Why isn't the Modern Eagle V available with a different neck carve?

[marmatkat]

Hi Folks. I'm in the market for an HSH with coil splitting, and I tried a Modern Eagle V that sounded great to me, but I couldn't get any love for the Pattern neck carve. I own a 2016 CE 24 with a Pattern Thin neck that I love, and I've tried some Pattern Regular guitars that I think I could work with, but man, that Pattern neck is not my thing. So: Why don't PRS make different necks available? What is it with the Pattern - is it, on average, the most popular neck (for example)? Also, does PRS ever make different necks available in the future after a guitar's release? I would have plunked down the $$$ for that guitar if the neck was different. Thanks!

 

[Greywolf]

PRS has a history of evolution , and thing can change . Private Stock or your local luthier can help

There is a simpler solution : the Special Semi with a satin flame maple neck .. covers all the sonic bases , and re-shaping the neck is a piece of cake.
A couple of coats of Stew Mac satin Nitro and you are in business .. While you are there .. color match it ..

 

[SteveGlitch]

Murphy's Law is Paul's Law

 

[MA Pete]

Hi Folks. I'm in the market for an HSH with coil splitting, and I tried a Modern Eagle V that sounded great to me, but I couldn't get any love for the Pattern neck carve. I own a 2016 CE 24 with a Pattern Thin neck that I love, and I've tried some Pattern Regular guitars that I think I could work with, but man, that Pattern neck is not my thing. So: Why don't PRS make different necks available? What is it with the Pattern - is it, on average, the most popular neck (for example)? Also, does PRS ever make different necks available in the future after a guitar's release? I would have plunked down the $$$ for that guitar if the neck was different. Thanks!

I am 100% with you on this with regard to the Pattern Neck and the Pattern Thin Neck. I used to love the Pattern Neck, but took 3 years off of playing and collecting guitars and got back into it recently (per my many posts and NGDs here with my return). For some reason "this time around" I am absolutely loving the Pattern Thin, and not really at all liking the Pattern Neck.

I had an ME V recently, and I loved the pickups, the switching and the tones available. The Neck was on the beefy side of the Pattern Neck carve, and it felt like one of those 57 LP Baseball Bat necks to me, so I returned it, and exchanged it for a Tremonti. (And basically surrendered on getting a three pickup PRS guitar, since there isn't one available with a Pattern Thin.)

I also have a brand new (late December 2023 purchase) 25" McCarty which is an incredible guitar, gorgeous and plays and sounds amazing. The Neck on that one is not as big as the ME V one was, but still it is beefier than I want at this point. So I have it up for sale now. (PSA - On Reverb and TGP.)

I have surrendered and just decided to go for Pattern Thin guitars, which basically restricts me to Custom 24's and Tremonti's, plus a rare 2016 Sweetwater run Custom 22 with a Pattern Thin neck that I bought on Reverb recently.

A couple of notes about the PRS Pattern Thin Neck - (1) The name is a bit of a misnomer. I do not find it at all to be very thin. They seem to average about .83 to .84 inches at the first fret, some .82. That is not very thin! Most necks for other brands that are called Thin are less than .80 or even .78 or less. The Music Man Sabre is about .74! So it's not like the Pattern Thin is some thin flat shredder neck. (2) Today's Pattern Thin seems to have rounder shoulders, and is quite comfy, it feels to me now like a Pattern Carve with just a little less depth. In contrast, my 2016 Custom 22 has slightly harder shoulders, and the result feels more like a "Wide Flat", less comfy. I recall Pattern Thin and Wide Thin guitars from 10+ years ago feeling similar, relative to Wide Fat and Pattern.

(I don't get along with Pattern Regular, Regular or DGT Necks - the 1/32" Narrower Nut width and resulting string spacing throws me off.)

I would love it if PRS would do another Core Model or two with the Pattern Thin. Bring back the Custom 22, with a Pattern Thin, maybe? Basically a Custom 24 with 22 Frets. The ME V would be another good candidate. (I love my Custom 24's, but I do prefer the ergonomics of the 22 Fret Doublecuts versus the 24 Fret Custom 24, your left arm is further away from the body with the Custom 24.)

Dear PRS - if you bring back the Custom 22 with a Pattern Thin, I promise to buy at least 3! LOL... (A McCarty Trem with a Pattern Thin would be fine too.)

