FS 2005 PRS CU24 Artist 20th Anniv

[edgar_allan_poe]

Putting the feelers out on this one. I am in the process of finalizing a trade for this guitar with the intention of flipping it. I am putting it up here in case anyone from this board wants it before I put it on other boards. I figured the PRS would be an easier move than my Breedlove. Wide Thin neck on this one. If anyone is interested drop me a line. Obviously I will make sure the guitar is in perfect working order before finalizing a deal with anyone. Will seriously consider partial trades that include a cool Wah, Egnater Rebel, ?????, no cash on my end though. Is 2K out of line for this? Whale Blue with a trem....

[cmatthes]

Rob:

Black back and sides or Blue?

Can't tell if that has the upgraded pkg or not from my Bberry.

[edgar_allan_poe]

Looks like black back and sides, what constitutes an upgrade package?

[DavidE]

I'm not 100% familiar with the artist package, but is that really an artist or is it a 20th anniversary?

[edgar_allan_poe]

According to the seller, it is an Artist CU24 20th Anniversary.

[Always Broke]

Were Brazilian rosewood fingerboards/necks standard on those things?

[Feynman]

Regular Custom 24s seem to be breaking 2K these days on eBay, so I wouldn't think 2K is out of line if it's in excellent condition. I wish I had known and I would have kept mine longer.

I thought Artist packages came with gold hardware? Actually, I don't know what I think I know.

[cmatthes]

Artist pkgs come/came with Gold hardware, matching back and sides and a rosewood peghead face w/paua inlaid logo and birds.

These were not the Brazilian models.

Great guitars though - either way.

[Joe G]

That's a sweet guitar and with the 3-way switch it should have a coil tap and I think Dragon II pickups.

Good Luck with the sale.

[DavidE]

That's a sweet guitar and with the 3-way switch it should have a coil tap and I think Dragon II pickups.

Good Luck with the sale.

The CU22 has the Dragon II's, the CU24 has a Vintage Bass neck pickup and an HFS (hot, fat, screams) treble bridge pickup.

Note: The Artist models also came with a leather case:

[cmatthes]

Note that the "Artist Package" was an option available on the CU24 and a few other models, and was different from the "Artist Series" guitars David E. references above.

The package upcharge was a few hundred dollars higher than the stock model and also included an "Artist Grade" top (supposedly better than a "10" top...) in Flame or Quilt. They stopped offering that option in 2007, IIRC.

[DavidE]

The 20th anniversary guitars were made in 2005.

From a 1998 price list:

Option - Artist package: Paua bird inlay in neck, rosewood headstock veneer, Artist grade flame or quilt top and translucent toned back, gold hardware, leather case. $1200.

[intelligentpony]

Nickel is optional on the Artist package. The 20th Anniversary Artist package comes with Brazilian finger board and headstock overlays.

$2000 is a very fair price for an Artist 20th with BRW and if the Zebras are original this is a rare one with it also having nickel instead of gold.

What pickups are in it?

[edgar_allan_poe]

Looks like the rosewood headstock overlay and Pau shell inlay to me. It also comes with the big bad case so it looks like an Artist to me.

[Feynman]

If it's an Artist 20th Aniversary with chrome instead of gold, $2k is excellent in my opinion.

[sonic1974]

Looks like the rosewood headstock overlay and Pau shell inlay to me. It also comes with the big bad case so it looks like an Artist to me.

I've always liked PRS headstocks.

[Devnor]

This is what a 20th Artist headstock looks like.

I don't think your CU is artist package. The inlays should glow almost green.

[edgar_allan_poe]

I don't think your CU is artist package. The inlays should glow almost green.

But doesn't the regular package have the black headstock? This is obviously rosewood, and the inlays do look like they have some color but it is hard to tell from the distance of the pick. It also comes with the Artist case. The top also looks like an upgraded top, because that definitely isn't your standard PRS top. The pic you show is much lighter and shows the grain much better than the one I was given, but it looks to me like this is an Artist with chrome instead of gold. I am not sure about the pups yet.

