Description
“Playing music is a way of being. Playing an instrument requires you to move out of the normal level of consciousness. If you’re thinking, you’re not playing. If you’re playing, you’re not thinking. If you have problems with your instrument, you’re not going to move out of the thinking zone and into your own world. This is why I love my guitar. For me, it’s perfect.” – John McLaughlin
The PRS Private Stock John McLaughlin is a classic instrument that has been meticulously spec’d by Paul Reed Smith to honor John McLaughlin. All of the woods were specially chosen by Smith for their tone, figure, and weight. The specs are fairly straightforward: maple top, mahogany back, hormigo neck (a tone wood used on marimbas for sound-producing tines) with an African blackwood fretboard, 22 frets, 25” scale length, Pattern neck, PRS’s patented Gen III tremolo, and PRS Phase III tuners.
Some of the more particular details on this model are in the finish, pickups, and electron- ics. The guitar is finished in high-gloss nitro with an unfinished neck with clear grain filler for a smooth, natural playing feel. The TCI pickups feature American Alnico and are paired with volume and tone controls with a 3-way toggle pickup switch and two mini-toggle EQ switches. The mini-toggles act as tuned high-pass filters when engaged (in the up position), removing shelved low-end and allowing the high frequencies through for more clarity and musical highs.
“Being John’s guitar maker is an honor I fought decades for, and to now be able to give him a signature model is a special moment for me and hopefully the industry,” said Paul Reed Smith. “These guitars were designed to both feel like magic when you pick them up but
also disappear in your hands so you can just focus on playing. John is capable of playing at extraordinary speed and with this instrument, you hear every note. Finding that balance as a guitar maker and coaxing every bit of sound out of the guitar was the key.”
Paul Reed Smith and Paul Miles have signed each Private Stock John McLaughlin model on the back of the headstock. As an added detail, John McLaughlin has autographed the back- plate of each instrument. Only 200 PRS Private Stock John McLaughlin guitars will be made in 2023.
Photos are not of the actual guitar available.
BODY
Body Construction: Solidbody
Top Wood: Figured Maple
Back Wood: African Mahogany
Top Carve: Violin
NECK
Number of Frets: 22
Fret Wire: PRS Jumbo
Scale Length: 25”
Neck Wood: Hormigo
Neck Construction:
Truss Rod: PRS
Neck Shape: One-Piece
Neck Depth at the 1⁄2 Fret: 7/8” [22.22 mm]
Neck Width at the Nut: 1 11/16” [42.85 mm]
Neck Width at the Body: 2 1⁄4” [57.15 mm]
Neck Depth at the 12 1⁄2: 61/64” [24.20 mm]
Fretboard Wood: African Blackwood
Fretboard Radius: 10”
Fretboard Inlay: Celtic Knots, Abalone Knot w/ Holly Spikes and Crushed Opal Oval
Headstock Logo: Private Stock Eagle, Crushed Opal w/ Holly Outlines
NECK/BODY ASSEMBLY
NBA Type: Set
FINISH
Finish: High-Gloss Nitro
HARDWARE
Bridge: PRS Patented Tremolo, Gen III
Tuners: PRS Phase III Locking
Hardware Type: Nickel
Nut: Bone
Truss Rod Cover: “John McLaughlin”
ELECTRONICS
Treble Pickups: TCI
Bass Pickups: TCI
Controls: Volume & Tone Controls with 3-Way Toggle Pickup Switch and Two Mini-Toggle EQ Switches
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Strings: 10’s
Tuning: Standard (6 String): E-A-D-G-B-E
Case: Private Stock Brown Paisley
FINISHES
Charcoal Phoenix with Smoked Black Back
ELECTRONICS EXPLANATION FOR CONTROL DIAGRAM
P1 (down): treble pickup
P2: treble and bass pickups
P3 (up): bass pickup
MINI-TOGGLE EQ SWITCH
Up: High-Pass EQ Mode
Down: Standard Humbucker Mode