594 double or single cut.

[Barquentine]

Is there much tonal difference between them ? Which do you prefer ?

 

[garrett]

As I recall, the consensus from those who have tried both is that the Singlecut has that extra bit of oomph that goes along with that style of guitar. The double cutaway is slightly less full sounding but makes up for it with the wonderful ergonomics.

Bottom line is to pick the one you're most comfortable playing. You can't lose! I am double cut all the way for the feel.

 

[Mozzi]

A lot of people think the 594 is better suited for the Single-Cut - it is very much like a Les Paul in its layout and quite a Vintage LP sound too. I think some feel that the switching on the horn doesn't 'look' right on the Double-cut either. In a lot of ways, I guess, the way it looks, the layout and tones have become 'synonymous' with the Single Cut and therefore some think something is either missing or wrong with the double cut.

Personally I went with the Double Cut 594 myself because its PRS and I wanted that traditional PRS body shape. I couldn't hear a significant difference in a Blind test yet would have sworn the single cut sounded more full - which made me question whether the body shape was making me feel that way. It could be that in general they do sound more 'full' but the two I heard were much closer - a more full sounding double-cut compared to a less full sounding Single.

Spec wise, they are the same, the same hardware, same neck carve etc. The only real difference is the body shape. The access to the neck frets are slightly easier with the double-cut but at the end of the day, the choice is yours as its your money, your preference...

This was quite a good video too...

 

[László]

I love SCs, and my McCarty Singlecut is one of the most sonically awesome guitars I own, but I bought two DC594s (one with Soapbars), and have a third 594 DC on order (semi-hollow).

They just feel so damn perfect.

The fact that the toggle switch on the horn bugs some people is sort of a bonus!

 

[HANGAR18]

The added comfort of the way the doublecut feels hanging from the strap is the biggest difference. I doubt I would be able to hear a difference.

 

[Tonart]

They should be seen as two very different models IMO. The body shape of a guitar, especially between singlecuts and doublecuts, makes a big difference in the tone.

You can hear the difference even playing acoustically unplugged, cos it happens at a very fundamental level. Basically the same metal string vibrates very differently when attached to a singlecut or doublecut. So of course it shows up when plugged in.

Singlecuts will give the ‘Les Paul’ tone, although I hate to use that term because no one has patent rights over the singlecut shape.

The 594 DC is essentially the quintessential PRS shape, not much different from a Custom 22, McCarty,
DGT etc, just with a different bridge, body thickness and scale length etc. You will get more or less the same tone compared to the DC family in corresponding proportion to the differing variables.

 

[11top]

Singlecuts rule. It’s always the right answer.

 

[RaySachs]

I'd have said buy the one you're gonna enjoy looking at more because they play and sound the same. Obviously others with more discerning ears disagree with that assessment, so I guess you have to decide if YOU can hear a difference. For me, the DC I had sounded an awful lot like every Lester I ever played only a bit better. For me a double cut was an easy choice because I don't like the look of any SC electrics other than telecasters, but whatever you prefer. And if YOU can hear a difference and you have a preference, well, there's your answer... I can't.

-Ray

 

[garrett]

I'd have said buy the one you're gonna enjoy looking at more because they play and sound the same. Obviously others with more discerning ears disagree with that assessment, so I guess you have to decide if YOU can hear a difference. For me, the DC I had sounded an awful lot like every Lester I ever played only a bit better. For me a double cut was an easy choice because I don't like the look of any SC electrics other than telecasters, but whatever you prefer. And if YOU can hear a difference and you have a preference, well, there's your answer... I can't.

-Ray

I disagree about them playing the same. Yes, they will both have the same immaculate fretwork and setup, but the Singlecut is thicker and the shape sits differently on the body, plus the neck joint impedes upper fret access.

Also, there is overlap in weight, but the Singlecut tends to weigh half a pound or more than the double cutaway.

 

[Mozzi]

I disagree about them playing the same. Yes, they will both have the same immaculate fretwork and setup, but the Singlecut is thicker and the shape sits differently on the body, plus the neck joint impedes upper fret access.

Also, there is overlap in weight, but the Singlecut tends to weigh half a pound or more than the double cutaway.

I do agree with you but there is also a big overlap in how they play too. Its only a few 'minor' differences - like weight which maybe an issue if you are standing up for hours and hours with it and whether or not you do a lot of work around the neck area when playing. Its a little more restrictive with a single cut.

That being said though, in a LOT of ways they are the same, the same neck carve, same scale length, same frets, same radius fretboard. If you are stood up using a strap playing mostly upto the 17th fret, the guitar will feel the same - a bit lighter with the double cut. The slightly (and it is a mm or 2 at most) thicker body won't make a lot of difference other than the 'extra' weight on the shoulder.

