What’s a Custom 22 like?

[DISTORT6]

if you guys had to pick ONE guitar to keep forever, would it be one of these?

I need to try one!

1000% YES.
More specifically, this one:

 

[Atticus808]

So a McCarty just arrived at one of the local stores, and it’s the first time I got to play a PRS Core model.

At first when I was holding it, waiting for the amp to get set up (65 Princeton reverb reissue) I wasn’t sure about it yet. I still liked the neck on my Silver Sky more. Then I plugged it in and played a bit, and wasn’t used to the bigger radius neck, so I wasn’t sold on it. But within seconds it became a VERY nice feeling guitar. The pickups sounded amazing, and the neck felt great. Seems like a very versatile guitar (I wasn’t able to try with any overdrive though).

I think this might be my next electric.....

Any thoughts between this vs a Custom 24? I’m looking at probably getting a semi hollow version.

Also, I think I’m done looking at other guitar brands. This guitar ruined other guitars.

the lighting is kind of weird in the pic, but here’s what I tried

 

[shimmilou]

^ Nice! ^

 

[bodia]

Yes.

My "forever guitar" is my Modern Eagle V. I consider it the ultimate Custom 22.

My first Westie would be my forever, but the MEV is close on its heels

 

[SinSir]

So a McCarty just arrived at one of the local stores, and it’s the first time I got to play a PRS Core model.

At first when I was holding it, waiting for the amp to get set up (65 Princeton reverb reissue) I wasn’t sure about it yet. I still liked the neck on my Silver Sky more. Then I plugged it in and played a bit, and wasn’t used to the bigger radius neck, so I wasn’t sold on it. But within seconds it became a VERY nice feeling guitar. The pickups sounded amazing, and the neck felt great. Seems like a very versatile guitar (I wasn’t able to try with any overdrive though).

I think this might be my next electric.....

Any thoughts between this vs a Custom 24? I’m looking at probably getting a semi hollow version.

Also, I think I’m done looking at other guitar brands. This guitar ruined other guitars.

the lighting is kind of weird in the pic, but here’s what I tried

For me personally its not even a question. I'd get a custom 24. But thats me and it doesn't mean I dont want a McCarty. I look at them all the time, but a Custon 24 represents PRS in my mind.

 

[markd21]

So a McCarty just arrived at one of the local stores, and it’s the first time I got to play a PRS Core model.

At first when I was holding it, waiting for the amp to get set up (65 Princeton reverb reissue) I wasn’t sure about it yet. I still liked the neck on my Silver Sky more. Then I plugged it in and played a bit, and wasn’t used to the bigger radius neck, so I wasn’t sold on it. But within seconds it became a VERY nice feeling guitar. The pickups sounded amazing, and the neck felt great. Seems like a very versatile guitar (I wasn’t able to try with any overdrive though).

I think this might be my next electric.....

Any thoughts between this vs a Custom 24? I’m looking at probably getting a semi hollow version.

Also, I think I’m done looking at other guitar brands. This guitar ruined other guitars.

the lighting is kind of weird in the pic, but here’s what I tried

I'd grab the McCarty. As said, the 22 fretters are IT for me. I like the thicker body on the McCarty as well.

 

[JJDon]

So a McCarty just arrived at one of the local stores, and it’s the first time I got to play a PRS Core model.

At first when I was holding it, waiting for the amp to get set up (65 Princeton reverb reissue) I wasn’t sure about it yet. I still liked the neck on my Silver Sky more. Then I plugged it in and played a bit, and wasn’t used to the bigger radius neck, so I wasn’t sold on it. But within seconds it became a VERY nice feeling guitar. The pickups sounded amazing, and the neck felt great. Seems like a very versatile guitar (I wasn’t able to try with any overdrive though).

I think this might be my next electric.....

Any thoughts between this vs a Custom 24? I’m looking at probably getting a semi hollow version.

Also, I think I’m done looking at other guitar brands. This guitar ruined other guitars.

the lighting is kind of weird in the pic, but here’s what I tried

If you prefer 22 fret guitars, I'd also check out the McCarty 594. I tried both the original McCarty and 594 and ended up preferring the two piece bridge, scale length, neck, and knob layout of the 594 better. But both are really good options. I like my Custom 24s, but I personally wouldn't mind if one of them was a 22 fretter instead of the 24 fret variant. I also prefer the knob over the switch on the Custom 24.

