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PRS DW CE 24 Floyd
PRS S2 McCarty 594
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Playability
75
Sound
81
Build
70
Value
65
Score
75
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Playability
75
Sound
73
Build
65
Value
66
Score
71
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PRS DW CE 24 Floyd vs S2 McCarty 594

Reasons to Get
PRS DW CE 24 Floyd over S2 McCarty 594

Neck Profile
Dustie Waring vs Pattern Vintage
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
1.656'' (42.1mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Fixed
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Scale Length
25'' (635mm) vs 24.6'' (624.8mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone

Reasons to Get
PRS S2 McCarty 594 over DW CE 24 Floyd

Neck Profile
Pattern Vintage vs Dustie Waring
Adapts to the natural shape of your hand
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.656'' (42.1mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Fixed vs Floyd Rose
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
24.6'' (624.8mm) vs 25'' (635mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Value Score
66 vs 65
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
PRS DW CE 24 Floyd vs S2 McCarty 594

Bridge Pickup
PRS Mojotone Tomahawk Gen 2 vs PRS 58/15 S
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
PRS Mojotone Tomahawk Gen 2 vs PRS 58/15 S
Different Neck Pickup
Neck Wood
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Maple vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Locking vs PRS Propietary
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
PRS DW CE 24 Floyd vs S2 McCarty 594

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Fretboard Radius
10'' (254mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Decorative Top
Maple
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the PRS DW CE 24 Floyd is probably the better product overall with its final score of 75 compared to the PRS S2 McCarty 594's 71 score, although not by a lot.

The PRS DW CE 24 Floyd wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the PRS S2 McCarty 594 has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the PRS DW CE 24 Floyd.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the PRS DW CE 24 Floyd is the better choice.

The PRS DW CE 24 Floyd meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the PRS S2 McCarty 594 meets only 4. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd
  • Comfortable shape
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

PRS S2 McCarty 594
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Locking tuners

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd Overview

  • From PRS's 2020 Bolt-On series
  • Dustie Waring Signature
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25"'' scale
  • 10" Fretboard Radius
  • Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: PRS Mojotone Tomahawk Gen 2 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: PRS Mojotone Tomahawk Gen 2 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose 1000 Tremolo w/ Locking Nut bridge
  • Dustie Waring Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Medium Jumbo frets
  • PRS Low Mass Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

PRS S2 McCarty 594 Overview

  • From PRS's 2020 S2 series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 24.6"'' scale
  • 10" Fretboard Radius
  • Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Rosewood w/ Faux Bone Binding fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: PRS 58/15 S (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: PRS 58/15 S (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • PRS Two-Piece bridge
  • Pattern Vintage Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Vintage-Style tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Woods Used in the PRS DW CE 24 Floyd

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Woods Used in the PRS S2 McCarty 594

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Winner: PRS S2 McCarty 594.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are HH. Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

However, the PRS S2 McCarty 594 has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: PRS S2 McCarty 594.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

The PRS DW CE 24 Floyd gives you 5 switch options while the PRS S2 McCarty 594 gives you 3. This means that the PRS DW CE 24 Floyd gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the PRS S2 McCarty 594 comes with some kind of pickup modification: Coil Split.

Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
PRS DW CE 24 Floyd's switch options
PRS S2 McCarty 594 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
PRS S2 McCarty 594's switch options

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: PRS DW CE 24 Floyd.

Final Sound Quality Scores

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd
Pickups 85
Sustain 70
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 95
Sound 81
PRS S2 McCarty 594
Pickups 90
Sustain 70
Versatility 63
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 73

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the PRS DW CE 24 Floyd compares to the PRS S2 McCarty 594.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in United States.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The PRS DW CE 24 Floyd has a Locking nut. Instead of a regular nut, this guitar has a locking system that will lock down the strings at the nut, preventing it from getting out of tune. It removes one of the disadvantages of tremolo bridges, tune stability.

On the other hand, the PRS S2 McCarty 594 comes with a PRS Propietary nut. It's similar to TUSQ nuts, but they're not as hard, and the tone is not as bright. However, the material is self-lubricating, and it's usually well cut, so they have good tuning stability.

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

The PRS DW CE 24 Floyd's brige is a Floyd Rose. This is a double-locking bridge system that allows you to perform techniques like dive bombs and pinch harmonics. The locking nut allows your guitar to stay in tune even after the most intense tremolo usage. The disadvantage is that it takes more work to change the strings and set up everything correctly.

