HISTORIC PHOTOS
PAUL REED SMITH PORTRAITS
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
2018 - Present
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2024 Premier Guitar Premier Gear Award – PRS MT 100
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2024 – Guitar Player Editor’s Pick – PRS SE CE 24, SE Swamp Ash Special, and SE Custom 24 Quilt
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2023 Sweetwater “Best Clip-On Guitar Tuners” – PRS Rechargeable Clip-On Headstock Tuner
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2023 Harmony Central Top 10 Guitar Pedals – PRS Wind Through the Trees
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2023 Premier Guitar Premier Gear Award – PRS NF 53
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2023 Guitar.com Best Guitars Under $1,000 in 2023 – PRS SE Standard 24-08
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2023 Premier Guitar Premier Gear Award – SE McCarty 594
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2023 Guitar World 14 Best Electric Guitars – PRS SE Custom 24
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2023 Guitar World Names Paul Reed Smith's Start as One of 50 Greatest Moments in Electric Guitar History
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2022 Guitar World Best Beginner Guitars for Metal – PRS SE Standard 24-08
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2022 Sweetwater Best Acoustic Guitar Under $1,000 – PRS SE T40E
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2022 Music Inc Product Excellence Award PRS SE Silver Sky
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2022 Guitar.com Editor’s Choice – PRS SE Silver Sky
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2022 Guitar Player Editor’s Pick Award – PRS SE Silver Sky
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2022 Premier Guitar Premier Gear Award - PRS SE Silver Sky
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2021 Guitar Player - Best Electric Guitars 2021 - PRS Special Semi-Hollow
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2021 - Pitchfork Best Electric Guitars for Any Budget - PRS SE Custom 24
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2021 Music Radar - The best acoustic under $/£1,000 for an electric guitar feel - PRS SE Angelus AE50E
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2021 Music Radar - Best jazz guitars 2021: 9 recommended electric guitars for playing jazz - PRS SE Hollowbody Standard
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2021 Music Radar - Best baritone guitars - #1 PRS SE 277
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2021 Music Players - WIHO (Wish I Had One) Award - SE Hollowbody II Piezo
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2021 Guitar Player Magazine - Editors’ Pick Award - PRS Special Semi-Hollow
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2021 Music & Sound Retailer - Best Electric Guitar, S2 McCarty 594
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2021 All Things Gear - Overall Best Semi-Hollow Under $1,000, SE Custom 22 Semi-Hollow
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2020 Mixdown Magazine 30 Best Music Gear Releases of 2020 - PRS SE Hollowbody II Piezo
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2021 Music Radar - Best High End Electric Guitars for 2021 - Silver Sky and McCarty 594
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2020 Music Radar - The 11 best metal guitars 2020: the ultimate machines for heavy riffing at any budget - #1 PRS SE Mark Holcomb
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2020 Guitar World – 7 Electric Guitars that can also handle acoustic sounds - #1 PRS Hollowbody II
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2020 Ultimate Guitar - Top 10 Guitars of 2020: PRS Silver Sky Maple and SE Hollowbody II Piezo
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2020 Premier Guitar Premier Gear Award - PRS SE Hollowbody II Piezo
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2021 All Things Gear - Favorite Announcements at NAMM 2021 - Fiore
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2020 Guitar World - Best Signature Guitars 2020 - PRS Santana Signature Artist Package
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2020 Music Radar - Best Electric Guitars to Buy Now - PRS SE Custom 24
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2020 Music Radar - Best Electric Guitars under £/$1,000 - PRS S2 Standard
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2020 Guitar World - 10 Best Acoustic Guitars Under $1,000 - PRS SE Tonare T40E
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2020 Guitar World - The 11 best 7-string guitars 2020: budget-spanning picks for djent to nu-metal - PRS SE Mark Holcomb SVN
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2020 Guitar World - The 12 best guitar amps 2020: tube, solid state and modeling amplifiers for all levels and budgets - PRS MT 15
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2020 Ultimate Guitar - 6 Affordable Signature Guitars that Outplay their Price Tag - SE Mark Tremonti Standard
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2020 Guitar World - Best Electric Guitar Amp Under $1,000 - PRS MT 15
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2020 Music Radar - Best Left-Handed Guitars - #1 SE Custom 24 Lefty
