The Dragons | From The Archives | PRS Guitars

For the very first time, all nine PRS Dragon guitars were in the same room together. In this episode of From the Archives, Paul and Marc discuss the history of each one and the stories behind their inspiration. Did we mention that there is a special surprise at the end of this video? This is an episode you won't want to miss!
Are you interested in buying a 35th Anniversary PRS Dragon t-shirt just like the one Paul is wearing?
us.prsaccessories.com/collect...
We owe a special thanks to the National Guitar Museum who helped make this video possible. For more information on the museum and the guitars currently on exhibit, please visit: www.nationalguitarmuseum.com/

[@Trog]

It's videos like these that make me really appreciate PRS. Thanks for sharing!

[@ZaneDalton]

Hey Trogly!

[@thedude7726]

Get more prs on the show

[@FireGrizzlyy]

0:40 Dragon one 1992 5:09 Dragon two 1993 7:02 dragon three 8:40 Dragon 2000 9:51 Dragon 2002 11:15 20th anniversary dragon 12:00 25th anniversary dragons 13:25 30th anniversary dragon 14:35 35th anniversary dragon 17:15 demos

[@flybynight1929]

Absolutely sick! At this point there's PRS, and then everyone else looking up at them. For an old Quality/Manufacturing guy like me, I'm fascinated by the factory tours videos you can find on KZbin, because I used to set up quality departments and standard work processes for companies. PRS is still the king of the hill when it comes to their quality, attention to detail, skill level of the workers, processes, cleanliness and flow. IMO, one of the most important tell is the attitude of the workers, something that you can't hide from an outsider. As much as Paul values his workers, he earns their respect and loyalty. Just my take.

[@clarencebeaks1315]

Matt Horan I think there is one company that surpasses prs in quality. That company is Kiesel. You can get the best playing guitar you’ve ever played, custom, made in America for less than 1100 bucks. I recommend checking out their website. That have some awesome stuff.

[@teguharifandi3489]

well, maybe the other company choose to lawsuit everyone than focusing on qc issues

[@ernierooi2551]

Brian Ewald is an awesome guitar player. I absolutely loved that. Especially the part with 2 different dragons. It sounds killer.

[@BoyAditya]

I always remember when I was introduced PRS brand when I watch the "airheads" movie in '98 😂 .. who knew early 2000, PRS blow up ... Everyone plays PRS 😁

[@greekfreak1980]

Oh man,I loved that movie. ''Who would win,in a fight between Lemmy and God?'' ''It's a trick-question dude,Lemmy IS God,he can't beat himself.'' xD And Lemmy even has a cameo later in the movie.

[@alwaysopen7970]

I have a 1999 Swamp Ash Special and it ain't all that. I thought it was a cool guitar but, no matter how hard I have tried, I could never get fully comfortable with it. They are not a magical cross between Strat and Les Paul - I find it to be a quirky thing I might like. I want to trade it for a MusicMan Stingray at this point. No more $$$$ guitars for me. I am going to start thinning them out.

[@iklimhunianrumahbordil9375]

oh that movie, love it.

[@leecast]

Thanks so much for putting this together and giving some smiles and sunshine during a trying time for everyone. Kudos and elbow bumps all around!

[@prsguitars]

Brighter days are right around the corner! Thanks for watching Lee.

[@erik2446]

Seeing Brian play these Dragons is a real treat. The doubleneck sounds awesome, especially the 12-string! Real JP vibes there.

[@hernindio99]

This video is such a great thing to watch during this dark isolation days... Thank you PRS

[@prsguitars]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@ravelitschimo]

The dragon have eaten all the birds;-)

[@derrickharmon7980]

And a drill bit ate the dragon circle of life

[@satch72]

When I started playing in the early 90s there was a shop near me that had a Dragon II. I thought it was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen. Still would love to have one someday.

[@guitarandgames1386]

Ok may I say really quick that Paul is a blessing in the manufacturing world. From the two times I've met him he seems to care about literally everyone, his customers, employees, and family. Compared to some companies and their owners such as Gibson and other companies. Coupled with the fact that prs is probably the best guitar brand that is made in USA yet has an overseas cheaper version

[@SkyscraperGuitars]

Awesome trip down memory lane. My first PRS experience was a guy in the early 90's playing a great looking PRS and talking about how he was saving up for a dragon.

[@carlislehartman7695]

Love the archive episodes so much. Would pay to breathe the air in there.

[@patrickbryant5224]

When God handed out brains, Paul reed Smith got in the queue twice.

