Paul Reed Smith Guitars Hollowbody I

Ebay special, a bit beat up. As PRSs are such 'collector' guitars, if you can find one that's not in perfect condition, but still a great player, you can ge yourself a bit of a bargain on ebay. This is a 89 non-piezo, just moons (not birds). Finish is I think Charcoal, which is not an available colour anymore. You know the spec, so I won't bother.

I've had a solid body PRS for years (standard 24) which is just fabulous. This though is another dimension entirely, not as versitile but man can you hear that wood!! Just stunning. Not a jack of all trades, master of one (or a few, with mods). Which brings me to mods. I'm always inside guitars with the soldering iron, and has been remarked elsewhere, this is a bitch to work on. However, I've found a couple of worthwhile mods. I really like to have a bleed cap on the volume control, in fact I use over-size ones so you get a lot of brightening on turn down. You can't get to the volume on this guitar, but you can get to the switch (loosen & rotate, it will actually come out through the F hole) & the output jack socket. The output of the switch is the same place (circuit-wise) as the top of the volume, and the hot of the output is the same as the wiper, so you can put the bleed cap there (on some extension wires). Second thing is that there is a 470k resistor across the output jack socket, if you remove it the guitar gets hotter & brighter.

Even a PRS that's been well used is still just perfect, haven't touched the setup at all. Top's not a '10', but it never claimed to be and is still gorgeous. I wish PRS would offer wide/thin neck as an option on this, but it's only when I go back to my Standard that I think about it, and to be honest I don't go back to the standard often!

I'm sure you could break it if you tried, but PRS's are pretty bomb proof

Emailed them once, got a decent reply. They seem to have a poor reputation, so I'll score them a 'medium'

If you think you'd like one of these, you'll absolutely LOVE one of these. This is the first thing I been bothered to post here.

Flawless. 2004 McCarty Hollowbody I. Maple Ten-top. Paua birds. Really nice rosewood neck. Mahogany body. McCarty sunburst finish. Locking tuners. McCary Archtop bass and treble pickups. Fat neck. Nice case included.

This guitar is amazing. Full round sound. Warm sound through the neck and a really bright sound through the brigde. A nice mix when pickup selector is in the middle. Very versatile sound. When you adjust the tone pot you can get all sorts of sounds.

No action work needed at all. perfect. Pickup height was perfect also. Very responsive with no noise. Flawless.

Built like a tank, but plays and feels like a swan. It seems to be a very durable guitar. I mean i just paid a few grand for the thing so im going to treat it with special care, but im rather sure it could take some wear and tear. Very dependable. I would use this in a gig without a backup.

I have not dealt with them.

Stunning guitar. You really have to see one in person to see its beauty. And after you play it, I think you'll find yourself in love.

1999 Mcarty Hollowbody I. Maple top, with mahogany back and sides. I believe the finish is amber. It has moon inlays, which I much prefer to birds. I went looking for a spruce top, but I found this one with a very subtle flame and an understated color. It really looks beautiful. I like looking at guitars with wild colors and figured woods, but I would feel strange holding one on stage. This guitar attracts to much attention as it is.
It would be nice to have a separate volume and tone for each pickup. A coil tap would be good, too.

It takes me a while to really learn how to use the sound of any new guitar, and this was no exception. I love it now. I play it through either a boogie maverick or an old polytone. It is very lively and responds well to changes in pick attack, which actually took some getting used to. I had to refine my touch a bit.

Generally, the clean sound is very clear and cuts through a band without being shrill. I played it once with an old fender super reverb and it just came to life. Fantastic clean tones are in there. It doesn't sound like a jazz box or a strat - it sounds like itself.

Now the the distorted sound. I was used to playing through my maverick with the gain almost all the way up. That doesn't work for me with this guitar - it sounds like a mess. I had to back it off to a little over halfway. At that point I get a really great crunchy, responsive classic rock sound with the bridge pickup or both pickups. The neck pickup sounds just like Cream. The band, not the dairy product. I'd actually prefer more of a singing, jazz-fusiony sound (without the jazz-fusion itself), but I'm not getting it out of my current setup.

If an amp really prefers single coils, this guitar can sound boomy and strange. Then again, after 15 years of playing, I still suck at dialing in guitar sounds, so it may be me.

What I do like VERY much about this guitar (in contrast with all my others) is that if you get a good sound at rehearsal, it will still be a good sound at the gig. Many times, I'd plug in at a sound check (or more often 10 seconds before the set in front of an audience), and the nice tone I had earlier in the day was replaced by something hideous. This guitar has freed me from that, and it's a huge relief. I don't know why, but at the same clubs, with the same amp, in the same band, with the same sound guys, the problem is gone. So it really is the guitar.

This guitar plays just beautifully, and I don't like much of anything. Really, it's amazing. My other guitars now feel like crap. It's strung with 10's, but they feel lighter. I used to wish for more string tension, but I'm used to it now. I still may switch to 11's some day if I can't learn to pick lighter when I'm excited. Without adjustable saddles, I was worried about what I'd do if the intonation went south. 5 years into it, I've barely had to touch it, and the two set screws have provided enough adjustability.

The finish is beautiful.

