PRS CE-24 Alder Maple Top 1991 Early Production

Hi guys, I have bought the guitar yesterday. I really like it but I am still confused with the pickups configuration and the 3way switch...I hope I didn't make horrible mistake :/ but it's too late now I suppose.
 
Hi guys, I have bought the guitar yesterday. I really like it but I am still confused with the pickups configuration and the 3way switch...I hope I didn't make horrible mistake :/ but it's too late now I suppose.

No you didn’t.

Any questions you have will be happily answered here.
 
No you didn’t.

Any questions you have will be happily answered here.

Thank you! I am bit impulsive and I really like it so I hope everything will be fine. It's my first guitar I have bought online without playing it first. I downloaded all photos and uploaded them to the imgbb photo sharing web because some of you were not able to open the correct link on reverb.com

Photos here https://ibb.co/album/xmBjhJ

I have doubts about the 3 way switch. I am not sure but the body shape under the switch that is also shaped like the ones with potentiometers. It's either same design even if there is 3way or someone replaced the 5 position rotary switch later on.
 
The three way switch is most likely a modification which I believe can be returned to the 5 way switch relatively easily.

It’s a bonnie guitar and you have yourself a little slice of PRS history, congratulations.
 
Thanks! Next question is what type of pickups are there. I will make some photos of the guitar with disassembled pickups when it arrive.
 
I am pretty sure the 3-way switch was an orderable option at the time. Mine is a 1992 and it came that way. However yours may have been an after-market modification because the toggle looks different (as do the wiring and capacitor). Mine had a right-angle toggle with a push-pull DPDT tone knob, which I was able to confirm in wiring diagrams.

That is an amazing guitar. Love the tone on the older alder-backed CE's. I had mine less than a year ad it's become my favorite. I'm sure you'll be happy with yours - enjoy!
 
Good news! Guitar arrived earlier so I could take few more photos of pickups that are still not identified. There are also some manufacturer notes under the pickups etc. Any knowledge, explanation or tips are welcome!

I would like to know what type of pickups are installed and if they are original PRS? Thank you

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Looking at the back, the pickups are original, but looks like someone added some nickel covers afterwards. The bridge pickup still has the HFS label (Hof Fat Screams), and the neck pickup looks like PRS as well, and you can see fading where the VB (Vintage Bass) label would have been. They often fall off after so many years.

Markings indicate the finish (Vintage Sunburst, my favorite), WT for Wide Thin neck (also my favorite), RF for Rosewood Fretboard and the serial number, which matches the neck plate. The rest are usually notes and initials from the craftsmen, and looks like the guitar was made by or for Ben Rivera - could be a custom order (workers typically put only their first name or initials). Manufacture date looks like May 20th, 1991.

All seems in order - it's probably a matter of preference if you want to keep the covers or not but the pickups are original. I still think the 3-way is not original (since I think PRS used different wiring and a right-angle toggle) but it is no big deal if you want to have it restored to the 5-way. Looks like you got a very nice find - enjoy!

Edit - I googled Ben Rivera and PRS and it turns out he was a PRS employee in 1991. The Internet has no secrets :).
 
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Thank you for good news! The label HFS was good sign that the pickups are original but I saw PRS logo engraved on most pickups I have found online so how could you say that the pickups are original for 100%? Are there some typical indicators that the pickups are PRS? Like screws, shape, cable colors etc.?
 
Beautiful guitar! Thank you for reply - it really seems that the pickups are original! :) I am glad. Do you think I should remove the nickel covers? I did check the covered/uncovered sound of humbuckers but there is just slight difference. My motivation would probably be to return the guitar to its original state because I have no problem with its sound.
 
Thank you for good news! The label HFS was good sign that the pickups are original but I saw PRS logo engraved on most pickups I have found online so how could you say that the pickups are original for 100%? Are there some typical indicators that the pickups are PRS? Like screws, shape, cable colors etc.?
As far as I can tell, they only started engraving PRS in the back of the pickups in 1995. The screw pattern, label size/font as well as the wire color match PRS pickups of the same era. The B was likely added by the person who installed the cover, probably to indicate "bridge" on re-installation. This is mine from 1990 (My HFS lost its sticker):
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It's interesting to see how the labels evolved over the years, and with no engraving before 1995, the earlier pickups are harder to identify. Up to 1991, they were smaller and had square corners. From 1992 to 1994, they were larger with round corners, similar to a mailing label. In 1995, PRS was engraved and the labels were smaller with square corners and had a gold font over black background (as if they we printed off-site rather than in a label maker) and in 1997, similar but with rounded corners and a gold edge around the label. Always a grey wire though.
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I just got response from PRS Customer support. I have confirmation, that the guitar was custom made for someone (probably Ben Rivera) and the nickel covers were part of that custom order. Unfortunately the toggle switch remains mistery - I didn't get sufficient info about that. Just statement that the switch could have been part of the order or maybe it was replaced later.

I am still not sure. The wiring looks solid to me - maybe from factory? I am just not sure about the white wire. Too shiny to be 30 years old maybe?
 
Great looking guitar, and a great score! Congrats. Love those older PRS, my '92 custom 24 is a solid guitar and still my #1.
 
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