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2020 Premier Guitar Premier Gear Award, SE Hollowbody Standard
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2020 Guitar World - Best Electric Guitars Under $500 - #1 PRS SE Standard 24
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2020 Guitar Player Editor’s Pick – SE Starla Stoptail
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2020 Guitar World - Best Electric Guitars Uner $1,000 - #1 PRS SE Custom 24 Floyd
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2020 Music Radar Best in Show, Best Electric Guitar – S2 McCarty 594
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2020 Music & Sound Retailer - Fantastic 40 Products featured at NAMM: PRS Guitars S2 McCarty 594, S2 McCarty 594 Singlecut, and S2 McCarty 594 Thinline
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2019 Ultimate Guitar - Top Ten Guitars Released in 2019 - PRS SE Custom 22 Semi-Hollow
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2019 Sweetwater “10 Best Amps for Metal”: PRS Archon 100
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2019 GuitarAdvise.com – Best Baritone Guitars for Any Budget – PRS SE 277
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2019 MMR Dealer’s Choice Award – Electric Guitar of the Year – PRS Silver Sky
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2019 Guitar Player - Best of 2019 Editor's Pick - PRS McCarty 594 Hollowbody II
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2019 Guitar Player - Best of 2019 Editor's Pick - PRS SE Starla
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2019 Premier Guitar Gear of the Year – PRS SE Paul’s Guitar
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2019 Music Radar's "10 Best New Acoustic Guitars" - PRS SE A60E
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2019 GearNews - Best Electric Guitars of 2019, DW CE 24 Floyd and Vela Semi-Hollow
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2019 MMR Magazine - Dealer's Choice Award "Electric Guitar of the Year" - Silver Sky
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2019 Music Inc. 10 Best Beginner Guitars, #1 SE Series
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2019 Guitar World - Ten Best Electric Guitars - When money is no object: PRS Private Stock Custom 24
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2019 Guitar World - Ten Best Electric Guitars - Widen your palette with this top baritone electric guitar: PRS SE 277
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2019 Guitar World Platinum Award of Excellence - CE24 Semi Hollow
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2019 Music Radar's "8 Best Blues Guitars" - SE Paul's Guitar
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2019 Premier Guitar Premier Gear Award - SE Paul's Guitar
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2019 Guitar Player Editor’s Pick Award – PRS McCarty 594 Hollowbody II
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WIHO Award - SE Schizoid
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Anderton’s Music Co.’s “Top 10 Amps from Our 2018 Christmas Wishlist” – PRS MT 15 Amp
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2018 MusicRadar’s Best Amp: PRS MT 15 Mark Tremonti Signature Head
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2018 Music Radar Third Place Best New Signature Guitar: PRS John Mayer Silver Sky
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2018 Music & Sound Retailer Best Electric Guitar Nominee – PRS Silver Sky
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2018 Music & Sound Retailer Best Acoustic Guitar Nominee – PRS SE A50E
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2019 Guitar World Platinum Award – PRS MT 15
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2018 Guitarist Magazine Guitarist Gold Award – S2 Studio
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2018 Guitar World Gold Award – SE AX20E and SE T40E
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2018 MusicPlayers.com Wish I Had One Award – Silver Sky
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2018 Guitar Player Editor’s Pick Award – PRS SE A50E
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2018 Music Radar Best Guitars Under $500 – PRS SE Standard 24
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2018 "Gotta Stock It" NAMM Award - PRS MT15 (Selected by Sammy Ash)
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2018 MusicPlayers.com Best of NAMM Award - PRS MT15
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2018 Premier Guitar PG Award - PRS Silver Sky
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2018 Guitar World Platinum Award – PRS Silver Sky
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2018 Guitar Player Editor’s Pick Award - – PRS Silver Sky
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2018 Music Radar Best Guitar Amps Under $1,000 – MT 15
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2018 Music Radar Best Guitar Amps Under $1,000 – Sonzera 20 Combo
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2018 Music Radar Best Guitar Amp of NAMM 2018 – Mark Tremonti MT 15 Signature Amplifier
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2018 "Gotta Stock It" NAMM Award - PRS SE Custom 24 Solid Body Electric Guitar (Rob Mestric)
