PRS custom 24 vs Suhr pro series

[eugeneelgr]

Anyway, each to their own I guess but I do think some things are almost a 'tick' list of 'must haves' but without any real reason behind it. SS frets seem the 'latest' thing so its a tick box must have rather than an actual 'need'.

That's quite true to be honest, when I tested a custom 24 at my local dealer recently, it was smooth as well. Not SS smooth yes, but smooth enough. After playing regular frets for the first time in years(been a SS frets convert since 2010), I have now concluded that my need for SS frets stem more from a fuss free maintenance standpoint more so than actual playability, when comparing with well polished nickel frets of course.

With regards to radius, I don't enjoy super flat radius as well, but for my PS build I am definitely going for either a 14 or 16" radius. I do feel it's a great balance. For me, on the custom 24, when doing bends, I do get the strings digging into my fingernails (based on my playing style and technique) and a little more effort when jumping from string to string on my picking hand. Just my personal opinion of course.

 

[ieso]

All I can tell you is that I have two Suhr guitars 8 feet to my left that I haven't touched in weeks. The thought has occurred to me to sell them (I tried -- not very hard -- to sell one a couple of months ago) but I'd never part with my PRSi.

 

[Mozzi]

That's quite true to be honest, when I tested a custom 24 at my local dealer recently, it was smooth as well. Not SS smooth yes, but smooth enough. After playing regular frets for the first time in years(been a SS frets convert since 2010), I have now concluded that my need for SS frets stem more from a fuss free maintenance standpoint more so than actual playability, when comparing with well polished nickel frets of course.

With regards to radius, I don't enjoy super flat radius as well, but for my PS build I am definitely going for either a 14 or 16" radius. I do feel it's a great balance. For me, on the custom 24, when doing bends, I do get the strings digging into my fingernails (based on my playing style and technique) and a little more effort when jumping from string to string on my picking hand. Just my personal opinion of course.

Each to their own. I am sure there isn't a one for all guitar and some prefer flatter fretboards to others. I have never had any issue with 'bends' - well not associated with the type of fret wire used and maintaining them is not an issue if you give it a quick clean when replacing the strings. I have heard of issues with Stainless steel - like fret sprout - because it is too 'rigid' but I doubt you will get issues on a well made guitar with properly 'cured' woods.

If there was one guitar for all, then they would all be built the same, with the same neck carve, same scale length, same width necks etc - a 'standard' but what suits one isn't necessarily going to ideal for another. All 3 of my PRS guitars have different necks - Pattern thin on my CU24, Pattern Regular on my 509 and Pattern Vintage on my 594 and all 3 feel great to me and 'right' for that guitar although I would pick Pattern Vintage as my favourite. When I picked that up, it just felt 'perfect'. However there are so many different necks (carve, radius, width, wire, how they join the body, scale length etc) if you look across all guitar brands, different finishes too that there is likely to be one that suits a specific person and their playing style.