PRS Guitars announced a documentary on Paul Reed Smith’s mentor and guitar industry titan the late Theodore Ted McCarty and his lasting impact on Smith and the company. The 73-minute video features archival interview footage of McCarty and interviews with Smith, McCarty’s daughter Sue Davis, PRS Signature Artist David Grissom and several PRS Guitars employees. The full-length video is now available on the PRS Guitars YouTube channel. Atrailer was released earlier this month.
McCarty served as vice president of the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1949 and as president from 1950-1966. In addition to the Les Paul and Tune-O-Matic bridge, McCarty was responsible for several other patents and innovations, including the humbucking pickup with engineer Seth Lover, Explorer, Flying V, SG, ES 335 and Firebird. After leaving Gibson in the mid 1960s, McCarty became co-owner of Bigsby.
Ted McCarty was a legend. Incredibly smart. Really exceptional, said Paul Reed Smith. He was a champion, an industry icon, a leader, a mentor, a friend. In the end, he was family.
Smith first came across McCarty’s name in the US Patent office in the early 1980s, later enrolling him as a manufacturing and business consultant. McCarty died in 2001 at the age of 91, but his contributions continue to ripple through the guitar industry. PRS introduced the first McCarty model in 1994 and has since honored him with many instrument designs.
There is no better time to reflect on our history than as we close our 40th anniversary, said PRS Guitars COO Jack Higginbotham. Ted is a part of our foundation. He’s central to who we are.
Ifeel so proud that PRS has once again honored my dad, said McCarty’s daughter, Sue Davis. When Paul asked my dad to put his name on a guitar, dad wasn’t so sure anyone would want to buy it. Paul and PRS have made sure that the name Ted McCarty and the man that he was will be remembered for a long time to come.
What ties Paul and Ted together for me is the pure joy of teaching, said PRS Guitars Director of Marketing Judy Schaefer. Their relationship went far beyond business. I’ve heard Paul describe Ted as being like a grandfather to him.
For more information, visit prsguitars.com.
