PRS 2011 Paul Reed Smith Collection Tony McManus Martin Simpson Private Stock 2011

Dear Collection Dealers, Distributors and Highly Valued Customers, This Tony McManus / Martin Simpson Special Limited Collection instrument is from the second batch of Collection Acoustic Series, built in the last quarter of 2011. The backs and sides on these Collection instruments are made from African Blackwood.

This true rosewood is believed by a high percentage of guitar makers as being the best sounding rosewood on the planet. It is very dark in color and has beautiful grain that can be seen in a bright light. The top is built from an old batch of very stiff Sitka bearclaw. For every top that was considered, only a third of these old tops were deemed good enough to use for this run. You can recognize the old age of the wood just from the color. The top has been in no way stained or toned. The n@ck is mad@ of P@rna mbuco, which is very rare material now only available on the Collection Series Instruments. We allowed the natural color of this wood to show through. The wood can be anywhere from bright orange to milky brown in color.

The extraordinary part is this wood has a higher speed of sound travel through it than any other wood. When someone buys a $35,000 violin bow, it is made from Pernambuco. When the first one of these instruments was assembled, my thought was, "Wow, that sounds good!" It is extremely even sounding and different than any acoustic we had made in the past. On top of that, the neck width is something we have not attempted before. It is exactly between a Martin Simpson and

Tony McManus model spec. I really like it! This instrument is intended to be a "concert level" heirloom quality guitar, and I believe that this is how they will be viewed in the years to come.

Collection # 046

Serial Number: A11-0760

Specifications:

Model: Collection Martin Simpson/Jony IcTanus Angelus

Neck wood: Permanbuco

Fingerboard wood: African Blackwood

Top wood: Sitka Bearclaw Spruce with paua heart / black purfling

Back & side woods: African Blackwood with black maple/ black purfling

Headstock Veneer wood: Ebony

Neck Carve: Simpson/ McManus

Side Dots: Gold

Golor / Stain: Natural

Fingerboard inlays: Collection Geltic- cross inlays of paua heart, 14 karat gold, mammoth ivory with paua purfling

Headstock veneer inlays: Paul Reed Smith hand written signature and mammoth ivory "Collection" inlay with paua heart purfling

Rosette: Ebony/Celtic -cross of paua heart, green select abalone and 14 karat gold Finish type: High gloss nitro

Electronics: PRS Acoustic system

Hardware: Ebony bridge and pins with mammoth ivory inlays and Robson tuning pegs with ivoroid buttons

Case type: Collection Acoustic

Specials: Natural high gloss nitro finish, Collection Geltic -cross inlays of paua heart, 14 karat gold and mammoth ivory, Paul Reed Smith hand written signature with mammoth ivory "Collection" inlay, paua heart black purfling along the top, paua heart purfling along the finger board and headstock veneer, black/ maple/ black purfling along the back and sides, curly maple binding along the body. The very rare Collection grade woods and specifications on this instrument were personally selected by Paul Reed Smith.