Why do I not like the sound of my beautiful McCarty?

This tone issue is:


  • Total voters
    66
It's definitely the pickups, I also think you should upgrade the bridge, as I have learned the one piece nonadjustable stop tail creates A Slight slurry Tone effect.
I have a 2009 limited edition Ted DC 245. I've transformed it into the best guitar I've ever owned.
Factory set up was nice, The 5708's were good And really found them to be pretty nice, except I found a Pearly Gates swap exposed the 5708's Weakness they can have flubby power chords.
I've also owned about 20 Gibson Les Paul's many years ago, I went down the PAF rabbit hole. Experimenting with about 20 different sets. Alnico II is susceptible to flubbiness. Alnico 5, can get too Harsh. I've always struggled I can get the top 3 strings dialed in control harshness, then the bottom 3 strings are then flubby unsatisfying. Get the bottom 3 strings tight and great then the top 3 strings cut your throat with harshness.
After 15 years I finally tried the bareknuckle mule, alnico IV magnets, it was life-changing for me, finally all 6 strings, Sounded the way they're supposed to sound, crisp even tone. on every string, harmonics are available, the fantastic blooming harmonics on power chords is astounding in my opinion. I was also stupidly only putting PRS pickups in the PRS guitars.... finally put the bareknuckle mules in that McCarty, it's the Les Paul I've been looking for for 15 years, The bareknuckle mules are 1 of the highest rated, highly reviewed PAF's, very few haters. The only reason I didn't try them earlier was in the past it took 3 weeks to ship from the UK. But now you can get them overnighted.

Here it is in stockArrival, good, Very good...... but I was with you, why don't I like the sound of it?
8kqga9H.jpg


I also had a core Mira for several years, I upgraded to the Mann made 2300 bridge, I sold that one because the neck didn't fit my hand just didn't quite fit. So I started looking at other stop tail wraparound bridge.

So the 2nd piece of the puzzle is the John Mann, mann-made bridge 2300, The individual saddles isolate the strings to keep it from getting blurry tone wise.
It's an automatic upgrade for many of the folks here. PRS's is equally good individual brass saddles intonatable, . So those are my recommendations bareknuckle pickups alnico IV,
I also decided on the uncovered versions, I did put them in other guitars, and I like the extra crisp attack with no cover,
it actually will transform the guitar, (new bridge and new Bare Knuckles) I've let a couple of friends play it the sustain is simply astounding with the new bridge everybody now wants that guitar from me. It's also part of Ted McCarty and Paul DNA in the guitar, It's an extremely high quality guitar,
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I fully concur on the BKP Mule pickups. Mated to the excellence of PRS guitar construction, they are about as good as it gets.
 
I’m late to the party... but if your journey to rediscovering the 80s with the guitar proves fruitless, I would change the pickups before spending more money on multiple modifications. The first thing I did to all of my McCarty guitars was rip those McCarty pickups out. They just didn’t do anything for me. You could try 57/08s, the BK Mules, some Throbaks, etc. If you try one of those sets and the tone still isn’t to your liking, it might be time to move on to another guitar. Another possibility is that maybe PRS guitars aren’t your cup o tea.

One thing that I’ve learned in order to stay sane is to avoid trying to coax LP out of a PRS. I have a few LPs that I love and they sound slightly different from each other... but similar. My PRS guitars sound and feel like PRS guitars. I’ve played several 594s; I don’t own any. They were close but still sounded like a PRS to me. One of my McCarty guitars stays in the middle position, the other lives in the neck position (and when split, sounds SO single coily) and my Custom 24 changes positions like personalities throughout the day depending on the amp. They each have a specific tone and they each sound good to me... they’ve all had pickup swaps to get them to where they sound good to me.

To answer the poll, I vote for a tie between 1. It’s the pickups and 2. It’s the way the guitar is built (with regard to comparing a McCarty build to a LP build).
 
I’m late to the party... but if your journey to rediscovering the 80s with the guitar proves fruitless, I would change the pickups before spending more money on multiple modifications. The first thing I did to all of my McCarty guitars was rip those McCarty pickups out. They just didn’t do anything for me. You could try 57/08s, the BK Mules, some Throbaks, etc. If you try one of those sets and the tone still isn’t to your liking, it might be time to move on to another guitar. Another possibility is that maybe PRS guitars aren’t your cup o tea.

