To be more specific, that was the scale length of the 58 LP that he measured. I think they were all a bit different, but that was his favorite one. (Also I suspect the 594 thing also lended itself to marketing lol)
It's also because Paul doesn't know how to measure scale length lol --- no, seriously, he argued this point probably 20 years ago that you should only measure scale length from the bridge to the nut. And that's not how Gibson measures scale length. Also, it's just "good" marketing on his point to try and be smarter than everyone else on his measuring technique. It really sells to the mega-church guitar players.
Okay, the way I remember this is ... At some time in the 1950s, certain Gibsons being made during Ted McCarty's time as president were made with an erroneous scale length of 24.594 inches. This scale length is just slightly shorter than the Gibson standard of 24.75 inches. The difference is minimal numerically, but these were McCarty-era Gibsons and were a part of that classic era. Later, I believe after his retirement, Mr. McCarty was brought in as a consultant by Paul Reed Smith, who I hear had befriended Mr. McCarty some time before. All of PRS' 594s are tributes to both those worthy guitars and Mr. McCarty himself. (Gosh, I hope I got all this stuff right!)
Mostly. Paul & Ted measured a lot of vintage models and found there wasn't any consistency. So they chose the one they liked the sound of the most. That one just happened to be 594.
@@dubster82 Shows you how well I have kept up! What use are standards that aren't standard? Not to blast Gibson, but I think I have bought my last one -- and I've only had one!
A lot of Gretsch models (higher end chambered & semi-hollows) are 24.6 scale length. Ted McCarty was more savvy than most tend to give him credit in areas other than just marketing.
I got hold of a couple at a Guitar Center (didn't buy, just "tested") they play like a dream. Cost prohibitive tho. I guess for their prices (even the SE models) the quality won't be all over the place, at least not the ones I've been able to play.
@@scottbogfoot Hey there Scott, Greetings my Friend, its been a while. Hey, are you getting much forest fire smoke in your neck of the woods? Here in Northern Michigan it smells like a camp fire every morning when I head out! Be Well Sir.
I've just tried the PRS SE McCarty 594 Singlecut vs the same in standard and found that I really enjoyed the sound from the maple topped version. I really wanted to love the standard more but the sound difference was huge for me. The extra money is well worth it IMO.
They all sound different, regardless of the maple cap or veneer. Sure the top "could" affect the tone. But so can the densities and weights of the various peices of mahogany the body and neck are built with.
I just picked up the same model in a double cut. I agree with the tuner assessment. I think the pickups are very good and the build quality of course is very good. That neck pickup on the split side through a Fender twin reverb is amazing.
Prs does a "tap" where the wires that get soldered together for a normal humbucker have a resistor between them and the ground when you split it so you get a bit of the 2nd coil so the volume does not drop.
I was making the choice between the two a few months ago, and I chose this one. It has such a beautiful top I think it is worth the premium. It sounds, plays, and looks like a much more expensive guitar.
my thought exactly.....get a playable modern guitar, that plays and sounds excellent, and pay half what you spend on a Gibson LP standard......with all their "issues".....
i am new to the PRS family. Just picked up a used SE 245, Korean factory. I was not too familiar with this particular model and I do understand this is more of their entry level PRS but, I am most impressed that regardless if this is their budget models, PRS put a ton of quality into their guitars even at this level. I can't wait to upgrade to a US model.
I bought one of the double-cut SE 594's (in this McCarty burst) for under $700. I 'think' it was a demo from the shop I purchased it from. The top on mine isnt quite as flamey as the one in this video, and with the 10" radius I just cant lower the action as far as I want to without the strings fretting out on a bend. Still, it's a nice guitar, a keeper. Neck is straight, fretwork is excellent, and it sounds very good.
I bought a Harley Benton version of the double cutaway. it is a superb quality body equal to the PRS SE, made in exactly the same way, it was also a B stock but was faultless with a stunning flame. Even after upgrading with Seymour Duncan pups, locking tuners, new Schaller bridge. I still saved a lot of money.
I have a black gold burst. I've had a little bit of issues with the fret and the first time the weather changed the frets went absolutely wacky and I had to have them dressed. After that, it's been great! I am considering flipping pickups out for something a little more hard Rock, but I'm not sure!
My first new guitar purchase for learning guitar was the cherry version of this guitar. Absolutely beautiful, sounds amazing, sounds great split as well. So easy to play. Great guitar to learn on.
594 is the measurement that puts the scale length between a Fender strat & a Gibson Les Paul or sg the prs is in the middle & that's the way Paul does it never played a Gibson but I have 3 prs-se guitars they ate great
Man I wish I had known about your demo and review thing. I bought a PRS McCarty 594 double cut Black Gold that I would have loved to see on your channel before receiving it. The set up from Sweatwater was actually really good though.
Bridge sounds good with dirt, even split. All the other positions clean and dirty sounded great. The top is nice. Yeah the Neck PU was awesome. What kind of nut does it come with?