If I were to gripe about anything, I'd say the nut slots were cut a bit too deep. Over the first several frets, the strings are right on the deck no matter how high you set the bridge. My brother-in-law's mcarty doesn't suffer from this. It's not really a flaw (there's no buzzing), just a quirk.

The finish has not worn or checked in 5 years, but it's a lightly built and lightly finished guitar, and it needs to be treated with some care. I leave it out at home, but at rehearsal/gig, I leave it in its case when I'm not playing. It's not much to ask, really. I hate guitars that are dipped in polyurethane. (Isn't that what they make skateboard wheels out of?) It's an audible difference.

The nickel (or whatever it is) cracks off the hardware much too easily. Be very careful when turning those big screws in the tailpiece and tightening the tuner bolts. Or don't. They'll get messed up either way. I'm no ogre, but I ran into this problem on day one, and was pretty surprised and bummed. I'm over it now, but I had just spent well over two thousand dollars... I should have contacted prs about it, but instead I'm complaining to no on in particular 5 years after the fact.

Do people really bring backup guitars? I HATE shlepping gear, so one guitar and one amp (no pedals) is still too much for me.

Never dealt with them directly.

Overall, it's a great guitar. It's in a different class than my other 3 electrics. I was really looking for a guitar like this for years, and couldn't find it until these came out. (I didn't want a 335, I wanted something smaller.) If it were lost or stolen, I'd replace it with something around $1000, since I don't see an opportunity to spend so much money on a guitar anytime soon. I'm not sure how you "lose" a guitar other than on an airplane, so I guess theft is my only worry. The real question is: Was it a good purchase? Yes.

2004 McCarty hollowbody I w/birds.. Beautiful Violin amber finish! The back, sides, and neck are all solid Mahogany.. Top is a non-10 figured maple. It's not a 10 but it looks great.

I went with the non piezo set up because I wanted a very simple set up.

I scored a 9 because it was the features I wanted.......I could have gotten more.

I play mainly jazz/fusion and blues/rock. This guitar is unreal. It has such a harmonic sustain..
For Jazz....It has everything you want. Tone control is so great, I can get tone at any point on the level.
Rock/fusion/blues....I will never need a new guitar.. Has enough control to really work feedback at high gain. Is Awesome!!

This guitar came to me perfectly set up. Fret work was unbelievable.
Guitar had no flaws.

built really solid....seems really solid in your hands.. for such a beautiful guitar, I have no problem playing hard. will play without backup

Don't know yet!!!!!!!!!

but company has been very helpful

I have been playing for 26 years. This is the best instrument i have ever played. Some people have complained about the output of the p-ups. I think the output is great for what i do. I have a Mesa f-50 and I don't want any other sound.

I have found a friend for life!!!!!

O.K. I have got a black cherry HBI 2003 and this thing is sweet! light weight,superb sustain, wide fat neck. I must say I really like the wrap around tail and the nice deep cut. Tonally the wood is sultry & warm the Michigan Maple also has looks to boot. Standard locking tuners with the ebony tips balance the guitar out very nicely. The controls are standard in the means of 3 switch dual humbucking 1 volume 1 tone. Nice leather case, truss rod wrench, other goodies.

As far as style goes I enjoy funk,reggae,jazz,rock,blues...I have been using Fender & Mesa combo amps smaller more portable the better. I will throw in a 2x10 or 2x12 cab if needed. Effects that I'm using are all analog. Now when it comes to tone I love the HBI sweet & creamy the tone control does affect the guitar my only dislike is the volume roll off which happens at around 8. It would be nice if they just put volume numbering 1-3. I like the fact that I can stand for 2+ hours with out having to go to the chiropractor! as I also own a heavy les paul.

Very well setup no complaints here. Pickups are nice I have thought about placing a dirty finger pickup in the neck though? The nature of hollow I have found that I find odd vibration on parts (i.e.) pickups,selector no big deal. The top is not a ten but I could of been fooled. The finish is awesome as I also ordered the care kit. Now I do not know what to think of the durability as I wear blue jeans and the rivet on the pocket marred it, looks like a worm hole on the back so I dubbed it "rivet rash" heck I even cover or take off my belt! I'm afraid my finger nail may gouge it bummer.

This is a solid guitar. We are living in the golden age of guitars and this guitar is a product of this era.
Strap buttons love'm will not replace 'em.
This guitar has become my mistress.

Order the care kit came fast. No prob here.
I think the warranty should be transferable at least for saftey and insurance reasons.

I have been playing for a number a years. I own lots of great gear it has become a part of my family. If it were stolen I'd file my claim and hope to replace it and I would get the piezo option. I love the weight of balance of this guitar. Tonally this is the style I have been working towards. I dislike the volume roll off if may put a new cap on it. I love how the tone control really does something. Did I mention I love the tone? I have to say I am a Paul player and I thought of getting a 335 or something close but I am rather pleased with the quality and feel of this guitar

2003 Model. Nice looking Whale Blue top, not a 10 top, but I like my wood to look natural: variations in wood is not a sin!!

Peizo bridge which I thought was a must, but I would say it is not vital, but if you;ve got the extra cash, go for it.

