NGD - (new to me) - 2006 McCarty Hollowbody Spruce w/ Piezo

[shinksma]

This beauty arrived this morning here at my work:

I prefer birds on the fretboard (what can I say, they are a nice looking feature IMHO), but the moons look very nice too, in an understated way.

I hadn't been specifically looking to get another guitar, since I have a ZM Spalted on order, but while browsing the interwebz I found something that really picqued my interest.

Sorry for the lousy cell-phone pix and office lighting - I intend to take some nice outdoor shots of this, my MM Baritone and my Cu24 this weekend, weather and time permitting.

Very gently used, no buckle-rash, no pick wear, hardly any fret-wear. Has a really nice unplugged tone, similar to my Epi Casino. I can't wait to find out what the piezo sounds like when I get home.

Feels quite nice, very light of course. I'll slap some new strings on there too, and maybe adjust the action (a little high on the bass side for me, but still plays very nicely!).

There were two other nuts in the case. I honestly don't know what is what, nut-wise (insert smart-aleck remark here...), one is thinner and more bone-colored, and the other is a dark graphite color, same thickness as the one currently installed.

I better stop browsing online sources of PRSi - I really need to focus on other expenses right now. But this was just too nice looking, and met some needs/wants very completely.

 

[thieves&foxes]

Stunning! Would love to try one of those out someday!

 

[toothace]

Congrats! Great looking guitar!

 

[vox801]

very cool! enjoy it!

 

[sergiodeblanc]

So Bangin'!

 

[László]

I love it.

 

[CantankerousCarl]

Congrats! Play the crap out of her!

 

[Raven17]

Sweet guitar, love me some PRS Hollowbody

 

[gush]

I REALLY want one of those!!!!!!! Nice score!

 

[AaeCee]

Awesome. Spruce tops on HB's are simply perfect. I've never heard a spruce topped HB or Archtop that didn't sound extraordinary regardless of which pickups were installed.

 

[shinksma]

So I took this guitar to band practice tonight (seven hours after I got her!), and the piezo pickup, combined with an acoustic-simulator Boss pedal (with settings turned down a fair bit) sounds more authenticly like an acoustic guitar than my band-mate's acoustic guitar straight into a PA-style amp. I still need to tweak the action and put new strings on, but so far this beast is a beauty.

And it sounds just as awesome through some distortion pedals - nice and heavy when needed, good bluesy growl on more moderate settings or using a less-aggressive pedal. Feedback at the most extreme was still very controllable.

I think this will become my go-to gigging guitar for much of my usual fare (which is folk/Irish/trad and acoustic-like covers), whereas the death metal and heavy prog I play for my own entertainment will be via the Cu24, often tuned to Drop-D...

 

[Egads]

Congrats. That is a sweet one.

 

[shinksma]

A couple of pics, one with the other members of my PRS family, one solo shot:

I had mentioned the extra two nuts that came with the guitar - one that looks like the stock graphite/whatever nut, and another thinner nut, of a bone-like color. Can anyone guess at what kind of nut is currently installed on this instrument? Should I consider going back to the stock one?

The strings currently on the guitar are 12-52s (3rd wound) - I will probably go back to the stock string gauge of 11-46. (Anyone know why the stock gauges differ for hollowbodies depending on whether a piezo bridge is installed?)

 

[jfb]

My favorite hollow body was a PRS. Great guitars. I wouldn't mind owning another sooner rather than later.

 

[watelessness]

Mmmmm, spruce. Great score!

 

[g.wizz]

Congrats...Such an understated simple beauty

 

[slowro]

Congrats
A spruce hb with piezo is one of my dream guitars (that, a modern eagle trem in tiger red and a USA 7 string cu24 trem and I would be GASless)

It's a good un, I am very jealous!

 

[shinksma]

Congrats
A spruce hb with piezo is one of my dream guitars (that, a modern eagle trem in tiger red and a USA 7 string cu24 trem and I would be GASless)

It's a good un, I am very jealous!

heh, I wouldn't mind a 7-stringer either, and I may pick up an SE later this year (Birthday or Christmas present to myself?) just to play around with that sound - wish it came with a trem though, just like you want!

I was playing a fair bit this weekend, and I really dig the unique tones I can get with this guitar. And with my acoustic simulator pedal (dialed back from what I use normally), it really fills out the piezo pickup signal and gives a nice authentic acoustic sound.

What also occasionally surprises me is how light the guitar is - compared to my Cu24, it feels like a feather.

 

[HighGain510]

A couple of pics, one with the other members of my PRS family, one solo shot:

Maaaaan that is a SWEET trio right there! I love the new addition, have a huge soft spot for HB Spruce models personally!

 

[slowro]

heh, I wouldn't mind a 7-stringer either, and I may pick up an SE later this year (Birthday or Christmas present to myself?) just to play around with that sound - wish it came with a trem though, just like you want!

I was playing a fair bit this weekend, and I really dig the unique tones I can get with this guitar. And with my acoustic simulator pedal (dialed back from what I use normally), it really fills out the piezo pickup signal and gives a nice authentic acoustic sound.

What also occasionally surprises me is how light the guitar is - compared to my Cu24, it feels like a feather.

I'm sure PTC could fit a trem easily enough