The 594 was because Paul was finding that a lot of vintage Les Pauls weren’t 24.75 scale, something in the Kalamazoo factory shaved off some of the length to 24.594. Edit: Pretty sure most SE models are 3 piece necks, just for better stability. (Not sure about the fancy Hollowbody models)
Generally the SE model will show up in 12-18 months, if they make them. They could also make an S2 version (slightly cheaper USA made), but that’s doubtful.
My standard Vintage Cherry will be here any minute. Had I known youve done this, I would’ve definitely sent it to you first for review! Next one for sure!
I’ve had this same guitar for two weeks now and haven’t put it down yet. Having had this guitar for two weeks, and playing it continuously, I’d say the only real problem that I have with it at this point is the tuners definitely need to be replaced. Everything else is perfect, fit and finish were excellent, it just has trouble staying in tune with these tuners. Don’t know if maybe I just got a bad set? But that seems to be my only problem with this guitar. It’s stacks up very well against the core models that I’ve played.
@@216trixie they do a little, enough to notice when tuning up to pitch. That and there’s a little play in them. I’m going to get the Klusen locking and just be done. Good points: first sub-$1k guitar that doesn’t need a new nut and has a very good quality bridge. The comparison I heard previously, and my two weeks with this one bears it out, this guitar is every bit as good as the S2’s at a grand less. I’m very happy, changing the tuners will just make this my new number one.
Salutations Austin! Nice flame top and finish on that PRS! The tuning machines could easily be replaced with a Grover or Schaller set, for a drastic improvement, or at least a good set of Klussen’s. Sometimes the one thing that the manufacturers skimp on makes a huge difference in the overall quality of an instrument, but it is a simple thing to remedy. There are many nice Epiphone guitars that I might like more than this instrument, but I haven’t played one yet, so it’s really difficult to tell without test driving one first. Thank you for sharing your experience with us and posting this video! Please have an excellent and awesome day! ☀️✨🎸
I love my core PRS McCarty, but did not find the SE 594 to be worth anywhere near the price. It's definitely a Cort, which are alright, but don't really compare to higher end guitars to me. It was pretty on par with World Music and other Cortek guitars I've owned and played. I found a used Les Paul studio I liked for a little less money instead.
Wow that neck pup is bright (both coils) on this pretty McCarty 594 SE! I love everything about PRS guitars, except all PRS SE pups I've tried are too bright for me. I gave PRS a shot for many years and found I was just swapping PRS SE pups out to get a tone Gibson pickups already had. So now I have no PRS and three Gibsons.
That's exactly the same as the one I bought last month from Andertons. I absolutely love it and it's gorgeous. I did have a faulty pickup switch but got it fixed. Kudos to Andertons for squaring it away so quickly. The neck is slightly chunkier than my other PRS SE Standard 24-08 (also from Andertons lol) but I much prefer the hardtail bridge on the 594. The only minor complaint so far is that I'm less keen on the tuning pegs and find them less consistent than the ones on the 24-08, however this may be fixed when I change the strings. Overall it's a bloody great guitar and I'm looking forward to gigging with it.
Just got one, on sale at GC, blue top, can't find a flaw on it. Adjusted the action pretty low and no buzzing. Nice. The neck is a little fat but it's so beautiful clear finished who cares. The binding/fret ends/nut are super smooth perfect. There were two 3k Les Pauls on the wall with cracks/finish issues on the neck at the nut and on the binding. Go figure. Why pay more.
I thought it sounded really good. I wish he would include a sustain test during the playing review. I always test how long a few notes ring out on certain areas of the fret board.
I think Edwin Stovall nailed it. As far as the profile, "pattern" is the term Paul uses for the profile on his earliest guitars. If you did not measure the nut width, it is usually 1/32 inch less wide than the standard Les Paul profile of 11/16 which translates to 22/32. So, the "Vintage Pattern" is 21/32. Then in subsequent years Paul did a "Wide Thin" which is pretty much identical to a Gibson 60's profile. The "Wide Fat" is a 50's Gibson. Through the years on specific "artist specific" models there may have been specific profiles that are specific to that artist model. I own two "American" Core Custom 24's separated by 22 years in production. They both have "Pattern Regular" neck profiles which I like and have become quite accustomed to. I own a 1996 Gibson Les Paul from the Custom Shop and find the feel of the neck quite similar - somewhere between a 50's profile and a 60's profile. The only real big difference is on my 1990 PRS; it has the small heel and the neck is the neck from The Shire of Middle-Earth. I have no idea how a neck that long is as straight as an arrow with perfect action and intonation, but it is (and I have encountered some older PRS Guitars with necks that have issues). I retired and can no longer afford to purchase guitars but these three will probably go to the grave with me. Excellent video.
