PRS DGT SE - Quick Look

[fcs101]

I hope he does, and I can't imagine he needs the money. Just seems like it's nearly constant from him lately.

I wasn't aware of any constant shilling by him as I don't follow him, so you probably know better about that. This just popped up in my YT feed and had seen it discussed here.

I don't own any PRS guitars. I've been tempted, but never really liked the form factor, although I have started keeping an eye out for deals lately on a 509 or 513. Something like this though might be a gateway drug!

 

[bleujazz3]

Speaking of respected players who seem to have become a bit shill-ish lately...

IMHO, Tim is a decent guy and has plenty of street cred because he appears on various recordings and has done a lot as a studio musician. If part of his YT presence involves reviewing numerous pieces of gear, you can rest assured that Tim has listened to or played through said gear himself before he endorses it, or even remotely recommends it.

Yeah, maybe, but I think Tim really likes the products he's backing.

Products I've seen him promote lately: FAS, Eastman, and PRS.

Liking gear is one thing, it likely helps fellow guitarists make informed decisions about what is cost-effective and is a value for the price point.

The reason I provided a review myself was so others could read a first-hand account of a guitarist (OK, a hobbyist intermediate) who owns one themselves.

If that makes me a shill as well, tell me, when is this payment in real money as a fan-boy endorsee of PRS guitars going to land in my bank account?

Yup. Not ever.

 

[bleujazz3]

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.

The guitar has a treble bleed on each pot, and it works nicely.

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:

Thanks, Greg.

I think I've seen this video at least once previously, but things didn't click then. Dave suggested that he prefers single-channel amps (possibly Tweeds) with the master volume way up, and the gain about 7. For his stage volume, he runs his guitar full open for crunchy leads and backs off his guitar volume to 7 to clean up. He also owns a micro effects-board with several recognizable effects, some of which FAS has good examples.

I might find time Wednesday to try and put together a close approximation of what Dave speaks about in the video, but I expect others may wish to improve upon what my findings reveal. For any who have an interest in Dave's rig and how he coaxes the tone/sound from it, please chime in and offer your suggestions.

 

[Gregmang]

If Tim is a shill then he is the happiest damn shill ever.

Look at his face when he played the DGT SE - tell me that’s not pure joy,

 

[bleujazz3]

If Tim is a shill then he is the happiest damn shill ever.

Look at his face when he played the DGT SE - tell me that’s not pure joy,

There are times when I've seen people weighed down by hardships and other factors that take away their joy. Ya gotta credit a guy who in many aspects of his life doesn't let worry or negativity bother him. There may be times when he's needed to not be "up" all the time, but how does anyone learn to avoid life's take-aways from taking what you truly enjoy from you?

There's a valid reason why much of what we view as entertainment fails to make us happy. True happiness cannot be bought nor acquired, but is a choice of how one lives their life. Each and every single day. Happiness stems from being conscious of what you need, whether its basic material or physical needs, or emotional/spiritual ones.

Tim has a good handle on what it takes to be not only a successful musician, but also how to be a good person as well. These things we can learn from, because imitating a good example was exactly how your parents tried to teach you from early on, and how you learned to avoid the troubles associated with following bad examples and making bad decisions.

Holy mackerel. Somebody tell me when my soapbox time is up. Sorry to have bothered you all.

 

[GitGuy513]

Speaking of respected players who seem to have become a bit shill-ish lately...

You do realize some lucky guy or gal is going to win that guitar which he does with all sorts of brands. You obviously don’t know Tim. I have met him. He has given of himself freely in so many ways. This thread was going along nicely. I was curious to see how long it would be until someone would try to derail another PRS thread.

 

[bleujazz3]

You do realize some lucky guy or gal is going to win that guitar which he does with all sorts of brands. You obviously don’t know Tim. I have met him. He has given of himself freely in so many ways. This thread was going along nicely. I was curious to see how long it would be until someone would try to derail another PRS thread.

Let's not dwell on the naysayers; they have their own opinion which if we visited their posts about their most recent guitars, we might say the same thing. Unfortunately, there is always a competitive spirit when people speak about what they like or dislike. All I ask if that we can respect each other's opinions, though we may not agree on what we each prefer guitar-wise. It promotes peaceful discussion this way, yes?

 

[bleujazz3]

I wasn't aware of any constant shilling by him as I don't follow him, so you probably know better about that. This just popped up in my YT feed and had seen it discussed here.

I don't own any PRS guitars. I've been tempted, but never really liked the form factor, although I have started keeping an eye out for deals lately on a 509 or 513. Something like this though might be a gateway drug!

Cole,

PRS makes really beautiful instruments, even works of art, that even PRSh has said are meant to be played. I'd try not to equate buying a PRS with a "gateway drug," though.

