PRS Custom 24-08: Soapbar vs Non-Soapbar

HT986M2

Hello everyone,

The short version is that I played an older, used Custom 24 at the weekend and really enjoyed it overall. I wasn't willing to get that particular guitar I tried due to the pickup control knob.  However, the experience has definitely pointed me towards a PRS for my next guitar.

I don't know much about PRS since they've never really crossed my radar.  However, it appears you can get the 24-08 with standard humbuckers or soapbar pickups depending on the release year etc.

The new 2024 S2 24-08 has the TCI soapbar pickups which are new for the 2024 model.  For the same price as that version (£2.5k) I could either get a used Core 24-08 with standard humbuckers, or just wait for a good Core sale.

So the debate I'm having at the minute is: if I went with the S2 24-08, would I potentially regret the soapbar pickups?  With the other version I could swap in and out standard-width humbuckers in the future as desired.  With the TCI version I am stuck with PRS soapbar pickups for life.

Could anyone who has owned one or both of these models let me know if it's realistically something I should care about, or if I'm just overthinking it.  

Any other options would be appreciated too.  Like I mentioned I'm new to PRS, so if there is anything I should avoid, or any other models which could potentially be better, then just let me know.  Part of me does just want a 594 McCarty, but it does veer very close to my existing singlecuts and I feel I should branch out a bit.

Thanks!

guitargeek62

HT986M2 said:

I don't know much about PRS since they've never really crossed my radar.  However, it appears you can get the 24-08 with standard humbuckers or soapbar pickups depending on the release year etc.

The new 2024 S2 24-08 has the TCI soapbar pickups which are new for the 2024 model.  For the same price as that version (£2.5k) I could either get a used Core 24-08 with standard humbuckers, or just wait for a good Core sale.

So the debate I'm having at the minute is: if I went with the S2 24-08, would I potentially regret the soapbar pickups?  With the other version I could swap in and out standard-width humbuckers in the future as desired.  With the TCI version I am stuck with PRS soapbar pickups for life.

To clarify, TCI pickups are not soapbars, nor are they swappable with P90s/soapbars either - the dimensions are completely different!

That said, as an owner of a TCI-loaded Paul’s Guitar (when they were simply called 408 pickups) I would have to say that they are the most versatile set of pickups I’ve had in anything, and I don’t think you could go wrong with them in any model for anything but extreme metal.