PRS Custom 24 owners? What are your thoughts?

AJT

AJT

2017 PRS Custom 24 SE Cherry Sunburst
Joined
Aug 8, 2017
Messages
4
Location
Texas
Hello all! Just discovered this forum and am looking for like minded owners of the PRS Custom 24. I just picked one up and am loving it so far!

I am a Fender guy. I have 2 American Strats but I have been very impressed with this SE model. Korean made and really good quality for the money!

I watched tons of reviews on You Tube as well as playing everything from Gibson high end Les Pauls to Fender American made products and ultimately pulled the trigger on this one. I just loved the way it played and felt!

Any thoughts?
 
When I got a Custom 24 (which was only a week or two ago) I started playing different and doing things that I haven't done before.

I avoided them for a long time due to a number of prejudices I had against that specific model that I won't get into right now, and now that I have one I regret that it took me so long to try one.
 
I have two Custom 24s, one is a '95 with a regular neck and the other is an '06 with a W/T. both play very smooth. no complaints. the '95 has stock pickups and switching and sounds awesome that way. The '06 had the HFS/VB combo and was "okay" but IMO played better than it sounded. it had kind of a compressed sound that wasnt really my cup of tea. It still knocked my socks off compared to any other guitar i had at the time. I changed the pickups to a set of P-rails and it was much better. I have been thinking recently that it needs something with a more "vintage" character but we'll see. :)
 
Atomic said:
I have two Custom 24s, one is a '95 with a regular neck and the other is an '06 with a W/T. both play very smooth. no complaints. the '95 has stock pickups and switching and sounds awesome that way. The '06 had the HFS/VB combo and was "okay" but IMO played better than it sounded. it had kind of a compressed sound that wasnt really my cup of tea. It still knocked my socks off compared to any other guitar i had at the time. I changed the pickups to a set of P-rails and it was much better. I have been thinking recently that it needs something with a more "vintage" character but we'll see. :)
Click to expand...
I happen to like the HFS/Vintage set, but I bought a used Cu24 that had after market pups in it that were disappointing, so I dropped 59/09's in and the difference is huge. In a custom they are vintage but aggressive (kind of like the name suggests). You might consider it!
 
AP515 said:
I happen to like the HFS/Vintage set, but I bought a used Cu24 that had after market pups in it that were disappointing, so I dropped 59/09's in and the difference is huge. In a custom they are vintage but aggressive (kind of like the name suggests). You might consider it!
Click to expand...
yeah I've been thinking about those. I know this is blasphemy, but I was even thinking of getting a set of burstbuckers and tapping them. I'm all about experimenting.
 
I have a wide variety of guitars, including 3 Les Pauls, a Strat, a Limited EditionTele, two Ernie Ball Music Man guitars, and others. In total, I have 14 guitars.

My PRS is a Custom 24 Artist Package, and it was featured on Wild West Guitars. My understanding was that this particular guitar was a favorite of our local PRS rep, and he was driving it around from store to store, showing it off. The manager of my guitar store said he wanted to buy it, so the rep left it there. Then, my sales guy said there was "something in the back" worth checking out. I saw it, played it, and ended up buying it.

I am with the other person who noted that they seemed to play differently with this particular guitar. I don't know if it's the thin flame maple neck, the fret board, the action, the balance, or what it might be. It has a premium feel to it that is difficult to describe. The fret board feels more accessible, and there's an overall "easiness" in playing it.

Since acquiring this one, I've gotten an appreciation for flame maple necks, and I look for that in other guitars. I also look for potential re-sale value. Every person I've met has said that they want a heads-up if I'm ever selling this. I can't foresee that happening.

I do like every guitar that I have. Unlike the others, this PRS has not yet lost its magic, and still feels new whenever I pick it up.

I'm exploring other PRS offerings. Who knows which one will inspire next.

I think that if the PRS Custom 24 is your first guitar, then you're going to have a difficult time being impressed by other guitars. I don't think I would say that it would be a one-size-fits-all proposition that could replace every other guitar that I have. But I do think that my collection would only be half its size, had I gotten this PRS sooner.
 
