My 2009 McCarty Smokeburst, and why it’s a core or nothing.

[DogPhishHead]

This morning I had a rare hour or so alone and decided to change the strings, polish frets and check action on my number 1, 2009 McCarty Smokeburst with 57/08s and nitro finish. After the maintenance was done, and while watching John Mayer talk about how the current Dead & Company tour finally brought him to a place where he doesn’t overthink the solos and just flows with the vibe, I started playing along to last night’s show. With my current pedal board, I’m finally where I want to be with tone options. The McCarty just feels SO right, from tone, feel and that “quality” factor, I really don’t care about the other guitars I own. My ‘21 SE Zach Myers with Seth Lovers is just “ok”, my SE Paul’s Guitar is SO well made for the price, but I only like it in coil tap mode ( doing Grateful Dead stuff)… both SEs are really nice guitars, but nothing like my McCarty. Am I a snob? Admitting that the core guitar is just ten times the overall feel, tone and vibe of the SEs? I’m at the point in my life (58 yrs old) where playing one guitar feels satisfying over having a small collection. I’ve got a Fender Clapton Signature that never leaves it’s case…some of my favorite players are strat guys, but after owning 7 or 8 strat, I just don’t get along with them like the McCarty. I really would like to find a NF3 someday to see if the position 4 and 2 tones would fill a void that the McCarty can’t achieve. Or maybe saving up for a Special Semi Hollow or Studio.

My rambling is basically saying, I know what I like now and moving forward, Smoky is always going to be “ it”. Amps and pedal board searching has pretty much ended as well. I’m just thrilled with my rig…I can achieve the jam band tones I want and feel satisfied with the instrument in my hands

 

[Gtrbldr]

Lovely guitar and I get it ;-)

 

[Rusty Chops]

I’ve had nice guitars I never bonded with.
The ones I bond with have some kind of a weird synergistic vibe that I connect with.
It’s cosmic I guess (play Twilight theme, cue Rod Serling).
We agree on what notes should sound like, or sumpin’

 

[dmatthews]

Awesome. Everyone needs a McCarty (tm)

 

[xxxadixxx]

Beautiful finish. I love how subtle the burst is on that one. If you have a tone and feel which is "it" from a single guitar, that is heaven! Congrats.

 

[FDHog]

Owned a Custom 22 years ago with wide fat neck. Never felt right. Switched over to a 59 Les Paul R9. Recently sold some guitars and added a McCarty and a McCarty 594. The neck on the McCarty is really nice, but the 594 neck just feels so right. The LP just hangs on the wall and listens. Nice guitar.

 

[jak3af3r]

With those narrowfields, you think 2 and 4 are the positions you want but in reality, it's the middle one by itself that's the money tone. Unreal how good it sounds.

 

[gush]

I have a 2000 McCarty and I love it.

 

[iahawk36]

LOVE that model!

 

[László]

Beautiful guitar!

I'm a Core (or up) or nothing person, too.

Not that the other stuff isn't good, in fact it's great for what it is. But the higher end stuff is the real-deal, no-compromise stuff, and that's my priority.

I've said I'd rather have 1 Core model than 1,000 of the other models. I still feel that way.

 

[jxe]

Beautiful guitar!

I'm a Core (or up) or nothing person, too.

Not that the other stuff isn't good, in fact it's great for what it is. But the higher end stuff is the real-deal, no-compromise stuff, and that's my priority.

I've said I'd rather have 1 Core model than 1,000 of the other models. I still feel that way.

‘just one guitar!’?

 

[zach.cregle1]

I have long been searching for the one guitar for my all of my guitar playing years and have played all the big brands, and they were great guitars, no doubt about that. I recently had the eye opening moment for PRS's when I saw the first PRS I bought hanging on the wall at Guitar Center, a 2005 Custom 24 20th Anniversary. I plugged it in and from the first G chord I got it. Played some blues licks and REALLY got it. I was hooked and thought this guitar was it for me. Over the weekend I was at the same Guitar Center and they had a 2003 McCarty on the wall and I figured I'd give it a try and WOW! Was more blown away than my Custom 24. It was literally the sound in my head and is not my one guitar. For the first time I finally feel like I found The One and The Sound, best guitar I've played hands down.