OK, Dumb question of the week. What's the real difference between these two PRS?

Paul7926

Hi all

I'm sorry to be a complete noob (again) but I've been looking at guitars again!

I started looking at one of these:

https://www.dawsons.co.uk/prs-2018-se-standard-24-electric-guitar-tobacco-sunburst

Now I know this is stupid but I really hate the look of the pickup selector on this. 

Then I noticed this:

https://www.dawsons.co.uk/prs-2018-se-245-standard-electric-guitar-tobacco-sunburst

Which has a much more pleasing aesthetic to me.  Ok so there are couple of frets less (24 v 245) which probably means nothing to a person of my (in)ability but then I noticed they have different pickups.

The '24' has Neck: PRS 85/15 “S”  Bridge: PRS 85/15 “S”
The '245' has Neck: PRS SE 245 Treble Humbucker Bridge: PRS SE 245 Bass Humbucker

I have found a local shop that has a '24' so I can go and embarrass myself by trying it out but they don't have the '245' so I can't do a comparison.

Does anyone have any experience of either (both would be better but that's probably a big ask)?  Are one set of pups regarded better than the other or given the fact they live in identically priced guitars is there not much difference?

Am I overthinking this way too much?   

Thanks

(Oh and in my world the lack of a tremolo on the 245 is more a plus than a negative!)

stickyfiddle

Apart from the obvious trem/no trem and single/double cutaway, the main difference you'll actually notice is the scale length, i.e. the distance between nut and bridge.  The 245 has a 24.5" scale, while most PRSes have 25.0". This makes the 245's strings feel a bit looser at the same pitch. 

The pickups will be different but probably not very different (PRS fans will correct me if I'm wrong?!)

dbphoto

Along with the above the 245 will have a slightly fatter neck as well as separate volume and tone controls for each pickup.

Paul7926

Thank you gents.  At the moment then the 245 is looking more favourite.

The aesthetics of it I find much better (although that is totally personal)

The lack of a tremolo on the 245 is fine with me too.

The slightly fatter neck actually sounds promising (although until I get to hold the 24 I don't know for sure)

Not sure about the 'slightly looser strings' comment as I have no idea what that would effect.  I don't go for any fancy 'drop' tuning or anything so I'm guessing it's more just the feel of it.

EDIT:  I get that the pups will be slightly different otherwise there is no point having the two types.  I guess the question should probably have been is that any large difference.  Just wanted to possibly avoid the scenario where you read "the x on this model are a complete miss so look at y which has the z pups instead". 

I'm really suffering from "the more I find out the more I realise I don't know syndrome" at the moment.

Wolfetone

If I were you, I would ask Dawsons if they could get the other in so you could A/B the two of them. What sounds right on paper doesn't often translate into real world experience.

Give them both a go.

Funkfingers

Paul7926 said:

Am I overthinking this way too much?   

Probably. 

Paul7926 said:

in my world, the lack of a tremolo on the 245 is more a plus than a negative!

If you have no pressing need for a vibrato bridge, only investigate fixed bridge models. 

As an owner of guitars from all three PRS ranges, I wish to draw your attention to the overlap between the full retail prices of some SE models and the pre-owned prices for some S2 examples. 

Paul7926

Wolfetone said:

If I were you, I would ask Dawsons if they could get the other in so you could A/B the two of them. What sounds right on paper doesn't often translate into real world experience.

Give them both a go.

Sorry, the local shop is not Dawsons.  I just grabbed the images from there because that's where I was trying to compare specs.  However your point stands and I can always ask the local guy.

Paul7926

Funkfingers said:

Paul7926 said:

Am I overthinking this way too much?   

Probably. 

Paul7926 said:

in my world, the lack of a tremolo on the 245 is more a plus than a negative!

If you have no pressing need for a vibrato bridge, only investigate fixed bridge models. 

As an owner of guitars from all three PRS ranges, I wish to draw your attention to the overlap between the full retail prices of some SE models and the pre-owned prices for some S2 examples. 

Yeah, I appreciate the fact that for the same price as the 'new' guitar I could get what was a higher specced instrument second hand.  In fact in that price range there is at least one guitar in the classifieds here that is better.  My problem is that I don't have the logistic ability to travel halfway across the country and if I pull the trigger at the moment  I would be funding it with credit which rules out private sales.

darthed1981

I've played the new 2018 PRS SE Standards.

Superb guitars for the money.

£500 gets you a LOT of guitar these days.

Paul7926

Before someone points it out I've just figured out there is no coil-split on the 245 where as the 24 does have it.  Again, for me personally, that's not something that bothers me at all. It's starting to sound very much like the 245 is the way to go if I can find one and have a mess around with it.

carlos

Paul7926 said:
Ok so there are couple of frets less (24 v 245) which probably means nothing to a person of my (in)ability.

I'd love to see a guitar w/ 245 frets!

Paul7926

carlos said:

Paul7926 said:
Ok so there are couple of frets less (24 v 245) which probably means nothing to a person of my (in)ability.

I'd love to see a guitar w/ 245 frets!

I'm not sure you would be able to see both ends at the same time.   

drwiddly

If the specs of the 245 suit your requirements better, then that's probably the one to go for. 

I've not played a 245 but I do have a Tremonti SE Custom which had the 245 pickups in when I got it. In my view they're ok but a little bit muddy and bland. I've replaced them with an Oil City set.

I also have. 2017 SE Custom 24 with the 85/15s pickups and I really like them. No wish to swap them out at all. However, pickups are a personal choice and whether they work for you depends on your amp, any effects pedals you're using and the type of music you play. Try before you buy if you can.

Philly_Q

I think if you haven't tried either, or indeed any PRS SE models, then you really should see if you can try both before deciding.

Paul7926

Philly_Q said:

I think if you haven't tried either, or indeed any PRS SE models, then you really should see if you can try both before deciding.

Yeah. I'm very new to this guitar buying malarkey. Until recently I had assumed that PRS were high price guitars so I'd sort of ignored them. Plus my self proclaimed Gibson fetish had me ignoring a lot of things. I know the local shop has one so I just gotta get there and have a proper investigate. 

57Deluxe

I have tried in my own home with my gear: Custom 24, SEII Soapbars (2 inc my own) Chris Robertson Stone Cherry and a SE Custom 24. They are all good but the Custom 24 lacked soul and I fought to get any form of Ooomph from it. The Stone Cherry is the best finish by far but the SE C24 had the nicest clear bell tone and balls. My SEII has the most overall range of tones and the dirtiest grind. The second SEII Soapbar was a beautiful cherry stunner but not quite as aggressive as mine in play.

You wouldn't flip any of the lower price models but you would the top Custom 24...

ennspek

Play them. Play everything.