Upgrade to Paul's Bridge on McCarty?

[strat63]

Good call. Gorgeous guitar too!

It looks quite plain unless you get it in the right light and angle. A little weak for a 10 Top but I'm okay with it. I knew I was was buying it as soon as I had it in my hands. It works on so many levels for me already so I'll be interested to hear if the new bridge makes much of a difference.

 

[Bogner]

Regular McCarty’s rule.

I Agree Wholeheartedly! Dare I Say The Perfect Guitar?

 

[Senor Verde]

A few years ago I bout one of these bridges and for some reason I didn't like it. A month or so ago I tried it on each of my three McCartys, with new strings and listening carefully and then playing again the next day, just to make sure I wasn't hearing something that wasn't there. The Paul's bridge does shift the mids lower, reduce plinkyness and makes things clearer in general. I have since bought another bridge and put it on a second Mc. I will be buying another for the third McCarty soon.

 

[Broseph]

I really need to get a regular McCarty back. I was a fool to let them go

 

[Bogner]

I really need to get a regular McCarty back. I was a fool to let them go

Out Of All The Guitars I Own, The OG McCarty Model Is Home For Me. I Always Come Back To Them And They Just Work For Me. Simple, To The Point, Straight Forward Guitar Goodness!

 

[bodia]

I really need to get a regular McCarty back. I was a fool to let them go

Need a friendly push????

 

[Lewguitar]

I agree. But there are skeptics who think that regardless, PRS does new things merely to sell more guitars. I don't think that's true, but sometimes a little unbiased discussion is useful.

My experience with PRS after 32 years of playing them is that the improvements are real, and you can hear them. I think Paul really is after the holy grail thing, and that's why PRS guitars are very, very fine instruments. If that also helps sell the guitars, more power to him.

Well that right there is why we play PRS guitars.

It's my favorite two PRS guitars that are in guitar stands in my music room. My Gibsons and Fenders are in their cases in the closet.

There will come a time when PRS can't make them like they used to because the wood is unavailable.

30 years? Maybe 40 or 50. Maybe sooner...

That's why I say that PRS Core guitars are all going to become very valuable in the future.

Much like old Les Pauls are now.

 

[László]

Well that right there is why we play PRS guitars.

It's my favorite two PRS guitars that are in guitar stands in my music room.

My Gibsons and Fenders are in their cases in the closet.

There will come a time when Paul gets old and PRS can't make them like they used to because the wood is unavailable.

30 years? Maybe 40 or 50.

That's why I say that PRS Core guitars are all going to become very valuable in the future. Like old Les Pauls are now.

I agree, they'll be highly sought after. Though they're made in larger numbers (except for PS and limited runs), so that would probably affect demand and price.

Won't matter to me, of course. Might be good for my kids.

 

[Bogner]

Well that right there is why we play PRS guitars.

It's my favorite two PRS guitars that are in guitar stands in my music room. My Gibsons and Fenders are in their cases in the closet.

There will come a time when PRS can't make them like they used to because the wood is unavailable.

30 years? Maybe 40 or 50. Maybe sooner...

That's why I say that PRS Core guitars are all going to become very valuable in the future.

Much like old Les Pauls are now.

Oh Good Lord I Hope You Are Right! I Knew My Problems Would Eventually Pay Off!!

 

[JasonE]

I will probably buy one of these bridges at some point. My CU22 has been my main player for a couple of months now. I just really gel with that guitar. It is so much more usable to me with the 57/08s that the PTC put in there for me. I added the resistors to the circuit that they use on the newer guitars and it made the splits totally usable on that guitar now. They were weak before and I never used them.

I need to get sorted through these boxes of parts I bought for the next batch of pedals I am going to make and get that project going before I start thinking about this bridge again. I am also going to put the resistors in my SAS. I decided I am going to pull the switch and get those terminals bent back apart on it so I can wire the resistors up.

 

[Lewguitar]

I will probably buy one of these bridges at some point. My CU22 has been my main player for a couple of months now. I just really gel with that guitar. It is so much more usable to me with the 57/08s that the PTC put in there for me. I added the resistors to the circuit that they use on the newer guitars and it made the splits totally usable on that guitar now. They were weak before and I never used them.

I need to get sorted through these boxes of parts I bought for the next batch of pedals I am going to make and get that project going before I start thinking about this bridge again. I am also going to put the resistors in my SAS. I decided I am going to pull the switch and get those terminals bent back apart on it so I can wire the resistors up.

I don't know who thought of using a resistor to ground to split a humbucker first - whether it was PRS or someone else. But it's clearly the best way I've found to do it.

Like you, I've always thought split humbuckers sounded too weak.

