The History of a Modern Masterpiece: PRS Modern Eagle

The PRS Modern Eagle has always been about achieving the highest standards of guitar making:  beautiful instruments that beg you to play them and immediately satisfy when you do. Modern Eagles feature gorgeous finishes on choice woods that are intentionally selected to sound and feel like a guitar you’ll never want to stop playing. Combine that with great-sounding, purposefully crafted electronics and hardware plus elegant finishing touches, and you have the Modern Eagle recipe.

Historically, the Modern Eagle was only available as a Private Stock or Core Experience guitar. Here are the specs on the historic range of Modern Eagle guitars, dating back to its beginnings in 2004.

Modern Eagle: 2004Modern Eagle Singlecut Trem: 2006Modern Eagle II: 200825th Anniversary Modern Eagle III: 2009Modern Eagle Quatro: 2011Modern Eagle V

Modern Eagle: 2004

Body:

Highly figured, carved maple topMahogany backFinish Group X: satin, ultra-thin nitro

Neck:

Brazilian rosewood neckBrazilian rosewood fretboard22 frets25-inch scale length10-inch radiusWide-fat neck carveRipple abalone bird inlays

Headstock:

Brazilian rosewood overlay with inlaid Modern Eagle

Hardware:

PRS stoptail, optional PRS tremoloNew 14:1 Phase II locking grommet tunersHybrid gold/nickel hardware

Electronics:

Reverse-polarity pickups with satin coversVolume controlTone control with push-pull coil tap 3-way toggle pickup selector

Private Stock case

Modern Eagle Singlecut Trem: 2006

Body:

Carved, highly figured maple top Mahogany back

Neck:

Brazilian rosewood neckBrazilian rosewood fretboard22 frets25-inch scale lengthWide-fat carveRipple abalone bird inlays

Headstock:

Brazilian rosewood with inlaid Modern Eagle

Hardware:

PRS tremoloPRS 14:1 Phase II low-mass locking grommet tunersHybrid gold/nickel hardware

Electronics:

Reverse-polarity treble and bass pickups with satin covers Volume and push-pull tone control3-way toggle pickup selector

Hardshell Modern Eagle Presentation case

Modern Eagle II: 2008

Body:

Modern Eagle–grade curly maple top Special lightweight mahogany back High-gloss, shatter-hard nitro finish 

Neck:

Select Dalbergia neck blankSelect Dalbergia fretboard22 fretsWide-fat carveBuffed-out neck and fretboard with special, new bird inlays with iridescent paua-heart centers

Hardware:

PRS stoptail or PRS tremoloHybrid gold/nickel hardware

Electronics:  

1957/2008 pickups from exclusive 1950s wire supply 

6 colors:

Blue JeanYellow TigerCoffeeCharcoalRed TigerBlueberry with Blackback 

Special paisley Modern Eagle case with rich maroon crushed velvet interior 

25th Anniversary Modern Eagle III: 2009

Body:

Carved, figured maple 10-TopMahogany backNitro finish

Neck:

Select Dalbergia, bound neckSelect Dalbergia fretboard22 frets25-inch scale lengthWide-fat carve25th Anniversary shadow bird inlays

Headstock:

Modern Eagle headstock“ME III” truss rod cover

Hardware:

PRS stoptail or PRS tremoloPRS low-mass locking tunersOptional gold hardware 

Electronics:

3 PRS 57/08 NF pickupsVolume and tone control5-way blade pickup switch

6 colors:

Angry LarryBlack SlateCharcoalFire RedSapphireAmber

Modern Eagle Quatro: 2011

Body:

Carved “Artist Grade” figured maple topMahogany back

Neck:

Select East Indian rosewood bound neckSelect East Indian rosewood fretboard22 frets25-inch scale lengthPattern carveMother-of-pearl/paua-heart bird inlays

Headstock:

Cocobolo headstock veneer“Quatro” truss rod coverModern Eagle headstock

Hardware:

PRS stoptail, optional PRS tremoloPRS low-mass locking tunersHybrid-color hardware

Electronics:

PRS 53/10 treble and bass pickupsVolume and push-pull tone control3-way toggle pickup switch

5 colors:

Black GoldCharcoal BurstFaded Blue BurstMcCarty SunburstSunset Burst

Paisley hardshell case 

Modern Eagle V

2018: Private Stock LTD Edition2020: Core Experience PRS LTD Edition2023: Production Catalog model

Body:

Maple topMahogany backViolin top carveHigh-gloss nitro finish

Neck:

One-piece mahogany neckRosewood fretboard22 frets25-inch scale length10-inch radiusPattern carve

Headstock:

“Modern Eagle V” truss rod cover

Hardware:

PRS Gen III TremoloPRS Phase III locking tuners

Electronics:

TCI treble pickupNS-01 middle pickupTCI bass pickupVolume and push-pull tone control5-way pickup selector2 mini-toggle coil-split switches

The PRS Modern Eagle V is an innovative instrument that offers highly musical tones for both recording and playing live. Utilizing a humbucker/single-coil/humbucker (5-coil) pickup layout and unique electronics configuration, the Modern Eagle V gives players a vast array of tones in one guitar. The 5-way blade switch selects the pickups in intuitive groupings: treble, treble and middle, middle, middle and bass, and bass. There is a single volume and push-pull tone control that activates both humbuckers when engaged; this allows players to access all three pickups simultaneously. Finally, the mini toggles allow players to individually separate the humbucker coils, turning the outside pickups into true single-coils. This electronics design puts a whole set of classic and new tones at your fingertips.

According to Paul himself:

Modern Eagle models have always been built to stand up to history while celebrating tonewoods and the discovery of new tones. The Modern Eagle V is a sophisticated instrument not only in its craftsmanship but in its electronic and mechanical design. We’ve refined the pickup tones and are pleased to now add it to the Core lineup.”

Check Out the PRS Modern Eagles at Sweetwater

Thanks to PRS director of sales Jim Cullen and everyone at PRS for the invaluable information. Are you interested in experiencing the Modern Eagle mojo? You can check out all the Modern Eagle models and learn about a wide variety of PRS guitars at Sweetwater.com. Not sure which one is right for you? Contact your Sweetwater Sales Engineer at (800) 222-4700, and they can answer all your questions.

Shop All PRS Modern Eagle V Guitars

Learn more about PRS Modern Eagle history in Don Carr’s interview with Paul Reed Smith!