PRS DGT SE - Quick Look

bleujazz3

bleujazz3

Fractal Fanatic
Had a free moment to design this Pixelmator edit from images sent with my recent purchase.

May I introduce, PRS DGT SE "BBQ."

wzIKTtU.jpg
 
For an entry-level PRS, yes, the value (and tone) will set these guitars apart from the competition. Yet, TBH, PRS makes beautiful 10-Top and Wood Library examples that would make you say, "Meh" when this is compared to them. IMHO, it's not the cost nor the beauty of the guitar that matters. It's how well it plays and sounds when you play it, how it feels when you can coax wonderful tones from it, the warmth of the pickups and attention to detail, even at this level of workmanship.

For those who think the guitar has cheap elements to it, perhaps that's because they've been spoiled by much nicer guitars and they're "too good" to be seen with one. For those who are more conscious about what makes them happy that doesn't cause rifts in your family relationships when you say you bought a guitar ("Really, dear, I didn't overspend!"), this guitar may very well be an excellent choice because it's a utility guitar that can cover a good number of genres.

My personal feeling is that many people believe that one should buy the best quality guitar they can afford without thinking about how much this might set them back. Well, truth be told, the reason DG partnered with PRS on this guitar was so he could make his signature DGT more affordable for those who couldn't buy a core model at the higher price point.

For this reason, it made good sense to me to consider a DGT SE because it's a more cost-effective way of obtaining the tones and sound one seeks without breaking the piggy bank.

Actually, there are plenty of guys who would like a supermodel on each arm, but all they've got are tattoos. Myself included, I'm happy with a guitar that makes me feel happy, sounds wonderful, isn't high-maintenance, and didn't cost me more sheep, camels, and livestock than when I paid the dowry.

Yup, I've got a good-looking sweetheart that didn't cost me an arm and a leg. This one's a keeper.
 
bleujazz3 said:
For an entry-level PRS, yes, the value (and tone) will set these guitars apart from the competition. Yet, TBH, PRS makes beautiful 10-Top and Wood Library examples that would make you say, "Meh" when this is compared to them. IMHO, it's not the cost nor the beauty of the guitar that matters. It's how well it plays and sounds when you play it, how it feels when you can coax wonderful tones from it, the warmth of the pickups and attention to detail, even at this level of workmanship.

For those who think the guitar has cheap elements to it, perhaps that's because they've been spoiled by much nicer guitars and they're "too good" to be seen with one. For those who are more conscious about what makes them happy that doesn't cause rifts in your family relationships when you say you bought a guitar ("Really, dear, I didn't overspend!"), this guitar may very well be an excellent choice because it's a utility guitar that can cover a good number of genres.

My personal feeling is that many people believe that one should buy the best quality guitar they can afford without thinking about how much this might set them back. Well, truth be told, the reason DG partnered with PRS on this guitar was so he could make his signature DGT more affordable for those who couldn't buy a core model at the higher price point.

For this reason, it made good sense to me to consider a DGT SE because it's a more cost-effective way of obtaining the tones and sound one seeks without breaking the piggy bank.

Actually, there are plenty of guys who would like a supermodel on each arm, but all they've got are tattoos. Myself included, I'm happy with a guitar that makes me feel happy, sounds wonderful, isn't high-maintenance, and didn't cost me more sheep, camels, and livestock than when I paid the dowry.

Yup, I've got a good-looking sweetheart that didn't cost me an arm and a leg. This one's a keeper.
Click to expand...
Somehow I feel like we ALL are getting one :)

Sounds like you are digging it - congrats !
 
bleujazz3 said:
For an entry-level PRS, yes, the value (and tone) will set these guitars apart from the competition. Yet, TBH, PRS makes beautiful 10-Top and Wood Library examples that would make you say, "Meh" when this is compared to them. IMHO, it's not the cost nor the beauty of the guitar that matters. It's how well it plays and sounds when you play it, how it feels when you can coax wonderful tones from it, the warmth of the pickups and attention to detail, even at this level of workmanship.

For those who think the guitar has cheap elements to it, perhaps that's because they've been spoiled by much nicer guitars and they're "too good" to be seen with one. For those who are more conscious about what makes them happy that doesn't cause rifts in your family relationships when you say you bought a guitar ("Really, dear, I didn't overspend!"), this guitar may very well be an excellent choice because it's a utility guitar that can cover a good number of genres.

My personal feeling is that many people believe that one should buy the best quality guitar they can afford without thinking about how much this might set them back. Well, truth be told, the reason DG partnered with PRS on this guitar was so he could make his signature DGT more affordable for those who couldn't buy a core model at the higher price point.

