NGD - '03 Custom 22

[munrodeo]

Afternoon Everyone! I wanted to first thank the forum for their help answering all my questions in the hunt for my first PRS!

I found one in-country (North of the 49th) on Reverb at a great price and decided to pull the trigger. Took a few minutes to adjust the action and intonation to my liking and reset the pickups to the recommended height to start.

Thoughts So Far:

I think it is absolutely beautiful. I love its underrated looks with the gentle flame/figuring and moon inlays.

I am digging the 5-way rotary knob! Still having to reference the print out as I move through the different positions. My Strat previously has a S1 setup in it, so I am not completely in unfamiliar territory. May look to replace with a 3 way switch and push/pull pots, but time will tell!

The Dragon II pickups are a departure from my other PAF equipped guitars, so I am liking them! I want to maintain a unique sound for this guitar compared to my SG and 335. When stores re-open here I plan to play though some 85/15's and 58/15's to compare.

Compared to my Les Paul Special (wraparound bridge), it intoned much more accurately.

I have run it through pedalboard into my wet/dry setup, as well as into my HX Stomp, and I am really impressed!

Happy May Two-Four (Victoria Day) to any other Canadians out there! I certainly know I will be spending most of it plugged in and rocking!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Wow that’s a beauty! Congrats.

 

[munrodeo]

Wow that’s a beauty! Congrats.

Thank you! Feel very fortunate to have it!

 

[Davey]

Sweet top on that one! Congrats

 

[munrodeo]

Sweet top on that one! Congrats

I agree! Purchasing without seeing it and playing it first was a new experience for me, but from the pictures I figured that absolute worst case scenario at least it would look good! Needless to say it has greatly exceeded that expectation.

 

[bodia]

Classic finish, too. Great score!

 

[Paladin]

Congrats! That's a beauty!

Not to digress, but this '98 Standard 22 has been for sale on the local Craigslist for quite a while now, and seems like a great price. Can't figure out why it hasn't sold yet..

What's the difference between a Custom 22 and a Standard 22 other than the Dragon I pickups on the Std?

https://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/msg/d/clearwater-fs-ft-1998-prs-standard-22/7111720062.html

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Bangin’!

 

[shimmilou]

Beautiful!

 

[danktat]

You all know that this is right up my alley. I am ALL ABOUT an early 2000s CU22! And I dig that color.

 

[danktat]

What's the difference between a Custom 22 and a Standard 22 other than the Dragon I pickups on the Std?

The standard is all mahogany to where as the custom has a maple top.

 

[danktat]

As far as your pups go, I LOVE my Dragon IIs ..... This video has been posted here before, but if you want to listen to a well organized shootout with several of their pickups go check this out. Your CU22 with D2s is there right next to 57/08s. AND, if you go to the youtube page itself, you can click links in the description that will lead you directly to where each of them starts and stops so you can A/B them back to back without trying to fast forward or go back in the video and forgetting what you just heard. One of the best PRS pup comarison vid I have seen.

 

[munrodeo]

As far as your pups go, I LOVE my Dragon IIs ..... This video has been posted here before, but if you want to listen to a well organized shootout with several of their pickups go check this out. Your CU22 with D2s is there right next to 57/08s. AND, if you go to the youtube page itself, you can click links in the description that will lead you directly to where each of them starts and stops so you can A/B them back to back without trying to fast forward or go back in the video and forgetting what you just heard. One of the best PRS pup comarison vid I have seen.

Thanks for sharing the video, I will definitely give it a listen before I consider any pickup changes.

 

[Warmart]

Looking fantastic, congratulations - may you love it long time!

 

[Reynewan]

Together with the Mesa-Rectoverb it will sound huuge! PRS and Mesa always work together superb!

 

[munrodeo]

Together with the Mesa-Rectoverb it will sound huuge! PRS and Mesa always work together superb!

Loving it so far! Had it cooking up nicely earlier today!

 

[danktat]

Between that duce-duce, that Fender and that Mesa, you should be able to get almost any sound you want.

 

[AaeCee]

Love that color and top! I lean toward the slightly more subtle flames like yours. And although the 5-way rotary can be a bit polarizing, I'm a big fan. I love the sounds and the aesthetic.

Enjoy that beauty!

 

[Tonart]

There’s something really elegant and subtle about stained binding matched with a smokeburst on the top. You can still see the ‘binding‘, but it’s less jarring a contrast.

 

[munrodeo]

Love that color and top! I lean toward the slightly more subtle flames like yours. And although the 5-way rotary can be a bit polarizing, I'm a big fan. I love the sounds and the aesthetic.

Enjoy that beauty!

I just realized I don’t actually know the official name of the colour... Is it in the amber family, or a sunburst?