PRS McCarty 594 Aurora Borealis

The McCarty 594 is a versatile, vintage-inspired instrument with modern playability and reliability. 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 McCarty III pickups and dual volume and push/pull tone controls.

McCarty III pickups were spec’d by Paul Reed Smith and the PRS New Products Engineering team. From our own hands-on research into coveted vintage pickup models to advancements in signal analyzation and “tuning” technology, these pickups incorporate every detail of pickup knowledge PRS has gained in recent years of R&D. PRS McCarty III pickups are vintage-inspired humbuckers that bring a vocal clarity to their full, warm tone. A zinc two-piece bridge with brass saddles and steel studs, bone nut, and PRS Phase III tuners with brass shafts 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. These specifications make a huge difference in the guitar’s tone, sustain, and character.” – 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.