I'm hoping for the McCarty Burst or Honey Gold Burst finish (or some kind of cheaper variant of the two) to come down to the SE line. The Vintage Sunburst is pretty hit or miss for me. But imagine if they had "premium" SE models with exclusive colors. Take the McCarty SE 594 Singlecut as one example, keep the basic model at around the $900 price point, but add an additional "premium" one or two options for like $1,400 in some kind of McCarty Burst or Honey Gold Burst finish variant that comes with locking tuners straight from the factory (a common request), and comes with US pickups and their new D1 hard case. A ton of people would opt for that so they don't have to do all these upgrades later on. PRS SE already has tons of models but I want to see them close the gap with the S2 line a bit more. I also want to see more SE options with piezo systems. Like a ghost piezo version of the SAS SE, SE CE 24, or the 594. They also need more Singlecut options that have tremolos. The Tremonti SE one is the only one that I know of but the pickups and grey charcoal colors aren't what I'm looking for.
I don't comment very often but I thought this guitar was just plain beautiful! Sounds killer to. I'm a Lefty and I don't know if PRS makes that in a Lefty. Indonesia is where I had my Left hand PRS 513 Copy made. They wanted around $14,000 for a left hand custom PRS 513. I got mine for under $300. I wish I could send you pictures and a sound demo. It is the best guitar I've got. Sure I put my own mojo and set up to it. I still want a carve top Les Paul type guitar. So I've put this one on my list. That customer got a new guitar that is just plain beautiful and the sound is great. What more could they want? Another great demo Buddy...
Im all for Austin doing other brands. I bought one Gibson Lzzy Hale Explorerbird and my guitar tech is appalled at it needing a fret dress straight out of the box on a £2000 guitar, an epiphone Les Paul I got recently is better made. I understand the Gibson love but I dont rate them as good as Fender or PRS
Great video and Tyler congrats on the guitar. I really like that you do some reviews on PRS. I don’t own to many expensive guitars but I do have a PRS se custom 22 semi hollow (Santana Yellow) and a Les Paul Classic Translucent Red. Huge difference in price but both are tremendous to play. The PRS feels like a way more expensive guitar than it is at $879. Not to mention the quality of the finish.
I just bought this exact model 1 month ago. The finish quality is absolutely stellar. Rosewood FB (not Indian Laurel like Epiphone). The nut was cut perfectly and the frets were smooth and polished. These pickups (through my '77 Twin Reverb and my Deluxe Reverb) are noticeably clearer and more articulate than my Burstbucker Gibsons and certainly the Epiphone Pro Buckers. I own several Gibsons and Epiphones, and Epiphone isn't even in the same league as PRS SE. Gibson still has all the QC issues you would expect. IME, this PRS SE McCarty is the no brainer choice over the Gibson, and Epiphone isn't even close. Austin, I would suggest that you stop giving Gibson a free pass during your reviews on the poor Gibson QC and be a little more objective (just sayin' 😉).
yep...i've had a prs se sc for 14 years now (swapped the pus with prs dragon humbuckers/ very hot) and recently bought a Gibson SG 61 faded series.....well...lets say the prs (for then just over 500.-euros) sounds and plays 5 x better than 1750.-Euros Gibson.....was going to get a Les paul from gibson...but i'll go for this one instead....and save 1500.- euros for something else....
Something I've noticed about PRS is: everyone of them FEELS just like the one you just put down. - regardless of type. Either you love that, or hate it...I'm in the latter camp myself. I like a guitar that is - or has - Something special!
I understand what you're saying. I do find that PRS guitars lack character compared to Gibson, Fenders, Yamaha, Gretsch tones and anesthetics. They also just sound boring to me. Too much midrange
Unfortunately, shoddy wiring and assembly is the norm on many of these. The one I received needed a complete rewire. After replacing all the electronics except the pickups, I swapped out the crappy yellow/white generic tuners for some Gotoh equivalents. With Orangedrop caps wired 50's style, it's an excellent guitar now.With Schaller straplocks and Gator deluxe TSA chainsaw case I've got $975 total into it after all the upgrades. Wiring shouldn't fall off if bumped while checking a tone capacitor value.
I got one of the SE 594's from Sweetwater back in March and that thing's soldering was an absolute mess too. Mine was actually non-functional and had to have the 3-way switch completely replaced because of how much solder had oozed in all over it from the factory. It also had sprouting and uneven frets that had to be trimmed and re-glued. I am VERY disappointed in the QC coming out of the PRS SE line to be honest. After spending about $400 (that Sweetwater thankfully covered) the guitar plays and sounds good though.
I have a Se Hollowbody and a CE24. I find the SE pickups to be a little more mellow than the US pickups. It could also be because of the construction of the guitars, but the SE series sounds great.