2012 - 2017
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2017 Guitar Player “Editor Pick” Sonzera 20 Combo
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2017 Music Radar, SE Kestrel #1 Best Mid-Range ($) Bass
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2017 Music & Sound Retailer, Manufacturer of the Year Nominee
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2017 Premier Guitar Premier Gear Award - Sonzera Amplifier
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2017 Music Inc. Product Excellence Award – McCarty 594
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2014 Premier Guitar “Premier Gear Award” SE Zach Myers
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2014 Premier Guitar “Gear of the Year Award” PRS Archon
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2015 Premier Guitar “Premier Gear Award” PRS S2 Vela
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2015 Guitar Player Hall of Fame “Maximum Gear Award” S2 Mira Semi-Hollow
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2016 Premier Guitar “Premier Gear Award” PRS SE 277 Baritone
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2016 Guitar Player “Editor’s Pick” McCarty 594
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2017 MIPA Nominee: J-Mod 100 John Mayer Signature Amplifier
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2013 Kennedy Center Awards honors PRS Signature artist, Carlos Santana
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2013 GrassRoots MotorSports Magazine names PRS as one of the 20 Things that “Rocked our World”
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2013 Chesapeake Region Safety Council awards PRS with the 2013 Platinum Award of Excellence in Manufacturing
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2013 Music & Sound Retailer Best Electric Guitar of 2013 award for S2 Custom 24
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2013 Music & Sound Retailer Lifetime Achievement/Hall of Fame Award for Paul
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2013 Music & Sounds Retailer Best 5-String Bass award for Grainger 5-String Bass
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2014 Guitar Player “Editor’s Pick” S2 Mira Semi-Hollow
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2012 Queen Anne County Arts Council names Paul as 2012 Person of Note
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2013 People of Influence Art Initiative names Paul recipient of award
2006 - 2011
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2011 Guitar World Gold for the Award SE Santana
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2010 Music & Sound Award for the 513 Swamp Ash and Sweet 16
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2011 Guitar World Platinum Award for DC3
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2011 Guitar World Platinum Award for 2 Channel H amp
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2011 The Daily Record Influential Marylander Award, Paul Reed Smith
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Vintage Guitar Magazine 2010 People’s Choice Hall of Fame Award for “Innovator”
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2010 Trend POV Innovator’s Spotlight Award presented to Paul Reed Smith
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2010 Premier Guitar “Premier Gear Award” for the McCarty DC 245 Limited
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2010 Guitar Player Editors’ Pick for the 305
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2010 Guitar World Platinum Award for the PRS 30 amp
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2010 Guitar World Platinum Award for the SE Torero
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2010 Guitar World Platinum Award for the Sweet 16 amp
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2010 MIPA (Musik Messe International Press Association) "Best Electric Guitar of the Year" Award for the 305. MIPA is an organization comprised of more than 100 musical instrument magazines from all o
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2009 NAMM University honors the new PRS amp line as “Best In Show”
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2009 Premier Guitar "Premier Gear Award" for the Modern Eagle II
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2009 Premier Guitar "Premier Gear Award" for the Tonare Grande acoustic guitar
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2010 Gold Ink Award for the 25th Anniversary issue of PRS’s official magazine Signature
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2010 Printing Industry of Minnesota Award for the 25th Anniversary issue of PRS’s official magazine Signature
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2009 Guitar Player Editors’ Pick for the Dallas amp
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2009 Guitar Player Editors’ Pick for the Original Sewell amp
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2009 Guitar World Gold Award for the Mira X
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2009 Guitar World Platinum Award for the Smokeburst McCarty
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2009 Guitar World Platinum Award for the Starla
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2009 Guitar World Platinum Award for the Sunburst 22
