# 1994 PRS Custom 24 (birds) $2500 - Quebec City



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds


Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.




www.kijiji.ca





Someone's gonna enjoy this one.


----------



## John123 (Jul 22, 2020)

It's been posted for months!!


----------



## 2manyGuitars (Jul 6, 2009)

As someone who pretty much loves anything with 6 strings, I look at PRS guitars and think they’re beautiful.

But when it comes to buying them, there’s just something in the back of my mind that says “don’t do it”. I think it has to do with resale so unless it’s a _screaming_ deal...


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

2manyGuitars said:


> As someone who pretty much loves anything with 6 strings, I look at PRS guitars and think they’re beautiful.
> 
> But when it comes to buying them, there’s just something in the back of my mind that says “don’t do it”. I think it has to do with resale so unless it’s a _screaming_ deal...


It's a decent price. Im betting it has sat because its listed in quebec city.

A used PRS is usually a solid bet as far as resale goes.


----------



## John123 (Jul 22, 2020)

I think all PRS's are overpriced. I picked up a 1991 Std 24 last year (in Mint condition) for $1600.00; I think that's a good price!


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

John123 said:


> I think all PRS's are overpriced. I picked up a 1991 Std 24 last year (in Mint condition) for $1600.00; I think that's a good price!


Given that's the basic model they offered that year, I'd say that's a fair price, possibly a little on the high side.

The only other pre-factory PRS Custom 24 on Canada-wide kijiji is $3200 with braz, so there's that.

If you don't like the price, just don't buy it...


----------



## Permanent Waves (Jun 2, 2020)

I think the price is actually very good. It is 10-top with birds (back then, the 10 was stamped and not painted, you can barely make it out in the last pic) in the desirable Vintage Sunburst finish. A similar model today retails for $5120, and some folks would prefer the pre-95 short neck heel, although that doesn't tend to increase the re-sale value. PRS are very much "eye of the beholder" guitars - like most high end instruments, they are overpriced to whatever the market will bear. I'd be all over it it it was near me and I could try it. He's actually 100km east of Quebec City, so it must hard to find a buyer in Baie St-Paul, but he's willing to ship.


----------



## John123 (Jul 22, 2020)

Budda said:


> Given that's the basic model they offered that year, I'd say that's a fair price, possibly a little on the high side.
> 
> The only other pre-factory PRS Custom 24 on Canada-wide kijiji is $3200 with braz, so there's that.
> 
> If you don't like the price, just don't buy it...


Maybe you should buy it...he's willing to ship!!


----------



## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

Permanent Waves said:


> I think the price is actually very good. It is 10-top with birds (back then, the 10 was stamped and not painted, you can barely make it out in the last pic) in the desirable Vintage Sunburst finish. A similar model today retails for $5120, and some folks would prefer the pre-95 short neck heel, although that doesn't tend to increase the re-sale value. PRS are very much "eye of the beholder" guitars - like most high end instruments, they are overpriced to whatever the market will bear. I'd be all over it it it was near me and I could try it. He's actually 100km east of Quebec City, so it must hard to find a buyer in Baie St-Paul, but he's willing to ship.


Not a 10, that era had the number written, the stamped 10 was earlier. Plus, I'm sure the seller would mention if it was a 10 since that might command a slightly higher price. I also enlarged the photo and don't see any sign of it.


----------



## Permanent Waves (Jun 2, 2020)

Compare it to this one from 1993, he's asking $4700 and it's been up for months if not years. He is living in a dream world. He's even claiming the rotary switch is an exclusive "pre-factory" feature which is absolute BS. 









Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds


Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.




www.kijiji.ca





I think BS ads like this just tend to add to the confusion around pricing these guitars. A big factor in this is the use of the incorrect term "pre-factory". If it has a serial number, it was made in a factory - either Annapolis (85-95) or Stevensville (95+). Smith made about 300 custom instruments between 1975 and 1985, these are the only instruments that can be truly called pre-factory and they have no serial numbers. 