One thing that I’ve learned in order to stay sane is to avoid trying to coax LP out of a PRS. I have a few LPs that I love and they sound slightly different from each other... but similar. My PRS guitars sound and feel like PRS guitars. I’ve played several 594s; I don’t own any. They were close but still sounded like a PRS to me. One of my McCarty guitars stays in the middle position, the other lives in the neck position (and when split, sounds SO single coily) and my Custom 24 changes positions like personalities throughout the day depending on the amp. They each have a specific tone and they each sound good to me... they’ve all had pickup swaps to get them to where they sound good to me.

To answer the poll, I vote for a tie between 1. It’s the pickups and 2. It’s the way the guitar is built (with regard to comparing a McCarty build to a LP build).

My experience with les Paul's...... firstly we have way too many expectations about one particular guitar, i.e.that it can cover every LP tone ever made, It seemed like every guitar song I wanted to learn needed a Les Paul, guns and roses Slash, Jimmy page, Mick Jones of foreigner, Billy Gibbons ZZ Top. Joe Perry of Aerosmith, I ended up with 5 different Les Paul's, all at the same time to cover each song/band that I wanted to cover, stupid. so glad I came up and out of the Alice in Wonderland rabbit hole.
There's no doubt each LP was excellent at one specific tone, some were good (awesome) at the 5 bottom power chords, that's it nothing else. Play it for 5 minutes put it down. Others were good at the intricate solo runs. Play it for 10 minutes put it down. It seemed like I could not get one Les Paul to cover multiple genres. I gave up. I just counted them up, I over invested and owned 13 different Les Paul's in 13 years. None of them stayed in tune. The headstock is an engineering nightmare. None of them were keepers some were close. The closest was a 2015 weight relieved HP LP, but the McCarty actually blows it away.
The McCarty 245 (7.0 lbs) and the bareknuckle's can get 90% of everything it is amazing, it doesn't quite get the full massive thunder, of a 12 pound Les Paul but it gets 90% of the way there (no one wants a 12 lb guitar), I cannot ask for more. 90% of slash's intricate solo runs on the neck pickup beautiful, not perfect, but oh so close and so happy. And so in tune.
 
My experience with les Paul's...... firstly we have way too many expectations about one particular guitar, i.e.that it can cover every LP tone ever made, It seemed like every guitar song I wanted to learn needed a Les Paul, guns and roses Slash, Jimmy page, Mick Jones of foreigner, Billy Gibbons ZZ Top. Joe Perry of Aerosmith, I ended up with 5 different Les Paul's, all at the same time to cover each song/band that I wanted to cover, stupid. so glad I came up and out of the Alice in Wonderland rabbit hole.
There's no doubt each LP was excellent at one specific tone, some were good (awesome) at the 5 bottom power chords, that's it nothing else. Play it for 5 minutes put it down. Others were good at the intricate solo runs. Play it for 10 minutes put it down. It seemed like I could not get one Les Paul to cover multiple genres. I gave up. I just counted them up, I over invested and owned 13 different Les Paul's in 13 years. None of them stayed in tune. The headstock is an engineering nightmare. None of them were keepers some were close. The closest was a 2015 weight relieved HP LP, but the McCarty actually blows it away.
The McCarty 245 (7.0 lbs) and the bareknuckle's can get 90% of everything it is amazing, it doesn't quite get the full massive thunder, of a 12 pound Les Paul but it gets 90% of the way there (no one wants a 12 lb guitar), I cannot ask for more. 90% of slash's intricate solo runs on the neck pickup beautiful, not perfect, but oh so close and so happy. And so in tune.

It’s great that you found what works for you. Unfortunately that 90% was still not close enough for me so when I want to hear ‘LP tone’ I pick up the LP. My LPs all sound 100% like LPs... and they stay in tune. They are also all under 10 lbs. If I were to expect them to sound like a PRS, then I’d be just as frustrated as when i was when trying to make the PRS sound like them...

Hell, I’ve had almost 20 different guitars in the past 4 years or so. I finally admit that trying to force my PRS guitars to sound like a non-PRS was a lost cause. Each of my PRS instruments now sound like awesome PRS guitars and I’m happy with that. PRS sounds 100% like PRS and the Gibson LP sounds 100% like a Gibson LP.
 
Hi,
I am new to the PRS forum and I have (must say had) the exact same problem.
My 2006 McCartyRW that I bought at the end of 2019 never sounded quite right to me.
It is an absolutely georgeous guitar and that modell was a dream for me since it came out.
I aquired it and I was clueless what the problem was (besides my musical abilities ;-) ).
Changed pickups because the bridge pup was a dragon and way too hot for my playing style.
A 57/08 went in and still it was not what I was wishing for.
Another pickup( a 245 treble) came and it was kind of right.

