I’ve caught the bug: Got a Cu24 35th Anni - What’s next?

[Drlepp]

HB Spruce

Now you’re thinking outside the box!
Sounds like something that’ll be interesting once I passed the PRS 101 course. They look cool though...

 

[GuitarJammin]

Thanks, you mention Paul’s guitar, which seem to be somewhat overlooked. I don’t have a strong opinion about tremolos, I don’t mind if there is one, but my playing doesn’t rely on it. I like the look and functionality of the Paul’s guitar PU:s but fail to hear a big difference from the Cu24 in the videos I’ve watched. Besides PU:s, no tremolo and 22 frets, how does it differ from the Cu24? The neck is thicker but the body style is identical?
(Wohoo, I just figured out how quote!)

The Pauls guitar can also come with a fixed bridge if you look around in case you do prefer the stability of that. I'm not sure that the body shape/weight itself is that different in a major way. It does sound different, but different enough? Well for me yes..but I can see an argument for the latter. I only mentioned the Paul's guitar to bring up the Bolt on Brent Mason signature guitar, which will be different than the CU24. I gathered this by looking at your guitar list previously mentioned..it may be familiarly different than the CU24 per say.

Look up the 509 and the 513. Worth knowing about before you settle.

All in all the McCarty guitars are guaranteed to be different in sound and feel...and since you said you don't favor a SC guitar but you might like the the thick warm tones...these DC McCarty guitars might be a pleasant surprise for you. I vote on the McCarty because they will stand in a different direction than all your other guitars you mentioned in your original post.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

West Street/Santana and HB spruce.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

The DGT is pretty nice too and versatile.

Check out this video by Rob Harris -

 

[Drlepp]

West Street/Santana and HB spruce.

West street? Now you’re just throwing curve balls at me, I had to google that one! Thanks though, I’m learning a lot of new things here!

 

[Drlepp]

The DGT is pretty nice too and versatile.

Check out this video by Rob Harris -

Thanks, not sure why I didn’t think of the DGT. So, that’s basically a McCarty with different PU:s, different neck, jumbo frets and different controls? So, basically nothing like a McCarty anymore? I’ve been meaning to ask how the push/pull tone control works. Does it control both PU:s simultaneously?

 

[Drlepp]

The Pauls guitar can also come with a fixed bridge if you look around in case you do prefer the stability of that. I'm not sure that the body shape/weight itself is that different in a major way. It does sound different, but different enough? Well for me yes..but I can see an argument for the latter. I only mentioned the Paul's guitar to bring up the Bolt on Brent Mason signature guitar, which will be different than the CU24. I gathered this by looking at your guitar list previously mentioned..it may be familiarly different than the CU24 per say.

Look up the 509 and the 513. Worth knowing about before you settle.

All in all the McCarty guitars are guaranteed to be different in sound and feel...and since you said you don't favor a SC guitar but you might like the the thick warm tones...these DC McCarty guitars might be a pleasant surprise for you. I vote on the McCarty because they will stand in a different direction than all your other guitars you mentioned in your original post.

Thanks again, I appreciate you taking your time. Frankly, I prefer if there’s no tremolo. My three Fenders have tremolo (Those are an AVRI Thin Skin Jaguar and a Jazzmaster and a MIJ Mustang) but these are designed differently to the ones PRS offers and will throw the tuning if used. Obviously my Rickenbackers don’t have it and neither does my Gibson SG. Of these guitars of course the Fenders have bolt on necks, the rest don’t, and I don’t have a preference. I must sound like a barbarian!

Since this spring the Rick 360-6 has gotten the most play time and the Rick 360-12 the least. I feel like I can only play the 360-12 on special occasions, wearing sweat pants, because it gives me such a delicate impression. I’ll admit that when I got the 360-6, the neck just felt weird and I almost had to relearn how to play. Now it’s a favorite and I switch between my guitars without much effort.

I’ll check out the Brent Mason model, but this isn’t in the current PRS lineup is it? I guess McCarty will be the easy answer for my quest but which one...?

 

[ESW]

Hi,

New member, short time lurker and surprisingly new to PRS. Sorry in advance for the long post, just skip to the last paragraph if I bore you.

These past 25 years or so I’ve only had eyes for Fender Jazzmasters and Jaguars and, until a year ago or so, I wouldn’t have looked twice at a PRS (too flashy, too flamboyant, etc.). Then the pandemics struck and out of whim I got a Rickenbacker 360. Now, it was used and I needed information about something so I spent some time in Rickenbacker forums and soon I had bought my second Rickenbacker, a 360-12. However, to keep this relevant, there was one thing that kept coming up on these sites and that was that everyone agreed that PRS guitars are great.

