Sweetwater’s fantastic relationship with PRS Guitars afforded us the one-of-a-kind opportunity of showcasing all 10 PRS Dragon guitars. To date, the only place someone could see them all in person was in the vault at the PRS factory in Maryland. The gravity of this moment was not lost on us: only a select number of people have ever seen more than one Dragon in person — much less all 10 of them, directly from the collection of the creator of these masterpieces, Paul Reed Smith. We want to share this firsthand experience with you. Please enjoy this detailed, close-up look at all 10 PRS Dragons.
- Don Carr’s Dragon Reflections
- Dragon I (ca. 1992)
- Dragon II (ca. 1993)
- Dragon III (ca. 1994)
- Dragon 2000 (ca. 2000)
- Dragon 2002 (ca. 2002)
- 20th Anniversary Dragon (ca. 2005)
- 25th Anniversary Dragon (ca. 2010)
- 30th Anniversary Private Stock Dragon (ca. 2015)
- 35th Anniversary Dragon (ca. 2020)
- 40th Anniversary Dragon (ca. 2024)
- What a Treat to Host All the Dragons at Sweetwater
- Are You Looking for an Exclusive PRS Guitar?
- Meet the Inlay Artists
- Behind the Scenes: Prepping & Photographing the Dragons
PRS guitars have the well-earned reputation of being instruments that sound, feel, and look amazing. To accomplish that, it took a lot of thinking up new ways of doing things followed by the hard work of testing those new ideas. The same passion, drive, and commitment are all required to stay at the forefront and continue moving forward. The Dragons play a unique role in that narrative.
For PRS, the Dragons are the very pinnacle of the art and craft of guitar making. They are the intersection of the highest-quality materials and the greatest craftsmanship. At the same time, they’re on the vanguard of functional, sonic, and visual innovation. A new Dragon release offers new features that eventually find their way into other PRS models, so it’s a high-end, no-holds-barred proving ground. It’s Paul’s chance to dream big and say, “What if?”
“The dragon inlays on PRS models through the decades were originally envisioned to be English water dragons (not Asian dragons). The idea came from a lifelong fascination with these mythical creatures, which I thought would work well as an inlay on the neck. Over the years, we’ve inlayed them on the guitar body, on double necks, and on fretboards — with this 40th Anniversary design culminating back on the fretboard. I am very pleased with how the musical instrument industry has accepted these guitars as part of our culture.”
– Paul Reed Smith, Managing General Partner, PRS Guitars
Don Carr’s Dragon Reflections
Being in the same room with all 10 PRS Dragons has a certain weight to it. Beyond the knowledge of the imagination, skill, effort, and resources it took to create each one, beyond the obvious monetary value and collectability represented, even beyond the unprecedented opportunity of the occasion — the sheer beauty of these guitars creates an aura that is mesmerizing.
Viewing each one up close, the level of detail in the inlay is like nothing I’ve ever seen. Holding the guitars at different angles in different light reveals the shapes, angles, and patterns in multiple new ways. Like a fine painting or sculpture, the view from a few steps back creates a contrasting image of the whole and the individual parts, something else to marvel at. Of course, each Dragon is its own unique experience to be taken in and savored at one’s leisure, like visiting the Smithsonian or the Louvre.
In the final analysis, they are not museum pieces to be put behind glass; they are guitars meant to be played and heard. Just like each dragon design, each guitar is a distinct gem. The best of the best in every aspect, the Dragons present a completely different perspective as I played each one. The gleam of the inlay becomes less prominent and my appreciation for the crafting of the instruments grew, because I was playing an exceptional guitar by one of the best instrument makers in history. In summary, it was a one-of-a-kind, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Dragon I (ca. 1992)
Limited edition of 50
In 1992, the Dragon I marked many firsts for PRS. It was the first to feature the groundbreaking dragon inlay, comprised of 201 pieces of abalone. Additionally, it was the first PRS to offer a 22-fret neck, a newly designed PRS stoptail bridge, and Dragon pickups. Literally the first of its kind, the Dragon I simultaneously became a collector’s item and a glimpse into the future of PRS.
Dragon I Features
- One-piece mahogany wide-fat, 22-fret set neck
- Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with first-style dragon inlay
- Solid mahogany body capped with a figured maple top
- Dragon Treble and Bass humbuckers with Volume, Tone, and 5-way rotary pickup switch
- PRS stoptail bridge
- Offered in Amber, Dark Cherry, Sunburst, Indigo, and Teal Black finishes
Dragon I Gallery
Dragon II (ca. 1993)
Limited edition of 100
Dragon II was released the very next year, in 1993. Many of the Dragon II’s specs mirrored Dragon I, and the biggest exceptions were visual: a more intricate dragon design and Paul’s signature on the headstock inlaid in gold as opposed to the typical abalone.
