Why NOT a Trem on a McCarty 594 DC?

[Bill R]

Hello folks! I am new to the forum and this is my first post! I have been reading a lot of good stuff here about the newest 594 and all the "vintage" style equipment, including pickups. I have a few PRS', have had more, so I am well acquainted with the guitars; and in fact have met Paul and he signed a couple of mine! I have a DGT 10 top, a ME Quattro that is awesome, a 1997 small heel CU 24, and a first year production Tonare Grand. All great! However, I am primarily a Les Paul player, so I use the PRS' for different things - when I need a closer single coil sound, when I need the Trem, for example. Primarily I go to the ME Quattro for those things, as it's an all-around great guitar. I plan to change my strings on the DGT to 10's as most of the rest of my guitars are 10's, and I just never enjoyed playing the 11's that come on the DGT. Otherwise a very nice guitar!

I would not get a single cut because I don't need a different version of a Les Paul, and I like the DC look and feel, especially with the pickup selector up top and the dual volume/tone controls (yes I know they both have those).

I have not read any reviews or reports of tone comparing the 2 types of tuners (lots of discussion though), and I understand the intent of the vintage tuners, and have seen Paul's video on the new 594.

While I understand the intent of the 594 as a serious vintage-style guitar, with a stop-tail, would it make any real difference to the overall tone/sound/feel to have a Trem instead? And my experience tells me using a Trem would probably be better with the locking tuners instead of the vintage ones, but is that correct? Would adding a PRS Trem change the "vintage" tone in any significant way? Although not a Strat player, I have never noticed a tonal difference between stop tail ones and trem ones.

In order to get one with a Trem, I am assuming I would have to order it that way, which would be fine, as I will probably go Wood Library anyway, and I have not seen ANY online with a Trem. My other quandary would be finish color, but that's a different story...

Thoughts and information, please!

 

[docteurseb]

The only way you're going to get a tremolo on a 594 is to do a Private Stock order, that's why you aren't seeing any available.
Price of admission is only about twice that of a 10 top Wood Library ;-)

 

[aphantomvaper]

Maybe a Bigsby on a stock 594? It could be undone if not pleasing and less invasive.

 

[Going Modal]

Maybe a Big by on a stock 594? It could be undone if not pleasing and less invasive.

Yeah, the Bigsby suggestion would be accurate (but admittedly may also may look very out-of-place on a PRS). The 594 series is targeted directly at the classic late-50's Gibsons--none of which had tremolo bridges (almost always fixed Tune-O-Matic, sometimes wrap-around stoptail) but yet a number of Gibsons had Bigsby vibrato systems behind that fixed Tune-O-Matic bridge to achieve the vibrato feature.

The 594 series guitars are also thicker bodies than PRS Core/Custom and even the McCarty models--that may pose even further complication to using the regular Gen III bridges, which need to go thru-body to the back spring system. I would think you could (almost nearly) attain what you're looking for by finding a "McCarty Trem" model. They're out there.. probably somewhat rare, but by no means unavailable.

 

[Bill R]

Yeah, the Bigsby suggestion would be accurate (but admittedly may also may look very out-of-place on a PRS). The 594 series is targeted directly at the classic late-50's Gibsons--none of which had tremolo bridges (almost always fixed Tune-O-Matic, sometimes wrap-around stoptail) but yet a number of Gibsons had Bigsby vibrato systems behind that fixed Tune-O-Matic bridge to achieve the vibrato feature.

The 594 series guitars are also thicker bodies than PRS Core/Custom and even the McCarty models--that may pose even further complication to using the regular Gen III bridges, which need to go thru-body to the back spring system. I would think you could (almost nearly) attain what you're looking for by finding a "McCarty Trem" model. They're out there.. probably somewhat rare, but by no means unavailable.

All good info. I have guitars with Bigsbys, which are fine, but they are very limited in what you can do trem-wise. I like the PRS Trem function...
I hadn’t thought about the body depth as an issue.
I really like the 594 approach and set up, so would hate to “settle” for a McCarty; but I imagine I could order one that would be pretty close to a 594? It’s really the pickups and controls that appeal to me over other PRS models.
I admit I don’t use separate tone controls much, but the thing I like about my DGT is having separate volume controls!

Thinking I will visit with whoever I decide to order from and get their thoughts; leaning toward Sweetwater for a number of reasons but I have done a fair amount of business with Wildwood as well, and I know both have deep relationships with PRS.

 

[Serious Poo]

The 594 series guitars are also thicker bodies than PRS Core/Custom and even the McCarty models

Where is this published? I haven't seen this before.

 

[dsenoj]

All good info. I have guitars with Bigsbys, which are fine, but they are very limited in what you can do trem-wise. I like the PRS Trem function...
I hadn’t thought about the body depth as an issue.
I really like the 594 approach and set up, so would hate to “settle” for a McCarty; but I imagine I could order one that would be pretty close to a 594? It’s really the pickups and controls that appeal to me over other PRS models.
I admit I don’t use separate tone controls much, but the thing I like about my DGT is having separate volume controls!

Thinking I will visit with whoever I decide to order from and get their thoughts; leaning toward Sweetwater for a number of reasons but I have done a fair amount of business with Wildwood as well, and I know both have deep relationships with PRS.

Isn't a DGT basically a McCarty Trem with separate volume controls and a neck profile and pickups spec'd by David Grissom?

