Gtrbldr
Not a new member
- Joined
- May 21, 2021
- Messages
- 1,178
In the "for the love of ..." thread I already announced a HNUGD. Yesterday I picked up a used 2009 McC smokeburst.
Since I am dutch, I culturally am obliged to tell the following. Distance is a relative thing, depending on the country you live in, so for our Canadian brothers and sisters I guess the seller was the next door neighbour, but I had to drive 2.5 hours, a long drive for us, and that is a fortunate thing. Because the seller was about 2 hours away from every potential buyer, I got this guitar for a 2013 price (a.k.a. a steal). Nice guy, PRS fan with some great hi end PRSi in his collection and this is one of the reasons buying used PRSi is fun: you get to meet intersting people.
However, I digress. Guitar in question is from the limited 2009 McCarty Smokeburst series. That means old school nitro lacquer, first editions 57/08 PUs and J birds. Together with a tastefull flame maple top (not nearly a 10 but consistent across the entire top, so a little reserved but pretty), and smokeburst colour pattern it breathes a classic guitar. My wife called it "very vintage" in a good way.
The guitar came with some "battle scars", including wounds on the headstock from being hung with non-nitro friendly wall hanger. Something that has to be repared in due time. Other battlescars however give it a worn in vibe, a character so to speak. Small dents are not nicks, like with poly, but due to the nitro soft in nature. There are not many, guitar is in great shape, but they do not bother me at all.
Another fun fact is that I got two neck humbuckers: neck reads 7.7k, bridge 7.9, which is really far off spec and a lot less than my CU24 from the 57/08 series that reads about 8.5 for the bridge PU. As a result the guitar sounds rather warm, sweet, but with just enough bite in the bridge. And with a bridge and neck PU with about the same DC: very vintage correct.
All in all: the guitar brings exacly what I hoped and it plays and sounds great.
Since this thread is worthless without pics: see post #6
Since I am dutch, I culturally am obliged to tell the following. Distance is a relative thing, depending on the country you live in, so for our Canadian brothers and sisters I guess the seller was the next door neighbour, but I had to drive 2.5 hours, a long drive for us, and that is a fortunate thing. Because the seller was about 2 hours away from every potential buyer, I got this guitar for a 2013 price (a.k.a. a steal). Nice guy, PRS fan with some great hi end PRSi in his collection and this is one of the reasons buying used PRSi is fun: you get to meet intersting people.
However, I digress. Guitar in question is from the limited 2009 McCarty Smokeburst series. That means old school nitro lacquer, first editions 57/08 PUs and J birds. Together with a tastefull flame maple top (not nearly a 10 but consistent across the entire top, so a little reserved but pretty), and smokeburst colour pattern it breathes a classic guitar. My wife called it "very vintage" in a good way.
The guitar came with some "battle scars", including wounds on the headstock from being hung with non-nitro friendly wall hanger. Something that has to be repared in due time. Other battlescars however give it a worn in vibe, a character so to speak. Small dents are not nicks, like with poly, but due to the nitro soft in nature. There are not many, guitar is in great shape, but they do not bother me at all.
Another fun fact is that I got two neck humbuckers: neck reads 7.7k, bridge 7.9, which is really far off spec and a lot less than my CU24 from the 57/08 series that reads about 8.5 for the bridge PU. As a result the guitar sounds rather warm, sweet, but with just enough bite in the bridge. And with a bridge and neck PU with about the same DC: very vintage correct.
All in all: the guitar brings exacly what I hoped and it plays and sounds great.
Since this thread is worthless without pics: see post #6
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