My PRS Year - 2024

Eseffinga

Hermit
Joined
Feb 18, 2013
Messages
99
When I started 2024 I had only 1 PRS. That was all I needed.

Back in the mid-late 90’s, the McCarty soapbar was the guitar that taught me what my musical wheel house was.

And the 2001 antique white guitar felt like a very fresh and seemingly rare color choice when I picked it up. More often than not, I am generally a less-is-more person when it comes to guitar aesthetics.

I “upgraded” this McSoapy with a few more modern PRS appointments, and it’s a stunner IMO. No flashy flames or fancy woods. Just a super classy instrument. At least it outclasses me to be sure. And it sounds wonderful with a set of Wolfetones, that I find preferable to the Duncans PRS was doing back then. I dunno what PRS puts in for soapbars now.

I had felt the PRS itch was firmly scratched by the soapbar, and I was proud of myself.

They say pride comes before the fall. Autumn was here, and off the wagon I fell. Lightning had struck with the 594 I didn’t know I needed.

You see, I fell out of love with the whole of the PRS line for a long time. Maybe a decade. Going from having over a dozen in the beginning of the 2000s, with many of those being McCartys of many varieties. 1st year 94s, McCarty trem (the pre-DGT, we’ll come back to this), multiple Rosewood necked McSoapy standards. McSoapy trems. CU22 soapbar NAMM guitars, etc. And musically I lived and breathed that McCarty sound. And loved finding rare and proto variations to try.

But then medical things happened, and I think I needed a total mental reset of sorts. And so away went the entire PRS fleet. Not all at once, but in pretty short order. One or two at a time. And eventually, nearly all my guitars.

And after a bit of time away, I started finding myself playing again. But differently. My home base was, and maybe forever will be on a Gibson. An old dogged out walnut “The Paul” Les Paul I picked up as a teen was my first real guitar. Long gone, but that scale just always felt right.

When I departed ways with my hoard of PRS, everything was the original 25” scale. And just as I was walking out, PRS was starting to bring in the 245s. I think had I tried one, I would have been an early adopter, but that wsn’t where my head was at.

And so I had watched from afar, as the PRS line has shifted and evolved over the ages. But I went “home”. Picking up a heavily used Les Paul R6, and then eventually, an R7. And then came others. But after a decade away, the nostalgia for PRS crept back in a few years ago, first an early 2000s McCarty that I played a bit and eventually sold… and then the Soapie happened. So I was happy.

But over the last decade and a half, I have had an eye on all the PRS offerings. Watched demos. Played in a store here or there. Had my eye on a DGT once or twice, a Korina McCarty or three, and especially as the 245 gave way to the 594 guitars.

It took me a while to warm to the blocky vibe of the bridge system, but the functionality was undeniable. But still, no matter what I saw or tried, there was a disconnect. And I already had LPs. So the 594 just felt… unnecessary. If not sonically, then mentally. But I couldn’t stop looking.

For years and years I looked. And even though I thought for sure I’d eventually end up with a DC version because it’s different, and came veryyy close to buying one from a shop in March of this year…. I waffled on it for a couple days, and when I finally caved and went back for it, it was gone. Doh!

Buy my fate ended up being for a different 594 entirely.

I ended up finally picking up this 594 Wood Library, with BRW board, and a Korina neck and body.

Korina was my pre-PRS dream and post-PRS revelation. It could have happened during my PRS heyday, as back in 2000 PRS refused to build a guitar out of Korina for my Private Stock order. This was way back in the “if you can dream it we can build it” PS era of mandolins, doublenecks, 7 strings, etc. So not the current pick off the list PS order sheet. Their reasoning was… a separate discussion. I went another way, had a Korina guitar with P90s built elsewhere, and my sonic world shifted immediately.

I loved Korina (why I asked PRS for it), and I knew it would make an amazing PRS. It took PRS another 7 years to finally jump onto the Korina train…I digress.

But this new 594 is just chef’s kiss, perfect for me. It’s not a Les Paul variation. It’s a killer PRS that really rocks in a complimentary vocal way. Feels great. Absolutely rips. Love the all Nitro. And bonus, it is as pretty a piece of over the top maple as I could ever want. “Less is more” went out the window.

