Nervous buying Custom 22, 20th Anniversary, 10 top.

Paul Marris

New Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Messages
6
I wonder if anyone can give some pointers please? I am about to purchase a secondhand custom 22 20th anniversary 10 top in the Uk. Is there any tips that I should look for when I go to purchase the guitar. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks for your help
 
Photos of your intended purchase will help those with the knowledge.

You can use the serial number and an email to PRS customer service to make sure the instrument is genuine.
 
Photos of your intended purchase will help those with the knowledge.

You can use the serial number and an email to PRS customer service to make sure the instrument is genuine.
Many thanks for your reply. I have attempted to attach a few pictures of the guitar. I’m very excited to have found this guitar and will have to travel a distance to purchase it.
 
It appears that I am unable to upload the images from my iPad. I will try from my laptop when I get home.
 
Check the serial number with customer support or run the MODCAT (found under the bridge pickup) thru the online decoder and compare the specs. Dynamite guitar.
 
It appears that I am unable to upload the images from my iPad. I will try from my laptop when I get home.
Not sure if you know or not, but try to upload the photos to an app like Imgur, then copy the link from Imgur into the image tool here. As far as I know, you can’t upload photos directly from your camera roll. Good luck with the guitar!
 
Like the others, I need pics to do the request justice, but the thing to know about 20th Anni's is just because the guitar was made in 2005 does not mean the guitar is a 20th Anni. IN order to be a 20th Anni the guitar should have a truss rod coer with the 20th painted white. The 2005 will have a 20th on the cover but not painted white. Just engraved. The 20th Anni package will also have the birds and whisps. Other non 20th Anni 2005's will have regular birds.
 
I wonder if anyone can give some pointers please? I am about to purchase a secondhand custom 22 20th anniversary 10 top in the Uk. Is there any tips that I should look for when I go to purchase the guitar. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks for your help

I'm not sure I can give much more than has been said.
Obviously we're assuming it's genuine, and you haven't mentioned it it's a private sale or through a shop. But let's assume you've done your homework there.
So, back to the guitar. I can't think of an awful lot to suggest, just the same stuff for any 15 year old secondhand guitar. Check the condition of the frets for excessive wear or dents. Check the pots and switch work ok, without cutting in or out or scratching too much.
Other than that, have a play and get a feel for it. There shouldn't be anything specific related to the model that you need to be aware of going in
 
I would consider taking an amp you are familiar with along and plug it into something you know.
Make sure you can get a sound you love out of it before you drop a ton on the looks alone.

They are all built really well but there is a tonal difference between different pieces of wood.

One of mine has a super muddy low-end that no pickup swap has ever cured. Assumed it was the sellers amp....it wasn't.
 
RXZOX5U
ILZxzV1
hj8wMUE
c73lf1U

Still trying to upload images. Not going well.
I can't remember the rules, but I think you need to have posted 5 times before you can link pictures? There is a guide/rules somewhere around here
 
Bingo.
Looks nice. Of course the action can be changed easily enough. I'm not sure what the action measures on my custom 22 based guitar as I've lent it out and don't have it here at the moment
 
Beware of the "Cloudy Finish" issue that plagues guitars from this era. I have a 2006 20th anniversary grey black with no issues (yet) but also a 2004 CU24 that has a touch of the cloudy on the neck heel. Sometimes these defects are fatal and spread and can cost a lot of $$$ to get refinished by PTC.

I'd ask for clear HD pictures of the back and the neck heel and the top (particularly around the edges and the top end where the neck meets. Even then I fear it can be a bit of a crap shoot.
 
Beware of the "Cloudy Finish" issue that plagues guitars from this era. I have a 2006 20th anniversary grey black with no issues (yet) but also a 2004 CU24 that has a touch of the cloudy on the neck heel. Sometimes these defects are fatal and spread and can cost a lot of $$$ to get refinished by PTC.

I'd ask for clear HD pictures of the back and the neck heel and the top (particularly around the edges and the top end where the neck meets. Even then I fear it can be a bit of a crap shoot.
Can it be that bad. If there has been no issue in 15 years is this something that can just appear for n reason?
 
As long as you know what a legit PRS looks like, I wouldn’t worry so much about the less common issues. If the guitar looks good, plays good and sounds good, I wouldn’t get too worried. PRS are great, solid guitars. So unless there’s something obviously off, don’t stress too much.
 
Can it be that bad. If there has been no issue in 15 years is this something that can just appear for n reason?
As long as you know what a legit PRS looks like, I wouldn’t worry so much about the less common issues. If the guitar looks good, plays good and sounds good, I wouldn’t get too worried. PRS are great, solid guitars. So unless there’s something obviously off, don’t stress too much.
Many thanks.
 
Back
Top