Got my s2 Standard 24 Satin today, and it's awesome!

Ahhhhhh, the S2 Standard….. All Hog…….. lovely..

I have owned and let-go quite a few PRS. WONDERFUL instruments. I consider that to be very fortunate, although I have not owned Core or PS goods, I am still very fortunate.

I will say, my S2 Standard, “ Black Betty” certainly isn’t a flamer..
No quilt here…
Satin finish is fragile..

With a massage here and there, a set of Seymore Duncan’s “ Pearly Gates “ , she isn’t going any anytime soon. Great guitars..Definitely my “ grip and rip”


I just can’t see where anyone can go wrong with one of these…Hell of a guitar..
 
sergiodeblanc said:
Call John. Preferably on a rotary phone, and he’ll find you one.
Click to expand...

The NOS 2000 was called the NOS 2000 for a reason. All of the NOS 2000 trems were made using castings from when John was making the Gen I trem for PRS. There are no more blanks with which to machine bridges. John has been searching for a foundry that will cast to his standards.

I purchased a MannMade 2040. It is like a nicer Gen II trem. It is one of the best hardware upgrades I have made to a guitar. The imported trem leaves a lot to be desired. The difference between a fully machined trem and a molded trem is like the difference between night and day. Another tidbit is that the 2040 is machined from yellow brass billets whereas the NOS 2000 is machined from a red brass casting. The NOS 2000 is darker tonally than the 2040.

Here's the 2040 installed on my 2019 CE24:

KrSKDpf.jpg
 
Em7 said:
The NOS 2000 was called the NOS 2000 for a reason. All of the NOS 2000 trems were made using castings from when John was making the Gen I trem for PRS. There are no more blanks with which to machine bridges. John has been searching for a foundry that will cast to his standards.

I purchased a MannMade 2040. It is like a nicer Gen II trem. It is one of the best hardware upgrades I have made to a guitar. The imported trem leaves a lot to be desired. The difference between a fully machined trem and a molded trem is like the difference between night and day. Another tidbit is that the 2040 is machined from yellow brass billets whereas the NOS 2000 is machined from a red brass casting. The NOS 2000 is darker tonally than the 2040.

Here's the 2040 installed on my 2019 CE24:

KrSKDpf.jpg
Click to expand...
Oof! You mean they’re all gone?!?!
 
sergiodeblanc said:
Oof! You mean they’re all gone?!?!
Click to expand...
Yes, well, at least until John finds a foundry to cast new blanks, which may be never. I personally think that the 2040 sounds better than the NOS 2000. The NOS 2000's draw is that it is the original PRS trem design. I am certain that John ceasing production of the Gen I trem had something to do with the creation of the Gen II trem (however, it could have been something different), but I am pretty sure that Paul could have found a new manufacturer for the old Gen I cast one-piece trem design. However, we are now at the third generation of the PRS trem and both the Gen II and Gen III trems are two-piece fully machined trems. I personally do not care for the tone of the one-piece trem. Red brass is not as musical as yellow brass due to being softer than yellow brass. That is why brass instruments are primarily made out of yellow brass. The red brass Gen I trem is a little to dark for my tastes. Paul does not change anything without a reason.
 
GET TO DA CHOPPA said:
Why did you upgrade the trem? Just curious. Was there issues? I am having no tuning issues, or intonation or anything. AS far as pickups, I was thinking of 57/08’s originally but the 58/15s that it came with sound so good already to me. No need.
Click to expand...

Sorry for the extremely late reply...

The tone of mine had a pretty sharp nose in the upper midrange, but important to note that it was an early (2015) model and had the #7 S pickups. Would've been great for, say, a country player, but for me it was too much. I changed the trem to the NOS2000 and the bridge pickup to a covered 59/09 in an attempt to thicken up the low mid a little bit, and it worked like a charm. Unfortunately I wasn't very scientific about it, did both mods at the same time, so I can't say what had the bigger effect. The #7 bridge pickup definitely has that sharp upper mid peak, I have an S2 Semi Hollow 22 that also came with the #7's, but. wouldn't ya know, I like the bridge pickup in that one but the neck was a little muddy. On the Satin, kept the stock #7 neck, because it sounds great, very articulate in that guitar. Sometimes wish I would've gotten the 59/09 just to have the set (can't get new covered 59/09's now), but hey, it sounds great.

My philosophy on both pickups and trems on the SE and S2 guitars is, if I like the way it sounds and works, I'm gonna leave it as-is, sounds like you're the same way with the 58/15 S pickups. I've got guitars that still have their import trem, and guitars that still have their import pickups, no regrets.
 
andy474x said:
Sorry for the extremely late reply...

The tone of mine had a pretty sharp nose in the upper midrange, but important to note that it was an early (2015) model and had the #7 S pickups. Would've been great for, say, a country player, but for me it was too much. I changed the trem to the NOS2000 and the bridge pickup to a covered 59/09 in an attempt to thicken up the low mid a little bit, and it worked like a charm. Unfortunately I wasn't very scientific about it, did both mods at the same time, so I can't say what had the bigger effect. The #7 bridge pickup definitely has that sharp upper mid peak, I have an S2 Semi Hollow 22 that also came with the #7's, but. wouldn't ya know, I like the bridge pickup in that one but the neck was a little muddy. On the Satin, kept the stock #7 neck, because it sounds great, very articulate in that guitar. Sometimes wish I would've gotten the 59/09 just to have the set (can't get new covered 59/09's now), but hey, it sounds great.

My philosophy on both pickups and trems on the SE and S2 guitars is, if I like the way it sounds and works, I'm gonna leave it as-is, sounds like you're the same way with the 58/15 S pickups. I've got guitars that still have their import trem, and guitars that still have their import pickups, no regrets.
Click to expand...

Thanks. That's interesting ahow the same pickups can sound good/bad in neck/bridge positions on different guitar. Also worth nothing, is consistency on these import pickups may not be that great, and one set perhaps could sound significantly different from another "same" set.

Quick question, why do standard 22s, seem to cost way more than standard 24s. Im in Canada, and it's literally $400 more to get the exact same guitar in the 22 fret option. Same on reverb. I prefer 24, so I don't care, i am just curious.
 
GET TO DA CHOPPA said:
Sharing pics on this site, is not the easiest, but here goes. This guitar and my SE Angelus ax20e acoustic are my 2 all time fav guitar purchases. The SE custom 24, I can probably live without. (but its not bad). The quality within price range of the SE acoustics seems to be far above the quality of the SE electrics imo.

photos.app.goo.gl

New item by James

photos.app.goo.gl photos.app.goo.gl
Click to expand...
That is beautiful. Congrats.
 
Honestly think the inconsistency is more to do with the electronics than pickups. I didn't think that way until I went core. That's were the difference to my ears is more than anything.

We are on a PRS site and some engineer may come in here to tell us different (lol) but the reality is there're variances on tolerance and they do matter. The core spec volume pot makes all the difference to a player like me.
 
I've got my eye on a antique white satin one. I shouldn't buy more guitars, but...I've got my eye on a antique white satin one.
 
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