What PRS guitar does metal good but does clean tones great?

[Adambomb]

Im looking to get a PRS guitar. I have a Mark V head and a Dual Recto head. Im looking for a PRS that does Metal really good but also cleans up for good clean tones.

Would a Custom 24 be the way to go? and what kind of PRS pickups are good for all around metal AND clean tones?

 

[MesaENGR412]

The Custom 24 would be nice, however you may want other pickups with that guitar. I believe BTBAM uses Dimarzio pickups in their custom 24s. Another suggestion would be the Tremonti pickups, either in his siggy guitar or do a swap for them in the custom 24. One other option us to get a SE Torero with the EMGs, it is a little cheaper than a custom 24 but to me is a great guitar for the price and features. The 85 in the neck is pretty good for cleans, or with the quick connect you can easily swap it out for a 60, which imo is a great clean neck pickup. But if you are dead set on a Maryland made, then I would say either the Custom 24 or the Tremonti.

 

[Steve@Russo]

+1 tremonti

 

[Adambomb]

what about the standard pickups in the custom 24? they arent good for metal?

 

[fishyfishfish]

Custom 24 pickups are pretty hot. You could always change out the pickups to something hotter. I use Duncan Distortions in my Mc Carty and PRS in my custom and they seem to have the same output.

 

[Adambomb]

Well, I went with my ears on this one as usual and got the PRS Custom 24 25th Anniversary Smoked Amber with the 57/08 pickups. I played several PRS's and all the pickups and these have such a great full sound to them. Not harsh at all, and they sound great for metal, blues, and glorious clean tones. And when u have a high gain amp u don't need really high output pickups cause your tone goes into harsh mode with no character to your tone.

 

[MesaENGR412]

Cool man, that is the best thing to do. Glad you are happy. Post some pics of that beauty when you get a chance!

-AJH

 

[KH Guitar Freak]

Custom 24 or Tremonti USA...

 

[gimme789]

I've heard great things about the 57/08s, great choice

 

[titan7]

SC-250

 

[thinskin57]

to me there is NO prs guitar that's good for both of those sounds in the same model. i'm biased towards single coil pups for cleans, and humbuckers for OD/crunch sounds. closest i came with a prs model was a usa eg-1 model from the early 90's. as far as metal goes, i guess it depends if you're talking about modern metal or the older stuff. i think for today's stuff you need to do the emg thing, whereas with the classics a good ol' hfs would more than do the trick. but like we guitarists say, but don't always exercise- "there are no rules" but again, back to the topic- i don't think you're going to get "great" clean tones out of the same guitar that does metal good too. any brand for that matter. my opinion, of course.

 

[MesaENGR412]

to me there is NO prs guitar that's good for both of those sounds in the same model. i'm biased towards single coil pups for cleans, and humbuckers for OD/crunch sounds. closest i came with a prs model was a usa eg-1 model from the early 90's. as far as metal goes, i guess it depends if you're talking about modern metal or the older stuff. i think for today's stuff you need to do the emg thing, whereas with the classics a good ol' hfs would more than do the trick. but like we guitarists say, but don't always exercise- "there are no rules" but again, back to the topic- i don't think you're going to get "great" clean tones out of the same guitar that does metal good too. any brand for that matter. my opinion, of course.

Has anyone tried a 513 model for a "metal" sound? Just wondering, since these can be used in both single coil and humbucker modes. I would assume though, that the bridge p/u in 'bucker mode still isn't geared for that style though.

-AJH

 

[Adambomb]

to me there is NO prs guitar that's good for both of those sounds in the same model. i'm biased towards single coil pups for cleans, and humbuckers for OD/crunch sounds. closest i came with a prs model was a usa eg-1 model from the early 90's. as far as metal goes, i guess it depends if you're talking about modern metal or the older stuff. i think for today's stuff you need to do the emg thing, whereas with the classics a good ol' hfs would more than do the trick. but like we guitarists say, but don't always exercise- "there are no rules" but again, back to the topic- i don't think you're going to get "great" clean tones out of the same guitar that does metal good too. any brand for that matter. my opinion, of course.

Naw bro that ain't true. There are a FEW guitars out there that can do metal a d clean tones. My PRS Custom 24 25th Anniversary does it perfectly gig after gig. Running a Mark V head and Mesa 4x12 to help out but regardless of amp that guitar can do it. It's the 5 way rotary tone selector on the guitar that does it.. U can coil split with the knob and get best cleans or play bridge pickup for blistering metal. And the Jackson Mark Morton i had traded in on the PRS could could get cleans and metal tones too, just not near as good as that PRS though.

 

[kdorsey]

My Cu24 is older (2001) with HFS/VS pu's and it does both beautifully thru my MkIII. In fact, I have to strain to get a non-metal tone out of it when in ch3. The Cu24 is the most versatile guitar, tonally, I've ever owned and when matched with the right amp, can sound, almost, like anything your desire.

Now, getting that to be footswitchable thru all tonal variants is an unrealistic expectation. But as I have it set now, ch1 is crystal clean, ch2 is very Plexi-ish, and ch3 is...well...classic MkIII ch3. Via a few choice stomp boxes, I can get great distortion-type variants that would otherwise require a change of amp. But the Cu24 can morph into almost anything with all of those options.

The 57/08s are a much more classic humbucker design than the HFS. So if you're looking for a hot, fat pickup that screams, the HFS is a much better option than the 57/08. The Tremonti bridge pu is slightly hotter than the HFS, but to me, doesn't sound as good in the Custom body. Personal opinion.