 

[PeterK]

My friend has a 594 trem and it's fantastic. The trem will not take away from the "vintage" thing.

 

[bodia]

Where is this published? I haven't seen this before.

All over the place. MA Pete showed it in the Official 594 Love Thread. I just measured, and it's 1/8 inch thicker than my DGT at the input jack.

 

[Bill R]

Isn't a DGT basically a McCarty Trem with separate volume controls and a neck profile and pickups spec'd by David Grissom?

It’s those things that are different that are attracting me to a 594 DC. Pickups, top pickup selector. As I said above, I have not played one yet to know that I’ll like the neck, but I haven’t heard anything that tells me I won’t.

 

[Bill R]

My friend has a 594 trem and it's fantastic. The trem will not take away from the "vintage" thing.

Nice! Was it special ordered? Is it a 2020 version?

 

[docteurseb]

Speaking of which: https://www.instagram.com/p/CHi_7a2rw2Y/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

[Serious Poo]

All over the place. MA Pete showed it in the Official 594 Love Thread. I just measured, and it's 1/8 inch thicker than my DGT at the input jack.

Thanks! I learned something new today. The 594 body thickness isn't posted on the PRS website so I wasn't sure. FWIW, I have a PS 594 Singlecut (with a trem) and it's thicker than my McCarties, but I thought that was only because it was a singlecut.

Oh, and because TTIWWP...

 

[bodia]

Thanks! I learned something new today. The 594 body thickness isn't posted on the PRS website so I wasn't sure. FWIW, I have a PS 594 Singlecut (with a trem) and it's thicker than my McCarties, but I thought that was only because it was a singlecut.

Oh, and because TTIWWP...

And soap bars.....frickin’ killer!

 

[sloanthebone]

I was the second owner of one of the first 594 trem private stocks and it was a fantastic feeling guitar. I ultimately sold it as I wasn’t happy with the tone from the wood combination (black limba body, Korina neck, ebony board) but it seems silly that we haven’t seen some Wood Library runs of these to see how well they sell. They clearly can make them. I would bet they would be huge sellers. If they do ever come out with core 594 terms or some limited wood library ones, I would pick another up.

 

[sloanthebone]

Thanks! I learned something new today. The 594 body thickness isn't posted on the PRS website so I wasn't sure. FWIW, I have a PS 594 Singlecut (with a trem) and it's thicker than my McCarties, but I thought that was only because it was a singlecut.

Oh, and because TTIWWP...

That is awesome!

 

[Bill R]

Thanks! I learned something new today. The 594 body thickness isn't posted on the PRS website so I wasn't sure. FWIW, I have a PS 594 Singlecut (with a trem) and it's thicker than my McCarties, but I thought that was only because it was a singlecut.

Oh, and because TTIWWP...

I really want a DC, but that is one gorgeous guitar! Never seen a PRS like that. Love the headstock! Good to know they are making them too!

I was the second owner of one of the first 594 trem private stocks and it was a fantastic feeling guitar. I ultimately sold it as I wasn’t happy with the tone from the wood combination (black limba body, Korina neck, ebony board) but it seems silly that we haven’t seen some Wood Library runs of these to see how well they sell. They clearly can make them. I would bet they would be huge sellers. If they do ever come out with core 594 terms or some limited wood library ones, I would pick another up.

That sounds like an interesting combination for sure! I have a R7 Black Beauty LP that I love, with an ebony board of course, which looks great, but that is easily my brightest tone LP, and it has to be because of the ebony board. Plays like a dream - hello, "fretless wonder"! - but it doesn't have the same midrange as my other LP's. While the exotic woods are very cool, I'd have to play one before I took a chance with that kind of money, not know how the combination would sound. And sometimes early impressions can be deceiving...

 

[Black Plaid]

I have a couple of PRS of the same model with the only real difference being one is trem and the other is the single piece stop tail.

They definitely sound different to me, at least acoustically, although which one sounds more 'vintage' is not something I can speak to.

The stop tails are more lively, but with a lot of low mids, the trems are more refined with a more focused tone (and the trem springs add a bit of reverb to the sound).

Plug them in, and well, the difference is greatly diminished, esp if you are playing with any overdrive.

 

[WA Paul]

Body thickness doesn’t matter for adding a trem. It does change the neck angle.

I believe the SC594 is thicker than the DC594. I once had a PS DC594 with SC thickness and it was slightly thicker than the DC594. The DC594 has a ‘more mahogany to maple cap’ ratio than the regular scale McCarty.

 

[Tahlee]

Yeah, the Bigsby suggestion would be accurate (but admittedly may also may look very out-of-place on a PRS). The 594 series is targeted directly at the classic late-50's Gibsons--none of which had tremolo bridges (almost always fixed Tune-O-Matic, sometimes wrap-around stoptail) but yet a number of Gibsons had Bigsby vibrato systems behind that fixed Tune-O-Matic bridge to achieve the vibrato feature.

The 594 series guitars are also thicker bodies than PRS Core/Custom and even the McCarty models--that may pose even further complication to using the regular Gen III bridges, which need to go thru-body to the back spring system. I would think you could (almost nearly) attain what you're looking for by finding a "McCarty Trem" model. They're out there.. probably somewhat rare, but by no means unavailable.

McCarty Trem is a great suggestion.