Atomic said:
yeah I've been thinking about those. I know this is blasphemy, but I was even thinking of getting a set of burstbuckers and tapping them. I'm all about experimenting.
Click to expand...
I like Burstuckers. Put them in a SESC once. I don't think I'd try to make the splits myself no matter how much I like experimenting. That wire it pretty thin!

Aren't the 2016 and 2017 versions 4 wire? The LP's have push/pulls.
 
I think they are fantastic. Mine has the 57/08s and I find it to be the perfect blend of clear vintage tones and more modern sounds.
 
It took me 20 years to buy one. First tried one around 1995, didn't love it or get it. Pickups were too edgy/hot, just wasn't the sound my heart desires. Fast forward to 2015 and the 30th Anniversary model and the 85/15s are THE pickups for this guitar - so picked up a Wood Library model that had a formula that I dug, and it's the CU24 I wished they made 2 decades earlier. Can't recommend them highly enough - as long as they are 2015 or newer. ;)
 
It's great getting all this feedback...Yes, I'm getting acclimated to my PRS Custom and so far love it a lot! It's just beautiful to look at for one thing. A cherry sunburst flamed maple top, it just looks great! Lighter than a Les Paul it sounds great!
 
I'd also like to add that while some of the other models focus on one thing or another the Custom 24 with the right pickups, much like a good 408 can convincingly cover a huge range of tones. The 5708's are some of the best they've ever made and the newer 85/15s are good too.
 
The SE custom 24 with a good set up to match your playing style is fantastic. Insanely Versatile. I highly recommend the custom 24 SE for playing style and if you want to put some elbow grease into it, changing pickups to usa and electronics, you can have a solid ass guitar for under 1,000$. The USA custom 24, well mine will be ready in around 2 weeks with all my mods and specs. Its heavier, its a very complex guitar as far as tone goes. I haven't gotten it back from the shop so I don't know for sure but from what I played on it so far with original HSF pickups and set up, she's very elegant. In every way. I highly recommend the SE 24's though. Personally I don't like the 22's at all. Its not my cup of tea. I've been in love with the 24's for a long time. Tone and Playability. its very natural to me.
 
DarkTerrace said:
Personally I don't like the 22's at all. Its not my cup of tea. I've been in love with the 24's for a long time.
Click to expand...
What do you find so different on the 22? I respect your opinion, so my question is solely pointed at what attracts you only to the 24s.
 
I have 3: A 2015 30th anni CU24, a CU24 piezo and a SE standard 24. You might say I like them......
My buddy has an older CU24 with the HFS/VB combo, and although I like it, those pickups are a little hot for my taste.
I also love my 594 and P22, so maybe it's just PRS in general that I love. I've got a bunch of other guitars, but there are only a couple non-PRS that I still play with any regularity.
Good luck sticking with just one.....
 
I’ve go a 57 RI Fender Strat, A Gibson 56 RI Les Paul, a 6120AM Gretsch and a PRS Custom 24 SE being delivered today. I’m really looking forward to plugging this baby in and seeing what she can do.......
 
Thoughts?

Was a LP guy then pointy guitars. Then played a CU 24.

Sold all other guitars.

I have bought or played everything at the highest levels PRS makes and can afford anything. My choice CU24


playability, tone, ease of upper fret access, reliability, trem.....................
 
Ah, a necropost. But I'll pitch in just the same.

The custom 24 is easily one of my favorite guitars overall. I prefer mine with wide-thin (pattern-thin) necks, and I usually swap mine out with various Bare Knuckle pickups. That's not as a demerit for the various stock PRS pickups, as I've used the HFS, 250, and Dragon in the past and liked them, but that's more of a tweak to suit my personal tastes. I've tried various guitars over the years, but PRS is practically my gold standard at this point. Regardless of whether I'm dabbling with my own material, or filling in for some jazz gigs in the past, I find that the custom 24 is able to hold its own very well with just about anything I throw at it.


ie:


 
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