Every opening jam you do is worth every single click. Never been boring even if the topic that follows isn't for me. Your melodies are inspiring for sure!
You're right on about the frets. Once i was used to the height, by lightening up my touch, i noticed my hand did not fatigue as quickly as it might on a Fender.
I have an identical DGT SE to yours. It stays in tune wonderfully and I have gigged it a lot over the past couple of months or so and it has been fabulous. The one thing that in the end, I couldn't get on with on stage was having two volumes. I loved the idea to begin with, but I suppose being mainly a Strat player, and making switch/vol/tone changes all the time, it wasn't working so well for me in a "live" situation. So, I got my local Luthier to re-wire it so that the pot nearest the strings is a Master Vol, and moved the Tone to where the Neck Vol is. That makes for a redundant pot sitting where the Tone pot was, just for cosmetic purposes. Probably sounds daft and one could say I should have bought a McCarty, but the neck on this is fab and I love having the trem there. We also put CTS pots in and a Switchcraft jack socket for good measure. The pots and jack that came with it were OK, just belt & braces I guess. I am extremely happy with it now.
That makes a ton of sense. Plus you're the rare one of us that are gigging with it so that immediately makes this useful. I haven't played the newer se's yet, mccarty, dgt, or silver sky. On paper the mccarty or 245 makes sense, but I'm also open to a used s2. My local gc started locking up practically all the guitars. These are sad times.
Is the taper really better with your new CTS pots ? I feel you never know what you're gonna get when replacing pots, like all range between 1-3 or 7-10. And then if the Volume pot is not the same impedance, it will sound brighter or darker. I would replace them only if they were scratchy.
I bought a DGT SE goldtop. Initially, I loved it. The neck, pickups, coil-tap were all outstanding. I returned it because it felt too cramped above the 15th fret. At first, I held onto it - figuring that I'd get used to it - and I don't spend a lot of time on the upper frets anyway. But every time I needed access to the them, it was conspicuously cramped. For anyone who is a "no money above the 5th fret" type of player, it'd be a non-issue. If it was 10 years ago, when I kept a fleet of guitars, I'd have kept it. In my current 'gear-minimalism' approach, it didn't earn its keep. Still, it is an outstanding guitar and an incredible value.
If you're used to playing a Fender, you need to completely retrain your hands when you get a hold of a PRS.Fenders are every day working guitars, PRS's are The Rolls Royce of guitars. They aren't designed to take the punishment that Fenders are. It may have a floating bridge, but that doesn't mean it has the dynamics of a Floyd Rose. There's a reason why the Floyd Rose bridge exists. Perhaps go and have a chat with a luthier, he might be able to have a play with the action and the frets to correct your intonation issues. But I'm glad I saw this video, I'm thinking about getting an SE DGT myself, and this is the first honest video I've seen!
Had mine two months now I took it back in to have action at nut lowered. Then took it back in to have the bridge set higher as it was pinging. I love it, it's become my go to when I wanna play. Strat on neck split Tele on Bridge split 335 on HB middle Perfect neck for noodling, wanking or chord work... I may have the Buddy Guedes greenie phase switch put in for j page/ Brian May tones E & A binding until I wetness dried the nut slots
I really hope I'm not crazy, but I got mine awhile back and played it almost non-stop for a couple of weeks, a/b-ing it with some of my best guitars ( I have over 30...) And I was astounded by how good the pickups are. Now I watch this video and I hear the same thing....
Same here. I have a core DGT and I like the SE better in some ways. I can't say it's "better" than the Core, but the SE has a more open tone, a bit brighter and less honky which I prefer. I will likely sell my Core. I just don't see a $2-3000 difference, or at least not enough of a difference to convince me that the Core is that much more superior.
It is always the nut. If it sticks, a quick wiggle or a bend will pull it back. As a long term trem user, this gets to be second nature. Usually the worst thing you can do is go to the tuners. This puts you out of tune as soon as you bend or use the whammy again…as the sticking unsticks.
I've got a PRS SE 24-08 and changed the tuners for PRS SE locking ones. They are, unsurprisingly a direct and simple replacement, and have helped the tuning stability quite a bit when using the tremolo. Might be worth a look.
@surefire1333 I put on Kluson tuners on my PRS SS and on my DGT SE I put on the PRS SE Locking Tuners, both sets are amazing, no drilling needed, straight in
Try rounding the front and backside of the nut slots a little. Sometimes the fatter windings can get stuck on the hard edge on the way back down and stays sharp.
On a three on a side headstock, the nut slots should slightly angle toward each tuner post. It gives the string a more direct angle to the point of anchor.
Great playing and analysis. I've just ordered one after watching countless videos/demos of this guitar. Can't wait to receive it and will share my experience with it. Thanks!!
Thanks for posting. I learned something from the tip you gave to help improve tuning stability. I’ve got the SE and the core DGT. They are both fantastic. Sometimes I forget which one I’m playing.
The Wilkinson locking saddles (PRS spacing) might be a good upgrade for this guitar. However, the guitar is already about a grand so it's depends how much you like the guitar. For a six screw trem it doesn't seem too bad. All I see is praise for this guitar and the coil tap tones sound excellent. Still have to get around to finding one locally and trying it out.
