PRS Hollowbody I, II, 594 questions

Best Hollowbody for versatility, while nailing Phish/Trey tones?

  • PRS Hollowbody I

    Votes: 7 20.6%
  • PRS Hollowbody II

    Votes: 16 47.1%
  • PRS Hollowbody II 594

    Votes: 14 41.2%

  • Total voters
    34
I've snagged one of the Wood Library McCarty 594 Hollowbody II's and anxiously await it being finished. If you watch the few videos of them out there, to me the single coil bridge, bridge/neck, and neck settings sound very acoustical, though not quite as much as the piezo HB II.

A word to the wise - if you haven't noticed, no dealer is stocking the McCarty 594 HBII (though Sweetwater appears to have a few Trampas ones on order). The only hints that any dealer will have them are several dealers have announced Wood Library orders and a few others have announced that they'll take preorders, meaning they won't order until you put down a deposit. So it appears these will not be common, in stock, at dealers. Not sure exactly why.....
 
I don't know if you ever heard of a relatively new band that is in the "up and coming touring" phase of their career called Cycles. They are obviously going for a Phish/jam band/Trey sort of thing. Their guitarist plays a plain old McCarty through a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and gets as close as many a Phish cover band than I have heard of. It isn't even semi hollow and his amp is a basic, "Working man's" amp.......the rest is his processing, and his approach to soloing.....

 
I don't know if you ever heard of a relatively new band that is in the "up and coming touring" phase of their career called Cycles. They are obviously going for a Phish/jam band/Trey sort of thing. Their guitarist plays a plain old McCarty through a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and gets as close as many a Phish cover band than I have heard of. It isn't even semi hollow and his amp is a basic, "Working man's" amp.......the rest is his processing, and his approach to soloing.....

Wow, you're spot on!
 
In case anyone is wondering, I LOVE THIS HB II !!!!!!!!! I can't put it down.

I'm going to make a separate post specifically on this guitar with photos, but wanted to at least say how I'm so blown away. After years of effort, I've finally found my guitar.
 
In case anyone is wondering, I LOVE THIS HB II !!!!!!!!! I can't put it down.

I'm going to make a separate post specifically on this guitar with photos, but wanted to at least say how I'm so blown away. After years of effort, I've finally found my guitar.
Yeah man....Now process the dog doo-doo out of that signal chain and achieve that Trey tone you are searching for ;)
 
Yeah man....Now process the dog doo-doo out of that signal chain and achieve that Trey tone you are searching for ;)

Haha. I've been playing a bit of ieverything with it. What started out as a quest for a Phish/Greatful Dead guitar has landed me the most versatile instrument I can imagine. I was playing Metallica, Tool, Skynard, Zeppelin, Nugent, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dead and Phish and it does it all. Total swiss army knife.


Why don't they make a HB with P90's? I see some semi-hollows and some SE's but no core models. Are the P90's too high output and cause feedback?
 
Lovely guitar. I have been playing a HB since '01. I've had a couple different ones. I really like them. Not for everyone, but that is ok.
This is my newest baby. 594-24 HB II. Since you said you like Trey's guitar, I think you would like this one. It is a 24 fret and Koa top and back. But only 25" scale.
261226-1.jpg

261226-2.jpg
 
This is my newest baby. 594-24 HB II. Since you said you like Trey's guitar, I think you would like this one. It is a 24 fret and Koa top and back. But only 25" scale.

My word, that looks amazing. If I continue to be this obsessed with this HB II I seriously might reconsider some other guitars I used to think of as vital, and could be looking into something like this one you posted. Congrats on that beauty. If you decide you don't like it, let me know :)
 
Lovely guitar. I have been playing a HB since '01. I've had a couple different ones. I really like them. Not for everyone, but that is ok.
This is my newest baby. 594-24 HB II. Since you said you like Trey's guitar, I think you would like this one. It is a 24 fret and Koa top and back. But only 25" scale.
261226-1.jpg
261226-2.jpg


I absolutely love the look of this guitar!! This is absolutely stunning!!! Its an ultimate Dream guitar!!
 
Lovely guitar. I have been playing a HB since '01. I've had a couple different ones. I really like them. Not for everyone, but that is ok.
This is my newest baby. 594-24 HB II. Since you said you like Trey's guitar, I think you would like this one. It is a 24 fret and Koa top and back. But only 25" scale.
261226-1.jpg

261226-2.jpg

Dude! That is spectacular!
 
Lovely guitar. I have been playing a HB since '01. I've had a couple different ones. I really like them. Not for everyone, but that is ok.
This is my newest baby. 594-24 HB II. Since you said you like Trey's guitar, I think you would like this one. It is a 24 fret and Koa top and back. But only 25" scale.
261226-1.jpg

261226-2.jpg

How you the mental strength to release this guitar to make your post is beyond my comprehension. Everything about that guitar begs you to play it and give it attention.
 
I've run the Piezo and Magnetics from my HBII into two amps at the same time. Amazing sound. One amp was the Fishman Loudbox and the other a Hughes and Kettler tube. Most excellent.
 
After some time with my HBII Piezo it's my favorite guitar by a good margin. The Pattern neck is made for me and I've already bought another PRS with that neck and considering selling others off that have other necks.
A big surprise was how much I enjoy playing it unplugged on the couch. Was not expecting that at all.
 
I've run the Piezo and Magnetics from my HBII into two amps at the same time. Amazing sound. One amp was the Fishman Loudbox and the other a Hughes and Kettler tube. Most excellent.
Yes. If you have the space it is a great way to play.
With a bit less room, I have run my piezo straight to my SoloPA and the electronics via a V Twin.
 
It really is. I am totally in love. It sounds so nice as well. Fat tones but cuts. It has a wenge neck, lots of sustain. No thin bridge pickup tones. Monster guitar.
WOW! I thought I saw Wenge and then you confirmed it. Wenge neck on a Koa HB II 594. That is incredible!

I built a bass about 15 years ago with a neck-through Wenge neck. It is a singlecut, but the sustain on it is epic. Any chance of a tone report/sample?
 
Haha. I've been playing a bit of ieverything with it. What started out as a quest for a Phish/Greatful Dead guitar has landed me the most versatile instrument I can imagine. I was playing Metallica, Tool, Skynard, Zeppelin, Nugent, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dead and Phish and it does it all. Total swiss army knife.


Why don't they make a HB with P90's? I see some semi-hollows and some SE's but no core models. Are the P90's too high output and cause feedback?
I've seen HB IIs with P90s, but I believe they were Private Stock. The way around that is to simply install P90s that are HB-sized. And if you go that route, you can always go back if you want. With a P90-routed guitar, not so much the other way around.

In regards to your HB-split want, the best way is to install mini-switches if the available room is too tight for push-pull pots. I think Tosca(?)'s HB594 has five knobs and 3 mini-switches to handle the 594/piezo preamp/output and coil-split options. It's a beast!
 
Great scores, Sonic Blue and Brandon B! Quick question while this thread is live: has anyone played a HBII with a Korina or Flame Maple neck? I've only played a Mahogany necked HBII and am trying to get a sense of how much impact other neck woods have on the tonal equation. Thanks!
 
Back
Top