PRS Paul Reed Smith Private Stock McCarty 594 Guitar, Stained Curly Maple, Dragon's Breath

PLAYER'S PERSPECTIVE

As a premier PRS Signature dealer, we are simply honored to to present this absolutely stunning McCarty 594 from the venerable Private Stock workshop! There's never any question as to the quality of the instrument you're getting when you get any PRS guitar, but there's something magical with these Private Stocks and, at the end of the day, they're unique and simply unlike any other instrument out there. We work with PRS to spec out guitars that are so much more than just looking incredible - we think about somebody that's going to play this guitar as well as admire it.

We have an absolutely gorgeous 594 here finished in a vibrant Dragon's Breath stain. The beautiful curly maple top has a nice wide curl to it, which we are always big fans of, and it pairs well with the stained curly maple neck when you spin the guitar around. The finish staining process is always done by hand and they all come out a little different - we're absolutely thrilled with how this particular Dragon's Breath application came out! And although not the star of the show next to the copious amounts of curly maple throughout, the African Ribbon Mahogany body is beautifully figured and almost looks holographic in person. 

But the real star of the show here visually is the fretboard. Using exquisite pieces of ebony and curly maple, PRS pulled off one of their signature Private Stock fingerboard looks by transitioning the fretboard from one wood type to another using intricate inlay work for an incredibly cohesive, striking and flowing look. They also stained the curly maple part of the fretboard and headstock inlay (as well as the tuner buttons!) a matching Dragon's Breath to truly bring it over the top. The overall painting and finishing work on this guitar is simply masterful.

The pickups are PRS's 58/15LT pickups. They're like PRS's take on a PAF pickup but with a little bit more oomph to them. There's a perfect amount of brightness to cut through any mix, a smooth mid-range presence to retain articulation and definition, and tight bass response to give your guitar's voice fullness and some warmth. It's a great vintage-inspired pickup that can still hold its own and sound crisp and clear even in more modern settings, including higher gain stuff. 

This guitar is truly a feast for the eyes, the hands, and the ears. It simply does not get any better than this.

Private Stock represents the highest quality of materials, the most personally crafted instruments, and the greatest level of customization available from PRS. Whether you choose one of our Private Stock models or spec a Built to Order instrument, every Private Stock is carefully conceived and built with a “one-off” mentality. Through this program, we strive to deliver heirloom-quality, musical instruments. All specs for this guitar were hand-selected by the dealer during a trip to our Private Stock vault in Maryland.

Some features we'd like to highlight on this Private Stock guitar are:

• High Gloss Nitro finish
• Curly Maple top
• Curly Maple neck stained to match
• Ebony/Curly Maple fingerboard, tuner buttons, & headstock veneer stained to match
• Ebony pickup rings
• Birds of a Feather inlays
• Smoked Black hardware
• 58/15 LT Pickups

The McCarty 594 is a versatile, vintage-inspired instrument that is effortlessly playable. Featuring a bound 22-fret Pattern Vintage neck and slightly thicker back for more enhanced tone and sustain, the McCarty 594 plays in tune, is intonated the entire length of the neck, and feels like a guitar you’ve been playing forever. Whether you are looking for rich, authentic humbucking tones or nuanced, sweet single-coil sounds, the McCarty 594 can seamlessly master both sonic territories thanks to its 58/15 LT pickups, which have now been through the TCI (tuned capacitance and inductance) process, and dual volume and push/pull tone controls. A zinc two-piece bridge and vintage-style tuners anchor this guitar and stay true to the promise of the McCarty family.

“One of my sayings is that everything that touches the string is God – well, that’s really the bridge, the nut, and the tuners. The updates to the McCarty family make a huge difference in their tone. The guitar sustains longer and the tone has more character,” said Paul Reed Smith.

In the late 1980’s, Paul Reed Smith called on Ted McCarty to consult with him on guitar design and production techniques. He not only served as a mentor but became a great friend of Paul and everyone he met at PRS. In 1994, PRS released the first McCarty, an instrument that incorporated the full spectrum of techniques and knowledge Paul had gained from Ted as well as his own experiences as a guitar builder.

Our in-house guitar tech will inspect, test, set up, and clean all of our instruments on site prior to shipping. All of our instruments are guaranteed to be fully functional upon arrival.

Music Store Live is one of PRS's top independent dealers and is one of only a select few PRS Signature Dealers. If you still haven't found what you're looking for, we are more than happy to help you custom order your next Paul Reed Smith instrument. Our PRS experts can help guide you in purchasing a new SE, S2, CORE, or even your very own Private Stock guitar or bass. Call or message us for details!