Man! Great sounds and playing! About PRS in general.... I have a 1990 Custom24 and have been playing it for 33 years now. One thing many don't know is that you should NEVER raise/lower the bridge screws while tension of strings/springs is applied. Doing that you basically destroy the blade knife edge and the thing won't get back in tune. I'm saying this as most people DO make bridge height changes like on a Strat and that quickly wears out the whole thing. So NEVER do that. If you want to change your action at the bridge, you need to remove any tension or block the bridge carefully. PRS bridges are usually set at 1/16" height from the body for a bit of back and forth floating action, parallel to the strings. That doesn't mean you can't get it lower, with careful attention. The 6 screws need to ABSOLUTELY be set at the same exact height to catch the blade properly. Usually they are set so that their lower side is 2.5mm away from the bridge surface. These *details* are very important and need to be checked. Maybe your bridge is not perfectly setup. That happens. A careful check of it may be in order. Second thing I'd warmly suggest is to get locking tuners! On my PRS I still have the Schaller made locking tuners Gen 1 and they still work perfectly. I think PRS was the first company using locking tuners and it's unfortunate they skip that on these non_US models. IF I had your guitar and believe me, you are truly tempting me to get a DGT as I love those pickups, I'd get a John Mann tremolo bridge right away and a set of locking tuners. Mann is the inventor of the original PRS bridge and he worked with Paul from 1985 to 1995. I know... more money to go but hey....this is a PRS and with a bit more money you can really raise it at the US_made status and still save several Gs. Again.... love your playing made of taste, soul and technique!
I have three PRS SEs. I have swapped the tuners for locking tuners on all of them. The tremonti has a fully floating tremolo. I bought a $10 tremolo stop on Amazon. I'm not going to say there as stable as the old school Floyd Rose, but I don't have any issues during live performances, as long as I have stretched my strings ahead of time
I would install a Mannmade tremolo system and a set of Mannmade locking tuners. Well worth the money and a nice upgrade for the SE line of guitars. By the way, your demo convinced me to buy this model.
I finally managed to buy one, and gigged it the other week. It was a joy overall. I also don’t like the switch position, and having the trem arm with at control layout was weird. I found the neck to be an absolute joy. More than I was expecting.
Weird compliment... I admire your camera battery died and it seems you finished with the phone. You are always good about not being pretentious... that is a perfect example. Oh, and great vid.
John, correct me if I'm wrong, but I recall reading somewhere (perhaps a David Grissom YT interview?) that the trem bar is designed to be used subtlety and sparingly, not with heavy dives. This may account for your tuning concerns. You might contact PRS PTC and ask how this could be remedied.
I put Wilkinson WLS130/S locking saddles (highly recommended), nut grease, and locking tuners on my SE custom 24 and it now stays perfectly in tune even when I go nuts on the trem. A couple hundred dollars but worth it in the end.
I’ve only had one PRS Custom 24 SE. I had massive tuning problems with it. And at the time I had a Tech that was really not very good which it took me awhile to realize. The nut just fell off after I had a new one put on. The tech just told me to super glue it back on. And yes the tuning pegs really knocked around in the gig bag. I never did bond with that guitar and took a pretty big loss when I got rid of it.
It's not the trem...it's binding in the nut. It could be a matter of the nut being cut a little tight or just need some smoothing. That may get worse if you go up a gauge. I apply MusicNomad MN106 TUNE-IT Lubricant ($9 amazon) to the nut before gigs and it helps a lot.
I have the same guitar. I like it. I have the same problem with my PRS SE Paul's guitars three way switch., I will try your solution. Good stuff as always.
I added the PRS SE Locking tuners to mine, used the screws from the tuners that came with the guitar. I can pick mine up anytime or do some heavy whammy and it says in tune. I also added some big bends nut sauce as well which I do for all my nonlocking trems.
I keep hearing some People say locking tuners don't effect tuning stability just help with quick string changes. They say the Nut is the most important factor. What do you think?
Thanks for the updates. I can but a new one on sale for under $600 which would be nice since I have a wood library version that’s quite valuable. But the term and timing issues are enough to keep me away
A quick upward pull on the Whammy bar is a common way to get Strats back in tune. It is critical to tune up first right a quick pull up, as that helps establish the "home" position for the Whammy to be in tune. Maybe that will also work on a PRS. 🤷
I find the coil split on my core DGT is very usable in a worship setting. I don't use the whammy bar so the switch position, although not ideal, isn't not much of an issue for me. I was surprised to hear David Grissom in an interview saying that he rarely leaves the bridge position with his signature DGTs. I suppose that is dependent on what genre of music you are playing.
When I got the guitar from Sweetwater, I felt the action needed to be lowered quite a bit. This may be due to the tall frets and also due to the chunky neck. Also it is easy to bend but I actually don’t find it easier to play fast on due to the thicker neck. I am mainly a strat or tele player but I also have Gibsons and a 91 PRS Custom 24. I do like the pickups, the tone is great, its a beautiful guitar and not too heavy. In comparison to my other PRS, it doesn’t quite stay in tune as well. This may be due to the locking tuners that are on the PRS Custom and maybe a different material nut material. You can put the custom in a case and take it out 6 months later and its still totally in tune. It’s probably the best guitar I have for staying in tune.
about non locking tremolo system. I have an experience when i use wilkinson's WVS50IIK. It's very sensitive when i put on my guitar, and i quite stress full at that time. The root cause is : NUT. At that time i use bone nut, meanwhile my original nut is locking nut. The angle of head is quite sharp. I found after tremolo is moved by string bending or get whammed, this nut make strings friction high and get stucked. What I did was change the nut back into locking tuner nut, without lock clamp. just the nut... because it has radius surface, and make the string can slide smoothly on it.... And, it works !!! I can use my whammy bar without tuning problem anymore. If just re-tuning again, it happened after extreme whamming or already played for a long time. Maybe this information can help
I got mine one week ago. The set up was terrible, I had to adjust nut (was too hight) neck relief, string height and tremolo. The tremolo wasn’t properly setup either, all screws have to be at the same height for proper movement. Another problem I had was string volume, low E was too loud, I had to set pole pieces height for a better volume balance. Another issue I have in mine is the saddle of the high E, for proper intonation I had to put it almost touching the tremolo screw. I agree with the switch placement, if you change pickups frequently is a PITA, not my case. I don’t find frets to be massive, not jumbo like Ibanez, Charvel etc, I like them. Overall I’m happy, is a really fine instrument but needs a nice set up
The setup on mine was pretty bad too. I didn't jibe with the cramped upper fret access, so it went back. When I got my refund it, I noticed they charged me a restocking fee. When I challenged them on it, they said it was because they had to set the guitar up. I pushed back on them and said, "You sent me a guitar that wasn't set up - which contributed to my returning it - and now you want to charge me a setup fee?" They caved and refunded the rest. Overall, a great guitar - just not for me.