My younger days had their share of "oats" but as an older man I'm not interested in doing stuff one could dang well get hurt doing...my "fix" consists of socializing online with you guys...not snorting a line of ground nutmeg or exploring your navel after mushrooms. (Don't say I didn't warn you...).

If you feel pressured to buy something you'd later regret, walk away from the deal; no one will fault you for maintaining your integrity...

 

[Greg Ferguson]

Dave suggested that he prefers single-channel amps (possibly Tweeds) with the master volume way up, and the gain about 7.

Here are some links where:

• He looks for more of a Plexi "Brown" sound on the amp.
• He's talking about his settings, and they show what the knobs are set to, but remember, the knobs don't necessarily correspond to the knobs on the modeler.

I had a chance to talk with him a few years ago after a set at the Saxon Pub in Austin, about his amp and the sound he goes for. That night he was experimenting with a Two-Rock 150W Sterling Silver, running at 150W. He wants to keep the low end as clean as he can, but still get that singing sustain. That amp would hit our chests like a sledgehammer, and sounded good, but didn't get that growl on the double-stops that is his trademark.

There are probably some Austinites on the board who know and see him a lot more often, so maybe they'll chime in.

 

[GitGuy513]

Let's not dwell on the naysayers; they have their own opinion which if we visited their posts about their most recent guitars, we might say the same thing. Unfortunately, there is always a competitive spirit when people speak about what they like or dislike. All I ask if that we can respect each other's opinions, though we may not agree on what we each prefer guitar-wise. It promotes peaceful discussion this way, yes?

Totally agree, but the comment in question goes beyond opinion or likes and dislikes about products and was bordering on slanderous. I will stay out of this thread because I agree and respect what you’re saying, but I just am unable to sit idly by in todays world atmosphere while the most ridiculous utterances and lies are spewed. No matter how seemingly inconsequential. I wish more people would stop this “live and let live” and “relative morality” thing and start pushing back. I would like to think the world still has more level headed people than not, but if we don’t stick together we will lose it all. Guaranteed.

Right now in Davos nameless people are deciding exactly how rotten all our futures will be. And this is the rub, the attitudes propagated from the high places trickle all the way down to some stooge on some guitar gear forum and facilitate that person having the gull to make such comments. OK I’m outta here.

BTW, nice guitar.

 

[bleujazz3]

Here are some links where:

• He looks for more of a Plexi "Brown" sound on the amp.
• He's talking about his settings, and they show what the knobs are set to, but remember, the knobs don't necessarily correspond to the knobs on the modeler.

I had a chance to talk with him a few years ago after a set at the Saxon Pub in Austin, about his amp and the sound he goes for. That night he was experimenting with a Two-Rock 150W Sterling Silver, running at 150W. He wants to keep the low end as clean as he can, but still get that singing sustain. That amp would hit our chests like a sledgehammer, and sounded good, but didn't get that growl on the double-stops that is his trademark.

There are probably some Austinites on the board who know and see him a lot more often, so maybe they'll chime in.

Will likely research 50W Plexis and see what others have gravitated towards for a "smooth/grit" type of sound. It was noted that Dave puts his tone knob at 0, so no wonder his tone is so wooly...will explore some with perhaps the recent 50W Plexi models from v. 4.0. I think I know which Greenback IRs I'll use...some vintage ones, per Dave's suggestion...

Thanks for your research thus far...you've provided me with something to work with for the next several weeks, and I'd say there's plenty of info in both videos to help me on the right path towards Dave's sound.

 

[bleujazz3]

Totally agree, but the comment in question goes beyond opinion or likes and dislikes about products and was bordering on slanderous. I will stay out of this thread because I agree and respect what you’re saying, but I just am unable to sit idly by in todays world atmosphere while the most ridiculous utterances and lies are spewed. No matter how seemingly inconsequential. I wish more people would stop this “live and let live” and “relative morality” thing and start pushing back. I would like to think the world still has more level headed people than not, but if we don’t stick together we will lose it all. Guaranteed.

Right now in Davos nameless people are deciding exactly how rotten all our futures will be. And this is the rub, the attitudes propagated from the high places trickle all the way down to some stooge on some guitar gear forum and facilitate that person having the gull to make such comments. OK I’m outta here.

BTW, nice guitar.

You're welcome in my posts anytime...it's sometimes difficult when people have a variety of opinions...you can't expect to please everyone, but you can try to maintain the peace by being firm, but polite.

At my age, I'm much too old to referee a sports game, forget about being a bar bouncer.... In my case, a strong but firm "Sorry, no," goes a long way.

Regards "pushing back," there are ways to make your voice heard but not invoke the riot act. I still believe that the power of the pen is stronger than the sword, but we all need to be watchful when "the sword" is brandished. That's why ancient knights held out their right hand in greeting; it was their sword hand that signified a greetings of peace. It also meant that an outstretched hand did not contain a weapon, but was meant to welcome someone.