So I thought, OK… 2… and done!!!

And then a used 1 year old DGT popped up for sale just a couple weeks later, and nearby the factory. So I drove up to MD and checked it out, a great price, and despite my best efforts to avoid more guitars, I bought it. I am usually NOT a matching guitar guy. I kinda go out of my way to avoid it. And yet here I am.

We are in the proverbial “honeymoon” phase. I am still making some mostly aesthetic tweaks to it. It feels like the McCarty trem of my dreams though. I dunno why it took me so long to actually get one. The 2 volumes is fantastic. Everyone said you gotta try… I felt like I’d been there and done that many times. I should have gotten to it sooner.

And that is where my 2024 PRS journey would end. What a ride...

Until yesterday when I made a hail mary offer on an ‘08 Korina McCarty that needs some help. To my surprise, the seller accepted, and now I have an “upgrade” resto-mod type project on the way here. Supposedly I could have it in hand before the 1st of the year… but it needs proper pickups, tuners, and such to undo some bad choices. So some time before I get it back to usable. :)

Oh lord.

I should also add, this is NOT a normal gear year for me. I go years without buying things. It has not been a huge money $plurge either. Though it still feels like it. But I sold off some pretty spendy but sonically redundant Les Pauls, with no intention to buy more guitars. It was to “simplify” for less guitars. hahaha. Joke is on me. More of a sideways shuffle. Argh.

But this is it. No more guitar musical chairs. I’ll play these. An over abundance of musical riches. Figure out what is really gonna stay, and go from there. Feeling too old to continue doing big gear shuffles.

Feels weird with this many PRS guitars in the house again. But also excited at the prospect of music to come.

Sorry for the tl/dr.

Bonus points for anyone reading my rambling history. I thought it might explain some of my own mindset, as I don’t post much, and haven’t since the Birds and Moons board days. Consider it a year’s worth of sharing posts all at once.

Share your 2024 recap if you like.
I’ll read em.

-e.

Pictured:
2023 DGT, 2024 WL 594, 2001 McSoapy





IMG-2414.jpg
 
love cream with natural binding .. I started out in Sept '22 with a nice old 10 top McSoapy ..then came and artist Special ,artist HB II ,Walnut LTD, Cherry Westie, IRW neck McSoapy ,WL Triple Soapy , oh wait they make Acoustics too ! PS Angelus in Cocobolo , another PS Angelus in Flamed Mahogany , oh and Ricky Skaggs custom Gran Tonare in All Pernambuco, then the PS Santana semi IRW neck made for the head of PRS HR, a Wood library IRW neck DGT, and KL33 to top it off with .. an hornorable mention to my Lollar P90 Knaggs Kenai .. Joe's got good PRS history ... saving up for a 40th Anni Santana .. come on you know it's coming ..
 
My home base was, and maybe forever will be on a Gibson.
My home base got well set with a '74 LP Dlx that was only a couple of years old when I got it and was #1 for decades except for a brief Tele detour.

Got the first PRS, an S2 594 SC, exactly two years ago and was amazed with the PRS quality & acoustic sound. Then my 2023 was a budget version of your 2024: an SE245, a mint SE245 Soapbar, both of which became monsters with upgraded new & vintage pickups, and then the Stripped 58. After getting those three, which were a great complement to the mini-humbuckers on the LP, the S2 didn't quite clear my bar with the combination of the import pickups, lack of a top carve, pattern vintage neck and vintage tuners and so now it's with a friend who loves it paired with his LP.

2024 started with a pretty full stable that covered most of the bases for Gibson scale singlecut sound with PRS pattern / Gibson 60's necks. But mid-year a P245 that I'd been watching for a while dropped in price so that the total for all four PRSi was the same as a new McCarty and I couldn't refuse. That piezo really enriched the sonic spectrum.

So congrats on your 2024 and enjoy making the ‘08 Korina McCarty your own almost-Private-Stock with the exact upgrades you want.
 
Absolutely love that! It's been a good year!

Some of my favorite PRS have been solid colors - that's when you know they're good, it's not figured wood giving a false sense of affection.