Distorted, this thing is absolutely phenomenal. People complain about the pickups but I think it sings. Great sound. Clean is stil very nice, and I did buy it to use manily clean. It can be a tad thin, but I love mixing the peizo sound with the magnetic pickups to get a nice sound. I like the clean sound, but it still wont do that lovely clean bluesy Strat sound, but I suppose if you want a Strat, you'd buy one (I'm abou to get one...!)

Played clean, you can get some wonderful sounds through a normal amp. I do a lot of fingerpicking, and on this they sound beautiful, a lot more full than a standard acoustic because you can mix in the magnetic sound. WHat can I say, its very expensive, but really bloody great guitar.

Action is very low, neck relief low, a baby could play this thing. Which means it buzzes if you strum a lot. I am going to raise the bridge when i get around to it. Like i said, sounds great distorted, and you don't really notice the buzzing when its distorted.

The pickups are very high, which i'm not used to, but they sound nice.

The guitar looks so nice. Even after a few months I still open the case and think, geez, this thing is so beautiful!!!

Very light guitar. The lightest I've ever played. WHich makes it so easy on your shouloder under the strap!! Its certainly not as durable as a some guitars, it looks like it would scratch/break/dent quite easy, but that is because of what it is: hollow and beautiful!

Strap buttons very solid, I dont think i'll bother with strap locks at the moment. I'd gig with a backup.

I must say, I kinda feel guiloty playing it just at home. It feels like it's designed for the stage and the studio! I'm afraid I'm going to bump it.

Haven't dealt with them. My warranty is only valid in the US and I'm in Australia, so i won't deal with them!

8 because it is very expeniseve, even though I saved nearly $2500 (australian) by iumporting it.

I think its great, but it wont quite do everything. It is really quite extravagent, but I reckon, go for it ;)

I bought and sold a 2001 Hollowbody I purchased on ebay in mint condition. The guitar was about a year old when purchased. The Hollowbody I comes with a maple top, mahogany body and sides. It is a bit less bright than the Hollowbody II and the reason I could afford it was because of it's color, basic black. Standard specs and features are well documented in the previous reviews. The differences in models usually comes down to finishes and woods. My particular model was very "utilitarian" because it was black, with no birds (abalone dots are still quite beautiful), and had the LR BAGGS piezo system. I got used to having only one tone control, it was very musical. The lack of tone control for the piezo system is something I would have liked, but most users seem to output in stereo and have enough eq at the amp or board.

I had a love/hate relationship with the sound of this guitar. The McCarty pickups are low-med output humbuckers. They don't have a lot of depth in their basic sound, and didn't respond all that dynamically for my playing. The neck pickup was especially woofy on the wound strings. I wanted to try swapping pickups but ended up selling the instrument (see overall rating). Part of my sound problem was the sweep of the master volume control, which uses a steep audio taper. Most of the usable volume came in the top part of the sweep (from 10 down to about 8 1/2). After that, the volume dropped off rapidly. I found myself needing to play with the volume pot wide open and changing the volume with pedals. This didn't allow for tonal changes at the guitar itself, making the guitar seem overly one dimensional. I had my guitar serviced by PRS. They informed me that the volume pot is specially designed to work this way, most PRS players use high gain settings. I do admit, it did work well with high gain, but I did not find it usable for clean to low gain settings.
The guitar is prone to feedback in close quarters at high volume. This is not unreasonable for a hollow body, and I was able to control feedback most of the time with my hand and judicious placement of amp and body.
The addition of the piezo system - when working properly - is wonderful (see reliability section). I've used transducers with acoustics for over 30 years, and this sounds as good as any plugged in under saddle system. It was wonderful to mix piezo and humbuckers to provide for a variety of tones.

This is the part that I cry over. The guitar felt great. It played great. It was the nicest instrument I've owned. The wide fat neck, light body and overall design is superb. Action was low (11-50) but not floppy. I made two small improvements - installing Tone Pros locking bridge studs for increased sustain , and Straplocks to be safe.

Overall, I'd say this instrument has excellent construction and is built to last. Quality control is a possible reason my instrument had a faulty piezo system. Yes, I bought was used, but it was fairly clear that the piezo system was not working properly from the start. Because they do not have a transferable warranty, I was charged for repair. To their credit, PRS replaced the system "for labor costs only" (still a few hundred dollars). Once it worked properly, all was well. I have no way of knowing how it would hold up over time. I always took a backup guitar to play out.
The finish is the famous PRS shine, and I do love the look. It is prone to surface pick scratches, but does not appear delicate.

Oh boy, this is a mixed bag. I was able to get email responses for basic questions, but urgent phone messages (help, what's wrong with my guitar?) were never returned. The one tech/repair person in the service department was helpful, but always very busy and sometimes hard to reach. My specific problems needed lots of attempts at communicating - my detailed notes included with the instrument for repair seemed to be unread - and it became obvious that my problems were not typical repairs. Specific knowledge of this piezo circuit design was necessary to facilitate repairs, and it was easier (and probably cheaper) to swap the entire unit.
It's interesting to note that in my search for repair information, I contacted LR BAGGS as the co-designer of the piezo unit. They were as helpful as possible, even sending me a free pot, but had to defer back to PRS because of it's proprietary circuitry.