Dragon II Features
- One-piece mahogany wide-fat, 22-fret set neck
- Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with second-style dragon inlay
- Gold inlaid headstock signature
- Solid mahogany body capped with a figured maple top
- Dragon Treble and Bass humbuckers with Volume, Tone, and 5-way rotary pickup switch
- PRS stoptail bridge
- Offered in Amber, Dark Cherry, Sunburst, Indigo, and Teal Black finishes
Dragon II Gallery
Dragon III (ca. 1994)
Limited edition of 100
The first three Dragons came in rapid succession, each a year apart. Larry Sifel, of the inlay company Pearl Works, had been responsible for the previous two dragon designs. This collaboration once again raised the bar with Dragon III using lots of gold as well as many tiny pieces of inlay, some as small as the head of a pin.
Dragon III Features
- One-piece mahogany wide-fat, 22-fret set neck
- Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with third-style dragon inlay
- Gold inlaid headstock signature and “Dragon III” on the truss rod cover
- Solid mahogany body capped with a figured maple top
- Dragon Treble and Bass humbuckers with Volume, Tone, and 5-way rotary pickup switch
- PRS stoptail bridge
- Offered in Amber, Dark Cherry, Sunburst, Indigo, and Teal Black finishes
Dragon III Gallery
Dragon 2000 (ca. 2000)
Limited edition of 50
After the release of Dragon III, the Dragon guitars became highly regarded worldwide. The subsequent six-year break between Dragon releases gave Paul and the team time to design a completely new Dragon concept that placed the Dragon inlay on the body of the guitar. This presented a particular challenge, and as a result, many of the inlay pieces were stepped at different thicknesses to accommodate the depth of the PRS body carve. Dragon 2000 debuted at the 2000 NAMM show for PRS Guitars’ 15th anniversary.
Dragon 2000 Features
- One-piece Brazilian rosewood wide-fat, 22-fret set neck
- Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with no inlay
- Solid mahogany body capped with a figured maple top featuring the 3D dragon inlay
- Two “PRS Model” humbuckers with Volume, Tone, and 3-way toggle pickup switch
- PRS stoptail bridge
- Offered in Sunburst or various color finishes
Dragon 2000 Gallery
Dragon 2002 (ca. 2002)
Limited edition of 100
Two years later, Dragon 2002 featured a new Singlecut body shape that PRS had been developing and prototyping. Again, the dragon was inlayed on the guitar’s body, covering over 90% of the top. The design depicted a close-up view of a dragon’s head, prominently featuring a fierce eye, a row of sharp teeth, and a snout that extends seamlessly onto the upper frets.
Dragon 2002 Features
- One-piece Brazilian mahogany wide-fat, 22-fret set neck
- Brazilian rosewood fingerboard
- Solid mahogany Singlecut body capped with a figured maple top featuring the 3D dragon’s head inlay
- Two #7 humbuckers with brushed covers, two Volume and two Tone controls, and a 3-way toggle pickup switch
- PRS stoptail bridge
- Offered in Whale Blue, Black Cherry, and Grey Black finishes
Dragon 2002 Gallery
20th Anniversary Dragon (ca. 2005)
Limited edition of 75
The 20th anniversary of PRS was celebrated with the release of the most stunning Dragon to date: the 20th Anniversary Double Neck Dragon. With both a 6-string and a 12-string neck, the body was a giant canvas for dragon design. The guitar featured two fighting dragons on the body with their tails extending onto the necks. It used 863 pieces of shell, stone, metal, and wood to accomplish this monumental task. The truss-rod cover was inlaid with “20th” to commemorate the anniversary.
