SE Comparison at the the Local Dealership

[Longneck Tenon]

So my friend scored a Bernie Marsden the other day and asked me if I could bring my new MC 594 SE over to a comparison with it. We also pulled down an SC 245 just because it was there. He really wanted play the MC 594 first since it didn’t stay in the shop very long. All of them were played through a floor model Supro Keeley Custom 12 which happens to be one of two amps I play in a wet/dry rig. No pedals were used in the comparison.
McCarty 594SE: has a sound unlike anything we have played. It has a sweetness to it and sustained better than anything we played. The notes just bloomed after the initial attack. It was just a joy to play and sounded great in every pickup selection.
Bernie Marsden SE: This guitar was inspired by the 59 Les Paul that Bernie owned nicknamed “the Beast”, and it lives up to the nickname. Not surprisingly it sounded more like a Les Paul than the MC 594. It is a great rock and roll guitar, whereas we thought the 594 was bluesier to our ears. Both of us wondered what the BM would sound like with a set of 58/15 LTS pickups in it. The stock 245 pickups we good but didn’t have the sweetness of the 58/15’s.
SC 245 SE: Initially, this guitar sounded flat compared to the other two. We took a look at the pickup height which seemed pretty low so we adjusted them accordingly which gave it a badly needed lift. We liked the neck shape of the other two, but this was a very good guitar for the money. Again, we couldn’t help thinking what a pickup swap could do for it.

There was a SE Pauls Guitar there as well but we ran out of time. We are hoping an S2 or Core McCarty 594 will show up soon as well, but it was a lot of fun!

 

[markd21]

Cool!!! Comparisons/shootouts are always fun.

 

[andy474x]

I have an SE Akesson, which is another take on the SE 245, and a 594 or two, and I think you’re spot on!

I used to think there needed to be more 2 piece bridges in the lineup, now I think we need some stoptails back… truth is, I need them both!

 

[bodia]

Marsden’s are incredible, especially at that price range. I loved mine, a lot. Modded it quite a bit, too.

 

[Longneck Tenon]

It sure seems like there are quite a few on Reverb!

 

[Longneck Tenon]

Cool!!! Comparisons/shootouts are always fun.

I continued the comparison this morning with the following:
PRS Swamp Ash Special: very smooth neck pickup sounds, I think it excels at moody Tremolo driven sounds, and the vibrato bar is nice to have as well. It has its own character that is perfect for some of the songs I play.
Hamer USA Studio P90: this was the first really nice guitar I bought new in 2006, and it may be the best. I saw a recent article in GP magazine with Joe Bonamassa who said there should be more Les Pauls with P90 instead of humbucker pickups. If you play Americana or blues this is the Les Paul style guitar you want.
Epiphone 59 Les Paul reissue: This guitar continues to surprise and amaze me with all of the different shades of tone that are available between the two volume and tone controls. I don’t know if it is the vintage wiring, the Burstbucker pickups or some other voodoo, but it is definitely worth the money.
So how did the 594 hold up against this trio? Very well. I think it will be my go to guitar for gigging. It’s light, can cover a lot of ground tonally, and the neck is a delight to play up and down on. Great guitar.

 

[Lewguitar]

How do you guys feel about the pickups in the Bernie Marsden? They seemed a little weak to me.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

How do you guys feel about the pickups in the Bernie Marsden? They seemed a little weak to me.

Ehhhh…They were just the G&B 245’s so, not great.

 

[bodia]

How do you guys feel about the pickups in the Bernie Marsden? They seemed a little weak to me.

I dropped a set of Bare Knuckle Abraxas in mine.

 

[Longneck Tenon]

How do you guys feel about the pickups in the Bernie Marsden? They seemed a little weak to me.

We thought so too, but raising them up a bit helped. Not nearly as good as the 85/15S LT’s in the MC 594SE though.

 

[Glide-bpm]

I dropped a set of Bare Knuckle Abraxas in mine.

Boinnnnggggggggg...

 

[Lewguitar]

How do you guys feel about the pickups in the Bernie Marsden? They seemed a little weak to me.

They do sound good in the Bernie Marsden itself. I'm starting to quite like them.

I have a set of the 245's in a SE Singlecut and don't like them as much. They DO sound weak in that guitar.

Something about the Bernie's short scale, and lightweight, thick, fat, very resonant body fattens them up when they're in the guitar itself.

Great guitar. One of the nicest playing instruments I've ever owned.

Haven't decided on the pickups yet. Thought about Duncan Antiquitys as i have an extra set but I'm thinking going with some Bare Knuckle Mules or Abraxas too.

My guitars without locking tuners stay in tune fine, but I use the under and over string wrap to lock the string ends in place and keep the strings from slipping.

Works like a charm once you get it down.

 

[Lewguitar]

I dropped a set of Bare Knuckle Abraxas in mine.

As I am about to as well! Just placed the order this morning with BKP. Said it'd be about 3 weeks.

They're going in my Bernie Marden.