REQUESTING Info before Core Custom 22/24 purchase

N9NU-9

Master of All Things
Joined
Dec 27, 2014
Messages
9
Location
North Central Illinois
Hi

I am going to be purchasing a new Custom 22/24 10 Top Core model guitar (either 30th anniversary or the regular C24) and would like to get some information before I do so. I was going to go to the local Guitar Center here in North Central Illinois (Naperville) to try a few of the CORE models out only to find out after calling them that they informed me they do not carry the Core line within the store anymore....as in not stocked. They only had a few SE and S2 models left which is not what I am after, thus I am going to ask a few questions here as I am sure someone will 'know what I mean'. I have a SE Paul Allender Purple Burst model (the original w/o the EMG's) and I experimented with swapping pickups (HFS/VB) and the appropriate electronics and found that I like the new configuration/additional options w/ the Coil Tap better than the OEM setup, however, I knew I wasn't going to get that unique sound I was after.

I am looking for that PRS tone/sound which is heard 'underneath' the heavier/higher gain distortion/overdrive when certain notes/bar chords are played (e.g. sliding up/down). I can only best describe it as a 'violin type' sweet sound. Artists like Chevelle, Kutless, Linkin Park, Thousand Foot Krutch, Godsmack, etc. use PRS guitars and while I have seen all the groups in concert, I can only tell that most of them are the double cut Custom 24 like style with both the Soaptail bridge (Custom 22) or the PRS Tremolo (Custom 24/others). So I would like to know if anyone first knows what I am referring to LOL and then what pickups listed below would best suite my needs/wants. I like the heavier, more aggressive sounds from the above bands, but want to stop shy of the more intense heavy metal sounds....which to me sound too compressed/digital like.

59/09
85/15
HFS/VB
57/08
\ m /

In addition to the pickups, what else should I look for to achieve that sound....like fretboard material and neck material, etc. Below is the link to the 24 I was looking at.

http://www.zzounds.com/item--PAUCU241030?siid=171536


Thanks

Tim Dickerson
ARS N9NU
 
I am told that among other guitars, the Linkin Park guys play CE24s, Custom 24s, Standard 24s, Custom 22s, and Singlecuts.

But they also use Ibanez and other makes.

I don't know what pickups they have, but most appear to have been with them prior to the 5x/0x, 85/15. or \m/ series pickups came out. However it's possible that they have different pickups than they came with.

If I understand the nature of your description of the sound you want as that underlying the distortion on certain notes and chords, I don't think you can go wrong with any of the guitars or pickups you've mentioned. I think what you're trying to accomplish is a matter of how you're dialing in guitar, pedals (if any) and amp, and not whether you're using a 22 or 24 fret guitar, nor is it truly a matter of pickups provided you're using good pickups.

Fretboard and neck material aren't going to be particularly important with that heavy a sound. In any heavy sound, it's really more about the amp than the guitar. And that band uses everything from AC30s to Marshalls to Mesas to Orange to Bogner to...who knows what.

In fact, what you're calling the sound under the distortion may be simply the sound of several amps driven at once by the same signal; imagine an AC30 with a light crunch layered with a Dual Recto and you're going to have a pretty unique sound. And that's the kind of thing that can be done both on records and live, where often additional amps are hidden backstage, miked up, and run through the PA.

In short, best of luck experimenting!
 
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I know the Guitar Center of which you speak. The place is a desolate shadow of what it once was. A victim of the overexpansion and poor management of the GC team at the top. Read the business section info on this company and it will give you the "financial willys". They don't have a single PRS in the place since they can't pay their bills.
 
+1 on the Naperville GC being a poor overall store.
In our local area PRS shopping is tough Hixs Bros used to carry PRS but is a shell of itself since GC moved in
Naperville Music has PRS again http://www.napervillemusic.com/c-678-shop-by-brands.aspx I got my 305 there a few years back

As far a guitars go CU22 has a bit more beef in the neck position CU24 is a bit brighter ( IMHO )
I JUST got a CU24 with VB/HFS pups it sounds great pretty sure you could get any rock sound you wanted with that setup you much also want to consider a Tremonti or just the pups
Good hunting
 
Hi guys. Thanks for all the suggestions. I finally decided on which one to purchase.


Tim[h=1]


PRS Hand Selected Wood Library Custom 24 Armando's Amethyst Brazilian Rosewood $4199.00
[/h]https://wildwestguitars.com/electri...cted-wood-library-custom-24-armandos-amethyst


prs2.jpg
 
That's hot. Glad you didn't go GC.... Great choice of place to go. You'll great treated right ...
 
A 57/08 in the neck will be a more vintage tone and the 59/09 in the bridge will be hot.... Great choice and love how they mismatched
 
That is a really nice looking guitar. That pickup combo is fabulous too. Great score!
 
Hell yeah, nice choice! Beautiful guitar! BTW, Wild West Guitars is the best! I went there to purchase my CU24. When I stepped inside I got the feeling I was dealing with professionals, the exact opposite feeling I get when I walk into a GC. Congrats!!!
 
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