What really made a big difference for me was to change the wraparound tailpiece to the newer
one with brass inlays! ( ACC-4053)

The guitar sings and rings at it's best and is a joy to play.

Best wishes
Tim
 
Glad you got it sorted, Tim. Chasing tone is a really long journey. Mine has ended with a 509, and a DC3. None of my other PRS are going anywhere, in case I change my tone mind.
 
My advice? Start by checking your setup (bridge settings, pickup height, intonation), and then play around with your amp settings and/or pedal settings. Make sure that you can't get the sound you're looking for from adjusting the other components in your chain, before you start swapping pickups.
 
I have a beautiful 2007 McCarty with an amber sunburst finish. I bought it new back in 2007 or 2008. The guitar is perfectly built, stays in tune, intonates well, has good sustain, etc. I want to love the guitar, but there is something about the tone of the guitar that has always left me feeling unsatisfied. I have a 59 RI Les Paul Standard and I love the tone of that guitar, even though it's hard to keep it in tune and it is not as well built as my McCarty. However, it's not that the McCarty sounds different from the Les Paul. I understand it's a different animal (especially since it's not a 594 McCarty), and I'm okay with that (and in fact would like the ability to get some different sounds than my Les Paul can). So it's not that the tone is different from the LP that leaves me feeling unsatisfied. The issue is that the tone is harsh and lacking in subtlety and nuance. It's almost like the pickups are microphonic or have some weird aggressive buzz in the upper midrange/lower treble end. Also, I can't phrase notes with dynamics and subtle nuances. The guitar seems to want to honk in a sort of a harsh and aggressive manner no matter how I pluck the strings. It feels like there is no way to phrase notes softly or with care. It's difficult to dig into notes and to get them to sing with warmth or creaminess. Instead the sounds come out with a harsh, hollow, edgy sound lacking in warmth and richness. The bridge pickup is very trebly of course, but the neck pickup is dark while still lacking in warmth somehow. For a long time I thought it was the guitar itself - with it's thinner body and neck compared to my Les Paul, different bridge, taller frets, etc. However, now I'm wondering if the pickups are a big part of it, because the guitar sounds pretty nice unplugged and has great natural sustain. I can hear some of the edginess and honkiness when the guitar is unplugged but it still sounds better than when it's plugged in and I can coax nice subtle, expressive tones from it unplugged. Has anyone had similar issues with their McCarty? Any thoughts on why the guitar sounds the way I'm describing? I'm not a PRS guy generally (mainly Gibsons and Fenders), so maybe I just don't know how PRS guitars are supposed to sound.
I just got one , mine has a kornia back and sounds drastically different that my others . I started using david grissoms approach to playing and it really helped me understand how these things work . It makes a huge difference
 
Strings perhaps? Nickels are the only way to go with a McCarty. I have a 94' that preceeds the "first 100" release. It is my all time favorite PRS. I will never sell it. It has been rode hard, new frets twice, almost ready for a third because they are not worn this time, just over compensated with trying jumbos the third time and they are not to my complete liking. Changed the tuners from the crappy Klusons to Schaller locking, mostly because two of the Klusons were not holding on to tune. Had to buy a new PRS bridge because the original was peeling and cutting/chaffing my wrist. Put new pup rings because they turned dark amber and were brittle. Love this guitar. When the PTC reopens it will go back for a refin, frets and phase III's. Cannot imagine a better keeper. I guess what I'm saying is yours may not be the right one for you. Back to the strings, try some nickels , bring everything to zero on the amp, save the volume, and work one knob at a time. When that knob is right, remember it, bring it back to zero and go on to the next. I say that cause I see folks trying out a PRS 594 and go right to their desired LP settings and complain the guitar is not right. As you have said and we all say, each guitar is it's own thing. Just wish the empty heads cranking volume at GC knew that.
 
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PRS have their own sound(s). I like the sound. If you keep referencing back to Gibsons & Fenders, you aren't embracing the sound you have.

IMO if you dont like basic the sound of the guitar, you are limited in what you can do. Yes you can alter it with other pickups, amp, signal processing etc. but these are all additions to the build, and the build has its own sound.
 
