Help needed identifying PRS CE24

[Herman]

Hey guys!


I'm interested in buying a second hand PRS CE24 but I have trouble identifying the serial number. The pictures of the guitar look good, but the neckplate looks different from the CE's I found on the internet.


It would be great if you could help me identify this guitar being a real PRS or a copy. The Serial number is 173472. That's the only thing the neckplate says by the way, no further logo's or something like that.


I've attached some photo's so you can have a better look.


I'm really hoping you could help me with this.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

It's a real 1991 CE with an alder body. Buy it.

 

[shinksma]

Close ups of the headstock would help.

The serial number indicates it is a 1991 model.

The lack of logo on the neck plate is not usual in my experience, but maybe the first few years were done with plain plates? Don't have my PRS book handy, it is at home...

If you look at this thread here on the forum, you can see John Mann had a similar vintage CE for sale at one point, and the cached image I found shows a plain black neck plate.

http://prsguitars.com/forum/showthread.php?15368-1998-CE-24-Maple-Top-John-Mann-s-Guitar-Vault

Cached image, saved to my photobucket as reference:

So I think it is legit from what I can see, and may be quite the find...

EDIT: ninja'd by Sergio!

 

[gush]

Hell yes buy it! That probably has one piece trem too.

 

[gush]

1 means 1991. 7 means CE the rest of the numbers indicate production number.

Later on they dropped the 7 designation and replaced it with the letters CE

 

[bodia]

Small heel too. You should buy this!

 

[CantankerousCarl]

Yeah, agreed on all counts...buy it. Mine from that era are some of my favorite guitars ever...

 

[rugerpc]

Love me some CE.

Man, would that make a great project guitar!

Buy it already!

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Man, would that make a great project guitar!

What project? That guitar is already perfect.

 

[rugerpc]

I say project 'cause the neck comes off and that makes it a great platform for all kinds of mods.

 

[bodia]

Oh come on! I don't need a third project. You'd better buy this thing, or I'm going to fall to the mear mention of it. Me and peer pressure are like Superman and Kryptonite (or like any rock star and good coke in the 70s)!

 

[ADP]

One of those was my very first electric guitar. In fact, that could well be it. I must check the serial number if I can find it. I traded it in against an Archtop in Sweden over a dozen years ago now.

 

[Herman]

So you guys are absolutely shure the guitar (en serial number) is legit?

The main thing that bothered me whether the guitar being original or a copy was that the serial number has 6 digits, where all the other serial numbers consist of 5 digits. And the plain backplate.
Any guys who think it isn't a 1991?

Thanks for all the awnsers guys, really appreciate it! And sorry for the English, I'm Dutch so it probably isn't perfect.

 

[gush]

So you guys are absolutely shure the guitar (en serial number) is legit?

The main thing that bothered me whether the guitar being original or a copy was that the serial number has 6 digits, where all the other serial numbers consist of 5 digits. And the plain backplate.
Any guys who think it isn't a 1991?

Thanks for all the awnsers guys, really appreciate it! And sorry for the English, I'm Dutch so it probably isn't perfect.

You're actually speaking PRS. Sounds perfect to me!

 

[itstooloudMike]

That looks legit and unmolested to me. I have a '93 CE-24 that has become my favorite electric. You should jump on that one. If it's all stock, then it needs nothing. The stock pickups are fantastic in an early CE-24, and I really like the 5-way switch. Even the winged tuners are great. No upgrades needed. CE-24s rock hard.

 

[shinksma]

So you guys are absolutely shure the guitar (en serial number) is legit?

The main thing that bothered me whether the guitar being original or a copy was that the serial number has 6 digits, where all the other serial numbers consist of 5 digits. And the plain backplate.
Any guys who think it isn't a 1991?

Thanks for all the awnsers guys, really appreciate it! And sorry for the English, I'm Dutch so it probably isn't perfect.

What other serial numbers are only 5 digits? The serial numbers for CEs are as follows, as listed on the PRS support page:

CE Models

Approximate Serial Numbers Year
7 0001 – 0270 1988
7 0271 – 1830 1989
7 1831 – 3200 1990
7 3201 – 4540 1991
7 4541 – 7090 1992
7 7091 – 8820 1993
7 8821 – 10700 1994
7 10701 – 13000 1995
7 13001 – 14680 1996
7 14681 – 17130 1997
7 or CE 17131 – 19580 1998
CE 19581 – 20749 1999
CE 20750 – 21599 2000
CE 21600 – 23199 2001
CE 23200 – 25389 2002
CE 25390 – 26399 2003
CE 26400 – 27900 2004
CE 27901 – 29377 2005
CE 29378 - 31800 2006
CE 31801 - 32783 2007
CE 32784 - 33881 2008

But remember, there is a leading digit indicating year!

Serial Number Year-Code Prefix

All guitars and basses have serial numbers which start with a year prefix. The prefix is the last one or two digits of the production year, and it applies to all models below.

Prefix Number Year or Years
0 1990 2000
1 1991 2001
2 1992 2002
3 1993 2003
4 1994 2004
5 1985 1995 2005
6 1986 1996 2006
7 1987 1997 2007
8 1988 1998
9 1989 1999
08 2008
09 2009
10 2010
11 2011
12 2012
13 2013
14 2014

So this guitar SN (173472) breaks down as 1 (1991 or 2001) 7 (CE model) 3472 (definitely in the 1991 range!)

I think it is completely legit based on available information.

 

[rugerpc]

^^^^^^^^ what shinksma said!

 

[toothace]

Definitely a '91...buy it now!!!!

 

[Jazzedout]

It's a real 1991 CE with an alder body. Buy it.

What he said!

 

[wardog]

there was a1990 on ebay yesterday in black. look just like yours down to the plate on the back. I went in to have another look at it today and it is gone. Don't wait too long or you could miss out on it.