S2 McCarty Singlecut

[The_Grudge]

After 30 years of playing Epiphone‘s and PRS SE’s, I finally decided to get an American made PRS. I know I know, it’s S2 not core, but hey — still counts right?

I play a lot of loud rock music (Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Big Wreck) and some faster stuff like Metallica, heavier stuff like Tool, and so on. I have a Tremonti SE Custom that I got back in about 2017 which works great. I love the thin neck, the high gain pickups, and it’s been a good axe. The trem system isn’t my favorite and despite being into a few shops the G-string still doesn’t stay in tune properly if I so much as sneeze on the trem bar.

Anyway — the point is to say that’s the guitar I’m used to and I want to discuss some things I love and don’t love about the S2 for your thoughts….

I had a PRS singlecut show up a few months ago (S2 McCarty in a satin finish) and I’ve noticed a few things. The neck is considerably fatter (which I knew going in). I can’t decide which neck profile I like best. It depends on my mood, what I happen to be playing, the position of the sun in the sky — so I guess it’s fair to say I like both neck carves.

The pickups are definitely muddier on the S2 but for those nights I’m chill, playing with a little chorus and relaxing, they’re perfect.

The only thing I don’t like is that the string tension on the McCarty seems much looser. The strings feel like noodles and if I do something like 2^3^2^0 on the high e string, more often than not, the string slides right off the neck. I guess I have a tendency to pull DOWN as do that, but I’ve never had the issue on other guitars.

I may attempt a set of 11’s on the S2 but then I’m afraid that will introduce more issues with the nut etc.

I guess I’m just at that stage of playing where I need a different tool for different things, I can no longer hide behind the “this one guitar does everything” LOL. But yeah, that string pulling off the neck thing — I need to work on that. Anyone else experience fairly noticeable changes going between guitars? It can be a lot to sort out!

 

[dogrocketp]

Your trem issue is probably the nut, have a luthier replace it with a core one. I switch back and forth between my PRS with no problem…….trem or stoptail……..22 or 24 frets.

 

[Broseph]

Agreed. Having a string fall off that close to the nut is not common. The tension is correct for a guitar of such a short scale. Going up a gauge will create more tension. It will also require some nut filing and intonation work. Plus some work the truss rod.

Don’t knock the s2 McCarty line. Great guitars for their money. Could they use pickup swaps? Possible. But Damn good line of guitars. I played all of the line. Enjoyed them all even If I can’t keep them all. Not a single dud

 

[show_a_little_faith]

I play a lot of loud rock music (Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Big Wreck) and some faster stuff like Metallica, heavier stuff like Tool, and so on.

The only thing I don’t like is that the string tension on the McCarty seems much looser. The strings feel like noodles and if I do something like 2^3^2^0 on the high e string, more often than not, the string slides right off the neck. I guess I have a tendency to pull DOWN as do that, but I’ve never had the issue on other guitars.

I may attempt a set of 11’s on the S2 but then I’m afraid that will introduce more issues with the nut etc.

Big Wreck? I love them! First saw them here in Boston late 90's, touring for "In Loving Memory of..." Talk about a criminally under-appreciated band - Ian Thornley is a tremendous guitarist!
Anyhow, yes the shorter scale will affect tension, but I'm surprised you notice such a significant difference with the scale being just .406" shorter. As Broseph mentioned, moving up a gauge will definitely help, but will require some set-up adjustments. But totally worth it to get your guitar feeling just right.

 

[László]

You may recall from your physics classes or reading that to achieve a given pitch, the string must be brought to a certain tension - that tension is what creates the pitch.

So what you probably mean is that you want the strings to feel less "rubbery", that is, to bend less easily. That's pretty easy with a two piece bridge if it's an S2 McCarty 594 (I think that's what they're making now?).

Lowering the tailpiece (not the bridge) toward the body of the guitar will make the strings feel a little stiffer, because when a string bends it stretches. Lowering the tailpiece increases tension between the bridge and the tailpiece, and doesn't affect pitch (as opposed to between saddles and nut which would affect pitch). This makes the strings more difficult to stretch, and causes them to feel more taut and less like noodles.

So try lowering the tailpiece just a little bit and see if that helps. You might want to be careful not to mar the tailpiece screws (and Stew Mac does make a tool for the purpose that won't mar them).

My McCarty Singlecut PS was set up at the factory with a low tailpiece, and the strings feel very tight, even though the scale length is a tiny bit shorter, and I'm using .010s. Feels great to me.

 

[show_a_little_faith]

You may recall from your physics classes or reading that to achieve a given pitch, the string must be brought to a certain tension - that tension is what creates the pitch.

So what you probably mean is that you want the strings to feel less "rubbery", that is, to bend less easily. That's pretty easy with a two piece bridge if it's an S2 McCarty 594 (I think that's what they're making now?).

