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I'm a PRS novice. As much as I regard them as snob guitars I must admit they are stunning instruments. Plus they have what seems to be a very loyal following. So maybe I need to rethink my PRS weariness.

What are the differences between the McCarty, the Custom and the Standard? I have read that the McCarty was co-designer by former Gibson designer Ted McCarty, and thus has a Les Paul quality.

Also, if you have owned or tried a PRS do you think they are worth the money? Do the trems stay in tune? Does the wrap around tailpiece intonate? What if you want to do non-standard tunings with the wrap-around tailpiece?


Originally Posted by Senor SkankyI'm a PRS novice. As much as I regard them as snob guitars I must admit they are stunning instruments. Plus they have what seems to be a very loyal following. So maybe I need to rethink my PRS weariness.

What are the differences between the McCarty, the Custom and the Standard? I have read that the McCarty was co-designer by former Gibson designer Ted McCarty, and thus has a Les Paul quality.

Also, if you have owned or tried a PRS do you think they are worth the money? Do the trems stay in tune? Does the wrap around tailpiece intonate? What if you want to do non-standard tunings with the wrap-around tailpiece?

I know the difference between the standard and the custom is the custom has a maple cap, where as the standard is all mahogony. I've heard some gripes about the wrap around tailpieces not intonating correctly, but those can be replaced. All the PRS trems that i've used in guitar shops have stayed in tune pretty well.

The McCarty has a deeper mahogany back, thinner headstock, lighter tuners, and PAF-style output pickups -all tweaks that put it close to the Les Paul type of sound. Think LP with a touch more articulation.

The Wraparound bridge will intonate well for a standard set of strings in standard tuning. If you use weird tunings or string gauges, you may need to order an adjustable tailpiece. That wraparound bridge is so nice, though. I have a custom 22 with one, and it's great, so comfy and resonant.

Personally, I think PRS guitars are fantastic. The quality is spot on, and they are really well thought out instruments. My personal fave is the McCarty soapbar, though my Custom 22 is very nice as well. PRS is the only major production guitar I'd buy sight unseen with confidence.

My only gripe is I don't like the pickups apart from the McCarty models. But that's what Duncans are for. Mine has 59s, and I swear Robben Ford lives in that guitar.


Originally Posted by Hot _GritsMy only gripe is I don't like the pickups apart from the McCarty models. But that's what Duncans are for. Mine has 59s, and I swear Robben Ford lives in that guitar.

What do people thyink of the PRS Dragon pups?


Originally Posted by Senor SkankyWhat do people thyink of the PRS Dragon pups?

They are pretty cool but they are not available currently on any stock model. They are available as an upcharge on some models which is what I did.

The quality is amazing, the wide fat carve is great. Very easy to play guitars. I have a Custom 24 and think it is a fantastic guitar, however it's still not a LP, 335, or strat, so just remember that going in.

Luke

MCCarty is the way to go IMO..it's a little sweeter/warmer sounding than the 22/24...The 24 neck joint is slightly unstable like an SG or my Firebird...very easy to get out of tune of you are an aggressive player. I also cannot get used to that rotary switch on the 22/24 and the McCarty has the 3 way quot;normalquot; switch. And I also prefer the stoptail That said, I LOVE the PRS bar...it's the best I've used for feel, and the tone is more similar to a Fender bridge than a Floyd. Stays in tune pretty well too.

They are built incredibly well, and play as good as you can find. If I could get the quot;gibson soundquot; out of one, I don't think I'd play anything else.

EDIT: personally, I'm not fond of Paul's pups...they are voiced well for lead playing but don't have much in the way of low end/quot;ballsquot;. I'd suggest going elsewhere for pups.

My custom 22 has dragon pups. I think they are just fine and have no plans to change them. Though I would love to hear it with duncans and dimarzios just to know the difference.


Originally Posted by Senor SkankyAs much as I regard them as snob guitars I must admit they are stunning instruments. Plus they have what seems to be a very loyal following. So maybe I need to rethink my PRS weariness.

Buying a guitar because it has a loyal following is as silly as not buying a guitar because it has snob implications. Strats, LPs, amp; Carvins have loyal followings as well but that doesn't mean that any of 'em is necessarily right for you.
My suggestion would be to try a couple out to satisfy your curiosity to figure out if you're impressed with the construction and feel. If so, then start figuring out which model you prefer. At least then you can give a personal reason for why you like/dislike 'em.


