22 vs 24 Fret design - Personal PRS Journey

nicotele

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Hi!

I've had many different PRS models in the past.

It all started with a semi hollow 594 core. The guitar was perfectly built, as all the US PRS I've had afterwards, and even though the guitar was great never fell in love with it. Sounded great, played very nice, looked awesome, I think maybe because I wanted it to be more an LP, I don't know but something I notice on that guitar was that one the upper frets I felt like I had little space or something. Thought maybe it was the scale.

Later I decided to try with an SE Paul's Guitar, cos had like all the specs from the regular mccarty, but wasnt sure at the moment going for another core. This guitar I liked it a lot. The tone was too modern for my taste but the guitar was very solid, and wanted to try a 25 scale length prs.

I then got a 1999 Mcsoapy. Such a great guitar, I think is the best Core I've had. Had vibe, played great, sounded great.

Then I got a DGT Core, which was very used, was good, loved the tone of the bridge pickup, but overall liked better the playability of the mccarty. This DGT was also perfect built, but the mccarty felt for some reason better as a guitar. I had to move on guitars sold the DGT got the SE DGT, and was very happy with that one.

And with the DGT SE I was happy, I ve sold all previous PRS's, except the Pauls guitar at the time. (had to), but in a way I think I noticed it before, but now I figured out what was my thing with all these prs guitars. But never happened with the Silver Sky (either the core or SE versions). And that was that it felt kind of weird to me going into the upper frets. Like when playing on th 19th and above felt my hand some licks that I had to bend it a bit more that makes it uncomfortable, where in none of my other guitars this happens to me in the same positions.

I finally figured what was my issue with the 22 frets prs (not Silver sky) guitars, is a design thing that instead of cutting the 2 extra frets, what prs does is that they positioned the 22nd fret in the same place the 24th fret is on the custom 24. The neck humbucker is in the same position and bridge is move backards on the 22 frets models a bit to compensate and maintain the same scale length.

I then have checked different guitars, including a les paul, and all of them have the frets alligned in the same place (except SG that the fretboard is shufted to the left), which is comfortable to me, but these prs are shifted to the right, and this detail is what bugged me with all of them unfortunately. And now that I figued it out, I just couldnt enjoy much playing them anymore. I tried to play them again after some time and check, but yeah, it doesnt work for me for some reason. Gives me a feeling that the guitar is smaller, and it is kind of uncomforrtable on the upper frets. The 594 was not because of the scale length, but being a bit shorter probable enhanced this.

Then I wanted to try the 24 fret prs. I never owned one, and tried it only once many years ago so actually had no experience with this model, and always thought wouldnt like much the wide thin profile.

I tired in a store the Standard 24-08 SE, and damn. I was enjoying it so much! Everything there felt into the right place for me. The guitar felt bigger, and the playing in the upper frets was at home, didnt feel weird at all.

I went ahead and got an SE standard 24, and is very solid and had the same experience as the one I played in the store, was fun to play and comfortable in every way. And the Neck profile was good. I prefer the wide fat, but this one works perfectly as well.

Just recently I went ahead and got a 2002 CE24 with 59/09, and holy damn, the SE is good, but this CE there are things that reminds me of the mccarty, and its just perfect for me. Love how it plays, looks, is just so comfortable, the frets are all in the right place.

I avoided the CU24 because I thought wouldnt be my ideal PRS, and ended up being my ideal prs lol. Although If I could choose I would get a fatback 24 fret prs with DGT or 57/08 pickups, fixed bridge and dgt layout and pattern or pattern vintage neck.

But this CE24 is amazing, and just have it for few days, still honeymoon period, but really seems it can become my number 1, or on par with my current number 1.

At the moment, I dont care for any of the other guitars and just want to play the PRS.

After all this story, have you noticed this difference between both models? Is this a deal breaker for your? Any personal experience would be nice to know.

EDIT: Just wanted to add an observation. My preference on the 24 frets prs is not for the number of frets. Most my guitars are 22 frets and my tele is 21 frets and I enjoy them all, and all are comfortable for me.
My issue is the spatial place where the 22 frets prs sits, that is shifted to the right. For example an SG is very noticable shifted to the left, and many people dont like SG's because of that.
Ibanez for example in their Ibanez AZ with 22 frets vs 24 frets, the spatial place where the 22 fret is, is the same as both guitars, the 24 frets just adds to frets below, but the rest remains constant. PRS is different, to make the 22 fret one, is like the cut the last 2 frets on the neck, and move the neck down, so the 22 fret position on the 22 fret prs is in the same place as the 24 fret position of the 24 frets prs. (this doesn not apply on the silver sky for example).
 
