Dragon II's (Custom 22) vs TCI Custom 24-08 (2024/25)

[Vonbleak]

Hi guys,

So i am the proud owner of a 2006 CU22 with Dragon II's and i love it of course... Now i am thinking about getting my second PRS and im intrigued by the new Custom 24-08's with TCI pickups... I am not rich so i need to be careful with whatever i buy, so i have a few questions to those who might be familiar with these 2 pickups/guitars...

Basically i am wondering 2 things - I have heard the new TCI pickups in the new CU24's sound more like P-90's and are quite different from the Dragon II's - Is this true...? And in general how unique or different do these new TCI pickups sound in reality... As there is no point in spending so much money if the actual tone difference is only small...?

Thanks for any info and insight...

V

 

[Stephen J.]

It will sound different. Whether or not it is different enough to justify the cost is another matter. I would say yes, but that doesn’t mean you will be happy with the second guitar. Hopefully you will be able to find a way to try one out before buying.

 

[gush]

I'm going to assume 8515 TCI in the cu24?

I would never compare them to P90s. That TCI neck is incredible. The bridge pickup is an odd duck to me.

Had an 8515 set in my McCarty back when I was using more gain. Instant love affair with neck PU. Instant hate affair with Bridge PU.

Now I have 5815LT set in my McCarty but using much less gain.


Still love that neck and bridge is ok. It has a push to single notes that I love but rhythm work on bridge isn't there for me.

I'm back to trying different bridge PUs in it now.

 

[Stephen J.]

I was assuming we were talking about the Custom 24-08 with the same pickups as the Paul’s Guitar.

 

[Vonbleak]

I was assuming we were talking about the Custom 24-08 with the same pickups as the Paul’s Guitar.

Yep... I am

Basically i heard the newer 24-08's with the TCI pickups (slightly smaller than normal humbuckers) sound a bit closer to P-90's than regular humbuckers... And im hoping this is true...

I've been looking at the Gibson 50's Gold Top with P-90's as PRS does not have any core guitars with P-90's... However if these new 24-08's sound close then i might be interested in getting one over the Gibson...

 

[Stephen J.]

I don’t have much experience with P90s, but I do have three guitars with the TCI/Narrow 408 pickups. I like them. If you want a PRS with P90s, there are some used ones around.

Dave’s Guitars

 

[Vonbleak]

I don’t have much experience with P90s, but I do have three guitars with the TCI/Narrow 408 pickups. I like them. If you want a PRS with P90s, there are some used ones around.

Dave’s Guitars

Yeah every now and then i look around for a Mcarty Gold Top with P-90's but i live in Australia and they are pretty rare here... Plus if i could i would rather buy a new guitar over a used one... Also i think the spacing of the pickups/bridge on a 24 fret would be slightly different to a 22 fret meaning the tone would also be more different with a CU24 over the McArty as they are pretty similar to my CU22 (apart from having P-90's of course)