408 vs DGT vs McCarty Soapbar

[MojoPin]

Hi folks, apologies for another buying advice thread.

So, I’ve had a CE24 for a few years that I’ve really enjoyed playing but, to my ears it’s almost sounding a little generic and I think I’m maybe straying away from humbuckers a little bit. I’ve been listening to a lot of Chris Buck lately and had my heart set on a McCarty Soapbar for some sweet P90 tones.

Had my eye on a McSoapy but sadly got beaten to the punch before I could raise funds, and the others I can find are out of my price range.

But - I’ve been made offers on a DGT and a 408 that are both in my range. I hadn’t considered them before but I’m wondering if perhaps one of them might scratch my itch for something a bit different.

From the DGT side, I love the idea of being set up for 11s and the vintage voiced humbuckers seem to offer a bit more character than the 85/15s I’ve been using for the last few years. Also the ability to blend pickup volumes could maybe get me some extra tones.

But - the 408 is pretty unique and I’m wondering if the middle position with mixed single and hunbucker tones might nudge me closer to P90 territory without completely ditching the option of humbucker power when I want it.

OR - I hold out and wait as long as it takes for another McSoapy to turn up. Or pick up a Revstar professional and save a bit of cash.

I know they’re all very different guitars but I’d appreciate whatever insights folks may have!

 

[Rider1260]

The advice is you will eventually get all of them so don't fight it

408 - Can do anything from Tele to Full bucker ( IMHO ) I love the bigger humbucker paired with the Narrow 408 I often leave the Narrow 408 full and split the bridge pickup also like the pattern rosewood neck on mine.

DGT - I keep thinking about putting 11s back on it , regardless a very easy playing guitar , narrow neck at the nut a warm sounding guitar that works clean or gained up.

P90s - Looks for a CU22 Triple Soapbar or a Mira 245 or an SE One as other options

 

[László]

Rider has a good suggestion, the CU22 Soapbar is an underrated, excellent guitar and mine was one of the sweetest PRSes I've ever owned.

I have a 594 Soapbar that I love as much!

If you can find one, they're pretty awesome, and have an incredible, vintage vibe - I have a 1965 SG Special and the pickups sound very similar in tone quality, though the 594 is a more articulate with its maple cap, and IMHO it eats my vintage SG for lunch.

I know, that's pretty hard to digest.

I've had three different 408 models, and currently have a PS with the Paul's Guitar 408 pickups. The 408 can indeed do everything, it's very versatile, and it's without question my most beautiful sounding guitar. The 408 is a fantastic pickup, and the guitars are brilliantly designed to take advantage of what the pickups can do.

The Mira 245 is an excellent model, more like my old SG, but the pickups are a bit brighter. That's not a bad thing, BTW.

Lots of players love the SE One. I don't get the concept of one-pickup guitars.

 

[MojoPin]

I had seen the CU22 Soapbar but not a fan of the three P90 look personally, which is why I was gravitating more to the McSoapy. Also not too keen on the Mira body shape.

Great feedback on the 408 too - I’d completely forgotten it was a thing until this one came along tbh and it’s thrown me for a bit of a curveball. It’s pretty tempting!

More opinions very much welcome, keep em coming!

 

[Max Headroom]

PRS McCarty Soapbar 2000 https://reverb.com/item/66614422?ut...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=66614422

 

[ViperDoc]

The 408 split tones are dark horse telecaster bliss in the middle position. What a fantastic sound.

I would not describe DGT humbuckers as vintage sounding. They do clean up incredibly well, but their gain structure sounds overwound in the best of ways to me, it’s a very granular distortion. It’s awesome.

You can’t go wrong. Really you’re just asking which one to buy first.

 

[MojoPin]

PRS McCarty Soapbar 2000 https://reverb.com/item/66614422?ut...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=66614422

I’m in the UK, so trying to avoid importing where possible! Thanks though.

The 408 split tones are dark horse telecaster bliss in the middle position. What a fantastic sound.

I would not describe DGT humbuckers as vintage sounding. They do clean up incredibly well, but their gain structure sounds overwound in the best of ways to me, it’s a very granular distortion. It’s awesome.

You can’t go wrong. Really you’re just asking which one to buy first.

Hmm interesting stuff there, thanks! I’m sure I’d love either guitar but starting to think the 408 might be the one.

 

[Max Headroom]

I’m in the UK, so trying to avoid importing where possible! Thanks though.



Hmm interesting stuff there, thanks! I’m sure I’d love either guitar but starting to think the 408 might be the one.

Ah sorry, did not realize you were in the UK.
Yes the shipping and import taxes probably rule that out as viable.

 

[RickP]

If you can find one, they're pretty awesome, and have an incredible, vintage vibe - I have a 1965 SG Special and the pickups sound very similar in tone quality, though the 594 is a more articulate with its maple cap, and IMHO it eats my vintage SG for lunch.

^^^
This man knoweth that of which he speaketh.

If genuine old P90 sound sound is what you want, that round clean and gnarly growl when pushed hard, the 594 Soapbar is the ticket. PRS put some good mojo in there.

 

[MojoPin]

If genuine old P90 sound sound is what you want, that round clean and gnarly growl when pushed hard, the 594 Soapbar is the ticket. PRS put some good mojo in there.

