Help Identifying PRS ?

[willb41]

Hello all. Looking for help in identifying this PRS. There are a couple of things that throw me off. I do not know for sure what year it is. Also it has a stop tail piece and push pull tone pot. Does that mean it is not a Custom 24? It has McCarty Bass and Treble Pickups. I do not know if those are stock? Moon inlay, which seems rare. Serial number is 625230. Looks like it has a 10 top tortoise shell? Just trying to figure out what model it is, what year. If pickups are stock.

 

[garrett]

It looks to be a '96 Custom 24 that has been messed with some.

• Moons were standard inlay, birds were optional.
• McCarty pickups would not have been stock, but suppose could be factory special order. Or aftermarket.
• "McCarty" switching was a factory option or could've been done afterwards.
• Stoptail was a factory option. The adjustable stoptail pictured is much newer. Would've had the one piece.
• Color looks like tortoise shell, which shouldn't have a black back/neck.
• The SN matches, but the way it's written looks super sketchy. Possibly from the factory, but I think more likely it's been at least partially refinished.

I'd like to see what's written in the cavities beneath the pickups. If I was looking at buying it, I'd need a lot more pictures (including the pickup cavity shots). Better yet would be to get hands-on and to get the story from the owner.

 

[willb41]

Under the bridge pickup it says:

25,230
Grey Black
CV24FST

 

[AP515]

Under the bridge pickup it says:

25,230
Grey Black
CV24FST

I agree, it is a 96. Both back and top have been repainted. I think the "V" is really a U which would make the call out a CU24FST for Custom 24 fret Stoptail.

 

[willb41]

Thanks for insight. If it was a repaint wouldn't you lose the serial number? If it is a repaint it would be the best repaint I have ever seen in my life. I don't even know how you would repaint the top. What does the "10" up top by the serial number mean?

 

[garrett]

I agree, it is a 96. Both back and top have been repainted. I think the "V" is really a U which would make the call out a CU24FST for Custom 24 fret Stoptail.

Yes, definitely a refin. And I'm pretty positive that if it were a 10 top, it would be marked as such in the bridge pickup cavity.

Too sketchy for me unless it's at a rock bottom price.

 

[garrett]

Thanks for insight. If it was a repaint wouldn't you lose the serial number? If it is a repaint it would be the best repaint I have ever seen in my life. I don't even know how you would repaint the top. What does the "10" up top by the serial number mean?

They sanded down the top to remove the original stain and then re-stained it.

They would've lost the serial number and rewrote it. The poor handwriting sticks out big time.

10 on the headstock indicates a "10 top", meaning exceptional and consistently figured. I have doubt that it actually is. I suspect the refinisher took some liberty there.

 

[willb41]

What would a McCarty say under the bridge pickup?

 

[AP515]

They sanded down the top to remove the original stain and then re-stained it.

They would've lost the serial number and rewrote it. The poor handwriting sticks out big time.

10 on the headstock indicates a "10 top", meaning exceptional and consistently figured. I have doubt that it actually is. I suspect the refinisher took a some liberty.

I agree. I think they did a pretty good job with the stain. The serial number is lame. I can't say for sure that it really was a 10 top as the flame looks like it fades on the lower half but I've also seen artist tops that did that so it could be a 10 top. The pups are a swap. The switching also may or may not be original. If you've played it and it sings to you, it may be worth whatever they are asking, but you should know going in that it has had serious changes.

 

[AP515]

What would a McCarty say under the bridge pickup?

I'd have to look to know, but this started out as a Cu24. McCartys aren't 24 fretters.

 

[garrett]

What would a McCarty say under the bridge pickup?

It would have "McCarty" written in there. Plus, as pointed out, the pictured guitar has 24 frets and the McCarty has 22.

 

[RedGuitars]

Yup - never seen a PRS serial number look anything like what is pictured here.