I've played guitar for 38+ years, and the PRS Hollowbody I was almost my dream guitar. To be honest, it plays like a dream. The feel and design are just what I'd been looking for. Alas, the sound fell short and my desire to do what I always do (swap pickups, change pots, etc) became an obstacle.
This model (with the piezo system) is totally proprietary. It mixes an ACTIVE piezo system with PASSIVE magnetic circuitry. Even the passive part of the circuit has PC boards attached to the volume and tone pots. This, combined with the fact that the only access to the guts is through the pickup cavities makes simple tasks difficult. It is NOT something you try at home. My trusted guitar repair tech of 20 years ran screaming from the room when faced with a basic pickup swap or pot exchange. PRS offered to do this work for me. Without promising success, I could "try" a different volume pot for a few hundred in labor. No thank you.
Call me overly sensitive about this stuff, but an attitude seems to come through in little ways. When inquiring about improvements (Tone Pros and Straplocks), the PRS response was "do it if you feel you must - we don't feel the guitar needs improvements". This doesn't add to the PRS mystique, it only serves to drive me away.
The bottom line is if the instrument was somehow perfect for my needs AS IS, I would still own it. It is because all of my instruments have to be tweeked to some degree, it made sense selling it to someone who loves it as is.

My PRS I bought from Chuck Levins Washington Music Center (I highly recommmend them as guitar dealers) and its a 2002 Hollowbody I with birds and piezo bridge. The piezo is amazing and if you're going to spend this kind of money on a guitar, then you should definitely get this option. The tuners are nice but I had some problems (see below). The finish is McCarty Sunburst.The neck is really nice and fat too. It fits like a glove. Hard Case inclused. I realize that when i read reviews and people put their setups i usually just skip it. I realize also that no one gives half a shit about what amp and pedals i use and if i put them id be a hypocrit. This guitar is no value by any stretch but it is easily the finest guitar i have ever had the pleasure of playing and it sounds AMAZING.

The sound on this instrument is, simply put, unbelievable. It is very mid-ranged and focused. I play mostly rock and jazz which this baby handles with ease. I can play with thick distortion and i can hear every note i play without loss of tone. This isnt just a jazz guitar and it can rock with any other guitar out there. Amazing. I can turn my distortion off and get a sweet, smooth jazz tone like none ive ever heard. You can get just about every sound out of this thing that you could ever want. If you can't get the sound you're looking for then chances are you're looking for a shitty sound in which case you should go buy a cheap ibanez and play it through a Crate practice amp. The piezo is very versatile and i combine it with the mag pickups for a smooth jazz sound. The sound is fat without covering the articulation of the notes im playing. fabulous.

The finish is amazing. It shimmers and looks almost 3D. Everything was set up nicely except for some fret buzz on the lower strings. Easily fixed. I noticed about a week after i purchased this guitar that one of the tuners had some nickel finish that was flaking off of the post. Very disappointing. Would be 10 except for the tuner.

Looks sturdy but i dont have any stories of me dropping and it it still being in tune. i try not to drop guitars. everything looks to be built like a tank except for the tuning posts. The wood has an industrial clearcoat on it and could probably survive a chemical weapon attack from Saddam (we all know he has them). The strap buttons are huge so i dont think its going anywhere. I'd gig without a backup.

I called about the tuning post with the chipped nickel finish and left a message. I got a call back 25 minutes later and i was greeted with a helpful answer to my problem. I have to take it back to the dealer which is a bummer but they can fix it for free under my lifetime warranty.

Im not going to repeat everything i said but i just want to recommend this guitar to anyone searching for a thick sound for jazz or rock. Its just very expensive so i give it an 9 for its value but if i lost it or it was stolen, id save up and buy it again. its worth it

This is a 2002 PRS HollowBody I. Dark cherry sunburst.
Rosewood fingerboard, mahogany back/side/neck,maple top with large soundpost joining the back to the top. Moon inlays, stop tail bridge (non-adjustable).
Finish is heavy, glossy poly-urethane. PRS "Archtop" pickups.
The style of this instrument can best be described as electric hollowbody with soundpost. Double cutaway. 3 inches thick at rims and approx. 13" wide at the lower bout.

My style is jazz (both be-bop, soul jazz) and blues. The amps I use are classic for jazz, and eletric blues sounds. Vintage Fenders.
The sound of this instrument is it's greatest drawback. The instrument is clear sounding with decent note seperation. That's the best of it. I would describe the sound as weak, somewhat sterile. It has decent bass frequencies but the high strings (e, b, g) have very little tonal quality. There is no "bell-like" sound that I expect to hear from a good hollowbody. It's a lovely guitar to play but like so many other PRS's that I have owned and played, the sound is simply weak and lifeless.

PRS is known primarily for it's outstanding quality control, and excellent factory setups. This guitar played just beautifully with 11 - 49 guage strings. The intonation was excellent, and the action was easy and precise. The dark cherry stain was beautiful.
I feel that the poly urethane laquer on these guitars is a major drawback. It's extremely thick, and shiny. I would give this section a 10 if this guitar was finished with either a nitro laquer or if the urethane was applied a little less heavy.