Yeah, I think that's where I'm headed in general - I just find that I'm not reaching for humbuckers the way I used to as the level of gain I use continues to decrease. But my Strat's singlecoils aren't quite cutting it either. But there have been a few P90 tones I've heard that have just made the hairs on the back of my arms stand up and I want to see what I find.

Very tempted to go for the Revstar in some ways but I've always been a huge PRS fan and would love to stay in that wheelhouse if I can. Plus, if I find that the P90 route isn't my bag after all, my chances of retaining resale value are much higher with PRS and I can swap back to a humbucker model without too much of a hit.

 

[Max Headroom]

Yeah, I think that's where I'm headed in general - I just find that I'm not reaching for humbuckers the way I used to as the level of gain I use continues to decrease. But my Strat's singlecoils aren't quite cutting it either. But there have been a few P90 tones I've heard that have just made the hairs on the back of my arms stand up and I want to see what I find.

Very tempted to go for the Revstar in some ways but I've always been a huge PRS fan and would love to stay in that wheelhouse if I can. Plus, if I find that the P90 route isn't my bag after all, my chances of retaining resale value are much higher with PRS and I can swap back to a humbucker model without too much of a hit.

What Revstar model were you looking at if I may ask?
I had the 720b and at first I was quite enamoured but I found it was mostly a one trick pony after a while so it went to a new owner.

 

[MojoPin]

What Revstar model were you looking at if I may ask?
I had the 720b and at first I was quite enamoured but I found it was mostly a one trick pony after a while so it went to a new owner.

I was looking at the RSP02T, the Japanese made one from the refreshed lineup. Have yet to hear a bad thing about them and some of the tone demos I've heard have been really nice.

 

[guitarguy1964]

I don't have that much experience with the DGT but I own a 408, Mcarty Soapbar and a CE24,

The McCarty with Soapbars is great for a pure P-90 tone. I'm a sucker for P-90s and own several guitars with them and the McCarty is by far my favorite.

The 408 (pictured in my avatar) has been my #1 for quite some time, I bought it the year they were introduced at the Experience. I can't go on enough about how versatile that thing is. Over the course of a gig I use almost every possible configuration. Both pickups split and bridge pickup split with neck pickup hum bucker probably being my 2 most used. To me that guitar is almost perfect for most of the gigs I do.

 

[MojoPin]

The 408 (pictured in my avatar) has been my #1 for quite some time, I bought it the year they were introduced at the Experience. I can't go on enough about how versatile that thing is. Over the course of a gig I use almost ever possible configuration. Both pickups split and bridge pickup split with neck pickuphum bucker probably being my 2 most used. To me that guitar is almost perfect for most of the gigs I do.

That's a pretty compelling case, thanks for sharing. I still would love a McSoapy but the 408 I've been offered is a great deal and seems to be adored by everyone that has one, so think I might go for it and then think about a P90 guitar further down the line.

 

[Huggy Love]

I owned a 408 and it's one of those guitars I kinda regret selling, it was so versatile, and I'm from the camp of not having a one purpose axe. If you're dead set on that pure p90 sound that makes your decision for you but the 408 does single coil better than most.

 

[MojoPin]

I owned a 408 and it's one of those guitars I kinda regret selling, it was so versatile, and I'm from the camp of not having a one purpose axe. If you're dead set on that pure p90 sound that makes your decision for you but the 408 does single coil better than most.

I bought it! Should arrive Thursday, can’t wait. I figure if it’s not for me then I can move it along when the right McSoapy pops up and I’m sure I’ll still really enjoy it in the meantime. I have a feeling it’ll be a keeper though. It’s in faded whale blue too, which is my favourite PRS finish.

 

[László]

I bought it! Should arrive Thursday, can’t wait. I figure if it’s not for me then I can move it along when the right McSoapy pops up and I’m sure I’ll still really enjoy it in the meantime. I have a feeling it’ll be a keeper though. It’s in faded whale blue too, which is my favourite PRS finish.

Enjoy it!

Experiment with the switches and options. They're very versatile, and they sound great. As with all guitars, also don't forget to turn the dials on your amp, and see what combinations work best with it!

 

[MojoPin]

Enjoy it!

Experiment with the switches and options. They're very versatile, and they sound great. As with all guitars, also don't forget to turn the dials on your amp, and see what combinations work best with it!

Absolutely, really excited to try the mixed middle position tones in particular! Thanks everyone for the input, much appreciated.

 

[boxstop7]

I'm late to the party here, but the 408 has been my main guitar and workhorse for a decade now. It can do anything. I typically leave the neck pickup as a single coil and keep the bridge as a humbucker. But if I need to get some Tele spank, flipping the bridge to single gets me pretty darn close. I've told my wife countless times that if the house catches fire, she has to grab the cats because I'm sprinting to grab my 408.

Looking forward to hearing your feedback on it!

 

[dogrocketp]

Much as I enjoy my 408 (blue, of course) my heart will always belong to the second run of triple soapies. The bridge will give you the gnarly P-90 solo sounds, and the 2 and four positions are exactly what I looked for for 50 years. Every single position on the 5 way gets used on a gig. I don’t like the triple soapie look, but I bought them to play, not to put on a wall.