On the other hand, the PRS S2 McCarty 594's is a Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: PRS DW CE 24 Floyd.

Tuners

The PRS DW CE 24 Floyd has the best tuners of the two because they are locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.

Nevertheless, the PRS DW CE 24 Floyd has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

Winner: PRS DW CE 24 Floyd.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

The PRS DW CE 24 Floyd has a Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

On the other hand, the PRS S2 McCarty 594 comes with Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

Winner: PRS DW CE 24 Floyd.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
PRS DW CE 24 Floyd
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
PRS S2 McCarty 594
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • PRS Propietary Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd
Quality of materials 45
Features 70
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 70
PRS S2 McCarty 594
Quality of materials 50
Features 55
Quality Control 90
Build Quality 65

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd Nut Width
PRS DW CE 24 Floyd Nut Width
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Nut Width
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the PRS S2 McCarty 594 has the wider nut with 42.9mm (1.688'') vs 42.1mm (1.656''). This is a 0.8mm (0.032'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the PRS S2 McCarty 594, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd's Scale Length
PRS DW CE 24 Floyd's Scale Length
PRS S2 McCarty 594's Scale Length
PRS S2 McCarty 594's Scale Length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

The PRS DW CE 24 Floyd has the longest scale: 25". The PRS S2 McCarty 594 is only 24.6" long. This is a 0.4'' (10.2mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd Neck Profile
PRS DW CE 24 Floyd's neck profile
PRS S2 McCarty 594 Neck Profile
PRS S2 McCarty 594's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The PRS DW CE 24 Floyd has a C type of neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

The PRS S2 McCarty 594, on the other hand, has a Asymmetrical neck. Even though this neck shape looks like a poorly-made job, it's, in fact, the neck that most naturally adapts to the arc of your hand when grabbing a guitar neck. You'll notice that the lower part of your palm makes a more pronounced, deeper curve while the upper part makes a more subtle arch. This is the shape that adapts the best to that natural arch your hand makes while playing.

Fretboard Radius

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard Radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

Both the PRS DW CE 24 Floyd and the PRS S2 McCarty 594 have the same fretboard radius of 10". This is slightly flatter than the typical modern Stratocaster, but not by a lot. This radius will make it comfortable to play chords without muting strings accidentally. However, when compared to Strats, the extra .5 inches radius will make it slightly more comfortable to play solos without sacrificing too much chord playability.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the PRS S2 McCarty 594 favors large hands more than the PRS DW CE 24 Floyd.

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd:
Big Hands
Small Hands
PRS S2 McCarty 594:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd and PRS S2 McCarty 594 Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium Jumbo fret size

Both have a Medium Jumbo fret size. These are slightly shorter than full Jumbo frets, so you'll still feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. However, they interfere less with your fretting hand than medium-size frets. This is a good size if you like easy-to-press frets, but would still like to feel a bit of the fretboard when playing.

Final Playability Scores

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 75
Playability 75
PRS S2 McCarty 594
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 85
Solo Playability 55
Playability 75

Specs Side-by-Side

PRS DW CE 24 Floyd vs S2 McCarty 594
General PRS DW CE 24 Floyd S2 McCarty 594
Brand: PRS PRS
Year: 2020 2020
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: Bolt-On S2
Colors: Black, Blue, Brown Burst, Red Burst Blue, Green, Gray, Red Burst, Dark Cherry Sunburst, McCarty Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Floyd Rose 1000 Tremolo w/ Locking Nut PRS Two-Piece
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Set
Tuners: PRS Low Mass Locking Vintage-Style
Fretboard: Maple Rosewood w/ Faux Bone Binding
Neck Material: Maple Mahogany
Decoration: Black Birds Birds
Scale Size: 25" 24.6"
Shape: Dustie Waring Pattern Vintage
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 10" 10"
Nut: Locking PRS Propietary
Nut Width: 42.1mm (1.656'') 42.9mm (1.688'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: PRS Mojotone Tomahawk Gen 2 (Humbucker / Passive) PRS 58/15 S (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: PRS Mojotone Tomahawk Gen 2 (Humbucker / Passive) PRS 58/15 S (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Speed
Pickup Mods: None Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 1 2