594 solid vs semi

[firefunkrevival]

Ok, I just left a music store and played a 6,000 dollar guitar. Solid body. WOW!!! I was thinking I was going semi, this is really making me question that. My question is obviously this is 10 top, so is there going to be any difference in the sound and playability between this and one that is not? 6k seems absolutely insane to me but I could not believe the sounds and feel on this. It blows Gibson away in my opinion. Also, I have not had the semi in my hands with the McCarty is this going to give me the same hair raising effects of this solid body? Sorry to be intense on my questions/search but it’s a huge investment and who doesn’t love giving their opinions on a guitar forum? Any pics are always appreciated with your opinions.

This is the one I played today:

2021 PRS Guitars McCarty 594 - Charcoal Cherry Smokeburst 10 Top (NOS)

Now Available at Northeast Music Center! Just in from our friends at PRS is this stunning McCarty 594 in a Charcoal Cherry Burst Ten Top! This axe features a quilted maple top and a figured maple neck. Some other noteworthy appointments of this particular guitar are an ebony fretboard and...

nemusiccenter.com

 

[Broseph]

10 top is pure looks. Not a sound quality difference.Of course no two guitars are the same. One may play better for you. They both are incredible guitars. I wouldn’t expect the semi to have a 335 sound. It will be extremely close to the solid body. Typically it’s much lighter (physically) and “airier” sounding.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Congratulations and play it in good health.

 

[Greywolf]

Figured wood is about beauty , Solid vs Semi ... Follow the simple rule of Lutherie .. "the more air in the body , the more air in the sound"

 

[Greywolf]

here's a nice , very versatile Artist grade 408 semi with an ebony fb and rosewood neck at 2K less

 

[Greywolf]

bang for the buck solid body ? A T1 (top level) Knaggs Kenai TS Eric Steckel .. <$4K I assure you sustain will never be an issue .. If you are unfamiliar with Joe Knaggs .. he ran Private Stock for a couple of decades.. While I have 11 PRS 's I love my Knaggs .Kenai soapy .. the Steckels have thicker bodies .

 

[Greywolf]

or a base model for <$2200

 

[Greywolf]

or the Chena semi .. this one<$5K

 

[JohnPRS]

hi OP, I bought this 10top a short time ago and haven't looked back, its sounds and plays as good as it looks, big price though,


IMG_7666 by John PRS, on Flickr

 

[firefunkrevival]

hi OP, I bought this 10top a short time ago and haven't looked back, its sounds and plays as good as it looks, big price though,


IMG_7666 by John PRS, on Flickr

Beautiful. What year is that?

 

[JohnPRS]

its from December 2020,

 

[Big Owl]

I agree with Greywolf. 10 top does not equal better tone, only appearance. And yes, all guitars have their own tone. In a shop, I played two Martin D 18 guitars side by side. One of them had the slightest chance of going home with me, the other had no chance. They played about the same, but sounded so different.
I think I "got lucky" with my McCarty HB II. I found a new one from '21 that had been hanging in a shop for a while. That saved me like 21 % off the usual price. It sounds incredible, even by my drummers hands. And it plays so smooth and easy. I am actually on a learning curve with mine, as I have been playing flat tops for ever. So easy to force it out of tune by pushing too hard on the strings in chords. I had to go with 11' s on it and may even go with a wound G.
But she's a keeper for sure.