PRS McCarty Archtop Carved Spruce 1998

While PRS was primarily known for its sleekly finished solidbody guitars, Paul Reed Smith demonstrated with the Archtop series that the company also had a completely unique vision of the traditional jazz guitar. Instead of a classic hollowbody with laminated construction, PRS opted for a fully carved design, built with the same precision and level of finish as their high-end solidbody models. 

The Archtop was built with a carved spruce top and a carved mahogany body, a combination that clearly deviates from the more traditional maple archtops found in the jazz world. The spruce top provides a fast response, open projection, and an airy high end, while the solid mahogany body adds warmth, focus, and a rich midrange. This resulted in an instrument that not only worked excellently for traditional jazz sounds but was also surprisingly versatile for fusion, blues, and more dynamic clean sounds. The guitars had a clear acoustic resonance, yet simultaneously retained the sustain and control for which PRS is known. 

Production of this first generation of Archtops remained relatively limited, running only from 1998 through 2001. Precisely because of this, these models have built up a special reputation today among enthusiasts of early PRS instruments. They combine the artisanal character of a high-end carved archtop with the modern playability, ergonomics, and build quality of PRS, making them still regarded as some of the most distinctive guitars the brand ever produced. 

This PRS has several dings on the edges of the body, along with some dings and wear marks on the top. The pickups and bridge also show some patina, but considering its age, the guitar is in excellent condition. A true asset to any guitar collection!