Fernando asked for this under another topic, and other folks may be interested too, so I thought I'd start a fresh thread rather than derail something else.
I've had a little bit of time now with my PRS McCarty Rosewood, and as I also have a regular McCarty with a mahogany neck I've been able to do some comparisons. Which is nice :) All other things are pretty much equal (same shape mahogany body, maple top, PRS McCarty pickups, stoptails etc) so the only real difference between the guitars is the neck.
First impression when I was playing at home is that the McRosewood has a clearer tone. It's a bit more hi-fi. The string definition is better and there's some chime to the notes, an extra shimmer. By comparison, the stock McCarty sounds a bit muddier and 'harder'. The McRosewood also seems to have more very-top-end and more very-low-end, and a less obvious midrange. It makes the guitar sound a bit Strat or Tele-like at times, with a balanced EQ, and with more gain there's a low-mid 'growl' that I really like.
Rehearsing last night with Doppelganger, my two guitar rock band, I was switching between guitars to compare them in a band mix. Straight away the regular McCarty had more push into the room, more meat. The focussed midrange came through strongly and it was easier to hear that guitar, it was very punchy. In comparison, the McRosewood sounded cleaner and more delicate and was better suited to clean and crunchy tones. With plenty of gain, the lower midrange made it stand out less when all things were roaring. It sounded a bit thinner on lead lines in particular. It still sounded great though, don't get me wrong, it just didn't 'cut' as well as the regular McCarty.
So to sum up:
Rosewood neck compared to mahogany neck+ lack of finish feels superb to play, extra shimmer to the notes, great harmonics, superbly balanced for clean and crunchy tones, would be the first choice from my guitar collection for recording humbucker tones
- it doesn't push as well in a live band and gets a little 'lost', single notes don't have the fullness of the mahogany neck guitar (not noticeable in isolation, only in a band mix)
I found the differences to be subtle at home, but once you add a band they become more noticeable. I really do like the rosewood neck's tone, and it's got me thinking about Modern Eagles again :roll: Especially as I only really use the McCartys at home - I'll be using my Mira Maple top for gigging as it's easier to replace should the worst happen.
So there you have it! Hopefully that's of use to you Fernando?
Of course, I realise that this thread is completely useless without a pic ;)
