The PRS SE McCarty 594 Guitar

[@Zoso981]

I just got my 594 today. It's my first PRS and I'm blown away. This is the best new guitar I've purchased in a very long time.

[@corn1078]

I bought this guitar last weekend and I’m not regretting it. Sounds beautiful though

[@Zoso981]

@@corn1078 Congrats, you can't beat them for the price.

[@corn1078]

@@Zoso981 It for sure plays well for really anything, but I have to crank that thing since it’s quiet

[@robertbutcher2279]

Yep I’ll see what of you do

[@aaron22778]

I’ve had this guitar for six months now and it is simply incredible. My first experience with a PRS was only last year when I tested a previous generation Paul’s guitar SE at a “Music Go Round”. I knew immediately as I played it then and there that the guitar was a far better fit for me than my Mexican STRAT HSS. When I saved up enough I ordered this McCarty SE from Sweetwater and let me tell you this guitar really does have some magic to it.

[@Kevzilla100]

It is truly a golden age. If you adjust backwards for inflation, for some of us old folks, these things actually are entry-priced. But they are, I don't know, a thousand times better than entry-level guitars in the 80's, for instance.

[@sirfultonbishop]

…and the ‘60’s.

[@Mandrax2011]

It's not an entry level guitar. It's an entry level PRS. Entry level guitars still only cost a couple of hundred bucks and can still be hit and miss.

[@msaintpc]

@@Mandrax2011 I've had several PRS duds too, ie, that Santana PRS pos guitar.

[@kennethmeeker6369]

Definitely but I got my les Paul custom and myb72 strat in 88 both together at a pawnshop were 1500 not gonna see those prices ever again.

[@theonlyrobot]

Yeah, the difference between a modern Squier and a 20 year old Mexican Fender is pretty amazing.

[@laxduck]

Nothing beats these videos for a great mix of spec breakdown and feels/sounds. Thank you Phil!

[@berndkiltz]

This is one of the most detailed tests I have ever seen and thank you SO MUCH for explaining the coil-split with the resistors. Great content!

[@donaldblankenship5163]

I’ve never seen anyone break guitars down this in depth, we’ll done! Glad I found you.

[@frankenstein4106]

The SE 594 is the guitar I'm more excited for over the SE DGT! Thicker body and neck, and non-trem are the bonus points for me.

[@stickmanmusic5840]

I own several PRS SE guitars. I recently played one of these and was impressed with the feel and sound.

[@RayLawrenceJrMUSIC]

I own this guitar in faded blue. This is one must have guitar. Well made and sounds sweet. I want the single cut version too.

[@kraniumpo]

Thanks! I just unboxed my 594 last night, what a guitar! Big thank you to Thomas @ Sweetwater for helping with everything, might have to do my own review. Checking setup right now,

[@sqrly2u]

Mr. McKight, you sir are not only an Army Brother, but a very thorough guitar breakdown specialist. I absolutely love your channel Brother.

[@msaintpc]

Like it's between a Strat and an SG. Awesome. PRS is a genius.

[@Johnnymagnet92]

And has the tonal qualities of a Les Paul almost

[@JoMaMaz]

Thank you for taking a few weeks to play a guitar and review it versus just doing it after having the guitar one day or so. Thanks! 🙂👍 Thanks for the honest and thorough review, also. 🙂👍

[@rodgerbell810]

Hi Phil, you are nailing these Deep Dive reviews. They are so comprehensive. You are taking your time to explain every aspect of the instrument from a luthier & players point of view. Keep up the good work. Thanks so much & Cheers ✌️🎸

[@poodleguiderpeyes7388]

Can't get over how nice this guitar is! It's a fantastic playing and sounding instrament. The neck shape is LP like; very comfy. I have the vintage finished one, it's lightweight & a beautiful looking guitar. Kudos to PRS.

[@rex8958]

I’ve always been a fender guy wanting to branch out into a PRS for a long time, this will finally be it, they absolutely killed it, blue ones mine!!

[@poodleguiderpeyes7388]

Same here - initially I ordered the DGT SE, but then saw the 594 SE and liked the specs better, so I called & had MF switch the order. They are not in stock yet, though but have very good pricing on them.