The scale length is from the golden era Gibsons and the name McCarty for anyone who didn’t know was the CEO of Gibson in the 50s and he helped design the PRS McCarty
I bought one like this one used years ago. It was a lighter blue color. Guitar was beautiful. Great playing guitar. Had to eventually sell years later for relocation costs uggh 😢😢 oh well 👍💯🎸🎸 Neal Schon of Journey loves them. 😊😊
That's a nice one! Congrats to the new owner! Regarding the tuners, I replaced mine with Gotoh kluson-style lockers - really well worth the upgrade (imho)
I like the natural finish of the top on the sides rather than a binding. I'm wondering if the fact that the pickups are under wound has anything to do with the irregular reading being more like a coil tap than a split and if that was actually what they were going for.
Can someone please tell a newb how to get the tones at 9:40? It’s clean, but also has some drive and crunch to it when you really dig in. I can’t seem to nail this on my McCarty and spark combo.
The rig needs black tuner knobs. The puke, whatever color they are, from the factory, is the only feature keeping this beauty from perfection. I guess Paul wasn't wearing his spectacles when he made that decision.
Very nice guitar, although I'd need a trem on it. Seems like above average quality for the price. As far as being Indonesian made, the EVH Wolfgang's that were made in Indonesia are very, very good
I do like the look of the maple top. Don't know if I like it enough to pay a premium. I have a PRS SE gig bag. It's one of the highest quality gig bags I've seen.
That coil tapping system definitely reminds me of the one that's used by Gibson an epiphone. Meaning, it is in drastic need of overhaul. It doesn't sound like you're using authentic single-coil pickups; it only sounds like some weird acoustic simulator. That having been said, I'm starting to feel like the PRS brand is growing on me. Before, I felt like it was just a generic brand the way some others do. I'm starting to now pick up on its character.
It may be cool to check out an S2 version as well, if you can swing it, do a shoot out between the SE, S2, and Core 594. I’ve owned an S2 and Core and played an SE 594 and it actually is different between the three and not in a bad cheap feeling kind of way. I find myself jamming with the S2 more than my core for obvious wear and tear reasons but honestly they sound very close. They feel different for sure so blindfolded you can tell them apart just by that alone.
@@cataclysmicconverter I would also love to see an SE/Core vs Epiphone/Gibson vs Squire/Fender of the same price ranges. That’ll truly give a good insight into each one’s quality and sound, especially since squire has stepped up its quality in recent years.
5:43 according to Paul Reed Smith, that was the actual Gibson scale length in the 50s, not 24.75 due to some factory error or something
Ah Gibson. QC issues even back then!
To be more specific, that was the scale length of the 58 LP that he measured. I think they were all a bit different, but that was his favorite one. (Also I suspect the 594 thing also lended itself to marketing lol)
I heard it was actually based off the 59 Les Paul guitar neck.
@@mikeomatic9905 no matter what, it’s a good story to sell guitars, no question
It's also because Paul doesn't know how to measure scale length lol --- no, seriously, he argued this point probably 20 years ago that you should only measure scale length from the bridge to the nut. And that's not how Gibson measures scale length. Also, it's just "good" marketing on his point to try and be smarter than everyone else on his measuring technique. It really sells to the mega-church guitar players.
Okay, the way I remember this is ... At some time in the 1950s, certain Gibsons being made during Ted McCarty's time as president were made with an erroneous scale length of 24.594 inches. This scale length is just slightly shorter than the Gibson standard of 24.75 inches. The difference is minimal numerically, but these were McCarty-era Gibsons and were a part of that classic era. Later, I believe after his retirement, Mr. McCarty was brought in as a consultant by Paul Reed Smith, who I hear had befriended Mr. McCarty some time before. All of PRS' 594s are tributes to both those worthy guitars and Mr. McCarty himself. (Gosh, I hope I got all this stuff right!)
Mostly. Paul & Ted measured a lot of vintage models and found there wasn't any consistency. So they chose the one they liked the sound of the most. That one just happened to be 594.
@@PaulCooksStuff Works for me. Let the ears rule!
Very interesting story. Thanks for sharing.
@@dubster82 Shows you how well I have kept up! What use are standards that aren't standard? Not to blast Gibson, but I think I have bought my last one -- and I've only had one!
A lot of Gretsch models (higher end chambered & semi-hollows) are 24.6 scale length. Ted McCarty was more savvy than most tend to give him credit in areas other than just marketing.
Good show tonight. I’m not a PRS guy but that one for an import was pretty cool. Also good job on your critique.
I've never got to try a prs.they sure make beautiful guitars.sounds good!
I got hold of a couple at a Guitar Center (didn't buy, just "tested") they play like a dream. Cost prohibitive tho. I guess for their prices (even the SE models) the quality won't be all over the place, at least not the ones I've been able to play.
Congrats on the new guitar Tyler, great choice.
Thank You for allowing Austin to share it with us, very nice indeed.👍😉
🧇
Cheers HK!😃
@@scottbogfoot Hey there Scott, Greetings my Friend, its been a while.
