594's with Maple vs Mahogany necks?

[SonicBlue]

I'm considering a 594 as a potential R9 replacement and have noticed most of the Core and above 594's I like the tops on have maple necks.

I've only ever used maple necks on Strat scale guitars and mahogany on LP scale guitars (other than Norlin era Les Pauls and Fender Mustangs, but they're their own things). Have also read that maple can be brighter than mahogany, which could make the 594 "less Gibson like and more PRS like", whatever that means.

Has anyone here done direct comparisons on a 594 with both neck woods?
Why would PRS use maple on a guitar targeting LP style guitars? Maybe better strength of maple at headstock end?

EDIT: I'll add that I'm also undecided between hollowbody and solid body 594 at this stage, which compounds the considerations.

 

[davesultra]

I was not aware that 594s’ had/have Maple necks, outside of the Private Stock models. My Core 594 is definitely Mahogany.

 

[dmatthews]

I was not aware that 594s’ had/have Maple necks, outside of the Private Stock models. My Core 594 is definitely Mahogany.

Agreed. Hog necks with the occasional rosewood neck...

 

[SonicBlue]

It appears it's mostly Core Wood Library models that I've been looking at and for those with tops/colors I like seem to also have maple necks.

 

[bodia]

Yeah, the only versions of the 594 that you are going to see with something other than mahogany is if it is part of a Wood Library run from a dealer, or something done by the Private Stock team. I did have semi hollow Wood Library 594 with a maple neck for a while. It was a great guitar.

 

[László]

I was not aware that 594s’ had/have Maple necks, outside of the Private Stock models. My Core 594 is definitely Mahogany.

I had a Wood Library 594 with a maple neck. It's not standard. It is optional only on Wood Library, Private Stock, and the (now discontinued) Artist models.

Has anyone here done direct comparisons on a 594 with both neck woods?

Yes, I've had both. The tone is a little different. I'll get into that below.

Why would PRS use maple on a guitar targeting LP style guitars? Maybe better strength of maple at headstock end?

It's something of a customized, 'this is different' option. The maple neck has its fans.

So, what's the tone difference? The tone of the 594 with mahogany neck is as you'd expect, thick midrange and lower mid, good bite in the upper mids, very much in the direction of a Les Paul made with traditional woods.

The maple neck gives the guitar a more scooped sound, more flute-like in the neck pickup's higher frequencies, and a little stiffer in the lower mids and bass frequencies, especially with the bridge pickup. Less in the Les Paul direction, still, an interesting tone.

I can see where a different player might prefer the maple to the mahogany, but I wound up preferring the traditional mahogany neck.

Both 594 humbucker models I had were Wood Library guitars with Brazilian Rosewood fretboards. Other than the necks, the guitars were spec'd the same. It was an apples-to-apples comparison.

 

[Greywolf]

I have a maple neck on mine it definetly adds that Maple zing. If you are a Strat guy it's your jam