After years of just having an Acoustic having been 'forced' to sell my Electric (an Epiphone Les Paul Custom) due to raising a family and having had to quit gigging, I eventually got back to being in a position to be able to play electrics again. With my kids all Adults and getting my new house in order after a divorce, I finally had the income to buy a 'nice' guitar.
As it had been quite a while since I played Electrics, I wasn't comfortable in buying what was a 'dream' guitar - a Custom 24. I hadn't had a Trem, a 24 fret, a 'thin' neck etc so I thought I ought to start with something familiar - a Les Paul. Having looked around, I kept seeing minor issues - including one that had a gap in the neck-pocket big enough to hold a pick. Even the custom shop re-issues, despite costing a ridiculous amount having small issues. Admittedly a lot sounded great but I wasn't happy enough to spend that amount of money - nothing seemed to be as good as my old Epiphone. That Epiphone though was exceptional and some of my friends preferred it to their Gibson's for playability, sustain and tone but 25yrs later, I couldn't find anything that felt, sounded, played right - I was forever chasing that 'one'
PRS had launched the 594 so I thought I would try one. It sounded amazing, played great and was flawless. I tried another, same thing and the last one too. They all sounded great played incredibly well and consistently flawless - all better than the best Gibson - Not saying Les Pauls are bad btw but everyone had something that put a seed of doubt into my head about buying one and the the variety across them all was much bigger. Any way, that experience led me to buy my first PRS - a 2016 PRS McCarty 594.
I purposely opted to go for the double cut too. To me my first PRS had to look like a PRS and having heard the Single cut version, the difference was not significant enough to worry about tonal quality, sustain etc. The weight and upper fret access too were a consideration although I don't know if the fret access is more because I expect to have better fret access or because it really does.
The Pick-ups are more on the vintage side compared to the Gibson's I tried - inc the re-issues but but they also had more clarity and less muddy at the lower end too. The frictionless tone and volume pots feel great and whilst I don't have sweaty hands playing at home, its great being able to move them easily with my pinky. They are also effective right through the range which isn't the case with quite a few guitars.
Ever since I bought this guitar, I have loved what it offers and how it feels to play. The pattern Vintage neck felt right from the start, as if it had been played for years and broken in - the asymmetric carve feels like its worn that way from years of playing. I always hoped I would get to own a Custom 24 as that was the guitar I aspired to and even when I was shopping for Gibson LP, it was sipposed to be a stepping stone to get me back playing electrics - something O was most familiar with to start. This guitar though isn't a stepping stone but a very important part of my collection and I wouldn't trade it in. My 2nd was my 509 because it was at the opposite end to my 594 - a Super Strat type to give me tele/stratty tones as well as the Trem and I finally got my Custom 24 as the guitar that sits between the two...