Originally Posted by JeffBMCCarty is the way to go IMO..it's a little sweeter/warmer sounding than the 22/24...The 24 neck joint is slightly unstable like an SG or my Firebird...very easy to get out of tune of you are an aggressive player. I also cannot get used to that rotary switch on the 22/24 and the McCarty has the 3 way quot;normalquot; switch. And I also prefer the stoptail That said, I LOVE the PRS bar...it's the best I've used for feel, and the tone is more similar to a Fender bridge than a Floyd. Stays in tune pretty well too.

They are built incredibly well, and play as good as you can find. If I could get the quot;gibson soundquot; out of one, I don't think I'd play anything else.

EDIT: personally, I'm not fond of Paul's pups...they are voiced well for lead playing but don't have much in the way of low end/quot;ballsquot;. I'd suggest going elsewhere for pups.

The 3 way toggle is available on about everything and is a piece of cake to retro fit into a rotary switch model.


Originally Posted by TheArchitectThe 3 way toggle is available on about everything and is a piece of cake to retro fit into a rotary switch model.

Cool..didn't know about that option. Guess ya can have a easy switching system along with the bar that way. I still prefer the McCarty neck and thicker body...now if ya get a bar on the McCarty...himmmm


Originally Posted by JeffBMCCarty is the way to go IMO..it's a little sweeter/warmer sounding than the 22/24...The 24 neck joint is slightly unstable like an SG or my Firebird...very easy to get out of tune of you are an aggressive player. I also cannot get used to that rotary switch on the 22/24 and the McCarty has the 3 way quot;normalquot; switch. And I also prefer the stoptail That said, I LOVE the PRS bar...it's the best I've used for feel, and the tone is more similar to a Fender bridge than a Floyd. Stays in tune pretty well too.

They are built incredibly well, and play as good as you can find. If I could get the quot;gibson soundquot; out of one, I don't think I'd play anything else.

EDIT: personally, I'm not fond of Paul's pups...they are voiced well for lead playing but don't have much in the way of low end/quot;ballsquot;. I'd suggest going elsewhere for pups.

The 3 way toggle is available on about everything and is a piece of cake to retro fit into a rotary switch model.

Hey I know I'm old and deaf Architect, but yeesh




Originally Posted by Senor Skanky
and thus has a Les Paul quality.

Plase don't insult my guitar

Just kidding

PRS quality is consistent and sets a new standard
Playability and tone are top notch
like Aleclee says try one you'll dig it
dom


Originally Posted by JeffBCool..didn't know about that option. Guess ya can have a easy switching system along with the bar that way. I still prefer the McCarty neck and thicker body...now if ya get a bar on the McCarty...himmmm

Look here: from : localhost/guitars with trems.


Originally Posted by JeffBCool..didn't know about that option. Guess ya can have a easy switching system along with the bar that way. I still prefer the McCarty neck and thicker body...now if ya get a bar on the McCarty...himmmm

PRS have done both the McCarty and McCarty soapbar with trems. The McSoaps with trems are very rare.

Over the years, I've had a PRS Custom 24 10 Top, Custom 22, and 3 McCarties.

As a Gibson and PRS lover, I can say that Ted McCarty knew his stuff! He was the youngest President of Gibson, and was responsible for all the best Gibson models.
Paul Smith made a very wise decision to hire him as a consultant a few years prior to his passing. The complaints many had about PRS....the thin body, headstock angle, rotary switch, tuners, bridge, and pickups were IMO corrected by the construction genious of Mr. McCarty. PRS Customs tended to have too much high mids, but the McCarty put them lower. The McCarty pickups are basically A5 Seth Lovers, the thicker body shifted the mids more toward Gibson lower mids, and all the other changes he made brought the McCarty Custom to be PRS's best seller.

From 85, PRS went from being a boutique guitar to the 4th most important guitar, behind Gibson, Fender, and Martin. The reason is that the body was the most aesthetically and ergonomically perfect cross between Gibson and Fender, and Smith stayed true to the idea of being an original, not a copy. He did everything right IMO, and PRS guitars are highwater marks of 'out of the box' quality. I love my LP's and Strats, but my McCarties are 2 of my favorite guitars, and I'll never think of them as second rate Gibsons.....they're apples'n'oranges with Gibson.

The best way to truly compare the tone is to install the same Duncans in a LP and a McCarty, then you'll have a level playing field, and the difference is only a matter of preference. Duncan 59's are a great place to start, on both.