PRS DW CE 24 Floyd Review & Prices

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PRS DW CE 24 Floyd Review
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  • From PRS's 2020 Bolt-On series
  • Dustie Waring Signature
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25"'' scale
  • 10" Fretboard Radius
  • Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: PRS Mojotone Tomahawk Gen 2 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: PRS Mojotone Tomahawk Gen 2 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose 1000 Tremolo w/ Locking Nut bridge
  • Dustie Waring Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Medium Jumbo frets
  • PRS Low Mass Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Our Scores and Tone Evaluation

Playability 75
Sound 81
Build quality 70
Value for money 65
Overall Score 75
Tone Evaluation
  • Heavy Metal
  • Hard Rock
  • Jazz
  • Blues
  • Funk
  • Country
Strengths & Weaknesses
PRS DW CE 24 Floyd
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock

Price Overview

Its average competitor's price is $3420, which means that the PRS DW CE 24 Floyd is around 15% cheaper than the competition. This takes into account all instruments of the same category in our database with 6 strings and Double Locking bridge that are made in United States.

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Videos

The DW CE24 "Floyd" | PRS Guitars
Let's Try The PRS DUSTIE WARING CE 24 Floyd! | GEAR GODS
The DW CE 24 "Floyd" | PRS Guitars
PRS Dustie Waring DW CE 24 Floyd Demo | NAMM 2020
PRS Dustie Waring CE 24 Floyd
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Your feedback

Not all instruments are created equally. That's why it's important to have different opinions. Here's what our users who have played this instrument say. If you've played it before, help others by voting below!

Weight

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Tuning stability

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Neck speed (thickness)

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Neck access to high frets

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Neck profile shape

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Fret edges

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Pickups power

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Is it Easy to Play?

The PRS DW CE 24 Floyd meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, which means that it's a good guitar to start with as a complete beginner. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players to get used to.

New Player Friendliness

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd
  • Comfortable shape
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Easy-to-use bridge

Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the neck profile, scale size, fretboard radius, and nut width, we can conclude that the PRS DW CE 24 Floyd's construction favors people with relatively small hands.

Nevertheless, this comes down in the end to personal preference. Make sure you test this guitar—or another one with similar characteristics—before buying.

Big Hands
Small Hands

Scale Length

Scale length is the distance the strings will span between the bridge and the nut. It can tell you a lot about the overall playability and tone of the instrument. A longer scale length means longer distance between frets, brighter tone and more string tension—which means lower action, but more difficult bending of the strings.

Here's the PRS DW CE 24 Floyd's 25" scale length compared to other common sizes:

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd Scale Length Comparison
PRS DW CE 24 Floyd's scale length (at the top) compared to other popular sizes

This is the scale found in most PRS guitars, and it's right between the length of most Stratocasters and Les Pauls.

The scale length will affect the separation of the frets, the string tension, and even the tone of the guitar. The longer the scale, the more separated the frets are, which makes it a bit harder to move fast on the fretboard. Also, the higher tension of the strings will make them feel stiffer, so bending will require more strength. However, a longer scale also allows you to lower the action of the strings and make them closer to the fretboard, which makes them easier to press. Finally, the tone will also sound brighter with a longer scale.

A 25'' scale makes all of this feel right between a Stratocaster (longer scale) and a Les Paul (shorter scale).

Don't forget that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge.

More with the same scale length:

Neck Profile

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd Neck Profile
PRS DW CE 24 Floyd's neck profile

The neck profile tells you the thickness (neck depth) and shape in cross section. Every difference will completely change the feeling and comfortability of the neck. This is a highly subjective thing, but most players indeed prefer certain types of necks (like Cs and Ds) because they feel nice in most hands.

It has a C type neck. C-shaped necks like this have been the most popular for the last years. The reason is that they feel good in most hands. It's generally a thin neck that doesn't get in your way when playing fast, but that also has enough mass to give your hands a comfortable grip for chords if they aren't too big.

Thin necks like this make it easier to move your hand across the neck and it helps when playing fast solos, especially if you like to leave your thumb free while playing high on the fretboard. However, thinner necks are also weaker and will need adjustment more often than a thicker neck.

More for different hand sizes

Fretboard Radius

When it comes to fingerboard radius, personal preference will dictate which one is better for you. However, most people seem to agree that a more curved (lower) radius will make it easier to play chords while a less curved (higher) radius is better for soloing and bending.

The PRS DW CE 24 Floyd has a 10" fingerboard radius.