Lowering the tailpiece (not the bridge) toward the body of the guitar will make the strings feel a little stiffer, because when a string bends it stretches. Lowering the tailpiece increases tension between the bridge and the tailpiece, and doesn't affect pitch (as opposed to between saddles and nut which would affect pitch). This makes the strings more difficult to stretch, and causes them to feel more taut and less like noodles.

So try lowering the tailpiece just a little bit and see if that helps. You might want to be careful not to mar the tailpiece screws (and Stew Mac does make a tool for the purpose that won't mar them).

My McCarty Singlecut PS was set up at the factory with a low tailpiece, and the strings feel very tight, even though the scale length is a tiny bit shorter, and I'm using .010s. Feels great to me.

Les, you're opening my eyes! I've always defaulted to dropping the tailpiece to it's lowest point, assuming more contact with the body = more sustain/resonance. It never occurred to me that it would affect the feel though. You're explanation makes total sense, and I can't wait to do some experimenting and see if I can "soften" things up a bit. Thank you!

 

[László]

Les, you're opening my eyes! I've always defaulted to dropping the tailpiece to it's lowest point, assuming more contact with the body = more sustain/resonance. It never occurred to me that it would affect the feel though. You're explanation makes total sense, and I can't wait to do some experimenting and see if I can "soften" things up a bit. Thank you!

Let me know if it works out!

 

[show_a_little_faith]

Let me know if it works out!

After making some adjustments, I'd say it definitely makes a difference! It's not like a completely different guitar or anything, but certainly noticeable in the feel.
Want to hear something funny? I also have several Epiphones, one in open D for slide, one tuned down to Eb - but the 3rd, I started top-wrapping the tailpiece a year or two ago because I read it would improve the feel, and also help with a string breakage issue I was having. And it did do both! But with the PRS version of the stopbar on the 594's, you can't top-wrap, and I just never thought to try raising the tailpiece to achieve a similar effect

Thanks for the tip Les!

 

[László]

After making some adjustments, I'd say it definitely makes a difference! It's not like a completely different guitar or anything, but certainly noticeable in the feel.
Want to hear something funny? I also have several Epiphones, one in open D for slide, one tuned down to Eb - but the 3rd, I started top-wrapping the tailpiece a year or two ago because I read it would improve the feel, and also help with a string breakage issue I was having. And it did do both! But with the PRS version of the stopbar on the 594's, you can't top-wrap, and I just never thought to try raising the tailpiece to achieve a similar effect

Thanks for the tip Les!

As my daughter said when she was a freshman in high school, "Ya know, you just never know, ya know?

Glad it worked!

 

[The_Grudge]

You may recall from your physics classes or reading that to achieve a given pitch, the string must be brought to a certain tension - that tension is what creates the pitch.

So what you probably mean is that you want the strings to feel less "rubbery", that is, to bend less easily. That's pretty easy with a two piece bridge if it's an S2 McCarty 594 (I think that's what they're making now?).

Lowering the tailpiece (not the bridge) toward the body of the guitar will make the strings feel a little stiffer, because when a string bends it stretches. Lowering the tailpiece increases tension between the bridge and the tailpiece, and doesn't affect pitch (as opposed to between saddles and nut which would affect pitch). This makes the strings more difficult to stretch, and causes them to feel more taut and less like noodles.

So try lowering the tailpiece just a little bit and see if that helps. You might want to be careful not to mar the tailpiece screws (and Stew Mac does make a tool for the purpose that won't mar them).

My McCarty Singlecut PS was set up at the factory with a low tailpiece, and the strings feel very tight, even though the scale length is a tiny bit shorter, and I'm using .010s. Feels great to me.

I must have forgotten that I posted this, and started on the same path trying to increase tension today when I hit this forum again. While adjusting my truss rod today (it's warming up here in Canada), I decided to try lowering the tailpiece. There wasn't a ton of space for it to move, but it did go down a hair until it was snug on the body. I'm not sure that's "ideal" spec-wise, but the strings are definitely more taut and the guitar feels way better to me. It was getting to the point where the low/high E's were sliding off the neck just touching them. It's much more "playable" to me now and the guitar sounds better. Things were way too loose before.

Thanks for the advice -- glad I eventually saw it

 

[László]

I must have forgotten that I posted this, and started on the same path trying to increase tension today when I hit this forum again. While adjusting my truss rod today (it's warming up here in Canada), I decided to try lowering the tailpiece. There wasn't a ton of space for it to move, but it did go down a hair until it was snug on the body. I'm not sure that's "ideal" spec-wise, but the strings are definitely more taut and the guitar feels way better to me. It was getting to the point where the low/high E's were sliding off the neck just touching them. It's much more "playable" to me now and the guitar sounds better. Things were way too loose before.

Thanks for the advice -- glad I eventually saw it

Welcome!