@@dadanardi5541 indeed, I assume some basic setup but nut too high and tremolo screws misaligned is something I don’t expect from PRS even for their Indonesian guitars
Another great video. I wanted to see / hear your thoughts as my Goldtop is set to arrive today (ordered Jan 23rd). I had a core DGT back in 2009 and it was fantastic. I'm hoping this one will be as well.
Having the PRS SE Åkerfeldt, I like to abuse the wammy a bit before I begin, so if a string is stuck in the nut or whatever, I knock it loose first. But that is hardly ever an issue
Ahoy from the land of hillbillies! Re:Tuning. As a person whom has struggled with everything from Bigsbys to Floyds I’ve found it’s generally the wound critters that tend to bind a bit in the nut. I also copped the great tip from the amazing Puisheen that a tiny dab of chapstick worked into the slots goes a long way in curing this phenomenon. (Not for Floyd’s of course) And, when time allows, I feel WAY better about a set of day old strings I’ve been able thrash on, and the aforementioned lubing, then also making sure the windings above the nut have settled in. (Folk have also asked me why I’m tugging on the strings in the middle of a song. My answer is usually “new strings”.) Something I’ve yet to see anyone mention… The DGT SE is my second SE instrument. (1st was a 22 semi hollow) Upon getting the semi hollow I was already considering changing certain components such as the bridge. What IMMEDIATELY changed my mind was finding that not one but BOTH of these instruments seem to have arrived with a resonant frequency of a C triad. It’s like having your own verb tank. I don’t think they could’ve planned this “feature” but I really love it! Anyone else noticed this “feature”? As always Jonathan, super elegant twangin! Thanks for your time!
One can not leave any guitar in their car during the day, then to pull it out that night to perform. Depending on the time of year, the heat in the car is one issue. Humidity is the other big issue. Once brought from the car to inside to the gig, the Beck will take many hours to adjust to the difference in humidity and to settle down again.
I'm still going through the fine fettling stage on mine. It's pretty darn stable even without lockers but I'm tempted to get a set of proper PRS lockers just to make sure. Before I do I'll have a couple more rounds of nut fettling and lube'ing before I decide. As for playing those frets with a lighter touch; being a life long bass guitarist, by trade, I struggle with that sometimes. Also having smallish hands, it's difficult to stay "Light" when attempting a chord that requires a stretch, innit. Overall I'm quite happy with my spend and Peach have been most helpful getting things sorted. 🤘
Curious if you would ever cover how much fret buzz you are okay with acoustically/ plugged in with your electric guitars and how you set your guitars action? I play a lot of music that goes from crystal clean and ambient to heavy, legato and lots of gain so I like my action very low but am struggling with how much buzz is normal. I have a PRS CE with 0 buzz at all and just under 1.5mm low e string. I cannot find another guitar that can get that low and not buzz. I prefer Strats but haven't really played them live recently because of string buzz compared to my CE. Would love to see you cover the subject as someone who's an amazing player.
I would never leave a guitar for hours in a hot car! As a New Yorker, I’m paranoid about leaving a guitar in my car for more than a few minutes! Your playing and tone on Don’t Stop Believing were spot on.
Grab the e with your right hand and tug and release bringing it back to pitch if it happens mid song. The strings are meeting friction and sticking I’d try dumonde tech German bike chain lube a tiny bit in the nut slots and maybe the saddles too but I’d imagine it’s getting stuck in the nut slots.
Hi - I'm really impressed by my Gold Top. The tuning stability has remarkably good. But I know what you mean about the controls being masked by your hand when playing. The only issue I've had is frequently winding down the tone accidentally due to lack of friction on the pot.
Thanks for the insight John! I'm currently on a pre order list through sweetwater and I'm debating buying this or not. Hope your weekend went well! 🤜🤛🔥🎸🙏
Have never tried the outside in tuning, but as a long time Floyd user, I tune the low E fairly sharp, the A a bit less sharp and so on until I tune the B and E to pitch. Can usually get the guitar in tune pretty quick that way and after a while you get the hang of where to target as you’re tuning. If you tune a string to pitch on a Floyd and then tune any other string, the one you just tuned is no longer in tune. The trick is to never try to get really precise until all the strings are within a few cents of in tune.
Hey John. Great video and playing as usual! I caught the PRS bug thanks to you and had a DGT SE for a while but recently traded it in (along with two other guitars) to fund a PRS Studio 22. I am in love. If you get an opportunity I think you should check one out. Growing up a Strat guy as well, I wanted something without the hum and set up similar to a Strat (I agree the layout on the DGT is strange) since I cannot handle the hum playing in headphones at night while kids sleeping. The narrow field pickups don’t sound exactly like a Strat but it does all the Strat things (in between sounds) and the bridge pickup is similar to the DGT SE bridge. Sounds awesome split. PRS just knows how to make their split humbuckers sound amazing. I didn’t like the Gibson les Paul I had that could split the pickups. I just thought the split sound is dead and lifeless.
