Pricing and availability
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Average Price: $3,647
High-end/Boutique
$400
$1001+
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Budget
Standard
High-end
Price History
Based on price data from 2 merchants for "PRS McCarty Gold Top". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.
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Description
Step into the world of vintage-inspired tone and modern craftsmanship with the PRS McCarty Gold Top. Named after the legendary Ted McCarty, this solidbody electric guitar brings a touch of history to your fingertips, wrapped in contemporary elegance. With a resonant mahogany body topped by a stunning carved maple, this guitar is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the ears. The Pattern neck, a hallmark of PRS design, ensures supreme playability, offering a smooth transition between playing styles.
The sonic prowess of the McCarty is powered by its TCI-tuned 58/15 LT humbuckers, offering a palette of vintage tones with modern clarity. These pickups, revered for their sweet, articulate sound, are enhanced with a 3-way switch and push-pull tone knob, unlocking a world of tonal possibilities. Whether you're laying down crystalline clean tones or fiery leads, the McCarty delivers with precision.
Adding to its allure, the PRS stoptail bridge with brass inserts ensures exceptional resonance and stable intonation, while the vintage-style non-locking tuners maintain rock-solid tuning stability. Adorned with iconic abalone PRS Birds inlays and hybrid hardware, the McCarty is a statement piece for any guitarist looking to blend tradition with innovation.
Key Features:
- Solid mahogany body with a carved maple top
- 25-inch-scale Pattern neck with a 22-fret East Indian rosewood fingerboard
- TCI-tuned 58/15 LT humbuckers for vintage-tinged tones
- 3-way switch and push-pull tone knob
- PRS stoptail bridge with brass inserts
- Vintage-style non-locking tuners
- Abalone PRS Birds fingerboard inlays and hybrid hardware
Product specs
| Number of Strings | 6 |
| Left-/Right-handed | Right-handed |
| Body Type | Solidbody |
| Body Shape | McCarty |
| Body Material | Mahogany |
| Top Material | Maple |
| Body Finish | Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer |
| Neck Material | Mahogany |
| Neck Shape | Pattern |
| Neck Joint | Set Neck |
| Radius | 10" |
| Fingerboard Inlay | Birds |
| Number of Frets | 22, Nickel |
| Scale Length | 25" |
| Nut Width | 1.687" |
| Nut Material | PRS Proprietary |
| Bridge/Tailpiece | PRS Stoptail w/ Brass Inserts |
| Tuners | PRS Vintage-Style Non-Locking, 18:1 |
| Neck Pickup | PRS McCarty LT Humbucker |
| Bridge Pickup | PRS McCarty LT Humbucker |
| Controls | 1 x volume, 1 x tone (push/pull coil-tap) |
| Switching | 3-way toggle pickup switch |
| Strings | PRS Signature, .010-.046 |
| Case/Gig Bag | Hardshell Case |
FAQs
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What is the neck profile of the PRS McCarty Gold Top?
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The PRS McCarty Gold Top features a "Pattern" neck profile, which offers a comfortable and familiar feel, suitable for both rhythm and lead playing.
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What kind of tones can I expect from the PRS McCarty Gold Top pickups?
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The PRS McCarty Gold Top is equipped with vintage-style 58/15 LT treble and bass humbuckers, providing warm, articulate tones ideal for blues, rock, and jazz.
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Is the PRS McCarty Gold Top suitable for advanced players?
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Yes, the PRS McCarty Gold Top is designed with high-quality materials and craftsmanship, making it an excellent choice for advanced players seeking professional-level performance.
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Does the PRS McCarty Gold Top allow for coil-tapping?
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Yes, the PRS McCarty Gold Top features a push/pull tone control for coil-tapping, allowing you to access single-coil tones in addition to the standard humbucker sounds.
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What type of bridge does the PRS McCarty Gold Top use?
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The PRS McCarty Gold Top utilizes a PRS stoptail bridge with brass inserts, providing excellent sustain and tuning stability.
