Overview of this used, USA PRS McCarty 594 from 2022 :- For a number of years now, PRS have released various models that have been inspired by the vintage market – The McCarty, plus various Singlecut models, like the SC245, Stripped 58, SC58 have all tried to entice potential customers to leave behind their Les Paul and join the PRS camp – Yet, after its release in 2016, the PRS McCarty 594 has certainly acquired favourable reviews, via many different media outlets – To a regular PRS player, then nothing fresh about the cosmetic attributes of the 594, but the desire to capture some vintage mojo, combined with the slick attributes of a modern guitar, is the end game – I’ll list a few of my own comments and observations below regarding the McCarty 594, but for now, why not click here and read a detailed review, courtesy of Guitarist/Music Radar and Dave Burrluck – Then click here for a similar review, courtesy of GuitarInteractive Magazine – And finally click here to see a video clip of the 594 in action, courtesy of PRS Guitars – Please note, PRS have changed the tuners on the 594, so whilst most of the review(s) is as per the guitar I currently have for sale, it is not ‘exactly’ the same – But you’ll get the jist of what it is all about
- USA PRS McCarty 594 with a lush black gold burst finish – Note nitro finish – Plus no ‘maple edged binding’ with this finish Black finish, sides, rear and neck
- The factory tag and serial number indicate a 2022 serial number
- Complete with the deluxe PRS oblong case and appropriate tag
- Re-strung + set-up with 10-46 gauge strings and the traditional PRS slick and easy action
- Whole guitar weighs 8lbs 5oz, so very favourable on that score
- Pattern Vintage neck profile – measures .901″ around the top nut end and .990″ around the 12th fret – Measurements indicate full and chunky and I believe it is the largest neck PRS actually make, so very much Gibson R9 influenced – Yet somehow it does not feel a beast to play
- Medium to Jumbo size frets – not to fat and not to tall – Note no fret end nibs – hence frets over the faux ‘bone’ binding
- PRS ‘old school’ style Kluson tuners with brass string posts + tulip buttons – very smooth and positive – Note traditional format so none locking
- Dark + smooth rosewood fingerboard
- Original style bird inlays
- 10″ fingerboard radius
- 24.594″ scale length
- Bone top nut
- Nickel + gold blend hardware – blend of zinc, brass and aluminium for the bridge + tailpiece assembly – Brass saddles – Note ‘quick and easy’ string change slots on the tailpiece
- Traditional 3 way switch + wiring loom
- Push/pull partial coil tap option on each tone pot – Partial coil taps unsure a far more realistic single coil voice, when in operation, so far less of that thin ‘n’ weedy traditional coil tap voice that you hear from many humbuckers
- PRS 58/15 humbuckers – custom wound and voiced for a vintage flavoured tone/output – both measure 6.89K – First time PRS have wound both pick-ups to be pretty much identical
- Condition wise, if this used, 4 year old guitar, is not in as new mint condition, then it is a very close call – Yes there is a minor hint of the usual nickel oxidization – Frets are clean – The shiny gloss nitro finish is ding free – So be prepared to hunt long and hard to find any signs of use
Playability :- The neck, feel and frets are far more influenced by the R9 Custom Shop LP market, as against sticking to the feel of a regular PRS Custom 22/24 – The differences maybe subtle, but to a traditional LP fan, it feels like you are more on home turf – Yet, the PRS set-up, impeccable build quality and attention to detail, ensures that it is far more slinky and feels effortless to play – Only a light touch is required to show of a few cascading licks ‘n’ tricks – Yet you can still dig in and lay into a few big moody blues bends as required – Maybe a combination of a precision cut top nut, quality fret work including the profile and impeccably polished, but the whole guitar sounds more in tune – Even when playing more complex’ jazz flavoured chords further up the fingerboard – Maybe PRS have not re-invented the classic feel of a 59 burst, but they have made it more slick to handle – I’m biased as I’m a big PRS fan and have been so for well over 30 years – But this McCarty instantly felt comfortable to play – Within 10/20/30 seconds of playing it I was hooked 9
Tonal character :– Again the influence is very much 59 burst influenced – Is it a DNA 59 replica ? – I’ll say no, but that is purely as in my opinion there is a 59 influence, but two, three or four 59’s, when compared side by side, are similar but never identical – ie the finer nuances of two or three identical guitars can produce a different tonal character – To my ears the PRS has more definition and dynamics – As such more responsive – The neck pick-up sings and puurrrs and sounds so lush and creamy smooth – The bridge pick-up delivers a tight low end that is full, with punchy mids and musical highs that are clear but not thin – It has more than enough character to enjoy working through the clean channel of an amp, be it for those Chic style funky chops, country pickin’ licks, or chilled and laid back jazz lines – Yet only a touch of overdrive is required for the 594 to show its character – With this in mind, with the guitar’s volume pot on 10, you’ll hear the full on approach – So roll back the pot towards 6 or 7 for a cleaner voice which you’ll find is ideal to set-up your base camp – ie The sweet spot – Then roll back towards when you require that bit of extra gain and bite – The same approach works when you dial in more gain on the amp/pedal – Hence you and the guitar can find so much soul and emotion at your finger tips
On hi-gain amp settings I found it was a hard choice between do I prefer to play on the neck or bridge pick-up – I know you can select both as required, but on many guitars I don’t always like both options – But on the 594 I could fall in love with the tone from either pick-up – Hard not to play an LP flavoured guitar and think Kossoff, Green, Moore and Jo Bo and with that in mind, then PRS have certainly delivered a guitar that captures so much of this magic – Maybe it is pity that such a guitar needs to capture and deliver the old school vibe, but if you want a more ‘modern’ vibe then PRS suggest the Custom 22 or 24 models – The 594 is old school influenced but it somehow feels more slick – Don’t forget the two partial coil tap options on each tone pot – Are they exact DNA replicas of a classic pre-CBS Strat ? – No – But they are far superior to the traditional thin nature that you hear on many humbuckers with a split/coil tap option – They are certainly useful for funky rhythm chops and at least allow a humbucker based guitar to deliver something towards the SRV style blues licks and Texas shuffle/walking bass lines – In my opinion they work far more effectively with less gain and/or no gain – This is a guitar that is loaded with tone and expression
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