20th Anniversary Dragon Features
- Solid mahogany body capped with a highly figured maple top featuring the inlay of two dragons fighting
- Two Volume controls, one Tone control
- Two 3-way toggle pickup switches and a 2-way toggle neck selector switch
- 6-string:
- One-piece mahogany wide-fat, 22-fret set neck
- Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with dragon’s tail inlay
- Black anodized “20th” truss-rod cover, Brazilian rosewood headstock overlay with inlaid signature logo, locking tuners with large pearloid buttons
- Dragon II Treble and Bass humbuckers
- PRS stoptail bridge
- 12-string:
- One-piece mahogany regular, 22-fret 12-string set neck
- Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with dragon’s tail inlay
- Black anodized “20th” truss-rod cover, Brazilian rosewood headstock overlay with inlaid signature logo, locking tuners with small pearloid buttons
- 12-string Treble and Bass humbuckers
- PRS 12-string adjustable stoptail bridge
20th Anniversary Dragon Gallery
25th Anniversary Dragon (ca. 2010)
Limited edition of 60
Starting in 2010, the Dragons began to appear at five-year intervals, and this year saw the release of the 25th Anniversary Dragon. The dragon inlay was back on the fretboard and extended onto the truss-rod cover, providing an intimate look at a snarling dragon. The multiple layers of inlay work were the most complex to date, yielding an almost 3D effect. Many of the 25th Anniversary Dragon specs were different from the previous Dragons, as well: 24 frets, Santana body shape, PRS tremolo bridge, and 59/09 pickups.
25th Anniversary Dragon Features
- One-piece, 24-fret Santana set neck
- Rosewood fingerboard with snarling dragon inlay
- Truss-rod cover with dragon tail inlay, green ripple abalone eagle headstock inlay, locking tuners with ebony buttons
- Solid African striped mahogany body capped with a highly figured maple top
- 59/09 Treble and Bass humbuckers with a single Volume control, dual Tone controls, and a 3-way blade pickup-selector switch
- PRS tremolo bridge
25th Anniversary Dragon Gallery
30th Anniversary Private Stock Dragon (ca. 2015)
Limited edition of 40
The 30th Anniversary Private Stock Dragon featured an elaborate dragon inlay designed by fantasy artist Jeff Easley. Easley has been involved in several of the PRS Dragons. Most famously, his work has been featured on Dungeons & Dragons rulebook covers. On this eighth Dragon, the dragon’s body and wings curve gracefully around the lower bout of the guitar while its tail wraps around the bridge and pickups and finally reaches onto the fretboard. To make Easley’s intricate design flow seamlessly across the guitar, it was separated into several different pieces, reconstructed, and embedded into the guitar by the team at Aulson Inlay. This design utilized more than 285 parts fashioned from a wide array of inlay materials, including jade, azurite, lapis, pyrite, abalone, and mother of pearl.
This very limited 30th Anniversary Private Stock Dragon was crafted with hand-selected, premium Private Stock woods. The guitar’s specs borrowed from PRS’s past and present with features including a “pre-factory” style carved top, a Pattern Regular neck, and the newly introduced 85/15 Treble and Bass humbuckers.
30th Anniversary Private Stock Dragon Features
- One-piece mahogany, 24-fret set neck
- Madagascar rosewood fingerboard with dragon tail inlay
- Madagascar rosewood headstock veneer with green ripple Private Stock eagle inlay, locking tuners with Madagascar tuner buttons
- Solid African ribbon mahogany body capped with a Private Stock–grade curly maple top featuring a retro carve
- 85/15 Treble and Bass humbuckers with a 3-way toggle pickup switch, Volume and push-pull Tone controls
- PRS tremolo bridge
- Offered in high-gloss Tiger Eye and Nightshade finishes
30th Anniversary Private Stock Dragon Gallery
35th Anniversary Dragon (ca. 2020)
Limited edition of 135
For the ninth addition to the Dragon series, the dragon inlay returned to the guitar’s fretboard and brought along with it a colorful plume of fire surging onto the headstock’s truss-rod cover. This design required a diverse set of inlay materials including green ripple abalone, green abalone select, black mother of pearl, stabilized sand-shaded holly, red with gold vein recon stone, and many more.
Private Stock woods were hand selected for this limited series, and they were given a spotlight, especially the highly figured curly maple top. The guitar’s design is based on the classic PRS McCarty and features TCI model pickups from Paul’s Guitar for a blend of the familiar and new.
35th Anniversary Dragon Features
- Chaltecoco 22-fret set neck
- Ziricote fingerboard with fire-breathing dragon inlay
- Solid African ribbon mahogany body capped with a Private Stock curly maple top
- TCI Treble and Bass pickups
- PRS stoptail bridge
- Offered in the Frostbite Dragon’s Breath finish
35th Anniversary Dragon Gallery
40th Anniversary Dragon (ca. 2024)
Limited edition of 165
The 10th Dragon once again marries tried-and-true attributes and innovation. Jeff Easley’s dragon art returns to the fretboard via the skilled inlay work of Aulson Inlay, this time using 207 pieces comprised of blue Pacific opal, brown scale Juma, and gold/black/white/brown mother of pearl. The McCarty model is the perfect platform to showcase the McCarty III pickups. These pickups go to “extreme lengths to capture the magic of original PAF pickups” and demonstrate Paul’s relentless pursuit of ultimate tone.