I have the same guitar. I love it. I did that upgrade and I am super happy. High frets are great. You have an amazing touch. Those frets, can only be a plus to your playing.
I'ver had one a few weeks now, perhaps one of the more recent ones to come out of the factory, and I'm having a lot of grief with tuning stability and the trem bar. I've gone bonkers with lube around the nut, the saddles etc and the whammy still reliably sends everything sharp. Driving me nuts! I love the pickups and how it feels to play, but the controls aren't great. Tone knob seems to do most of its work between 0 and 3, and lord knows why they went with low friction tone knob and high friction volume knobs. I'll try some new strings, maybe a graphtech nut and a fresh round of lube to see if that fixes the tuning, but if it doesn't, I'll have to move it on. No good to me if I can't trust the tuning!
Hi John. Great video! I've been looking at the SE DGT and the SE 594, but like the specs on the 594 better. I'm not a big trem user so the 594 seems like a better fit. I do like the Jumbo frets on the DGT though. I know you have tried both guitars and would love to see if you have a preference?
Had mine a few months now, super impressed! Become a workhorse for me, now my go to function guitar for sure. Can’t recommend them highly enough. Also I’ve never had tuning stability issues even after wammy use, though I don’t divebomb of the cliffs of the rock god. Also guitars die in hot cars 😂
I’m not sure that trem should float. David G stated he rarely plays the rhythm PU so the location of the selector and volume control may be problematic for those that move through pus more.
I have a 2020 S2 limited edition (HSS) with locking tunners and also had few tunning problems. Here is what I did : 1. Tightened the tunners on the headstock. Two of them were getting loose 2. Use Nut Sauce on nut and on saddle. I don't care what manufacturer says, there is always binding at the nut... 3. String gauge 10-46 is perfect for this guitar. I tried the DGT SE when it came out. I liked the sound and playability but I did not buy it mainly because of the controls position. It makes no sens to me.
Furthermore, I don't dive-bomb, but use the trem constantly, and have had zero issues. Dollar for dollar, this is the best value I've ever gotten on a guitar. (And I was VERY prs resistant).
High frets are the shit! You get effortless control of the strings, and hammer-ons, pull-offs, bends, and vibrato are greatly enhanced. Once you adjust to a lighter touch, they're awesome!
A great video would be for you to comment on what you are thinking when you’re playing your solo in terms of what notes work and why you consider some acceptable and others not. Still searching for the ‘rules’….
Really interested in these. Liked the Zach Myers I had recently, but couldn't overcome the weirdness of the short scale. Funny thing though, first thing I did was change the knobs. They were awful. Haha.
the pick up switch is in the wring place for you, and maybe others, but it's a signature guitar, so I guess that's the prefererence of David Grissom... you buy a guitar with his name on it and that's what you get I suppose.
I know that people tune in to hear John solo, but when I’m thinking about a guitar that might replace a Strat for gigging, it’s more important how it functions for playing rhythm.
Sounds like the nut is at fault slightly pinching along with non locking tuners and general friction. It only got a wee bit out and most can play around it but still frustrating. The frets are tall and that’s what’s specced it’s no malmsteen strat but being light when fretting is where it’s at but…. David Grissom himself uses heavy strings so it’s harder to press them out of tune if they’re 13’s as that’s what the core model is designed to have… screw the spring retainer in some more go up a gauge, lube the nut and take a file to it if needed. Check the tuners aren’t lose obvs… great playing as always btw. Any chance of some Steve lukather breakdowns and tones?
Yeah I’ve got a major problem with it: it’s not offered in lefty. Prs doesn’t seem to like lefties at all, and mainly only offer cheap, foreign made guitars as an offering.
Can't beat q Floyd Rose double lock. Once the strings are stretched, you're good to go. Block it and it is more stable than a hard tail if you don't like wiggle sticks
I've never been successful with whammy bars; they always throw the guitar out of tune (for me). I just stopped being a whammy guy and had my Strat locked down - been happy ever since. I've got other guitars with tremolos - but they do not get much use in a live setting. BTW beautiful opening jam, so impressive!
I think almost any guitar that has been in a hot car for a few hours and then brought inside into an sir conditioned space will have tuning instability while it acclimates to the changes in temperature and humidity. So its probably not an issue with this model.
Its interesting how Prs marketing with silver sky se, dgt se, have hooked yt reviewers . I wonder if they had done this with the Santana se it would be more popular? That didnt work. What do you think?
SE locking tuners. $90. I have the Goldtop and I kept the push pull but only for neck and put a push push on neck volume. I don’t care what guitar it is you always have to modify it to your liking. The trem is flat on body for drop D. I don’t understand what you are saying.
Replacing the stock nut with Graphtech is a good step. I did it for my LTD and when I looked at it I thought, it looks and feels pretty much identical but I was wrong. What really surprised me was it actually improved the tone and sustain.
Every opening jam you do is worth every single click. Never been boring even if the topic that follows isn't for me. Your melodies are inspiring for sure!
I have the gold top and also changed the knobs. Looks better and easier to read.
You're right on about the frets. Once i was used to the height, by lightening up my touch, i noticed my hand did not fatigue as quickly as it might on a Fender.