Here's an image comparing this fretboard radius to other popular choices:

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd Fretboard Radius Comparison with Fender Stratocaster and Gibson Les Paul
PRS DW CE 24 Floyd's fretboard radius compared to others

This is slightly flatter than the typical modern Stratocaster, but not by a lot. This radius will make it comfortable to play chords without muting strings accidentally. However, when compared to Strats, the extra .5 inches radius will make it slightly more comfortable to play solos without sacrificing too much chord playability.

Compound radius fingerboards give the best of both worlds. Unfortunately, the PRS DW CE 24 Floyd has the same radius across the board.

More with the same fretboard radius:

Playability compared to main competitors

25'' Scale Length
C Neck Profile
1.656'' Nut Width
10'' Fretboard Radius
24.5'' Scale Length
Vintage Neck Profile
1.656'' Nut Width
11.5'' Fretboard Radius
25'' Scale Length
C Neck Profile
1.688'' Nut Width
10'' Fretboard Radius
24.6'' Scale Length
Asymmetrical Neck Profile
1.688'' Nut Width
10'' Fretboard Radius
25'' Scale Length
C Neck Profile
1.688'' Nut Width
10'' Fretboard Radius

Nut Width

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd Nut Width
PRS DW CE 24 Floyd Nut Width

The PRS DW CE 24 Floyd has a nut width of 42.1mm (1.656''). This is considered a narrow width for a 6-string guitar. This means that this guitar will have a narrower string separation at the nut, which will affect your fretting hand.

If you are a player with big hands, you might find it difficult to play chords without muting strings. However, this is good for players who have smaller hands, as it will allow them to reach each string more easily at the nut.

Frets

The PRS DW CE 24 Floyd has 24 frets. A lot of people mistakenly believe that having more frets will always be better because it gives you a higher octave. This is certainly an advantage, but there's also a disadvantage to this.

Since the fretboard will be longer, the neck pickup will need to be placed closer to the bridge. And as you may know, the further away the neck pickup is from the bridge, the warmer it sounds. This means you'll have a brighter-sounding neck pickup when using a 24-fret guitar, even if you use the same pickup on a 22-fret guitar.

It comes with nickel silver frets, so they won't last as long as stainless steel frets. If you use your instrument a lot, you might need to replace the frets after a few years. But this is unlikely as most people change instruments before this happens.

More with the same amount of frets:

Fret Size

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd Fret Size Comparison
PRS DW CE 24 Floyd's fret size (in orange) compared to other popular sizes

Finally, let's talk about fret size. Some people prefer tall frets because it's easier to press the strings and perform bends since there's less friction against the fretboard. On the other hand, some people like shorter frets because they like to touch the fretboard when playing, or because they got heavy hands and tend to press too much on the string and alter the of the note pitch accidently.

The PRS DW CE 24 Floyd's frets are Medium Jumbo size. These sit somewhere between a Jumbo and a Medium fret. They're not quite as tall as a full Jumbo, so you'll still feel the fretboard, but you won't feel it as much as with medium frets. This is a good size if you want to make it easy to press the strings but would also like a little bit of ''feedback'' to know when to stop pressing so the notes don't go out of pitch.

More with the same type of frets:

Playability Score

Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 75
Playability 75

Tone Analysis

Wood will have little influence in the final tone of an electric guitar or bass. Instead, the hardware, especially the pickups, will be the most important thing to look at. Bur first, let's see the quality of the wood.

Wood

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany Body
Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple Neck, Fretboard

Mahogany Body: This is the type of wood found in many top-of-the-line guitars, so that's a positive point for the build quality. This red-looking wood Mahogany is found in Africa and Central America and has great sustain and a warm tone due to its high density. The downside about this type of wood is that it's relatively heavy.

Maple Neck and Fretboard: This is one of the most popular types of wood used in all kinds of guitars. It's heavy, strong and compact, which makes it great for necks. However, it's also used for fretboards, bodies and tops due to its light color, resistance and beautiful patterns. When it comes to tone, it highlights the mid and high frequencies.

More made with the same wood:

Pickups

This guitar comes with pickups from one of the top brands: Mojotone. So you can expect well built pickups with great sound that shouldn't need an upgrade anytime soon.

These are passive pickups, so you can expect a rounder sound and a moderade level of output.

The PRS DW CE 24 Floyd's configuration is HH. With this pickup combination, you'll get warmer tones and more output than using single coils. Humbucker pickups cancel the noise that single-coil suffer from, which also results in a warmer tone. This pickup combination isn't only for high-gain music like Hard Rock or Heavy Metal. Their warmness is also popular for Jazz, Indie, R&B, Blues and more.

Versatility

It gives you a good amount of tone options with its 5-way switch. You can use it to choose at least 5 different pickup combinations.

