide-curl top. This Paul's 85 has such a beautiful lustre when you see it in-person, thanks to a unique paper-thin vintage-formula nitrocellulose. This lacquer formula has been produced to have very little plasticiser content; it is specifically designed to crack and check over time like an old-school, golden-era instrument. 

It should be noted that this guitar's finish currently has zero signs of any checking or crazing, the whole guitar is in absolutely immaculate condition throughout. It has been a true case queen, showing extremely limited signs of any prior playwear and some very minor patina from natural aging. In short, this guitar is mint and you will not be disappointed with its outstanding condition!

As well as the jaw-dropping East Coast Red Maple top, the rest of the tonewood selection here is also first-class. The Dark Peruvian Mahogany neck and the lightweight one-piece African Mahogany back both have a rich aesthetic and help cultivate this guitar's superb resonance! The Honduran Rosewood selected for the fretboard has an intense contrasting grain and has been framed in a Curly Maple binding (from the same source as the top).

The fretboard, along with the matching truss rod cover and headstock veneer, all serve as a precious canvas to showcase the Private Stock's renowned marquetry skills. The extraordinarily iridescent Solid Red Abalone inlays have all been picked out in fine white Mother of Pearl outlines. The matching "1985" truss rod cover inlay, commemorating PRS's inaugural year, beneath the Private Stock Eagle, is a very nice touch. In essence, these are our favourite PRS inlays that we have seen to date. Words can't do them justice! 

The output gifted by these two Paul's TCI humbuckers has an astonishingly rich harmonic definition and clarity; it is mesmerising upon first listening. The TCI treatment is certainly working its full magic here! It's also striking just how phenomenally well-sustaining this guitar is; it almost gives you an unfair advantage!

A true isolated split is operated via each pickup's respective mini-toggles. This is in contrast to a standard split, which grounds the surplus coil; an isolated split completely "removes" it from the circuit.  

Other unique appointments include the Vintage-style Tuners and a PRS Wraparound Stoptail Bridge ("Paul's Stoptail" bridge) with Brass Inserts. These brass inserts are located along the front edge of the string slots (where the string begins vibrating) to provide maximum sustain. The tuners feature Ivoroid buttons, which match nicely with the Bone Nut. 

At the weigh-in, it is a nice and lightweight 3.39kg (7.47lbs).  

The case candy includes the Private Stock Certificate of Authenticity inc. Printed Letter Signed by Paul, Paul's 85 hang tag, PRS sticker, Operating Instructions manual, case key, allen keys and truss rod wrench.

The original Private Stock Paisley hardshell case is included, with the MODCAT sticker still present. Please note that the case has some light external wear from storage. 

This guitar has come from one of the UK's very finest collections; as such, the case has been numbered in marker pen on the front spine, between the two left-most latches and on the left-most latch (please see case pic).

This Private Stock Paul's 85 is feature-packed - if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Many more photographs available upon request.