I have an identical DGT SE to yours. It stays in tune wonderfully and I have gigged it a lot over the past couple of months or so and it has been fabulous. The one thing that in the end, I couldn't get on with on stage was having two volumes. I loved the idea to begin with, but I suppose being mainly a Strat player, and making switch/vol/tone changes all the time, it wasn't working so well for me in a "live" situation. So, I got my local Luthier to re-wire it so that the pot nearest the strings is a Master Vol, and moved the Tone to where the Neck Vol is. That makes for a redundant pot sitting where the Tone pot was, just for cosmetic purposes. Probably sounds daft and one could say I should have bought a McCarty, but the neck on this is fab and I love having the trem there. We also put CTS pots in and a Switchcraft jack socket for good measure. The pots and jack that came with it were OK, just belt & braces I guess. I am extremely happy with it now.
That makes a ton of sense. Plus you're the rare one of us that are gigging with it so that immediately makes this useful. I haven't played the newer se's yet, mccarty, dgt, or silver sky. On paper the mccarty or 245 makes sense, but I'm also open to a used s2. My local gc started locking up practically all the guitars. These are sad times.
The McCarty has two volumes also just like all Les Paul’s.
Is the taper really better with your new CTS pots ? I feel you never know what you're gonna get when replacing pots, like all range between 1-3 or 7-10.
And then if the Volume pot is not the same impedance, it will sound brighter or darker.
I would replace them only if they were scratchy.
That would be the way I would have wired it, and wonder why PRS did it Bassakwards?
I bought a DGT SE goldtop. Initially, I loved it. The neck, pickups, coil-tap were all outstanding. I returned it because it felt too cramped above the 15th fret. At first, I held onto it - figuring that I'd get used to it - and I don't spend a lot of time on the upper frets anyway. But every time I needed access to the them, it was conspicuously cramped. For anyone who is a "no money above the 5th fret" type of player, it'd be a non-issue.
If it was 10 years ago, when I kept a fleet of guitars, I'd have kept it. In my current 'gear-minimalism' approach, it didn't earn its keep. Still, it is an outstanding guitar and an incredible value.
If you're used to playing a Fender, you need to completely retrain your hands when you get a hold of a PRS.Fenders are every day working guitars, PRS's are The Rolls Royce of guitars. They aren't designed to take the punishment that Fenders are. It may have a floating bridge, but that doesn't mean it has the dynamics of a Floyd Rose. There's a reason why the Floyd Rose bridge exists. Perhaps go and have a chat with a luthier, he might be able to have a play with the action and the frets to correct your intonation issues. But I'm glad I saw this video, I'm thinking about getting an SE DGT myself, and this is the first honest video I've seen!
Really liked that solo!
Had mine two months now
I took it back in to have action at nut lowered.
Then took it back in to have the bridge set higher as it was pinging.
I love it, it's become my go to when I wanna play.
Strat on neck split
Tele on Bridge split
335 on HB middle
Perfect neck for noodling, wanking or chord work...
I may have the Buddy Guedes greenie phase switch put in for j page/ Brian May tones
E & A binding until I wetness dried the nut slots
I really hope I'm not crazy, but I got mine awhile back and played it almost non-stop for a couple of weeks, a/b-ing it with some of my best guitars ( I have over 30...) And I was astounded by how good the pickups are. Now I watch this video and I hear the same thing....
You're not crazy. Plays as good as any of my CS Strats and my Core 594SC. The neck on it is amazing.
Same here. I have a core DGT and I like the SE better in some ways. I can't say it's "better" than the Core, but the SE has a more open tone, a bit brighter and less honky which I prefer. I will likely sell my Core. I just don't see a $2-3000 difference, or at least not enough of a difference to convince me that the Core is that much more superior.
How about putting the core pickup on your SE? I still think core is better because it got gold with birds.
It is always the nut. If it sticks, a quick wiggle or a bend will pull it back. As a long term trem user, this gets to be second nature.
Usually the worst thing you can do is go to the tuners. This puts you out of tune as soon as you bend or use the whammy again…as the sticking unsticks.
Yup!
Truth
That Midnight cover was amazing!
Lovely peice of music at the beginning. Lovely soloing.
Try playing a fender with their trem. You have to modify it. Gibson les Paul the first fret is always higher than the rest so you have to fix it.
Your playing is just amazing John! Always love your intros!
I've got a PRS SE 24-08 and changed the tuners for PRS SE locking ones. They are, unsurprisingly a direct and simple replacement, and have helped the tuning stability quite a bit when using the tremolo. Might be worth a look.
Locking tuners don’t necessarily do anything for your tuning stability. Just makes it faster to change strings
Actually because there is no wrap it does help stability especially if that wrap wasn’t stretched enough
@@bobbyarthur8809 maybe if you don’t wrap your strings properly..
They're simple and excellent.
I had some tuning stability issues on my PRS SE Silver Sky, and I put some locking tuners on it, now rock solid tuning
What tuners did you put on ?
Thk u
@surefire1333 I put on Kluson tuners on my PRS SS and on my DGT SE I put on the PRS SE Locking Tuners, both sets are amazing, no drilling needed, straight in
@@PetesGuitar2303
Thank you so much !!!
Try rounding the front and backside of the nut slots a little. Sometimes the fatter windings can get stuck on the hard edge on the way back down and stays sharp.
Never mess around with the front of the nut slots. Just polish the slots as it is usually the wound strings that snag.
On a three on a side headstock, the nut slots should slightly angle toward each tuner post. It gives the string a more direct angle to the point of anchor.
I just got my gold top SE this week, been waiting 7.5 months for it and so far it's as awesome as i'd hoped it would be.
Great playing and analysis. I've just ordered one after watching countless videos/demos of this guitar. Can't wait to receive it and will share my experience with it. Thanks!!
Was it on sale when you got it?
No, it wasn’t, unfortunately. I feel it was worth the money though. It’s a fine instrument and stands up to my American Gibsons and Fenders.
Just got my DGT Se last week and was blown away by it. Every bit as good as my core 594 SC.
