Back to navigation


An Eye-grabbing Vintage-appointed PRS





This article was


Written By





Our Product Research Team





Get to know them!





Named after legendary guitar designer Ted McCarty, the PRS McCarty is a vintage-appointed solidbody electric with all the trimmings. Its resonant mahogany body features a thicker back for enhanced tone and sustain, and it's crowned by an exquisite carved, figured maple top. The McCarty's playability is second to none, thanks to its comfortable Pattern neck, which is adorned with a bound 22-fret East Indian rosewood fingerboard. Plug this guitar in, and you'll be rewarded with an impressive array of vintage-tinged tones, courtesy of TCI-tuned 58/15 LT humbuckers. The McCarty is anchored by a PRS stoptail bridge with brass inserts, along with rock-solid vintage-style non-locking tuners. Attractive natural and faux bone binding, iconic abalone PRS Birds fingerboard inlays, and gleaming hybrid hardware put the perfect final touches on the Paul Reed Smith McCarty.





Related Videos: McCarty Electric Guitar - Black Gold Wraparound Burst





NOW PLAYING:


The McCarty | Demo | PRS Guitars





Winter NAMM 2021: An Interview with Paul Reed Smith


Top-shelf construction





When PRS built the McCarty, they pulled out all the stops. This magnificent solidbody electric guitar is centered around a resonant mahogany body, which is crowned by an exquisite, carved, figured maple top. The McCarty's mahogany neck boasts a Pattern shape, which is an updated version of the company's traditional Wide Fat neck style. The Pattern Thin neck shape is based on designs Paul Reed Smith did in the '70s and '80s for Carlos Santana, Peter Frampton, and Howard Leese of Heart. When playing it, the McCarty's Pattern neck profile lets you switch from thumb-over to thumb-behind playing seamlessly. This eminently comfortable neck is topped with a 10-inch-radius, 22-fret East Indian rosewood fingerboard that feels smooth under your fingertips.





TCI-tuned 58/15 LT humbucking pickups





The PRS McCarty's 58/15 LT pickups balance vintage character with modern clarity to deliver the sweet yet articulate sound and rich harmonic overtones of vintage humbuckers. This is the warm and clear sonic elixir that propelled 58/15 LT pickups to the top of many guitarists' favorite PAF-style pickup lists. Beyond that, the lower wire turns of 58/15 LT pickups dish out clarity and nuance by the truckload. Featuring a meaty bridge pickup and neck pickup with the perfect amount of brightness, the 58/15 LT set packs a real sonic punch, from chiming cleans to scorching leads. You also get a 3-way switch and push-pull tone knob that give rise to ear-grabbing pickup combinations. What's more, the pickups are treated to PRS's TCI (Tuned Capacitance and Inductance) tuning, which means the team at PRS has used their years of know-how to sculpt the sound to be perfect to their ears. Guitarists at Sweetwater love these pickups. You will, too.





Prestigious hardware





Since 1985, PRS guitars have taken extreme pride in their exceptional quality, which is evident in every inch of the McCarty. Its hardware is no exception. Its rock-solid PRS stoptail bridge includes brass inserts, yielding maximum tonal transfer between the hardware and woods. The result is exceptional resonance and stable intonation. To top it off, this solidbody electric guitar's vintage-style, non-locking tuners ooze class and elegance.





PRS McCarty Electric Guitar Features:


Solid mahogany body with an eye-catching carved, figured maple top


25-inch-scale Pattern mahogany neck with easy-playing 22-fret East Indian rosewood fingerboard


TCI-tuned 58/15 LT humbuckers deliver an impressive array of vintage-tinged tones


3-way switch and push-pull tone knob give rise to ear-grabbing pickup combinations


PRS stoptail bridge with brass inserts supplies extra resonance


Vintage-style non-locking tuners provide rock-solid tuning stability


Attractive body and fingerboard binding, iconic abalone PRS Birds fingerboard inlays, and gleaming hybrid hardware


Durable, head-turning nitrocellulose finish