PRS Swamp Ash Special Scarlet Smokeburst

The PRS Swamp Ash Special is an American-made electric guitar that combines the attack and response of swamp ash with the versatility of a Hum/Narrowfield/Hum configuration. Its solidbody body, bolt-on maple neck, and rosewood fingerboard provide a fast, defined, and well-balanced feel, ideal for guitarists seeking a PRS with an open character, controlled twang, and a wide tonal palette.

Thanks to its two 58/15 LT pickups, the central Narrowfield, a 5-way pickup selector switch, and two mini coil-tap switches, it offers a range of sounds from bright clean tones to warmer settings suitable for blues, country, jazz, or classic rock.

• Series: PRS Bolt-On
• Body: Swamp Ash
• Neck construction: Bolt-on
• Neck: Maple
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Neck profile: Pattern Regular
• Fingerboard radius: 10"
• Scale length: 25"
• Frets: 22
• Inlays: Birds
• Bridge pickup: PRS 58/15 LT
• Middle pickup: PRS Narrowfield
• Neck pickup: PRS 58/15 LT
• Pickup configuration: Hum/Narrowfield/Hum
• Controls: Volume, tone, 5-way switch, and two mini coil-tap switches
• Bridge: PRS Patented Tremolo
• Tuning machines: PRS Phase III Locking Tuners with Wing buttons
• Nut: PRS
• Body finish: High-Gloss Nitro
• Neck finish: Satin Nitro
• Strings: PRS Signature 10-46
• Includes Premium Gig Bag
• Made in the USA

About the PRS Bolt-On Series

The PRS Bolt-On series features models with bolt-on necks, designed to deliver a more direct, responsive, and attack-heavy sound compared to set-neck guitars. It is a highly versatile line within the PRS catalog, covering everything from classic bright and articulate tones to modern configurations with extensive tonal flexibility.

Guitars in this family include models like the CE, Silver Sky, NF 53, Myles Kennedy, and Swamp Ash Special, all with the careful craftsmanship associated with PRS but with the immediate and dynamic character typical of bolt-on construction.

Our Opinion

The Swamp Ash Special is one of those PRS models that makes sense for players wanting to step outside the traditional mahogany and maple top sound. The swamp ash provides a faster attack, more brightness, and a very open response, without sacrificing the comfortable and refined feel expected from a PRS USA guitar.

The most interesting aspect is the electronics: the combination of the 58/15 LT pickups with the Narrowfield middle and coil-tap switches allows for seamless switching between humbucker-like sounds, more defined single-coil positions, and a fuller, quieter single-coil tone. A highly versatile guitar for studio, live, and musicians covering many styles with a single instrument.