NGD: 2005 Custom 22 Artist Package

[jlf599]

I swear I just wanted to sell an EBMM Axis SS when I ran across this on TGP. I kind of fell in love with it and had to see if I could work a trade. The stars aligned and a trade happened. It arrived while I was in Boston and I finally got to open it today. I think I'm in love with it even more. I'd forgotten what Dragon IIs were like...but once I tweaked my amp for them, it sounds amazing.

And it even almost matches my SLO30.

Here it an updated family photo -- it's more PRS than EBMM now and I'm not sure how I feel about that.

 

[bodia]

Damn! That's sexy! I miss my Cu22.......

 

[Moondog Wily]

That is a beautiful piece! Congrats and enjoy!!

 

[dmatthews]

Oh my... that's hawt!

 

[DISTORT6]

NIIIIICE!
Purple with gold hardware makes my toes curl.
HNCu22D!

 

[Gtrbldr]

Very classy. Indeed deep purple with gold hardware is jummy

 

[watelessness]

yeah, baby!

 

[MWebster]

I love your collection, especially that MEV in seafoam. How do you still like it?

That new artist you traded for is quite a treasure! Does it need more amp tweakage than the rest of your collection?

 

[Russ73]

OP I actually moved from EBMM to PRS due to the shorter scale and a few issues I had with my EBs....I also have a SLO 30 great rig and guitars you have!!

 

[jlf599]

I love your collection, especially that MEV in seafoam. How do you still like it?

That new artist you traded for is quite a treasure! Does it need more amp tweakage than the rest of your collection?

Thanks! I feel like it's mostly reached its final form. I'm not really jonesing for anything else now. I mean, if I find something awesome at a great price, I'll consider it, but I don't think there's anything I really lust after now.

I'm still loving the MEV. In fact, the MEV is probably now one of the "must have" guitars in my collection. If something happened to all of my guitars and I had to start over, that would be one of the first, if not the first, guitars I'd replace.

The new Cu22 with the Dragons definitely required more tweaking than most of the other guitars in my collections. On the clean channel, I really had to re-EQ. The crunch, a little less so, but it's lower output than the Dimarzio Axis pickups (and a little less bright) and higher than my MEV/Paul's pickups (and also less bright). Oddly enough, for the things I enjoy playing and the sound I like, I can go from an Axis/Reflex to the MEV and just use the volume knob on the guitar for the most part and not touch the amp. The Cu22 needed some tweaks, but I can work with that.

 

[jlf599]

OP I actually moved from EBMM to PRS due to the shorter scale and a few issues I had with my EBs....I also have a SLO 30 great rig and guitars you have!!

Thanks! I also have a Fender SuperSonic 22 that's off being serviced as my other amp. It's basically 70s Aerosmith in an amp.

The EBMM neck finish is still my fave. The PRS torrefied necks just aren't as common as I'd like, but they feel as good as the EBMMs. I'd likely consider replacing my DGT with a torrefied neck model if I came across one I really liked. I'm actually surprised there aren't more torrefied PRS neck options out there.

I've owned most of the EBMMs save the Majesty and found that the Axis and Reflex are home. The Silo Special is fun. I do like the Albert Lee (which surprised me because the shape put me off at first, but it's so very comfortable to play). I really wanted to like the Luke because it's an amazing guitar but in the end, it just wasn't for me.

I'd tried a LOT of PRSes over the years and never kept one (though to be fair, I still kick myself for selling a spruce top HB II that I really liked -- but someone offered me WAY more than I paid for it) but I acquired the Paul's Private Stock and it opened my mind back up to PRS. I think I needed the exploration of all the other things before I really appreciated a lot of the PRS models. That said, I still can't get down with 24 frets and it makes me sad that the 24 fret models get so many of the coolest finishes and torrefied necks.

 

[Prina]

Awesome addition to a great guitar corner! Congrats!

My personal feeling is similar about 24 frets. On me they're wasted.

 

[jlf599]

Awesome addition to a great guitar corner! Congrats!

My personal feeling is similar about 24 frets. On me they're wasted.

Thanks!

Yeah, on 24 frets, I mean, I don't really need 2 full octaves. I can screw up in WAY less.

But it's also the feel. 24 fret guitars just feel different and wrong to me. I'm not sure why. I've owned several and they never stay.