 

[dogrocketp]

My avatar 24 fretter is my fav of all time. I have a 22 fret 509 that is the most perfect guitar I’ve ever touched, but 24 frets puts me in heaven. Really the correct answer is one of each.

 

[MarcWink]

For me, PRS guitars have ruined just about every other guitar. They're just better in my opinion. I find them to be better set up right out of the box, they feel better to me, they certainly sound better to my ear than any other guitars I've played, and I've owned many, mostly Gibsons and super Strat type guitars from Schecter, ESP, and Ibanez. I still have an Explorer that is dedicated to Drop A tuning and an Ibanez that is dedicated to drop B tuning. I have my 1997 CE 22 Maple Top tuned to C# standard, I have my 2008 Custom 22 tuned one half step down, and have the same tuning on the Custom 24 35th Anniversary at the moment. I may end up shifting the Custom 24 to a whole step down, though I haven't decided yet. Both of my 22 fret PRS's have the Wide Fat neck which I adore, it's like the perfect balance between a Gibson 50's rounded neck and Gibson 60's Slim Taper. I really like those a lot. I find that they fit my hand very well, I love the slightly rounder 10" fretboard radius and I find that the string and fret spacing is just right for me. My Custom 24 has the Pattern Regular neck shape and I really like it as well. It's fairly similar to the Gibson 60's slim taper neck, but a little rounder. Again, I love the 10" radius and the guitar is just so easy to play. Tuning stability on all three of my PRS's is far above and beyond anything else I've owned or played, especially when compared to the Les Pauls I've owned over the years (a Standard, a Custom, a Standard Traditional, and a couple of DC Pros). The CE has the original winged Phase I locking tuners, the Custom 22 has the Phase II locking tuners, and the Custom 24 has the Phase III locking tuners, all do an outstanding job of keeping the guitar in tune.

In terms of tone, PRS Customs sound like nothing else. They don't sound like a Strat, or a Tele, or a Les Paul. Their tone is all their own. It'll really be up to your ears as to whether the tone of these guitars works for you. Having said that, the 22 fret Customs have had a few different pickups over the years. Earlier ones had Dragon I pickups, then in either the late 90's or early 2000's they moved to Dragon II pickups which are a little less hot than the Dragon I to my ear, and most recently, they had the 85/15 pickups which are a whole different animal. They're definitely a more of a mid-output pickup where the Dragon I and II are fairly hot. It's been a long time since I've played a Custom 24 with the HFS/Vintage Bass, but I recall them being pretty hot, and not totally dissimilar from the Dragon II pickups. All of the pickups sound great through a clean amp, and all do a great job of driving a high gain amp as well. I'm still learning my Custom 24, but I do really like the variety of tones that I'm able to get with the two mini toggle switches that independently split the humbuckers. Some really cool tones there. I find that I really like the neck pickup split for clean sounds and the bridge pickup as a full humbucker for crunchy rhythm playing. I also really like the neck pickup as a full on humbucker for leads. It has a very smooth balanced tone that's as good, if not better than anything that I've ever gotten from the neck pickup of any Les Paul.

As for the type of music I use theses for, I use them for anything from 80's hair metal to modern metal core, grunge, and 90's alt rock. These are supremely versatile guitars when paired with the right amp. Highly recommend you take a few for a test spin. For me, if a Gibson or Fender is a BMW, Mercedes, or Audi, a PRS Custom is an Aston Martin, Ferrari, or Porsche

 

[danktat]

Everyone here knows that I am a Cu22 guy.....Nothing fancy...but by far the feel and sound that I associate with PRS.

 

[dmatthews]

I'm a PRS 22 fret with stoptail fan.
McCarty, P22, 594 soapy, 594 WL are right up my alley.
22 with trem I love the Silver Sky and 305.

 

[ViperDoc]

The Custom 22 is what every carved top, set neck guitar wishes it could be. It's got a different cockpit feel than a Strat, but with its 25-inch scale, dual humbucker, Gen-3 tremolo recipe, it feels and plays great right out of the box and delivers all kinds of music that no Strat will make. If you can find an older one with 57/08s and a Wide Fat neck, you can thank me later. OMG.

