Mike Duncan
DGT Player
Sounds, and looks, like the perfect guitar!
NGD! 1997/98 Custom 24 Goldtop... Built by Joe Knaggs???
- Thread starter Jbyrd78
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Jbyrd78
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Just wanted to drop in and share some "after" pictures. I ended up swapping out some of the stock hardware because it had seen better days. I ended up installing:
-New PRS Core pickup rings
- PRS Amber lampshade knobs
-PRS HFS Vintage Bass Squabbin's
-PRS Aluminum truss rod cover
- And a fresh set of String Joy 10-50's
A few other things I'm thinking about doing:
-Rewiring the controls to where I have 2 separate volumes, instead of the traditional vol & tone control, has anyone ever done this.
-Swapping the ceramic magnet in the HFS for either a UOA5, or UOA4 magnet. Has anyone ever dabbled with other mags in a HFS?
-New PRS Core pickup rings
- PRS Amber lampshade knobs
-PRS HFS Vintage Bass Squabbin's
-PRS Aluminum truss rod cover
- And a fresh set of String Joy 10-50's
A few other things I'm thinking about doing:
-Rewiring the controls to where I have 2 separate volumes, instead of the traditional vol & tone control, has anyone ever done this.
-Swapping the ceramic magnet in the HFS for either a UOA5, or UOA4 magnet. Has anyone ever dabbled with other mags in a HFS?
TFC
That guitar really tied the room together
Sweet guitar!
The writing in one of the pickup cavities, "ST24FREG", suggests it might be a Standard 24 (non-maple top) instead of a Custom 24. Did PRS ever get back to you about the specs?
The writing in one of the pickup cavities, "ST24FREG", suggests it might be a Standard 24 (non-maple top) instead of a Custom 24. Did PRS ever get back to you about the specs?
Jbyrd78
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Yeah I noticed the cavity writing as well, and it's funny it has that, b/c you can clearly see that it has a maple top. The natural binding has curly/flame maple in it. I never reached out to PRS, but I was emailing Ryan at PTC last Friday in regards to some pickup wiring. Maybe I'll send him the pics I have and see if he can give me some info, or get the pictures over to the powers that be so they can give me some info.
Last edited:
Jbyrd78
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So I emailed customer service at PRS yesterday before I left for work, and I finally got a response back from them in regards to this guitar.
"Hi Jason,
Thank you for contacting PRS Guitars.
Serial# 8 34600 is a 1998 Standard 24, with a Mahogany body, Mahogany neck with a Standard profile, East Indian Rosewood fretboard with bird inlays, PRS tremolo bridge, HFS treble and Vintage bass pickups, finished in Gold Top, with nickel hardware.
I hope this information finds you well. We appreciate your interest in PRS.
Have a great week,
Beth
Customer Service"
Here is my reponse back:
"Beth,
Thank you so much for the info that you provided. Just out of curiosity, did some standard 24's come with maple tops? The only reason I ask, is because this guitar appears to have a flame maple top underneath the goldtop, and a mahogany back as can be seen in the binding in these additional pictures I provided.
I was told when I purchased this guitar, it was a bit of a mystery, and that it was mislabeled and never corrected before it was finished. I was also told, the guitar was possibly built in the custom shop that was overseen by Joe Knaggs at the time due to the fact a fire had occured at one of the PRS warehouses back in 97/98. Do you have any information about this on your end?
One last question. This guitar has clouding happening in the clear coat finish that I would like to get corrected. If I wanted to send this guitar to PTC to be fully refinished. Do you off hand know about how much I would be looking at price wise, and what does that price include? Also, what would the current turnaround time would be?
Jason"
I have not heard anything back since I sent that email along with pictures of the guitar to show them the flamed maple in the binding.
"Hi Jason,
Thank you for contacting PRS Guitars.
Serial# 8 34600 is a 1998 Standard 24, with a Mahogany body, Mahogany neck with a Standard profile, East Indian Rosewood fretboard with bird inlays, PRS tremolo bridge, HFS treble and Vintage bass pickups, finished in Gold Top, with nickel hardware.
I hope this information finds you well. We appreciate your interest in PRS.