It's definitely the pickups, I also think you should upgrade the bridge, as I have learned the one piece nonadjustable stop tail creates A Slight slurry Tone effect.
I have a 2009 limited edition Ted DC 245. I've transformed it into the best guitar I've ever owned.
Factory set up was nice, The 5708's were good And really found them to be pretty nice, except I found a Pearly Gates swap exposed the 5708's Weakness they can have flubby power chords.
I've also owned about 20 Gibson Les Paul's many years ago, I went down the PAF rabbit hole. Experimenting with about 20 different sets. Alnico II is susceptible to flubbiness. Alnico 5, can get too Harsh. I've always struggled I can get the top 3 strings dialed in control harshness, then the bottom 3 strings are then flubby unsatisfying. Get the bottom 3 strings tight and great then the top 3 strings cut your throat with harshness.
After 15 years I finally tried the bareknuckle mule, alnico IV magnets, it was life-changing for me, finally all 6 strings, Sounded the way they're supposed to sound, crisp even tone. on every string, harmonics are available, the fantastic blooming harmonics on power chords is astounding in my opinion. I was also stupidly only putting PRS pickups in the PRS guitars.... finally put the bareknuckle mules in that McCarty, it's the Les Paul I've been looking for for 15 years, The bareknuckle mules are 1 of the highest rated, highly reviewed PAF's, very few haters. The only reason I didn't try them earlier was in the past it took 3 weeks to ship from the UK. But now you can get them overnighted.

Here it is in stockArrival, good, Very good...... but I was with you, why don't I like the sound of it?
8kqga9H.jpg


I also had a core Mira for several years, I upgraded to the Mann made 2300 bridge, I sold that one because the neck didn't fit my hand just didn't quite fit. So I started looking at other stop tail wraparound bridge.

So the 2nd piece of the puzzle is the John Mann, mann-made bridge 2300, The individual saddles isolate the strings to keep it from getting blurry tone wise.
It's an automatic upgrade for many of the folks here. PRS's is equally good individual brass saddles intonatable, . So those are my recommendations bareknuckle pickups alnico IV,
I also decided on the uncovered versions, I did put them in other guitars, and I like the extra crisp attack with no cover,
it actually will transform the guitar, (new bridge and new Bare Knuckles) I've let a couple of friends play it the sustain is simply astounding with the new bridge everybody now wants that guitar from me. It's also part of Ted McCarty and Paul DNA in the guitar, It's an extremely high quality guitar,
QgBf4PL.jpg

yQo9d4L.jpg

You can save it
I put an adjustable bridge on my McCarty but I think it was from a sc250.

I did locking posts as well, my bridge stays tight and I can take all of the strings off and bridge stays put.
 
My advice? Start by checking your setup (bridge settings, pickup height, intonation), and then play around with your amp settings and/or pedal settings. Make sure that you can't get the sound you're looking for from adjusting the other components in your chain, before you start swapping pickups.
Strings perhaps?...
I quoted myself for reference, but I also partially-quoted Audie because he mentioned another component that can be checked before a pickup swap. I don't have an educated opinion on his specific recommendations, but your choice of strings can definitely make a difference, too!
 
I quoted myself for reference, but I also partially-quoted Audie because he mentioned another component that can be checked before a pickup swap. I don't have an educated opinion on his specific recommendations, but your choice of strings can definitely make a difference, too!

The strings are the most often overlooked part in getting "your" sound. I see guitar videos comparing identical model styles from different builders "right off the shelf" with each other on youtube. If the only common denominator is the body style or shape and pup configuration, I'm sorry, that is shallow and the comparison has to have more in common to be relevant. The simple and logical common denominator is the same gauge and brand of strings. Something contributing to the sound has to be the same on both guitars. Otherwise, the comparison is useless. That is how important a different a set of strings mean. String gauge is then the next factor. The guitars can be their own beast, but they need to have the same strings to truly see how the guitars are the same or different. This is my same approach to the OP's pursuit. Try the strings before any other change.

I see alot of votes in the poll putting the pickups as the culprit. If the OP desires that PAF classic rock vibe, then nickel strings are the only way to go. That is pretty much all they had back then. For as much as the PAF tone has an identity of it's own, and I mean the stock McCarty pups in your guitar, that PAF tone includes nickel strings in the recipe. The McCarty pups in my 94 McCarty have mellowed to a beautiful tone. Next troubleshoot is the amp settings. Just because it seems to be the right setting, doesn't mean it really is.
 
