Which Core model would you get in these circumstances?

[jm9239]

You're getting married soon and want to add a PRS to your collection before your priorities change and the frequency of acquiring gear slows. Said another way, you don't know when you'll be in the position to buy another guitar.

You already own Strats, Teles and Super Strats (Fender CS, Danocaster and Suhr Moderns). You aren’t thrilled with the split coil sounds on the Suhrs.

You want to cover as many of the following sounds as possible:

*90s rap/funk rock (think 311 and Jimmie's Chicken Shack, each of which use PRS, with Mahoney using a Custom 24 w/ stoptail and Jimi using mostly McCartys.
*Metal
*Les Paul classic rock sounds
*80s hard rock (Van Halen, Def Leppard)

Nice to haves are:

*Solid single coil sounds when split
*Trem

Which PRS would you choose? So far I've been torn between a DGT, McCarty 594, Custom 24 and Special 22 Semi Hollow (though I'm not sure how the last one would handle high gain sounds). Budget is flexible.

 

[WEDGE]

Older Custom 24 with the five way would be most flexible with cool stratty sounds of the ones you listed. Arguably the DGT is a good coil split guitar but the Custom does metal way better.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

DGT I suppose.

 

[Gigi]

I'm afraid you need more than one guitar...

 

[bodia]

Toss up between the Cu24 and the DGT. The DGT has a thicker body, and splits better. The two volume controls give you some LP like flexibility. It also has a narrower neck. I can't recall if it's 1/32 or 1/16. Maybe closer to the '60 slim taper? As for metal, you may need a hotter pick up, depending on what you're looking for.

All your choices are solid.

 

[Mozzi]

The obvious choice for Classic Les Paul Rock has to be the McCarty 594 - after all its PRS's take on a classic LP with the modern appointments and build quality you expect from PRS. It has coil splits too which are very usable. The next option would be Paul's Guitar - the mini toggles are easier than Push Pull but you are sacrificing the dual tone/volume controls. Its Split coil tones are fantastic too. Both of these are fixed bridge.

The next guitar that may be suitable is a Custom 22 as that is more LP than the Custom 24 - the Custom 24 is more its own thing in my opinion. Both have the same PU's, switching and trem bridge and a great alternative would be the DGT. The Tremonti too could be the best option too if you like a thinner neck like the Custom 24 but also has a similar layout to a Les Paul.

Despite the list of 'sounds', it isn't quite as straight forward. Some of it will have to come down to what feels right to you when its in your hands, some of it will come down to your rig, what pedals/amps you have and some of it will come down to the 'sound' you are looking for.

All of PRS guitars can do all of those sounds - some maybe more on the vintage side and others more modern - but with pedals and amps, can do anything you want. The 594 for example may well be better for the Classic Rock because Classic Rock was recorded with 'vintage' (well vintage nowadays) guitars.

I would think though that the best guitar to check out first would be the Tremonti. Its a SC Les Paul type with either a fixed or trem bridge (so you can decide which is more important to you) and all you need to know is that its good enough for Tremonti and the music he creates - which fits more with your list of musical style. I still think you should actually try rather than base a decision on the recommendations of a Forum. You know best as to what you want to hear, feel and play music on the instrument. Its you that will end up with a hole in your Bank Balance so use this as a guide to determine which guitars you should perhaps try first....

Another Great shout actually could be the PRS Special 22 Semi Hollow. That has a LOT of versatility and can split the Humbuckers - with the Narrowfield in the middle, that has more to offer in one guitar than any other currently made by PRS...

 

[Iceman101]

prs singlecut trem perhaps ?

 

[elvis]

408/2408?

 

[László]

Any of the guitars you mention can do (and have done) all that stuff. It’s just a matter of flavor, to be honest.

Answers to questions like these will be all over the map, as you can see.

 

[Utkarsh]

Firstly not a DGT. Bridge pickup doesnt do metal well. Believe me , i have tried to make it work.

Secondly you need a 22 fret guitar. 24 frets doesnt get you the classical Les Paul sound. Again i have tried.