For this reason, it made good sense to me to consider a DGT SE because it's a more cost-effective way of obtaining the tones and sound one seeks without breaking the piggy bank.

Actually, there are plenty of guys who would like a supermodel on each arm, but all they've got are tattoos. Myself included, I'm happy with a guitar that makes me feel happy, sounds wonderful, isn't high-maintenance, and didn't cost me more sheep, camels, and livestock than when I paid the dowry.

Yup, I've got a good-looking sweetheart that didn't cost me an arm and a leg. This one's a keeper.
Click to expand...
Congratulations!
 
If I were looking for a great-sounding and looking, versatile guitar that I wouldn't be afraid to gig with, the DGT SE would be high on my list of options.
 
If I didn't have the collection of PRS guitars that I have, I would buy the SE DGT and the SE 594 double cut in no time. I would swap the pickups and electronics out on the 594 to the same thing used in the core models. The pickups are available right now for $500. You would end up with two really nice playing and sounding guitars and not have a ton of money wrapped up in them.
 
I couldn’t help myself and just ordered a goldtop from Sweetwater.

However I may not see for a few months are they are already way back ordered.
 
Subjective Review:

From the well-packaged carton to the nice-looking gig bag, the PRS DGT SE is no ordinary SE model.

CONSTRUCTION:

Neck: Polished frets, no visible or tangible evidence of fret tang overhang, smooth gloss mahogany neck, 22 nickel-silver frets, rosewood board, mother of pearl (?) PRS birds. 1-piece DGT neck carve, tapered, feels good the entire neck length, not chunky or round (read: baseball bat), "smaller" towards the headstock, widens/flattens towards the body.

Headstock: Unsure if the headstock has wooden "wings" instead of a direct one-piece neck/headstock. Non-locking PRS metal button standard tuners, held their tune well and required only a slight tweak every 15-20 minutes of playing.

Body: 1-piece mahogany body with flamed maple veneer cap. Mild McCarty Tobacco Sunburst flame, reflects nicely in varying light. Understated quality for an entry-level model.

Electronics: 2-Volume, 1-Push-Pull Coil-Tap Tone, 3-Way Toggle. Knobs felt secure, not stiff or tight. 3-Way Toggle seemed slightly more rigid if not more secure than my 2016 McCarty. Bridge volume knob is closer to the pickups than the neck volume, a counter-intuitive thing that requires getting used to.

TONE/SOUND:

Test-drove the DGT SE with 8 out of 10 of my presets. Discovered that the guitar has louder pickups than my 58/15-equipped McCarty (could be wrong, it's been a while since playing my McCarty). DGT SE has plenty of clean headroom from Volume 0 to 6, after which through a pushed amp, an amp will begin to break up slightly. As you turn up the guitar's volume, the tone gets "woolier" and warmer. At lower volumes, the guitar seems clearer and brighter. The sweet spot for the DGT SE seems to be with tone knob set about 3 or 4, and volume about 7 or slightly higher. More volume with tone knob above 6 or 7 may be too bright or harsh for some.

Please Note: If one wishes more sparkle and chime, play through LT's Gift of Tone preset (Band Commander, etc) for a good example of how to obtain single-coil tones from your DGT SE.

Coil-Tap: A subtle effect where the volume drops with coil-tap. "Crisper" but not twangy tones can be coaxed with coil-tap. Not designed to be a single-coil where quack might occur. Better described as a slightly lower-volume P-90, though my knowledge of these is limited.

OVERALL IMPRESSION:

Will take some getting used to to be able to generate DG's tone through this guitar. Am hoping someone can create or direct me to a preset that is a close approximation or Dave's PRS DG30/2x12 Cab. Am happy with my purchase, but will need to spend time with the guitar to learn how it interacts with my current presets, and what tweaks could be made that would improve on my current tone/sound, now that my Silver Sky is no longer part of my collection.

VALUE:

Exceptional, considering that Sweetwater performed a 55-point inspection concurrent with PRS factory's inspection. Flame maple veneer as you can see above proves that PRS doesn't skimp on quality though the price point is lower than one might expect. Only drawback I noted was that my fingers were darkened by fretboard oil following the test drive; a nail brush, soap and water solved that problem.

RATING:

☆☆☆½+ for form and function, a higher-priced guitar would command higher quality maple cap and build. Pleased with my purchase, will need to get to know her "likes and dislikes" before I could safely gig before an audience.
 
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bleujazz3 said:
Subjective Review:

From the well-packaged carton to the nice-looking gig bag, the PRS DGT SE is no ordinary SE model.

