NGD: S2 McCarty Thinline

[fatherbowie]

I actually got this a couple of weeks ago, but just got some amber knobs and a cream switch tip to complete the look. I think it's better than the black knobs and tip.

I love this guitar. It feels so great to hold and play. It's very light and snappy, and has a great unplugged tone. I have a bit of a love/hate thing going with the pickups. Sometimes I think they're great, other times I can't stand them. I picked up a set of Bare Knuckle Mules to drop in, but it's been a while since I've wired up pickups and I might seek out a pro to do it for me.

Anyway, this post is about the mahogany grain and the cosmetic upgrades.

 

[toothace]

Looking good!

Sweet top!

 

[garrett]

Winning.

 

[Russ73]

I picked up a black one used for a grand in mint condition and love it...mine weighs under 7lbs with zero neck dive....overall I'm ok with the pups so far....enjoy!!

 

[bodia]

Sweet as sweet. A classic finish

 

[fatherbowie]

Sweet as sweet. A classic finish

I actually bought another one previously sight unseen from MF in vintage cherry, and it was incredibly bright, several shades lighter than my vintage cherry S2 Singlecut. It was almost orange. I had to return that guitar. The tobacco burst is MUCH better!

 

[Aahzz]

Sweet!!!

 

[dmatthews]

Lovely indeed, congrats!

 

[DISTORT6]

That looks awesome.

 

[SinSir]

Nice Score!

 

[WA Paul]

Congrats! 594 = win

 

[g.wizz]

lovely rockin' machine, enjoy.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

F@ckin’ hot! Congratulations.

 

[Henry2]

I got exactly the same, also a few weeks ago. Also a bit unsure about the pups. Bridge is quite hot, and it's almost all the way down already, so not much wiggle room with height adjustment.

In fact, just ordered a used set of SD Saturday Night Specials. Hope they'll turn me into Doug Rappoport.

 

[CrimesAgainstMusic]

Yep ! That is my guitar. Love everything about it. You will have to tell us if you do the pickup swap ...
For me ,they work just fine. Not sure what others expect them to do ....

I am surprised however, that you did not mention the "vintage tuners" . Which although I am a terrible stringer,( and I put SE Lockers on all my SE's ) Will stay in the guitar as I think they work better than the SE Lockers ...stability wise ...

 

[NBW]

I was playing my SE CU24 with BK Stormy Mondays, god I love how they sound. I should just put them in everything.

 

[aphantomvaper]

That finish is really great. The Amber knobs really make it pop!

I love 4 color guitars and the Black, Brown, Chrome and Brass really come together here.

 

[AllenTN]

I actually got this a couple of weeks ago, but just got some amber knobs and a cream switch tip to complete the look. I think it's better than the black knobs and tip.

Those changes are exactly what I thought I wod do if I get a 'burst or Cherry finish TL. Your pics confirmed it for me.

 

[Tom Bradovich]

Great looking guitar, FB, and the cosmetic upgrades you made really help tie it all together. I, like Crimes Against Music, like the 58/15 pups, but to each his own. My only niggle with my TL is with the tuners. I love the vintage look, but they do not hold tune the way I expected. I am very rhythmic when I play, and I do hit the strings pretty good, but I still expected a better hold on tuning. Spertzle lockers came on my Carvin and they are rock solid. I changed the standard Fender tuners on the Tele to Schaller lockers and they were rock solid. Not sure what I'm going to do with the TL tuners.

 

[fatherbowie]

Great looking guitar, FB, and the cosmetic upgrades you made really help tie it all together. I, like Crimes Against Music, like the 58/15 pups, but to each his own. My only niggle with my TL is with the tuners. I love the vintage look, but they do not hold tune the way I expected. I am very rhythmic when I play, and I do hit the strings pretty good, but I still expected a better hold on tuning. Spertzle lockers came on my Carvin and they are rock solid. I changed the standard Fender tuners on the Tele to Schaller lockers and they were rock solid. Not sure what I'm going to do with the TL tuners.

I think you might look at the nut. I also hit the guitar pretty good and my vintage style tuners are fine. Still have the factory strings on, although I'm probably pretty soon going to put some Elixir 10's on. On a tuner like this I always do the lock method but not sure if that was done on these strings, I haven't looked that closely.

The pickups aren't terrible, but I recently picked up an Epiphone ES-339 "Inspired by Gibson" (new model) with their "Alnico Pro" pickups and I like them better than the S2 pickups. I'm not sure I can explain why very easily. I have played with the height, which is step #1 before contemplating any pickup swap. The Bare Knuckle Mules are sitting in the closet waiting for the swap.

I also started having some issues with the bridge pickup cutting out or getting very quiet, and I think it might be the volume pot. Although the guitar is new, I sprayed some cleaner in the pot and that seemed to help a bit. Maybe I'll swap the pots when I swap the pickups.

I also got an Eastman T184MX that came factory with Bare Knuckle Boot Camp Old Guards, and those pickups are pretty great. So I think I'm barking up the right tree with the Bare Knuckles.