Yes we love to sell new PRS models, but we are always glad to have a few nice used options to grace our showroom - So here we have a 2001 PRS Custom 22 complete with the original abalone bird inlays and decked out in a classic dark cherry sunburst finish - Complete with case and tags - The nickel hardware shows a few signs of use and wear, nothing drastic, but this is just part of the characteristic of nickel - Overall the guitar is in fairly clean condition, with a few light grazes on the top surface of the finish and only a couple of dings/dints, but after all, it is a 11 year old guitar that has been played - If it was a car, I'd guess you'd find it has 25,000/30,000 miles on the clock, so not mint condition, but still got plenty of life and milage in it - Frets are fine as we have just had them dressed and polished, so they are as new again - Re-strung and set-up with a new set of 10's and a sensible playing action - The quilted maple top has plenty of character to it

Further spec includes a wide/thin neck profile, PRS Dragon 11 humbuckers + 5 way switching, PRS 14:1 locking machine heads with ebonised tuning buttons and a PRS modern fulcrum tremelo system featuring solid brass saddles and trem block - The deluxe PRS case and tags are all included within the sub £1440 price tag - With equivalent new prices well in excess of £2700, this represents a well priced guitar that still delivers the legendary PRS playing performance and tonal variation

Custom 22 performance characteristics

Great pride is taken into the build quality of any PRS guitar, to deliver the ultimate playing experience - It's all about the finest materials, well set-up instruments with good playability and awesome tones - This Custom 22 is fitted with a wide/thin neck profile to allow a fast and fluid, easy playing action throughout the length of the rosewood fingerboard, coupled with effortless string bending, thanks to the 22 impeccably fitted, profiled and polished medium jumbo frets - The wide/thin profile sits somewhat slimmer than a Les Paul neck and as such is very popular for any speed based player who wants a fast fluid playing action - Some guitar necks can be a challange to play, but on a PRS you'll find that even the more intricate passages of play from your favourite licks simply flow from your fingertips

If you are into using a tremelo system, the PRS package has great tuning stability for all but the most excessive of playing styles - The trem arm itself has a positive and smooth feel about it, allowing for both up or down movement

Inconjunction with the right amp, the Custom 22 has the ability to provide velvet smooth, warm and rich clean tones, from the PRS Dragon 11 neck humbucker, that are required for jazz/blues/fusion playing styles as well as clean funky/disco rhythm styles, whilst the slightly hotter, yet still warm and full bodied, PRS Dragon 11 bridge pick-up delivers more bite for clean rock, blues or country styles - Click on to subtle overdriven amp settings for those classic blues and rock tones with good natural sustain, or dial in some hi-gain filth from your amp for the tones adored by the modern contemporary guitarist - In comparison with a PRS Custom 24, the tones from a Custom 22 are slightly thicker, warmer and smoother, more akin to a Gibson, definitely more noticeable on a side to side sound check, rather than in isolation - I believe the Custom 22 probably has a tonal vibe that is a touch closer to that of a 335, more so than maybe a Les Paul, due to it's greater tonal variation and excellent articulation, Les Pauls tend to be dark, moody and very much one dimensional, which is certainly not the case with a PRS guitar - Due to the quality and taper of both the volume and tone pots on a PRS Custom 22, you'll find out that these controls do actually work smoothly all the way from 10 through to 1, allowing you to control the volume, gain or tonal expression that you may require from your amp, direct from the guitar itself - As you back off on the volume pot, you'll notice that the tone does not go mushy, instead it retains good articulation, which on more sensible overdriven settings allows the amp to clean up nicely, allowing you to control the emotion of the tone required- The main strength of the guitar is undoubtedly to provide 3 humbucking voices via the regular style 5 way selector switch, along with 2 single coil 'out of phase' tones that are reminiscent of the position 2 and 4 switch settings that are found on a Strat hence they are ideal for some funky rhythm chops plus some nice 'Knopfler-esq' style licks - Sure you can own 2, 3, 4 or more different guitars, each capable of doing a specific job, yet the Custom 22 as one instrument alone, maybe all that you require - It is not meant to be a 'tone clone' of either a Les Paul or a Strat, rather just a great playing instrument with good tonal options and just as original in its own right - Infact the tonal expression possible from a PRS is down to you and the amp you chose to put it through along with how you wish to play it

A good instrument will enrich your playing style not hinder it, allowing you to explore new avenues, with an increased tonal palate and that is what a PRS guitar can offer - Some companies spend all there time promoting and delivering vintage copies of guitar they made 20, 30 years ago, PRS just move and improve the boundaries, delivering a new classic instrument