PRS Studio Charcoal Burst

PRS Studio Charcoal Burst: Technical Review

The PRS Studio Charcoal Burst is a U.S.-made electric guitar with a mahogany body, a flamed maple top, and a three-pickup configuration. Its listed price is 4,699, and it has been available since November 2025. The supplied specifications identify the model as a Special with an ST-style body shape and a Charcoal Burst finish. No customer reviews are available, so this assessment is limited to the stated construction and hardware. It cannot establish how the guitar feels or sounds in use.

Construction and playing dimensions

The body is mahogany, topped with flamed maple and an arched top. The neck is also mahogany and is set into the body. A rosewood fingerboard carries 22 frets and bird-shaped position markers. The scale length is 635 mm, or 25 inches. This is the standard scale measurement listed for the instrument, rather than a short-scale format.

The neck profile is identified as Pattern. That name identifies the specified profile, but the source does not provide measurements such as neck depth, nut width, or fret dimensions. Those details would be necessary for a more precise comparison of hand fit with other instruments. The 22-fret fingerboard and stated scale length are clear points of reference, while the rest of the neck's dimensions remain unspecified.

The combination of a mahogany body and neck with a flamed maple top defines the listed material choices. The specifications do not state the body's weight, the top's thickness, or the wood's grading. Buyers should not infer those details from the finish or the use of flamed maple alone.

Pickup layout and controls

The detailed pickup description lists one 58/15 LT humbucker at the bridge and two Narrowfield humbuckers in the middle and neck positions. This gives the guitar three pickups, with the bridge unit differing from the two Narrowfield units. The broader specification fields list "HHH" for pickups and "HSH" for the pickup system. Those labels do not match one another, so the position-by-position description is the clearest account provided, while the discrepancy is worth confirming with the seller.

Control hardware consists of one volume knob and one tone knob with a push-pull function. A five-way blade switch selects among pickup settings. The data does not explain the switching combinations or specify exactly what the push-pull control changes. Its presence is confirmed, but a buyer should consult the guitar's documentation or a dealer for the precise wiring options rather than assume a particular coil-splitting or phase function.

This control arrangement provides several selectable settings from a single blade switch, alongside a tone control with an additional pull function. How useful those options are depends on the actual wiring and the player's needs. The provided information does not include output measurements, frequency response, or descriptions of the pickups' tonal character, so claims about sound would go beyond the available evidence.

Tremolo and tuning hardware

The guitar is equipped with a PRS patented Gen III tremolo and PRS Phase III locking tuners. The general specification also describes the tremolo as PRS-style. The more specific Gen III designation identifies the supplied system. Locking tuners are part of the stated hardware, but no details are given about tuning stability, string-changing time, or performance under frequent tremolo use. Those are practical matters that require direct testing.

Other listed hardware is chrome. The source does not identify the exact bridge saddles, nut material, or control-knob construction. These omissions limit a component-by-component comparison, though the tremolo and locking tuners are named explicitly.

Finish, case, and purchase details

Charcoal Burst is the specified finish. The instrument includes a PRS case, and the separate case field confirms that a case is included. No gig bag is supplied. The listing identifies the sales unit as one piece and gives item number 630618. It does not describe a limited run, so there is no stated limited-edition status to factor into a purchase decision.

Verdict based on the listed specifications

The PRS Studio Charcoal Burst is specified with a set mahogany neck, a flamed maple arched top, a rosewood fingerboard, three humbuckers, a five-way switch, a push-pull tone control, a Gen III tremolo, and locking tuners. The included case and U.S. Manufacture are also confirmed. The available information is useful for checking core materials and hardware, but leaves important questions unanswered, including neck measurements, pickup switching details, weight, and setup condition.

At the listed price of 4,699, prospective buyers should verify the pickup-layout discrepancy and confirm the control functions with PRS or the retailer. Since no customer feedback or hands-on results are available, this review makes no claims about playability, sound quality, tuning performance, or build consistency beyond the specifications provided.