New to PRS

[Timothyinspa]

Hi Guys, I've recently brought a new PRS and I have a few questions to ask regarding to my guitar.

I don't really understand the specs of my guitar and would like to ask the advice of fellow PRS Lovers and experienced players.

Here's the specs.

A 2010 Wood Library Custom 24, hand selected highly figured maple top, hand selected mahogany back, mahogany neck with an East Indian rosewood fretboard and 59/09 pickups.

I've actually gotten the specs from sending an email to PRS, but would someone mind telling me what is so special about the specs?

Like what does maple top really mean and also what is a wood library custom 24? And does mahogany have any distinct tones? Also 59/09 pickups are...?

Sorry for asking too much and thanks for your time reading this

TC

 

[László]

Welcome to PRS-land!

You got select wood with nicer figuring than a standard model. They no longer make the CU24 in all-mahogany so that isn't an issue, and yes, an all 'hog guitar sounds more midrange-focused, the maple top adds a bit of top end zing. The special figuring on the wood is mostly cosmetic, though if it's hand selected maybe (this is a big maybe) it sounds a little more special.

59/09 pickups are more vintage-flavored than the older PRS pickups (they sound great).

In any event, you got a very cool instrument. Pictures needed!

 

[Timothyinspa]

Wow thanks! Sure! Here's the first picture of took of the guitar, sorry for bad quality

So do you mean that an all mahogany guitar is like no longer made anymore?

I've did some research, and it says that mahogany gives a warm sound and with the maple top it sounds better with the hi-s.

Also for PRS guitars are they sort of graded this way? Signature > Private Stock > Wood Library > Regular Custom?

Thanks

 

[László]

Wow thanks! Sure! Here's the first picture of took of the guitar, sorry for bad quality

So do you mean that an all mahogany guitar is like no longer made anymore?

I've did some research, and it says that mahogany gives a warm sound and with the maple top it sounds better with the hi-s.

Also for PRS guitars are they sort of graded this way? Signature > Private Stock > Wood Library > Regular Custom?

Thanks

Looks cool!

The all mahogany Custom 24s are no longer made, but PRS has other models that are all 'hog, and has also done special runs of various models in mahogany.

And yes, by midrange-focused, that is often described as "warmer." My reference to "top-end" means high frequencies.

The maple tops have generally been graded standard production, next one higher is 10-top, then Artist; Private Stock is generally spectacular but can be whatever the customer wants. The "wood library" runs were special hand selected dealer runs, as I understand it. I don't know if these were private stock tops or not, but I'm sure someone else will chime in. Most Signature runs have been Artist grade, I believe, but the grading system is somewhat subjective. Lots of so-called "plain tops" have been incredible. The grading system relates to looks, not tone.

So let's get to the important stuff: How does it sound and play?

 

[Timothyinspa]

Well personally I find the guitar really does gives a warmer sound and also it has really good bass sound. Compared to others, maybe maple? It sounds deeper and more rounded, the hi-s are less sharper or distinct? So when I use the neck pickup it does sound really warm, but to it is a little bit too warm, so I could usually use the middle pickup so the sound is more even or maybe use a higher tone on my pedals to even out the sound. But in general I really like the tone, the neck is alright for my hand. I'll upload more photos later when I have the time XD, so I guess this is a more rhythm type of guitar?

Thanks LSchefman for your detailed descriptions

So is Wood Library in general better than the normal custom made guitars?

 

[László]

Well personally I find the guitar really does gives a warmer sound and also it has really good bass sound. Compared to others, maybe maple? It sounds deeper and more rounded, the hi-s are less sharper or distinct? So when I use the neck pickup it does sound really warm, but to it is a little bit too warm, so I could usually use the middle pickup so the sound is more even or maybe use a higher tone on my pedals to even out the sound. But in general I really like the tone, the neck is alright for my hand. I'll upload more photos later when I have the time XD, so I guess this is a more rhythm type of guitar?

Thanks LSchefman for your detailed descriptions

So is Wood Library in general better than the normal custom made guitars?

Timothy, I really don't know where to begin. Your guitar isn't all mahogany, it's maple AND mahogany. And it only has two pickups, it doesn't have a middle pickup.

And, while it's a great rhythm guitar, it's also a great lead guitar.

Are you a fairly new guitar player? Nothing wrong with that, just curious.

 

[Timothyinspa]

Oh I guess you misunderstood me, what I mean was that when I just the top humbucker which I thought was Neck Pickup? vs the buttom humbucker which is the Bridge Pickup? Correct me if I am wrong lol. By the way for mahogany, I meant that the guitar is made of maple top, but maghogany body, sorry for the misunderstanding I haven't been playing for a while, so that's why I don't really remember the terminology or concepts that's why I am here to learn! thanks for pointing out the faults i made Lschefman by maple in previous post, I mean the whole guitar body, cause I've read online that maple head makes a special hi sound, while a fully maple body is different. OH my... I've just noticed my typo, not the middle pickup, but the two humbuckers together, the middle position on the switcher lol >...< my fault

 

[Goldtop]

Hi Guys, I've recently brought a new PRS and I have a few questions to ask regarding to my guitar.