CONSTRUCTION:

Neck: Polished frets, no visible or tangible evidence of fret tang overhang, smooth gloss mahogany neck, 22 nickel-silver frets, rosewood board, mother of pearl (?) PRS birds. 1-piece DGT neck carve, tapered, feels good the entire neck length, not chunky or round (read: baseball bat), "smaller" towards the headstock, widens/flattens towards the body.

Headstock: Unsure if the headstock has wooden "wings" instead of a direct one-piece neck/headstock. Non-locking PRS metal button standard tuners, held their tune well and required only a slightly tweak every 15-20 minutes of playing.

Body: 1-piece mahogany body with flamed maple veneer cap. Mild McCarty Tobacco Sunburst flame, reflects nicely in varying light. Understated quality for an entry-level model.

Electronics: 2-Volume, 1-Push-Pull Coil-Tap Tone, 3-Way Toggle. Knobs felt secure, not stiff or tight. 3-Way Toggle seemed slightly more rigid if not more secure than my 2016 McCarty. Bridge volume knob is closer to the pickups than the neck volume, a counter-intuitive thing that requires getting used to.

TONE/SOUND: Test-drove the DGT SE with 8 out of 10 of my presets. Discovered that the guitar has louder pickups than my 58/15-equipped McCarty (could be wrong, it's been a while since playing my McCarty). DGT SE has plenty of clean headroom from Volume 0 to 6, after which through a pushed amp, an amp will begin to break up slightly. As you turn up the guitar's volume, the tone gets "woolier" and warmer. At lower volumes, the guitar seems clearer and brighter. The sweet spot for the DGT SE seems to be with tone knob set about 3 or 4, and volume about 7 or slightly higher. More volume with tone knob above 6 or 7 may be too bright or harsh for some.

Please Note: If one wishes more sparkle and chime, play through LT's Gift of Tone preset (Band Commander, etc) for a good example of how to obtain single-coil tones from your DGT SE.

Coil-Tap: A subtle effect where the volume drops with coil-tap. "Crisper" but not twangy tones can be coaxed with coil-tap. Not designed to be a single-coil where quack might occur. Better described as a slightly lower-volume P-90, though my knowledge of these is limited.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: Will take some getting used to to be able to generate DG's tone through this guitar. Am hoping someone can create or direct me to a preset that is a close approximation or Dave's PRS DG50/2x12 Cab. Am happy with my purchase, but will need to spend time with the guitar to learn how it interacts with my current presets, and what tweaks could be made that would improve on my current tone/sound, now that my Silver Sky is no longer part of my collection.

VALUE: Exceptional, considering that Sweetwater performed a 55-point inspection concurrent with PRS factory's inspection. Flame maple veneer as you can see above proves that PRS doesn't skimp own quality though the price point is lower than one might expect. Only drawback I noted was that my fingers were darkened by fretboard oil following the test drive; a nail brush, soap and water solved that problem.

RATING: ☆☆☆+ for form and function, a higher-priced guitar would command higher quality maple cap and build. Pleased with my purchase, will need to get to know her "likes and dislikes" before I could safely gig before an audience.
Click to expand...
On the volume pots' orientation:
If it has sufficient slack in the wires, you may be able to swap their positions, if it really irks you. Just be careful getting the knobs off. On my SE 24 Standard, they were TOIT LIKE A TOIGA, and the tone pull-pot's shaft came out with the knob rather than the knob coming off. The volume pot responded well to the 'two spoons' method, though. YMMV, not legal in all states and municipalities, offer good only on days not ending in 'y', generic disclaimer, disclaim, disclaim, disclaim....
 
Last edited:
bleujazz3 said:
Subjective Review:

From the well-packaged carton to the nice-looking gig bag, the PRS DGT SE is no ordinary SE model.

CONSTRUCTION:

Neck: Polished frets, no visible or tangible evidence of fret tang overhang, smooth gloss mahogany neck, 22 nickel-silver frets, rosewood board, mother of pearl (?) PRS birds. 1-piece DGT neck carve, tapered, feels good the entire neck length, not chunky or round (read: baseball bat), "smaller" towards the headstock, widens/flattens towards the body.

Headstock: Unsure if the headstock has wooden "wings" instead of a direct one-piece neck/headstock. Non-locking PRS metal button standard tuners, held their tune well and required only a slightly tweak every 15-20 minutes of playing.

Body: 1-piece mahogany body with flamed maple veneer cap. Mild McCarty Tobacco Sunburst flame, reflects nicely in varying light. Understated quality for an entry-level model.