“When I was a teenager, I had a dream about a guitar with a dragon inlaid down the neck. That dream became reality for the first time in 1992 and has since become an important part of our history. For our 40th anniversary, we have chosen a McCarty model as the foundation of the Dragon, which is only fitting considering the original 1992 Dragon was the beginning of what would become the McCarty model. I’m proud to bring these two now-historic PRS designs together.”
“The 40th Anniversary Dragon was originally envisioned as a more sooty, dirty dragon — the way I imagine they would be in real life. Jamie Aulson (of Aulson Inlay) and I spent a lot of time with the great Dungeons & Dragons artist Jeff Easley working on a concept and drawing for this dragon. We spent six months refining the drawing. When we finally had the dragon illustration right, we decided to design the inlay in black and white ebony and incorporate new materials, including opals. The tops were chosen for their depth of curl, and we chose a color that would make the dragon ‘pop’ — a darker color to match the idea of soot and dirt that would let the inlay shine.”
– Paul Reed Smith, Managing General Partner, PRS Guitars
40th Anniversary Dragon Features
- Ziricote, Pattern shape, 22-fret neck
- Gaboon ebony fingerboard with a pale moon ebony insert and 207-piece 40th Anniversary Dragon inlay
- Mahogany body capped with a Private Stock figured maple top
- McCarty III pickups
- Hand signed by Paul Reed Smith and PRS Director of Manufacturing Paul Miles
- Offered in Burnt Chestnut with high-gloss nitro finish
40th Anniversary Dragon Gallery
What a Treat to Host All the Dragons at Sweetwater
We realize what an honor it was to be trusted with the full collection of PRS Dragons. From our time spent photographing, video recording, and just admiring them, we were all in awe of being able to have them here at Sweetwater during the launch of the 40th Anniversary Dragon. An interesting bit of trivia: we sold our entire allotment of 40th Anniversary Dragons within four hours of its announcement.
Are You Looking for an Exclusive PRS Guitar?
If you want a PRS Dragon guitar (maybe get in line for the 45th Anniversary edition in 2029) or any other high-end guitar, then Sweetwater is your destination. Call your Sweetwater Sales Engineer at (800) 222-4700 to find out about more fine guitars that we carry. Plus, we have lots of Sweetwater-exclusive electric and acoustic guitars that you can’t get anywhere else.
Meet the Inlay Artists
Paul Reed Smith’s dream of putting a dragon on a guitar began as a teenager and remained a dream until he met Larry Sifel of Pearl Works. Larry had the revolutionary concept of using a CNC machine for ultra-precise inlay work. Larry was able to create several of the Dragons with Paul, innovating at every step. Aulson Inlay currently has the enviable task of pushing the boundaries of inlay work with Paul and the team at PRS.
The mutual respect and appreciation between Paul Reed Smith and Larry Sifel ran deep as they drove to push their crafts to outer limits while creating highly decorated instruments. When asked about Larry’s influence, Paul responded,
“Larry Sifel was a visionary in the music industry. I remember very clearly the day he came to our factory, took me to lunch, and carefully explained that he was going to take inlay into the 21st century. There was a lot of detail to his plan, but at its core was the intention for inlay to be cut by a CNC machine instead of by hand. I said, ‘OK, I’m in,’ and we started business with him. It played out almost exactly as he envisioned, and there’s not a month that goes by that we don’t take for granted something he did.”
“I feel fortunate to have worked on PRS Dragons since 2002. Being part of this endeavor has made me feel connected to something greater that will endure beyond my time. Moreover, I have thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with Paul through the years. His ability to challenge me to step outside my comfort zone has facilitated the development of innovative techniques that make the previously impossible achievable. Through Paul’s unwavering support, our team at Aulson Inlay has evolved into an exceptional collaborative. I often wish Larry Sifel could witness the significant progress Paul and the Dragons have made since the inception of the Dragon in 1992.”
– Jaime Aulson Myers, Co-founder & Co-owner of Aulson Inlay
Behind the Scenes: Prepping & Photographing the Dragons
Ryan Schuckel, one of the Sweetwater guitar technicians who changed strings and polished these up for our photos, told me, “I remember drooling over magazine photos of these when they first came out. And now? Here they are! All 10! What an amazing opportunity!” Ryan and Kyle Kammeyer are the guitar service technicians in our Sweetwater Music Store who were tasked with prepping these guitars for our photo shoot. And thanks to Matt Owen and Emma Milledge for these fine photos. Art and creative supervision by Lynn Fuston.
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