[@johneasley2377]

Thank you for these beautiful guitars that my brother Jeff Easley helped design. I have played several of them while visiting him in Lake Geneva.

[@fivepiece]

As an original 80s D&D nerd, I was pretty jazzed to hear the name of Jeff Easley.

[@ju2705s]

Unbelievable... this are not only Guitars.. this is Art in best shape. I don't play guitars but is the first time I regret it. Thanks for sharing this!

[@Loki_FPV666]

When I was in high school back in the 90's I saw either a dragon 1 or 2 in a local high end guitar shop and instantly fell in love. Ever since that has been my holy grail guitar. I'll probably never be able to afford one but it doesn't hurt to dream. Thanks for making such amazing guitars.

[@realgoodmind]

Love it PRS! Love you let us see behind the scenes and check out these great guitars.

[@jerrytoro4739]

The genius of Paul Reed Smith is just amazing I thought dragon 13 of the 25th anniversary we're really way amazing the soundstage that they created was really fast and you could dig into those next in the guitar and the electronics everything was a work of perfection let's see if I can hit the lottery and give Paul Reed Smith enough money where he'll sell me one of those guitars regardless of price I'm going to play the lottery regularly congratulations Paul Reed Smith you're truly the master builder extraordinaire thanks for your wonderful instruments I consider it a privilege to l play

[@paulsteezo1772]

Guitar Center in Springfield NJ hosted a clinic with PRS. A 40.000 Dragon mysteriously grew legs and walked out the door!!! DEF A INSIDE JOB!!!

[@juanfichtl2011]

Just wow, those dragons look amazingly 3D even from a phone screen

[@michausiak8488]

Love those videos from the archive room. Keep em coming :D

[@ronfalkoff]

Beautiful Guitars!!! Good to be the King!!! Love the colors!!! Great video!!! They all maintain amazing tone!!!

[@jasonsapp792]

If I were to win the current Powerball jackpot I would commission a Dragon like the 2002 on the Singlecut...by far my favorite example

[@vchizzle]

The SC was always my fave, but the double neck is ridiculous. After watching this, I have a new appreciation for #3 and the newest one as well.

[@skateborg]

Love the multi-dragon jam towards the end of this video. Thanks PRS!

[@encikhector]

I really love the single cut dragon and the 35th anniversary dragon, they look absolutely stunning

[@jamestonguet1737]

The stuff of dreams , thank you for constant amazement and mastery

[@000MidnightSun]

My introduction to PRS and dragons was from the movie Airheads

[@JuanPiVlok]

Awesome video !!!

[@scottrussell3194]

Thanks for showing all the Dragons really nice .

[@bizlawprofessor]

Outstanding!

[@cfbasz]

Dragon 2002 is my fav. I remember having it as my PC wallpaper.

[@zz-.-]

Dudes 35th and the 1 was EXACTLY what we wanted. Bravo. Just got my 35th. Kicks ass.

[@jamminshaman5935]

Great jam at the end!

[@bearthompson6506]

Very, very cool!

[@dejacdejack8450]

Ah what fun, what beauty, what sound! Thanks Paul! As you put it, 'so cool!'

[@RomanMiroshnichenko]

Impressive! Thanks for this video!

[@edmundoroma]

I love this kind of guitars.

[@jeffhunter9311]

I remember talking to Paul Teal Black was his favourite colour at the time he wanted that colour for the dragons and it was an option for the dragons absolutely Awesome

[@tippss3332]

AMAZING!!! PRS QUALITY!!

[@MrErikchaugen]

Some of the most beautiful guitar pieces i have ever heard played,Bryan!!!

[@BryanEwald]

Thank Erik. Getting to play all of these together was inspiring, to put it mildly.

[@MrErikchaugen]

@@BryanEwald The playing was awsome also!!

[@rosewoodsteel6656]

Eric Chamberlain made the drawings for the first dragon? Wow! I worked with Eric for many years at the National Gallery of Art, in Washington D.C. I didn't even know that Eric knew Paul. Man is it a small world.

[@Charismafire]

These take the coolness of the electric guitar to another level! The dragon 2 inlay my favorite.

[@KCostelloe]

Love it!!

[@ctsaustin]

13:12 i like how you can hear the dragon's roaring when you move them in and out of storage

[@JohnLaMonte]

Damn! Amazing, genius timeless artistry!

[@HafidHernandez]

Great review

[@VegetarianFeast]

If you ever feel like donating one, I’d be keen to treasure it for life. Fantastic guitars. Loved hearing the stories about each one. Thanks for taking the time to make this video.

