Who made PRS guitars in 1996?

In 1996, Paul Reed Smith Guitars (PRS) controlled the PRS name. Its 2 lines on record were built at PRS Stevensville (Kent Island) (USA).^{[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]}

A PRS guitar from 1996 belongs to whichever era was running on its product line that year. An era is a stretch when the company that controlled the name and the plant that built the line both stayed the same. If you know the line, the table below tells you which version of PRS you have. The name dates from 1985^{[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]}, 11 years before.

Line by line in 1996

What changed in 1996

• PRS Core and Private Stock: a new era begins under Paul Reed Smith Guitars (PRS), built at PRS Stevensville (Kent Island)^{[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]}
• PRS CE: a new era begins under Paul Reed Smith Guitars (PRS), built at PRS Stevensville (Kent Island)^{[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]}
• PRS Core and Private Stock: the 1985–1996 era ends (Paul Reed Smith Guitars (PRS), PRS Annapolis)^{[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 7]}
• PRS CE: the 1988–1996 era ends (Paul Reed Smith Guitars (PRS), PRS Annapolis)^{[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10]}

Where PRS was built in 1996

PRS Stevensville (Kent Island). See every brand each plant built for, and every plant in the same country:

• PRS Stevensville (Kent Island)
• Guitars made in the USA

Other brands in 1996

• Epiphone in 1996
• Gibson in 1996
• Gretsch in 1996
• Guild in 1996
• Heritage in 1996
• Ibanez in 1996
• Martin in 1996
• Ovation in 1996
• Taylor in 1996
• Every brand in 1996

PRS, year by year

Sources

Every numbered marker on this page points here: the document, its grade and the passages relied on. An era is computed, so it cites the facts it was derived from. A fact marked “no source” has no claim attached yet.

1. 1
   fandom: wiki/PRS Guitarsgraded community

   • "Paul Reed Smith set up a partnership to create a factory in Annapolis"PRS in 1996: owners and plants
2. 2
   Guitar Heaven: Paul Reed Smith Makes Guitarsgraded secondary

   • With the help of an investor he formed a limited partnership, raising $500,000 in capitalPRS in 1996: owners and plants
3. 3
   Gibson Guitar Corp. v. Paul Reed Smith Guitars, LP, 423 F.3d 539 (6th Cir. 2005)graded primary

   • PRS founder Paul Reed Smith ("Smith") began manufacturing custom guitars in the mid-1970s and opened a guitar factory in 1985.PRS in 1996: owners and plants
4. 4
   PRS media roomgraded primary

   • Paul Reed Smith, Managing General Partner of PRS GuitarsPRS in 1996: owners and plants
5. 5
   A Closer Look at the 1985 PRS Serial Number 5graded primary

   • In April of 1985, PRS Guitars formally began operations in our first ever factory in Annapolis, Maryland.PRS in 1996: owners and plants
6. 6
   Inside Annapolis: Paul Reed Smith feature (2007)graded secondary

   • we developed a strong team and launched PRS Guitars, Limited Partnership.PRS in 1996: owners and plants
7. 7
   PRS staff post: moved into the Stevensville factory in January 1996graded community

   • "PRS moved into the Stevensville factory in January 1996"PRS in 1996: owners and plants
8. 8
   Wikipedia: wiki/PRS Guitarsgraded community

   • "In 1996, the company moved to its present facility in Stevensville on Kent Island"PRS in 1996: owners and plants
9. 9
   Factory Tour of PRS Guitarsgraded secondary

   • PRS Guitars factory at 380 Log Canoe Circle, Stevensville, MD 21666PRS Stevensville (Kent Island), location
10. 10
    crutchfield: learn/prs guitars usa factory tour.htmlgraded secondary

    • "in 1985 he opened the first PRS factory in Annapolis"Era ends: PRS Core and Private Stock, 1996

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