New member need a little help with 93 CE-24

[Sslacan]

Hello I'm Scott, new PRS forum member. I recently privately purchased a 93 PRS CE-24 Dark Blue . I live in NJ but found none in my area, after a larger search I found the guitar on Craigslist in central Maine I was specifically looking for the Alder body, arch top , wide thin neck with small heel. I also loved the Dark Blue color which was the final deciding factor. After a series of e-mails an 800 mile/30 hrs of no sleep round trip drive I am the third owner of this beautiful pre-stevensville PRS. Unfortunately the first owner regretfully removed the original tuning pegs and pickups and replaced them with locking tuners ( cannot make out the brand) and Dimarzio Pickups. I wish to restore this guitar to its original specs. Schaller M6 wing collar tuners and the original Vintage bass and HFS pickups. Any ideas on whether this is good idea, where to find parts, suggestions etc ... Any help or insight on this would be greatly appreciated.

Also upon removal of the pickups I found the original matching serial number to the neck, Dark Blue color Id, & WT ( for wide thin ) and an RF which I'm not sure what this abbreviation means.. Any help with that abbreviation would be helpful too. I looked everywhere in searches and couldn't find it. Would add some pics but not sure how just yet ..

Thank you
Scott

 

[garrett]

We need pics! Welcome, and may I say that was some serious commitment to drive that far for the guitar.

You can still buy HFS and Vintage Bass from the PRS online store or dealers, albeit now with the "squabbin" (square bobbin) design.

Those old shared-screw winged tuners are hard to come by nowadays. If what's on there work fine, you may want to leave them. If you're not opposed to more holes in the headstock, you can get a set of Phase II keys. Otherwise, the regular non-locking Schaller M6 keys will fit the original holes. Another option if you don't like the current keys is a set of Hipshot tuners with their universal mounting plate that avoids having to drill new screw holes.

Keep an eye on eBay, Reverb, etc. in case an old set of HFS/VB with the round bobbins or a set of old wings comes up.

 

[gush]

You can find round bobbin HFS/VB on eBay. You may have to search a little while but you will find them.

Good luck and nice score! Pics or it's an epiphone!

 

[The Fight]

Wow when I was pickup my Ce I thought driving eight hours was hard.
But 30! You deserve that guitar!

 

[itstooloudMike]

I drove 8 hours (round trip) for my '93 CE-24, and it was well worth it. Mine is all original, and I absolutely love it. You will be well served to hunt down a set of original HFS/VB pickups if you can. They sound wonderful in this guitar. I hope your new guitar still has the rotary switch, because you can get lots of variety with it. I really like my rotary switch, and would never convert to a 3-way switch. I also like the winged tuners, but like said earlier, those may be hard to track down. If you don't like what's on it now, get a set of Phase II tuners for it. You're going to love your CE-24. The WT neck is fantastic, and the alder body adds clarity and versatility that the mahogany body versions can't match. Early CE-24s really rock! Congrats.

 

[Brad737]

There's this thing called shipping...

 

[Sslacan]

Ok so a little update , I tracked down the Schaller M6 wing collar tuners on reverb. Picked them up for 55 bucks. Will install them within the week, now I need to find the vintage HFS and Bass pickups ....

 

[AP515]

.... now I need to find the vintage HFS and Bass pickups ....

There's a set in Seattle (no affiliation here, and I don't know anything about prices, just helping out).

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/msg/5360031976.html

You can get half way there in San Diego...

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/msg/5357943816.html

 

[Brad737]

I have a set of HFS & Vintage Bass. Send me a PM.

 

[garrett]

Ok so a little update , I tracked down the Schaller M6 wing collar tuners on reverb. Picked them up for 55 bucks. Will install them within the week, now I need to find the vintage HFS and Bass pickups ....

Excellent! That seems like a great deal, too.

 

[alexanderraimo]

There's this thing called shipping...

This.


OP, I'm in New Jersey too so I know how hard it is to find instruments locally. I live in south Jersey and Craigslist for south Jersey and Jersey shore are dead, and there aren't very many music stores except guitar center nearby.

 

[Sslacan]

Thanks for the help xLeaveAWhisperXx Just messaged the seller