PRS SE Custom 24-08

TRUE SINGLE
COIL
What’s under the hood?
P
RS use many diff erent
ways of switching their
pickups from full
humbucking mode to single
coil. Typically, the split wire
from the junction of the two
coils is grounded leaving just
one coil active. That’s the way
most people do it. PRS usually
places a small resistor between
that split wire and ground
which means some of the coil
that’s usually fully dumped is
retained for a slightly bigger
sounding single coil. On this
Custom 24-08, the two coils are
treated like separate single coils
and the unused screw coil is
completely removed from the
circuit when we switch to single
coil. Finally, the 500k ohm
volume pot’s value is ‘tuned’ by
a parallel resistor, bringing it
closer to 300k and sweetening
the high end.
select bridge, both and neck
as usual.
All you have to remember is
that pushed away from you those
two-position mini switches voice
the pickups in humbucking mode,
switch them towards you and
you’re in true single coil mode.
And it’s this duality that makes
the 24-08 such a versatile guitar;
in fact we started our sound test in
single coil mode and where some
coil splits sound thin and sharp
we’re not hearing that: the highs
are clear and clean but don’t rattle
your fi llings as you turn up to gig
levels. Through a Helix into our
DAW we’re hearing a classy single
coil that loves even quite dense FX
yet also sounds very classy and
soulful with a clean amp. A bright
green axe with bird inlays might
not shout old blues but the sounds
certainly do if you want. The single
coil mix is very Fender-y too; to be
honest if this was all we had we’d
still be raving about this guitar.
But it isn’t. Listening to the full
humbucker voices, gone is the
overwound midrange clout of the
original PRS sound. These are very
diff erent, a more classic P.A.F-like
clarity – but again without the
sharp edge at the bridge – with
a bit of heat. We’d call it hot
vintage, classic with a bit of kick.
Impeccably fi t for purpose,
here’s a guitar for the player that
really wants to cross genres,
a superb studio guitar and a perfect
fi t for those function gigs when
they return. And, hey, it comes
in Vintage Sunburst, too!
Dave Burrluck
PRS SE
CUSTOM 24
Very similar to the
reviewed 24-08, the
flagship PRS guitar has
two less sounds but uses
a three-way lever pickup
selector and pull
switch on the tone
control to voice the
simple single coil splits.
PRS SE CUSTOM
22 SEMI HOLLOW
Arguably a more
traditional style
semi-solid version of the
Custom 24, but with
22 frets like a good ol’
Gibson. As on the
Custom 24 it uses
85/15 ‘S’ ’buckers
with the same circuit.
CORT G300 PRO
A different flavour but
Cor-Tek’s own brand
have great specs for
the money. Here you get
a roasted maple neck
with a great vibrato
and Seymour Duncan
pickups.
ALSO TRY...
£825
£825
£749
FEATURES
SOUND QUALITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
BUILD QUALITY
USABILITY
OVERALL RATING
SUMMARY
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