[cmatthes]

Tough to tell from the pics, but either way, it's a nice one. Although the Artist Pkg guitars cost over $1k more than the base model (I'll check the '05 price list, but I think it was @ $1,380 upcharge), the resell difference isn't quite that much. Definitely looks like an Artist Grade top, or what a "10" top was 15-20 years ago...

I could probably tell you more once you get it in-hand, but if I had anything to trade ya for it, I'd be in on that deal.

[Joe G]

Here is a pic of my PRS 20th CU22 10 top hardtail:

As my poor photography shows, the lettering on my 20th anniversary Paul Red Smith looks to be painted on with gold lettering. As far as Poe's PRS, I would expect variations when dealing with inlays (especially when using natural materials). I am no expert (not even by a stretch), and value what everyone says here, but maybe if a pic was snapped from a different angle the lettering would look a little more green?

Two things are for sure:

1. Poe's guitar is certainly a deal at $2k, and

2. My 20th anniversary PRS definitely does not have the artist pkg!

[DavidE]

Poe:

It certainly looks like it's probably an Artist Option CU24 20th Anniversary. It's so easy to know exactly what it is and what the original pickups were. I sent you an email yesterday suggesting you email or call Shawn at PRS customer service and give him the serial number. He'll tell you exactly what it is without a doubt.

And a photo of the hang tag helps too.

[edgar_allan_poe]

Poe:

It certainly looks like it's probably an Artist Option CU24 20th Anniversary. It's so easy to know exactly what it is and what the original pickups were. I sent you an email yesterday suggesting you email or call Shawn at PRS customer service and give him the serial number. He'll tell you exactly what it is without a doubt.

And a photo of the hang tag helps too.

Never got that e-mail Dave..sorry. The guy claims it has all of the paperwork so it is a non issue. If the serial matches the paperwork then it is the real deal. Here is what the seller is saying. The pups are Fralins..

The guitar was bought new in '05. It is a Custom 24, 20th Anniversary model with the Artist Package. I had the electronics changed by my Tech, which includes: Lindy Fralin unbucker pickups approx. 8k neck & I believe 8 1/2 or 9k on the bridge, which when split to single coil, power is to the stronger coil which would be 5k, they split 5/3 instead of 4/4 to give a more realistic single coil tone. The original 5 way was replaced with McCarty wiring & switch as a 3 way with a push/push pot to activate coil splitting ( when pot is in lower position that is humbucker & when pushed tone knob pops up when released and is now in single coil mode )other then routine maintenance/set up the guitar hasn't had any other modifications performed. All the original paper work,trem bar,PRS tool and the original 5 way rotary control with knob are in the compartment.

[intelligentpony]

This is what a 20th Artist headstock looks like.

I don't think your CU is artist package. The inlays should glow almost green.

You have it backwards. Sorry to say that is not a 20th Artist in your photo, that is a regular Artist package. The 20th Anniversary Package has the flying Birds with the wisp inlays and the white 20th truss rod cover while all other 2005 PRS with Birds have the traditional Birds as seen in your photo. Every 2005 PRS had the black ingraved 20th truss rod cover as in your photo, only the 20th Anniversary Package (whether non Artist or Artist) guitars have the white 20th cover including the Artist package 20th as seen in Joe G's post and EAP's photos.

For clarification on 2005 Artist Packages:

20th Anniversary Artist Package has BRW finger board and headstock overlay, Birds in flight with the Wisp inlays and the white 20th truss rod cover.

2005 Artist Package has Indian Rosewood finger board and headstock overlay, standard Birds and the black 20th ingraved truss rod cover.

