Help identifying an instrument

Fake or Real?

  • Total voters
    15
Yea the cover on the electronics looks like it's older and made of a different material than the trem cover. The one over the trem is a way more glossy finish.

Does anyone have any ideas where this thing came from? I've been looking around online at different clones/knockoffs/fakes and I can't find a match
 
sklur said:
Sorry but what about the tuners and headstock cut look wrong? Like I said the tuners aren't original and they're mounted at a different angle than the original ones were. Is it just where the holes are placed that's wrong?
Click to expand...
It's only a matter of perspective on my part TBH... but the headstock doesn't look as wide in the initial pic as I'd expect.
And by the same token, the pointy part seems too pointy, and the "swoop" to the lower part of the top doesn't look like a smooth curve.
Perhaps just my perspective.
 
The last theory I have is that it's a terribly beat up '03 that had not only a refinish but a neck and headstock repair. The body looks right for the year and the 3 80231 serial is in line with that. Here's one example of a 2003 model that seems to have similar layout https://www.ebay.com/itm/PRS-Custom-24-w-Quilt-Maple-Top-Year-2003-Blue-Matteo-Excellent-Condition-/322942795253?nma=true&si=OQPX%2Ffk4FJkdcjpp6y63Rng4irs%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

If it's a PRS I'd bet that nothing except maybe the bridge is original

Refin could account for loss of definition on the body contours and messed up headstock shape. It could also account for the loss of the correct logo for the time period. Upon closer inspection the logo is an obvious decal so good catch. My thought is that this was a 2003 custom that had a headstock break and the owner attempted to cover it up with a cheap refinish by someone who had literally no idea what they were doing.

This is obviously a shot in the dark, I'm still going to contact PRS tomorrow and see if the serial exists. I just can't find anything else online that is wrong in all the same ways

dmatthews: Yea I cross posted it here because after I posted it to the tech section I realized there might be more people that would see it here
 
garrett I'll get pictures of the trem cavity tomorrow and if I get a chance to take the strings off I'll drop the pickups out and take a look
 
garrett said:
I think it is an incredibly badly abused and refinished Standard 24. Incredibly bad.

I would like to see the pickup routs along with the trem and electronics cavities.
Click to expand...

After looking at it some more I think you might be right. Somebody didn’t like the body edge scoops and sanded it all off.
Just that headstock top not being round has me puzzled. And the heel. But maybe it’s just shadows.
 
garrett said:
I think it is an incredibly badly abused and refinished Standard 24. Incredibly bad.

I would like to see the pickup routs along with the trem and electronics cavities.
Click to expand...

I usually agree with garrett, and this time is no exception.

People totally destroy PRS like that, I even know a guy who does.
 
“ the previous owner said was a refinished S2 standard.”

Any possibility of asking the previous owner where this info comes from? He didnt know it is not an S2, but knew it was “refinished”. o_O

Just curious why you would want this guitar.:confused:
 
No maple top, so it is not a Custom. It is a Standard.

I'm inclined to believe it's a 2003 that someone thought they could "improve" by sanding out the dish from the top carve and smoothing out the heel.

The potentially most useful rout to look at is the one for the bridge pickup. A 2003 would have the MODCAT sticker there, unless the gorilla who did the refin messed that up, too.
 
It's not a good fake, it's a terrible fake. The only thing PRS on it is the bridge, and that's not intonated correctly.
 
I think it might be a messed-up refin of a CU24 STD., too. Like someone tried to re-shape the headstock, the heel, to sand off some nicks, etc.

The contours of the top near the pickups look about right, the carved indentations around the knobs look ok but poorly re-sanded for reasons that can only be imagined in a purist’s nightmare, etc.

I can see something of the moon inlay in the pics; that’d be hard to do on a fake.

Ultimately, who knows? It’s an interesting beater. Whoever did that to a PRS was undoubtedly either very high, very unskilled, or both, if it is a PRS!
 
sklur said:
Elliot thanks but I like the old chair look it has going on... On a serious note I'll just end up drawing on it after I double check with customer service in the morning.

Michael I can see now the angular look the headstock has and what's wrong there, but what should I be looking at with the heel?
Click to expand...

EDIT: Never mind. Just read that you posted the answer above already...

I'm changing my vote to real Standard 24.
I guess someone sanded off the body and messed with the heel. the neck shape and the way it flows into the headstock look good. It has moons.
Despite being real, it's quite messed up... logo, tuners, finish... BUT it might still play great. One thing I love about PRS are the necks, so hopefully the person didnt mess with that too much.
 
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