PRS Guitars was recently able to purchase more than 150 curly maple tops from the outskirts of a Graveyard on top of a mountain on the East Coast of the USA. The Gravestones were dated around 1884, and the trees were clearly at least that old as they were forty feet to the first limb. The trees were logged in 2017, and the tops very closely resemble the wood utilized on guitars coming out of Kalamazoo in 1959. Paul Smith said it appeared to him to be some sort of sub-species of “Michigan” red maple, but with more thought it may just be the age of the tree. Regardless, these are Private Stock quality tops with medium wide to wide curl and extraordinary flame that has an iridescence to it.
For this limited edition Graveyard Guitar, the PRS Private Stock team has spec’d a beautiful, vintage-inspired McCarty 594. Notable specifications include solid red abalone birds and headstock eagle, curly maple binding along the fingerboard and veneer, and thin, vintage nitro Honey Gold with a Dark Cherry Smoked Burst finish (weather checking will happen over time).
This PRS Private Stock McCarty 594 “Graveyard Limited” will be limited to 80 pieces.