McCarty Singlecut 594 for rock/metal?

[GADonis]

Thank you all for the responses, and the shared knowledge. I really appreciate it!

I will heed the advice, and not change the pickups. I guess I just figured the "vintage" voiced pickups in the 594 would not be suitable for rock/metal, I just thought you would want something a little more modern, a little hotter. I guess I was wrong.

If you feel like the pickups aren't quite doing what you want, try putting a boost in front of the amp before swapping pickups. I play my 594 into my Boogie TC50 with a Mini Spark boost pedal for just a little more "oomph." I'm normally in standard or half step down tuning and it sounds great.

 

[ViperDoc]

594 playability is second to none. You might need heavier strings depending on how low you tune down, but it will deliver the goods.

 

[xxxadixxx]

If you feel like the pickups aren't quite doing what you want, try putting a boost in front of the amp before swapping pickups. I play my 594 into my Boogie TC50 with a Mini Spark boost pedal for just a little more "oomph." I'm normally in standard or half step down tuning and it sounds great.

Agreed. I boost my 594's into my Peavey 6505 with a Peppers Dirty Tree. Both boosted and unboosted work great for me and the 594's.

 

[AZGiant]

Don't worry about the guitar or the pickups, just focus on the amp.

Nadir is right. Great guitar, and a pathetic amp, you would never be able to dial in a good tone. My 594 is a total rock machine and one of if not the best PRS I own

 

[Bogner]

Your guitar is perfectly fine for said music and certainly can handle various tunings. As has been stated, find the amp and cabinet (or combo) you are looking for and make sure you fall in love with that. The response and feel of the amp is crucial and can vary. Do you like something with some sag to it or a really tight and fast response/quick amp? Both types can do metal and sound great doing it. You need to fine what you like.

Regarding pickups....you need to identify the natural attributes of your personal guitar. No two guitars are alike. Find out what your guitar does best naturally and get a pickup that cooperates with it. I have identical guitars (model, woods, only thing different is color) and I put the same pickups in them and they worked in one guitar and not the other. Remember that everything in the chain matters and effects your overall sound.

Once I know more about your overall rig and what you like and feel you need I can further advise based on the natural attributes of your own guitar. Good Luck!

 

[Jbyrd78]

One pickup I have not seen mentioned in this thread is the PRS #7 treble & neck pickups...if you can find them. Those pickups are hard to find for a reason.
The #7's have A4 mags in them. Not gonna lie the bridge pup sounds like shite in standard tuning. Put some heavy strings on the guitar and tune down and you will be smiling.
I own an April Fool's 2002 Singlecut w/ #7's. That guitar is strung up w/ 10-54's in drop B, running thru either a Hughes & Kettner 100 watt TriAmp MK II head, a Mesa Boogie Trem-O-Verb head, or a Custom made JTM45 head into a Friedman BE-OD Deluxe, it hold its own and will rip your head off!
Yesterday, I swapped out the #7 bridge up with a JB just to see if I was missing something tone wise. Within an hour, the #7 bridge pickup was reinstalled and it will stay there!

 

[Julian]

I'd have a hard time swapping anything from my core. If you don't mind me asking, why are you choosing to mod your core over other guitars?

 

[shinksma]

Sounds great! I was just concerned about the short scale length being an issue. I kind of figured the 594 would handle drop tunings since a Les Paul does. I know the Les Pau scale length is a little longer, but barely. Thanks!

The 594 is designed to be essentially identical to a LP scale length, when measured "correctly" - and of course Gibson has (intentionally or not) varied the actual scale lengths over time, and a quick search led to people measuring anywhere from 24.5" to 24.75". Apparently the most accurate way to measure scale length is to measure the distance from the nut edge to the 12th fret, then double it. Measuring to the bridge complicates things due to compensated bridge elements, and can vary a perceived scale length very much so, obviously.

The 594 scale length is 24.594".

Anyway, I have a SC and DC 594, both semi-hollow, with stock pups. They do metal just fine through my Archons.

 

[shinksma]

One more thing...

0.594" = 19/32"

Well, more precisely, 19/32" = 0.59375", but a quarter of a thou is very, very, tiny.

 

[Julian]

One more thing...

0.594" = 19/32"

Well, more precisely, 19/32" = 0.59375", but a quarter of a thou is very, very, tiny.

We’ll is it 24.594” or 24.59375”??? We need answers people!

(Joking)