I don't really understand the specs of my guitar and would like to ask the advice of fellow PRS Lovers and experienced players.

Here's the specs.

A 2010 Wood Library Custom 24, hand selected highly figured maple top, hand selected mahogany back, mahogany neck with an East Indian rosewood fretboard and 59/09 pickups.

I've actually gotten the specs from sending an email to PRS, but would someone mind telling me what is so special about the specs?

Like what does maple top really mean and also what is a wood library custom 24? And does mahogany have any distinct tones? Also 59/09 pickups are...?

Sorry for asking too much and thanks for your time reading this

TC

First of all, welcome to the board. And PRS ownership.

As you said in another post, you 'haven't been playing for a while', and you have/had several questions about the features of the guitar you bought. Nothing wrong with that, because we each have questions of our own all the time.

Just out of curiosity, why did you choose this guitar? Or a PRS?

Lloyd/Goldtop

 

[Timothyinspa]

I've always been inspired by PRS's guitars. I really like their appearance, their sound and also how PRS stands out to me from other brands like Fender and Gibson, as I personally prefer a Gibson sound (Warm Rich) with a smaller neck like a Fender. Also my favorite guitarists all uses a PRS and it really did get me interested into PRS. I also really love the Eagle inalys

 

[László]

Timothy, you will get a lot of good info here! And we're all eager to share what we know (and what we think we know, haha!).

It's all good!

 

[vchizzle]

Well personally I find the guitar really does gives a warmer sound and also it has really good bass sound. Compared to others, maybe maple? It sounds deeper and more rounded, the hi-s are less sharper or distinct? So when I use the neck pickup it does sound really warm, but to it is a little bit too warm, so I could usually use the middle pickup so the sound is more even or maybe use a higher tone on my pedals to even out the sound. But in general I really like the tone, the neck is alright for my hand. I'll upload more photos later when I have the time XD, so I guess this is a more rhythm type of guitar?

Thanks LSchefman for your detailed descriptions

So is Wood Library in general better than the normal custom made guitars?

Yes, the wood library guitars are considered better than the normal custom 24 with a 10 top.

If you find the neck pickup to be too warm or too bassy, maybe try lowering the pickup a 1/2 turn on the screw on the side of the wound(thicker) strings. I usually like my neck pickup a little lower there so it's a bit less "boomy".

Welcome to the board!

 

[László]

If you find the neck pickup to be too warm or too bassy, maybe try lowering the pickup a 1/2 turn on the screw on the side of the wound(thicker) strings. I usually like my neck pickup a little lower there so it's a bit less "boomy".

Maybe this is obvious, but it's worth talking about - work with the volume and tone controls on your guitar, and on your amp's tone controls, too. If you have pedals, remember the knobs all turn and make the sound do different things!

I find that on the neck pickup, lowering the volume control on the guitar a little reduces bassiness and oversaturation of the amp's tubes. Keep in mind that high gain saturates tubes, and as tubes become more saturated, they clip. "Clipping" is what makes amps cool and causes the distortion we all like, but the reason it's called "clipping" is that the high frequencies are clipped off! So the more gain, the less high frequencies, all things being equal.

I just turn the amplifier's gain and volume a touch higher to compensate for less guitar volume. But you might also want to reduce the bass on your amp, and boost the midrange and treble controls, as well as the contour or presence control to give the neck pickup more sparkle. Don't be shy about turning amplifier knobs to their maximum if you need to - or to their minimum -- that's why they are there.

I often turn the bass on my amp down very low when I'm recording on the neck pickup.

PRS guitars are designed to make use of those volume and tone controls -- and they work great. If you listen to players like Joe Bonamassa, there's a guy who is constantly working his guitar controls, and as other threads here have mentioned, he doesn't set his volume control on his guitar over 3/4 of the way up very often!

What I do with a PRS is set the amp up with the guitar's volume around 5-6, to get the basic crunch tones I want, on as many channels as the amp has (in my case, one channel, I play a PRS HX/DA amp). Then I can roll the volume on the guitar down a little to get nice cleans, and roll the volume higher to get more gain out of the amp. This is a really good way to both maximize what you've paid for in a PRS, make your tone better, and it will give your playing many more tonal possibilities. Try it! You can increase the guitar volume while you're playing to meet the emotional and tone needs of the song, or decrease it, without going near the amp in a band setting. It gives you a world of color, and some wonderful options.

In any case, don't give up until you get the tones you want!

You have an absolutely wonderful instrument! Enjoy and get the most from it.

 

[Tag]

Hmm...The neck pups on Cu24s are usually a bit brighter than 22s, which are plenty bright in most cases. Lowering the pup as someone said above will help, and adjust the amp so there is a good balance between pups. Another way to go would be to use an EQ stomp box and kick it on when you use the neck pup.

 

[Timothyinspa]

Wow! Thanks for the advice guys! I'll try it out

 

[markie]

Kick-azz Guitar is what you have Tim.........