[@scottmason1999]

I am a lifelong Fender player looking at either the SE McCarty or SE DGT as my first PRS. Would love any feedback any other Fender players have about their PRS experiences.

[@sharihaynes816]

GREAT REVIEW ! I was on the fence, but now I'm writing the check. Thanks for all your time and professionalism.

[@kenttamura8700]

Aloha Phil, after viewing your awesome deep dives numerous times. I went and ordered a SE 594 so far so good,. It came with pretty high action with some string tension. Anyway I grew up learning guitar in the 60s there was no info at all. In the few years of viewing "Know Your Gear" I've learned more than I did through the whole 1960's. I'm in my 70's now and never thought I could get excited again geeking out on my gear. Mahalo for taking the time to show me the what, with what, where and how.

[@KrenarCilkuGuitar]

This PRS release has been the most exciting thing to happen in the guitar community for the past couple of years. Epic! Also, great videos as always, Phil!

[@lukaslmguitarcorner]

Looks like we're watching the same videos buddy 😂 I'm on the PRS hype train right now and so happy with my new CE 24

[@ractorstudios]

it looks so good too.

[@berndkiltz]

Hey, you are here as well :) Just ordered one even though I had a very bad experience with a PRS core DGT. Lets see how it is, thomann is shipping in about 8 weeks.

[@allanb1402]

I wholeheartedly agree! My SE 594 single cut arrives tomorrow and I'm grabbing the DGT as soon as it becomes available again. I'm also a huge fan of the S2 series and yes, there's a certain amount of prestige owning a US made PRS, even a 'cheap' one, but what PRS has done to this latest batch of instruments just make it too compelling to not try them. Plus I've been watching Phil since he had about 40,000 subs and to this day he's still the only KZbinr who's opinion I value and trust because I know it's his own.

[@Mcfly0856]

Is it just me or has PRS really blew up lately, even before the latest releases. The g.a.s. is really getting hard to ignore!

[@JoshuaC923]

The 24-08 eriza verde, then the SE silver sky, now they release the two models i really wanna buy, the gas is hard!

[@KenithCopeland]

They really are delivering some usual only core guitars at a more affordable price for us mere mortals

[@martianmurray]

Yeah it’s been about a year since I got my first PRS and I’m itching for my second.

[@kirkscobey3031]

@@JoshuaC923 usually if it’s hard it’s not gas but yeah this ones for me!

[@Mcfly0856]

It's definitely one of the very few that actually give you what you pay for. I can be a snob sometimes and I told myself I would never buy an imported PRS but the QC and amount of effort put into the SE series is second to none.

[@warutsu6642]

Es la mejor review de esta guitarra que encontré en todo KZbin. Gracias!

[@jdmac44]

I ordered mine last night, you're making me feel really good about my purchase!

[@danielszymczewski9637]

Thank you for the review. It is rally helpful to understand the level of quality one should expect at a given price point. I have to say I returned 2 guitars in one store before I went to yet another store and bought a display model that had some minor scratches. I almost decided not to get the SE 594 double cut as it felt like Epiphone or Gretch electromagnetic had a better quality finish than the almost twice the price PRS. One had a missing screw on the back cover for the switch and the G string was impossible to tune. The other one had a really uneven fretboard side to the point you would describe it as bulging. It also had signs of what looked like rust on the frets closer to the body of the guitar. Not to mention that one of the dials came off when testing the coil split…. Absolutely horrible. I am no expert but the £400 guitars looked much better than those two examples priced at just over £800. Only when I went to another store did I find one that was ok and not falling apart in my hands. I still worry that something might start going wrong with the one I got. The other brands Made in China seem better, more consistent and more solid than this stuff made in Indonesia…..to me. Perhaps I was just unlucky and the guys at Andertons were trying to sell me some lemons they have not checked themselves.