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I definitely notice a difference between the 22 and 24 fret PRS guitars. My first two PRS guitars were a Custom 22 and a Custom 22. I still have both. I used to take them to gigs together. My Custom 24 has a tremolo bridge and my Custom 22 has the stop tail. It is very similar to the McCarty of that time, 2006. I much prefer the 22 fret PRS guitars. I always have a few moments of adjustment when picking up the Custom 24. I found that if I shifted the guitar a little to my right when I put it on that helped a good bit. I haven't had the CU24 out for quite a while. I should pull it back out and play is a bit. I only have three 24 fret guitars. I played nothing but 24 fret guitars years ago. I have been on 22 fret guitars for quite a while now. They just feel better to me. I also like the sound of the neck pickup better on a 22 fret guitar.
 
I prefer 22 frets OP...but thankfully they have both to choose! The old standard 22s ate my favorite guitars of all time...I like the balance of the 22 fretters and I'm comfortable with 22 frets as that's the ftets that I learned on 35 years ago...glad you found your way though and HGDs ahead ...
 
Yep the playing position on a 22 fret PRS is more "compact" than the CU24 ( or CE24 )
For me since I have mostly 22 fret guitars the 24 feels different for a minute but mostly for rhythm playing just a longer reach to open chords
Glad you found a guitar for you !!!
 
22 fret PRS still look weird to me.
...said the man who glued Louis Vuitton vinyl-coated fabric onto the top of a PRS.

"Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course."

"Nothing wrong with it at all."

"You might say it was a little...unusual. I think there may have been a Gucci fabric glued to the top of a different one."

"I've done weirder things."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."
 
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Being a musician who is playing in orchestras/opera pits etc. often Contemporary Music, i use my S2 24-08, because the composers often want 2 full octaves. Meanwhile i got very used to it and the PRS is a good example for easy access of high notes. My PRS Se Hollowbody II Piezo has only 22 frets, but that doesn‘t bother me , because my exquisit classic guitar even has only 19 frets (20 on high e), but all Guitars a very comfortable to play in the high positions.
I think it is a question of how a guitar is built in total. The feel/shape of the neck, the size and shape/thickness of the body , the shape of neck/body joint etc. If that is okay for your body, your fingers, than you‘re good to, no matter how many frets you have to „conquer“.
 
I’m an unabashed fan of anything with frets on it. It takes me about 3 minutes to accommodate to the body style and number of frets. It’s usually a question of small strap adjustments. If my hands are bothering me, then a particular guitar may feel better.
 
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I went through a similar journey as the OP.

Played a 24 fret Ibanez from late teens to mid-30s and just completely bonded with that fret layout. When I bought my first PRS, it was a Custom 24 signature. Didn't like the pickups and the thought of swapping them from the signature sort of defeated the purpose of that particular model. So traded that in for Custom 24 with 59/09s and was in heaven.

Picked up a P22 when they first released and struggled switching between them. Made the foolish decision to sell the 24 and replace it with a Custom 22. Never could bond with either of the 22's and regretted not selling the P22 and waiting for the eventual P24. I eventually sold them and just noodled around on a 24 fret Parker I had picked up for cost when they shut down.

Now I have a Custom 24 Piezo, and an SE CE24 Std Satin that I've modded to perfection (for me). There are many 22 fret PRS that are interesting, but I'll never buy one. Still trying to decide and budget for either a Santana or Custom 24-08 to add, but I'm too satisfied with what I have that I can't really justify adding another.

The only 22 fret I still have, is an SE HBII Piezo. I play that a bit, and sort of approach it as I would an acoustic, so I'm able to get over that misaligned fret feeling.
 
I have two CU24's (one core, one PS) and a 594 HBII (22 frets). I play the HBII 95% of the time because of it's weight (5.6lbs vs 7.2 and 7.6), but I love the way the CU24s feel for fret hand and arm position. Gives me a little more space away from my body, especially when I get near and above the 12th fret. They are all incredible, but the lighter weight wins for me most of the time ;~))
 
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