First Birds Reborn For Players, Not Display Cases
The guitar you see is the exact PRS Private Stock First Birds you will receive. It is a meticulous recreation of Paul Reed Smith’s legendary 1976 “Frampton guitar,” built as a Moore Guitars exclusive in an ultra limited run of six. It is equal parts PRS origin story, tone monster, and heirloom grade art piece that genuinely wants to live on a strap, not in a glass box.
The original Frampton era build was the first time Paul felt one of his own guitars beat his benchmark 1953 Les Paul. It birthed the now iconic bird inlays and showcased his obsession with neck feel, sustain, and resonance long before PRS was a brand. This First Birds nails that recipe in a Mahogany Sunburst package that looks classic, feels broken in, and responds like a modern precision instrument.
A Faithful Revival Of The Frampton Era Original
Here is the lowdown. Brett Mulzer from Moore Guitars teamed up with Paul Reed Smith and the Private Stock crew to bring this historic guitar back exactly as it was in 1976. They hunted down six real vintage 1976 Leo Quan Badass wraparound bridges, then had every saddle re machined to meet Paul’s current standards.
The original hand carved neck was measured in microscopic detail from nut to heel so this one feels like the same guitar that converted players like Peter Frampton and Al Di Meola. Even the wiring, control values, and pickup recipe were reverse engineered from Paul’s original hand wound set. This is not “inspired by” history. This is the original blueprint rebuilt with Private Stock precision.
All Mahogany Power With Violin Carve Elegance
South American mahogany for both the body and neck gives you that thick, syrupy midrange and singing sustain you associate with the best all mahogany rock guitars. Think muscular low mids, vocal upper mids, and a sweet top that never gets harsh. Notes bloom and hang on when you lean into them, and chords have that chewy, harmonically rich grind that fills a mix without getting muddy.
The body shows off an early version of Paul’s violin carve, but without the later lower cutaway bevel. Between the pickups sits a small mahogany block with mother of pearl purfling that hides the deep neck joint and adds a hit of old world class. The whole thing is wrapped in a high gloss nitro Mahogany Sunburst that lets the wood glow while staying thin enough for the mahogany to really speak.
Original Santana Neck: The Hand Carved Sweet Spot
The neck carve is the original Santana profile lifted directly from the 1976 guitar. It has that substantial, hand shaped feel that fills your palm without ever turning into a baseball bat. Chords feel anchored and confident, but wide bends and vibrato are effortless and smooth.
The deep neck joint pushes past the neck pickup and meets the body at the 23rd fret. That extra contact gives you rock solid stability and a very connected feel between your left hand and the body. You can literally feel the neck and body working as one when you dig in, which is a huge part of why these guitars sustain the way they do.
First Birds, Original Eagle, And Private Stock Detail Obsession
The Brazilian rosewood fingerboard is bound in rosewood, a subtle flex that quietly screams Private Stock. Set into it are the “original” bird inlays, cut from mother of pearl using the same templates Paul drew in 1976. Look closely and you will spot shapes that differ from modern PRS birds. It is like playing a living piece of PRS history under your fingertips.
Up on the headstock you get a mother of pearl Private Stock eagle copied from Paul’s hand drawn pattern and executed as a two piece inlay, just like the original piano key style version. Metal side dots, a carved wood truss rod cover, and a carved wood back cavity plate round out the details. Nothing here is flashy for the sake of it. Every choice serves the story and the feel.
Custom LT Pickups And Hardware With A Story
The Custom LT humbuckers in the neck and bridge were voiced by reverse engineering Paul’s original hand wound set from the mid 70s. They live in that sweet spot where PAF clarity meets all mahogany authority. The bridge snarls and bites when you push an amp, but the mids stay fat and musical instead of spiky. The neck is thick and vocal, perfect for syrupy leads and huge, singing chords.
Think in the tonal neighborhood of Leslie West, Hendrix on a Flying V, or Zappa on an SG. Roll the volume back and the guitar cleans up into glassy, three dimensional tones. Open it up into a driven amp and it gives you harmonically rich grind that makes single notes feel bigger than they have any right to be.
The nickel recessed Leo Quan Badass stoptail wraparound bridge is not a reissue. It is a real 1976 piece, set into the top so the strings sit closer to the body for a more immediate, connected feel. On the back, a brass string through plate completes the original design and adds even more sustain and resonance. Original Schaller tuning pegs, a bone nut, a double action truss rod, and a set of D’Addario 9s keep everything stable and ready for stage or studio.
Ultra Limited, Built As An Heirloom That Begs To Gig
Only six of these First Birds exist on the planet, and this one was built specifically for the USA market. It ships in a Private Stock black leather case with blue interior, ready to be a studio workhorse, a trusted stage weapon, or the centerpiece of a serious collection. Real talk: it would be a shame if guitars this good only ever saw display lights.
This one is in our Evansville, Indiana shop right now, fully inspected and dialed in with a Player Perfect setup so it feels incredible the moment you open the case. If you have deep history with PRS, vintage Gibsons, or just love world class instruments that tell a story, this guitar will hit you right in the soul.
Questions about this guitar or how it compares to other high end single cut instruments? Call (888) 794-8482 and talk to a real player on our team.