[@wikolib6821]

Hi Phil, I want to add input on the "consistency" of PRS SE line. I bought a PRS SE single cut Macarty 594 on sale with the Blue top F year (2024 model) from GC a couple of days ago. Changed the strings, intonation was fine but it wouldn't play a D major chord in tune. Turns out the 2nd fret was high. Also the pups were like "meh", not so much. I exchanged it today for the same model Black Gold color E year (2023 model). The neck was great and, big surprise, the pickups were MUCH BETTER, hotter, brighter, and much clearer. This guitar has been in the store since October and was still pretty much flawless. Go figure. You never know where you are going to find a diamond in the rough. Thanks, you provide an awesome service. God bless.

[@spider5001]

I just ordered mine. I got the faded blue. Can’t wait to play it! This is my first PRS

[@shuster1921]

Another Great Video Phillip!! I wish they would bring out the Lefty Silver Sky, that would be a hot seller for us left out Lefties!

[@roscoepcoltrane23]

Wow they have really stepped up the SE. I have a core SC245. That tailpiece and bridge are genius. Takes 5 mins to change strings. Looks great. Love my PRS.

[@juliengoguen17]

PRS SE guitars are amazing guitars. I have 2 and love them. They are work horses. It doesn't matter which model it is, they are worth the small investment.

[@user-sn3cs2hd8r]

I cant tell you how much I appreciate the profile measurements at the 1st and 12th. Its a deal maker or breaker for me. I like

[@mysteryloaf]

WOW that single coil bridge tone absolutely slays. I could tell from with the helpless smile on your face that it inspired some real enthusiasm when you switched to it and went all Stevie for a second. This video really convinces me that the SE line has stepped up their game and I might consider this or the DGT. Whew, lad!

[@devinsinderwitcz9134]

One of the biggest things I've noticed from trying out PRS guitars at different stores is they're ready to play right out of the box. In other words no setup necessary. I can't say that about ANY other brand.

[@yamahargxtt]

How about Cort models who actually make these guitars and many others?

[@lyonsd.6786]

PRS in USA takes them in and does another check before they leave for USA or CANADA. Then if you purchase from Sweetwater then another quality check.

[@Johnnymagnet92]

Same!

[@kjmdrumz3]

My 594 Singlecut was an absolute jalopy. A bad/dead saddle. 8+ high frets. But was cut like a bag of ass. I’ve had to put more work into it than I have any of my Squier strats or teles. Its only saving grace is that it is gorgeous and the pickups sound fantastic.

[@brooklyneil]

Just subscribed and a big thumbs up just order a se mcCarty 594 i'm impressed you ace this video keep up the good work.

[@kevinperry3639]

That's amazing! Very detailed information. Good to know. And a great video too, thanks for sharing 🤘

[@mikedr1549]

Love PRS or hate PRS - it's hard to deny they put out some simply beautiful guitars!

[@Icebergslim91]

Honestly the one thing stopping me buying a PRS guitar ( I have a lot of experience playing them) is I just find them so god damn ugly.

[@codythedoggo7671]

​@@Icebergslim91 most of them look amazing

[@dowaliby1]

@@codythedoggo7671 Absolutely. As the old saying goes, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

[@davidstorm4015]

Great review and great guitar, sounds fantastic. I just managed to pick up a SE 245 standard (single cut) brand new from Anderton's in the UK for £399 with free shipping, that is one hell of a guitar for that money. It's impeccably finished, with a super low action straight from the factory and I've had to change nothing on the setup. PRS are killing it on the SE range at the moment

[@DavidHBurkart]

Wow! Such impressive performance and workmanship for under a grand. I really loved the DGT and the 594 SEs. To think you can get both for less than the price of one S2 boggles the mind.

[@msaintpc]

Sorry but this SE cost 2k. Not hardly under a grand as you stated.

[@ruisouto7868]

@@msaintpcno it doesn’t. It sits around. 1k.

[@rogerbiggerstaff3293]

As shown in the video, this SE costs ~$949. It's the S2 that's near $2k.

[@joehiatt1992]

@@rogerbiggerstaff3293 Correct

[@IainFrame]

Update: I just got one of these yesterday. Already got a faulty with the electronic - the pickup selector is broken. The retailer is fixing it though so happy days.