Haven't tried a 594 with Korina... and I should. Or perhaps a DGT with Korina.
Yup, this. Plus I stand a chance of affording one used! To the OP - nice guitars, great story. Thank you.
 
I am a huge fan of “buy used, play for free,” with the theory that whoever bought it new took the worst of the depreciation, and I am able to play, and get to know the guitar.

And a guitar doesn’t really connect with me, I can sell it along without losing so much $ on the education.

PRS is one of the few brands that are generally so consistent, if you have to buy sight unseen, you know what’s arriving in general, barring any undisclosed issues.

For particular models, I know within seconds if it is a guitar that will deliver what I like about it. With unfamiliar ones, this is where the play and play more in shops, and eventually a potential buy/sell cycle comes in l, until I get a firm grasp on where it slots into my playing. Or not.

I don’t tend to be fickle, but I do tend to be a bit ruthless with my opinions on the guitars. I’ve had enough to figure out what really does it for me. And if it’s not there, or can’t get there with a reasonable tweak, I have generally moved it along.

Hoping that cycle is about over tho. I have my Gibsons. I have my Fenders. And hopefully now, my PRS guitars are sorted.

No more big wish list for me. :)
 
When I started 2024 I had only 1 PRS. That was all I needed.

Back in the mid-late 90’s, the McCarty soapbar was the guitar that taught me what my musical wheel house was.

And the 2001 antique white guitar felt like a very fresh and seemingly rare color choice when I picked it up. More often than not, I am generally a less-is-more person when it comes to guitar aesthetics.

I “upgraded” this McSoapy with a few more modern PRS appointments, and it’s a stunner IMO. No flashy flames or fancy woods. Just a super classy instrument. At least it outclasses me to be sure. And it sounds wonderful with a set of Wolfetones, that I find preferable to the Duncans PRS was doing back then. I dunno what PRS puts in for soapbars now.

I had felt the PRS itch was firmly scratched by the soapbar, and I was proud of myself.

They say pride comes before the fall. Autumn was here, and off the wagon I fell. Lightning had struck with the 594 I didn’t know I needed.

You see, I fell out of love with the whole of the PRS line for a long time. Maybe a decade. Going from having over a dozen in the beginning of the 2000s, with many of those being McCartys of many varieties. 1st year 94s, McCarty trem (the pre-DGT, we’ll come back to this), multiple Rosewood necked McSoapy standards. McSoapy trems. CU22 soapbar NAMM guitars, etc. And musically I lived and breathed that McCarty sound. And loved finding rare and proto variations to try.

But then medical things happened, and I think I needed a total mental reset of sorts. And so away went the entire PRS fleet. Not all at once, but in pretty short order. One or two at a time. And eventually, nearly all my guitars.

And after a bit of time away, I started finding myself playing again. But differently. My home base was, and maybe forever will be on a Gibson. An old dogged out walnut “The Paul” Les Paul I picked up as a teen was my first real guitar. Long gone, but that scale just always felt right.

When I departed ways with my hoard of PRS, everything was the original 25” scale. And just as I was walking out, PRS was starting to bring in the 245s. I think had I tried one, I would have been an early adopter, but that wsn’t where my head was at.

And so I had watched from afar, as the PRS line has shifted and evolved over the ages. But I went “home”. Picking up a heavily used Les Paul R6, and then eventually, an R7. And then came others. But after a decade away, the nostalgia for PRS crept back in a few years ago, first an early 2000s McCarty that I played a bit and eventually sold… and then the Soapie happened. So I was happy.

But over the last decade and a half, I have had an eye on all the PRS offerings. Watched demos. Played in a store here or there. Had my eye on a DGT once or twice, a Korina McCarty or three, and especially as the 245 gave way to the 594 guitars.

It took me a while to warm to the blocky vibe of the bridge system, but the functionality was undeniable. But still, no matter what I saw or tried, there was a disconnect. And I already had LPs. So the 594 just felt… unnecessary. If not sonically, then mentally. But I couldn’t stop looking.

For years and years I looked. And even though I thought for sure I’d eventually end up with a DC version because it’s different, and came veryyy close to buying one from a shop in March of this year…. I waffled on it for a couple days, and when I finally caved and went back for it, it was gone. Doh!

