Luke Duke
PRSlustologist
Alright guys here it is, this is subject to change, and obviously I'll keep you all posted.
October 2004 PRS Custom 24 with a 10 Top and bird in flight inlays. It was bought during User Group Day from Instrumental music.
Fit and Finish---The fingerboard was/is a bit dry, and I have put on a bit of lemon oil, (explains the streaks by the frets doesn't it?) but the strings were on so it was....interesting.
Well true to their reputation the finish of this guitar is flawless. The finish looks like liquid, the color is Whale Blue. The top looks great, fairly tight flame with a bit of cross grain. I have already received lots of comments from family and friends on its looks. The neck is as smooth as a finished guitar neck can be. Pretty dark blue as well. The inlays are very well done, no gaps or anything, the abalone looks like it is one with the wood. I think this is done on machine these days, so I guess I should expect no less.
Playability---This guitar came from the factory with 9's (I know YUCK!) I had Scott Dozer (my salesman) restring it and set it up with D'Addario 10-52's. It definitely helps out my big dumb fingers but also gives it some more balls and thickness. The nut wasn't cut for strings this large so Wednesday night I got out the ole file and took out just a tad on the 3rd-6th strings. This greatly improved my tuning stability. I was having problems specifically with the low E string. It was binding in the nut frequently. My dad thought my strings were too heavy...particularly for this guitar and told me to go back to the 9's. I cringed. I still need to work on my setup a bit, but it is very close to the way I like it already.
What I do not like, however, is the neck heel. It doesn't hinder my playing too terribly but it could stand to be a quite a bit smaller. I never claimed to be a great player so I need every advantage I can get on a guitar. This issue has been discussed in many different places ad naseum, so I will move on.
The bottom cutaway scoop is a nice touch that really facilitates the reach into the upper frets. You don't run into the "bottom cutaway wood wall" like on other guitars. The top cutaway is plenty deep as well, and it has a smaller less pronounced scoop to grant mercy on us crazy thumb over, or weird thumb angle people.
I guess I should put this here, it's my guitar weight comment. This guitar weighs as much as, or possibly less than my Strat!! It's mahogany, so that makes me wonder about the mahogany nonsense we all talk about with LP's. If PRS can get such light mahogany why can't Gibson?
Hardware---My PRS is obviously the Custom 24 with the PRS tremolo and locking tuners.
I'll start off by saying I was originally looking for a Jackson, or something Jacksonesque with a Floyd. Scott told me to give it a try because it had great tuning stability especially for a guitar with no locking nut. True to his word it held up to a bit of abuse....that was with the 9's. When I got it with the 52-10's it held tune, but I had lots of problems with the low E string, I originally attributed it to being new strings then I saw my card and that it was originally strung with 9's. Shortly after the file came out. Since I have had much more stability after fairly heavy trem. use. Even D!ck will admit it stays in tune fairly well. My buddy Tommy was amazed at the stability as well. Remember this is even before I did my bit of filing. I love the trem. arm. NO WOBBLE!!! That has been my beef with my Strat's term. The wobble in the arm drives me insane!!!. It's a bit longer too I believe, making it easier to grab onto quickly.
October 2004 PRS Custom 24 with a 10 Top and bird in flight inlays. It was bought during User Group Day from Instrumental music.
Fit and Finish---The fingerboard was/is a bit dry, and I have put on a bit of lemon oil, (explains the streaks by the frets doesn't it?) but the strings were on so it was....interesting.
Well true to their reputation the finish of this guitar is flawless. The finish looks like liquid, the color is Whale Blue. The top looks great, fairly tight flame with a bit of cross grain. I have already received lots of comments from family and friends on its looks. The neck is as smooth as a finished guitar neck can be. Pretty dark blue as well. The inlays are very well done, no gaps or anything, the abalone looks like it is one with the wood. I think this is done on machine these days, so I guess I should expect no less.
Playability---This guitar came from the factory with 9's (I know YUCK!) I had Scott Dozer (my salesman) restring it and set it up with D'Addario 10-52's. It definitely helps out my big dumb fingers but also gives it some more balls and thickness. The nut wasn't cut for strings this large so Wednesday night I got out the ole file and took out just a tad on the 3rd-6th strings. This greatly improved my tuning stability. I was having problems specifically with the low E string. It was binding in the nut frequently. My dad thought my strings were too heavy...particularly for this guitar and told me to go back to the 9's. I cringed. I still need to work on my setup a bit, but it is very close to the way I like it already.
What I do not like, however, is the neck heel. It doesn't hinder my playing too terribly but it could stand to be a quite a bit smaller. I never claimed to be a great player so I need every advantage I can get on a guitar. This issue has been discussed in many different places ad naseum, so I will move on.
The bottom cutaway scoop is a nice touch that really facilitates the reach into the upper frets. You don't run into the "bottom cutaway wood wall" like on other guitars. The top cutaway is plenty deep as well, and it has a smaller less pronounced scoop to grant mercy on us crazy thumb over, or weird thumb angle people.
I guess I should put this here, it's my guitar weight comment. This guitar weighs as much as, or possibly less than my Strat!! It's mahogany, so that makes me wonder about the mahogany nonsense we all talk about with LP's. If PRS can get such light mahogany why can't Gibson?
Hardware---My PRS is obviously the Custom 24 with the PRS tremolo and locking tuners.
I'll start off by saying I was originally looking for a Jackson, or something Jacksonesque with a Floyd. Scott told me to give it a try because it had great tuning stability especially for a guitar with no locking nut. True to his word it held up to a bit of abuse....that was with the 9's. When I got it with the 52-10's it held tune, but I had lots of problems with the low E string, I originally attributed it to being new strings then I saw my card and that it was originally strung with 9's. Shortly after the file came out. Since I have had much more stability after fairly heavy trem. use. Even D!ck will admit it stays in tune fairly well. My buddy Tommy was amazed at the stability as well. Remember this is even before I did my bit of filing. I love the trem. arm. NO WOBBLE!!! That has been my beef with my Strat's term. The wobble in the arm drives me insane!!!. It's a bit longer too I believe, making it easier to grab onto quickly.
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