Poe:

It certainly looks like it's probably an Artist Option CU24 20th Anniversary. It's so easy to know exactly what it is and what the original pickups were. I sent you an email yesterday suggesting you email or call Shawn at PRS customer service and give him the serial number. He'll tell you exactly what it is without a doubt.

And a photo of the hang tag helps too.

Never got that e-mail Dave..sorry. The guy claims it has all of the paperwork so it is a non issue. If the serial matches the paperwork then it is the real deal. Here is what the seller is saying. The pups are Fralins..

The guitar was bought new in '05. It is a Custom 24, 20th Anniversary model with the Artist Package. I had the electronics changed by my Tech, which includes: Lindy Fralin unbucker pickups approx. 8k neck & I believe 8 1/2 or 9k on the bridge, which when split to single coil, power is to the stronger coil which would be 5k, they split 5/3 instead of 4/4 to give a more realistic single coil tone. The original 5 way was replaced with McCarty wiring & switch as a 3 way with a push/push pot to activate coil splitting ( when pot is in lower position that is humbucker & when pushed tone knob pops up when released and is now in single coil mode )other then routine maintenance/set up the guitar hasn't had any other modifications performed. All the original paper work,trem bar,PRS tool and the original 5 way rotary control with knob are in the compartment.

Are the original pickups included?

[BubbaVO]

This is what a 20th Artist headstock looks like.

I don't think your CU is artist package. The inlays should glow almost green.

You have it backwards. Sorry to say that is not a 20th Artist in your photo, that is a regular Artist package. The 20th Anniversary Package has the flying Birds with the wisp inlays and the white 20th truss rod cover while all other 2005 PRS with Birds have the traditional Birds as seen in your photo. Every 2005 PRS had the black ingraved 20th truss rod cover as in your photo, only the 20th Anniversary Package (whether non Artist or Artist) guitars have the white 20th cover including the Artist package 20th as seen in Joe G's post and EAP's photos.

For clarification on 2005 Artist Packages:

20th Anniversary Artist Package has BRW finger board and headstock overlay, Birds in flight with the Wisp inlays and the white 20th truss rod cover.

2005 Artist Package has Indian Rosewood finger board and headstock overlay, standard Birds and the black 20th ingraved truss rod cover.

Poe:

It certainly looks like it's probably an Artist Option CU24 20th Anniversary. It's so easy to know exactly what it is and what the original pickups were. I sent you an email yesterday suggesting you email or call Shawn at PRS customer service and give him the serial number. He'll tell you exactly what it is without a doubt.

And a photo of the hang tag helps too.

Never got that e-mail Dave..sorry. The guy claims it has all of the paperwork so it is a non issue. If the serial matches the paperwork then it is the real deal. Here is what the seller is saying. The pups are Fralins..

The guitar was bought new in '05. It is a Custom 24, 20th Anniversary model with the Artist Package. I had the electronics changed by my Tech, which includes: Lindy Fralin unbucker pickups approx. 8k neck & I believe 8 1/2 or 9k on the bridge, which when split to single coil, power is to the stronger coil which would be 5k, they split 5/3 instead of 4/4 to give a more realistic single coil tone. The original 5 way was replaced with McCarty wiring & switch as a 3 way with a push/push pot to activate coil splitting ( when pot is in lower position that is humbucker & when pushed tone knob pops up when released and is now in single coil mode )other then routine maintenance/set up the guitar hasn't had any other modifications performed. All the original paper work,trem bar,PRS tool and the original 5 way rotary control with knob are in the compartment.

Are the original pickups included?

What's that? The Hamer Fan Club is down the hall? OK. I thought I was a little disoriented. Thanks.

[edgar_allan_poe]

Are the original pickups included?

No...long gone. Truth be told, I have always thought that PRS pups were its weak point. I have owned Fralins in the past and they have been spectacular. I have heard great things about the unbuckers and look forward to trying the guitar. I doubt I will bond with the W/T neck but I have some great guitars to compare it to. I will let you guys know how it stacks up against them.