Please try different strings and gauges. It has worked for me. That said, I do have a set of custom Seth Lovers wired for coil tap always on standby. My hypocrisy knows no bounds!:rolleyes:
 
UPDATE - ONE YEAR LATER
Hi everyone - I wanted to write an update with my thoughts after working with the guitar a lot more since I first started this post. I’ve been preparing for a few months for an upcoming out of town recording session, and after a previous bad recording experience with my Les Paul R9 (totally unable to stay in tune in a studio environment) I decided to use my McCarty this time. I wanted a guitar that I could absolutely rely on to perform without issues and stay in tune. This has forced me to play the McCarty a lot and now I’m starting to find its tonal capabilities and really appreciate them. Thoughts:
- It stays in tune for days. Every time I check it, it’s still in tune.
- It’s very precise and sensitive to what you play. This means it can sound perfectly on pitch if you play cleanly and well but also notes can sound off pitch if you don’t play precisely. It feels like the Les Paul hides more errors with its looser strings, smaller frets and fat creamy sound.
- The tone is more assertive and brighter then a Les Paul. Also a tighter sound and rounder sound. Kind of brassy. Not diffuse and creamy like a Les Paul. I think this has a lot to do with the longer scale length vs the LP. BTW I’m speaking mainly of the bridge pickup which is the one I care about. (I don’t use the neck pickup in any of my guitars vey much.)
- The McCarty really stands out in the mix. Great for recording snd being heard through the mix of sounds.
- I’m really appreciating the tonal capabilities of the guitar and discovering I can create different sounds with it than the LP and maybe even be more expressive with it. I’m digging it!
 
A good eq pedal can help sometimes also. I had a couple of PRS'S I didn't bond with but after purchasing a Boss eq 200 I'm getting the tones I want.
 
UPDATE - ONE YEAR LATER
Hi everyone - I wanted to write an update with my thoughts after working with the guitar a lot more since I first started this post. I’ve been preparing for a few months for an upcoming out of town recording session, and after a previous bad recording experience with my Les Paul R9 (totally unable to stay in tune in a studio environment) I decided to use my McCarty this time. I wanted a guitar that I could absolutely rely on to perform without issues and stay in tune. This has forced me to play the McCarty a lot and now I’m starting to find its tonal capabilities and really appreciate them. Thoughts:
- It stays in tune for days. Every time I check it, it’s still in tune.
- It’s very precise and sensitive to what you play. This means it can sound perfectly on pitch if you play cleanly and well but also notes can sound off pitch if you don’t play precisely. It feels like the Les Paul hides more errors with its looser strings, smaller frets and fat creamy sound.
- The tone is more assertive and brighter then a Les Paul. Also a tighter sound and rounder sound. Kind of brassy. Not diffuse and creamy like a Les Paul. I think this has a lot to do with the longer scale length vs the LP. BTW I’m speaking mainly of the bridge pickup which is the one I care about. (I don’t use the neck pickup in any of my guitars vey much.)
- The McCarty really stands out in the mix. Great for recording snd being heard through the mix of sounds.
- I’m really appreciating the tonal capabilities of the guitar and discovering I can create different sounds with it than the LP and maybe even be more expressive with it. I’m digging it!

Dave,

Good to hear you're finding how to work with your McCarty. If your guitar has stock McCarty pickups in it, some have previously stated on other posts how they have not particularly liked the tone/sound of McCarty pickups, and have swapped them out for 57/08s. While it's a pricey upgrade, it might well be worth the cost. There are many who attest to the tone of 57/08s in their guitars. The other option is the one that @Steve's addiction posted...a decent EQ pedal can be more precise in tuning in what EQ frequencies reach the front of your amp...

A good eq pedal can help sometimes also. I had a couple of PRS'S I didn't bond with but after purchasing a Boss eq 200 I'm getting the tones I want.

Will support this thought 100%. A good EQ can dial or tune in how you'd like to your guitar to sound without drastically altering your amp's EQ (though this would be important as well...)

As a side note, I've discovered that is one low cuts the bass at 80-100 Hz, and hi cuts the treble at 7500-8000 Hz, you'll reduce boomy bass, and tame a lot of the top end fizz and spit one gets with too sparkly or chimey pickups. Best wishes.
 
Dave, It's good to hear that your McCarty is working out for you. I think I used my SAS with McCarty pickups, for every studio session that I've done. It's taken me a while to really learn to EQ my amps for my PRS guitars. I spent too much time trying to use the same settings, as I used with my Fender guitars.
 
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