I didn't notice that the body created a 'different' position when sat down but it maybe mm's different but to me that felt virtually identical to play. Admittedly I wasn't playing them for 'hours and hours' so they weight difference began to tell and not really someone who plays a lot at the neck frets. I learned on a 'Les Paul' too which maybe why I don't tend to use those notes very often and rarely (if ever) the bottom (or top if you are looking at it) 3/4 strings beyond the 17th fret.

At the end of the day, I agree with @RaySachs too that there is 'little' difference and unless you want a slightly lighter, better access DC option or prefer the slightly heavier, more traditional SC option and/or can hear any significant differences, then the OP should buy the one they prefer most because for the most part, they are virtually the same.

I know that there are some differences around the body shape and weight but for the most part, they do play the same - its just when you have been playing the guitar for a long time with the slightly heavier guitar or need to access the neck frets a lot that the differences maybe more pronounced.

 

[László]

They should be seen as two very different models IMO. The body shape of a guitar, especially between singlecuts and doublecuts, makes a big difference in the tone.

You can hear the difference even playing acoustically unplugged, cos it happens at a very fundamental level. Basically the same metal string vibrates very differently when attached to a singlecut or doublecut. So of course it shows up when plugged in.

Singlecuts will give the ‘Les Paul’ tone, although I hate to use that term because no one has patent rights over the singlecut shape.

The 594 DC is essentially the quintessential PRS shape, not much different from a Custom 22, McCarty,
DGT etc, just with a different bridge, body thickness and scale length etc. You will get more or less the same tone compared to the DC family in corresponding proportion to the differing variables.

+1.

There’s a difference, as Tonart says; it’s not so much in overall tonal style, as in low-mid punch. The SCs simply have more oomph. Nothing wrong with the DCs, though. They sound great, aren’t as heavy, and do the business pretty well.

Both are great models, IMHO.

 

[CatStrangler]

I'll throw in a vote for DC. I usually find them to be a little more articulate and dynamic than their single cutaway equivalents.

 

[Barquentine]

The DC appeals because for many years I played an SG then spent a fair few years playing a Firebird. Last three years have been spent playing a Bernie and more recently an S2 Singlecut (maple top). Both have BK pickups - Abraxas in the Bernie and Rebel Yells in the S2. They both play and sound great but I'm wondering about stepping up to a core model. One concern is whether I'd find the Low Turn pickups a bit weak by comparison. I don't do any recording so my guitars are gigging tools. If I were to buy a core SC or DC and put RY's in it would it play and sound better enough to justify the extra cost ? I would need to do some serious financial juggling to buy a core model.

 

[Mozzi]

The DC appeals because for many years I played an SG then spent a fair few years playing a Firebird. Last three years have been spent playing a Bernie and more recently an S2 Singlecut (maple top). Both have BK pickups - Abraxas in the Bernie and Rebel Yells in the S2. They both play and sound great but I'm wondering about stepping up to a core model. One concern is whether I'd find the Low Turn pickups a bit weak by comparison. I don't do any recording so my guitars are gigging tools. If I were to buy a core SC or DC and put RY's in it would it play and sound better enough to justify the extra cost ? I would need to do some serious financial juggling to buy a core model.

The Low Turn Pick Ups are NOT weak. These are supposed to be reminiscent of 'vintage' Humbuckers - the kind that pretty much all the great 'Humbucker' rock music was built on. High Output are generally 'hotter' but also higher output means more distortion at any given amp setting. A super high output may mean you can't dial in a decent clean tone because the pick-ups are creating distortion.

If you were going after a 58 Les Paul for example, then chances are it would have 'similar' pick-ups - A traditional LP had hand wound PU's and varied depending on the person winding them but the 're-issues' tend to be more consistent and more of an 'average' number of turns. You could look at the CU22 which has hotter pick-ups. It seems 'criminal' to me to buy a 594 that was built to be a 'Vintage' feel/sounding guitar and then try and make it 'modern'.

Anyway, here is a comparison between a 58 reissue LP and a SC 594 and you can see how great the tones are.

and this is a video of the DC 594 being looked at in depth...

In both, you can hear how great the tones are (imo) and what those 58/15LT's really do bring to the table. I love my Double Cut and wouldn't dream of changing those PU's as it really does sound so great....

 

[László]

The Low Turn Pick Ups are NOT weak. These are supposed to be reminiscent of 'vintage' Humbuckers - the kind that pretty much all the great 'Humbucker' rock music was built on. High Output are generally 'hotter' but also higher output means more distortion at any given amp setting. A super high output may mean you can't dial in a decent clean tone because the pick-ups are creating distortion.