Hey, are you getting much forest fire smoke in your neck of the woods? Here in Northern Michigan it smells like a camp fire every morning when I head out!
Be Well Sir.
@@bikerjon8934 Bikerjon, Greetings
I do hope you are well these days.
Bacon*Bacon*Bacon 😉
@@hkguitar1984hey you’re back
I got one just like that one about a month ago. I wanted a les paul I would not worry about every little ding and scratch. I love it.
I've just tried the PRS SE McCarty 594 Singlecut vs the same in standard and found that I really enjoyed the sound from the maple topped version. I really wanted to love the standard more but the sound difference was huge for me. The extra money is well worth it IMO.
They all sound different, regardless of the maple cap or veneer. Sure the top "could" affect the tone. But so can the densities and weights of the various peices of mahogany the body and neck are built with.
good joyce....
I just picked up the same model in a double cut. I agree with the tuner assessment. I think the pickups are very good and the build quality of course is very good. That neck pickup on the split side through a Fender twin reverb is amazing.
Prs does a "tap" where the wires that get soldered together for a normal humbucker have a resistor between them and the ground when you split it so you get a bit of the 2nd coil so the volume does not drop.
I was making the choice between the two a few months ago, and I chose this one. It has such a beautiful top I think it is worth the premium. It sounds, plays, and looks like a much more expensive guitar.
my thought exactly.....get a playable modern guitar, that plays and sounds excellent, and pay half what you spend on a Gibson LP standard......with all their "issues".....
i am new to the PRS family. Just picked up a used SE 245, Korean factory. I was not too familiar with this particular model and I do understand this is more of their entry level PRS but, I am most impressed that regardless if this is their budget models, PRS put a ton of quality into their guitars even at this level. I can't wait to upgrade to a US model.
I bought one of the double-cut SE 594's (in this McCarty burst) for under $700. I 'think' it was a demo from the shop I purchased it from. The top on mine isnt quite as flamey as the one in this video, and with the 10" radius I just cant lower the action as far as I want to without the strings fretting out on a bend. Still, it's a nice guitar, a keeper. Neck is straight, fretwork is excellent, and it sounds very good.
The tones seem pretty versatile, I'd certainly consider having one!
I bought a Harley Benton version of the double cutaway. it is a superb quality body equal to the PRS SE, made in exactly the same way, it was also a B stock but was faultless with a stunning flame. Even after upgrading with Seymour Duncan pups, locking tuners, new Schaller bridge. I still saved a lot of money.
Of the inexpensive PRS I like the Zach Myers model.
I have a black gold burst. I've had a little bit of issues with the fret and the first time the weather changed the frets went absolutely wacky and I had to have them dressed. After that, it's been great! I am considering flipping pickups out for something a little more hard Rock, but I'm not sure!
My first new guitar purchase for learning guitar was the cherry version of this guitar. Absolutely beautiful, sounds amazing, sounds great split as well. So easy to play. Great guitar to learn on.
i kind of like those white plastic machine head button thingy, looks great .
Oh my thanks for showing off the beauty of the guitar and close ups of wood.
594 is the measurement that puts the scale length between a Fender strat & a Gibson Les Paul or sg the prs is in the middle & that's the way Paul does it never played a Gibson but I have 3 prs-se guitars they ate great
I have the McCarty Singlecut Standard in TB. Plays great. Sounds great. Fantastic instrument for the money.
Man I wish I had known about your demo and review thing. I bought a PRS McCarty 594 double cut Black Gold that I would have loved to see on your channel before receiving it. The set up from Sweatwater was actually really good though.
Bridge sounds good with dirt, even split. All the other positions clean and dirty sounded great. The top is nice. Yeah the Neck PU was awesome. What kind of nut does it come with?
The 594 was because Paul was finding that a lot of vintage Les Pauls weren’t 24.75 scale, something in the Kalamazoo factory shaved off some of the length to 24.594.
Edit: Pretty sure most SE models are 3 piece necks, just for better stability. (Not sure about the fancy Hollowbody models)
Absolutely love my 594 SE, it also has a amazing flame top veneer. Great Video!
The SE models are nice, the regular PRS guitars are too much for what I need. I’m waiting for them to come out with SE T-style guitars.
Generally the SE model will show up in 12-18 months, if they make them. They could also make an S2 version (slightly cheaper USA made), but that’s doubtful.
@@joermnyc Yeah I’m expecting a similar time frame to the Silver Sky SE. Maybe a bit quicker now that they’ve been doing it for a while.
My standard Vintage Cherry will be here any minute. Had I known youve done this, I would’ve definitely sent it to you first for review! Next one for sure!
I’ve had this same guitar for two weeks now and haven’t put it down yet. Having had this guitar for two weeks, and playing it continuously, I’d say the only real problem that I have with it at this point is the tuners definitely need to be replaced. Everything else is perfect, fit and finish were excellent, it just has trouble staying in tune with these tuners. Don’t know if maybe I just got a bad set? But that seems to be my only problem with this guitar. It’s stacks up very well against the core models that I’ve played.