Thanks for posting. I learned something from the tip you gave to help improve tuning stability. I’ve got the SE and the core DGT. They are both fantastic. Sometimes I forget which one I’m playing.
Thanks for a very practical and useful review. Some of the viewer comments are also very helpful.
The Wilkinson locking saddles (PRS spacing) might be a good upgrade for this guitar. However, the guitar is already about a grand so it's depends how much you like the guitar. For a six screw trem it doesn't seem too bad. All I see is praise for this guitar and the coil tap tones sound excellent. Still have to get around to finding one locally and trying it out.
Man! Great sounds and playing! About PRS in general.... I have a 1990 Custom24 and have been playing it for 33 years now. One thing many don't know is that you should NEVER raise/lower the bridge screws while tension of strings/springs is applied. Doing that you basically destroy the blade knife edge and the thing won't get back in tune. I'm saying this as most people DO make bridge height changes like on a Strat and that quickly wears out the whole thing. So NEVER do that. If you want to change your action at the bridge, you need to remove any tension or block the bridge carefully. PRS bridges are usually set at 1/16" height from the body for a bit of back and forth floating action, parallel to the strings. That doesn't mean you can't get it lower, with careful attention.
The 6 screws need to ABSOLUTELY be set at the same exact height to catch the blade properly. Usually they are set so that their lower side is 2.5mm away from the bridge surface. These *details* are very important and need to be checked. Maybe your bridge is not perfectly setup. That happens. A careful check of it may be in order.
Second thing I'd warmly suggest is to get locking tuners! On my PRS I still have the Schaller made locking tuners Gen 1 and they still work perfectly. I think PRS was the first company using locking tuners and it's unfortunate they skip that on these non_US models. IF I had your guitar and believe me, you are truly tempting me to get a DGT as I love those pickups, I'd get a John Mann tremolo bridge right away and a set of locking tuners. Mann is the inventor of the original PRS bridge and he worked with Paul from 1985 to 1995. I know... more money to go but hey....this is a PRS and with a bit more money you can really raise it at the US_made status and still save several Gs. Again.... love your playing made of taste, soul and technique!
Very helpful and informative comment, thanks. I'm saving up for my very first PRS and it's 100% gonna be an SE DTG Sunburst🙂
I have three PRS SEs. I have swapped the tuners for locking tuners on all of them. The tremonti has a fully floating tremolo. I bought a $10 tremolo stop on Amazon. I'm not going to say there as stable as the old school Floyd Rose, but I don't have any issues during live performances, as long as I have stretched my strings ahead of time
Would you stretch your strings before a gig even if they had been on the guitar for a couple of weeks? Or just when replacing strings?
Just add some graphite to the nut slots, it works for me, but if not have a luthier widen them a bit.
I would install a Mannmade tremolo system and a set of Mannmade locking tuners. Well worth the money and a nice upgrade for the SE line of guitars. By the way, your demo convinced me to buy this model.
What a touch!!!
I finally managed to buy one, and gigged it the other week. It was a joy overall. I also don’t like the switch position, and having the trem arm with at control layout was weird.
I found the neck to be an absolute joy.
More than I was expecting.
That split sound really nice!
Weird compliment... I admire your camera battery died and it seems you finished with the phone. You are always good about not being pretentious... that is a perfect example. Oh, and great vid.
Time to take all your great tracks and release a record!!! Cheers! God bless!
John, correct me if I'm wrong, but I recall reading somewhere (perhaps a David Grissom YT interview?) that the trem bar is designed to be used subtlety and sparingly, not with heavy dives. This may account for your tuning concerns. You might contact PRS PTC and ask how this could be remedied.
I put Wilkinson WLS130/S locking saddles (highly recommended), nut grease, and locking tuners on my SE custom 24 and it now stays perfectly in tune even when I go nuts on the trem. A couple hundred dollars but worth it in the end.
I’ve only had one PRS Custom 24 SE. I had massive tuning problems with it. And at the time I had a Tech that was really not very good which it took me awhile to realize. The nut just fell off after I had a new one put on. The tech just told me to super glue it back on. And yes the tuning pegs really knocked around in the gig bag. I never did bond with that guitar and took a pretty big loss when I got rid of it.
It's not the trem...it's binding in the nut. It could be a matter of the nut being cut a little tight or just need some smoothing. That may get worse if you go up a gauge. I apply MusicNomad MN106 TUNE-IT Lubricant ($9 amazon) to the nut before gigs and it helps a lot.
I have the same guitar. I like it. I have the same problem with my PRS SE Paul's guitars three way switch., I will try your solution. Good stuff as always.
Single volume is a good idea from @stevejcurtis. Regarding the fret height - there's more to re-polish once you've worn them down a bit!
I added the PRS SE Locking tuners to mine, used the screws from the tuners that came with the guitar. I can pick mine up anytime or do some heavy whammy and it says in tune. I also added some big bends nut sauce as well which I do for all my nonlocking trems.
I keep hearing some People say locking tuners don't effect tuning stability just help with quick string changes. They say the Nut is the most important factor. What do you think?
Thanks for the updates. I can but a new one on sale for under $600 which would be nice since I have a wood library version that’s quite valuable. But the term and timing issues are enough to keep me away
I swooped the tone pots around as I just couldn’t get on with them being the opposite way to every other guitar, for me , so much better
A quick upward pull on the Whammy bar is a common way to get Strats back in tune. It is critical to tune up first right a quick pull up, as that helps establish the "home" position for the Whammy to be in tune. Maybe that will also work on a PRS. 🤷
"Nut Sauce" in the nut slots has really helped my MIM with Callahan h/w as well as my 78 Strat. But yes, I good tug up is really a good 1st step
I find the coil split on my core DGT is very usable in a worship setting. I don't use the whammy bar so the switch position, although not ideal, isn't not much of an issue for me.