If you were going after a 58 Les Paul for example, then chances are it would have 'similar' pick-ups - A traditional LP had hand wound PU's and varied depending on the person winding them but the 're-issues' tend to be more consistent and more of an 'average' number of turns. You could look at the CU22 which has hotter pick-ups. It seems 'criminal' to me to buy a 594 that was built to be a 'Vintage' feel/sounding guitar and then try and make it 'modern'.

Anyway, here is a comparison between a 58 reissue LP and a SC 594 and you can see how great the tones are.

and this is a video of the DC 594 being looked at in depth...

In both, you can hear how great the tones are (imo) and what those 58/15LT's really do bring to the table. I love my Double Cut and wouldn't dream of changing those PU's as it really does sound so great....

Great post.

 

[Guitpicky]

To be honest I think the tonal difference is mostly marketing and wishful perception. When I bought my 594 last year I tried a bunch of both DC ans SC and there was no "trend" one way or the other. I attribute any difference to no two guitars ever sounding exactly the same.

I started out thinking SC because of the hype but when it was all said and done the only one that really spoke to me was a DC. The DC has better ergonomics IMO and is usually (except for mine apparently) lighter in weight. Plus I already have a Gibson LP Standard and I wanted something similar but different if that makes any sense

 

[elvis]

I've had a string of single cuts, ave have an SC594 on the way. But my next will be a DC. Very comfortable to play, and variety is the spice of life.

 

[Guitpicky]

The Low Turn Pick Ups are NOT weak. These are supposed to be reminiscent of 'vintage' Humbuckers - the kind that pretty much all the great 'Humbucker' rock music was built on. High Output are generally 'hotter' but also higher output means more distortion at any given amp setting. A super high output may mean you can't dial in a decent clean tone because the pick-ups are creating distortion.

If you were going after a 58 Les Paul for example, then chances are it would have 'similar' pick-ups - A traditional LP had hand wound PU's and varied depending on the person winding them but the 're-issues' tend to be more consistent and more of an 'average' number of turns. You could look at the CU22 which has hotter pick-ups. It seems 'criminal' to me to buy a 594 that was built to be a 'Vintage' feel/sounding guitar and then try and make it 'modern'.

Anyway, here is a comparison between a 58 reissue LP and a SC 594 and you can see how great the tones are.

and this is a video of the DC 594 being looked at in depth...

In both, you can hear how great the tones are (imo) and what those 58/15LT's really do bring to the table. I love my Double Cut and wouldn't dream of changing those PU's as it really does sound so great....

Seems some people buying 594s can't wait to swap pups but I love them. There are many things right with the 594 and for me the 58/15LT pups are one of them.

The 594 whether single or double cut is perfect for what it was designed for. It sings rather than screams and I like it that way

 

[grausch]

The DC appeals because for many years I played an SG then spent a fair few years playing a Firebird. Last three years have been spent playing a Bernie and more recently an S2 Singlecut (maple top). Both have BK pickups - Abraxas in the Bernie and Rebel Yells in the S2. They both play and sound great but I'm wondering about stepping up to a core model. One concern is whether I'd find the Low Turn pickups a bit weak by comparison. I don't do any recording so my guitars are gigging tools. If I were to buy a core SC or DC and put RY's in it would it play and sound better enough to justify the extra cost ? I would need to do some serious financial juggling to buy a core model.

You are in the realm of fast diminishing returns here...I find the incremental upgrades between the Cores and S2 smaller than between the S2 and the SE ranges. That being said, when I really sit and analyze the differences, they can be found, but when I just play, then the Bernie holds up extremely well to the Siggy Ltd.

I know there is a difference in wood quality (visual inspection of tuner bushing holes) and the Siggy Ltd does have better parts all rounds, but when I last changed strings on my Bernie and hit a G chord through the amp, I couldn’t believe how good it sounded - I ended up annoying the wife for a good hour thereafter. Not only did it sound good, it played like a dream.

My 2 Cores probably get about 10% playtime between both of them. S2 Singlecut about 60%. Bernie about 15% and my Ibanez FRM 100 the final 15% (hope I got the math right).

 

[sergiodeblanc]

To be honest I think the tonal difference is mostly marketing and wishful perception. When I bought my 594 last year I tried a bunch of both DC ans SC and there was no "trend" one way or the other. I attribute any difference to no two guitars ever sounding exactly the same.

I kind of agree, however, the boys in Chicagoland were nice enough to let me try a pile of theirs and the SC's all had certain attributes that I found more pleasing (for me personally). And it was with Bodia, Brian C., Alan, and MApete so.... there was a health sample size.

I'm keeping my ears peeled for a SC 594 (amongst other things).