I vowed this would never happen...

[Dmoney]

...but I've become the owner of a PRS.

This CE22 has been kicking about ebay for a bit and oddly enough, it was in a store in the little market town im from, and I was scheduled to go up and visit my family so I thought I'd drop in.

Mahogany body, wide fat bolt on maple neck. Dragon 2 pickups.
I'm not sure if the wiring is original, since it has a 3 way toggle and not the rotary switch. It also looks a bit messy in there, but it sounds really good. push-pull switch on the tone. not sure if it does series/parallel or coil taps.

It plays incredibly well. The 'wide fat' neck isn't really that wide or fat! It feels really nice and I sat in the shop playing it for a long time. I've never really got on with a guitar so quickly as I have with this. The trem is also really good. It's set to be floating and the tuning is really stable. I might set it flush on the body, I dunno.

I like that it isn't too flash.

The shop in Ormskirk is called Sound Affects. The staff are very keen and helpful. Even brought me a coffee while I was playing and were happy to chat about whatever. They had a bunch of fancy PRS' on the wall. I'd recommend dealing with them if they have something you fancy.



Original wiring?

[Philly Q]

Dammit, I can't see the pics!  :x

I'm sure I must have seen the guitar on eBay, though.




I was wondering if this thread was going to be Roo buying a Tele.....!  :P

[Dmoney]

It's a tobacco burst CE22.
You probably have seen it on ebay. It was on there a while. 

[Twinfan]

Good score - I can see my influence is rubbing off  ;)

That's a bit messy for factory wiring - it's had the rotary swapped for the McCarty switching.  Push/pull gives split coils.

By the way, they're not the original pickups either.  Uncovered HFS Treble and Vintage Bass would have been stock.

[bucketshred]

PRS aren't my thing but that looks like a pretty good score!!

Happy playing :)

Paddy

[Dmoney]

I wouldn't have thought of them as my thing either, but since I've got into strat shape and having a trem... this is pretty good.

I had to change the strings and I popped out the pups. They are both engraved with PRS on the underside and have little gold & black stickers. Dragon II treble and bass. I think I would actually prefer uncovered pickups. Question is... do I try to remove the covers! I can see they are potted on pretty well. The wax is visible around the sides of the bass on the underside.

I don't mind the McCarty switching. I'd prefer that to the rotary switch I think.

I took off the truss rod cover because when I played the A on D string is vibrated wildly. I'll address that at some point. I didn't notice that while playing plugged in when in the store though.

[Philly Q]

By the way, they're not the original pickups either.  Uncovered HFS Treble and Vintage Bass would have been stock.

I thought the HFS/Vintage Bass usually only appeared on 24 fret models?

[Dmoney]

oh yeah. A bunch of documentation came with it. Like who checked it at factory. that little card thing with the spec. the pickups are listed on that as Dragon II also. Maybe PRS changed it up a bit?

[Twinfan]

They came on both for the CE I think Phil, but if DMoney has the eagle hangtog it looks like DIIs were the stock pickup.  They changed specs a lot in the 90s!

[Philly Q]

While we're on the subject of PRS pickups, Dave, do you know (roughly) the specs for the McCartys and Dragon IIs?

I'm thinking of transplanting one or other set to my Tokai SG, and I'm wondering which is more likely to be suitable.



(Apologies for thread hijack!)

[Dmoney]

nah thats cool Philly. I'd like to know too!

[tekbow]

Great buy!! CE's are my current PRS "Thing", I keep saying it but those guitars are going to go up in price someday once people realise they're not a poor mans PRS just because they have a bolt on maple neck. Made in the same factory to the same standards with all the same hardware as the set neck guitars. The bolt on thing wasn't a cost saving with these, it was a tonal choice.

What age is it? I think i remember in the early 90's the dragons where on most of the 24 and 22 fret guitars.

I keep meaning to snag one, haven't yet, but these can be had with ten tops (they did make em) and all the trimmings for just over £1k. when you consider the quality it's daft not to buy. personally i think the bolt on maple necks make them better all out rock machines.

I also prefer the mcarty style switching. I'm suspicious of any pickup selector that isn't a toggle. Blows my mind too much..

There used to be a guide to PRS pickups in the tech support, listed everything they made and their characteristics and comparisons, can't find it anymore though. FWIW my Mcarty pickups did not work for me in my Mcarty. They got changed to BKPs. Still haven't found the guitar they work on.

Congrats DMoney Great score!

[tekbow]

found it, with a little URL manipulation, not listed on the Customer support index anymore

http://www.prsguitars.com/csc/pickups.html

[Philly Q]

Thanks, sounds like the Dragon IIs are a little hotter, although I seem to recall reading somewhere that McCarty specs are somewhat hotter than vintage, about 9k at the bridge(?).... might be completely wrong though.  And I don't think they use vintage-style wire in the coils either, so that DC resistance wouldn't mean much in comparison with a PAF type.

[Twinfan]

McCarty pickups are PAF type, around 8.5k.  To my ears they're Alnico II.

DIIs aren't very loved.

Phil - I'd put the McCartys in your SG  ;)