Do the tuners slip?
@@216trixie they do a little, enough to notice when tuning up to pitch. That and there’s a little play in them. I’m going to get the Klusen locking and just be done. Good points: first sub-$1k guitar that doesn’t need a new nut and has a very good quality bridge. The comparison I heard previously, and my two weeks with this one bears it out, this guitar is every bit as good as the S2’s at a grand less. I’m very happy, changing the tuners will just make this my new number one.
Salutations Austin!
Nice flame top and finish on that PRS!
The tuning machines could easily be replaced with a Grover or Schaller set, for a drastic improvement,
or at least a good set of Klussen’s.
Sometimes the one thing that the manufacturers skimp on makes a huge difference in the overall quality of an instrument, but it is a simple thing to remedy.
There are many nice Epiphone guitars that I might like more than this instrument, but I haven’t played one yet, so it’s really difficult to tell without test driving one first.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us and posting this video!
Please have an excellent and awesome day!
☀️✨🎸
I love my core PRS McCarty, but did not find the SE 594 to be worth anywhere near the price. It's definitely a Cort, which are alright, but don't really compare to higher end guitars to me. It was pretty on par with World Music and other Cortek guitars I've owned and played. I found a used Les Paul studio I liked for a little less money instead.
Wow that neck pup is bright (both coils) on this pretty McCarty 594 SE! I love everything about PRS guitars, except all PRS SE pups I've tried are too bright for me. I gave PRS a shot for many years and found I was just swapping PRS SE pups out to get a tone Gibson pickups already had. So now I have no PRS and three Gibsons.
Love the Mario sunshine cover! Keep fun stuff like that up! Also I really think I'll do my next guitar through you. But it will be a while!
That's exactly the same as the one I bought last month from Andertons. I absolutely love it and it's gorgeous. I did have a faulty pickup switch but got it fixed. Kudos to Andertons for squaring it away so quickly. The neck is slightly chunkier than my other PRS SE Standard 24-08 (also from Andertons lol) but I much prefer the hardtail bridge on the 594. The only minor complaint so far is that I'm less keen on the tuning pegs and find them less consistent than the ones on the 24-08, however this may be fixed when I change the strings. Overall it's a bloody great guitar and I'm looking forward to gigging with it.
Just got one, on sale at GC, blue top, can't find a flaw on it. Adjusted the action pretty low and no buzzing. Nice. The neck is a little fat but it's so beautiful clear finished who cares. The binding/fret ends/nut are super smooth perfect. There were two 3k Les Pauls on the wall with cracks/finish issues on the neck at the nut and on the binding. Go figure. Why pay more.
Did you/could you try adding oil to the tuners? (that's what that little hole is there for), might not be as stiff.
Easy to tell if it's split or Tap if you hear the 60 cycle hum when you split it
I prefer these to an Epiphone Les Paul.. so much more of a guitar for the money
We need to NGD a Paul’s guitar SE!!
Paul's Guitar SE are really really good. That model was my gateway drug guitar for all the other ones. I had PRS before, but this one hooked me
I thought it sounded really good. I wish he would include a sustain test during the playing review. I always test how long a few notes ring out on certain areas of the fret board.
The best looking SE I’ve seen so far.
I think Edwin Stovall nailed it. As far as the profile, "pattern" is the term Paul uses for the profile on his earliest guitars. If you did not measure the nut width, it is usually 1/32 inch less wide than the standard Les Paul profile of 11/16 which translates to 22/32. So, the "Vintage Pattern" is 21/32. Then in subsequent years Paul did a "Wide Thin" which is pretty much identical to a Gibson 60's profile. The "Wide Fat" is a 50's Gibson. Through the years on specific "artist specific" models there may have been specific profiles that are specific to that artist model. I own two "American" Core Custom 24's separated by 22 years in production. They both have "Pattern Regular" neck profiles which I like and have become quite accustomed to. I own a 1996 Gibson Les Paul from the Custom Shop and find the feel of the neck quite similar - somewhere between a 50's profile and a 60's profile. The only real big difference is on my 1990 PRS; it has the small heel and the neck is the neck from The Shire of Middle-Earth. I have no idea how a neck that long is as straight as an arrow with perfect action and intonation, but it is (and I have encountered some older PRS Guitars with necks that have issues). I retired and can no longer afford to purchase guitars but these three will probably go to the grave with me. Excellent video.
I'm hoping for the McCarty Burst or Honey Gold Burst finish (or some kind of cheaper variant of the two) to come down to the SE line. The Vintage Sunburst is pretty hit or miss for me.
