Numerous brands offer clones and copies of the classics, some verging on unabashed fakery. None of that interests Paul Reed Smith.
Yes, the Singlecut was highly controversial on its release in 2000, but at most it was an 'inspired by' design, certainly no clone. Our pictured McCarty Singlecut is the closest yet Smith has got to the sound of Gibson's classic late-50s 'burst. It still looks like a PRS, of course, and no one is going to think otherwise, but when you plug it in…
Smith was keen to do just that, showing us how the continuously tweaked 57/08 humbuckers go from a single-coil-like whisper up to that classic vocal roar of a great 'burst.
New PRS concept
The McCarty Singlecut is part of a new PRS concept: small 'production' runs of the higher-priced Private Stock one-offs. Others we'll see will includea Violin II, a 'fat back' McCarty 24, a Tremonti Singlecut anda Santana.
The McCarty Singlecut has a carved figured Private Stock-grade maple top, thick mahogany back, 622mm (24.5-inch) scale length, 22-fret Private Stock mahogany neck, ivoroid bound Private Stock-grade Madagascan rosewood fretboard and headstock veneer, mammoth ivory bird inlays and headstock Eagle, Santana headstock shape, bone nut, PRS tuners with ebony buttons, flat jumbo fretwire, PRS two-piece bridge, nickel hardware and a paisley-covered hardshell case.
There are no options, aside from a maple package (hand-selected Private Stock-grade flame maple top, flame maple-bound fretboard and flame maple headstock veneer), and you'll have just enough change from £6,000 to buy a pint of beer.
Demand for these 'unoffical' PRS models has been immense.We had to borrow this one from Peach Guitars - thanks!
For more info head over to PRS Guitars.