I was surprised to hear David Grissom in an interview saying that he rarely leaves the bridge position with his signature DGTs. I suppose that is dependent on what genre of music you are playing.
When I got the guitar from Sweetwater, I felt the action needed to be lowered quite a bit. This may be due to the tall frets and also due to the chunky neck. Also it is easy to bend but I actually don’t find it easier to play fast on due to the thicker neck. I am mainly a strat or tele player but I also have Gibsons and a 91 PRS Custom 24. I do like the pickups, the tone is great, its a beautiful guitar and not too heavy. In comparison to my other PRS, it doesn’t quite stay in tune as well. This may be due to the locking tuners that are on the PRS Custom and maybe a different material nut material. You can put the custom in a case and take it out 6 months later and its still totally in tune. It’s probably the best guitar I have for staying in tune.
about non locking tremolo system. I have an experience when i use wilkinson's WVS50IIK. It's very sensitive when i put on my guitar, and i quite stress full at that time. The root cause is : NUT. At that time i use bone nut, meanwhile my original nut is locking nut.
The angle of head is quite sharp. I found after tremolo is moved by string bending or get whammed, this nut make strings friction high and get stucked. What I did was change the nut back into locking tuner nut, without lock clamp. just the nut... because it has radius surface, and make the string can slide smoothly on it.... And, it works !!!
I can use my whammy bar without tuning problem anymore. If just re-tuning again, it happened after extreme whamming or already played for a long time.
Maybe this information can help
Nice job John. Nice BT too. Looking forward to getting my DGT SE in Sept. Are you playing thru your live rig amp or Helix?
I got mine one week ago. The set up was terrible, I had to adjust nut (was too hight) neck relief, string height and tremolo. The tremolo wasn’t properly setup either, all screws have to be at the same height for proper movement. Another problem I had was string volume, low E was too loud, I had to set pole pieces height for a better volume balance. Another issue I have in mine is the saddle of the high E, for proper intonation I had to put it almost touching the tremolo screw. I agree with the switch placement, if you change pickups frequently is a PITA, not my case. I don’t find frets to be massive, not jumbo like Ibanez, Charvel etc, I like them. Overall I’m happy, is a really fine instrument but needs a nice set up
Setup is mostly need to be done by the shop, guitar in cargo ship or transport where temperature and humidity fluctuating, things will get loose.
I'm guessing that you didn't get it from Peach ... ?
The setup on mine was pretty bad too. I didn't jibe with the cramped upper fret access, so it went back. When I got my refund it, I noticed they charged me a restocking fee. When I challenged them on it, they said it was because they had to set the guitar up. I pushed back on them and said, "You sent me a guitar that wasn't set up - which contributed to my returning it - and now you want to charge me a setup fee?" They caved and refunded the rest. Overall, a great guitar - just not for me.
@@KozmykJ nope, I live in Barcelona
@@dadanardi5541 indeed, I assume some basic setup but nut too high and tremolo screws misaligned is something I don’t expect from PRS even for their Indonesian guitars
Another great video. I wanted to see / hear your thoughts as my Goldtop is set to arrive today (ordered Jan 23rd). I had a core DGT back in 2009 and it was fantastic. I'm hoping this one will be as well.
The opening was gold! Do you have tabs for that?!
Having the PRS SE Åkerfeldt, I like to abuse the wammy a bit before I begin, so if a string is stuck in the nut or whatever, I knock it loose first. But that is hardly ever an issue
Well gents I have a real DGT with a Gold top and the moons and I decided to put 10’s on it to play some journey BonnJovi etc and it’s amazing.
Ahoy from the land of hillbillies!
Re:Tuning. As a person whom has struggled with everything from Bigsbys to Floyds I’ve found it’s generally the wound critters that tend to bind a bit in the nut. I also copped the great tip from the amazing Puisheen that a tiny dab of chapstick worked into the slots goes a long way in curing this phenomenon. (Not for Floyd’s of course)
And, when time allows, I feel WAY better about a set of day old strings I’ve been able thrash on, and the aforementioned lubing, then also making sure the windings above the nut have settled in. (Folk have also asked me why I’m tugging on the strings in the middle of a song. My answer is usually “new strings”.)
Something I’ve yet to see anyone mention… The DGT SE is my second SE instrument. (1st was a 22 semi hollow) Upon getting the semi hollow I was already considering changing certain components such as the bridge. What IMMEDIATELY changed my mind was finding that not one but BOTH of these instruments seem to have arrived with a resonant frequency of a C triad. It’s like having your own verb tank. I don’t think they could’ve planned this “feature” but I really love it! Anyone else noticed this “feature”?
As always Jonathan, super elegant twangin! Thanks for your time!
One can not leave any guitar in their car during the day, then to pull it out that night to perform. Depending on the time of year, the heat in the car is one issue. Humidity is the other big issue. Once brought from the car to inside to the gig, the Beck will take many hours to adjust to the difference in humidity and to settle down again.
I'm still going through the fine fettling stage on mine.
It's pretty darn stable even without lockers but I'm tempted to get a set of proper PRS lockers just to make sure.
Before I do I'll have a couple more rounds of nut fettling and lube'ing before I decide.
As for playing those frets with a lighter touch; being a life long bass guitarist, by trade, I struggle with that sometimes.
Also having smallish hands, it's difficult to stay "Light" when attempting a chord that requires a stretch, innit.
