disfigured
New Member
I see you've made your decision and I think it's a tough call between the PA and CU24. I've always liked the idea of the PA but personally, I would (and did) go the other way. There are a number of reasons for this.
1) Pickup selector. The new Custom 24's have the switch in a far more natural position while the PA still has it behind the bridge like the old CU24 models. Having the toggle switch behind the bridge was one of the very few things I REALLY didn't like about the old model. It was awkward to get to, felt unnatural, it was easier to find yourself on the wrong pickup and was just generally silly. The new blade switch on the new CU24 models is far better. For me, this is a big reason for preferring the CU24.
2) Pickups. Personally, I just really don't like active pickups. They tend to be sterile, don't let the natural tone of the guitar come through, lack versatility and generally have no soul. Passive pickups are more dynamic, have more warmth and more depth to the tone. What's more, the stock pups in a CU24 are actually quite good, though I still replace them with Bare Knuckles, which are vastly superior to any other pickup I've ever tried.
3) Bats/Birds. This is a really tough one because I really like the bats myself but I'd prefer birds simply because it's less obviously 'Metal'. I've no real issue with the bats though; they look cool.
Bottom line though is that they're both lovely guitars and I'm sure you'll love it :beer:
I don't have the chops to delve into it that far, but I appreciate the input. A $200.00 Schecter is probably my speed. But I've always owned guitars beyond my capacity to understand how good they are. Can't hurt, other than the wallet.
My playing when I do create things is pretty sterile and hard edged almost choppy to a fault, so I think the quiet and deadspaces the EMGs might create could be good for what I do. We'll find out soon enough. I've had it with TV, working on the house (just one major project left), I've turned away from PC gaming in the last year, no more Facebook and other internet social things. They were fun while I did them but too much of anything can get old. I'm finding myself wanting to fill some of my free time with something else. something creative and of value. I've always been a decent musician and love music. When I did have my other guitars I didn't appreciate what I had and really wasn't in the mindset to put the effort into it. I'm going to get some recording software, clear out a section in the basement and spend some time just being creative and working on become a better player. Perhaps even some lessons for the first time in 25 years. Be them internet videos or actual face to face lessons. I have an acquaintance who graduated from Berkley (not Cal, but the music school in Boston), he's young, and always looking for cash, he's a hell of a guitarist too.
As far as the looks go, yeah the bats are a bit much, but that's more my attitude (inside anyway). On the outside I'm an upstanding citizen granddad, little do they know what lurks beneath. Perhaps the birds felt too much like I was giving in/up. My wife likes it, and she agreed hanging it in the living room is not a bad idea, it's a work of art. I need one of those porcelain hands to mount on the wall.
Thanks guys......it's never too late to start over.