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2009 MIPA “Best Acoustic Guitar of the Year” Award for PRS’s new acoustic line
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2008 Guitar Player Editors’ Pick for the DGT
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2008 Guitar Player Readers’ Choice Award for the SE Custom Semi-Hollow
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2008 Guitar World Platinum Award for the CE Alder
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2008 Guitar World Platinum Award for the McCarty Korina
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2008 Guitar World Platinum Award for the Mira
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2008 Music & Sound Retailer’s Music & Sound Best Electric Guitar Award for the 513
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2009 Guitar Player Editors’ Pick for the Blue Sierra amp
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2007 Guitar Player Editors’ Pick for the SE Paul Allender
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2007 Guitar Player Editors’ Pick for the SE Soapbar II
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2007 Guitar World Platinum Award for the 513
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2007 Guitar World Platinum Award for the Mark Tremonti Signature Model
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2007 Guitar World Platinum Award for the SC 245
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2007 MIPA "Best Electric Guitar of the Year" award for the Singlecut
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2007 Paul Reed Smith honored as Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year - Maryland
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2006 Paul Reed Smith named “CEO Who Gets It” by Safety and Health Magazine, official magazine of the National Safety Council
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2006 Guitar World Platinum Award for the Singlecut Tremolo
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2006 MIPA for the 513 (first time same product to win two years in a row) as the best electric guitar of the year
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2007 Guitar Player Editors’ Pick for the SE Custom Semi-Hollow
2000 - 2005
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2004 Guitar Player Editors’ Pick for the Custom 22/12
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2005 MIPA "Best Electric Guitar of the Year" award for the 513
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2003 Maryland’s House of Delegates honored Paul Reed Smith with a House Resolution “Commending his business success as well as his steadfast commitment to educations causes in the community.”
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2003 Printing Industries of America presented Affiliated Graphics of Cheverly, MD with two Benjamin Franklin Awards for their submission of PRS Guitars’ 2003 catalog and PRS Guitars’ 2003 Private Stoc
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2003 Guitar Player Editors’ Pick for the Tremonti SE
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2003 Guitar Player has honored the PRS Tremonti SE model guitar with their prestigious
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2003 MIPA "Best Electric Guitar of the Year" award for the Santana II
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2002 Maryland State Board of Education recognized Paul Reed Smith, Managing General Partner of PRS Guitars, for his outstanding contributions to Maryland Public Education.
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2002 Maryland Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration
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2002 Music Trades magazine “Company of the Year” award
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2002 MIPA "Best Electric Guitar of the Year" Award for Santana SE
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2002 PRS Company of the Year Music Trades Magazine
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2003 Ernst & Young announced that Paul Reed Smith met the highly competitive criteria to be named a finalist for the “Entrepreneur of the Year.” The award honors the efforts of the individuals who hav
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2000 MIPA "Best Electric Guitar of the Year" award for the Singlecut.
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2000 National Gold Ink Award for the PRS catalog
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2000 Players Choice Award
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2001 - MOSHA Partnership through Consultation Award (for workplace safety) The PRS Guitars factory has worked without a single loss-time accident since May of 2001, a total of 526,050.51 hours.
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2001 Guitar Player Editors’ Pick for the Santana SE
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2001 Runner up for Maryland Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration
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2000 Guitar Player Editor's pick award for the Singlecut
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2000 and 1999 Printing and Graphic Communication Association “Best of Show” for PRS catalog