Looking for advice for a new (used) 22 frets guitar.

[StSpider]

Quick question, what would be a fair price for a 10 top custom 22 from 2003, all original with dragon 2s and stoptail? Color should be ultraviolet, but it's damn hard to photograph and I've asked PRS to confirm the specs.

The guitar appears to have a couple of small dings but not much else, nothing that catches the eye.

 

[TFC]

Based on what's on Reverb and what I've paid recently, I think a good price as a buyer would be $1800 US or less. Average/fair price seems to be about $1800-$2000.

 

[StSpider]

Nice. I hope I can bring that home for a smidge less, providing that PRS confirms all the specs.

 

[Birdsofprey]

I have two Custom 22's and they're wonderful guitars but I did have to swap out the pickups to Duncans. The Dragons and Dragon II's just weren't right for me. I'm a blues player, not a heavy metal buzz saw.

Maybe look for an SE for around $500 or 600 and put the pickups you like best in it.

The SE Singlecuts are wonderful guitars and perfect for pickup swaps.

I have two Custom 22’s one has covered 57/08’s the other stock Dragon 1 neck and Duncan Pearly Gates bridge. Duncan Pearly Gates bridges pickups sound great (split too) in CU22 & CU24’s as I have both. Which Duncan’s did you use?

 

[Lewguitar]

I have two Custom 22’s one has covered 58/10’s the other stock Dragon 1 neck and Duncan Pearly Gates bridge. Duncan Pearly Gates bridges pickups sound great (split too) in CU22 & CU24’s as I have both. Which Duncan’s did you use?

I have Duncan Antiquitys in both of mine. Alnico 2 magnets.

The Dragon neck pickup, from what I understand, is an alnico 4 pickup in the 8K range. So it's kind of a vintage style pickup. A lot of 1959 Gibson pafs were loaded with an alnico 4 magnet according to Tom Holmes.

But the bridge Dragon uses a ceramic magnet, is overwound and just didn't have the vintage tone I prefer.

I'm more of a blues player and I like the sound of 50's and 60's Gibson humbuckers best.

The Duncan Antiquity, Pearly Gates and even older 59's get the kind of humbucker tones I like.

https://imgur.com/1A301kt

https://imgur.com/1q426d7

 

[Lewguitar]

I asked Frank Falbo, who designed pickups for Seymour Duncan, what Duncan pickups got closest to Carlos Santana's tone and this is what he told me:

Frank: "In the neck position I've gotten closest with a PGN and a 59 with Alnico II. I've never analyzed PRS' actual Santana pickups though."

The Duncan Custom Shop version of the PGN uses a roughcast A2 magnet.

I have a set of old 59's in a PRS SE Singlecut. I put roughcast A2 magnets in them and they do sound great!

I don't have a Boogie or Bludotone or Dumble to play them through tho, so Carlos's exact tone still eludes me.

 

[Birdsofprey]

Interesting as I have a White SE Singlecut stoptail that has a 59 neck/bridge. I only split the bridge with a tone push/pull and I can get any sound I like at least out of that guitar. My only other SE is a Singlecut Trem with new electronics again 59 neck/bridge no splits and that guitar is also killer. I have much respect for the older Korean made Singlecuts (sleepers according to me) not so much for the newer or made in Indonesia or China. Just my perspective others may have a different opinion.

 

[Birdsofprey]

And OP I don’t recall Ultraviolet being a color offered in 2003. Sometimes the color chart designations repeat themselves years later like some serial numbers. I’m curious what PRS gets back to you with. Good luck.

 

[StSpider]

I just found out from the seller that the guitar came originally with a rotary switch.

I do prefer the three way in this case but it still bothers me since changing the switch means enlarging the hole in the top of the guitar.

How much (if at all) does this devalue the guitar in your opinion?

 

[DISTORT6]

I just found out from the seller that the guitar came originally with a rotary switch.

I do prefer the three way in this case but it still bothers me since changing the switch means enlarging the hole in the top of the guitar.

How much (if at all) does this devalue the guitar in your opinion?

0.0

 

[TFC]

0.0

Agreed. The rotary is about as popular as the winged tuners. If anything, it makes the guitar more desirable.

 

[StSpider]

I don't mind the rotary TBH. It's great for recording and also live if you don't plan to change sound mid-song. Tho in this case I am specifically looking for a toggle equipped guitar.

 

[Mozzi]

I just found out from the seller that the guitar came originally with a rotary switch.

I do prefer the three way in this case but it still bothers me since changing the switch means enlarging the hole in the top of the guitar.

How much (if at all) does this devalue the guitar in your opinion?

I think it just depends on the person - a Collector may value 'all-original' and therefore consider any mods to have 'devalued' the instrument in their eyes but a Musician may value the mods more as it makes it 'easier' for them to play and/or gives them more 'control' over their tone with more traditional wiring - after all, no-one uses Rotary or Sweet Switches anymore in manufacturing their guitars - however 'great' someone may feel they were.

Therefore I think it just depends on the 'buyer'. Maybe Collectors won't be as interested but more musicians could be because the 'Mods' suit the Player and may 'add' value to them so they don't have to do those mods themselves.

'Value' is determined by what someone is willing to pay, supply and demand etc so it just depends on the market at the time and who is interested in purchasing...

 

[SinSir]

Quick question, what would be a fair price for a 10 top custom 22 from 2003, all original with dragon 2s and stoptail? Color should be ultraviolet, but it's damn hard to photograph and I've asked PRS to confirm the specs.