[@whoracle82]

Played the PRS SE Singlecut version of this guitar yesterday in my local guitar shop…AMAZING! The neck feels very comfortable and does not feel like a ‘59 neck (I have a Biorn Gellote Epiphone that has the ‘59 neck profile). I don’t need this guitar but 10/10 would buy it regardless 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@Bluesplayer789]

That finish is spectacular and with all the appointments on the gat...as you say "shockingly close".

[@YusufEffendi17]

Man, this is a true dedication and another level of guitar review.

[@tinaseiffert1759]

it kind of a guitar what does everytihing very outstanding....thanks for your presntation

[@riverrail]

I tried one of these a week ago and the neck was too big for me. I just wish it had the thin and wide neck and would have wanted a short scale as I've been playing for 30 plus years with 25.5 scale guitars. I bought the PRS SE Customer Quilt. Love it.

[@stephanematis]

S2 for Satin open-pore when available, Vela, Custom 22, Custom 24. The other S2 gig will be the 594 Thin and the large color options. But I hear you Phil.

[@DeadSpeak-m2h]

The thought of such a short scale and chunky neck sounds very unappealing, but I played one yesterday and it felt solid. Very resonate and comfortable to play.

[@thomashogan1985]

These reviews are great PRS are just leaps and bounds ahead of their competitors

[@ramseyjansen]

I really like the way you do these deep dives! Very comprehensible and useful!

[@scottreynolds6317]

I got my PRS SE McCarty 594 Singlecut Standard last week. Also picked up the Kluson non-collared locking tuners that Phil mentioned. They fit perfectly and are MUCH better than the tuners that came with the guitar. Plays and sounds awesome!!!!

[@alansamsmusic]

Great video Phil! Thank you for sharing the locking tuner info.

[@davemeshamsr6000]

I have PRs se dgt birds McCarty tobacco sunburst I got some months ago and recently after a 9 months wait on an order got a prs dgt gold top with moons and the quality is amazing my next PRs will be this PRs se McCarty 594 hopefully soon such a value and quality for the price is hard to match

[@pjmtry7]

Bought the S2 Smokeburst 594 and it just sounds so cool through My Marshall origin 20 and Peavey Valve King VK212 and Orange Crush 100! I am happy with this awesome middle ground of 594's!

[@thomask9577]

I love my PRS SE 24-08, but I like a slightly thinner neck. The Fender American Ultra Strat neck feels so good to me.

[@Gary_28]

I've recently purchased an ultra strat and the neck is the most comfortable I've played yet!

[@DamianS1893]

Just ordered a PRS SE 594 Single Cut in Turquoise... Looking forward to receiving it

[@silk.1467]

Are they built in China?

[@nathansturgess92]

Nice touch on the Give Me One Reason

[@IndyRockStar]

I just put a buy order on the LAST PRS McCarty 594 Core in the Orange Tiger finish that will be made. I should have it in 4-6 weeks. PRS discontinued the Orange Tiger finish.

[@johnmac8084]

Great review Phil, thanks. PRS SE are just getting better and better, I love them

[@Tonedefy]

Played the Singlecut Standard version (all mahogany) yesterday at a local shop. That guitar was phenomenal, almost took it home.

[@Robert.B594]

Awesome video very informative, i actually pre ordered a 10th anniversary s2 mcarty 594 here , with the LT usa pickups. I cannot wait to get my hands on it. I always wanted a prs. And watched a few vids and reviews on them , and fron what im hearing and seeing the quality is top notch! I watched your older vid on the core singlecut vs s2 mcarty and really helped me decide to grab the 10th anniversary s2 on pre order. Id love to see a review if u get one in , but only 1000 being made. 👊

[@overthehillcheapgearnoodle9990]

Good morning Phil. It's nice to see KZbin content producers excited about what they're showing. You're obviously really excited about this guitar 🎸 and it really came through on your video I don't have a PRS but they are so much on my radar and your video just helps push that gold feather to its end. Thank you so much for all you do. I hope you have a great day.

[@overthehillcheapgearnoodle9990]

Sorry for the typos there's no gold feather. I only meant to say, your video made me want to get a PRS more than ever.

