Ted McCarty looms large in the early history of PRS Guitars: he was the Gibson president during its halcyon days who, in the words of Paul Reed Smith, “downloaded the hard disk” on how they made guitars back then. While Ted had no direct involvement in the McCarty Model that launched in 1994, at the time it was the most ‘vintage-style’ PRS, with the changes Paul had already made to his Custom recipe – for example, a 22-fret version, the development of the pre-intonated Stoptail wrapover bridge, plus suggestions that early PRS-user David Grissom had requested. Over the years, the player’s favourite dropped in and out of production, but it returned recently in 2016, and for 2020 it has a subtle refresh that brings it bang up to date.
Back in 1994, although still based on the now-classic PRS double-cut outline, the McCarty Model’s body, specifically the mahogany back, was increased in depth by approximating 3mm (1/8-inch) to just over 52mm, a change that we see on all PRS Core guitars today, with the exception of the 49mm-thick Custom. The 22-fret neck was shorter and therefore stiffer, and these changes to the acoustic voice were enhanced by new, more vintage-aimed McCarty covered humbuckers and a more classic electronics circuit that installed a three-way Gibson-style toggle instead of the polarising five-way rotary switch of the early guitars. A little while later, around 1996, a coil-split switch on the tone controls completed the package.Today’s McCarty follows that blueprint, but obviously includes all the tone-enhancing tweaks we’ve seen in the past couple of decades. The 2020 McCarty adds the machined aluminium Paul’s Guitar Stoptail bridge with its brass inserts under the witness point of each string, which Paul believes creates more of the sound of a brass bridge but without the weight.
Esta historia es de la edición June 2020 de Guitarist.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición June 2020 de Guitarist.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Sonic Shaper
Electro-Harmonix revisits the effect that launched the company with the LPB-3 Linear Power Booster and EQ
Platinum Blonde
PRS has updated its Texas-voiced David Grissom signature amp with more features, lower wattage and a more approachable price tag
TAN LINES
Many of us regard straps as a bit of an afterthought, but to find one that matches the quality of a custom or vintage guitar, Rod Boyes of Pinegrove Leather can help
ELECTRIC STRINGS
Your tone starts with your strings - strike a balance between sound, tuning and durability with six of our favourites
DIFFERENT WINDS
While there's no end to repros of all the classic pickup styles, more and more pickup makers are mixing things up to move forward - Cream T is a good example
Long termers
A few months' gigging, recording and everything that goes with it - welcome to Guitarist's longterm test report
Top Guns
Chapman's new factory move coincides with a bit of a rethink. We track down the key players all around the world
the Wishlist
Dream gear to beg, borrow and steal for...
Reach For The Star
Earlier this year Guild reorganised its 70s-era Polara range. We spent some time with this mid-range 2024 model: a modern pawn-shop prize or a copy too far?
HIGH FLYER
Adrian Thorpe of ThorpyFX remembers the flight path - and turbulence behind Chris Buck's Electric Lightning overdrive/boost, named after a fighter jet and packing a bona fide valve