Electronics: 2-Volume, 1-Push-Pull Coil-Tap Tone, 3-Way Toggle. Knobs felt secure, not stiff or tight. 3-Way Toggle seemed slightly more rigid if not more secure than my 2016 McCarty. Bridge volume knob is closer to the pickups than the neck volume, a counter-intuitive thing that requires getting used to.

TONE/SOUND: Test-drove the DGT SE with 8 out of 10 of my presets. Discovered that the guitar has louder pickups than my 58/15-equipped McCarty (could be wrong, it's been a while since playing my McCarty). DGT SE has plenty of clean headroom from Volume 0 to 6, after which through a pushed amp, an amp will begin to break up slightly. As you turn up the guitar's volume, the tone gets "woolier" and warmer. At lower volumes, the guitar seems clearer and brighter. The sweet spot for the DGT SE seems to be with tone knob set about 3 or 4, and volume about 7 or slightly higher. More volume with tone knob above 6 or 7 may be too bright or harsh for some.

Please Note: If one wishes more sparkle and chime, play through LT's Gift of Tone preset (Band Commander, etc) for a good example of how to obtain single-coil tones from your DGT SE.

Coil-Tap: A subtle effect where the volume drops with coil-tap. "Crisper" but not twangy tones can be coaxed with coil-tap. Not designed to be a single-coil where quack might occur. Better described as a slightly lower-volume P-90, though my knowledge of these is limited.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: Will take some getting used to to be able to generate DG's tone through this guitar. Am hoping someone can create or direct me to a preset that is a close approximation or Dave's PRS DG50/2x12 Cab. Am happy with my purchase, but will need to spend time with the guitar to learn how it interacts with my current presets, and what tweaks could be made that would improve on my current tone/sound, now that my Silver Sky is no longer part of my collection.

VALUE: Exceptional, considering that Sweetwater performed a 55-point inspection concurrent with PRS factory's inspection. Flame maple veneer as you can see above proves that PRS doesn't skimp own quality though the price point is lower than one might expect. Only drawback I noted was that my fingers were darkened by fretboard oil following the test drive; a nail brush, soap and water solved that problem.

RATING: ☆☆☆+ for form and function, a higher-priced guitar would command higher quality maple cap and build. Pleased with my purchase, will need to get to know her "likes and dislikes" before I could safely gig before an audience.
Click to expand...
Thank you !
 
Joe Bfstplk said:
On the volume pots' orientation:
If it has sufficient slack in the wires, you may be able to swap their positions, if it really irks you. Just be careful getting the knobs off. On my SE 24 Standard, they were TOIT LIKE A TOIGA, and the tone pull-pot's shaft came out with the knob rather than the knob coming off. The volume pot responded well to the 'two spoons' method, though. YMMV, not legal in all states and municipalities, offer good only on days not ending in 'y', generic disclaimer, disclaim, disclaim, disclaim....
Click to expand...
It'll be OK with things remaining the same. I'd prefer to not modify anything (maybe the non-locking tuners after a while) but not try messing with wiring (which can go wrong if one was not careful). It'll require some tweaks to what we're used to, but is really no problem the way the knobs are now.
 
bleujazz3 said:
Bridge volume knob is closer to the pickups than the neck volume, a counter-intuitive thing that requires getting used to.
Click to expand...
Grissom uses his bridge pickup the majority of the time. For anyone who does that, having the bridge pickup’s control in front makes a lot of sense.

I find it takes me a few minutes to get used to it again.

bleujazz3 said:
DGT SE has plenty of clean headroom from Volume 0 to 6, after which through a pushed amp, an amp will begin to break up slightly.
Click to expand...
That’s totally determined by the amp setting and not the guitar. My core DGT is clean at 3 and anything above that is breaking is up because I run my amps hot and treat them like single channel amps.

bleujazz3 said:
As you turn up the guitar's volume, the tone gets "woolier" and warmer. At lower volumes, the guitar seems clearer and brighter.
Click to expand...
The guitar has a treble bleed on each pot, and it works nicely.

bleujazz3 said:
Will take some getting used to to be able to generate DG's tone through this guitar. Am hoping someone can create or direct me to a preset that is a close approximation or Dave's PRS DG50/2x12 Cab.
Click to expand...
Grissom runs his amp a little hot so he can switch to the tapped pickups to reduce output and be clean and clear, or turn down the humbucking sound and pick more lightly, or roll the guitar up and have a medium distortion. He hits one of two boosts/distortions on his board to add gain and drive. If I remember right, his DG PRS amp is based on a Marshall, but I don’t remember which one. There are several videos where he talks about his sound, for instance:

 
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