Naturally, this lead me to research PRS and I just couldn’t stop myself from buying one. Now, due to the pandemics, I couldn’t just go out and try them all and took a shot and ordered a Custom 24 35th Anniversary Edition (core), pattern thin neck carve. The one they had in stock was Charcoal Cherryburst. I made sure the store had a good return policy.

I realized when I picked it up that this was the first time I’ve ever touched a PRS guitar! The build quality and attention to detail on this thing is jaw dropping, it’s a masterpiece (but you all know that already), but at that price point, it really should be, right? I didn’t love the color but it’s growing on me and since I’m the one playing (in a cramped wardrobe through headphones I should add) it doesn’t matter too much how it looks - only how it feels and sounds, and I’ve got no complaints there.

The idea of buying a guitar at this price point was the hunt would be over, but we all know that’s naive thinking. I was so impressed by this guitar that already the next day I started looking for my next PRS.

So, the reason for my post is: What would you recommend that is different enough to warrant another PRS into my studio (and by studio I mean my cramped wardrobe)? I’m thinking McCarty 594, but the Paul’s guitar intrigues me. I’m not a big fan of SC and of course realize I should try them out but that’s not so easy. I don’t have a specific sound or feel I’m aiming for, just different from a Custom 24, but at least as good.

Thanks!

Right there with you. I've been playing a late 50s Jazzmaster for years, then bought a 35th Anniversary CU24 on a whim in October. Two months later I have a 594 and a DGT!

 

[Drlepp]

Right there with you. I've been playing a late 50s Jazzmaster for years, then bought a 35th Anniversary CU24 on a whim in October. Two months later I have a 594 and a DGT!

Oh, I’d like to see that Jazzmaster! My offsets are modern, the Jag and JM were from the limited TS runs in ‘08 and ‘09. When vintage offsets were affordable, they weren’t affordable to me, and now the prices are ridiculous. At least in my part of the world.

I take it your solution is to not make a choice, just get them all? That makes perfect sense.

EDIT: Forgot to ask: What’s your take on the 594 and DGT?

 

[dogrocketp]

I vote for the 509- 22 frets, 5 pickups with true single coil sound.

 

[GuitarJammin]

Thanks again, I appreciate you taking your time. Frankly, I prefer if there’s no tremolo. My three Fenders have tremolo (Those are an AVRI Thin Skin Jaguar and a Jazzmaster and a MIJ Mustang) but these are designed differently to the ones PRS offers and will throw the tuning if used. Obviously my Rickenbackers don’t have it and neither does my Gibson SG. Of these guitars of course the Fenders have bolt on necks, the rest don’t, and I don’t have a preference. I must sound like a barbarian!

Since this spring the Rick 360-6 has gotten the most play time and the Rick 360-12 the least. I feel like I can only play the 360-12 on special occasions, wearing sweat pants, because it gives me such a delicate impression. I’ll admit that when I got the 360-6, the neck just felt weird and I almost had to relearn how to play. Now it’s a favorite and I switch between my guitars without much effort.

I’ll check out the Brent Mason model, but this isn’t in the current PRS lineup is it? I guess McCarty will be the easy answer for my quest but which one...?

Yes the Brent Mason will be a used hunt.

You don't sound like a barbarian...you sound just like the rest of us barbarians.

Which McCarty...well there are no wrong answers really.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Thanks, not sure why I didn’t think of the DGT. So, that’s basically a McCarty with different PU:s, different neck, jumbo frets and different controls? So, basically nothing like a McCarty anymore? I’ve been meaning to ask how the push/pull tone control works. Does it control both PU:s simultaneously?

Yes.

 

[ESW]

Oh, I’d like to see that Jazzmaster! My offsets are modern, the Jag and JM were from the limited TS runs in ‘08 and ‘09. When vintage offsets were affordable, they weren’t affordable to me, and now the prices are ridiculous. At least in my part of the world.

I take it your solution is to not make a choice, just get them all? That makes perfect sense.

EDIT: Forgot to ask: What’s your take on the 594 and DGT?

Here it is! It's a refin and the anodized guard is a repro, but the body, neck, electronics and other hardware are original. I put a mastery bridge and trem on it for tuning stability. It was marked as a '59 when I bought it, but the serial is lower than some of the late '58 guitars I've seen, so who knows.

While I'm at it, here are my CU24, 594 and DGT:

The 594 and DGT are both Wood Library guitars with rosewood necks.

I had been planning to make a trip (an hour or so) to the closest real PRS dealer back in March, and then Covid hit. The only way to try was to buy, and now I have three!

The 594 is the best 'Les Paul' I've ever owned. At first I was shocked by how big the Pattern Vintage neck was compared to my other guitars, but I've gradually become more comfortable with it. For me, the CU24 with the Pattern Thin neck is just effortless. I like the scale length, too - but I love the sound of the 594. I've always played old guitars, and before I got the Jazzmaster, I'd played mostly Gibsons. For me, the DGT is the best of both worlds - fast neck, vintage PAF sound, feels like a vintage guitar, but doesn't suffer from any of the tuning and intonation problems.