This guitar is built extremely well, as most every PRS is built well. All of the parts are good quality. The strap button are unusually large and don't fit on a conventional strap.
The guitar is built very well and is dependable.

PRS customer service was really poor when I've dealt with them in the past regarding questions about the product. They just didn't answer e-mails and took 4 weeks to get a catalog to me. They are a large guitar manufacturer and I expected their supoort to be bad. Luckily, I doubt you would ever need to get this guitar repaired because it is built so well.

I am an experienced player who has studied and played music for over 25 years. I'll make a simple overall statement about this guitar.
PRS guitars are very well made and just don't sound very good. Particularly when played through a clean amp. I had about 12 gigs with this guitar.
I want to like them and have owned 6 or 7 over the last 8 years but always dump them after a while because the sound is just weak and without much character. They are great guitars to play, as they are lightweight and well made.

2001 Hollowbody I w/ Piezo. Made in...where else? Stevensville MD. 22 frets w/ Birds. Solid Maple non 10 top. Volume/Tone for PRS Humbucking Magnetic pups, Volume for LR Baggs Piezo pup, toggle switch for mag only/mixed/piezo only. In mono mode...the piezo volume control acts as a blend between mag/piezo through a single amp. Otherwise, the guitar has two separate 1/4" inputs. Maple top in McCartyburst, sides, back, and wide/fat neck are mahogany. Non locking PRS tuners with ebony buttons. Form fitted leather case. Weight around 6 lb.

In a word...this guitar is the most versatile that I currently own. I play everything from classic rock to jazz fusion to r&b. The HB1 covers everything I do with ease. I really like the deeper, richer bottom end that the mahogany lends to the instrument. This is the main reason I selected the HB1 over the spruce top or the HB2 (all maple). The '2' was a tad bright for my taste. If you like a nice 335 sound with an acoustic doubling effect...this guitar will give it to you on the gig in realtime. And as far as distortion...the pickups are creamy and smooth through my Bogner Shiva in the overdrive channel. Very sweet...

It's a PRS guys...set up from the Store (Chuck Levin's WMC in DC) was perfect. Kudos to Brian Meader for great service, and patience while I finally made a choice! I have noticed no flaws in the body/neck or headstock. I am not in love with the .011 d'Addarios with the wound G. I am going to replace these with Pyramid .011's, as these strings sound like .011's, but bend like .010's.

It remains to be seen if the lightweight HB1 will withstand the rigors of gigging with my fusion/r&b band. I have owned a few PRS guitars before, and currently have two others...both of which are rock solid and have aged quite well so far. The only niggle I have is that the strap buttons are too darned big. Tough to get a strap to fit on the fly. I always take a 2nd guitar to gigs, so this is not a pertinent issue.

PRS has had the good fortune to select some of the finest dealers around...especially out east. I have no hesitation in recommending Levin's WMC or Magdon Music or Garret Park Guitars. Great folks, all. Again, Brian Meader at WMC is a great guy, and a considerate sales rep who obviously loves what he does.

I've been playing guitars for 30+ years, and own PRS, Gibson, Grosh, and Reverend. I play through Bogner and Matchless amps, and own a Roland Keyboard amp for the piezo input from the Hollowbody 1. I have played many many high end guitars through many many high end amps in my time...and I rate this PRS Hollowbody 1 up there with the best of them in every category. If it were stolen or lost, I'd replace it as soon as humanly possible. All of you players out there with a hankering for that semihollow sound, clean or overdriven, need look no further. Add to that the piezo option, and you are in whole new class of live tonal options that will give you a sound you've not had before.

1998. 22 frets. Mahogany back, sides, and neck. Maple top. Purports to be "Vintage Sunburst", but I don't see a whole lot of burst. Looks more like just plain "vintage" to me. Still a nice finish. No where near a 10 top, but looks good anyway. Wide/fat neck with rosewood fretboard. Combo stop tailpiece/bridge. 3-way pickup selector. 1 volume and 1 tone knob.

This thing sounds great! One of the things I was looking for when I was shopping was a guitar that would really let you "hear the wood". This guitar does that and then some. You can hear the wood when it's quiet and clean, and you can hear the wood when it's screaming and distorted. (And let me just digress for a moment to say that you shouldn't fool yourself into thinking this is just a jazz guitar. This thing can rock with the best of them. It's not as hard-edged as its solidbody bretheren, but it sounds great with some creamy distortion.)

One thing that really impressed me was the responsiveness of the tone control. Every setting from 1 to 10 is useful with all pickup combinations. This guitar has a pretty wide pallette of sounds.

Again, superb. I have not changed anything about how it was set up at the factory. This guitar plays like a high-performance sports car. People who aren't used to it might find the action a little high at the nut end of the fretboard, but one gets used to it pretty easily, and the benefits become evident - it yields much more consistant action over the entire length of the fretboard.

I like this guitar so much that I really haven't had the heart to mistreat it. I suspect that it will hold up great, but on the other hand, it IS a hollowbody, so it's more fragile than your average rock guitar. Personally, I haven't experienced any problems at all.

Never needed to use it.

