PRS Limited Edition 40th Anniversary McCarty SC56 | Review

PRS Limited Edition 40th Anniversary McCarty SC56 | Revi

PRS Guitars may be the epitome of modern luxury in the minds of many, their McCarty line of guitars are as “vintage” as guitars get - at least in terms of tone. A combination of Paul Reed Smith’s relentless pursuit of excellence and the wisdom of the late great Ted McCarty: president of Gibson guitars during their golden era in the 1950s and ‘60s, and both consultant and mentor to Smith during PRS’s early boom period in the mid-‘90s.

The latest model to bear McCarty’s name is the 40th Anniversary McCarty SC56, denoting the instrument’s single cut body style and the mid-‘50s guitars from which it draws inspiration. You’d be forgiven for assuming a guitar with 56 in it’s name would be a goldtop, but instead we’re treated to a beautiful McCarty Sunburst finish over PRS’s signature curly maple (Faded Blue Jean and Translucent Black are also available). 

While there are a great many significant updates to the McCarty formula on this most recent model, the stars of the show are the new McCarty III pickups. Designed side-by-side with the new DMO (Dynamic, Musical and Open) pickups found on PRS’s more modern-leaning instruments. The primary differences are that the McCarty IIIs are covered (which alters the pickup’s magnetic field and softens the tone) and feature 2-conductor wiring. This means no coil splits. I’ll be honest, I was a little disappointed by this, but after just a few minutes of playing time I really didn’t miss having them. The three pickup positions are exceptionally well-balanced and musical, and the neck and middle positions offer a lot of sparkle without straying too far away from the classic ‘50s humbucker sound.

As you’d predict from PRS, the playability of the McCarty SC56 is beyond excellent. The quality control and fit and finish on Core PRS guitars are potentially the best in the world, and this is no exception - despite a fairly muscular factory setup. Quite why PRS insist on shipping guitars with a 2mm action on the low strings, I’ll never know - it’s certainly not to disguise poor workmanship or materials, since these are both second-to-none. The feel of the guitar in your hand is hard to describe, other than to say that it feels *expensive*. There’s an aura of quality that has to be experienced really, and even then many folks will decry this as marketing hype. That’s fine, but as someone who’s actually played the thing, and who’s had the good fortune to play and evaluate hundreds of guitars over the years, I’m sticking to my guns on this one.

The PRS 40th Anniversary McCarty SC56 is a worthy successor to the McCarty name, and is everything you’d want in a vintage guitar (in terms of tone, feel and vibe) combined with everything you’d want in a modern guitar (precision, reliability, playability). This might sound cliché, but there’s really no better way to put it. Another masterpiece in a 40-year run of masterpieces from PRS.

For more information, visit prsguitars.com