[@Driftuner]

Ive owned PRS before with very good coil splitting before but man, THAT guitars coil split is insane! It sounds properly good. Ive always dreamed of a 594, i guess i can finally pull the trigger on one now

[@UnhungHero]

Fun fact, had to swap out the tuner bushings on my SE McCarty. The inner diameter of the stock ones were too narrow for the Gotoh locking tuners I upgraded to

[@garycoraluzzi1166]

Beautifully done! Thank you !

[@poodleguiderpeyes7388]

I ordered a sunburst SE 594 a few days ago, it'll b my first PRS. Will have to wait a bit for it to arrive though. This vid was timely. Thanks Phil.

[@shawnmcginnis2508]

One of the best sounding demos I've heard you play !

[@davemeshamsr6000]

These PRs se guitars sound great just straight through to an amp with no pedals as I have played through 80’s fender tube amps I have and a newer Reissue fender twin reverb reverb tube amp and have as f yet not found a need for pedals but will soon experiment with pedals but ya great guitars PRs

[@RickMcCargar]

The S2 version is now out as limited edition with USA electronics and low-turn pickups. Count on the S2 to be fully upgraded across the line soon. edit: so the deal will be offshore with the cheap electronics and pickups, S2 American made, upgraded electronics and pickups, and core model with upgraded electronics/pickups/wood/carve

[@zaz4667]

Never been able to get into PRS guitars! They look pretty awesome! I might consider buying one with no birds! That theme had been over done! But I love watching Phil do his thing so I stuck with it!

[@MrTPF1]

That's how I was too, but I bought a used SE and man, you won't believe how nicely they play!

[@zaz4667]

@@MrTPF1 Sweet. Next time I am around one I will try playing it.

[@rien2080]

This is the guitar I have been waiting for so long and I can''t wait to have it! Time to save up a bit and get this great guitar

[@dennisdewinter1997]

Thanks for such a outstanding, thorough review of this guitar.

[@toftetofteson]

I love your S2 594 Review…i bought it, got Thornbuckers and Phase III Tuner on it…a beast! :-o now i‘m excited about the SE 594…please compare them both! 👏🏻

[@southpawOO7]

What happened to the live stream? I watched about half live and was going to watch the rebroadcast and it's gone!

[@FelisLeo_]

Really enjoying these deep dives on the new PRS SE's. I know there's probably a risk of too many all at once, but I'd love to see a deep dive for the new Mark Holcomb.

[@MrSmiley1964]

I am loving this guitar! The specs click in all of my boxes and I liked the pickups. I own a Gibson LPjr with the '59 neck shape, 💖 it. My wife will be mad but this one is coming home with me.

[@kenthhamner2641]

I tried one today because of the 20% blowout till end of October. The wiring was wrong! So I put a down payment on an order from the warehouse and L&M and hopefully the new replacement will be fine.

[@jeffhershberger]

So, you basically explained the difference between coil splitting where one coil is completely removed and coil tapping where you "tap" the pickup for a lower output. There is a difference even though many people mistakenly interchange the terms.

[@jerrymckenzie1858]

If I'm not mistaken, the SE 594 uses the 58/15 S Low Turn pickups but the S2 594 uses regular 58/15 S pickups which are higher output and darker.

[@JELIFISH19]

They're changing all of them to the LTs this year.

[@jerrymckenzie1858]

@@JELIFISH19 That's good to hear. I think the LTs sound much better.

[@richardburkow3792]

Excellent video! I think I "need" one of these now.

[@michaelweiss9219]

I have a PRS Special 22 semi- hollow core model, I ordered a SE McCarty 594 because they are pretty cheap with all the discounts lately. I was surprised at the fret size, the jumbo frets felt like speed bumps to me, especially with the shorter scale. I sent it back.....

[@elenbrandt290]

Ah! The Geeky Stuff! Music to my ears. Thank you for the excellent analysis!

[@victorycrosby4896]

The same used prs se trampus green Zack Myers 1 year ago at 600 bucks w/case is now around 800 bucks in North florida.

[@landon.cunningham]

I'd be curious to know which you'd prefer between this and the SE Paul's Guitar - or perhaps to see a shootout between those.

