Built by Paul Reed Smith, and named for both the legendary Ted McCarty and the mighty Seymour Duncan P-90 “Soapbar” pickups, our example here comes from the very first twelve months of production – and in the incredibly rare Metallic Red finish, this really is the McCarty Soapbar you want!
Ted McCarty
Naming the model after Ted McCarty was no throwaway gesture by Smith. He revered the man who had taken Gibson through its famous years of the Les Paul, the ES-335, the SG, Fiebird and numerous other famous models, as well as the humbucker pickup and tune-o-matic bridge! Smith said the McCarty model captured the sound of fifties Les Pauls like nothing else ever had.
Quarter million dollar 1950s Les Pauls
A major contributing factor to the Les Paul-like tone was the Eastern Red Maple tops that PRS used on all the early McCartys – exactly the same tops as the quarter million dollar 1950s Les Pauls.
P-90 sound
And let’s not forget that awesome P-90 sound, either, courtesy of Seymour Duncan. Many people today aren’t aware that before the invention of the humbucker, the Les Paul was powered by P-90s. And, like the authentic tone timbers, the Duncan P-90 is completely faithful to that famous fifties Les Paul sound. You plug this baby in, turn it up and let rip… heads are gonna turn!
Metallic finishes
First year Soapbar McCartys were available in two glorious metallic finishes: Metallic Green and Metallic Red – both are almost impossible to find, (and becoming more expensive by the day!).
Touch of Brazilian
Completed at the end of May, 1998, your PRS McCarty Soapbar features a solid Mahogany body, with the carved Red Maple top, as discussed, a fantastic playing Mahogany neck, with 22-fret dark Rosewood board, that has a real touch of Brazilian to it. Abalone moon inlays, wraparound stop-tail bridge, vintage Kluson-style tuners, 3-way selector switch – and 100% original, including its original PRS case and case candy.
Free courier delivery
With our famous FREE COURIER DELIVERY to any address in Australia, you can have your McCarty Soapbar out of its case, plugged in and blowing away the neighbors before you know it. ($100 airfreight to New Zealand, $175 to the US, Canada, UK and mainstream European countries. International freight added at checkout)
Weight: 7lb 11oz / a shade under 3.5kg
Just Guitars