Great guitar. It'd be nice if the pickups were coil-tappable, as I believe the ones on the HBII are. I'd like to experiment with some single-coil sounds.

Made in 1999, bought new in May of 2000. Made in USA. 22 fret rosewood fretboard on a mahogany neck. Spruce top, which resonates beautifully. One volume knob, one tone knob and a three way pick-upo switch. There is a McCarty Archtop Bass in the Kneck position and a Mccartyy Hollowbody Treble in the bridge position. All passive electronics. Tune-o-matic bridge. non-locking tuners, with ebony buttons. I am not sure what the scale is, but has a fat/wide neck. Came with a contoured case and truss rod tool and hex wrench

This is the perfect guitar. I study jazz guitar, and larger arch-tops are more common with this style. This guitar is nice and compact and it resonates very well. I play it through a Mesa DC-5 head and a closed back 12" cabinet. Theonly effect is a volume pedal. This guitar is quiet. All tones can be produced. With the neck pick-up, woody smokey jazz just bubbles out of the speaker. Tweak the tone knob while on the kneck pick-up, and even more tone can be achieved. The brigde pick-up is alot brighter, but it isn't shrill. All-in-all, these pick-ups are well wound and produce perfect tones.

This guitar was set up with .11's. I removed them and put .12-.50 flatwounds on, and I needed to do no adjustments to the truss rod. Sounds perfect. I think it could use a slight intonation job, but it sounds great. As as flaws, this is where it gets interesting. I got a BIG discount because a fellow at the store where I bought it dropped it off the wall, and dinged the spruce top a bit. Bad for the store, good for me. It is not big, and it does not look bad. I am planning on fixing it, but it is doing no damage to the guitar.
All frets and joints are properly executed. No bad things on the instrument. I give it a 9 for the ding!

This si a professional instrument. It is built to perfection. It could stand up to hard playing, but like any other hollowbody, it isnt as tough as a strat. A very highly reliable guitar

Great tone, rich and woody.

New 1999 PRS McCarty Hollowbody I. Ten-grade maple top and bird neck inlays. Optional piezo pickup system.

Played through a recent Fender Deluxe Reverb RI. I play jazz and blues, emphasis on the mellow stuff, chord solos, accompanyment. I love the one of this baby. The magnetic pickups are great, but the addition of the piezo puts it over the top. The ability to play with either standard magnetic pickups, continuously variable magnetic plus piezo mix, or pizeo only yields a huge range of tones. The piezo plus mag can be used to add some snap to an overdriven lead, or some spice to a smokey jazz tone. Awesome!

Normal PRS fit and finish, in other words, the best in the world. Everything was set up perfectly right out of the box. The finish is flawless, in a beautiful vinatage sunburst top on a cherry mahogony back and neck.

Incredibly light, which makes it comfortable to hold, but I wouldn't want to drop it. I would gig with it, I mean the mosh pits in most jazz venues aren't that tough. The PRS hardware is the best around, no compromises.

PRS customer support is just so-so. They figure that their job is to just make guitars. They rely on their dealer network who mostly do a prety good job.

I highly recommend this guitar. The light resonant body and the piezo pickup redefine what an electric can do, beyond the old Les Paul vs. Strat arugument entirely. It is not a gimmick. Like all PRS, it is a wet dream to play. This one is definitely a keeper. In my collection of about 15 guitars, some come and go, but not this one. It can do stuff that no other electric does and it looks and feels great while doing it.

1999 Hollowbody I with piezo. I ordered this guitar November 12, 1998! First they had problems getting the piezo into production, then the first one they made for me didn't pass their inspection and was trashed...just got it a little while ago, but it was worth the wait.
The Hollowbody that I got has a mahogany back (I liked the looser, more sustained, mellow sound compared to maple top and back, which is crisp like a 335) and a maple top (was tempted by the spruce, but couldn't find one to listen to, so went for the maple). I didn't get a 10-top, but mine is at least a 9! Birds, stunning "McCarty Tobacco Sunburst" (lighter than regular tobacco sunburst, so you can see the flame everywhere). It came with an adjustable bridge that I didn't order, probably because of the piezo - it was strung with 11's with a wound G, for the acoustic sound. I restrung with DR Pure Blues 10's with a plain G (so had to reintonate). I bend a lot, 11's are heavy and a wound G is hard to bend far enough. Plus straplocks, of course....also comes with fitted case. Unlike other PRS's I've bought, this one had no adjustment tools. Two magnetic humbucker pickups (underwound compared to other PRS pickups) and custom designed L.R. Baggs piezo in the bridge. Mahogany wide/fat neck, 22 fret. PRS non-locking low mass tuners with ebony buttons (makes it not be neck heavy). Controls are (for stereo) volume and tone for magnetics, volume for piezo, switches for magnetic pickup selection and magnetic/both/piezo selection. In mono, piezo volume becomes a mag/piezo blend control.
Rating is a 10 because the combination of stereo/mono magnetic and piezo is amazing (played separately or together) and makes up for no coil taps or whatever other stuff might have been on there.....