[@orryfishburne5326]

I really want to get the SE McCarty 594 Single Cut. I absolutely LOVE that tailpiece. I currently have a SE Custom 24 and its by far my best guitar in terms of playability and feel, but i really cant stand the pickups in it and my tone pot and switch needs to be replaced. I really want to try Fralin Pickups in the Custom 24 and replace all the components and wiring. Humbucker sized p90 in the neck and a humbucker in the bridge, then put Fralin Pure PAFs in the McCarty 594. I just really like the build quality and feel of the SE lines, and I definitely think its worth it to upgrade the electronics on those guitars.

[@datruth9872]

I love my P.R.S. will never let go of it. It's my GO TO AXE ! Over the Les Paul .

[@TheWarduke1972]

Great review. Made me feel better about me preordering the black gold burst one! Can’t wait til I finally get it in.

[@richarddelconnor]

Thanks. I bought the PRS SE McCarty 594 black gold today. I'm waiting for delivery... Is it here yet?...I've been playing a tobacco Stratocaster since 1984. I'm excited to go humbucker. I just saw your video three hours after ordering from Sweetwater. You confirmed my decision.

[@stratman5762]

I love my 30th Anniversary SE Custom 24, its a great axe! But, dang it, that new 594 is screaming my name! I also owned a core McCarty Killer Quilt that I should have NEVER let go! Guess we could call that GAS remorse.

[@robertclinger7351]

I still don't understand why, on the DGT, the coil splits aren't on the volume pots. Instead of splitting both in the middle position, you could variably mix the two pickups.

[@tfajsh]

Awesome review. Looks like a great guitar. The SE line is solid !

[@whatwouldhousedo5136]

Great deal on an excellent guitar. My one thing I don't like about PRS is the headstock- looks great but not much room for a tuner and/or capo. Glad to see the tune-o-matic bridge- my olde SE has a bit of trouble with intonation.

[@tonyenglish5153]

Wish they had made a version with a slightly thinner wide neck for smaller-medium hand players and smoother natural back neck finish for smoother transition. Great thing with PRS so many choices.

[@uncountedvoter9449]

This guitar sounded great! very nice. It sounds like the old PRS guitars from the early 90s, the tone is amazing. I think I may just go pick one up, haha!

[@JoshRod]

Did you see that David Grissom shouted you out in the live show he did with Keith Williams yesterday?!

[@aintgottime2bleed78]

I love the SE series, but I REALLY wish they’d recess those control covers, especially with that chonky cover material they are using. I’m a machinist, and it would take seconds to program the recess operation on a CNC mill.

[@JamesVanD]

Just noticed you have a core Mira back there! That's what I'm playing while watching this! I did replace the pickups though.

[@kingofkong90]

Hey Phillip! Would you do a side by side comparison between the SE McCarty 594 and the SE DGT? Would love to hear the difference. I heard about the SE DGT from PRS of course but didn't know they were going to launch an SE McCarty 594. I'm stuck between which one so it would be great if you could shine a light on this.

[@OscarDad]

+1 with the SE 594 and DGT I'm on the edge of trying my first PRS.always been curious but couldn't spend $2k to $5k. If $899 gets me a quality PRS I'm willing to try em out.

[@timhauff]

I have been begging PRS to make a SE version for the past 3 years , I am grabbing one !

[@sosmooth7]

Good work!! You've really shown a lot in this review. I am thinking of getting the single cut version of this guitar. You've really made know that I would be making a good choice. Again, thank you for this breakdown video.

[@controversywithkdawg6077]

Phil if possible would love to see a deep dive for the PRs se singlecut 594 ! I’m thinking of getting the blue one

[@Sloozer45]

Wow, Phil's review here really did a great job in helping me to understand what differentiates this guitar from others. And I enjoyed his playing too . This goes on my short list for guitars to buy (when I can afford it ;(

[@sid35gb]

Interesting comments about the why the S2 line should exist. I think PRS should make S2 an innovative line where they make guitars not available in SE or Core but along the lines of the Vela and do some interesting and unusual guitars with new kinds of pickups and wiring to get classic sounds from the out of phase Green style blues to the black P90 growl.