[@MFKR696]

That'll never happen lol. Paul isn't in the habit of donating *anything*. Sure, he's smart, and he puts on a nice act for the camera, but "philanthropist" is not something I would ever call him lol. You don't end up being the owner of a successful corporation by being nice.

[@jasong546]

I think I like the 30th the most. Awesome job!

[@ravendemo4980]

When that Dragon 2000 came out my soul left my body, went to heaven, then came back. Hooooooollllyyy crap. 😍😩

[@gnguyenb]

Very cool video! Thanks for sharing!

[@prsguitars]

Thanks for watching!

[@GearGasms]

Hey Brian the slide was a nice surprise!

[@MessyTimes]

THAT was one of the best things I have ever seen on the Interwebs. I need at least one of those. Damn fine artistry - if I were immune to aesthetics, I'd have more money and fewer pieces of art.

[@COSMOKRAT_616]

The movie airheads was my introduction to PRS guitars. Brendan Fraser demands a "prs guitar with dragon inlays" in that movie and i didnt know what that was so i looked it up and went to guitar center amd saw the most beautiful and aspirational guitar brand id ever seen. I now own a custom 24 and couldnt be happier. Thanks paul for all that you do! Edit. I wrote this comment before paul mentioned the movie in the video lmfao

[@MobileDecay]

Same here! I wanted a PRS since then and I finally got one! No dragon inlays though. ☹️

[@gajapi]

Such beautiful work! My favorites are the 35th and the dueling dragons

[@blazer6248]

Notice he specifically said "I didn't smoke pot in high school" 🤔😆

[@thomaslovelidge3449]

Those dragons are just soo amazing just ordered a new prs mccarty 594 very excited

[@j-visser7982]

Sweet.... 35th looks awesome

[@GrantSeinerOutdoors]

Anyone notice Paul, the OCD, discretely checking the fret ends? I love the attention to detail and genuine interest in how they age over time.

[@waynepayne864]

he may be checking them because he noticed the fret ends are popping out. idk its certainly plausible looking at the photos

[@keefjunior4061]

It's a shame that more attention wasn't paid on the fretwork. Some of those ends look like Squier quality.

[@GrantSeinerOutdoors]

It's an old model, guitars sprout over the years. It just takes maintainence

[@AndyK.23]

Awesomeness! My '93 PRS catalog says the Custom 22 is essentially a Dragon, without the dragon! 22 frets rule!

[@equanimityturban]

Keep these coming plz

[@oscarvargas171]

Of this series of videos, this one in particular is the one I most expected. Thanks for 20 minutes of pure happiness. My favorites are Dragon I, Dragon 2002 and 2020. Thank you for uploading this 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻. Air Head's rules !!! 🐉🐉🐉 😂😂😂

[@hepup816]

The new one is sick I'm for sure going to try to get one

[@woofboi2010]

Loved the song on the end. I’ll dream about the double neck…

[@guitarsampsandcoffee]

The dragon I is perfect, such a cool way to show the world how unique PRS guitars are!!

[@firmamentofficial]

Sick!!

[@alastair6356]

I am a big PRS fan I have an green Esra and I love the birds on the fret board as I do with my Angelus A50e I sware when I am in full flow playing the Birds come alive and fly up and down the fret board. I really love the dragons, I reckon they would fly for me to. You just dont make guitars, you make art.😍👍

[@antoniocorsere5675]

I love all the dragons 🐉. I wish, wish, wish I had one.

[@elpfanjahrling4668]

Love PRS !

[@willparker547]

Ah man this is great. I need a prs

[@bramjeweetwel368]

absolutly beast

[@jasong546]

Love that I was thinking, you aren’t going to play them? Of course you were going to play them! Thanks guys!

[@prsguitars]

Our pleasure!

[@paulillingworth90]

PRS Guitars you guys truly are amazing

[@MetallicA29]

Ewald is a beast!

[@firewalker6712]

The teal black is my favorite PRS color. I had 2 Custom 24s and an Artist ll in that color.

[@bomonganni]

I have an Artist II in teal black.

[@firewalker6712]

@@bomonganni # 31?

[@bomonganni]

@@firewalker6712 I have #420

[@firewalker6712]

@@bomonganni That's cool! I seen pictures of the one I used to own floating around online. I can't remember who the seller was. But it was long after I owned it. It was pretty cool seeing all these nice detailed pictures of it online.

[@bomonganni]

@@firewalker6712 I bought mine a couple of years ago. The seller has already gotten in touch with me to try and buy it back. Not a chance! This one is a lifer!

[@suntired]

Awesome & tasty tune by Bryan!