Buy my fate ended up being for a different 594 entirely.

I ended up finally picking up this 594 Wood Library, with BRW board, and a Korina neck and body.

Korina was my pre-PRS dream and post-PRS revelation. It could have happened during my PRS heyday, as back in 2000 PRS refused to build a guitar out of Korina for my Private Stock order. This was way back in the “if you can dream it we can build it” PS era of mandolins, doublenecks, 7 strings, etc. So not the current pick off the list PS order sheet. Their reasoning was… a separate discussion. I went another way, had a Korina guitar with P90s built elsewhere, and my sonic world shifted immediately.

I loved Korina (why I asked PRS for it), and I knew it would make an amazing PRS. It took PRS another 7 years to finally jump onto the Korina train…I digress.

But this new 594 is just chef’s kiss, perfect for me. It’s not a Les Paul variation. It’s a killer PRS that really rocks in a complimentary vocal way. Feels great. Absolutely rips. Love the all Nitro. And bonus, it is as pretty a piece of over the top maple as I could ever want. “Less is more” went out the window.

So I thought, OK… 2… and done!!!

And then a used 1 year old DGT popped up for sale just a couple weeks later, and nearby the factory. So I drove up to MD and checked it out, a great price, and despite my best efforts to avoid more guitars, I bought it. I am usually NOT a matching guitar guy. I kinda go out of my way to avoid it. And yet here I am.

We are in the proverbial “honeymoon” phase. I am still making some mostly aesthetic tweaks to it. It feels like the McCarty trem of my dreams though. I dunno why it took me so long to actually get one. The 2 volumes is fantastic. Everyone said you gotta try… I felt like I’d been there and done that many times. I should have gotten to it sooner.

And that is where my 2024 PRS journey would end. What a ride...

Until yesterday when I made a hail mary offer on an ‘08 Korina McCarty that needs some help. To my surprise, the seller accepted, and now I have an “upgrade” resto-mod type project on the way here. Supposedly I could have it in hand before the 1st of the year… but it needs proper pickups, tuners, and such to undo some bad choices. So some time before I get it back to usable. :)

Oh lord.

I should also add, this is NOT a normal gear year for me. I go years without buying things. It has not been a huge money $plurge either. Though it still feels like it. But I sold off some pretty spendy but sonically redundant Les Pauls, with no intention to buy more guitars. It was to “simplify” for less guitars. hahaha. Joke is on me. More of a sideways shuffle. Argh.

But this is it. No more guitar musical chairs. I’ll play these. An over abundance of musical riches. Figure out what is really gonna stay, and go from there. Feeling too old to continue doing big gear shuffles.

Feels weird with this many PRS guitars in the house again. But also excited at the prospect of music to come.

Sorry for the tl/dr.

Bonus points for anyone reading my rambling history. I thought it might explain some of my own mindset, as I don’t post much, and haven’t since the Birds and Moons board days. Consider it a year’s worth of sharing posts all at once.

Share your 2024 recap if you like.
I’ll read em.

-e.

Pictured:
2023 DGT, 2024 WL 594, 2001 McSoapy





IMG-2414.jpg
What a terrific lineup!

Is that a blonde Bandmaster I see on the right?
 
I sold some sweet guitars downsizing in 2024, and didn't plan to buy a thing. I got down to 2 PRS electrics (a PS McCarty Singlecut and a '23 DGT WL). I have a PS acoustic as well.

I had no plans to replace either of the guitars I sold this year. However, a project came in for a really good client, and he wanted a vintage style Tele tone on it, so I bought a Tom Anderson.

I'm not a Tele guy. But the novelty hasn't worn off yet. I figure I'll spend a little time with it and see what happens. I never know until I live with an instrument for a while.
 
Awwww....what did that Marshall ever do to you?

Seriously, nice lineup and gear diversity. What you need to do is...I have a special elixir/repellent I drink before coming in here. With all the temptation and persuasive personalities, one needs to be on alert. ⚠️ ;)
 
That cab has just been around the block to a LOT of gigs. Passed between players and bands. I even had to do some repairs to the bottom. But it sounds good, so it has earned the scars.

