PRS

Hootsmon

is any period of years considered tae be better than the others........ a few years perhaps when QC and production were really smokin'?

Hootsmon

talkin' I suppose about the custom 22 or 24

richardhomer

No - quality have never dipped.

Post factory move guitars (mid-90s?) are possibly even more cleanly built that earlier ones. Early 'short heel' Custom 24s are prone to 'dead-spots' which can be immensely annoying.

Later (post 2011?) guitars have thinner V12 finish. Many players also prefer their more recent pick-ups (57/08s, etc).

Generally though, if you like the actual guitar, you can't go wrong.

If you fancy a lovely 2011 McCarty, Mark @Guitars4you has mine on sale right now....

guitarfishbay

Honestly they keep improving IMO, especially in terms of pickups. No need to specifically look for an older model unless there's a particular spec you want.

I don't know the year but older CU24s have a smaller heel which I think made for some dead spots. @richardhomer posted about it a few times IIRC.

Whitecat

Yep, the latest are the greatest... 

thomasross20

richardhomer said:

No - quality have never dipped.

Post factory move guitars (mid-90s?) are possibly even more cleanly built that earlier ones. Early 'short heel' Custom 24s are prone to 'dead-spots' which can be immensely annoying.

Larer (post 2011?) guitars have thinner V12 finish. Many players also prefer their more recent pick-ups (57/08s, etc).

Generally though, if you like the actual guitar, you can't go wrong.

If you fancy a lovely 2011 McCarty, Mark @Guitars4you has mine on sale right now....

Might have asked before but why the sale? I thought you loved it.

Hootsmon

thanks guys

octatonic

They keep getting better.
Some people say the pre-factory move instruments are better but I think that is bollocks.

The only valuable ones in terms of being able to make any sort of money are the rarest of the Private Stock (even then you might take a bath) or the 1985 models if they are mint and complete.

Voxman

Early Custom 24's with the 'sweet switch' seem to be desireable by PRS collectors and command higher than average prices. I've not played one myself so can't comment as to whether these sound better than later versions.

octatonic

Voxman said:

Early Custom 24's with the 'sweet switch' seem to be desireable by PRS collectors and command higher than average prices. I've not played one myself so can't comment as to whether these sound better than later versions.

I had an '89.
FWIW they weren't Custom 24's- they were Customs.
Custom 24 came along when the Custom 22 was released to distinguish one from the other.

Like a lot of guys I took out the sweet switch and the pickups, because they are crap- IIRC Paul admitted as much saying something like 'we sorted the problem with the pickups'.

I also had problems with the machineheads- they would slip after a few years- I had to keep swapping them out all the time.

Collectors insist on the guitars being intact, but that isn't because they are better guitars, it is just the desire for originality.

grungebob

I've had early 90's models early 2000's models and a 2014 and can honestly say I've not seen a difference in quality only a difference in price.
Back in the late 90's a custom24 would run you about £1700 now your talking £2400 

Voxman

octatonic said

FWIW they weren't Custom 24's- they were Customs.
Custom 24 came along when the Custom 22 was released to distinguish one from the other.

Like a lot of guys I took out the sweet switch and the pickups, because they are crap- IIRC Paul admitted as much saying something like 'we sorted the problem with the pickups'.

I also had problems with the machineheads- they would slip after a few years- I had to keep swapping them out all the time.

Collectors insist on the guitars being intact, but that isn't because they are better guitars, it is just the desire for originality.

Interesting, I'd not heard that the pups were a problem. I was aware that the machineheads weren't as stable as modern versions though. 

Adamski

I've got one from 2004, one from 2012 and one from 2015 and honestly, I can't tell the difference in terms of quality. I would say the old birds are nicer inlays though. My 2004 has the phase 2 tuners and old trem and my 2015 has the phase 3 and the copper lined trem and both stay in tune and sound equally good. 


Gotta admire a company that has that level of consistency and at least tries to improve the design, even by such minutiae 

richardhomer

thomasross20 said:
Might have asked before but why the sale? I thought you loved it.

Because I 'impulse bought' my Custom Shop Strat and couldn't really afford it - so I need to recoup some money. 

I'll never sell my '64 335 - but two humbucking guitars is a luxury I can't afford at the moment - so the PRS is going. Interestingly enough, since I bought the Strat (three months ago) I've not played the 335 at all.

I think I've probably rediscovered I'm very much a Strat player....

octatonic

Voxman said:

octatonic said

FWIW they weren't Custom 24's- they were Customs.
Custom 24 came along when the Custom 22 was released to distinguish one from the other.

Like a lot of guys I took out the sweet switch and the pickups, because they are crap- IIRC Paul admitted as much saying something like 'we sorted the problem with the pickups'.

I also had problems with the machineheads- they would slip after a few years- I had to keep swapping them out all the time.

Collectors insist on the guitars being intact, but that isn't because they are better guitars, it is just the desire for originality.

Interesting, I'd not heard that the pups were a problem. I was aware that the machineheads weren't as stable as modern versions though. 

Loads of guys pulled out the HFS and Vintage Bass.
I had Duncan JB and Jazz in mine for years and it was a great instrument.

guitars4you

Paul can change his selection at times like Mourinho does, but in essence there is not really a poor PRS or a poor period - Certainly far less haphazard build quality issues, hence less variation in playing performance betwen similar guitars

Certainly you may prefer a certain model to another but even features like a V12 finish don't detract from earlier models without a V12 - Many might prefer say the 57/08 p/ups on say a Custom as against the Dragon 2's or HFS/Vintage Bass option but that is an opinion

Again various models like the Modern Eagle are no longer available but now you have the 594 - so in many ways very little negatives to look out for regarding poor models and periods

Best bet as always is to try a few out and see what tonal options and neck variations you prefer - If you don't want a trem then certain models like a Custom 24 are not available to you

Any further specific help then just ask

Voxman

guitars4you said:

If you don't want a trem then certain models like a Custom 24 are not available to you

I seem to recall that PRS do make hardtail CU24's but availability is quite scarce - these were special orders, typically in an Artist package.  The PRS SE Cu24 is available as a hardtail. 

guitars4you

Voxman said:

guitars4you said:

If you don't want a trem then certain models like a Custom 24 are not available to you

I seem to recall that PRS do make hardtail CU24's but availability is quite scarce - these were special orders, typically in an Artist package.  The PRS SE Cu24 is available as a hardtail. 

there is probably the odd one as part of a custom order for a major dealer, a show special or major artist but 99% of CU24's don't have them and not an option on a price list

thomasross20

richardhomer said:

thomasross20 said:
Might have asked before but why the sale? I thought you loved it.

Because I 'impulse bought' my Custom Shop Strat and couldn't really afford it - so I need to recoup some money. 

I'll never sell my '64 335 - but two humbucking guitars is a luxury I can't afford at the moment - so the PRS is going. Interestingly enough, since I bought the Strat (three months ago) I've not played the 335 at all.

I think I've probably rediscovered I'm very much a Strat player....

Fair game

thomasross20

Can I just say, uncovered 57/08s on a Cu24 seem to produce this "magical" sound.... and I've got the 85/15s on another one which folk say are the "best yet" - but not to me. 

CHrisP86

I've not had a bad PRS but the changes over the years do make a difference.

I had a 2007 and 2011 Mira at the same time, same neck profile but felt and sounded totally different. The 2011 sounded more 'lively' to me.