Expecting the Hollowbody in April, I sold my Custom 24 (loved the guitar overall, didn't like the dead spots in the neck and the overly "hot 'n fuzzy" neck pickup). I sold my McCarty then, too...and I really miss it, it was a jewel. So I've been playing a Strat for 6 months while I waited....this sure sounds different. I play it through Matchless SC-30, Lightning and Chieftain amps, plus the P.A. for the piezo. Piezo sounds OK through the left channel on the SC-30 (the Vox AC-30 channel), with EQ set for more top, but still not as good as through the P.A. by a long shot. Nice to have that option though, play the piezo through left channel and magnetics through right (hot) channel, with different EQ, get it all in one amp.
It seems to give me much the same sounds as the McCarty, plus more. Not as mid-focused as the McCarty (and they both lack the low end thump of a Les Paul), needs more boost to get going, but can get 60's rock 'n roll and Trey Anastasia/Dickie Betts sustain (adding a CS-3 compressor/sustainer, like Trey does, really helps get the infinite sustain at low volume). Or hollowbody crunch blues, or mellow jazz - this thing does it all. Well, it doesn't do death metal unless you plug into something so distorted that you are just wasting a beautiful guitar on it....
Clean sounds are really nice, like that "woody" personality, really helps give it character - solid body humbuckers are just less interesting clean (compared to single coils or hollow bodies).
The volume control is useful, but only down to 9 or so - below that, the sound gets muddy pretty quickly. I'd added a high-frequency pass capacitor to the volume control of my old McCarty, so the tonal balance was consistent throughout the whole volume range (I prefer to use the tone control to change the tone!). I don't know if that would work on the Hollowbody, with the piezo coming through the same volume control in mix mode (anyone have an answer?).
Tone control give a nice range of useful tones, I find myself using it more than I've done on other guitars.
So, except for the more flexible volume control, I don't miss the McCarty. The McCarty coil cut and Custom 24 rotary give some pseudo Strat-like tones, but that isn't what you get a hollowbody for - when I need a dose of cluck and jangle, I pick up the Strat and get it for real.

I was truly surprised here - the setup sucked, really odd for a PRS. The guitar buzzes badly, even with the action set high and a little extra bow in the neck, due to a couple of obvious high spots on the upper frets (lay a straightedge across them and it seesaws) - I get buzzing on E and B strings when I play on fret 10 and 11, and on the G at fret 13 and low strings in a couple of places. Maybe the buzz wasn't there with the 11's the guitar came with....plus the string height at the nut was uneven, the G string was higher than the rest....but all of that is pretty easily fixed (I didn't want to have to spring for a fret facing job as soon as I got the guitar, but I sure don't want to start sending it back to PRS after waiting this long for it..). Other than that, the finish is spectacular, everything fits well and looks stunning, typical PRS high quality.

Made well, I'd trust it. I wonder a little about the use of a miniature switch for mag/piezo switching - a normal pickup selector would have been more solid (but probably too big). As with any hollowbody, it must be less sturdy than a solid body, but that isn't PRS's fault! Replaced stock PRS strap buttons (impossible to take strap on and off to put in case!) with straplocks, like everyone else does with every PRS they buy.

Well, I've been talking to Mark Quigley on and off for a year, tracking the progress of their piezo development, and he has always been amazingly helpful - I almost feel guilty calling him, he just drops everything and gets answers for me. Then when my guitar was late, the Guitar Center guys called them wnenever I wanted, and the PRS regional salesperson spent a bunch of time on the phone explaining how they wouldn't ship me the first one they made, it wasn't good enough....(I know everyone trashes Guitar Center, but I've actually had only good experiences - the guys in Natick, MA are knowledgable, helpful, friendly, etc.)

I've been playing for over 30 years, have had just about everything during that time - Les Pauls, Strats, Hagstroms (solid, hollow, 12 string) in the 60's, Veilette Citron custom 12 string, Rick Turner Renaissance electric/acoustic, Heritage solid bodies, Martin acoustic. I replaced 4 other guitars with this one (Les Paul, PRS Custom, PRS McCarty, Rick Turner)and I'm happy - I get it all in one guitar! I was bored with the plain humbucker sound but didn't want just the thinner single-coil sound - the hollow body/piezo complexity of soundscapes is wonderful, as are each of the individual sounds. For amps I went through the same thing - Marshall recently (lots of them, big and small), Twin Reverb in the 60's, now I've settled on Matchless for the richness and complexity of the class A amp sound. Luckily, I got few of them before the supply dried up. I didn't really compare it to much else - when I ordered mine, there wasn't one anywhere I could try out - I based my choice on previous PRS experience and the stellar reviews it was getting from writers whose opinions seemed trustworthy based on previous articles I'd read by them. I'd been hoping for a great hollowbody/piezo to appear, didn't really dig the Parker or Godin thing, knew that PRS would get it right. Not cheap, but you don't have to buy the 10 top, gold hardware, maple back, etc., so you can get a reasonably priced model if you special order (the stuff in stores is mostly loaded up with the stuff you look at, not listen to...)

