PRS are one of the best electric and acoustic guitar brands in the world and offer a range of models to suit different budgets. Their most popular models include the Custom 24, Silver Sky, Mark Holcomb and Santana, but where are all these guitars actually made?
PRS guitars are made in the USA, Indonesia and China. The most expensive Core, CE and S2 guitars are made in Maryland, USA. The more affordable SE-line of electric guitars is made in Indonesia (although until 2019 they were made in South Korea), and the SE acoustic guitars are made in China.
USA-Made PRS Guitars
PRS Core, CE and S2 electric guitars (solid, hollow and semi-hollow) are made in the USA, this includes the Custom 24, Silver Sky, Santana, Mark Holcomb and McCarty models.
- PRS Private Stock: limited edition and custom shop guitars which start at $9000
- PRS Core: flagship models which cost between $3600 and $5500, and average at $4500
- PRS CE: bolt-on neck versions which cost between $2500 and $2800
- PRS S2: more affordable USA-made guitars which cost between $1450-2400, and average at $1700
PRS has one factory in the USA and is located in Stevensville, Maryland on the east coast. PRS have been based in Maryland since they were founded in 1985. The factory now employs over 350 staff and offer tours where you can learn more about the processes involved in producing their guitars.
The USA has an outstanding reputation for producing the best guitars in the world and is home to some of the best luthiers. This is one of the reasons why the PRS Core, CE and S2 line of guitars is significantly more expensive than the SE line.
Where are PRS SE Electric Guitars Made?
PRS SE electric guitars are currently made in Indonesia, but were previously made in South Korea. Electric guitars in SE-line start at $650 and costs up $1600.
One of the reasons that PRS SE guitars are cheaper than the Core, CE and S2 versions is that they are made in the Far East, rather than the USA. Indonesia does not have the same reputation as the USA for producing high-end guitars as they are typically mass produced with less attention to detail.
With that said, the SE line is full of excellent quality guitars particularly considering they cost less than $1000 on average. If you get an SE guitar, you’re getting a great quality instrument that offers excellent value for money.
PRS SE guitars are also shipped from Indonesia to the USA to be setup in the Maryland factory. This is quite unique and a big selling point of these guitars as it means they receive their final checks in the same place as the Core-line which cost about 4x the price.
Check out my in-depth comparison of PRS lines to learn more:
Indonesia-Made PRS SE Guitars
The Indonesian PRS factory is located in Surabaya and opened in 2019.
Unlike a lot of Indonesian factories that produce guitars for many brands, the Surabaya factory produces guitars exclusively for PRS. This is a big advantage as it means that PRS has more control over what comes out of the factory, and they can ensure that all the guitars meet their high standards.
South Korean-Made PRS SE Guitars
PRS first started producing their SE guitars in South Korea in 2001 however they started moving the production on their SE-line of guitars from South Korea to Indonesia in 2019.
This coincided with a dramatic increase in the minimum wage in South Korea manufacturing in 2018 which would of course make it much more difficult to produce more affordable guitars in the country.
You will be able to identify where your PRS SE guitar is made by checking the back of the headstock where there will be a stamp which either says the guitar was made in South Korea or Indonesia.
I am a proud owner of a South Korean PRS SE Custom 24 (pictured) and it’s one of my favourite guitars to play. It looks very nice with its quilted maple top and sounds amazing. Straight out of the box it was set up really well too.
Does PRS Make any Guitars in China?
The only PRS guitars made in China are the SE-line acoustic guitars. This includes the following models:
- SE Angelus Acoustics (A20E, A40E, A50E, A60E)
- SE Tonare Grand Acoustics (SE T40E)
- SE Tonare Parlor Acoustics (SE P20E, SE P50E)
The SE acoustic guitars are made in China rather than Indonesia because they have more experience manufacturing acoustic guitars. PRS SE acoustics cost between $600 and $950.