The guitar appears to have a couple of small dings but not much else, nothing that catches the eye.

Whatever price you and the seller come in agreement at is what it's worth. Lol

Every guitar, seller, and buyer is different. I don't go into a situation as a buyer with what other people are asking or paid. What matters to me is the guitar, asking price, and my budget or what I'm willing to pay. If there's a deal to make great and if not there will always be more.

 

[StSpider]

I consider myself in-between. I do play and gig my guitars but I also prefer them to be in as good conditions as possible, because you never know when/what you might need to sell, and “all original” always sells easier.

So while I think the toggle is a good mod, it still is a mod and it detracts from the price of the instrument, even more so because the original circuit is not included.

 

[Mozzi]

Squealing Pig (UK) has a 2007 Cu22 in Whale Blue with the Dragon 2's and 'moons' (which maybe why it seems 'cheap' compared to others) if you are in Europe and looks 'All Original'.

Depending on where you live, prices can vary too - I am often shocked at the 'deals' I could get in the US on US made Instruments/Gear, but in the UK, even used prices seem 'high' by comparison - even taking the exchange rate into consideration. Of course, add in shipping, insurance etc and the import duty, tax on top of that, then it becomes closer.

Value is going to be different to everyone - someone may think you are having a laugh if you think you'll get what you are asking and another may think its a 'bargain'. Like I said, a Collector may value Originality so a modded guitar has 'less' value, but a musician may value the Mods more because it 'improves' the playability to them.

I doubt ANY of my guitars are 'worth' what I paid for them as I bought my guitars brand new and now only have 'used' value meaning I lost money if I chose to sell. However, the guitars have 'more' value to me because I have memories associated with them, the joy I get from them etc so I wouldn't accept 'used' value and I can't expect others to want to 'offer' more when they could buy other 'used' versions - which suits me fine as I don't intend to sell. I didn't buy to 'sell' later, I bought expecting to 'keep' forever so any sell-on value is irrelevant. Buying used has a lot less 'risk' of losing money when you sell.

 

[Lewguitar]

I just found out from the seller that the guitar came originally with a rotary switch.

I do prefer the three way in this case but it still bothers me since changing the switch means enlarging the hole in the top of the guitar.

How much (if at all) does this devalue the guitar in your opinion?

I was aware that I was devaluing my '95 Custom 22 by doing that, but I did it anyway.

It made it a more valuable guitar to ME, and since I know I'll own it and play it for the rest of my life, it was the right thing to do.

I kept the parts and keep them in the case and someone can restore it someday after I'm gone.

As for enlarging the hole, it didn't need to be enlarged much and I'm certain a brass or nylon collar of some kind could be fitted around the shaft of the rotary switch and when the washer, nut and finally the knob are put back on, no one will be the wiser.

I could do it, so I'm certain a skilled and clever repair person could do it too.

 

[TFC]

I don't mind the rotary TBH. It's great for recording and also live if you don't plan to change sound mid-song. Tho in this case I am specifically looking for a toggle equipped guitar.

I agree with you. I like having the in-between/parallel sounds of the rotary vs. the sounds you get with McCarty switching.

Are you familiar with the 6-way Freeway Switch? It's kind of the best of both worlds. It's a toggle switch that has 6 positions instead of 3. It includes all of the configurations of the 5-way rotary plus both humbuckers together. I installed it in one of my Custom 22s and it's nice because you can get to all of the rotary sounds much quicker than with the rotary switch. It makes switching much more practical for live performance.

Not sure if this helps you with your immediate concern, but thought you might find it of some use.

 

[StSpider]

Squealing Pig (UK) has a 2007 Cu22 in Whale Blue with the Dragon 2's and 'moons' (which maybe why it seems 'cheap' compared to others) if you are in Europe and looks 'All Original'.

Depending on where you live, prices can vary too - I am often shocked at the 'deals' I could get in the US on US made Instruments/Gear, but in the UK, even used prices seem 'high' by comparison - even taking the exchange rate into consideration. Of course, add in shipping, insurance etc and the import duty, tax on top of that, then it becomes closer.

Value is going to be different to everyone - someone may think you are having a laugh if you think you'll get what you are asking and another may think its a 'bargain'. Like I said, a Collector may value Originality so a modded guitar has 'less' value, but a musician may value the Mods more because it 'improves' the playability to them.

I doubt ANY of my guitars are 'worth' what I paid for them as I bought my guitars brand new and now only have 'used' value meaning I lost money if I chose to sell. However, the guitars have 'more' value to me because I have memories associated with them, the joy I get from them etc so I wouldn't accept 'used' value and I can't expect others to want to 'offer' more when they could buy other 'used' versions - which suits me fine as I don't intend to sell. I didn't buy to 'sell' later, I bought expecting to 'keep' forever so any sell-on value is irrelevant. Buying used has a lot less 'risk' of losing money when you sell.

Great looking one, and in this case I’d like moons more than birds, unfortunately ‘cause of brexit taxes would kill me.

 

[Mozzi]

Great looking one, and in this case I’d like moons more than birds, unfortunately ‘cause of brexit taxes would kill me.

Kill us 'Brits' too! but that's the price inc the 20% British Tax - which of course anyone 'overseas' doesn't pay so they get a cheaper price - although will have to pay their own duty and tax in their country. If you are in the UK, then you negotiate them down a bit, but I still think that is 'cheap' for a 2007 Cu22 in the UK from a retailer.

Point was to provide another option as a 'guide' or reference point to assess pricing if it helps