PRS Core Modern Eagle V, Aurora Borealis, Hardshell Case - Used - Mint
The Modern Eagle has always occupied a specific place in the PRS lineup — not the entry point, not a signature model, but a statement instrument. A guitar built to stand alongside the best work in the history of American lutherie while pushing forward into tonal territory that vintage instruments simply cannot reach. Paul Reed Smith has said as much himself, and the Modern Eagle V makes the case without needing anyone to argue it.
The foundation is the classic PRS blueprint: maple top, mahogany back, set mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard, 25" scale, 22 frets, Gen III tremolo, Phase III tuners. What sets the Modern Eagle V apart is everything built on top of that foundation. The pickup configuration is a true hum/single/hum five-coil layout — TCI humbuckers at the treble and bass positions, PRS NS-01 single-coil in the middle — running through a 5-way blade switch that selects pickups in intuitive groupings, a push/pull tone control that brings all three pickups on simultaneously when engaged, and dual EQ mini-toggle switches that function as tuned high-pass filters, removing low-end shelf and opening up the high frequencies for clarity and musical highs. The tonal range this unlocks is genuinely vast. This guitar totally shreds, and it does it across more sonic territory than almost anything else in the PRS Core lineup.
The Aurora Borealis finish carries a note worth reading carefully: the blue tones in the finish have shifted from the original color due to UV exposure, a known and documented characteristic of certain PRS nitrocellulose finishes. This is not damage, not a refinish, and not a defect — it is a natural consequence of the finish chemistry, well understood in the PRS community, and we are calling it out plainly because that is how we do things. The guitar is otherwise Mint. No play wear, no marks, nothing to report beyond the color shift. Comes with the original hardshell case.
- Make: PRS (Paul Reed Smith)
- Model: Core Modern Eagle V
- Country of origin: USA
- Body construction: Solidbody
- Top: Maple, violin carve
- Back: Mahogany
- Finish: High gloss nitrocellulose, Aurora Borealis (UV color shift in blue tones — see description)
- Neck: Mahogany, one-piece, set neck
- Neck shape: Pattern
- Neck depth at 1st fret: 7/8"
- Neck depth at 12th fret: 61/64"
- Neck width at nut: 1 11/16"
- Neck width at body: 2 1/4"
- Fingerboard: Rosewood, 10" radius
- Fingerboard inlays: PRS Birds
- Headstock logo: Signature, inlaid
- Scale length: 25"
- Nut: Bone
- Frets: 22
- Treble pickup: PRS TCI humbucker
- Middle pickup: PRS NS-01 single-coil
- Bass pickup: PRS TCI humbucker
- Controls: Volume, push/pull tone, 5-way blade pickup switch, two EQ mini-toggle switches
- Bridge: PRS Patented Gen III tremolo
- Tuners: PRS Phase III locking with wing buttons
- Hardware: Nickel
- Truss rod: PRS double-acting
- Truss rod cover: Modern Eagle V
- Strings: PRS Signature 10-46
- Weight: 8 lbs 5 oz
- Modifications: None
- Includes: Original hardshell case
Ships carefully packed and insured for full value.
International buyers are welcome — please contact us for a shipping quote before purchasing.
About Mill River Music
Mill River Music is an independent, human-powered music shop located in downtown Northampton, MA, run by a team of players, enthusiasts, and certified repair technicians. Every piece of used gear we sell is personally inspected, tested, and set up before it ships — we don't list it until we'd be happy to play it ourselves.
As Martin and Taylor certified techs, we hold our guitar work to a high standard, and we're committed to full transparency about the condition of everything we sell. No surprises.
When you buy from Mill River, you're supporting an independent local business that genuinely cares — about gear, about players, and about doing things right. We're here every step of the way. Reach out anytime.