Now I always use a resistor to leave some of the coil that we used to eliminate still in the circuit.

Doesn't sound exactly like a Strat, but it sounds so much better than the old way of doing it.

I'd love to put a set of 57/08's in one of my CE22's.

I just can't bring myself to take out the Dragon 1's or Bare Knuckle Abraxas in them now.

 

[JasonE]

I don't know who thought of using a resistor to ground to split a humbucker first - whether it was PRS or someone else. But it's clearly the best way I've found to do it.

Like you, I've always thought split humbuckers sounded too weak.

Now I always use a resistor to leave some of the coil that we used to eliminate still in the circuit.

Doesn't sound exactly like a Strat, but it sounds so much better than the old way of doing it.

I'd love to put a set of 57/08's in one of my CE22's.

I just can't bring myself to take out the Dragon 1's or Bare Knuckle Abraxas in them now.

I believe the resistor on the tap is an old trick that Paul resurrected. I am still a bit unclear as to why and when they changed the values of the resistors to what they are using today. I know they are using carbon comp and carbon film resistors in the circuit. The two guitars that I have with them in it from the factory both have 8.8k and 2.2k resistors in them, which is different than what they use today. I put the 1.1k and 2.2k resistors in my CU22 and will be putting those in my SAS in the near future. I only have one desk to work on and it currently has a bunch of pedal building stuff on it.

 

[Lewguitar]

I believe the resistor on the tap is an old trick that Paul resurrected. I am still a bit unclear as to why and when they changed the values of the resistors to what they are using today. I know they are using carbon comp and carbon film resistors in the circuit. The two guitars that I have with them in it from the factory both have 8.8k and 2.2k resistors in them, which is different than what they use today. I put the 1.1k and 2.2k resistors in my CU22 and will be putting those in my SAS in the near future. I only have one desk to work on and it currently has a bunch of pedal building stuff on it.

I use 1.1K on the neck pickup and 2.2K on the bridge with the Bare Knuckle Abraxas pickups in this guitar.

The bridge pickup sounds like a thick single coil when split. Much more useful for soloing. Has some balls.

The neck pickup split sounds bright and clear. Nice for rhythm and "Little Wing" kind of chordal stuff.

I haven't felt a need to experiment with other resistor values.

I'm pretty satisfied with the way this ax has come along since I bought it.

New pickups, pots, switch and wiring. It wasn't even working when I got it...but it was CHEAP!

https://imgur.com/jn3jpZW

 

[Broseph]

Need a friendly push????

I’ve been on the hunt. Looking for the right era for me (ideally 2015-2020) and color combo I would like (and not fade)

 

[strat63]

I’ve been on the hunt. Looking for the right era for me (ideally 2015-2020) and color combo I would like (and not fade)

What is it about that era for you? I think PRS got so much right with this model from the beginning that I've stuck with the earlier ones. It shouldn't matter, but I even find the original ones more aesthetically pleasing. The 2nd one I posted in this thread just looks right to me. I suppose even that guitar is a little different in that it has a Brazilian rosewood neck.

Good luck on your search.

 

[JasonE]

I’ve been on the hunt. Looking for the right era for me (ideally 2015-2020) and color combo I would like (and not fade)

If I am not mistaken that year range has a scarf joint neck. The old ones do not. They are made like the core necks. I can tell you that my 06 SAS is built as good as my other core guitars. It has the same hardware and electronics of the core models I have. The body contours are the same as well. The only difference is a bolt on neck instead of glued in. The year range you specified also has some compromises in the electronics and hardware from what I have read.

As for far as fading, the new ones will more than likely have fading issues as well with some specific colors. You can minimize it with how you take care of the guitar. I have an 06 CU24 that is the same shade of whale blue today as it was when I bought it back then.

 

[Broseph]

Love the birds from this era. Phase 3 locking tuners. And the 58/15 (non LT) pickups.

I don’t frown upon scarf joints. They don’t bother me one bit.

I’ve had multiple McCarty from 2000 and on. They all rule. I foolishly sold or traded in. I always said to myself PRS did this guitar right. I tried so many 594s and did happily settle on the thin line. But I do miss the plain old regular McCarty. Way too overlooked in todays market. Most stores don’t carry much of them. And searching for them on reverb is more difficult. The 594 clearly reigns supreme and makes searches harder. I worry that they will be pulled again from the regular line. I see more Paul’s guitars, dgt’s, and 594s than regular McCarty’s

 

[AZGiant]

Depending on the nut as well, should improve your sustain I would imagine

 

[strat63]

The new bridge arrived. It's certainly shinier than the old one.

First impression is that there is definitely increased sustain. I'm not sure if anything else is much different.

 

[Bogner]

Blue Magic That Bad Boy!