I want a Korina Brazilian McCarty.. thoughts?

[MikeChandler]

I really want to buy a Korina McCarty with the Brazilian fretboard. Any down side to this? I wonder as I see them being extremely value priced, nearly down to S2 levels. What am I missing?

The exact one I am GAS'ing for is in this youtube:

 

[strat63]

You're not missing anything unless you need a flame maple top. Great guitars at a great price

 

[veinbuster]

I agree. You aren't missing anything. It will be a great guitar.
The korina top just isn't to everyone's taste. I like it.

 

[xjbebop]

I absolutely love mine!

Very light & comfortable, and the Korina has a sweet voice to it.
As you mentioned, they seem to be priced well below their value considering the low production numbers...

 

[Jmartin]

I love Korina. I think it looks great, it has nice straight grain. one of my favorite guitar woods.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Korina PRS are a lead player's (at least this ones) wet dream.

 

[bodia]

Korina PRS are a lead player's (at least this ones) wet dream.

TMI,TMI.....you're wasting material that was supposed to be live on the webcam on the 26th!

 

[Buildermike]

I have one from that run. Great playing and sounding guitar. The korina does add brightness to the tone compared to a mahogany based one.

 

[MikeChandler]

I have one from that run. Great playing and sounding guitar. The korina does add brightness to the tone compared to a mahogany based one.

And does the brazilian fretboard make a difference?

 

[Buildermike]

IMHO, no different than another rosewood board.

 

[vchizzle]

Don't think, just do it. Stellar guitars, many of these are NOS that were released after the Brazilian ban was lifted in the US. PRS stashed them away til everything was good to go. Then dealers got them. I saw the prices you saw. Anyone with the $ should stop thinking and start buying. I've played several and they rock. Korina is way cool. Think solid mahogany with a little more zing and upper mids. Riiiiiiiiiiiing for days too. I like Braz better because it's often got pores that are a little tighter. It feels smoother to me....at least the ones I have played.

 

[László]

And does the brazilian fretboard make a difference?

I think you'll get a variety of answers on this. My experience is that on the right guitar, it can make a difference if you know what to listen for. The caveat is that I suspect that most folks wouldn't notice, but I make my living in the studio, and am a synthesist and sound designer, so maybe I'm simply attuned to this stuff.

And truly, the contribution any guitar wood makes has to be taken in the gestalt of the entire instrument.

On a great guitar, all things being equal, it seems to allow the note a faster attack and a bit of openness and clarity that IRW seems to - I can't find a better word for this - filter just a touch more. I think IRW is great, just a little warmer sounding. The BRW seems to me a little closer to ebony in the way it has that fast note attack.

Then again, all 3 of my Private Stock electrics have Madagascar rosewood, and they sound wonderful in their own way. My McCarty has the BRW fretboard, as does my '65 Gibson, and I've had a few others from PRS with BRW. I've also had a lot of IRW guitars, and they've got their own thing happening, too.

One thing I'll stress is that I am talking about very subtle differences. But of course, subtle differences add up, and that's what makes guitars such interesting instruments.

 

[prsrocker1988]

My Korina Braz McSoapy (in my av) is a KILLER guitar. They have a killer tone and it saves me from having to take my precious 1964 Gibson SG Special out of the house or studio. P90s rawk!

 

[VHTStark]

Mike, if you have the funds I would jump on it pronto.....the McKorina's are absolute tone machines. It is on my list of old PRS's I will have to grab along the with the SAS and alder body CE (the was a fourth....but I just scratched that off).

As for Brazzy, here are my two cents worth....

Back in 2006, when I was considering specs for a Private Stock, I went back and forth with Shawn Nuthall about Brazilian vs Indian for a neck. Even then, Brazilian was a significant upcharge and I wasn't sure about what to order. This is liberally para-phrasing, but he said that on average, Brazilian is a bit denser and harder than Indian....but because there is so much Indian, you can get a piece of wood that is SUPER dense! He added that I could spec dense Indian rosewood neck and be pretty much there.......but if I NEEDED the collectability factor and look....Brazzy is there. Keep in mind that on a core model, PRS is gonna use very high grade, quartersawn Indian rosewood for the fretboard and the margins get smaller and some guys don't care.

That said.....there are differences, like Les said. It is probably overall my favourite fretboard wood (ebony a close second) and I have found in similar guitars, you get a little more attack and snap, while still keeping the warmth and musicality. The most overt comparison was when I put RP pickups to make my McRosie sound like a Modern Eagle 1. Not close.....still couldn't match the clarity and punch that the Modern Eagle had, and that is comparing an Indian neck/fretboard vs a full Brazzy neck/board. Another is the feel.....Brazilian is literally as fast and as smooth as ebony. Then there is the look of it and of course....the collectability factor.

 

[vchizzle]

The one in the vid sounds really nice. Now, that could be the teddy bear's head being used as a mic stand...but I bet the guitar's tone is pretty good too.

 

[László]

My Korina Braz McSoapy (in my av) is a KILLER guitar. They have a killer tone and it saves me from having to take my precious 1964 Gibson SG Special out of the house or studio. P90s rawk!

My '65 is far from precious! It's been beaten up all over the US of A. Lived in the back of a van in winters when I was in college, and lived in my kids' bedrooms when they were learning to play (only one stuck with it). Still has its original case, too. Yes, the guitar in its case has fallen out of the back of a moving gear van...without even a nick to the case.

I think you almost have to deliberately try, in order to ruin one of these.

Not too precious at all.

 

[prsrocker1988]

My '65 is far from precious! It's been beaten up all over the US of A. Lived in the back of a van in winters when I was in college, and lived in my kids' bedrooms when they were learning to play (only one stuck with it). Still has its original case, too. Yes, the guitar in its case has fallen out of the back of a moving gear van...without even a nick to the case.

I think you almost have to deliberately try, in order to ruin one of these.

Not too precious at all.

It's just me being a nervous nellie! It's my only vintage guitar so I'm naturally a bit nervous. I got it two years ago in Nashville

I use it for recording and local gigs but I don't like to travel with it. I'm always afraid of breaking it as it's my go-to guitar for recording and tone in general.

 

[László]

Ehhh...it won't break, unless it pitches forward from where you have it leaning against the amp in that pic and the headstock snaps off...

 

[xjbebop]

that can be fixed....

 

[helmi]

Ehhh...it won't break, unless it pitches forward from where you have it leaning against the amp in that pic and the headstock snaps off...

that's a good one!