24.594"
The defining scale
Slightly longer than PRS’s earlier 24.5-inch vintage platform, the scale gives the model its name and contributes to its particular balance of tension and familiarity.
Detail 01
PRS model history · 1994 to today
PRS McCarty 594
A vintage-minded guitar family shaped by Ted McCarty’s legacy and refined through modern PRS manufacturing.
The 594 is not simply a retro finish or pickup swap. Its scale length, neck carve, bridge, switching, and control layout were developed as one system—designed to deliver familiar response without inheriting the compromises of an old instrument.
Current inventory
The design brief
Why “594” matters
The name comes from the 24.594-inch scale, but the model’s identity comes from how several details work together. These are the specifications worth comparing across model years and production tiers.
22 frets
Vintage-minded geometry
A bound Pattern Vintage neck and a slightly thicker body establish the feel and resonance associated with the family.
Detail 02
2 + 2
Independent controls
Separate volume and push/pull tone controls for each pickup make blends, coil-split sounds, and quick stage adjustments practical.
Detail 03
Two-piece
Bridge construction
The zinc-and-brass bridge design adds mass and four contact points while supporting accurate intonation and reliable setup.
Detail 04
Model chronology
From McCarty to 594
The family grew in deliberate steps: first a tribute model, then a newly engineered scale and control platform, followed by additional body styles and broader production lines.
1994
The original McCarty
Timeline entry 1: PRS introduced the McCarty as a tribute to Ted McCarty, whose manufacturing knowledge and mentorship helped Paul Reed Smith translate golden-era ideas into a modern production guitar.
2015–17
The 594 takes shape
Timeline entry 2: Development began in late 2015. The production McCarty 594 arrived with its namesake 24.594-inch scale, 58/15 LT pickups, Pattern Vintage neck, upper-bout toggle, and independent volume and push/pull tone controls.
2017
Singlecut joins the family
Timeline entry 3: After a small Private Stock run, the Singlecut 594 moved into the Core line, bringing the same scale, switching, and vintage-minded hardware to a substantial single-cutaway platform.
2019
A fully hollow 594
Timeline entry 4: The McCarty 594 Hollowbody II extended the formula into a resonant, fully hollow build while retaining the two-piece bridge, Pattern Vintage neck, and flexible dual-pickup controls.
2020
S2 broadens the reach
Timeline entry 5: PRS brought the McCarty 594, Singlecut, and Thinline into its Maryland-made S2 Series—the first McCarty models offered beyond Private Stock and Core production.
2023
The SE chapter
Timeline entry 6: The SE McCarty 594 family introduced the design at a more accessible level, retaining the 24.594-inch scale, two-piece bridge, vintage-style tuners, coil-splitting controls, and 58/15 LT “S” pickups.
Historical dates and model details are based on the official PRS company timeline and published McCarty archives. Read the PRS timeline.
Before you choose
Read the model, not only the finish
“McCarty 594” now describes a family. Construction tier, body format, pickup generation, and production year can matter more than two guitars sharing the same outline.
Double-cut or Singlecut
Compare upper-fret access, body mass, balance, and the way each construction responds before deciding by appearance.
SE, S2, or Core
The shared architecture remains recognizable, while carving, components, pickups, finish work, and manufacturing location change across the range.
Check the model year
Pickup specifications and hardware evolve. Confirm the individual guitar’s listed components instead of assuming every 594 carries the current Core specification.
Live Korena inventory
Available PRS McCarty 594 guitars
Every instrument below is attached to the current catalog and explicitly identified as a McCarty 594. Open a product to compare its exact construction, pickups, model year, finish, and availability.