Have a great week,
Beth
Customer Service"
Here is my reponse back:
"Beth,
Thank you so much for the info that you provided. Just out of curiosity, did some standard 24's come with maple tops? The only reason I ask, is because this guitar appears to have a flame maple top underneath the goldtop, and a mahogany back as can be seen in the binding in these additional pictures I provided.
I was told when I purchased this guitar, it was a bit of a mystery, and that it was mislabeled and never corrected before it was finished. I was also told, the guitar was possibly built in the custom shop that was overseen by Joe Knaggs at the time due to the fact a fire had occured at one of the PRS warehouses back in 97/98. Do you have any information about this on your end?
One last question. This guitar has clouding happening in the clear coat finish that I would like to get corrected. If I wanted to send this guitar to PTC to be fully refinished. Do you off hand know about how much I would be looking at price wise, and what does that price include? Also, what would the current turnaround time would be?
Jason"
I have not heard anything back since I sent that email along with pictures of the guitar to show them the flamed maple in the binding.
Jbyrd78
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Actually, I already had a talk with the seller. He wanted to buy the guitar back...I told him the guitar is not forsale.
The guitar plays, and sounds great! Regardless of what it is, she's gonna stay in my collection for now.
I just really wish I could find out more about this guitar. I'm not discrediting anyone, I just want to know why it's labled as a standard model, yet it's clearly evident, it has got a carved flame maple top underneath the gold finish. Did some standard's leave the factory with maple tops?
TFC
That guitar really tied the room together
I may have an answer for you (and a correction to what I wrote). According to The PRS Guitar Book it appears that from 1998-2000 PRS offered a "Standard 24 Maple Top" model. They came with the regular neck shape and an option for birds. I bet that's what you have. I don't know know what makes a Standard 24 Maple Top different from a Custom 24, but maybe somebody else does.
TFC
That guitar really tied the room together
Perhaps "Standard" referred to the solid opaque color vs. seeing the maple pattern on the top? In the same book I'm also seeing there was a "McCarty Standard" that had a maple top painted with an opaque color offered from 1994-96.
I love PRS, but sometimes their naming conventions are more confusing than helpful (pickups, neck carves)
I love PRS, but sometimes their naming conventions are more confusing than helpful (pickups, neck carves)
GuitarJammin
Guitar Player
I have a 94' Standard 24 with a maple top in Gold. Plays freakin great! Mine has moon inlays though...I WISH it had birds! Nice catch!
Here it is next to my CE24 floyd.
Here it is next to my CE24 floyd.
DISTORT6
NJ Devil
Standard 24 = Solid mahogany body.
Standard 24 Maple Top = Painted maple top only, mahogany body.
Custom 24 - Figured maple top, mahogany body.
No idea on neck shapes on specific models.
Standard 24 Maple Top = Painted maple top only, mahogany body.
Custom 24 - Figured maple top, mahogany body.
No idea on neck shapes on specific models.
Jbyrd78
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Well it looks like I got full closure on what I was wondering. I got a reply back from PRS this morning.
"Good morning, Jason,
In 1997/1998 we offered a Standard 24 with maple tops that were typically opaque finishes (such as the Gold Top). In general, this can be confusing as it is essentially a Custom 24; however, for that short period these guitars were referred to as a Standard Maple top.
There is no additional information we can provide. We did not have a fire in our warehouse.
The cost of a full refinish of the neck and body is $1,400. To complete a work order, you may visit the link below:
PRS Guitars | PTC - PRS Tech Center
Thank you and have a great day,
Beth
Customer Service"
Thank's to you fellas who help me out with everything?
So if I send this guitar off to PRS for a refin, will they completely strip and refinish the guitar? Or do they just rough up the original finish and spray over that?
"Good morning, Jason,
In 1997/1998 we offered a Standard 24 with maple tops that were typically opaque finishes (such as the Gold Top). In general, this can be confusing as it is essentially a Custom 24; however, for that short period these guitars were referred to as a Standard Maple top.
There is no additional information we can provide. We did not have a fire in our warehouse.
The cost of a full refinish of the neck and body is $1,400. To complete a work order, you may visit the link below:
PRS Guitars | PTC - PRS Tech Center
Thank you and have a great day,
Beth
Customer Service"
Thank's to you fellas who help me out with everything?
So if I send this guitar off to PRS for a refin, will they completely strip and refinish the guitar? Or do they just rough up the original finish and spray over that?