Unfortunately, it doesn't come with more options for coil split or coil tapping. This makes it less versatile than some competitors.

Diagram

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
PRS DW CE 24 Floyd's switch options

What music genre is it good for?

As a 6 strings, Solid Body guitar with HH configuration and Passive pickups, we'd recommend it for genres like Hard Rock or similar. However, you can use almost any guitar for any genre. This is just the typical type of music for this particular one.

Sound Score

Pickups 85
Sustain 70
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 95
Sound 81

Build Quality Analysis

Country of Origin

Knowing where the instrument is produced is a good way to know how well it's built. Some manufacturing countries are known for having higher quality standards. For example, most expensive instruments are made in the US or Japan, but there are some exceptionally great countries—like South Korea—that are building a good reputation.

The PRS DW CE 24 Floyd is made in United States. Guitars made in the USA have the reputation of being the best instruments you can get. This statement isn't as accurate as a few years ago, but you should still expect top-quality from a guitar made in this country.

Bridge

Floyd Rose 1000 Tremolo w/ Locking Nut: With this type of tremolo bridge, you'll be able to perform dive bombs and pinch harmonics without getting out of tune. This type of bridge gives you the best versatility, but it also makes it harder to set up your guitar correctly, especially when changing your strings.

More with the same type of bridge:

Tuners

The PRS DW CE 24 Floyd comes with locking tuners, which helps with tuning stability and makes changing strings a lot faster and easier. As long as they're high quality, these are the best tuning machines you can have. The only disadvantage is that they are a bit heavier than normal tuners.

Nut Material

Another important thing to analyze is the nut material, as it's one of the most important aspects that can affect the sound and playability of your guitar. A well-cut nut will make sure it stays in tune and will make it more comfortable to play.

In this case, the PRS DW CE 24 Floyd has a Locking nut. Instead of the typical nut, this nut locks the strings in place and will make them stay in tune even after heavy tremolo use. This type of nut provides the best tune stability, but they also make the guitar more expensive.

Unfortunately, it doesn't come with a retainer bar for the nut, which would be a helpful addition. Without it, the strings will change pitch once you lock down the nut, so you'll have to make more micro-adjustments at the bridge to tune it correctly.

More with the same nut material:

Neck Joint

The neck joint is the part where the neck of the guitar meets the body. There are three main techniques to attach both parts together: Set-In, Bolt-On and Neck-Through. The latter two provide different advantages, although neck-throughs are the most expensive.

This guitar has a Bolt-On neck joint. Even though this type of neck was looked down upon for a long time, nowadays bolt-on necks are well built and provide just as much sustain as any other join method. First of all, it's cheap to make because it consists of simply 4 bolts that attach the neck to the body. And you can travel with the guitar more easily, swap out the neck if you damage it, or upgrade to a more comfortable neck later on.

More with the same build:

Build Quality Score

Quality of materials 45
Features 70
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 70

All Specs

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd
General
Brand: PRS
Year: 2020
Configuration: HH
Strings: 6
Made in: United States
Series: Bolt-On
Colors: Black, Blue, Brown Burst, Red Burst
Left-Handed Version: No
Body
Top: Maple
Type: Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany
Bridge: Floyd Rose 1000 Tremolo w/ Locking Nut
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On
Tuners: PRS Low Mass Locking
Fretboard: Maple
Neck Material: Maple
Decoration: Black Birds
Scale Size: 25"
Shape: Dustie Waring
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo
Fretboard Radius: 10"
Nut: Locking
Nut Width: 42.1mm (1.656'')
Electronics
Switch: 5 Way
Knobs: Dome
Volume Controls: 1
Tone Controls: 1
Bridge Pickup: PRS Mojotone Tomahawk Gen 2 (Humbucker / Passive)
Neck Pickup: PRS Mojotone Tomahawk Gen 2 (Humbucker / Passive)

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User Reviews

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1 user reviews:

Guitarist profile picture
Guitarist
02/01/24 15:00:14

I bought the PRS DW CE24 'Floyd' 11/24 (satin black). I have had much time with this and am absolutely glad I bought it. It is a quality 6 string sportscar. You can pick anything apart, but drawbacks are few. Tuning, and string changes are a little more time consuming, but no deal breaker. I am an experienced guitarist. I have smaller hands and am 5'8". For me, this guitar fits me VERY well. I play mostly classic rock, and it does wonderful. I have an American Professional Fender Telecaster Deluxe with 'Shawbucker' pick ups, and a Gibson Les Paul Jr. The PRS gets ALL my attention. It's not a cheap priced guitar, but it is worth the cost. :)