Difference Custom 24-08 and 408?

[AlexBohlin]

So the 24-08 has two humbuckers, much like the 408. Only difference I can see is that the 408's treble pickup is a bit wider, but is it any different in terms of sound?

And then you got the coil tap switches for both guitars, giving you the single coil-type sound.

So what's the difference between the two? Is one "better" than the other? Which one do you prefer?

Thank you for any input!

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

They are 2 different animals. 24-08 has traditional humbuckers that can be individually tapped. The 408 has a narrow neck pickup and wide treble which are voiced much different than the 85/15’s in the 24-08.

 

[SundanceSanDiego]

408 fan here, another difference is the 408 is 22 frets, 24-08 is 24.

 

[AlexBohlin]

They are 2 different animals. 24-08 has traditional humbuckers that can be individually tapped. The 408 has a narrow neck pickup and wide treble which are voiced much different than the 85/15’s in the 24-08.

I'm still sort of new to the mechanics of tapping, but can't both humbuckers in the 408 be individually tapped, as well?

And also, thank you!

 

[Going Modal]

I'm still sort of new to the mechanics of tapping, but can't both humbuckers in the 408 be individually tapped, as well?

And also, thank you!

Yes, the functionality (all the switching positions & options) are the same between the 408 and the 24-08 (hence that "08" in the name--meaning, 8 distinct sound options total, same combinations of single/hum, etc.).

But--as others have said--the 408 vs. 24-08 still do differ somewhat:

• I don't know specifically which neck carves have been used on the 24-08, but the 408 had the "Pattern" neck.
• Paul's custom narrow & wide pickups in the 408 are much more vintage-toned in my opinion vs. the more modern-sounding 85/15 pickups in the 24-08. (To me, the 408 pickups are much closer to a 59/09 type pickup.) So the stock pickups in these two guitars differ quite a bit, despite having similar switching options.
• 22-frets (408) vs. 24-frets (24-08) - The neck-pickup in the 24-08 is located in a different spot along the string's vibrational path (this is true in all Custom 24-style guitars) so it's going to be a touch cleaner/brighter just due to the part of the string that it's under.
• BODY THICKNESS - The 408 is a McCarty-thickness body (what is it, maybe 1/16" or 1/8" thicker than the "Custom" body?); the 24-08 is regular/standard PRS "custom" thickness. This tends to make the 408 just a touch more hefty (they're not "heavy" guitars by any means) and a bit more vintage-inspired, as well.

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

I'm still sort of new to the mechanics of tapping, but can't both humbuckers in the 408 be individually tapped, as well?

And also, thank you!

youre welcome. I believe it was explained really well in the post above. I think I was just mentioning that the pickups themselves in the 24-08 are traditional humbuckers that are also found in standard Custom 24’s. The 408 pickups are a total different design and voicing, which can also be individually tapped.

 

[AlexBohlin]

Yes, the functionality (all the switching positions & options) are the same between the 408 and the 24-08 (hence that "08" in the name--meaning, 8 distinct sound options total, same combinations of single/hum, etc.).

But--as others have said--the 408 vs. 24-08 still do differ somewhat:

• I don't know specifically which neck carves have been used on the 24-08, but the 408 had the "Pattern" neck.
• Paul's custom narrow & wide pickups in the 408 are much more vintage-toned in my opinion vs. the more modern-sounding 85/15 pickups in the 24-08. (To me, the 408 pickups are much closer to a 59/09 type pickup.) So the stock pickups in these two guitars differ quite a bit, despite having similar switching options.
• 22-frets (408) vs. 24-frets (24-08) - The neck-pickup in the 24-08 is located in a different spot along the string's vibrational path (this is true in all Custom 24-style guitars) so it's going to be a touch cleaner/brighter just due to the part of the string that it's under.
• BODY THICKNESS - The 408 is a McCarty-thickness body (what is it, maybe 1/16" or 1/8" thicker than the "Custom" body?); the 24-08 is regular/standard PRS "custom" thickness. This tends to make the 408 just a touch more hefty (they're not "heavy" guitars by any means) and a bit more vintage-inspired, as well.

Thank you a ton for that, this really cleared things up for me! The modern tone of the 24-08 definitely pleases my ears more than the vintage sound of the 408! Haven't looked too much at the 24-08 aside from the SE's, but this sounds like a real gem!

Thank you!

 

[AlexBohlin]

youre welcome. I believe it was explained really well in the post above. I think I was just mentioning that the pickups themselves in the 24-08 are traditional humbuckers that are also found in standard Custom 24’s. The 408 pickups are a total different design and voicing, which can also be individually tapped.

Thank you for helping me understand! I listened to some demos and found I liked the traditional humbuckers better!

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

Thank you for helping me understand! I listened to some demos and found I liked the traditional humbuckers better!

Thats a good idea. Also, if you can, go try both out. Some people don’t like 24 frets vs 22 frets (I don’t really mind and switch between the 2 constantly). My good buddy LOVES the 408 style pickups. I like them, but I’m not I love with them. Your ears will give you a good feel for them in person as well.

 

[grausch]

Not sure about the 24-08, but the 408 pickups also have very little volume drop when splitting. There is something else going on with the wiring on the pickups and splits, with the best explanation being I found being here - https://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/the-408-system.31238/