The Custom 24 has a very special place in the history of Paul Reed Smith Guitars.

Developed through lengthy trial and experimentation, during which Reed Smith, who had built his first guitar as a student, would craft instruments at his workshop in Annapolis, MD, “road-test” them at gigs, and then seek to sell them to musicians at local concert venues, it was this model that helped him obtain enough advance orders to launch the company bearing his initials in 1985.

The company now describes the model as “the core of our line”. They have carved maple tops and mahogany backs.