PRS Nf53 Mccarty Tobacco Sunburst

NF 53: a PRS interpretation of the "1953" solidbody

Designed in the spirit of a 1953 solidbody cherished by Paul Reed Smith, the PRS NF 53 revisits the fundamentals of bolt-on neck guitars from that era: snappy response, straightforward tone, and very "direct" sensations. It adds PRS's high standards in setup, manufacturing consistency, and ergonomics to offer an electric guitar with a strong character, yet versatile enough to fit both studio and stage contexts.

For whom, and for which styles?

With its Pattern 53 profile and 10" / 254 mm radius, the NF 53 targets intermediate to professional guitarists seeking an expressive, precise solidbody that remains comfortable over time. Its dynamics and definition make it especially suited for blues, funk, rock, pop, country, and indie: it excels in clean tones and retains clarity with moderate overdrive, without "bleeding" in chords.

Sound

The PRS Narrowfield DD pickups are designed to offer a very musical balance: detailed highs, articulated mids, and solid lows, with excellent note separation. Their design aims to capture the feel and tone of a single-coil register while remaining very quiet, an obvious advantage for live performance and studio recording.

On the luthiery side, the swamp ash provides air and projection, with firm lows and lively attack. The maple (neck and fingerboard) enhances the percussive aspect and precision, ideal for snappy rhythms and back-and-forth licks. The PRS Plate-Style steel bridge, combined with brass saddles, contributes to the "twang," sustain, and a crisp response under the fingers. The 3-position selector allows switching from a sharp bridge pickup to a rounder neck pickup, with a balanced middle position, while the tone control helps move from bright to warmer sounds without losing definition.

Recommended Compatible Accessories

To stay true to the original setup spirit, a set of 10-46 strings is perfectly suitable. A good quality 6.35 mm jack cable, a strap (standard strap buttons), and a clip-on tuner are also simple and effective everyday choices. The guitar comes with a premium gig bag.

Technical specifications

Body type	Solidbody	Width at body	2 7/32" / 56.4 mm
Body wood	swamp ash	Fingerboard wood	maple
Top	Flat Top	Radius	10" / 254 mm
Body/neck joint	bolt-on	Inlays	birds
Number of frets	22	Headstock logo	signature
Scale length	25.5" / 648 mm	Bridge	PRS Plate-Style steel (brass saddles)
Neck wood	maple	Tuners	Vintage-Style
Neck construction	scarfed	Hardware finish	nickel
Truss rod	PRS Double-Acting	Nut material	bone
Profile	Pattern 53	Truss rod cover	NF 53
Neck depth at 1st fret	7/8" / 22.2 mm	Bridge pickup	PRS Narrowfield DD
Neck depth at 12th fret	31/32" / 24.6 mm	Neck pickup	PRS Narrowfield DD
Nut width	1 41/64" / 41.7 mm	Controls	volume, tone, 3-position blade switch