Custom vs McCarty "voice"

[Erik]

Is it just me or does the Customs have a higher voice than the McCarty? Kind of tighter in the bass and not as deep. Has anyone else experienced this and if so, what is the cause? The tremolo, the lower hog/maple ratio, thinner neck. All of the above?

I'm getting a PRS in 2020 but i'm in the unfortunate position of not being able to try them out on the regular. I prefer the sound of a McCarty but maybe a custom 24 with fatback would yield similar results.

What say you?

 

[Utkarsh]

All things being equal, the neck pickup of a mccarty will always sound warmer than a custom 24 as the 24 frets pushes the neck pickup closer to the bridge compared to a 22 fret mccarty.

Does the thicker body make a difference? Perhaps. I will say that I own three guitars with 25 inch scale lengths and 57/08 bridge pickups (custom 22 with mahogany neck, modern eagle 1(mccarty thickness) with braz neck and custom 24 singlecut thickness with mahogany neck). The custom 24 singlecut thickness no doubt has the most low end of the three

 

[Andy80]

Customs are a more versatile instrument imo. To me if you grew up playing a les paul, you should get the mccarty, and if you grew up playing the strat, get the custom 24. Mccarty has the thicker body as well.

I don't find they sound similar at all. I too will be getting a 2020 custom 24 next year. I much prefer the switching and a 25" scale.

Be nice to have both I think

 

[CandidPicker]

Is it just me or does the Customs have a higher voice than the McCarty? Kind of tighter in the bass and not as deep. Has anyone else experienced this and if so, what is the cause? The tremolo, the lower hog/maple ratio, thinner neck. All of the above?

I'm getting a PRS in 2020 but i'm in the unfortunate position of not being able to try them out on the regular. I prefer the sound of a McCarty but maybe a custom 24 with fatback would yield similar results.

What say you?

Yes, to your first question, because of the pickup location relative to the fretboard (24 frets vs 22), the pickups, and the thickness of the guitar (McCarty's are by nature thicker).

A Cu22 or Cu24, by comparison, body thickness is less than a McCarty. This also contributes to the "higher-voiced" tone of the Cu model guitars.

 

[László]

As others have said, the pickup locations are different, so that affects the tone; the thicker McCarty body (in general) tends to help emphasize the lower mids.

I find CU24s more focused in the midrange for this reason, and that’s neither a bad thing or a good thing, it’s just something you can use in your playing, or not. Also, these distinctions are subtle, as other things also affect the tone of the guitars.

I like having both options on hand, as well as other PRS options, but I’m something of a slut.

The CU24 cuts through a mix well, but the McCarty’s deeper voice has a certain warmth and richness that also works in a variety of situations.

The good news? This is a choice you can’t mess up. Both are fantastic guitars, and either one can offer lifetime enjoyment. Also, if you get one, chances are you’re going to want to add the other to your rig as well. It’s just a matter of time.

 

[WA Paul]

I would suggest staying with the McCarty since you already stated that was your preference. More hog/maple ratio plus thicker neck will provide more push in the lower mids. Trem can add some brightness but in my experience they tend to be more neutral in impact to other factors.

Aside from these items, a SC vs DC body shape will provide even more push in the lower mids all else equal. Ditto with the ‘fatback’ or ‘singlecut thickness’ comments which were generally options on PS models. Possibly some WL runs. A fatback DC shape does not equate to a SC tone wise. I had both at one point for comparison purposes, but that was on the 594 series.

Do you want the 25” scale length? Or are you open to the shorter scale length of the 594 series? Shorter scale length will generally give a more vintage warmer tone but the 58/15 LT pickups have a lot of clarity and brightness. You might want to compare the standard McCarty to the 594 version (DC and SC) if possible.

 

[Tonart]

To me it mostly equates to trem vs hardtail, which makes quite a lot of difference..

 

[Boogie]

Is it just me or does the Customs have a higher voice than the McCarty? Kind of tighter in the bass and not as deep. Has anyone else experienced this and if so, what is the cause? The tremolo, the lower hog/maple ratio, thinner neck. All of the above?

I'm getting a PRS in 2020 but i'm in the unfortunate position of not being able to try them out on the regular. I prefer the sound of a McCarty but maybe a custom 24 with fatback would yield similar results.

What say you?

Basically, in a completely subjective way, yes...a McCarty is voiced more vintage than a a Custom. Each one has their own thing and each one has a place in your arsenal. If you gig and need to be heard in a live band setting, a Custom brings a lot to the table. But otoh, I’ve gigged a McCarty variant for years in lots of bands, too, and loved it. For example, in my original prog rock band practice yesterday, I took both the CU24 and my DGT but only played the custom. But if I were in my living room just playing, I would heavily lean toward my DGT. It’s very pleasing to my ears solo.