But imagine if they had "premium" SE models with exclusive colors. Take the McCarty SE 594 Singlecut as one example, keep the basic model at around the $900 price point, but add an additional "premium" one or two options for like $1,400 in some kind of McCarty Burst or Honey Gold Burst finish variant that comes with locking tuners straight from the factory (a common request), and comes with US pickups and their new D1 hard case. A ton of people would opt for that so they don't have to do all these upgrades later on. PRS SE already has tons of models but I want to see them close the gap with the S2 line a bit more.
I also want to see more SE options with piezo systems. Like a ghost piezo version of the SAS SE, SE CE 24, or the 594. They also need more Singlecut options that have tremolos. The Tremonti SE one is the only one that I know of but the pickups and grey charcoal colors aren't what I'm looking for.
What a gorgeous color burst.
I don't comment very often but I thought this guitar was just plain beautiful! Sounds killer to. I'm a Lefty and I don't know if PRS makes that in a Lefty. Indonesia is where I had my Left hand PRS 513 Copy made. They wanted around $14,000 for a left hand custom PRS 513. I got mine for under $300. I wish I could send you pictures and a sound demo. It is the best guitar I've got. Sure I put my own mojo and set up to it. I still want a carve top Les Paul type guitar. So I've put this one on my list. That customer got a new guitar that is just plain beautiful and the sound is great. What more could they want? Another great demo Buddy...
Singlecut or double cut is the question. What would you pick?
Ihave the double cut, it doesn't look like an LP. it's an awesome looking guitar with the vintage finish, and it sounds great.
Im all for Austin doing other brands. I bought one Gibson Lzzy Hale Explorerbird and my guitar tech is appalled at it needing a fret dress straight out of the box on a £2000 guitar, an epiphone Les Paul I got recently is better made. I understand the Gibson love but I dont rate them as good as Fender or PRS
I want one of these....real bad....time to start saving some cash.
Had a Michael Kelly that was definitely a printed veneer.
yahoo
You made the podium for today and earned a Bronze Medal
Great video and Tyler congrats on the guitar. I really like that you do some reviews on PRS. I don’t own to many expensive guitars but I do have a PRS se custom 22 semi hollow (Santana Yellow) and a Les Paul Classic Translucent Red. Huge difference in price but both are tremendous to play. The PRS feels like a way more expensive guitar than it is at $879. Not to mention the quality of the finish.
I just bought this exact model 1 month ago. The finish quality is absolutely stellar. Rosewood FB (not Indian Laurel like Epiphone). The nut was cut perfectly and the frets were smooth and polished. These pickups (through my '77 Twin Reverb and my Deluxe Reverb) are noticeably clearer and more articulate than my Burstbucker Gibsons and certainly the Epiphone Pro Buckers. I own several Gibsons and Epiphones, and Epiphone isn't even in the same league as PRS SE. Gibson still has all the QC issues you would expect. IME, this PRS SE McCarty is the no brainer choice over the Gibson, and Epiphone isn't even close.
Austin, I would suggest that you stop giving Gibson a free pass during your reviews on the poor Gibson QC and be a little more objective (just sayin' 😉).
yep...i've had a prs se sc for 14 years now (swapped the pus with prs dragon humbuckers/ very hot) and recently bought a Gibson SG 61 faded series.....well...lets say the prs (for then just over 500.-euros) sounds and plays 5 x better than 1750.-Euros Gibson.....was going to get a Les paul from gibson...but i'll go for this one instead....and save 1500.- euros for something else....
Something I've noticed about PRS is: everyone of them FEELS just like the one you just put down. - regardless of type. Either you love that, or hate it...I'm in the latter camp myself. I like a guitar that is - or has - Something special!
good quality control isn't something that is negative.
I understand what you're saying. I do find that PRS guitars lack character compared to Gibson, Fenders, Yamaha, Gretsch tones and anesthetics. They also just sound boring to me. Too much midrange
You like inconsistent guitars, cool.
You like inconsistent guitars, cool.
Unfortunately, shoddy wiring and assembly is the norm on many of these. The one I received needed a complete rewire. After replacing all the electronics except the pickups, I swapped out the crappy yellow/white generic tuners for some Gotoh equivalents. With Orangedrop caps wired 50's style, it's an excellent guitar now.With Schaller straplocks and Gator deluxe TSA chainsaw case I've got $975 total into it after all the upgrades. Wiring shouldn't fall off if bumped while checking a tone capacitor value.
It's an awesome guitar - the double cut se 594 sounds, plays & looks great. imo
Super Mario Sunshine, nice!!
IIRC, they use a resistor in parallel with one of the bobbins when in coil split mode, instead of completely shorting the bobbin.
Delfino plaza!
I got one of the SE 594's from Sweetwater back in March and that thing's soldering was an absolute mess too. Mine was actually non-functional and had to have the 3-way switch completely replaced because of how much solder had oozed in all over it from the factory. It also had sprouting and uneven frets that had to be trimmed and re-glued. I am VERY disappointed in the QC coming out of the PRS SE line to be honest. After spending about $400 (that Sweetwater thankfully covered) the guitar plays and sounds good though.
