Paul Reed Smith McCarty - PRS Guitar Review

Wider than most mahogany body guitars, the Paul Reed Smith McCarty is an excellent choice when considering a high end guitar. With the modern appeal and style of PRS, the McCarty is another great line to add to your arsenal of electric sound machines.

You have your choice from several different McCarty models, some of which have been discontinued.  My personal favorite has always been the solid body McCarty, although the new narrowfield is an excellent choice as well.  More on that in a moment, as for now I want to explore some of the more general features you will encounter as you explore the different PRS McCarty guitars.

Overall the PRS McCarty is a versatile tone king when it comes to a higher end guitar. There really is no match or substitute for PRS, and the McCarty lives up to that reputation quiet well.

The pickups are coil tapped, which feasibility gives you 6 different combination's. This can be activated by either a switch on the body of your guitar or sometimes pulling on the left tone knob.Overall this will give you 6 sound options with the three tone switch, and then choosing to either tap or not tap the pickups.

It’s like having a fender single coil sound and the added bonus of the Les Paul humbucker scream. It doesn’t have quiet the crunch of the Les Paul, but the midrange response and lead tone is pretty incredible.

One of the really cool PRS McCarty models right now features the narrowfield pickup.  This is the 25th Anniversary Edition I believe.  The narrowfield has been getting some rave reviews, and is a new proprietary pickup from PRS that supposedly reduces noise while offering higher clarity and definition. 

The first thing you notice when you pick up a PRS McCarty is how light they are. Even with the wide body the guitar is light enough to where you barely feel it when you’re playing.

Your fingers will glide down the frets like smooth butter, and your fingertips can seamlessly dance any wonders that come to mind. The guitar comes in pristine condition, and the setup and action is superb. It is true that Paul Reed Smith has a long history of some of the most quality guitars in the market.

I really can’t say enough about the design of any Paul Reed Smith, and the McCarty is no different.  The flame maple just screams “cool,” and anyone that is anyone can tell you’re the real deal if you play a PRS.  These guitars just give you an edge in the design category as soon as you step on stage.

When you purchase the McCarty, like any PRS, you will receive a special birth certificate that provides the manufacturing date. The guitars typically appreciate in value, and rarely need service and maintenance if you take good care of your gear.  You will get a custom made hard body case that is fit exactly to the guitar and model, which is an added bonus if you’re out playing a lot of gigs. 

In terms of the internal components, I am no electric engineer, but again you have to go back to the quality of PRS.  I’ve never heard a complaint from owners of the McCarty, and have had zero issues myself.

You have a number of options when you’re final ready to buy. Definitely expect to pay somewhere between $2000 and $3000 USD, but it is well worth the investment. 

The best way to find a deal is looking online; however I would pose a word of caution when scavenging Ebay or Craigslist.  You never know exactly what you are getting, as they are open classified advertising formats (ie. You are buying from normal people and not businesses). Yes, you can find good deals, but sometimes if it looks to good to be true – it is.  

In my humble opinion, if you’re looking online for a Paul Reed Smith McCarty, only use the trusted and authoritative sites.  You can buy online from Guitar Center and Musiciansfriend with the comfort of knowing your dealing with a legit business.

Also, Amazon can be useful as most Amazon Marketplace accounts are traditional businesses selling online.  For example, your local Joe’s Guitar Shop might post listings, which can sometimes be really good deals.

In any case, happy hunting, and if you do pick up the McCarty you will not be disappointed.