Arhhhhhhh decision! Please help!

[Raymond]

I have been looking to buy a solid body guitar the past 2 weeks, this week I tried a few Gibson les Paul, had my mind set on it but after trying a few, my heart was not in it so I didn't get any. In fact, I didn't bond with the shape or the feel of the guitar at all.

i had been looking at PRS but knowing anything under £1000 are all Korean made (I want a US made), are way over my budget, even the S2 are not true US made as I understand it. I have to go all the way to the custom 22/24 to get a real US made copy.

i am in the UK so full fat PRS custom 22/24 are 25% more expensive than the states, even secondhand CE22 goes for around £1000 on eBay. Because it was outside my budget I forgot about it and started looking elsewhere.

However I have a chance to get a Custom 24 for £1250 but have no chance to see it in person before I buy. I could return it at my expense if I don't like it within 7 days (it's the law here). I guess I could order and call up and ask them to hold it for me to check before taking it away.

so would you chance it?

 

[ElrytNamrogo]

Any more info on the Custom 24??? Year, condition, that sort of thing. Also, what kind of music do you look to create?

In the end, I feel, it will all come down to your personal relationship with that guitar...how it feels, plays, and responds to how you play it. However, I am more than sure you can get some excellent feedback and helpful information about the properties of said guitar through this forum.

That being said, I always say you can't go wrong with a PRS.

 

[vox801]

i have a custom 24... i love it... but it does not sound like a les paul, beter build quality, better playability...yes, but... if you're looking for a les paul sound... no

 

[Raymond]

Actually, I prefer more a strat sound.

the custom 24 is listed as new. 2011 model.



Custom 24 Model Specs
Body
Top Wood Carved Figured Maple
Back Wood Mahogany
Finish V12
Neck
Number of Frets 24
Scale Length 25"
Neck Wood Mahogany
Fretboard Wood Rosewood
Neck Shape Pattern Regular
Fretboard Inlays Birds
Hardware/Electronics
Bridge PRS Tremolo
Tuners PRS Phase III Locking Tuners
Truss Rod Cover "Custom"
Hardware Type Nickel
Treble Pickup Uncovered 59/09 Treble
Bass Pickup Uncovered 59/09 Bass
Pickup Switching Volume and Tone Control with Redesigned 5-Way Blade Switch
Option
Top Option 10-Top Flame
Pickup Switching Positions:
Position One: Bridge humbucker
Position Two: Bridge humbucker with neck singlecoil, in parallel
Position Three: Bridge and neck humbuckers
Position Four: Neck singlecoil with bridge singlecoil, in parallel
Position Five: Neck humbucker
Colour: Black Gold
New/2nd hand: New
Incl. extras: Inc. Case

 

[vox801]

you can get a semblance of a strat sound with the custom 24.... again, plays better, quality is much higher, but not a dead on strat sound either. if you can find a DC3, that will give you an almost vintage strat sound. i've had both les pauls and strats, but nothing feels as good as a PRS. and i like their "sound"

 

[vox801]

specs sound good

 

[ElrytNamrogo]

Well, if it's new, it probably has the five-way blade switch design - like a Strat. You can get sounds close to a strat but not quite there. A generally good description of the Custom 24 is usually somewhere between a Strat and a Les Paul, although I feel like comparing a PRS to other guitars is a little futile...they really are their own animal.

The playability, in my opinion, is superior to a Strat, especially having the 24 frets. With the five-way blade switch you will be able to get both humbucker and single-coil tones, just not true single coil like that of a Strat. I believe one position even pairs a single coil neck with a humbucker bridge. Really, they are fantastic selections.

It may be very benefitial if you can find a local dealer with a later model Custom 24. That way you could play around with the switching to see what kinds of tones you can pull out of the guitar. I will say this, PRS guitars - especially the Custom 24 - are very responsive guitars. Adjusting the tone and volume knobs on the guitar can change the character of the sound quite a bit. When you pair that with the five-way selector, you really get a lot of tonal range.

 

[László]

The question is, do you go dweedly-dweedly, or meedly-meedly?

Makes a huge difference in which model to get.

Incidentally, the S2 are US made, in the factory. Some of the non-wood parts are from elsewhere.

 

[Raymond]

More dweedly dweedly.

 

[beas]

My sense is that, if you do not buy that guitar, someone on this forum would be happy to grab it at that price...particularLy a black gold wrap 10-top.

 

[Egads]

That's an amazing price, if all is legit.

Also, as Les pointed out, S2s are US made! right along side the Core line. Some parts may be imported, but the build and finish aren't. I've played a couple and am very impressed.

 

[Raymond]

This is the ad, i am this close to pressing Order. Someone nudge me over the edge.

 

[DHW]

Actually, I prefer more a strat sound.

A strat has a very specific style of single coil pickup that voices them quite uniquely. While splitting a humbucker can get you in that neighborhood I would say if you want that quacky sounds to be your primary sound you will not want to buy a humbucker guitar. Now, if you come around and see the light of day and realize that humbuckers are far superior then I can guarantee you that even though the SE line is made in Korea it will outplay an entry level LP. The last sub $2000 LP I picked up nearly required stitches from the sharp fret ends and would have required hundreds and hundreds of dollars of work to get it to anything that resembled being right.

 

[vox801]

nudge

 

[vox801]

it really has a sound of it's own.... but it's a very good sound

 

[Egads]

That's a beauty. If all is well, do it! You could probably recoup costs on the used market if you don't bond with it after the 7 days.

 

[Raymond]

My other guitar is a Taylor T5 Standard, it itself is a versatile beast, can do bluesy, to jazz and a little bit of rock, though not too much. The best part is it can do real acoustic tones.

I just want a solid body electric to fill the void, i went to try out a few LP this week, with only my T5 to compare, the Gibsons were a big disappointment.

The binding was "bumpy", it did not sit flush with the neck of the guitar at the curve, it does not sit flush to the body at the bottom. I can feel some glue residual a the fretboard (when they put down the inlay, then they normally sand it off). The fret edges on the studio were not totally flushed to the edges. My Mexican made Taylor GS Mini has a better fretboard.

Over all, the LP was a disappointment, these were not entry levels, I was looking at the Studio, Signature T and the Custom Classics II. the latter being a £1300($2000) Guitar.

 

[vox801]

well if you're buying strictly on build quality.... you won't be dissapointed.

 

[Raymond]

well if you're buying strictly on build quality.... you won't be dissapointed.

Not only on build quality, but i'd say it's a big part of a purchase of this magnitude.

If i am just after a sound then I would get a Mexican made Strat and a Epi LP for half the price of the PRS. When the guitar is £1300, it really should be pristine. In my opinion.

 

[vox801]

i couldn't imagine a "new" PRS not being pristine.