It suits the head, which I dunno this may not be a bit too name-droppy, but the head was one of Alan Holdsworth’s actual touring amps when he played the US with the band he had with Bill Bruford back in the 70s, named UK. It was before my time, and Holdsworth’s playing is leagues beyond my wheelhouse. But when I was looking for an old replacement Marshall a few years ago, I spotted this head for sale on Facebook marketplace for a song.

It was such a good deal, I was paranoid it was a scam for a bit. The seller mentioned the Holdsworth connection, but I was exceedingly dubious, yet also didn’t care. It was a good price for an amp that had been modded to cascading gain stages (seller said Allan modded it.)

I figured even without the Holdsworth connection, it was a solid price for a ‘77 in toured but playablr shape.

Then I got it, pulled the chassis to clean it up and re-tube it, and low and behold there was AH’s signature. Twice. Once on the old build label, and again on the chassis itself in marker.

I ended up reaching out to Holdsworth’s camp and got confirmation that it was what it was purported to be. Talked to someone that had specific memories of it. I also found a photo of Allan with it.

Pretty neat as a piece with some history. Great sounding amp. Allan apprently didn’t like the US versions. Felt US power supplies messed with the sound too much. Then again he was never satisfied with gear, from what I hear. He sold the US heads to some industry folks in NYC before he left after the toir. Their family were the folks that had it on Facebook marketplace, of all things.

Weird small world.
 
Annnnnnd… the ‘08 McKorina is here, along with the bulk of the parts I needed, which I just finished updating. At this point I am waiting on the replacement pickups to land, so I can button it up and give it a proper rundown.

When it arrived yesterday, it had black hardware and black Fishman Fluence active pickups, and some other choices that have since largely been undone.

The gold hardware has been cleaned up, and reinstalled. The original McCarty pickups are long gone, but I have a set of custom wound Throbaks to drop in here.
The original harness has been put back in. I have the original amber knobs, but I ended up going with some vintage style CAB knobs at a nod to the 50s Korina guitars this is my nod to. The fretboard has been freshly cleaned up and oiled. It’s in the verge of being ready to rock.

So here on the tail end of 2024… I went from 1 to 3 & 7/8ths. Haha. I am just jazzed by my fortune of having been able to find them all and to 2025, and the chance to use them to great effect.

I’ll try and get a whole collection shot when the Korina is finalized.

Happy New Year to you and your own guitar families!
 
Annnnnnd… the ‘08 McKorina is here, along with the bulk of the parts I needed, which I just finished updating. At this point I am waiting on the replacement pickups to land, so I can button it up and give it a proper rundown.

When it arrived yesterday, it had black hardware and black Fishman Fluence active pickups, and some other choices that have since largely been undone.

The gold hardware has been cleaned up, and reinstalled. The original McCarty pickups are long gone, but I have a set of custom wound Throbaks to drop in here.
The original harness has been put back in. I have the original amber knobs, but I ended up going with some vintage style CAB knobs at a nod to the 50s Korina guitars this is my nod to. The fretboard has been freshly cleaned up and oiled. It’s in the verge of being ready to rock.

So here on the tail end of 2024… I went from 1 to 3 & 7/8ths. Haha. I am just jazzed by my fortune of having been able to find them all and to 2025, and the chance to use them to great effect.

I’ll try and get a whole collection shot when the Korina is finalized.

Happy New Year to you and your own guitar families!
That’s awesome! Happy New Year to you, as well.
 
Glad you got that guitar. I saw it online, but fate has determined that I don’t get anything for a while. Don’t sell Sergio, but I’m actually going to sell 2. My heart is broken that at my age I can no longer heft a 10+ lb Wood Library SC 58 that can sonically peel paint………
 
Great to hear from you Eric. It's been forever!

For those who don't know, Eric was one of the VERY early members of the old "Unofficial PRS Forum", which morphed into BaM (Birds and Moons).

If memory serves me, he was one of the group that showed up for the very first "PRS Event" at the factor, and he was instrumental in getting Ron Thorn to make the old "PRS Forum TRCs". I think it was in the Spring of 1999...

Back then, he was known as Eric "Buncha Numbers" because he used what seemed to be a random series of numbers instead of his last name...
 
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