Reclaimed Limited CE24 / Experience 2007 Custom 24 / 513?

[omnilion]

Hi all, new to the forums here but I need your advice/tips/experience.

I own an S2 Custom 22 Semi-hollow, and am looking to branch out with my PRS'.
Thus, I'm now faced with the dilemma of choosing between a Reclaimed Limited CE24 Semi-hollow, Experience 2007 Custom 24, and a 513 from '08.
Now I've not played any of these yet personally, but I've grown fond of each one but for different reasons.

Would you guys be able to give me informed opinions on which way to go? Meaning, would you kindly give reasons for choosing one or the other.

And before anyone says it, no I can't afford to get all / two of them.

Thanks for your input!

 

[dogrocketp]

Go to the flagship.

 

[omnilion]

Go to the flagship.

The Experience Custom 24, you mean?

I'm just very torn about this choice at the moment, and would like to hear experiences on the different models if possible.

On one hand, I really dig the semi-hollow on the CE24 and the natural look of the wood.
On another hand, the Custome 24 is indeed the PRS model and that has its perks for sure. Not so sure about the raging ruby colour though (saying that, I have a sparkling red custom guitar by Finnish luthier Matti Nevalainen, so is that a moot point?).
On yet another hand, I really dig the way the pups are wired on the 513 and the versatility it offers. I had an ESP LTD H-400 back in the day and really enjoyed the versatile pickup configuration where the 2nd and 4th selector positions had tapped coil sounds.

Thoughts?

 

[dogrocketp]

My thought was for you to go to the sound that really started PRS. I have several, but the core 24 and my SAS get the bulk of the gigging time. While it`s nice to have as many bells and whistles as possible, I think you`ll find that with the usable coil splits when you pull up the tone knob, there are a huge number of available sounds. The best part is they are all PRS, not F or G. You already have a 22 fret guitar, so a 24 would be logical. I think you`ll be nicely surprised by the difference.

 

[Rider1260]

You can't go wrong with a nice Custom 24
BUT
I LOVE my 513
IMHO it does not matter which you get first you will get the other later on !!!!
Good Hunting can't wait for the pics

 

[bodia]

Tough choice. If it were me, I'd do the 513 just because I don't have one....yet

 

[gush]

If the cu24 has 5909s or 8515s then the choice is clear. These pickups rock like no other.

513 is a guitar I would love to try because the features it offers appeal to me. But I don't know how it's pickups will measure up to the prs pickups I've come to desire.

The CE would be cool too as it offers the 8515 pickups which I like a lot. My only hang up with the new CE is the SE trem and the tuners. Would it be durable in the long term? I can buy a used CE with components I know I like.

So if I'm picking one without playing it first I would go with cu24.

 

[omnilion]

My thought was for you to go to the sound that really started PRS. I have several, but the core 24 and my SAS get the bulk of the gigging time. While it`s nice to have as many bells and whistles as possible, I think you`ll find that with the usable coil splits when you pull up the tone knob, there are a huge number of available sounds. The best part is they are all PRS, not F or G. You already have a 22 fret guitar, so a 24 would be logical. I think you`ll be nicely surprised by the difference.

Yeah, I was thinking whether a 3- and a 5-way selector are too cumbersome to switch between during songs and whether I'd end up using a few specific pup selections instead.
This despite the fact that I do like the versatility the 513 offers.

You can't go wrong with a nice Custom 24
BUT
I LOVE my 513
IMHO it does not matter which you get first you will get the other later on !!!!
Good Hunting can't wait for the pics

Haha Although my SO is very understanding of my GAS, I doubt she'd be that lenient. I do already have five guitars, after all.

If the cu24 has 5909s or 8515s then the choice is clear. These pickups rock like no other.

513 is a guitar I would love to try because the features it offers appeal to me. But I don't know how it's pickups will measure up to the prs pickups I've come to desire.

The CE would be cool too as it offers the 8515 pickups which I like a lot. My only hang up with the new CE is the SE trem and the tuners. Would it be durable in the long term? I can buy a used CE with components I know I like.

So if I'm picking one without playing it first I would go with cu24.

As a relevant newbie in the PRS community, I'm a bit baffled with all the different pup names. There used to be Dragons, then there were #s, and now xx/xxs.
The 2007 Experience Custom 24 has #6s, are those the same as 5909s? I know the most recent ones are 8515s, which the Reclaimed CE24 rocks.
Do you mean that the Reclaimed CE has parts from the SE series, maily the tuners and trem? If that's so, then I'm definitely starting to lean more towards the 513 or Cu24.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

513. Same reason as bodia.

 

[omnilion]

513. Same reason as bodia.

... But then again, if you've first gotten a CU24, wouldn't that make it the first port of call?

 

[dsenoj]

Do you mean that the Reclaimed CE has parts from the SE series, maily the tuners and trem? If that's so, then I'm definitely starting to lean more towards the 513 or Cu24.