The main differences after the Stevensville expansion are: 

1 - They started using automated CNC machines rather than Duplicarvers for cutting bodies and necks to increase production (some say that actually improved consistency). 
2 - The tremolo block was made from 2 pieces instead of one (you can see the bolts under the saddles). 
3 - Most controversial was probably the elongated neck heel (supposedly to eliminate a dead spot at the 12th fret). 
4 - They stopped using alder on the CE backs because of rejection rate and supply issues, replacing it with Mahogany. 

Otherwise, the guitars were still made the same way - whatever was done by hand was still done by hand, so the idea that the pre-95 were "handcrafted" while the ones after were not is a falsehood vehiculated by people trying to justify over-valuing their instruments. In terms of actual selling prices, there's no significant differences pre- and post-95. It's a matter of personal preference for the different specs, there was no change in manufacturing quality (no Norlin syndrome).


----------



## Permanent Waves (Jun 2, 2020)

gtrguy said:


> Not a 10, that era had the number written, the stamped 10 was earlier. Plus, I'm sure the seller would mention if it was a 10 since that might command a slightly higher price. I also enlarged the photo and don't see any sign of it.


Found a pic of a 94 with a 10 stamp from the 12th Fret website.
It would have been rare in those days to have a Custom with birds but no 10-top.
After closer look, I have to admit it's not as nice a top as others from the same era.


----------



## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

Permanent Waves said:


> Found a pic of a 94 with a 10 stamp from the 12th Fret website.
> It would have been rare in those days to have a Custom with birds but no 10-top.
> After closer look, I have to admit it's not as nice a top as others from the same era.


Odd, I was selling PRS guitars at that time and any we had that were 10 had it written in gold ink... though perhaps my memory isn't what it used to be, that was a long time ago. Either way, no stamp or written 10 on the one in the Kijiji ad (see my enlarged pic above)


----------



## 2manyGuitars (Jul 6, 2009)

Permanent Waves said:


> PRS are very much "eye of the beholder" guitars - like most high end instruments


Oh, my eye beholds the shit outta’ them. My wallet just ain’t on the same page.


----------



## Permanent Waves (Jun 2, 2020)

gtrguy said:


> Odd, I was selling PRS guitars at that time and any we had that were 10 had it written in gold ink... though perhaps my memory isn't what it used to be, that was a long time ago. Either way, no stamp or written 10 on the one in the Kijiji ad (see my enlarged pic above)


Yeah, I looked at google images and 94's are stamped while 96's are painted, so I will guess this changed in 1995 since it was the year many other changes were made. 
Also, I agree it's probably not a 10-top. Found this Custom 24 Reverb listing that even though it is listed as 10-top, there is no designation on the neck (still a nice top). 
The birds threw me off. Birds and 10-tops generally go together, but not always. They usually don't bother putting birds on non-10 tops.


----------



## benum47 (Oct 13, 2013)

I have a '91 Custom 24 that's mint. It's not a 10 top but it has character, the fretboard and birds are very nice as well.
What would be a fair price? (I haven't listed it so far but may someday)









1991 PRS Custom


Explore this photo album by benum47 on Flickr!




www.flickr.com





It's a sweet instrument but I usually go with my Ibanez or a Fender for gigs.


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

benum47 said:


> I have a '91 Custom 24 that's mint. It's not a 10 top but it has character, the fretboard and birds are very nice as well.
> What would be a fair price? (I haven't listed it so far but may someday)
> 
> 
> ...


$1800-$2200 in good contion with all the case candy and OHSC, I imagine.


----------



## Permanent Waves (Jun 2, 2020)

benum47 said:


> I have a '91 Custom 24 that's mint. It's not a 10 top but it has character, the fretboard and birds are very nice as well.
> What would be a fair price? (I haven't listed it so far but may someday)
> 
> 
> ...


The fact that it is mint condition with case candy puts it at the top of the price range, especially for a 30 year old guitar. 
I am not sure how the market is in Alberta, but I know around here you don't see a lot of Core models come up in the 2K price range. 
I'd start at $2500 and see what happens. Take your time.


----------

