help in finding the right PRS CE-24 (old vs new)

[soldierkahn]

Im slowly transitioning over to playing Core PRS guitars after how well the Holcomb has been for me. I wanted to go for a CE because i love bolt ons, but i noticed something today. When I went to a local shop to try out the newer CE models, i couldnt tell the difference between them and the SE models. I guess Im way behind the knowledge curve on this one because I thought the CE series were announced at getting the Core violin carve. Compared to my Holcomb or a Custom 24, it looks more like an SE.

Am I wrong in remembering old PRS CE-24s with birds and a Core violin carve? Does anyone know what year they stopped so i can search for the right years?

 

[John]

The older ones, 2008 and before that, had the same 'violin carve' as the other core builds such as the Custom 24's, Standard 24's, etc. Barring a few one-off builds here and there, those older CE offerings had dot inlays instead.

The newer reissues starting around 2016 still have some carve on the top, but it's noticeably shallower.

 

[kidmendel]

John nailed it: 2008 and earlier had the proper Core carve. And mostly dots, although there are sometimes older CE24s with bird inlays floating around on Reverb.

You may or may not care, but I think 2005-2008 they stopped painting the headstocks too, so they look more like the current model with plain maple headstocks. That's a dealbreaker for me, but to each their own.

My 2002 CE24 is a keeper for sure, got it for a song on Reverb ages ago.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

The OG CE24s (1987 - 2009) are closer to core models, while the reissue CE24s (2016 onward) are more like glorified S2s. They have a carved top vs a radiused/beveled top, but as said above they're pretty shallow.

 

[kidmendel]

Am I right in thinking the newer CEs (2016 onwards) also have the cheaper hardware used by the SEs and S2s?

 

[soldierkahn]

thanks guys. yeah, i didnt just trust my eyes this time. i took my Holcomb with me to make sure i wasnt being picky. I checked the SE's, and the CE's and they felt identical to each other, but worlds apart from my Holcomb. Im not talking down about the guitars themselves, they just werent what i was looking for. Now they had a nice Custom 24 that was up on the wall and its carve matched perfectly so a short trip to the shop saved me a mountain of disappointment. i can handle the dot inlays of the old CE's because ive mastered replacing dots with rosewood or black dots had a thread on here eons ago using wood filler (everybody has to start somewhere lol)

 

[soldierkahn]

i just bought a set of black nickel Fishman Adler's so im stoked to get them in my Holcomb

 

[John]

Am I right in thinking the newer CEs (2016 onwards) also have the cheaper hardware used by the SEs and S2s?

Apart from the pickups, yes.

 

[budda]

A new CE24 falls under S2 just like the silver sky.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Am I right in thinking the newer CEs (2016 onwards) also have the cheaper hardware used by the SEs and S2s?

Pretty much. Although the S2/SEs come with locking tuners.

Also I just realized the controls aren't recessed like the core. Kinda minor but yeah

 

[soldierkahn]

Pretty much. Although the S2/SEs come with locking tuners.

Also I just realized the controls aren't recessed like the core. Kinda minor but yeah

the big deal breaker for me is the non recessed knobs and the no violin carve on the new ones, so looks like im either going Sincglecut/Tremonti/CU24 route or the pre-2009 CE-22/24.

are the regular stoptails directly replaceable with the adjustable stoptail?

 

[budda]

New ones have 85/15 pickups same as core cu24 too.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

the big deal breaker for me is the non recessed knobs and the no violin carve on the new ones, so looks like im either going Sincglecut/Tremonti/CU24 route or the pre-2009 CE-22/24.

are the regular stoptails directly replaceable with the adjustable stoptail?

I'm not sure on the 2nd question, but luckily old CEs are still plentiful and reasonably priced. EDIT: I believe PRS' own adjustable bridges fit, as well as John Mann's stuff and the Schroeder stoptail, but you may wanna double check because I THINK the non-adjustable bridge is lower profile but I'm not 10000% sure. I can be wrong. I just know they are a direct replacemen fit-wise, just not sure about action and height.

If you don't care about a lack of a maple top, also consider the old Standard series too. Same carve as core iirc but no maple.

 

[kidmendel]

Thanks for the replies all. Makes me even happier about my older CE24.

 

[budda]

i checked my clips of my 2023 ce24 and the custom 24 maple neck i had and they sound pretty similar. Maybe its different with og ce24 vs the core models.

 

[soldierkahn]

i checked my clips of my 2023 ce24 and the custom 24 maple neck i had and they sound pretty similar. Maybe its different with og ce24 vs the core models.

sound wasnt what i was shootin for, feel is everything to me now that i know how to dial guitars in

 

[budda]

sound wasnt what i was shootin for, feel is everything to me now that i know how to dial guitars in

Im for it.

 

[DrewH]

Pre 08 CEs are some of the best rock guitars out there. The new iterations are garbage. Same cheap tremolo as the SE stuff.

 

[budda]

Pre 08 CEs are some of the best rock guitars out there. The new iterations are garbage. Same cheap tremolo as the SE stuff.

Having owned many cores and a 2023 CE24, they arent garbage. That leaves more for everybody else though.

 

[DrewH]

Having owned many cores and a 2023 CE24, they arent garbage. That leaves more for everybody else though.

If you've owned cores, then I would think the downgrade in quality would be very apparent to you. I owned 2 of the older CEs and a couple of cores and the newer CE I owned for a short time was just so bad in comparison. Really just a dead lifeless guitar.