I think the DGT is my favorite at the moment, but that may just be newest guitar bias. I seem to like whichever one I'm playing!

 

[Drlepp]

Here it is! It's a refin and the anodized guard is a repro, but the body, neck, electronics and other hardware are original. I put a mastery bridge and trem on it for tuning stability. It was marked as a '59 when I bought it, but the serial is lower than some of the late '58 guitars I've seen, so who knows.

While I'm at it, here are my CU24, 594 and DGT:

The 594 and DGT are both Wood Library guitars with rosewood necks.

I had been planning to make a trip (an hour or so) to the closest real PRS dealer back in March, and then Covid hit. The only way to try was to buy, and now I have three!

The 594 is the best 'Les Paul' I've ever owned. At first I was shocked by how big the Pattern Vintage neck was compared to my other guitars, but I've gradually become more comfortable with it. For me, the CU24 with the Pattern Thin neck is just effortless. I like the scale length, too - but I love the sound of the 594. I've always played old guitars, and before I got the Jazzmaster, I'd played mostly Gibsons. For me, the DGT is the best of both worlds - fast neck, vintage PAF sound, feels like a vintage guitar, but doesn't suffer from any of the tuning and intonation problems.

I think the DGT is my favorite at the moment, but that may just be newest guitar bias. I seem to like whichever one I'm playing!

Wow, you’ve got good taste sir! My JM is one of the ’59 Thin Skin reissues, blonde with gold anodized pick guard, and it came with 10” radius neck and jumbo frets. Not bad but it doesn’t come close to the real thing. I much prefer the vintage necks on JM:s, especially one that’s been played for decades. I had the chance to pick up an all original blonde ‘59 10 years ago but was unemployed at the time and had to pass. The price has doubled since then.

Regarding the PRS:s (you have a really nice collection there btw), of course you had to buy all of them, what else could you do? I’m sure your family understands!

I’ll have to take the DGT into serious consideration. Used market for PRS:s up here in Sweden isn’t that hot and the selection is small, so it’ll have to be bought new. There are a few PRS:s listed now and they aren’t exactly flying off the shelves. Which says something about the second hand value when buying new. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not planning on buying to sell, but if I see that they can be sold without to much price drop, that tells me I’ve not lost my senses completely buying new.

 

[ScottR]

Top 3 for me...

DGT
Pauls Guitar
594

Congrats on your first of what I'm sure will be many, and welcome to the forum! Enjoy the Kool- Aid!

 

[SGH5150]

Hey man - I also have a Custom 24. If you want something totally different and you are not opposed to stepping out of the Core model sandbox I would give the S2 Vela a rip. I think the Vela is one of the most underrated guitars in the PRS lineup and it is somehow still managing to fly under the radar. It has been my weapon of choice for most gigs due to the amount of ground it can cover. Try one out. You just might be floored!

 

[Drlepp]

Top 3 for me...

DGT
Pauls Guitar
594

Congrats on your first of what I'm sure will be many, and welcome to thw forum! Enjoy the Kool- Aid!

Thanks! I’m 100% sure you’re right?

Hey, I just realized I can post pictures now. So here’s the new member of the family.

And here’s a snapshot of my wardrobe, I mean studio. That stool really builds character.

 

[Drlepp]

Hey man - I also have a Custom 24. If you want something totally different and you are not opposed to stepping out of the Core model sandbox I would give the S2 Vela a rip. I think the Vela is one of the most underrated guitars in the PRS lineup and it is somehow still managing to fly under the radar. It has been my weapon of choice for most gigs due to the amount of ground it can cover. Try one out. You just might be floored!

Hi, realistically I’d be a happy camper even at SE level, which seem to be solid guitars. The Vela looks intriguing, being offset waist just like the JM/Jag. Thanks for pointing me in that direction!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Thanks! I’m 100% sure you’re right?

Hey, I just realized I can post pictures now. So here’s the new member of the family.

And here’s a snapshot of my wardrobe, I mean studio. That stool really builds character.

Stunning top, congratulations!

 

[Drlepp]

Stunning top, congratulations!

Thanks! As I’ve already mentioned, the color was maybe not my first choice, I think a more neutral charcoal top would suite me better, but it’s growing on me. I’ve seen a lot cleaner tops, the bottom part looks a bit sketchy to me, but it adds to the personality of the guitar. These tops are like fingerprints and all are universally unique. I’m quite happy with it!

It’s also interesting to see how the light affects how the guitar looks. In my first picture, the red really pops. Here’s a picture of it in more neutral light.