Petition: Bring back Core Mccarty Archtop 2

[fgeorge097]

Hello PRS Forums -

I am posting this thread to collect signatures for PRS to bring back the Mccarty Archtop double cutaway in the Core lineup. The goal is to collect as many signatures as possible. I will present this list to Paul Reed Smith directly when I see him at the Experience 2017, and hope to convince him to make it happen.

Please also include what specs you would like to see. I personally would like a pattern thin neck carve, and smaller frets.

 

[jeffgoobs]

Very cool model, despite the "archtop" misnomer. But man, I wouldn't want anything but a wide/fat neck on it if we're going to play the specs game.

 

[CVS]

Hello PRS Forums -

I am posting this thread to collect signatures for PRS to bring back the Mccarty Archtop double cutaway in the Core lineup. The goal is to collect as many signatures as possible. I will present this list to Paul Reed Smith directly when I see him at the Experience 2017, and hope to convince him to make it happen.

Please also include what specs you would like to see. I personally would like a pattern thin neck carve, and smaller frets.

I am all in! I would like to see the pattern thin neck as well.
Has PRS committed to a 2017 Experience event?

 

[goof1073]

I have a friend that has wanted one of these for a long time. The killer for him in regards to PRS is neck finishes...he HATES finished necks so he's only got PRSi with Maple and RW necks...so satin offerings or those materials would be his other main limitation other than making sure the had Piezo's.

 

[Huggy Love]

When the "lifetime keeper" thread came up, my HB II was the only guitar I could think of. It happens to be a Mccarty, *AND* it just so happens to have a thin neck carve..............had to send it to PTC for that.
An arch top the same way would be another "keeper" for me.

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

I just played my friend's new arrival, '99 Archtop, and it was pretty darn awesome! I'd vote to bring it back to the Core lineup.

 

[elvis]

Are they substantially different from the Hollowbody II?

 

[drdoom8793]

Are they substantially different from the Hollowbody II?

It looks like they're a good bit thicker. Not sure beyond that.

 

[veinbuster]

It looks like they're a good bit thicker. Not sure beyond that.

They are this thick. It makes a huge difference in the sound and feel of the guitar.
Otherwise features are similar: carved top and back, controls, etc. Mine did ship with 12 gauge strings and I've kept it with them. Hollowbodies ship with a lighter gauge - 10s or 11s depending on when they were made.

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

Are they substantially different from the Hollowbody II?

Total different beast. In a good way

 

[László]

As Paul says, "When you stop buying 'em, we stop making 'em."

They stopped making 'em after only three years.

I sincerely wish you the very best of luck.

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

I have had multiples of both the regular Hollowbody and the Archtop. I have compared both models side-by-side using several examples of each. I really wanted to hear a difference but I didn't. The wood is so thick that a slightly deeper body seems to make little (if any) difference in tone (to my ears). Aside from the differences in tone that inherantly occurs from guitar to guitar (even between two identical guitars), I could not discern any tonal difference that I could attribute to the thicker body. I'm not saying they don't sound different. I am just saying that I can't hear it - acoustically or plugged-in.

I still prefer the Archtop model but that is because:
1) I like the look
2) My Archtops generally have better balance (not as much, if any, neck dive) compared to the HB model

If they made more Archtops with a fat neck and piezo, that would be cool. But the HB model is more comfortable (for me) to play. The lighter body makes it important to make sure you get one that doesn't have heavy lumber in the neck. Unless, of course, a neck-heavy guitar doesn't bother you.

 

[veinbuster]

Hans' answer surprised me a bit so I felt compelled to try mine. I do hear differences, but they aren't as dramatic as I expected. I did a couple of quick iPad videos - they don't reflect the sound all that well, but I'll post them if you are inclined to look.

HB

Archtop

Edit: explain videos.
About 15 sec snippets for each
1 volume off, 8 bars finger picking
2 volume on, 8 bars of finger picking
3 single note picked
4 chords strummed
Played through MDT with very low gain.
11s on HB, 12s on Archtop.

To me in the room the Archtop is much fully sounding acoustically and was much more prone to wanting to feedback. The amp is behind the chair I am sitting on. When I faced the amp the iPad really picked up the guitar about 20 cm in front of it more than the amp.

 

[László]

Hi Veinbuster, for some reason both videos seem to stop after a second or two, even on YouTube. Other vids there play fine, so I'm not sure what's happening. I'd love to hear these!

 

[CVS]

I had no problem watching the videos & thanks for posting. Tones seem very close to me with the Archtop having a slightly fuller sound.

 

[drdoom8793]

They are this thick. It makes a huge difference in the sound and feel of the guitar.
Otherwise features are similar: carved top and back, controls, etc. Mine did ship with 12 gauge strings and I've kept it with them. Hollowbodies ship with a lighter gauge - 10s or 11s depending on when they were made.

Very cool. I've been GASing for a hollowbody of some sort for a while now. I owned an Epi Sheraton in my younger days that I enjoyed a lot. I'll definitely have to look into grabbing something like this.

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

This discussion got me thinking about an Archtop I had that did sound notably different than the maple-top models; an Archtop 4. It had a spruce top. It was muted by comparison.

 

[veinbuster]

I had no problem watching the videos & thanks for posting. Tones seem very close to me with the Archtop having a slightly fuller sound.

I think that is a fair assessment.
I suspect the reason I thought they were farther apart sound wise is that intended to play very different things on the Archtop. It was only when playing exactly the same things back to back that it became apparent how close they were.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I'd think you'd need collect enough deposits, rather than signatures.

I appreciate the effort and affection though! I remember when I first joined I did a similar thing for the return of the CE. The eventual outcome was kinda like that Stephen King novel Pet Cemetery:

Jud Crandall: Well sometimes, dead is better. The person you put up there ain't the person that comes back. It might look like that person, but it ain't that person..

My advise is to buy used and PTC it or go PS.