Yep, that is a pretty guitar. I would definitely pay a few dollars extra to get the pretty model. But everybody’s different.
The Super Mario Sunshine music goes incredibly hard! 🤘
I've got 2 double cut se 594. Love them both. One in the vintage burst and the black gold burst. Has some finish issues. But nothing I can't look past
i'm glad i open the way with my sweetwater special
I have a Se Hollowbody and a CE24. I find the SE pickups to be a little more mellow than the US pickups. It could also be because of the construction of the guitars, but the SE series sounds great.
The scale length is from the golden era Gibsons and the name McCarty for anyone who didn’t know was the CEO of Gibson in the 50s and he helped design the PRS McCarty
I bought one like this one used years ago. It was a lighter blue color. Guitar was beautiful. Great playing guitar. Had to eventually sell years later for relocation costs uggh 😢😢 oh well 👍💯🎸🎸 Neal Schon of Journey loves them. 😊😊
That's a nice one! Congrats to the new owner! Regarding the tuners, I replaced mine with Gotoh kluson-style lockers - really well worth the upgrade (imho)
Yes, PRS also sells locking tuners for their SE models that are direct drop in.
I prefer these scrape bindings that let you see the natural wood.
You should review the Yamaha revstar, so much bang for the buck. Excellent quality, style and sound!
I like the natural finish of the top on the sides rather than a binding. I'm wondering if the fact that the pickups are under wound has anything to do with the irregular reading being more like a coil tap than a split and if that was actually what they were going for.
Man, I really dig the Yamaha Revstar!
The previous SE gig bag was red pepper-colored and tacky.
That is a very nice sounding guitar with a versatile variety of tones. Congrats
Can someone please tell a newb how to get the tones at 9:40? It’s clean, but also has some drive and crunch to it when you really dig in. I can’t seem to nail this on my McCarty and spark combo.
some burst era LP's were measured and Paul loves them and found them to be 24.594 scale length. So he designed the 594
I like that style of binding. How hard is it to do for a good luthier?
The rig needs black tuner knobs. The puke, whatever color they are, from the factory, is the only feature keeping this beauty from perfection. I guess Paul wasn't wearing his spectacles when he made that decision.
Beautiful guitar
I'm buying a gibson les paul standard 50's faded through sweetwater, Would you be interested in reviewing this?
What kind of Alpha pots does it come with? 250k or 500k?
Thanks Tyler! I'd have to play it irl, but that sounds amazing. Could def see some se's sounding better than the core version blindfolded.
🎉
I preferred this guitars sound with the coil split activated.
Some Ibanez guitars one version or another of the Quik Change tailpieces, with the slots for the quick string changes
Mario sunshine of your love
Very nice guitar, although I'd need a trem on it. Seems like above average quality for the price. As far as being Indonesian made, the EVH Wolfgang's that were made in Indonesia are very, very good
I prefer the model, but prefer the sound of DGT SE pups
I do like the look of the maple top. Don't know if I like it enough to pay a premium. I have a PRS SE gig bag. It's one of the highest quality gig bags I've seen.
PRS SE’s are priced in a sweet spot mid market. QC is a little slack in the switches.
Congrats Tyler on a nice guitfiddle!!!
I bought one this week and I think there are a few more differences besides the veneer on the top
That coil tapping system definitely reminds me of the one that's used by Gibson an epiphone. Meaning, it is in drastic need of overhaul. It doesn't sound like you're using authentic single-coil pickups; it only sounds like some weird acoustic simulator.
That having been said, I'm starting to feel like the PRS brand is growing on me. Before, I felt like it was just a generic brand the way some others do. I'm starting to now pick up on its character.
Congratulations Tyler, you have a beautiful and good sounding guitar, greetings.
Thanks Tyler!
Nice guitar. I'm not a PRS guy but that is an excellent sounding guitar.
Playing the bridge on the bridge was clever 😂
It may be cool to check out an S2 version as well, if you can swing it, do a shoot out between the SE, S2, and Core 594. I’ve owned an S2 and Core and played an SE 594 and it actually is different between the three and not in a bad cheap feeling kind of way. I find myself jamming with the S2 more than my core for obvious wear and tear reasons but honestly they sound very close. They feel different for sure so blindfolded you can tell them apart just by that alone.
@@cataclysmicconverter I would also love to see an SE/Core vs Epiphone/Gibson vs Squire/Fender of the same price ranges. That’ll truly give a good insight into each one’s quality and sound, especially since squire has stepped up its quality in recent years.
My PRS had the same QC issues. Ultimately I could stand those and had to sell it.
PRS are always great looking guitars. The just don't sound like rock & roll. This one is an example.
The SE is a good guitar I have a core 594 but I am thinking about getting an SE or S2 to beat up live.
PRS SE’s are the best guitar at their price point made today. 🇺🇸