I need Pick-up suggestions for 1995 PRS Custom 24

[Graptemys]

I bought this guitar (PRS Custom 24 Tremolo, royal blue with birds) at Guitar Center in 1995 in Burbank, IL. I went in and talked to my salesman (same guy I always dealt with) and he set me up. I really liked Guitar Center back then because you could negotiate everything, especially guitars ( for good prices most of the time). These days it seems like they say "Sticker price" and walk away. Anyway, they always had the PRS guitars on the very top where you couldn't get at them without a bucket truck. This was A LOT of money for me being a 23 year old with a part-time job and going to college. How I pulled this off is beyond me. This was a huge deal to me and I didn't want one off the wall even though they were at a high elevation on the wall. If I was going to spend that kind of money I wanted it to be exactly like I imagined. My salesman said he would get me the deal of a lifetime (which he did), so I custom ordered it exactly how I wanted it. I was right on the side of him when he called the PRS factory. As he was talking on the phone his eyes bugged out a little bit and he silently mouthed to me "Paul Reed Smith is on the phone...the actual guy". I said "No way" and just stood there with my mouth open. So, Mr. PRS took the order. He said it would take 6-8 weeks which it did. When six weeks arrived, I started calling every other day to find out if it was there which seemed like an eternity. I kept bugging my salesman and he said not to worry about it..."It will come". I would go there sometimes to just ask in person (pre-internet). One day I went there on a day my salesman was off to ask someone else (yes..I knew his schedule) and to look around at straps for my new beauty. Right after I walked in the door I glanced at the PRS wall and stood in silence as my heart stopped....I saw my guitar on the wall (high up, but on the wall). Anger, fury, and uncontrolled rage came over me as I yelled (talked loudly) at the closest salesman..."That's my guitar!" I explained the situation of how I ordered this and have been bothering everyone about when it would arrive and there was explicit instructions to NOT put this on the sales floor (keep it in back). Apparently it came in on the day my salesman was off and someone else opened it and put it on the wall. After I had calmed down and they apologized I left with my prized guitar...25 years later I still stare at it on the wall, but with admiration instead of rage.

 

[AaeCee]

Leave that perfect guitar alone, and as others said, lower that neck p/up! I have Cu24 with the same combo and my neck p/up is close to even with the ring, while yours appears to be sitting a bit more proud. The VB neck is a great pickup IMO that can cop a wide range of tones really well when properly adjusted.

 

[tbp0701]

Splendiferous guitar! I agree with others about adjusting pickup height before swapping. You can try other things, too. It might help to say what you're hearing now and want to get out of it. Lowering the pickups should help if you're finding the sound is too harsh and/or muddy, but if it's something else adjusting the volume and tone controls on the guitar and amp may get the sound you want.

I'm also wondering why friends are suggesting you change them. Could it be you're a bit too prominent in the mix? If so then there are easier ways than a pickup swap to address that (often with volume and/or EQ adjustments).

 

[FunkyFreeman]

If the HFS set is too hot then I’d recommend McCarty set. It’s very sweet for clean and overdriven tone plus a remarkable pick attack, something I haven’t heard as clearly on other pups.

In this clip, I was playing around with a MC pups set installed on a Standard 24 through Yamaha THR amp using camera mic.

 

[Graptemys]

Leave that perfect guitar alone, and as others said, lower that neck p/up! I have Cu24 with the same combo and my neck p/up is close to even with the ring, while yours appears to be sitting a bit more proud. The VB neck is a great pickup IMO that can cop a wide range of tones really well when properly adjusted.

Here is my pick-height. I did not move them yet.

 

[AP515]

Here is my pick-height. I did not move them yet.

The action seems high to me. The neck pup seems about right, judging from the pick up ring. The bridge pup seems high but with the high action it's hard to say. Still, you can put them anywhere you like. I'd say set the action where you like it and then let your ear tell you what pup height is right.

 

[AaeCee]

Here is my pick-height. I did not move them yet.

My prescription ... lower by 1.5 turns of the height adjustment screw and call me in the morning.

 

[hord1080]

i liked that story, i would have been pissed off too! I hear 1995 was a good year with the smaller neck heel supposedly. I used to have a PRS ad from Guitar World of a royal blue custom 22 on my dorm room wall.

 

[bodia]

Looks awesome!