PRS McCarty or Studio? Thoughts ....

[tolm]

Okay, I'll try and keep it brief ...

I have a Paul's Guitar and love it. In the process of shifting a lot of gear so I can get ain't he 'Mccarty thickness pattern neck' PRS for something different but with the same feel and playability. My original plan was to get a McCarty - ideally with 57/08 pickups - but they will be right at the edge of my budget. I recently found a great deal on a NOS Studio in Black Gold Wrap with a Stoptail. If I didn't have the Pauls Guitar I'd be all over it as I d really like NF pickups but I'm not sure if I need another super-flexible guitar ...

So, go for the great deal on the Studio or stick to my guns and stretch for an awesome McCarty when I can? What do you guys reckon - anyone have both (or these plus a PG?) that can comment on how the three compare tonally?

 

[tiboy]

I'm not positive, but I thought McCarty's come with a WF neck only. You may want to consider a stripped 58 that will get you the pattern neck, 24.5 scale ( like McCarty), 57/08's and a lot of great playing/sounding guitar at a very reasonable price. Of course it is a single cut.

 

[auriemma]

My 2011 McCarty came with a Pattern neck. Very much like a W/F. I got mine for 2400 at GC last week.

 

[tolm]

Yeh, Pattern or Wide/Fat feel pretty much identical to me so long as it's 22 frets and 25" scale. The 24.5" necks feel different to me - less of a V - and I'm not so keen on them. I tried a well priced second-hand Black Gold Wrap SC58 locally but was very disappointed. Looked and sounded amazing ... just didn't have the feel. I was looking for.

I've found a Smokedburst McCarty and a Dallas Shootout McCarty at a couple of UK/European shops which are potentially perfect but will be a real stretch price-wise. Then I spotted some really good deals on Studios and it got me thinking: since they have the same McCarty body-depth and Wide/Fat 25" scale 22 fret neck ... I really like Narrowfields and I'd still get me a 57/08 in the bridge ... and save some cash ...

I guess, at the end of the day, there are worse problems to have than "which if these awesome guitars should I buy?"

 

[tolm]

Well, the deal is done! I really wanted a McCarty for a Les Paul-esque tone but similar neck and playability to my Paul's Guitar: didn't want/need another "do everything" guitar so - much as the Studio looks cool - I've stuck with Plan A.

Had to hold fire on the Dallas and Smokeburst ones - just too expensive just now - but found a great looking second-hand McCarty II in my preferred Tobacco Sunburst finish, Wide/Fat neck, nicely flamed (non-10) top and 245 pickups - which I really liked in an old Mira I had briefly. Also has the "Master Voicing Circuit" which looks kinda interesting for single-coil tones or - more likely - setting a "fat boost" for solos. Not sure I need that but I figure I don't have to switch it on and the spec. was otherwise pretty much bang on what I was looking for - pickups not being 57/08s was the only 'miss' but I like 245s as well. Also at a better price than the standard McCarty's of similar condition/finish that I could find in the UK ... yup, ordered from the good ol' US of A - so here's hoping for a safe travel across the Atlantic!

 

[Raymond]

Congrats! pics when you get it!

Where you based tolm?

 

[gush]

I put a 5909 squabbin bridge in my Mccarty. It sounds totally different than my cu24 with 5909s but I really like it. Reminds me of an older LP a buddy of mine had a long time ago.

 

[tolm]

@Raymond: I'm in Bournemouth, UK. Shipping estimate is only about 5 days, though so fingers crossed! In the meantime, here's a cheeky preview with one of the shots that convinced me to go for it:

Colour (nice rich Tobacco Sunburst) and grain (clear, nice flames but nothing too obnoxious) were just what I was looking for. I looked at sooo many McCarty's - many well out of my prices range such a PS versions - and concluded that a more understated look was better for this type of guitar - at least for me - but it had to have a translucent back/neck finish, which ruled out a couple I saw locally. I even came to the conclusion that I prefer moons with a traditional finish like a burst (and on the S2 Mira/Starla models, which I was considering as a more affordable alternative to a McCarty) whereas the birds look "right" on the Customs and modern finishes like Copper or Black Gold to me.

Anyhow, I'm pretty stoked so just hope the whole customs process isn't too arduous. I think they'll send me a letter once it's in the country and then I can pay online before they'll deliver. I have the tracking number so I might see if I can 'pre-pay' to avoid any hold ups!