Also solid single coil sounds removes the Tremonti (no split coils) and even the Custom 22 where the 5 way doesnt given you exact single cpil sounds. The 594 doesnt have a trem.

Amongst your choices, based on specs, the Special 22 fits your brief the best. The caveat is that i havent played it. I own all the other guitars i talk about above.

The dark horse, and my recommendation is the now discontinued 513. In a nutshell it does all the sounds you want and does them well. In particular the heavy humbucker mode deserves calling out as it does a brilliant thick les paul neck tone despite the scale length and the single coil tones give my strat a run for the money . The only watchout is that i have experienced that the older 513s experience a bit of noise in studio/stage lights but the later 513s seem better. There's an entire world of 513s which I wont delve into but try out one if u can get your hands on it.

 

[jm9239]

Thanks so much for all of the replies. Please, keep them coming.

To those who have tried the Special 22 Semi-Hollow, how does it handle high gain (metal, hard rock, etc.)?

 

[bodia]

Thanks so much for all of the replies. Please, keep them coming.

To those who have tried the Special 22 Semi-Hollow, how does it handle high gain (metal, hard rock, etc.)?

I own one, and it is one of my favorites. If I had to only have one, this would be in the running. It does classic metal like Ozzy, Priest, Maiden, etc. well, IMO. I haven't tried things heavier than that, or "Modern." Tons of tones available from it, that's for sure.

 

[jvin248]

.

Due to physical pickup placements, a 22 fret model will sound like an LP and a 24 like an SG.

Did you look at the Vela?
Or a McCarty and swap in all the Gibson controls and pickups.

Last I heard, all the pickups were wax dipped except for the Tremonti and the Holcomb models are vacuum waxed potted. The vacuum potting can go to significantly higher gain without squealing.

this shows how much air is pulled out of typical pickup under vacuum (until obscured by air getting pulled from the wax solution too as they are pulling significant vacuum).

.

 

[watelessness]

DGT, 513, Cu24

 

[László]

.
Due to physical pickup placements, a 22 fret model will sound like an LP and a 24 like an SG.

I’ll disagree a little. There are lots of variables.

My 594 Soapbar sounds way more like my vintage 1965 SG Special than an LP, and it has 22 frets.

My CU 24 30th PS can easily go to LP territory, in spite of its 24 frets.

The 594 with humbuckers and my McCarty Singlecut sound more LP than either, but the differences can be relatively subtle.

 

[garrettb]

Since split tones are a priority, I'd scratch the Custom and consider the Custom 24-08.

 

[Utkarsh]

I’ll disagree a little. There are lots of variables.

My 594 Soapbar sounds way more like my vintage 1965 SG Special than an LP, and it has 22 frets.

My CU 24 30th PS can easily go to LP territory, in spite of its 24 frets.

The 594 with humbuckers and my McCarty Singlecut sound more LP than either, but the differences can be relatively subtle.

I think the Vintage Bass pickup on my 2008 PS custom 24 does get it reasonably close to LP territory but with other pickups, the physical placement of the neck pickup ultimately gets in the way of making it sound like a LP.

Very curious to know what pickups you have in your 30th PS?

 

[László]

I think the Vintage Bass pickup on my 2008 PS custom 24 does get it reasonably close to LP territory but with other pickups, the physical placement of the neck pickup ultimately gets in the way of making it sound like a LP.

Very curious to know what pickups you have in your 30th PS?

85/15s.

When I roll the volume back just a touch, I get pretty good LP out of it, even on the bridge pickup. In context of a mix, I think it could pass muster.

Not perfectly LP, but pretty close!

Obligatory pic:

 

[Rider1260]

I going to start out by saying with the right amp any guitar can do most anything.
Something like a Mesa MKV or a Kemper, the list goes on.

The list I would look at first

1) Tie in my book CU-24 / CU-24/08 or a 408

Honerable mention
( I have these and all would be worthy )
Special Semi Hollow and love it
513 would be killer for what your after.
Single Cut Trem

 

[Tucson Thump]

I am confused. Likely old age.

If you already have single coil sounds and trem, and good ones from what I gather from your list, what is it you are trying to accomplish that you don't already have?