PRS SE Custom 24 Review 2023: Is This Guitar Right For You?

The SE Custom 24 brings an original PRS design to a high quality, more affordable line up. One look at this guitar would make you think it was worth a lot more than it is. For beginners, this is a great upgrade to go into the next part of your journey.

For experienced players, this is a great addition to your collection. It is one workhorse of an instrument and with a name like PRS, you know the quality comes standard.

Features

Let’s take a look at some of the key features of the PRS SE Custom 24.

• Mahogany body with maple top.
• Gloss acrylic urethane finish.
• Wide, thin neck shape.
• Rosewood finger board.
• 25 inch scale with 24 jumbo frets.
• PRS custom wound 85/15 “S” pickups.
• Perfect rich midrange and bright snap.

Who Is This Guitar For?

The SE Custom 24 is the PRS solution for beginners and intermediate players. Because the USA-made PRS guitars are quite expensive, the SE edition was aimed at students. The sound of this guitar, while not exactly a USA-made model, is incredibly close and is a great experience.

Even the way the guitar plays and the quality of the hardware and construction is far above. I’m even comparing it to other affordable options near the same price point. This is one guitar that can hold itself well on the road, or at gigs, and it also looks great!

PRS is also trusted by many famous artists. Players like Carlos Santana, John Mayer, and Mark Tremonti. This is because PRS produces guitars that are above average in both sound and playability. The same can be found in the SE Custom 24, which you also can own.

Sound Performance

Wow, what a guitar! I have played many PRS guitars, some worth thousands of dollars, and have always enjoyed them a great deal. Paul and his team truly know how to make some great-sounding guitars.

The Custom 24 is no different. It sounds great and has a fantastic mid-range growl to it. But is still very balanced throughout its tonal options. The range of musical genres that this guitar can cover is truly broad.

Because of the set-in neck, the guitar has an incredible resonance to it. Even used acoustically, the sound is very pronounced right from the instrument itself. Plug it into an amp and its rich sound, thanks to the 85/15 “S” humbuckers, is very pleasing.

The coil tap system works great and does sound good no matter the setting. The snappy and bright single-coil sounds are a lot of fun thanks to the natural mid-range.

Run it in full humbucker mode and the instrument becomes full, wide, and fat. All with a very present upper mid-range. High-gain sounds and responses are beautiful. But not overpowering thanks to the output of the pickups.

I used the Revv Generator MK3 for this demo. The guitar produced some great rock and metal tones. And the sustain was right on point.

The PRS SE Custom is a real treat to play and has a clarity to it that will have others asking how you got that tone!

Guitar Body Design

The body on the SE Custom 24 just feels robust. But it’s very comfortable on the lap thanks to the ergonomic, well-thought-out design.

The maple top on this mahogany body makes this elegant guitar prove to be a quality instrument. The selection of tonewoods here is similar to their Maryland-made models.

The combination of the two materials really gives this guitar a great mid-range sound. One of the things about a PRS is that the attention to detail is never lacking, and this is true on the SE Custom 24.

The double cutaway on this body is a very nice feature, especially considering the neck shape. Sustain from this guitar is awesome, and it has a lot to do with the body and neck construction. Very impressed with the quality offered in this price range.

Colors Available

The PRS Custom 24 SE is available in 3 beautiful colors.

• Charcoal burst.
• Black gold burst.
• Faded blue burst.
• Bonnie Pink.

All 3 options are translucent and show off the beautiful wood grain of the maple top. They are great finishes, very durable, and easy to maintain.

Custom 24 SE Weight

The Custom 24 SE weighs in at roughly 8 pounds. This makes it slightly lighter than the USA-made custom 24 guitars.

With either option, the guitar is light enough to wear from your shoulder for hours on end. This also makes it an easy carry and not so much of a burden if traveling with the guitar.

The Neck

The SE Custom 24 has a PRS pattern neck. The necks are Paul’s designs that have been tried and tested and are great profiles. The neck on the SE Custom 24 is a set maple and is a Wide-Thin pattern.

The neck features a 25-inch scale. And thanks to the cutaways, it’s easy to play around on the 24 jumbo fret, rosewood fingerboard. This wide, thin pattern neck has been designed for very fast playing and is easy to use.

The years of prototyping that have been done have truly paid off. This pattern-style PRS neck is very comfortable and feels great! Another thing to note is the beautiful headstock! The wood grain and finish on this great shape make this guitar “pop”.