[@NickOlivera]

How is it called??

[@hibernative]

That "Jurassic Park" one (at 9:50) is my favorite. Insane depth and presentation of that art.

[@F3PIZZA]

I LOVE Paul’s outlook on aging guitars! Let it get its battle scars! The shadows on the headstock from being in a freakin’ MUSEUM are so cool. What an amazing piece for Paul. I’d give my left testicle just to play a real PRS, but I’d give both to own one :)

[@MarkHolden73]

Absolute beauties

[@Riverdeepnwide]

👍🏻 Dragon's Breath 👍🏻 Beautiful!

[@natasorimusic3932]

The first video I can watch in 1440p

[@Jaundice__]

Now that was entertaining!!!

[@LPCustom3]

I remember Paul had me play the 1st McCarty at NAMM that he made for David Grisom. must have been 1993

[@wesleymorris1]

If i was a millionaire i would buy a dragon, prs guitars are so beautiful. I got a couple s2 guitars, i refinished my singlecut, and put my own twist on it. I love the s2 i just dont like the paint they use on them so i lacquer them . my s2 24 standard the finish is about wore off and i chunked the mahogany where i pick. Im going to see how long it takes to completely wear off before i redo it.

[@kieranblacker]

How did the refinish go on the single cut?

[@wesleymorris1]

@@kieranblacker it came out perfect i restained using dye for the figured top and i used min wax natural for the neck and body. Then clear lacquer over the whole guitar. It looks like a core mdel.

[@A.D.D.O.C.D.T]

Lotto type purchase ,amazing!

[@WhaleBluePRS]

There's a good chance either one or both of those PRS amp covers were mine (in the background at 13:23). I was at a "Dragon's" show in Olyphant, Pa and had either one or two of those in my car (I forget now) and ended up giving one or both to Paul as some "fan" had just beat the crap out of Paul selling him a PRS cabinet. I kinda felt bad for Paul the way the guy treated him, so I donated the cover. I admit, I still think about it from time to time and feel good to be able to give something back. I DO enjoy my PRS guitars a LOT. Thank you Paul and company!

[@robertwillett4122]

Mr. Smith Absolutely incredible. I do have one concern. I would have a pure concrete and steel "safe room" to keep from fire and or looting. It's an amazing collection and a part of guitar history. I do thank you for my P.R.S., which l will be playing within 30 seconds. Thank you.

[@hifive7366]

There is no one in the guitar business as good as these guys. PRS are the best electric guitars ever.

[@blindwatchman0722]

I love your work 😭 I tried to get the 35th anniversary but I didn’t realize how much they were gonna cost OR how rare they were 😂😭 maybe someday!

[@Knightmare-gz9ls]

Dragon 2000 is favorite of mine. Both look and sound.

[@MuseGuitarist]

My friend Michael has the 2010 Santana Dragon and, I believe, I am maybe one of the only ones he has let play it. It was the weirdest feeling I have ever had playing the guitar in my 50+ years of playing guitar! Having no wood, only inlays, under my fingers had a profound effect on the finger sensation of my licks. It was truly weird but COOL!

[@experiencerocks]

sometimes i like to imagine that PRS wants me to pick any 10 guitars from this room to take home and now i am thinking what all to pick and it keeps me busy thinking and smiling..

[@TurbulentJuice]

Man, PRS is such a cool brand. In my mind they're the third big brand next to F and G.

[@Dannys.channel]

Double neck sounds dopeeeee

[@JaydepoolMusic]

the way paul just chucks/drops these guitars back in the case is making me scream. I've wanted a real USA prs for around 25 years and couldn't imagine treating them like that. I'll probably never be able to get one either

[@irishRocker1]

Saw this vid several months ago and was just clearing some stuff out and found a photograph from a guitar show where they had Rory Gallagher's #1 guitar and The PRS dragon 1. saw the photo and came back to check this vid to see which dragon.

[@EDAR96]

Is that Bryan playing? He’s just such a great player

[@BryanEwald]

Thank you. Yes, I'm the lucky guy enjoying those works of art.

[@hernindio99]

Thanks Brian...

[@finaljesus]

Brian what an amazing guitar player you are beautiful playing and guitars

[@anmolatwal]

@@BryanEwald Yes, you are lucky to get your paws on all these bombshell items from PRS, but just saying you are lucky is selling yourself short. That track in the end, goddang it....i was grooving to it, first thought was they better put it on spoty....!! Great playing man!! Beautiful!

[@JPIndustrie]

Airheads... another unappreciated movie ...

[@aramispotter6175]

I WANT ONE!!!!!!