PRS 2023: McCarty SE

Perhaps the biggest PRS news this 2023 - McCarty 594 SEs. I like everything about the McCarty since day one. It's quite the standard to beat when it comes to class & tone. The S2 McCarty range are worth every cent but the SE range are mind-numbing when it comes to the incredible price-to-quality consideration. My initial impressions of these guitars (demo videos & stuff) is that quality is still top notch despite the SE tag. In fact, the SEs are proving to be a serious challenge to the S2s in terms of value for money. If you still think guitars manufactured in the far east are second rated, maybe you should just stick to playing ukulele. 

Pic: PRS

S2 10th

PRS' S2 Series celebrates its 10th Anniversary this year (yes, it's a decade already), these two models are commemorative iterations. The one you see above is the Custom 24.

This here is the McCarty 594. I didn't see any significant difference from the non-anniversary version less the American made pickups. There will only be 1,000 units made for each model. Expect limited quantities to come by but since there are two PRS dealers here, there's a good chance you could get one if you are keen.

Pics: PRS

Single Mc

I can't play leads with this. Ok, let me re-phrase that - I'm not inspired to play leads with this one. The bottom heavy, dense bass notes are too tasty too ignore.  This guitar screams Dissection through & through so it's riffing madness with this one. It's also one of those guitars with default pickups that make me happy. These 58/15 S humbuckers sound like 59s in terms of cleans & drive response; very close in deed. I'm just not too into the bird inlays, wasn't a fan at the start, won't become one any time soon. I bought this guitar for the tone & playability, colour / finish was the last consideration. I missed out on the green / blue versions & glad I grabbed one before price hikes & COVID setting in, making purchases a waiting game more than anything else. A lot of how this guitar sounds like is down to its scale length - 24.594" a very 'relaxed' tension when it comes to the wound strings. I have 10s in there.

Joe 'Carty

PRS has a limited edition McCarty 594 singlecut to show. It's an endorsed, Joe Walsh version. Only 200 of these will be offered, all signed by the man himself. The critical differences here are namely the custom voiced 58/15 LT + humbuckers & a slightly thicker body.

The way I see it, Mr. Walsh is very happy with how the guitar sounds; it's a celebration of the single coil clarity in a humbucking format. Maybe this will work for some of us too, hearing lots of twang in a non-single coil guitar but I wouldn't spend money on humbuckers to sound like a single coil. Usually I'm not a fan of such tones but the crunchy voicings here are simply great.

Pic: PRS

S2 McCarty

Heck, yeah! The McCarty 594 goodness finally trickles into the S2 range.

There's also the thinline version but devoid of any F-holes. I just feel that it would look classier with F-holes & offers a visual distinction between the solid body version & its thinline counterpart.

More importantly folks, the McCarty 594 Singlecut perpetuates the, well, single cutaway PRS flagship. We know the S2 price tags aren't excessive but the fact that these are McCarty models, please manage expectations when it comes to just that. Regardless, all three will be on my radar this year.