PRS Custom 24 VS Modern Eagle V
Our Pick: Flip a Coin
These are, without question, two of the nicest electric guitars on the planet. To choose one over the other, or to say one is "better", is not really a good way to go about this comparison. There's a little more onboard flexibility with the Modern Eagle V, and to my ear it's bluesier. But we also like the option of the Floyd Rose, and the modern punch of the Custom 24. You can't go wrong either way.
The Custom 24 and Modern Eagle are two of the nicest and most beautiful instruments, not just from the PRS roster, but on the entire electric guitar market. So our comparison is not about which one is better, because they're both the best of everything. Instead, we're just going to highlight some differences, similarities, and put everything side by side so you can make an informed decision about which one you prefer.
Comparison Table for Modern Eagle V and Custom 24
Sometimes we add other guitars to these tables, but we've left just the Modern Eagle and Custom 24 here since they truly don't have a ton of comparables. If you want to add some more guitars to compare, you can do so via the search option section below.
PRS | Name | Rate | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|
| PRS Custom 24 | n/a | |
 | PRS Modern Eagle V | n/a |
Compare More Guitars
We have a lot of electric guitars in our database that you can compare to the Modern Eagle V and Custom 24, and we're expanding it on a continual basis. Launch the search tool here and add some to the comparison bar.
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Detailed Spec Sheet
Most of these specs are pulled from Sweetwater so we can put them side by side. We also draw on data from FindMyGuitar. Note that while we are intentional about vetting this information, it's always important to verify with the manufacturers website. Even information on retailer product pages should be corroborated with manufacturers.
Custom 24
Modern Eagle V
Shared Features
Here's a list of features that these two guitars have in common, for those that don't want to comb through the above spec list.
- Body Material: Mahogany
- Neck Joint: Set Neck
- Radius: 10"
- Scale Length: 25"
- Nut Width: 1.6875"
- Tuners: PRS Phase III Locking Tuners
- Strings: PRS 10-46
- Case/Gig Bag: Hardshell Case
When you get into more expensive guitars, the differences between them tend to be more plentiful. That's why the shared feature list here is smaller than what you'd have in cheaper PRS guitars, like the SE models.
Read more: Best PRS SE Guitars
Aside from the body tonewood, neck joint, and measurements, there aren't a lot of spec sheet matches.
Distinct Features
These aren't all the distinct features, but just the most consequential differences.
- Pickups
- Bridge Type
- Top Tonewood (different types of Maple)
- Pickup Selectors (mini toggles on the Eagle)
- Body Finish and Color
Again, there are no quality issues here. You could argue there are some subtle tone and stylistic differences (more on that below) but even that feels like I'm splitting hairs. Note that the PRS Custom 24 comes in a version that has a Floyd Rose, and one that just has the regular PRS bridge.
What you're paying for in these guitars
Here's a quick rundown of where the most value is in each guitar. In other words, this is what you're paying for. It's pretty much the same in each guitar.
- Grade and quality of body and top tonewood
- A guitar that has a solid top piece
- PRS body carving (in most of the mainline PRS models but not the SE versions)
- Tone flexibility, particularly in the Modern Eagle V (mini toggles and pickup selector)
- Bridges, especially the Floyd Rose in the Custom 24
- Limited supply
- Lots of hands-on treatment
Demos
The Modern Eagle V does a really good job of matching up humbucker and single coil sounds, and it's so flexible that it can sort of run the table between lighter and darker tones.
To my ear, the Custom 24 has always sounded like it has a little more sparkle. But again, both guitars are very flexible.
This is all going to be a matter of preference and your ear. I think the Modern Eagle is a little more single coil-ish, so bluesier lead players might want to take note of that.
Price Comparison
These guitars aren't cheap and they aren't particularly plentiful, especially the Modern Eagle V. The Custom 24, both the Floyd and regular versions, have been around for awhile and are easier to come by. Sweetwater is the most PRS-heavy retailer we know of, so they're a good barometer of market value.
As always, these prices are updated daily. However, it's important to keep in mind that pricing and availability are subject to change depending on the retailer in question.
Also, be careful not to get the mainline Custom 24 mixed up with the SE Custom 24.
The SE version is designed to be a more budget friendly version and is much cheaper.
If you're interested, we have a full review here.
Read the full review: PRS SE Custom 24
Price updated Wed, September 27th, 2023.
Major Retailers
Conclusion
I have no issues with either of these guitars.
Every single detail is the best of the best, so any discrepancies between the two will be entirely a matter of taste and preference and certainly not a matter of quality.
If you have questions about these guitars, drop them in the comments section below and we'll help out. We read every comment and respond if warranted, so feel free to get in touch.
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Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Electrics & Comparisons
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