McCarty Vintage vs Locking Tuners

Julian

It's a '59 with 4 knobs
Joined
May 3, 2021
Messages
170
Did PRS stop equipping McCartys with locking tuners and now only do vintage style?

Does anyone actually prefer vintage style to locking?
 
Yes, they did. In 2020 they went to the vintage style on the McCarty and the 594. I do not care for them because I am lazy. On a positive note, the Phase III are a direct drop in.

What do you mean by drop in?
 
I prefer the vintage to locking if the guitar goes in a gig bag. The locking tuners (even with the mini buttons) turn easily enough to detune where the vintage tuners don't.

valid point
 
What do you mean by drop in?
I mean they fit without having to drill additional holes, ream out the hole, etc. Take the vintage out, put the Phase III in. No need to change the collars, either. Also, PRS makes a Vintage Style locking tuner. Last time I looked, they didn't have any at the PRS Store. I ended up getting mine from John Mann's Guitar Vault. Another thing about the Phase III; because the nitro finish is soft, you will be able to see the outline of the vintage style tuners on the back of the head stock. Here are some pics of the Vintage/Phase III so you can see the marks from the vintage tuners. Also a pic of the locking style vintage tuner.


NEFRdUM.jpg

VBvFWEr.jpg



UWMwDdG.jpg
 
I have them on one 594 and the locking tuners on another 594, and it doesn't make a difference to me in terms of tuning. The locking are probably a little bit more stable, but I prefer the look of the vintage tuners over the metal look of the locking ones.
 
So I'm 7 or so days into owning my first core 594 HBII and i want to change the appearance.:eek:

I want to go with gold hardware versus nickel. Not a real big deal. The bridge and tailpiece i have locked down, the tuners I don't. It seems there has been a rush on PRS Vintage Style locking tuners in gold, or another color. Will the Gotoh SD-90 Vintage style locking tuners be a direct drop in fit? Or am I gonna have to be patient and wait?:rolleyes:

Gotoh SD90 3x3 Vintage Keystone Style Locking Tuners - Gold - TK-0735-002 https://reverb.com/item/12284694-go...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=12284694
 
I would put on kluson locking revolution g mount (non collared). Cheaper. No screw to stare at on the front but thumbwheel on the back. Another drop in option with exact same footprint, unlike phase 3 where you will see the old footprints. And comes in 4 colors. You can find them cheaper elsewhere but here’s the specs and info. Quality tuners. I’ve been always pleased with them
https://www.kluson.com/kluson-3-per...unt-non-collared-tuning-machines-details.html
 
I would put on kluson locking revolution g mount (non collared). Cheaper. No screw to stare at on the front but thumbwheel on the back. Another drop in option with exact same footprint, unlike phase 3 where you will see the old footprints. And comes in 4 colors. You can find them cheaper elsewhere but here’s the specs and info. Quality tuners. I’ve been always pleased with them
https://www.kluson.com/kluson-3-per...unt-non-collared-tuning-machines-details.html
John Mann makes his using the Gotoh SD90's but i dont know if he changes the shaft size or just drills and taps the top screw into the original shaft.
 
Sorry to bump a thread, but I’m looking into the Mann tuners. Just got a new 594 and I really wish they had left the Phase III tuners on there. I’d buy the Klusons, but the tuners aren’t white like the originals. Are the Manns really worth it at $190?
 
Sorry to bump a thread, but I’m looking into the Mann tuners. Just got a new 594 and I really wish they had left the Phase III tuners on there. I’d buy the Klusons, but the tuners aren’t white like the originals. Are the Manns really worth it at $190?
Yes. Although they are PRS tuners that he sells. I put a set on mine. Happy I did.
 
Yeah the one thing that irks me are the finish marks where the vintage tuners used to be which is the reason I haven't switched. I was looking at Kluson lockers but I haven't found ones with brass string posts.

If anyone has any pointers on where to find brass vintage locking tuners that would be deeply appreciated.
 
John Mann makes his using the Gotoh SD90's but i dont know if he changes the shaft size or just drills and taps the top screw into the original shaft.

I was digging in a bit to do the Phase III drill jig and SD90 is a drop in replacement for Phase III and vintage tulips with one exception. As long as mounting hole diameter and the shaft relation is the same - the shaft size is slightly different. 6.3mm with Gotoh and 6mm with PRS. This has been confirmed with Gotoh who makes PRS tuners. It's only .3mm difference and you may be absolutely fine...
 
I'm happy I managed to pick up a 'late' (Dec 2019) McCarty 594 HBii with the TCI Process and CAB Nitro Finish but before they switched over to the Vintage style non-locking tuners. I'm sure the Vintage tuners will be 'equally' as stable with tuning - assuming you know how to properly wind the string around the post to avoid 'slipping/moving' and I'd be surprised if they were not the same 'ratio' either. Therefore, the only 'advantage' of the locking tuners should be in ease/speed of string changes.

I much prefer locking tuners because I find it much easier and quicker to change Strings and be back playing again. It may save a 'few minutes' but a lot less monotony of winding/unwinding tuners as you need to wrap more of the string around the posts - not so bad with powered winders. I guess it depends on how often you do string changes, how many guitars you have to maintain etc but having 1 or2 non-locking tuner guitars isn't too bad.
 
I'm happy I managed to pick up a 'late' (Dec 2019) McCarty 594 HBii with the TCI Process and CAB Nitro Finish but before they switched over to the Vintage style non-locking tuners. I'm sure the Vintage tuners will be 'equally' as stable with tuning - assuming you know how to properly wind the string around the post to avoid 'slipping/moving' and I'd be surprised if they were not the same 'ratio' either. Therefore, the only 'advantage' of the locking tuners should be in ease/speed of string changes.

I much prefer locking tuners because I find it much easier and quicker to change Strings and be back playing again. It may save a 'few minutes' but a lot less monotony of winding/unwinding tuners as you need to wrap more of the string around the posts - not so bad with powered winders. I guess it depends on how often you do string changes, how many guitars you have to maintain etc but having 1 or2 non-locking tuner guitars isn't too bad.
Sorry to bump this older thread but this fits what I’m after. My hang tag on the just received 2019 McCarty 594 says December as well. How can I determine if mine has the TCI process and CAB nitro finish? I sent an email to customer service with the s/n. Will that be sufficient? Thanks in advance.
 
Sorry to bump this older thread but this fits what I’m after. My hang tag on the just received 2019 McCarty 594 says December as well. How can I determine if mine has the TCI process and CAB nitro finish? I sent an email to customer service with the s/n. Will that be sufficient? Thanks in advance.
It should be enough to find out for certain - although you should also tell from the smell of the Nitro. I believe they had switched over to the TCI/CAB by October 2019 but I can't say for certain. Also you can use the MODCAT number to find out too...
 
It should be enough to find out for certain - although you should also tell from the smell of the Nitro. I believe they had switched over to the TCI/CAB by October 2019 but I can't say for certain. Also you can use the MODCAT number to find out too...
The guitar certainly has a smell to it that my CE24 doesn't. I'm guessing that's the Nitro finish.
 
The guitar certainly has a smell to it that my CE24 doesn't. I'm guessing that's the Nitro finish.
Most likely. The 594 was the first model to change the to CAB/Nitro and TCI, and that happened in late October or early November, 2019.
 
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