NGD: 1996 McCarty w/ Questions

[Jason Penn]

As far I am aware the McCarty has never been offered with a tremolo as a option on the standard production runs. The only options were abalone bird inlays, gold hardware or (a rosewood neck on some years production runs)
here is the McCarty price list from 2000 - 2001 showing options and upgrade prices

you gotta go back a little bit. i ordered a mccartyburst/moons/trem in 98. by 2000 the option had been removed.

although i do like the dgt, i've never bonded with them. i prefer standard fret wire, and also prefer to have 1 volume knob. when i was gigging, i sang 90% of the songs we did. trying to sing, switch effects in & out, and remember both volumes was just too much for my limited intelligence

 

[Fullmoon 1971]

Who is DGT? Dave Grissom? I forget.
So there was a DGT model l and his model? Wouldn't a DGT be his model?

Yes they were two seperate models.

The Dave Grissom Signature model and the McCarty model

 

[Bob Hundemer]

So I just looked at my 98 McCarty and the SrN is written in gold. Mine is whale blue and the neck and guitar back is painted black.
I bought the guitar new so I know it's all original.
Very little wear on the guitar. I'm careful with my stuff.
Oh and it's not a 10 top either and no birds. They were too expensive!

 

[Johnny Alien]

I really prefer the McCarty to be non-flashy. This one is almost exactly like the one I tried back when they first came out.

I do find it odd that the SN on mine seems to be written in a darker ink. I thought they were all written in gold. But the S/N does match the hangtags and everything is original so I assume that's just how some of them were.

 

[Jostein]

Very nice, congrats. Love those early McCarty's.

 

[Fullmoon 1971]

you gotta go back a little bit. i ordered a mccartyburst/moons/trem in 98. by 2000 the option had been removed.

although i do like the dgt, i've never bonded with them. i prefer standard fret wire, and also prefer to have 1 volume knob. when i was gigging, i sang 90% of the songs we did. trying to sing, switch effects in & out, and remember both volumes was just too much for my limited intelligence

Thank you for reminding me, according to the 1st edition of the PRS book (1999 - hardbound slipcased & limited to 6000 copies) the tremolo was a option from 1994 - 1998.This is why I love forums, there is such a wealth of knowledge out there for when you have a senior moment.

 

[Turkeyhead]

Mine is written in dark ink like yours but isn’t as faded. It’s an old gold top with natural mahogany neck. Yours may have been stored where it had more sunlight.

 

[Johnny Alien]

So the dark ink isn't a total oddity!!

 

[Turkeyhead]

No, I’ve seen dark on plenty of other guitars. It’s used a lot on maple necks and lighter mahogany and painted colors.

 

[ScottR]

VERY cool! Congrats on your first (of likely many) welcome to thw forum...we're glad to have you!!

 

[danktat]

Sick fiddle! Those moons are nice and full of contrast. Many I've seen you only really recognize "dots". That one I can see moons from all the way over here! That was my favorite era McCarty. And that color.....yes sir!

 

[Dan Hall]

My '97 was identical. I think someone wiped down the guitar with something that was not friendly to the gold paint pen. Mine had gold serial number, no McCarty text on the back of the headstock, and the fixed stoptail bridge.

 

[shimmilou]

Awesome axe! Congrats

 

[SlapTappy]

Necro thread, but I just had to share since mine is so similar.

This is my recently acquired 1996 McCarty, serial # 627947 (which is only 12 units removed from the OP exact McCarty) and it also has a similar fading of the lettering for the serial # and for the "McCarty Model" writing on the back of the neck. Mine hasn't faded as significantly as the OP, but it's almost like the marker that was being used was running out of ink or something, it's faded in some strokes more than others, and you kind of have to hold it in the right light to read it all sometimes.

 

[Turkeyhead]

Fading or not, that is a beautiful guitar

 

[AZGiant]

New member with my first PRS and first post! I was a teenager when the McCarty was first released and I played one at my local store and fell in love but did not have funds like that at that age. I finally decided I should track one down so I took a shot with GC used and it worked in my favor as the guitar is killer. That said I have some questions.

1. The serial number is very faded (although I can make it out) and the McCarty Model text is also almost gone. Is that normal? Looks like it was done with a darker color pen vs the normal color.

2. They listed this as smokeburst but that is not correct? Anyone know which finish this is?

Loving my first PRS. I believe its all original except for the bridge (the original bridge was included though).

Man that is NICE. I am not someone that just says that as some PRS I have seen on here were not for me, but that is NICE

 

[Johnny Alien]

Love it!! Congrats!