Paul Reed Smith Corvette Standard 22 Guitar - Six Strings Attached

Test Drive: Paul Reed Smith Corvette Standard 22 GuitarThe aligning of disparate products for marketing purposes has yielded some imminently forgettable results over the years-Mercury Villager Nautica, anyone?-usually due to an utter lack of conceptual harmony between the items in question. Fortunately, in the case of the Paul Reed Smith Corvette Standard 22, the intercorporate mash-up represents much more than a cynical attempt to bridge the divide between two fat-walleted demographics.

Just as the Z06 Corvette is based on the standard-issue C6, the PRS Corvette guitar is based on the company's workhorse Standard 22 model. As such, it comes with a mahogany body and 22-fret neck, a rosewood fretboard, and a dual-humbucker pickup configuration. An abalone "Z06 505hp" inlay (a "427" inlay design is also offered), a Corvette crossed-flags logo, and a choice of six model-specific paint colors (the same shades offered on the real Z06) set this version apart from its non-automotive sibling.

In terms of playability, the PRS Corvette guitar is difficult to fault. Strat votaries and the small of hand may need a little time to adjust to the standard "wide fat" neck profile, but for everyone else, the carve feel will likely prove spot-on from the outset. The action on our tester was refreshingly low from the factory, allowing for fast, clean runs worthy of the Corvette appellation.

PRS's five-way pickup-selector knob made it easy to summon a range of tones spanning the sonic spectrum. Brilliant in its simplicity and intuitiveness, this arrangement is infinitely superior to the fiddly toggle switches that have plagued electric guitars to varying degrees since time immemorial.

Playing through a three-channel Ampeg/Lee Jackson VL-503 tube combo, I was able to dial in everything from shimmering, crystalline clears to Dio-era Sabbath scorch. Death-metal devotees may wish for a bit more dirt from the standard Dragon II pickups, but overall, the Corvette guitar is a paragon of tonal flexibility.

As one would expect from a guitar in this price range, thoughtful touches abound. The Phase II locking tuners, for example, make string replacement a quick, low-effort affair and all but eliminate retuning hassles. It's subtle features such as this that will endear the Corvette guitar to its lucky owner for years to come.

Like the car it celebrates, the PRS Corvette Standard 22 is a relatively expensive piece elevated to bargain status by its exceptional performance, pedigree, and long-term value. Indeed, the worst thing about spending a few weeks behind the figurative wheel of this six-string speedster was having to send it back.

-Jay Heath