2004 Paul Reed Smith Custom 22 McCarty 10 Electric Guitar – Used

The PRS Custom 22 McCarty is named after Gibsons legendary president Ted McCarty, who was man at the helm of Gibsons legendary run of solid body electric guitars in the 50s and early 60s. McCarty became something of a mentor to Paul Reed Smith, and Smith, taking what he learned from Ted, created the McCarty series of guitars for PRS. This Custom 22, in particular, is something of a modern amalgamation of a burst Les Paul and a double cut-away SG – though the feel of the instrument is distinctly PRS. The contoured body is ergonomic and incredibly comfortable to play, and the 25 scale length provides a little more snap than a traditional Les Pauls typical 24 . Outfitted with a set of Dragon II pickups, the guitar runs a little hotter than a classic PAF styled pickup, giving it a nice warm and open tone that is particularly well suited to rock and heavy blues.

Cosmetically, this guitar is quite stunning and is quite deserving of its 10-top designation. It features a gorgeous, quilted maple top that pairs well with the Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and peghead veneer. For being a 20+ year-old instrument, its in pretty good shape and has been well-maintained over the years. There are a few dings and scratches located randomly throughout the guitar. There is a small concentration of scratches on the back of the instrument near the backplate, and the pickups have a slight patina. The frets do show signs of use, most noticeably on the treble strings around frets 1 through 5, but do not show immediate signs of needing a re-fret.