NGD: Custom 24 Artist

Solteroblues

New Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2014
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455
I've been away on business, so I haven't really had any time to spend with her but maybe 5 minutes.

First off, when I received it, I couldn't open the case! The seller told me that they reset the locks to 000, but that didn't work, and they didn't know of any other combination to unlock it (I got it off of ebay, and I think they were some kind of reseller). I tried all of the lock picking advice I could find to no avail. Finally, I found the lock maker's website with instructions on how to unlock it, so voila! It's open!

Second, as I was tuning it, the high e string broke, so I've only gotten to play with 5 strings so far! I never realized how much I used that string until I didn't have it any more!

Positives:
It has the BEST FLAMED TOP I have EVER seen! Absolutely gorgeous! I love the neck, and the Paua birds and headstock inlay are beautiful. Great resonation. I think this is going to be a GREAT player. I can see it becoming my #1 quite easily, as long as I can get past some minor issues.

Negatives: Nothing functional, all cosmetic issues, or very minor. It's a little more beat up than I was expecting. I knew it had some dings, but they look worse in person, and the top is scratched up some. Hopefully I can buff them out, but there are some places where all of the clear has been completely chipped away. The neck pickup fell down into the cavity, but that's an easy fix as soon as I get some new strings. The color is nothing like I had hoped for or expected. I thought it would be more blue, but it's actually quite green. Every picture makes it look like a completely different color. The previous owner also changed out the knobs, and that's a real shame, because I think these gold knobs look hideous compared to the clear originals, and original PRS lampshades are going to cost me about $50 for 3. Also, it's missing the trem arm, so that's another $35 or more.

Anyway, on to the pics. Here you can see how different the color appears in pics. The first one is the ebay picture, and what I expected the color to look like. Then the next few are mine from the hotel room from my business trip, with the last two looking more closely to what it looks like in person in daylight, but it's still much more green than even these iphone pics appear. I don't know why they call it "Matteo BLUE" when it should be called "Ocean Green" or something like that. I am quite happy with it, so don't let all of my complaining fool you!



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If you do a Google image search for PRS Matteo Blue, you get images with a range of color just like the ones above.

I have to wonder whether that particular color is greatly influenced by fluorescent vs. incandescent lighting, direct vs. indirect, and white-balance settings of the camera?

The third shot above, looking "up" the guitar from the bottom strap-holder, looks far more like the eBay photo, colorwise, but you can still see hints of that "Caribbean blue-green" (to slightly borrow Andy's term).

Anyway, nice looking guitar! I love the color, either way!

Let us know how it sounds, and post updated pics when you get the trem installed and new knobs, or whatever you end up doing!
 
thank you all! I love the top! I just said to myself it's a Caribbean blue, so that's funny. It definitely depends on the lighting and the white balance of the camera. I have only taken pics of it so far with my iphone, but I'll get the nice camera out and take more. I don't know if the clear coat has yellowed some, making it appear more green than blue, or if it was always like that. It's definitely growing on me.
 
It's absolutely great-looking! You picked a winner! I've always loved PRS artist packages, and you got the nice leather case, too.

Two thumbs up!!
 
KILLER! I had a Matteo blue, and it was just like you are saying. It could look dark blue, or light green depending on the lighting, and with a flash, it looked PURE green! I love it!
 
thanks, I'm in love with it! Now I just need to pay off the credit card!:laugh:

I can sure relate to that, being in the same boat, but definitely no regrets. Also:laugh:. And congratulations on your super score. That guitar is bee-you-tiful! But, you know, I think I can see why the knobs were changed. Since the trem and the tuners and the strap buttons are gold colored, I think I can understand the previous owner's thinking, although I might never have changed the knobs. But, if I had it (please don't take this wrong, 'cause I'm looking at doing the same to my new PG), I'd be looking at maybe black pick-up rings to match the pickups. The white ones (to me) don't seem to go with anything else on there. But that's just me. In fact, I'll probably end up doing that to both my SE and the PG. <mumble> just don't see why they put white rings on some of their models</mumble>. My $.02 (deflated value).;)

Again, congrats on that beauty. And I'll bet it sounds out of this world! Cheers.
 
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