The Reclaimed CE does have the same trem as the SE series. The tuners are the same Korean made Phase II tuners as the S2 series which I think are just as good as the tuners in the core line. The CE tuners are a big improvement over the SE tuners.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

... But then again, if you've first gotten a CU24, wouldn't that make it the first port of call?

Not necessarily... There were less choices back when I bought my first PRS but I still didn't get a CU24 then. I say you gotta play a few and then decide.

But, you will be buying all three eventually. You just can't wrap your head around how that's feasible quite yet.

 

[Spikedog007]

Can you post pics of any of these?

I think I might go for the CE24 but that's because I've been wanting a semi-hollow for a while now.

And to answer one of your questions, no the #6's are not the same as 5909's. The #6 pups seem to be very polarizing, many love them but a lot of others don't. You should really try them all out if it's at all possible.

 

[omnilion]

Not necessarily... There were less choices back when I bought my first PRS but I still didn't get a CU24 then. I say you gotta play a few and then decide.

But, you will be buying all three eventually. You just can't wrap your head around how that's feasible quite yet.

A zen thing, huh?

Can you post pics of any of these?

I think I might go for the CE24 but that's because I've been wanting a semi-hollow for a while now.

And to answer one of your questions, no the #6's are not the same as 5909's. The #6 pups seem to be very polarizing, many love them but a lot of others don't. You should really try them all out if it's at all possible.

This is not the exact same guitar I'd be getting, but the same batch and finish too.

This one I probably won't get to try unless I buy it. The current owner lives some ~450 miles away from me so won't be able to just drop down to play it.

Same goes for the 513, the same finish and same specs but not this exact one.

This one I'd have the chance to try out though this'd be even further away from me than the Experience 2007 Cu 24. But it just so happens I'm going on a business trip to the same city as the current owner lives in.

 

[gush]

Yeah, I was thinking whether a 3- and a 5-way selector are too cumbersome to switch between during songs and whether I'd end up using a few specific pup selections instead.
This despite the fact that I do like the versatility the 513 offers.



Haha Although my SO is very understanding of my GAS, I doubt she'd be that lenient. I do already have five guitars, after all.



As a relevant newbie in the PRS community, I'm a bit baffled with all the different pup names. There used to be Dragons, then there were #s, and now xx/xxs.
The 2007 Experience Custom 24 has #6s, are those the same as 5909s? I know the most recent ones are 8515s, which the Reclaimed CE24 rocks.
Do you mean that the Reclaimed CE has parts from the SE series, maily the tuners and trem? If that's so, then I'm definitely starting to lean more towards the 513 or Cu24.

#6 pickups are not 5909s. Never played 6s so don't know what they're like. 8515s are expensive to buy IF you can find a set but 5909s can be had used fairly reasonable.

You can buy a one piece trem from John Mann if the se trem doesn't set well with you. I was dumbfounded as to why they used an SE trem but I read it was purely for the tone they were after on these and most report good results with it. Personally, I would put a mann trem on it and call it a day.

I have a set of the S2 tuners and they look ok but will they last long term??? I bought them for a probject but haven't used them yet.

I play in a cover band so 513 features appeal to me in being able to choose output level consistently.

Cu24 just might be your ticket though. Tried and true.

 

[Rider1260]

I love that 513 !!!!! of all the PRSi it took me the longest to find a 513 I could afford, it takes a bit to find the setting you like best ( if not all of them )

A zen thing, huh?



This is not the exact same guitar I'd be getting, but the same batch and finish too.

This one I probably won't get to try unless I buy it. The current owner lives some ~450 miles away from me so won't be able to just drop down to play it.

Same goes for the 513, the same finish and same specs but not this exact one.

This one I'd have the chance to try out though this'd be even further away from me than the Experience 2007 Cu 24. But it just so happens I'm going on a business trip to the same city as the current owner lives in.

 

[Jazzedout]

513

 

[garrett]

That Custom is hot! They had a few like that at Righteous Guitars.

Really can't go wrong with a Custom and it'll make a nice complement to your Semi. But give that 513 a try!

 

[László]

They're all droolsome. Of course, it's not just about the pickups and electronics, or where the bridge is made, etc. The guitars are fundamentally different in other ways that matter.

For example, the 513 has a longer scale length than the other two. That gives it a different sound, a bit of twang, a lot of lower midrange clarity. Then you throw in the switching and the middle pickup, and it's unique in the PRS lineup. If you need or like single coil sounds, it's a good choice.

The CU24 has, in addition to 24 instead of 22 frets, pickup placement that gives it a fat and focused tone. I find that it really cuts through a band mix, and doesn't need much EQ in a studio mix. So if you like humbucker sounds and want solos to cut, it's pretty great. I love the one I have.

I haven't played the reclaimed wood model. The clips sound great, though you have a semi-hollow already.

 

[bodia]

That's a great looking 513!