Early 2000's McCarty vs CU22 for high-gain sounds?
- Thread starter xxxadixxx
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Alnus Rubra
Loving nature’s wonders
Rawwrrrr.
MarcWink
New Member
I'd go for a Custom 22 with a stop tail. I have a 2008 and use it for all manner of high gain metal type tones with the Dragon II pickups, and while they are solid for this purpose, I definitely prefer the tone of my 1997 CE 22 with Dragon I pickups. If you're patient, you should be able to find a mid 90's Custom 22 hard tail with Dragon I pickups for a decent price. Don't get me wrong, I love my Custom 22 with the Dragon II pickups, but the Dragon I's are definitely a hotter, higher output pickup that will hit the font of an amp harder than the Dragon II. The Dragon II bridge pickup sits between a McCarty and a Dragon I and has Alnico magnets as opposed to ceramic as you find in the Dragon I and HFS. Back in the 90's and early 00's a PRS with either HFS/VB or Dragon pickups (I or II) into a Mesa Triple Rectifier was THE sound of nu-metal.
thewesdavis
New Member
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- Aug 2, 2022
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- 180
I second this. I just pulled a set of Dragons out of my CE for the HFS/VB set as this CE stays in drop tuning and usually gets used on heavier tracks. My Dragon 2s definitely hold their own for rock (and the outter coils in parallel sound is also great IMO) but for metal something ceramic (Dragon 1 or HFS) would be my vote. (the neck pickup is the exact same in the dragon 1 and dragon 2 sets, for what it's worth)
If you want to save a little coin, the 'core' CEs were made on the same production line as the Customs, they just have bolt on necks and are usually cheaper on Reverb - there are several listed now for <2k.
Beautiful guitar. That top is perfect is it one piece.AAAAAannnnnnnnd.....just in case you thought this thread could go on without at LEAST a pic or two from my and my custom 22....well........
lol
danktat
Award winning tattoo artist ... Amateur guitarist
Not a one piece. Just "busy" so it was hard to see the seam. I called it my "corduroy top" guitar. Unfortunately, I no longer have her. (or any core at the moment). Just my SE A40E. So I am kind of still in the club. But I gotta find another one that I like to fully make it back.
The Singlecut Mahogany standard fixed bridge was my way back. Ive had SE Bernard and have a SE Santana but did have a Mira X and a 2003 eara Mcarty with moons.
I still miss the Mcarty. Its possible I may trade my Yamaha SG1820 later I the year for a early 2000s Mcarty or a Maple cap Singlecut.
I still miss the Mcarty. Its possible I may trade my Yamaha SG1820 later I the year for a early 2000s Mcarty or a Maple cap Singlecut.
Alnus Rubra
Loving nature’s wonders
Good to see you here KB.
TheCraftsman
Time rolls on faster than you can believe it
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2024
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- 661
Custom 22 trem on my list but man my heart aches for a Santana
I think the Santana desirability is down to Carlos Santana input. A truly inspirational player and very emotive. I wish there was a hard tail Santana model maybe the Santana 1 or 2 spec. For me The Santana models. The Joe Walsh and maybe the Yamaha SG2000 are my main wishes. A new SG2000 would be a dream guitar. But I long to have a Sanatana Core. What is the difference in nut placement between the later models and the original version or the Retro.
Alnus Rubra
Loving nature’s wonders
The trem is pretty stable, without being blocked.
Thanks. I'd have to try without. But need to get some money together before I start looking.
xxxadixxx
Bitten hard by the PRS bug
It is always a treat to see an old post of mine come back to life, if for no other reason than to reflect on how the guitar journey evolves. This one in particular made me smile. The original post had me going back and forth between a CU22 or a McCarty. I actually ended up going with another DC594 Artist package (rosewood neck). I did not get along with that guitar and moved it on after only a couple of months. There was something about the balance and the neck just felt "hard" for a lack of a better way to describe it. It left my fretting hand feeling more fatigued than any of my other 594's. NOTE: I have 2 other DC594's and this is not an issue with either of them.
Eventually, I came back to my original thoughts of a CU22 or McCarty and I was fortunate enough to find a beautiful 2016 McCarty 10-top with rosewood neck and ebony fretboard (non-Artist package as confirmed by PRS). It is a beautiful guitar and the pickups are indeed a little hotter than my 594's. It is well placed midway between a 594 and a Les Paul Custom to my ears.
The guitar plays great and feels so much better in my hands than the DC594 Artist I purchased at first. It is a great addition to the flock though I admit it does not get much playing time. It is a niche player but it fully scratches the itch when I need it.
Eventually, I came back to my original thoughts of a CU22 or McCarty and I was fortunate enough to find a beautiful 2016 McCarty 10-top with rosewood neck and ebony fretboard (non-Artist package as confirmed by PRS). It is a beautiful guitar and the pickups are indeed a little hotter than my 594's. It is well placed midway between a 594 and a Les Paul Custom to my ears.
The guitar plays great and feels so much better in my hands than the DC594 Artist I purchased at first. It is a great addition to the flock though I admit it does not get much playing time. It is a niche player but it fully scratches the itch when I need it.
dogrocketp
I drank the PRS kool aid, and it was tasty!
It is indeed good to see you’re still here, Kenneth.
dogrocketp
I drank the PRS kool aid, and it was tasty!
I have seen some stoptail SE Santanas with 2 P90’s but not many. It’s one of the few PRS I would buy immediately. Look for them. I believe most went to Japan.
bodia
Authorities said.....best leave it.....unsolved
You can always look for a DC-22. Basically a 22 fret Santana with a hard tail. There were only 75 (or 100) made, but they come up for sale on occasion. I love mine.
Thanks do they have the wide fat neck.
I'm sure I played one at Peach Guitars when I tried a Mcarty and a singlecut. All three great Guitars. The Mcarty I bought was great and that's what I bought.
Rod/
Vibrato & String Bender
Dragon 2’s are great sounding pickups. Alnico 4 magnets . Bridge pickup wound to 12000+ ohms. Put a treble bleed cap/resistor in parallel on the guitar’s volume pot and they clean up nice
Rod/
Vibrato & String Bender
I desperately wanted/needed a Santana guitar but couldn’t justify the 4 to $5000 for one at the time. Some have since come down in price.
At any rate I Bought a new SE version in 2022 from John Mann. I had him install one of his handmade brass bridges. I then installed a set of planet Waves locking tuners and a set of PRS 245 pickups (10k) that I had…..Now It’s really one of my absolute favorite guitars .
Sounds amazing.. and I have 2 cores and 2 S2’s
At any rate I Bought a new SE version in 2022 from John Mann. I had him install one of his handmade brass bridges. I then installed a set of planet Waves locking tuners and a set of PRS 245 pickups (10k) that I had…..Now It’s really one of my absolute favorite guitars .
Sounds amazing.. and I have 2 cores and 2 S2’s
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