PRS Guitars and the Port of Baltimore

By J. Diamond

Edited By C. Cherenfant

S2025

Paul Reed Smith founded PRS Guitars in 1985, and the company quickly became known for combining exceptional craftsmanship with fresh, creative design. Smith built his first guitar as a college project, and that instrument still hangs in the PRS Guitars store lobby today. He spent the next several years refining his craft, and it was with a later model that he approached Carlos Santana and other professional musicians. The rest is history.

Paul Reed Smith (Courtesy of PRS Guitars.)

Today, PRS is a leading manufacturer of electric and acoustic guitars, as well as amplifiers, and is headquartered in Stevensville, Maryland. Many well-known artists—including Carlos Santana, John Mayer, Mark Tremonti, and Orianthi—have used PRS instruments both on stage and in recording studios around the world. In an interview with Guitar World, Santana said PRS guitars “all have their own sound, texture, and feel,” and that they are the only guitars that “feel like home” to him.

The Private Stock Wood Vault is located in a room next to Paul’s office and contains our most exquisite woods - all designated for the Private Stock program. (Courtesy of PRS Guitars.)

Import records from the ImportInfo database reflect that PRS Guitars received about 60

shipments through the Port of Baltimore in 2024, weighing a total of just more than 545 US tons. Most of these shipments included wood, guitars, amplifiers, instrument cases or various parts headed for the company’s Maryland headquarters. Truly a global company bringing products of the world to Maryland, PRS Guitars imports materials from Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

PRS’s high-end guitars, including the Private Stock, Core, S2, and Bolt-On series, are made in Stevensville. Workers there handle every step of the process, from selecting the wood to completing the final setup. The imported PRS SE line is produced in Surabaya, Indonesia, under PRS supervision. After the guitars are built, they’re shipped across the Pacific, move through the Panama Canal or West Coast ports, and then arrive at the Port of Baltimore. Forklifts and flatbed trucks carry the sealed containers to Stevensville, where the guitars are inspected and prepared before being sent to music stores.

No area on the body is overlooked, but rather crafted with meticulous attention to detail.

(Courtesy of PRS Guitars.)

PRS’s long partnership with the Port of Baltimore shows how important Maryland is to the global music scene. Even though PRS guitars are played all over the world, every shipment that comes through Baltimore connects international craftsmanship with local workers and Maryland’s strong musical heritage.

Paul play tests each Private Stock to inspect its feel, aesthetic, and tone. (Courtesy of PRS Guitars)