I regret not having tried a Custom 24 sooner...
Well, it's been a couple weeks and IMO this is the best lead guitar tone I've ever had. I realized this today as I was using the neck pickup on my clean channel... the shape/sound/feel of the midrange and sustain was such that I could've sworn I was using an overdrive, except it was clean. It's perfect.
Before I owned one I always thought the main problem with the Custom 24 was that the neck pickup was in the wrong spot. I wanted a Custom 22 instead, but now I realize the Custom 24 neck is actually in the right spot. Rather than the bass heavy scooped sound I'm used to in a neck it's very mid heavy and clear. I wish I would've realized this sooner.
This actually brings up another point I've noticed. Before PRS I never used a clean tone. Since making the switch from Gibson to PRS I've started spending more time playing clean and with relatively mild levels of overdrive. I just really dig the sounds of these guitars and there's times where I just don't want to cover them up in distortion (although I do still like distortion).
Which segues nicely into the pickups. PRS seems to have found a good balance in these pickups. Low output, but not super bright. I personally hear '70s hard rock when using the 85/15s. In the past I've had issues using vintage output pickups for heavier styles (aka, thrash) because the bottom is typically too mushy and the top too bright. With this Custom 24 I'm able to pound out notes as fast as I can play them with no loss in definition/articulation and no need for an overdrive. People that've read some of my other threads might remember that I've been on the hunt for a high output fire breather... now I'm not so sure that I need one.
I tend to judge a guitar based on what it can do and how much it inspires me. It's why I use channel switching amps... I don't want to have my hands tied by the limitations of a piece of gear. This is why I love my McCarty. I never feel like it's holding me back; between it's pickups and switching options it goes places my other guitars never went and it replaced a few guitars in the process. This Custom 24 is doing the same thing, with it's own voice, and is enabling me to go places I haven't gone before.
My McCarty inspires me a lot. I've had it for a year and a half and it still inspires me. I revamped my approach to playing and became a better player because of that guitar. This Custom 24 is doing the same. I'm doing stuff now that I wasn't doing two weeks ago and it's a near daily progression as I learn the ins and outs of this guitar.
There's only been a handful of times where I knew I'd just found a new #1 guitar. Honeymoons are short with me as I sour on things quickly. Every time I pick this guitar up I'm more excited than the last time I picked it up. I got this feeling when I bought my first Les Paul, I got it again when I bought my R9, I got it again when I bought my McCarty, now I'm getting it again with this Custom 24.
I love this guitar.
