Charles R DeSpain's Page

Hello everyone! February 7, 2009
These are some pics of my new PRS Private Stock Custom 24 #1832
It has many features that show my commitment to the Santana Guitar Gods!
First it has an 11.5 Radius,
second it comes with jumbo Santana fret wire ( the tangs do not show) and The Santana I & II are the only production guitars made with this special feature, even the new MD doesn't have these frets (hence the lower price). these frets are a $1500 option on the Private Stocks!
Third, it has the Santana tremolo rout on the back!

Other features include a tremolo rout this allows the tremolo to not just bend forward towards the nut (flat), but also back (sharp) like a Floyd Rose. Mark Tremonti has this feature on his new Signature model.
The Tremolo on this P.S. is an original One Piece Mill-Com from the mid eighties just like the original guitars that Paul took to his first NAMM Show! $750 option today only available from the Private Stock department.

The Woods!
The Neck is a gorgeous straight grain "black" Brazilian Rosewood!
The Board is Gabon Ebony! "fruit of the Gods" Throughout history drinking goblets were made from this wood, it was believed an antidote for poison, and its use would ward off their enemy's evil intent!
The Body is a Private Stock grade one piece Quilted Sapele! just stunning! I got the idea to use Sapele for the body after they made the Limited 1980 West St. guitars with an Artist grade Sapele top!
The Top is a one piece Flame Curly Maple. I picked this top from four selections. I was sent four pics of tops to choose from. They all showed an outline in pencil of the body, when I received my guitar I thought their was a mistake, they actually did use the top I selected however it was upside down from the pic they sent me. I am very happy with the results ha! ha!

The P.S. Eagle inlay over the Brazilian Rosewood head stock overlay is Brazilian Rosewood with a silver outline! I wanted the Eagle to appear to just be an outline only and this was how they had to do it.
The birds are of black onyx with NO silver outline. I wanted the guitar to be dark, sleek and mysterious.. the black onyx birds over the dark gabon ebony board is very clean and they appear almost hauntingly! The guitar looks like it does not have any inlay at the board but as you get closer you see the birds and Boom!

I have Brown lip Mother of pearl for the side dot markers, and brazilian Rosewood tuner buttons. But the one thing that makes this guitar a very extra special Private Stock Instrument is..
"It Coms With The New Limited 57/08 Pickups"!!
I original ordered it with RP pups but when it was finished and delivered to my dealer their was a small change that was needed that was on my speck sheet but not on the guitar, so I sent it back for the repair and it was that week that PRS announced these new pickups. only available on a few limited guitars and their new Modern Eagle II. I requested to have the 57/08 pickups and Paul said ok! This is a very killer guitar, and I play it every day, it was $18,000 retail and I got a discount off that price.

I love Carlos Santana and David Gilmour! I play through a David Gilmour Signature Hiwatt 50 watt head, Diezel 2/12 cab with Tone Tubby 12" Alnico hemp cone speakers, a 4/12 Diezel rear loaded with Diezel speakers. Several Pete Cornish pedals, a vintage Big Muff Triangle, vintage Electirc mistress, Original Digitech Whammy, Demeter compulator compressor, and Shunata power snakes! I am grateful for my opportunities!