PRS Custom 22 Stoptail 10-Top 2003 - Violin Amber

This 2003 PRS Custom 22 10 Top in Lemon Burst is one of those older PRS guitars where the top immediately explains the 10 Top designation. There is a ton of flame running across the maple, and the Lemon Burst really brings it out without covering up the grain. In good lighting, there is a lot of movement across the entire top.

The Custom 22 has always been one of my favorite PRS layouts because it feels a little more familiar and relaxed than the 24-fret models. You still get the carved maple top, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fretboard and 25" scale, but the 22-fret layout gives the neck pickup a slightly different placement and personality.

This one has the original Dragon II humbuckers with the period-correct 5-way rotary switching. I like these pickups because they still have plenty of fullness and output without losing definition. The rotary gives you several coil combinations between the two full humbucker settings, so there is considerably more range here than the simple three-way layout would suggest.

It also has the PRS stoptail bridge and locking tuners, which make this a very straightforward guitar to live with. No tremolo to manage, excellent tuning stability, and the whole guitar feels very solid.

The setup on this one is especially good. The frets were recently leveled and beveled, then polished to an almost mirror-like finish. They feel extremely smooth under the fingers and still have plenty of life left. The fretboard was also oiled, and the guitar received a professional buff and polish.

Action is sitting at a comfortable medium height, intonation is spot on, and the current setup passed inspection exactly as it came in.

Weight is 7.72 lbs on my scale, which feels great for a full carved-top PRS.

What stood out to me:

• Genuine PRS 10 Top
• Heavily figured carved maple top
• Lemon Burst finish
• Original Dragon II humbuckers
• 5-way rotary pickup switching
• PRS stoptail bridge
• PRS locking tuners
• Rosewood fretboard with bird inlays
• Recently leveled and beveled frets
• Mirror-like fret polish
• Freshly conditioned fretboard
• Professional buff and polish
• Comfortable setup
• Spot-on intonation
• 7.72 lbs on my scale
• Original PRS hardshell case
• Includes the pictured case candy

Condition is Very Good, and overall it has held up really well for a guitar that is now more than two decades old.

There are some dings and scratches throughout from normal use. The most noticeable areas are a few chips around the right side of the body, including the upper horn and middle edge, along with a more substantial ding on the back of the neck. These are pictured clearly and are cosmetic rather than anything that affected how the guitar played during inspection.

The backside also has typical light wear, but nothing about this guitar feels neglected. The neck, fretboard, hardware and electronics all checked out well, and the original electronics passed my complete test without issue.

The top is really the star here. Even with the honest play wear, the figuring still makes this guitar look special from across the room, and the flame becomes even more pronounced as the angle changes.

Includes the original PRS hardshell case and the pictured case candy.

The photos shown are real photographs of this exact guitar. I do not use AI-generated imagery, replacement backgrounds, or image manipulation to misrepresent the condition of my guitars. What you see is the instrument you’ll receive.

Like all my guitars, this one’s been cared for and dialed in—no guesswork, no surprises, just a great instrument that’s ready to play. I personally inspect and test every guitar before it ships, making sure it’s in the exact condition I’d want to receive myself. These guitars come from me, not a shop—each one gets the kind of attention and care only a real guitar lover gives. Ships fast and fully insured via Reverb Safe Shipping.

⏳ Quick note: These guitars don’t usually sit. Most are purchased within 3–7 days, and I regularly hear from watchers after the listing has already sold. If this one’s on your radar, now’s the window!