Just...., WHY?

The PRS heel was elongated for stability reasons mostly. Older short heel versions have a tendency for the upper register to be the first point of flex in the neck causing an unhelpful position for the bottom of the relief curve. The long heel performs massively better in this respect creating far better fingerboard geometry under tension.
It really doesn’t get in the way once you get used to it.
 
It really doesn’t get in the way once you get used to it.

Having played an original Custom 24 for lots of years (without issue) when the change happened
it was something I could never get comfortable with, nor have I ever come across any long term data
backing up the stability explanation.

Late 80s short heel still doing fine in 2009 at a band reunion set back east.
Apologies for the corny photo fx - it's all I got from the night.

4668_1162032054193_6009542_n.jpg
 
Having played an original Custom 24 for lots of years (without issue) when the change happened
it was something I could never get comfortable with, nor have I ever come across any long term data
backing up the stability explanation.

Late 80s short heel still doing fine in 2009 at a band reunion set back east.
Apologies for the corny photo fx - it's all I got from the night.

4668_1162032054193_6009542_n.jpg
Not everyone had issues but that was the reason. It went from occasionally being a problem to never being with the new design.
 
it’s disorienting to look at while playing
I never thought about that, but I could see how that would be very true.

I was even thinking about starting a thread asking who uses their side markers routinely, cuz I have to see the ones on the board. My old eyes don't even see the side dots. I probably couldn't even play a guitar w/o them (the ones on the fretboard.)
 
I never thought about that, but I could see how that would be very true.

I was even thinking about starting a thread asking who uses their side markers routinely, cuz I have to see the ones on the board. My old eyes don't even see the side dots. I probably couldn't even play a guitar w/o them (the ones on the fretboard.)

I go off of side dots. I love me a blank board, although I haven't had one in years
 
I have had a few and you would be surprised. It the side dots are good you will be fine. The worst is my Selmar style acoustic with the traditional position of a dot at the 10th instead of 9th. It drives me nuts.View attachment 25106
That and a single dot at 12.😱
Is there some traditional reason why it's like that or is this some weird factory defect?

That would drive me crazy enough to try to move the fret markers to their right places.
 
Wow, that Selmer is crazy.

I have a couple of guitars without any markers. You get used to it very easily. If you actually think about it, when playing, you're not really looking at the top of the fretboard. It's just so much easier to have the visual cue for the fret number on the side.

On this guitar, it's a bit garish, but I think it could grow on you (if you owned it). If you don't, condemn away.
 
In fairness to Paul private stock guitars have not risen in price anything like other premium bands. It another year or two they might even look reasonable.
 
In fairness to Paul private stock guitars have not risen in price anything like other premium bands. It another year or two they might even look reasonable.

It's their target market. People willing to spend four figures on a guitar. I used to own a PRS 1957/2008. Superlative guitar. I really loved it.
 
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