It was also honorable when two opposing parties met together to discuss peaceful pursuits. Consider that many leaders do the same thing, but often find that one or the other party demands too much or refuses to budge on their opinion. Peace is a seldom-found thing, but when we each consider and listen to what the other says, we may be able to conduct a peaceful transition from a previously tense one, to a more relaxed and enjoyable one.

If people are unwilling to keep an open mind about everyday things, how might we expect leaders to do the same? Unfortunately, both my brain and cuppa tea are full now, so enough of this post for now.

 

[Riccardo Ros]

@bleujazz3 do you consider this PRS a versatile guitar or more aimed to a specific sound?

 

[bleujazz3]

@bleujazz3 do you consider this PRS a versatile guitar or more aimed to a specific sound?

Good question. The tone knob goes from warm and wooly to bright very quickly, so it makes sense to ride the tone knob at 3 or below. The coil-tap is useful in that you can go from a gainy feel to a cleaner feel with the tone knob push-pull solely. Of course, Dave rides his guitar volume at 7 or above, typically full up for leads, and 7 or 6 for cleans.

Based on what I've viewed from several YT videos, the DGT SE can imitate the Allman Bros, ZZ Top, as well as create soulful coil-tapped licks that cleans up well .

A fan of both the Fillmore East and early ZZ Top releases, the DGT SE will help you towards finding your signature sound, though in my instance, my belief is that the DGT SE targets a narrower range of tones without sacrificing quality at the lower price point. If perhaps you dig Dave's sound, research some of his YT interviews (posted earlier) and find out how he dials in his sound. Dave doesn't namedrop that much, but does mention some band names as influences.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

It was noted that Dave puts his tone knob at 0, so no wonder his tone is so wooly.

He doesn’t keep it there. He uses the volume and tone very dynamically, along with changing his picking attack.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

do you consider this PRS a versatile guitar or more aimed to a specific sound?

The DGT is very versatile.

 

[Riccardo Ros]

Thanks for your feedback!
I'm curious to test this guitar as an entry point in the PRS realm.. I tried only a SE custom 24-8, but maybe I was not lucky (action was off and the bridge was not installed properly).
I have to admit that prior to the release of this guitar I never heard of DGT (sounds crazy I know), I'll make some in depth research

 

[Greg Ferguson]

I'm curious to test this guitar as an entry point in the PRS realm.

I think it’s a good choice, based on the fact that Grissom says it’s really hard to tell the core and SE apart.

I’ve followed Grissom for years and he’s known to be very honest and humble and refuses to put his name on something if he doesn’t like it. He actually takes a DGT right off the wall when he’s doing his seminars, because he trusts, and expects, PRS to make the guitars right. The night the SE DGT came out he was playing them exclusively at his weekly set in Austin, and said he was nervous, but was right at home with the guitars right away.

I have to admit that prior to the release of this guitar I never heard of DGT (sounds crazy I know), I'll make some in depth research

He’s flown under a lot of people’s radar but has done a lot of session work and backed a lot of big names. The guy is a master of double-stops and has a unique style that is hard to pin down, but I enjoy his playing.

 

[fcs101]

I have to admit that prior to the release of this guitar I never heard of DGT (sounds crazy I know), I'll make some in depth research

I hadn't heard of him until I started investigating the DGT lineup a few years ago. Like Greg said, he's flown under the radar. Seems like he was a sought after guitarist by bigger names, sort of maybe how Tom Bukovac is today.

 

[bleujazz3]

@bleujazz3 do you consider this PRS a versatile guitar or more aimed to a specific sound?

Good question. The tone knob goes from warm and wooly to bright very quickly, so it makes sense to ride the tone knob at 3 or below. The coil-tap is useful in that you can go from a gainy feel to a cleaner feel with the tone knob push-pull solely. Of course, Dave rides his guitar volume at 7 or above, typically full up for leads, and 7 or 6 for cleans.

He doesn’t keep it there. He uses the volume and tone very dynamically, along with changing his picking attack.

I think it makes good sense to try a DGT SE yourself to determine how one might like or dislike the guitar...what some may find as a benefit others may see as a detraction...

That's why I said, the 2 volume knobs are reversed in this guitar (read: bridge knob is closer to the pickups than the neck knob), and the tone knob has a very quick logarithmic taper which, IMHO, is beneficial at levels of 0 to maybe 3 or 4. From personal experience with a variety of clean to pushed amps, anything above 4 or 5 may be too "bright" sounding, but will add clarity to your signal, not make it darker or thicker, as Dave often prefers at lower settings.

Dave prefers to ride his volume knob, not further than between 6 and 10 for clean to overdriven, and comparatively doesn't tweak his amp settings at a gig. Only other thing he might do is add a boost, an overdrive or chorus, or a delay.