I have owned and gigged this USA-built PRS McCarty gold-top since 2010. The serial number identifies it as a 1999.
Production of this model ceased in 2007.
Body
Double cutaway
Mahogany back (1/8in thicker than the Custom etc.)
East coast maple top in gold finish
Neck
Set neck
Rosewood fretboard
Wide-fat profile
22 frets
25in scale length
Phases-of-the-moon dot inlays - no ostentatious
falling birds here!
Hardware
Wrap-around bridge
Vintage-style tuners
Electronics
2x Seymour Duncan soap-bar single coils
(hum-cancelling when both selected)
3-way toggle selector switch
1x volume, 1x tone control
Sounds
The basic sound of this guitar is spanky
single-coil Tele-on-steroids, but with plenty of underlying fatness. Roll back
the tone control, and you are into Gibson territory. Where I would have used
this guitar on a gig, I am now using both a Tele and a Gibson. This is one
supremely versatile guitar, and by far the loudest that I own!
I have fitted a treble bleed circuit (1nF Orange
Drop cap in parallel with 150k resistor) and it now retains brightness as you
roll back the volume control.
Condition
Plenty of wear left in the frets. Currently strung with 9-46 GHS Nickel Rocker strings but will happily take a 10 set if you prefer. Action is set low to my taste.
There are some dings on the neck and body, which I have tried to show in the pictures. In particular there is a spot on the upper edge where a chunk of finish has been crunched, but it seems to have been filled in with clear lacquer so that it can barely be felt. There is also a dent in the bass side of the neck between the 15th and 16th frets, but this has never affected playability.
Comes with fitted hard case (a standard Strat-type case is not a good fit).
Reason for sale
This is an awesome guitar (this model won a Guitarist
mag shootout with a Gibson LP gold-top), but not the kind of awesome that I am
currently lusting after. Plus if I operate a 1-in-1-out policy, Mrs Keefy will
let me keep both my testicles…
The bottom lineI am looking for
£1,150 ono. As yet I have no
seller feedback on here so I wouldn’t expect someone to transfer me a 4-figure
sum to have the guitar sent to them – I know I wouldn’t risk it! – so it will
be collection or meet-up. I live in Swindon and work in Oxford, and I am happy
to travel within a 40-mile radius so that you can try it, at no cost to you.
Trades
I would be interested in any of the following,
with cash adjustment either way depending on what the other item is:
- Fender Classic Series 72 Telecaster Deluxe
- Fender Road Worn 72 Telecaster Deluxe
- Fender FSR Telecaster Deluxe
- Fender American Pro Telecaster with Shawbuckers
- Gibson Les Paul Junior DC (not 2015) or quality equivalent (Rock’n’Roll Relics, Collings)
- Vox AC4
Photo album
Comments
I have no need for such a thing and no money to spend but I’m still sat here trying to work out how I could buy it.
Anyone in the Swindon or Wilts neck of the woods and wanting a new toy, this is well worth a play. And @Keefy is not such a terrible bloke to pay a visit to either.
Mind you..... that could change...
Further trades amendment - yesterday I tried both a Nashville Special Tele (meh) and an American Pro Tele with Shawbuckers (wow!), so the latter has displaced the former as a trade option.
I know and lots, and had a refret. I sold it for a grand to an ‘interesting’ American from Bournemouth, who immediately advertised it on gumtree and eBay for £1200+. Turns out he was a wannabe bedroom dealer. I guess he sold it eventually but it lingered for a very very long time.
This is one looks great though!
I have checked out insured courier delivery, and this would cost £66 by UPS. What? Screw that, I could do personal delivery within 150 miles of Swindon.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F173235810901