Features

• Number of frets: 24.
• Scale: 25″.
• Fretboard width (Body): 2.25″.
• Fretboard width (nut): 1.69″.
• Neck shape: wide, thin.
• Rosewood fretboard.
• Bird Inlays.
• Maple neck.

Benefits Of A Set Neck

Because of the design, the vibrations from the guitar body also transfer through the neck. This can be great when it comes to a fuller, warmer sound.

The way the instrument resonates is also felt in your hands. It can heighten your experience when playing. It also helps with keeping tuning as there are no changes in the body-to-neck mounting like with a bolt-on.

Hardware

The SE Custom 24 comes with PRS-designed and wound humbucker pick-ups. These pick-ups capture the resonance of the body and produce a great mid-range yet bright snap!

The guitar is also loaded with a volume and push-pull tone knob. This switch accesses great single-coil tones, making this one workhorse of a guitar!

There is also a 3-way switch to choose your favorite pick-up or combo of pick-ups to get a tone for any flavor. The bridge is a PRS molded tremolo design that held tune decently well under heavy bends.

The nut is made from synthetic material. The tuners are a PRS-designed chrome die-cast set that feels pretty good and holds tuning well.

Pickups

he PRS Custom 24 comes equipped with 85/15 “S” pickups. They are made for more modern applications. Those that require great clarity and an extended high and low end. They are loaded with Alnico magnets and do not have a cover.

• Neck resistance: 7.83K.
• Bridge resistance: 8.64K.

When used with a clean amplifier, they are well-rounded and sound great! A high gain sound might be a bit muddy, but that also depends on the amplifier and your settings.

Electronics And Strings

• Volume And Tone resistance: 500K Alpha potentiometers.
• Tone capacitor: .022uF.
• Tremolo System: PRS Patented Custom.
• Strings: D’Addario nickel 10-46 set.

Playability

But how does the PRS SE Custom 24 feel? The neck on this guitar is a PRS custom design. It’s very thin and wide but as a result of this, it’s fast and comfortable.

The frets are a nice height and don’t require you to press hard. A good set-up guitar with a nice string height. I would suspect that this neck will fit most hand sizes thanks to the profile.

If I had to compare this neck to others, I would say that this is a cross between a Stratocaster and an Ibanez. The width is great for solid rhythm playing yet flat enough for solo and shredding. It’s a neck that won’t tire you out and feels great!

Notable Alternatives To Consider

If the PRS Custom 24 isn’t really your look or style, there are a few other guitars that you might enjoy.

Epiphone Les Paul Standard

The Epiphone Les Paul Standard is another high quality guitar within the same price point that was one that really stuck out for me. Epiphone makes great guitars, and this is one of their best at this price. The sound is on point, providing versatility for many music styles. Because of the Les Paul body shape, it’s also very good-looking and comfortable.

Schecter Hellraiser C-1

If you’re looking for something that has a bit of a heavier sound and aggressive look, the Schecter Hellraiser C-1 is a great option. This guitar has a gorgeous look, great sound and quality construction. It features great hardware and the functionality you would want in a guitar of this caliber.

Compared to the PRS Custom 24, the C-1 is more aggressive. It’s a bit brighter sounding and has a different feel. The neck is thinner as it’s made to be more of a shredders’ guitar.

Cost and Value

The PRS SE Custom 24 offers exceptional value for its price point. This versatile and well-crafted guitar combines many features commonly found in high-end instruments with a more affordable price tag, making it an attractive option for musicians of all skill levels.

Priced under $1000, it’s an excellent investment for musicians seeking a high-quality, versatile guitar that won’t break the bank. The balance of performance, aesthetics, and affordability makes the PRS SE Custom 24 an outstanding value in the world of electric guitars.

Final Thoughts on the SE Custom 24

The PRS SE Custom 24 is a steal for the money and is a great all-around instrument! The quality of the overall guitar is very noticeable. The sound and feel are incredibly good. It will become your first choice when grabbing a guitar.

PRS has been making a huge impression on players because of their quality. Even in the Custom 24 SE, we find it comes up as a winner, and so will you once you own it! I am a fan of PRS and the innovation they offer, and this was another really fun guitar to review.

They make some great guitars worth a few thousand, but to get into one for under a grand is an amazing opportunity! You just can’t go wrong for what is an amazing guitar and an even better deal.

If you’re just getting started, this is a great guitar to learn on and will be one you keep around for a long time. It has something for everyone, so even very experienced players will be impressed! For me, this guitar is a 9 out of 10 in this category and price!

Gear Reviews