Headstock signature inlay material

Mark L. Greco

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Jul 8, 2019
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Washington, DC
Does anyone know what the white signature headstock inlay is made from on a 2018 594 McCarty? I don't see it listed anywhere. Thanks! Here's a close up. This is on a high end wood library guitar, why would they use plastic instead of bone or mammoth ivory? I know it has absolutely no effect on the tone, it's my OCD about fine details.
https://www.amazon.com/photos/shared/BN_Lc2tBSt-s6Xx04ksJCA.OjRVuRlAwkyavR3D2RMLAa
 
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So, here’s your simple solution. Buy one with an artist package upgrade. Boom, done! It’s made for the more OCD about that kind of thing among us. It comes with a shell signature inlay.

Historically, the PRS headstock signature was first a decal with painted headstock; then a gold sticker with a painted headstock, and the available artist package included the headstock overlay with shell. When PRS moved to the standard headstock overlay that matches the fretboard with an inlaid signature a few years ago, the inlay was the corian or whatever plastic it is, and the artist upgrade was still the shell.

Dealers can order Wood Library as a ten top or with an artist package. Evidently the one you looked at was not an artist package.

Finally, it’s more expensive to inlay the shell, and most people don’t give a damn what the freaking signature inlay is made from; I certainly don’t. And I have PS models that have all kinds of fancy BS all over them, so it’s not like I’m a cheapskate. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the signature being inlaid with the corian (or whatever it is), and charging more if you’re into all that shell inlay.

PRS no longer offers mammoth ivory inlays. I have them on one of my PS guitars, and to me, it looks like Corian. No freaking difference except it’s yellower. Except for the difference in the customer’s head, which is of very little practical value. I’d have been just as happy with Corian.
 
So, here’s your simple solution. Buy one with an artist package upgrade. Boom, done! It’s made for the more OCD about that kind of thing among us. It comes with a shell signature inlay.

Historically, the PRS headstock signature was first a decal with painted headstock; then a gold sticker with a painted headstock, and the available artist package included the headstock overlay with shell. When PRS moved to the standard headstock overlay that matches the fretboard with an inlaid signature a few years ago, the inlay was the corian or whatever plastic it is, and the artist upgrade was still the shell.

Dealers can order Wood Library as a ten top or with an artist package. Evidently the one you looked at was not an artist package.

Finally, it’s more expensive to inlay the shell, and most people don’t give a damn what the freaking signature inlay is made from; I certainly don’t. And I have PS models that have all kinds of fancy BS all over them, so it’s not like I’m a cheapskate. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the signature being inlaid with the corian (or whatever it is), and charging more if you’re into all that shell inlay.

PRS no longer offers mammoth ivory inlays. I have them on one of my PS guitars, and to me, it looks like Corian. No freaking difference except it’s yellower. Except for the difference in the customer’s head, which is of very little practical value. I’d have been just as happy with Corian.
Mine is a wood library special ordered by the dealer, isn't that basically the same as an artist model?
 
Mine is a wood library special ordered by the dealer, isn't that basically the same as an artist model?

No. An Artist Package is a separate thing. A Wood Library is a guitar that a dealer picks different woods from stock, and maybe some different pickups. An Artist Package is a higher quality top, different inlay material, and different inlay material for the logo. The lines are kind of blurred, but the two are very distinct separate things.
 
No. An Artist Package is a separate thing. A Wood Library is a guitar that a dealer picks different woods from stock, and maybe some different pickups. An Artist Package is a higher quality top, different inlay material, and different inlay material for the logo. The lines are kind of blurred, but the two are very distinct separate things.
I guess I got lucky then, the top on mine is quite spectacular. :)
https://www.amazon.com/photos/shared/Pvg_eHFtS8-NmDoREPGT1Q.8_SPbCDxZo5x37aH6jF5OG
 
Wood Library can also include an Artist Package top, etc. . We who bought the Brian's Guitars 10 guitar WL run 509 swamp ash body ones got Artist tops, and they were all beautiful and unique!

Yep. WL can be all over the board depending upon the dealer’s plan, but Artists should be consistent.
 
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