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How is the PRS McCarty Gold Top's playability for different music genres?
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The versatile tonal range and comfortable neck profile of the PRS McCarty Gold Top make it suitable for a variety of genres, including rock, blues, and jazz.
Videos
Willcutt Guitars
PRS McCarty Gold Top
PRS McCarty Gold Top
Willcutt Guitars
PRS - Paul Reed Smith - Mc Carty 1999 "GoldTop"
MrSanSystem
Reviews
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about PRS McCarty Gold Top.
Build quality
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The McCarty features crescent moon inlays within the dots, offering a subtle alternative to more flamboyant bird inlays.
Source -
The center seam on older PRS Goldtop models may become visible over time, but owners report no impact on sound or structural integrity.
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Some Goldtop models from the 90s exhibit a more Shoreline Gold color, which appeals to certain players.
Source
Features and functionality
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The McCarty has a fixed intonation stop tail, but newer models or upgrades can include adjustable stop tail options for better tuning.
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The McCarty is praised for its understated aesthetics compared to more ornate PRS models, making it appealing to players who prefer a subtle look.
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Dragon I pickups are noted for being hot and gritty with significant sustain, which some players find to have excessive output.
Source
Mods and upgrades
User experience
Comparisons
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The opaque black and Goldtop Standard 22s reportedly featured maple tops, offering a similar build to Custom 22s but at a lower price point.
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SE guitars, though well-made, are perceived as feeling more "plasticky" compared to Core models, with some users noting dry fretboards and subpar in-store setups.
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The S2 Regular Pattern neck is considered closest to the DGT neck pattern, providing an alternative for those seeking similar playability in different models.
Source
5.0 out of 5
Based on 0 Reviews and 2 Ratings
Artist usage
Add artist
At 21:32, "This is a Gold Top McCarty, I bought this one probably 6 months before the band started... This is my first PRS I've ever had" -Dave Knudson on Premier Guitar Rig Rundown.
In a YouTube video, Mike Mushok features the PRS McCarty Gold Top as part of his guitar rig.
"So this is a PRS I've been playing a lot. For a long time, this was my main guitar, so I played it a good bit. And David Grissom, we went to high school together. He's one of my favourite guitar players. Back in the late 90's, we were playing on a record with a guy called Chris Knight. David had a goldtop, just like this, before the DGT. It's a McCarty with a trem on it. David was playing this guitar and I borrowed it and played it on a song and it sounded so good. He said : "I'll get them to make on for you." I've had this one since 1998, and I've used it a lot. To me, it sounds a really different from what PRS is making now. It's kind of midrangy, and it's got this hawk to it. It's badass and it's great for playing solos. It's just a great sounding instrument. Paul Reed Smith came to the studio one time and he said : "It's all wrong. Let me take this to the shop and I'll make this sound so good." And I said : "No, I don't want you to change anything about it. It sounds amazing!" And so, it doesn't sound to me like any other PRS I've played. And I've tried a bunch of them. And they are really nice instruments. We all have them. They're incredible guitars, but this one for me, the way that I play, has this special things that makes it sound great. It's not as bright as a Les Paul, it's kind of got this upper mid-range, but it cuts through, and it makes you play aggresively, with a lot of distortion and play up high on the neck, and on the high strings. It's not too bright. It's got this kind of ringing mid-range to it. So, I've used this a lot." - Greenberg about PRS McCarty.
"I’ve been playing Paul Reed Smith guitars exclusively for around seven years now. I think they have a lot of character that the majority of other guitars lack. I’m a traditionalist by nature, so I use passive pickups and accent the tone by pairing them with the right wood. With that being said, all of my guitars are completely different in some way. On this tour, and most U.S. tours, I travel with around seven of them. They are used for different tunings — one main and one backup per tuning: Drop C, Drop B, and Drop A. The 7th guitar is used as a bus guitar for warming up or teaching on the road."
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use PRS McCarty Gold Top, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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