Special order wonderfully filled by Jack Gretz at Magdon Music (www.magdonmusic.com), made in Stevensville Maryland in 1999. 22 frets, 10 top maple quilt top with mahogany back and sides. Top finished in whale blue, while back, sides and back of mahogany wide-thick neck finished in black. Rosewood fingeroard with abalone birds. Schaller style non-locking tuners (stamped PRS) with ebony buttons. Two PRS humbuckers with three way toggle switch and single volume and tone controls. Wraparound stop tailpiece. Hollowbody style with f-holes and wooden center block.Case. No bells and whistles, it just is what it is. I compared the Hollowbody I, Hollowbody II and Archtop models before ordering this instrument. I found the Archtop uncomfortable for me to play (I don't play Dreadnought acoustics for the same reason). I also didn't like the unplugged sound of the Archtops (there didn't seem to be any). The difference between the Hollowbody I and II is a mahogany back vs. maple. I didn't notice much difference in my trials and went with the I.

I play classic rock (okay, I grew up with classic rock), blues, straight ahead jazz and fusion. Tube amps. Always tube amps (which I'm constantly changing). Peavey, Fender, Ampeg, Mesa-Boogie. Also have a rack system with a SansAmp PSA1 (sounds darn close to tubes), MosValve MV-962, Boss GX-700 for limited effects that I use (Echo, delay, harmonizer-can't beat that harmonizer for the price). Mostly play straight ahead. Sound is wide ranged and varied. Can go from near archtop type sound, through ES-175 territory, ES-335 (Chuck Berry without the duck walk-bad knees), approaches Les Paul (think light Cream), Gretsch (can nail those mid-sixties Beatles sounds), Fender (no quack) and even miked acoustics just by varying the tone, volume and three way switch. Suits about any style (maybe not metal, but so what?). Same style (wide-thick) neck as on my McCarty Rosewood, but with a lacquer finish, making it a little smoother and slightly faster. Love the light weight (feels like an acoustic), wide variety of sound capabilities. Nice acoustic sound (good for when everybody's asleep and I want to play). Hated having to wait thrree months for the guitar to be built for me, but it was well worth the wait.

Factory set up was with a standard set of 10's, which was fine by me. Action was perfect (for me), intonation dead on. Beautiful quilt top, just as I had asked for (personally selected by Jack Gretz of Magdon Music to what I had favored). Flawless finish. As seemingly always, this PRS model had perfect fretwork, neatly filed and finely polished. Plays like butter. What surprised me the most, was the fingerboard. I've owned several PRS guitars and have played countless others in stores. Invariably, by the very nature of rosewood, there are small "flaws" within the rosewood itself. I can't find any on this fingerboard.

I don't play live anymore, so I'm sure this guitar will outlast me. Built to last a lifetime, maybe two. Finish seems strong and, if not abused (I promise I won't) will last as well. Strap buttons are the big PRS style that some people complain about. I haven't had a PRS fall off a strap yet and doubt it will happen (try the PRS leather strap-$25, stays on the guitar and in place on your shoulder-too bad it's leather). Seems dependable, only had it a few months at this point. I gigged throughout the '70's without a backup, so why not now (if I still gigged)?

PRS-nice over the phone, never seemed to answer e-mail. They get an 8. Magdon Music, Jack Gretz-deserves a 12 (on a scale of 10-take that Nigel). Placed my order, selected the wood for my guitar to my specs, provided advice where needed. Very responsive to their customers. Great try-out policy. 10 days, no questions asked return policy. Always responsive to e-mail, phone messages. Will order what you want. I had purchased my McCarty Rosewood from their stock (see that review as well) about a year ago, which had arrived on the day I called. This instilled confidence in special ordering this guitar from them. It's difficult to purchase an instrument sight unseen, but with their policy all the fear is removed. I know I might be able to slightly undercut their price, but I'd never beat their service. Kudos, Jack.

I've been playing for 35 years (yeah, I saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan when I was 12 and thought "women...money...yeah, I can do that") and haven't stopped since. I've owned a range of instruments including Les Paul's, SG's, custom made Strat's, other PRS. Currently own a Lowden acoustic, PRS EG-3, and McCarty Rosewood in addition to the Hollowbody I just reviewed. If lost or stolen I would replace it instantly (relatively speaking). I love the versatility of this instrument, which surprised me a little. I had wanted an ES-335 back in 1977, but found it uncomfortable. This instrument surpasses that in every way. NO FEEDBACK PROBLEMS! My present set up is the rack system (as mentioned above) and a Peavey Classic (if it's good enough for Arlen Roth, it's good enough for me). One of my friends asked which I preferred-the McCarty Rosewood or this instrument. They're different, and each suits a different need for me. For those who think PRS is all looks and lacking in sound, think again. The present time is the golden era of guitars, thanks to PRS and several other guitar makers. Why buy vintage, when I can match it to my specs? I don't love every PRS (hate the HFS pickup, hate those locking tuners), but I love mine. I highly recommend you check out Magdon Music and Jack Gretz (www.magdonmusic.com), too. They have a wide stock of PRS instruments and will order what you want with a downpayment. I don't work for any of the above mentioned manufacturers or Magdon Music. However, if any would like to offer an endorsement contract, I'm willing to listen-but only if I would have bought your product anyway. If you have any questions about this review, I'm always willing to talk guitars.