The ARCHTOP was made between 2002 and 2004

PAUL REED SMITH GUITARS (PRS) made the MCCARTY ARCHTOP I between 1998 and 2001

Production of the MCCARTY ARCHTOP II began in 1998 and ended in 2001

PAUL REED SMITH GUITARS (PRS) made the first McCarty Hollowbody I in 2002

The BRAZILIAN ROSEWOOD McCARTY was made in 1999 only as a limited run of 250 guitars. It was similar to the standard PRS McCarty model but it had a Brazilian rosewood neck and fretboard. Each one was individually signed and numbered. They had pearl and abalone moon inlays but abalone bird inlays were an option and there was the ususal range of finishes available. I believe these all had the PRS stoptail bridge.

The PRS Brazilian series McCarty model was introduced in 2003 as a limited edition of 500 instruments. This model had a Brazilian rosewood fretboard and headstock overlay, pink heart abalone birds and signature, the word “Brazilian” is inlayed on the face of the headstock in green abalone ripple, gold/nickel hybrid hardware configuration, 10 top (flamed or quilted maple) only. The neck was mahogany or optional East Indian rosewood. PRS finish groups C,D and G were available and all these Brazilian McCartys were signed and numbered on the back plate.

The PRS McCarty was introduced in 1994 - the first 100 produced were signed and numbered. The McCarty model was named after Ted McCarty a pioneer of electric guitar design and production and president of the Gibson guitar Corporation from 1950-1966. He later became a mentor of Paul Reed Smith: Smith noticed McCarty's name amongst numerous Gibson patents and hired McCarty as a consultant. Despite his long history in the Gibson company the PRS McCarty was the first instrument to bear McCarty's name.

PAUL REED SMITH GUITARS manufactured the McCARTY ARCHTOP ARTIST between 1998 and 2002. Paul Reed Smith dubbed this instrument "A piece of art that doubles as a musical instrument".

It was based on the PRS McCarty Archtop but had a double carved Artist Grade figured maple top and back that are perfectly complemented by a Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, gold outlined abalone bird inlays and rosewood headstock veneer.

PAUL REED SMITH GUITARS (PRS) produced the McCARTY ARCHTOP SPRUCE between 1998 and 2001. The McCarty archtop model was developed from a beautiful Private Stock guitar made by top PRS luthier, Joe Knaggs. Only solid, premium "PRS grade" woods are used-a spruce top and mahogany body carved inside and out, just like an old violin. The wide, fat neck and specially voiced McCarty Archtop pickups, together with the full 4" deep body, gives this instrument a greater tone and volume than expected for its compact size.

Introduced by PRS in 1998 the MCCARTY HOLLOWBODY had an offset double cutaway hollowbody with a carved spruce top and mahogany back & sides. The McCarty hollowbody was designed to have the perfect blend of warm acoustic jazz tones with the rich sustain of a solid body. It has a violin style sound post inside. This original version was made from 1998 to around 2003.

PRS introduced the McCarty Hollowbody Spruce model in 1998. This model is meant to evoke the warm, acoustic jazz tones and rich sustaining character of the thinline semi-hollow Gibson ES-335 Ted McCarty designed in 1958. The PRS McCarty Hollowbody has a solid spruce carved top, with a violin style sound post.

Optional extras included  - flame or quilt maple 10 top, abalone bird inlays, piezo bridge transducer.

Soapbar pickups are single coil units, a version of the P-90 that was the standard Gibson pickup in the post war period until the advent of the humbucker in 1957. For this reason the McCarty Soapbar evokes the vintage period of the 1950s, featuring a pair of soapbar single coil pickups specially designed and voiced by Seymour Duncan. The McCarty Soapbar pickups evoke the definition, robustness and thick punch of the original soapbar single coils that defined the sound of vintage Gibson guitars you hear on rock and roll and jazz recordings from the 50's and 60's.

PAUL REED SMITH GUITARS (PRS) began making the MCCARTY STANDARD in 1995. It is similar to the original 1994 McCarty model but has a solid mahogany body (with no maple top). The McCarty Standard was available in a range of finishes and colors and with optional bird inlays. Gold hardware was also an option.

100 PRS Rosewood Limited guitars were made in 1996 only. These guitars had the McCarty style mahogany body with a curly maple top. They were the first PRS guitars with rosewood necks and also featured a Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with intricate etched tree-of-life inlay. The Pearl Works designed inlay uses mammoth ivory, mother of pearl, abalone, mother of pearl, paua, coral, and gold. The inlay continues on the headstock, the rosewood truss rod cover was inlaid with "Rosewood Limited".