The Custom 22 and Custom 24 do differ in playing position and neck pickup tone. The C24 playing position is shifted two frets towards the nut to make room for the 23rd and 24th frets (the neck is simply longer), so the bridge will be set closer to the neck pocket than on a C22. This changes both the right hand playing position against the body as well as the neck pickup position closer to the bridge. That makes for a brighter neck tone which you may or may not like.

Go play one and make sure to have cash on hand for the obvious conclusion.

 

[goat-n-gitter]

if you guys had to pick ONE guitar to keep forever, would it be one of these?

I need to try one!

Of my current guitars, my ONE is my CU24 piezo. The 24 does a better job at the quacky in between single coil sounds, which I often use for clean tones. My regular custom 24 is a badass, but if I can only have one I need the piezo option. My P22 is a custom 22 with a piezo, and it has my favorite neck humbucker tone of any of them. 594 is what a LP wants to grow up to be (and it doesn't kill my back like my 11 pound pig of a LP does!).
All of mine except the 594 have pattern regular necks. I like pattern and pattern vintage as well, but never warmed up to the pattern thin I've tried.

Now if I decide to sell a couple, or figure out some other way to justify the price, I'm dying to get my hands on a ME V. Unfortunately, other money priorities are likely to delay that for a while.

 

[Rockabilly69]

My 1994 Custom 22 is a guitar that I got in trade. And when I got it, I hated it. I just couldn't get on with the Dragon I pickups. I tried to sell the guitar for a reasonable price, but no one would buy it. And funny thing, many other PRS guitars which were lesser in condition, or beauty of wood, sold for more than I wanted for mine. I finally got fed up and decided to swap the pickups. I put a Wolfetone set into it, a Dr Vintage in the neck, and a Marshallhead in the bridge. The difference was NIGHT and DAY! I love this guitar now. Every tone on the 5 way switch is great! I also didn't like the Phase I locking tuners, so I found a replacement set of Schallers that dropped in with the same ratio and and easier locking mechanism. Now you can sign me up as a believer in the Custom 22!!!

https://soundcloud.com/daniel-weldon-1/prs-demo-daddys-got-his-groove-on

 

[bodia]

My 1994 Custom 22 is a guitar that I got in trade. And when I got it, I hated it. I just couldn't get on with the Dragon I pickups. I tried to sell the guitar for a reasonable price, but no one would buy it. And funny thing, many other PRS guitars which were lesser in condition, or beauty of wood, sold for more than I wanted for mine. I finally got fed up and decided to swap the pickups. I put a Wolfetone set into it, a Dr Vintage in the neck, and a Marshallhead in the bridge. The difference was NIGHT and DAY! I love this guitar now. Every tone on the 5 way switch is great! I also didn't like the Phase I locking tuners, so I found a replacement set of Schallers that dropped in with the same ratio and and easier locking mechanism. Now you can sign me up as a believer in the Custom 22!!!

https://soundcloud.com/daniel-weldon-1/prs-demo-daddys-got-his-groove-on

Cool tune!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Cool tune!

^this^

And “Come back Baby” has a DLR/VH vibe to it! Great share.

 

[Rockabilly69]

Cool tune!

^this^

And “Come back Baby” has a DLR/VH vibe to it! Great share.

Thanks guys!

 

[Slipstream]

My Custom 22 10 Top was awesome. Hooked on PRS from that point on. I have replaced it with 30th Anniversary Core model and just ordered SE Paul's guitar.

 

[RevBillyG]

But what’s a custom 22/24 like? How does it feel? How’s the craftsmanship compared to a Silver Sky? What kind of music do you play with it? What’s it like picking up a Custom 22/24 after playing a strat or silver sky?

I couldn't stand the original Custom 22/24 guitars. I just never took to them back in the day... & I probably haven't touched one sine 2002.

Back in the day, I lusted after those guitars, Back before it was common to find them in Guitar Centers. When they finally showed up, I just new I'd be in heaven. But it didn't work out that way.

It didn't feel "right" it didn't sound "right"

There's a good chance it was my ill-conceived notions about what it was supposed to be that turned me off.

I own a McCarty now & love it. A McCarty 594 & love it. An S2 Standard & love it too.

I'm not like these other guys where "all other guitars have been ruined." I still love my Fenders, Gibsons, BCRiches, etc...