Also, maybe some dealers could/should do Wood Library Runs with Pattern Thin Necks on models that don't typically have them.

(I may also spec a Private Stock this year, a Custom 22 or McCarty Trem with a Pattern Thin Neck.)

Hail to the Pattern Thin Neck!

 

[ViggoP]

I really like the Pattern Thin depth but not the extra width of the fretboard. I much prefer a narrower nut width.

 

[Tedder]

I'm pattern thin all the way as well. I have been teaching myself how to build guitars, so I bought a StewMac Les Paul kit to practice on. It came out stunning, but I never pick it up because of the neck. I should have thinned out that neck a ton before applying finish.

 

[MA Pete]

FYI, I came across this in researching this topic today:

PRS Neck Carve Specs

The Spec for Pattern Thin is listed as .828" at the first fret, Pattern is .875". Of course they will vary from guitar to guitar, only by 1-2 hundredths of an inch.

Per a mention I made recently on another thread, I use the Wildwood Guitars page to see the variances/range on a particular model, as they measure every individual guitar and list the specs. That is where I have seen the variance of 1-2 hundredths of an inch from the published specs.

I would guess that my ME V that I found to be on the big side was towards the .89" range.

I have calipers but did not measure it - one time many years ago I was measuring a neck depth at the first fret and nicked the finish on the back of the neck, and decided to stop doing that...

 

[show_a_little_faith]

I have surrendered and just decided to go for Pattern Thin guitars, which basically restricts me to Custom 24's and Tremonti's, plus a rare 2016 Sweetwater run Custom 22 with a Pattern Thin neck that I bought on Reverb recently.
Hail to the Pattern Thin Neck!

I know it's not a Core, but have you ever checked out the 594 Thinline? Definitely not as fancy, but a great workhorse guitar.

 

[MA Pete]

I know it's not a Core, but have you ever checked out the 594 Thinline? Definitely not as fancy, but a great workhorse guitar.

Yes - it was on my list to check out. But I got a Singlecut 594 and found that despite being a huge PRS Short Scale fan in my previous years (245's and later 594's) - I discovered that "this time around" I am not at all bonding with the 594 scale. So I have decided to stick with the 25" scale only and Pattern Thin Necks.

A very short list of options, with that narrow criteria, LOL!

That's okay, I am actually pretty happy and excited about my collection with the 2 (soon to be 3) Custom 24's, 2 Tremonti's and my 2016 Custom 22 Trem with a Pattern Thin Neck.

For me, it is quite nice to have that consistency in the scale length, nut width and resulting string spacing, and neck shape. All is good in my guitar universe, for now!

I will keep an eye out for a second used Custom 22 with a Pattern Thin that interests me. They are few and far between, but they are out there...

 

[WA Paul]

I'm pattern thin all the way as well. I have been teaching myself how to build guitars, so I bought a StewMac Les Paul kit to practice on. It came out stunning, but I never pick it up because of the neck. I should have thinned out that neck a ton before applying finish.

Wow! Great job, love that finish.

 

[WA Paul]

FYI, I came across this in researching this topic today:

PRS Neck Carve Specs

The Spec for Pattern Thin is listed as .828" at the first fret, Pattern is .875". Of course they will vary from guitar to guitar, only by 1-2 hundredths of an inch.

Per a mention I made recently on another thread, I use the Wildwood Guitars page to see the variances/range on a particular model, as they measure every individual guitar and list the specs. That is where I have seen the variance of 1-2 hundredths of an inch from the published specs.

I would guess that my ME V that I found to be on the big side was towards the .89" range.

I have calipers but did not measure it - one time many years ago I was measuring a neck depth at the first fret and nicked the finish on the back of the neck, and decided to stop doing that...

I briefly had a 2013 Exp Ltd SH Trem with a Pattern neck, but it was like a baseball bat and significantly larger than my PS guitars with Pattern neck carves. Moved on from it, so there definitely are some larger than typical necks out there.

 

[ViperDoc]

You could grab a MEV of your choice and hire someone to reduce the neck shape.

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

Why isn’t the CU24 offered with a different neck anymore?

Because they don’t want to. :/

 

[László]

PRS made the choice because I don't care for the Pattern Thin, and it's all about me!

Isn't it?