First time PRS guitar purchase and looking for some help in which to consider!

[gregv]

Hey all, thanks for the add to the forum! Wonder if I could pick your brain.....I am an intermediate level guitarist who mostly enjoys playing metal/hard rock/alternative music in general. I currently have an LTF EC-1000 with active EMG pickups and quite enjoy the guitar and those pickups are mostly suitable for metal. It's the only electric guitar I have had and so don't have the "feel" of anything else really to compare to.

I have been looking at PRS to expand my collection and perhaps something more suitable in the rock genre with some clean playing as well (Tool, Soundgarden, Shinedown, etc). I LOVE the look of the Les Paul single cut but am not against others.

I have recently purchased the SE Mccarty 594 vintage sunburst guitar and really like it so far (its been a week) and I have 30 days to play it at home and can return no questions asked at my local store. So I thought I would ask here if any other suggestions. I have considered the Zach Myers (love the look of that guitar), along with the custom 24-08, possibly the Tremonti or Holcomb however my local store doesn't seem to have stock of them all at once so I dont have the ability to try them all together. So I am just on the fence if I should keep the McCarty or consider waiting until some other options come in stock and try a few more.

Thanks in advance!

 

[gregv]

 

[RickP]

Welcome to the forum!

Considering the namesakes of those guitars, you’d be hard pressed to miss on a Tremonti or Waring. Of course, you can always pound that 594 into an Archon and get some pretty good results too!

Some of our resident metallurgists will be along shortly to help…

 

[show_a_little_faith]

Congratulations, and welcome! I'm a big fan of the Holcomb, but if you already have a "metal" guitar you're happy with, you might get more use of something that's more different. I would've suggested a 594 if you didn't already have that too. If you have the chance to try a Hollowbody, you definitely should. Before playing one, I wouldn't have expected that it would become my most-played style guitar, but it is. I use them for many styles, including some high gain metal stuff. Great thick heaviness

 

[Longneck Tenon]

Having bought the same guitar in double cutaway form, I would hang on to it and play the snot out of it. It’s a perfect rock guitar sound, and really seems to like pedals. I ran a Tone Bender fuzz and a treble booster through it yesterday and it was pretty glorious.

 

[Longneck Tenon]

Congratulations, and welcome! I'm a big fan of the Holcomb, but if you already have a "metal" guitar you're happy with, you might get more use of something that's more different. I would've suggested a 594 if you didn't already have that too. If you have the chance to try a Hollowbody, you definitely should. Before playing one, I wouldn't have expected that it would become my most-played style guitar, but it is. I use them for many styles, including some high gain metal stuff. Great thick heaviness

A very good local guitarist used a PRS Hollowbody live for number of years but recently switched to an S2 Vela Hollowbody. Truth is that dude has amazing tone regardless of guitar choice, but those are both excellent suggestions.

 

[Rod/]

Imho, I think you have the right guitar for the types of music that you play, except maybe for metal, but I don’t play metal, so ….Those new SE 594’s are just killer instruments and the “Gibson influenced” 594’s are in their own league for fat tones and being very versatile as well in that price range. The Custom 24’s have hotter pickups, fwiw
Plus, the one you bought has a killer top……
don’t overthink it.. play on….

 

[Longneck Tenon]

I have a core model McCarty and this 594 SE is getting the attention right now, although both are great guitars.

 

[Schwarze Katze studio]

A used Dave Navarro SE would work as well. It has a pretty thin neck from what I remember. You have a very nice looking guitar there.

 

[Russ73]

I would look into a used S2...thats been my bag since 14'...but all are great guitars youre inquiring about...I think the Holcomb is 25.5 scale and I prefer shorter 25 inch but the holcombs are great looking ...

 

[Big B]

When I am playing metal music and playing PRS it's a toss up for me between The DW and something with the 85/15 pickups...I love the 594 but just not for metal. Now, Rick suggested the 594 into an Archon and that sounds pretty intriguing as I have not tried that.

 

[Mystic38]

keep it.

you have a guitar for metal and you wanted something more straight "rock" and so, imo, you got the best that PRS has in that category ... a 594.

 

[Bogner]

The Zach Myers Guitar Is Nice. Since You Have The LTD, It Would Be A Wonderful Addition And Cover A Lot Of Different (And Some Similar) Ground.

 

[Black Plaid]

The 594 is an eternal classic, the LTD and that together get you a lot of ground covered in tones.

 

[gregv]

Congratulations, and welcome! I'm a big fan of the Holcomb, but if you already have a "metal" guitar you're happy with, you might get more use of something that's more different. I would've suggested a 594 if you didn't already have that too. If you have the chance to try a Hollowbody, you definitely should. Before playing one, I wouldn't have expected that it would become my most-played style guitar, but it is. I use them for many styles, including some high gain metal stuff. Great thick heaviness

Thanks! Do you mean hollow body like the Zach Myers or the true hollow body standard and II?

 

[Warmart]

With what you have, I'd definitely 2nd (or is it 3rd or 4th at this point) some form of hollowbody. You have an EC-1000 and a 594, so get a doublecut HB Std or II. Whichever you prefer.

 

[Lewguitar]

Do you have a Strat? No? Then look into a SE Silver Sky!

A man does not live on humbuckers alone...

 

[show_a_little_faith]

Thanks! Do you mean hollow body like the Zach Myers or the true hollow body standard and II?

I'd suggest HB Standard or HBII. Semi-Hollows like the Myers (to my ears) don't get that much of that hollowbody sound, a bit of a half-measure. Of course you may hear it differently!

 

[show_a_little_faith]

I think the Holcomb is 25.5 scale and I prefer shorter 25 inch but the holcombs are great looking ...

You are correct, they are the longer scale. Designed to be tuned lower, with heavier gauge strings. I keep mine at one step down, with the hybrid set of 10-52 strings and it plays great