Overall I'm quite happy with my spend and Peach have been most helpful getting things sorted. 🤘
Curious if you would ever cover how much fret buzz you are okay with acoustically/ plugged in with your electric guitars and how you set your guitars action? I play a lot of music that goes from crystal clean and ambient to heavy, legato and lots of gain so I like my action very low but am struggling with how much buzz is normal. I have a PRS CE with 0 buzz at all and just under 1.5mm low e string. I cannot find another guitar that can get that low and not buzz. I prefer Strats but haven't really played them live recently because of string buzz compared to my CE. Would love to see you cover the subject as someone who's an amazing player.
Same thing drives me nuts with my Strats....
I would never leave a guitar for hours in a hot car! As a New Yorker, I’m paranoid about leaving a guitar in my car for more than a few minutes! Your playing and tone on Don’t Stop Believing were spot on.
Grab the e with your right hand and tug and release bringing it back to pitch if it happens mid song. The strings are meeting friction and sticking I’d try dumonde tech German bike chain lube a tiny bit in the nut slots and maybe the saddles too but I’d imagine it’s getting stuck in the nut slots.
I would replace the tuners with locking ones.
Hi - I'm really impressed by my Gold Top. The tuning stability has remarkably good. But I know what you mean about the controls being masked by your hand when playing. The only issue I've had is frequently winding down the tone accidentally due to lack of friction on the pot.
8:40 re: tuning stability and floating trem, would you deck the trem & have downward action only?
Stayed with the 11’s as long as I could, but the 10’s have a little more sizzle and of course my hand is not cramped bending the high E
Thanks for the insight John! I'm currently on a pre order list through sweetwater and I'm debating buying this or not. Hope your weekend went well! 🤜🤛🔥🎸🙏
Have never tried the outside in tuning, but as a long time Floyd user, I tune the low E fairly sharp, the A a bit less sharp and so on until I tune the B and E to pitch. Can usually get the guitar in tune pretty quick that way and after a while you get the hang of where to target as you’re tuning. If you tune a string to pitch on a Floyd and then tune any other string, the one you just tuned is no longer in tune. The trick is to never try to get really precise until all the strings are within a few cents of in tune.
Hey John. Great video and playing as usual! I caught the PRS bug thanks to you and had a DGT SE for a while but recently traded it in (along with two other guitars) to fund a PRS Studio 22. I am in love. If you get an opportunity I think you should check one out. Growing up a Strat guy as well, I wanted something without the hum and set up similar to a Strat (I agree the layout on the DGT is strange) since I cannot handle the hum playing in headphones at night while kids sleeping. The narrow field pickups don’t sound exactly like a Strat but it does all the Strat things (in between sounds) and the bridge pickup is similar to the DGT SE bridge. Sounds awesome split. PRS just knows how to make their split humbuckers sound amazing. I didn’t like the Gibson les Paul I had that could split the pickups. I just thought the split sound is dead and lifeless.
I have the same guitar. I love it. I did that upgrade and I am super happy.
High frets are great. You have an amazing touch. Those frets, can only be a plus to your playing.
I'ver had one a few weeks now, perhaps one of the more recent ones to come out of the factory, and I'm having a lot of grief with tuning stability and the trem bar. I've gone bonkers with lube around the nut, the saddles etc and the whammy still reliably sends everything sharp. Driving me nuts! I love the pickups and how it feels to play, but the controls aren't great. Tone knob seems to do most of its work between 0 and 3, and lord knows why they went with low friction tone knob and high friction volume knobs.
I'll try some new strings, maybe a graphtech nut and a fresh round of lube to see if that fixes the tuning, but if it doesn't, I'll have to move it on. No good to me if I can't trust the tuning!
Was that a cover of The Midnight for your intro?
Hi John. Great video! I've been looking at the SE DGT and the SE 594, but like the specs on the 594 better. I'm not a big trem user so the 594 seems like a better fit. I do like the Jumbo frets on the DGT though. I know you have tried both guitars and would love to see if you have a preference?
Had mine a few months now, super impressed! Become a workhorse for me, now my go to function guitar for sure. Can’t recommend them highly enough. Also I’ve never had tuning stability issues even after wammy use, though I don’t divebomb of the cliffs of the rock god. Also guitars die in hot cars 😂
Any plans on covering the new QC update?
I’m not sure that trem should float. David G stated he rarely plays the rhythm PU so the location of the selector and volume control may be problematic for those that move through pus more.
I've seen a few reviewers change to locking tuners and change the nut because of not too good tuning stability.
I have a 2020 S2 limited edition (HSS) with locking tunners and also had few tunning problems. Here is what I did :
1. Tightened the tunners on the headstock. Two of them were getting loose
2. Use Nut Sauce on nut and on saddle. I don't care what manufacturer says, there is always binding at the nut...
3. String gauge 10-46 is perfect for this guitar.
I tried the DGT SE when it came out. I liked the sound and playability but I did not buy it mainly because of the controls position. It makes no sens to me.
Furthermore, I don't dive-bomb, but use the trem constantly, and have had zero issues. Dollar for dollar, this is the best value I've ever gotten on a guitar. (And I was VERY prs resistant).
High frets are the shit! You get effortless control of the strings, and hammer-ons, pull-offs, bends, and vibrato are greatly enhanced. Once you adjust to a lighter touch, they're awesome!
Am I the only one that noticed you’re playing Heart Worth Breaking by The Midnight?
A great video would be for you to comment on what you are thinking when you’re playing your solo in terms of what notes work and why you consider some acceptable and others not. Still searching for the ‘rules’….
Really interested in these. Liked the Zach Myers I had recently, but couldn't overcome the weirdness of the short scale. Funny thing though, first thing I did was change the knobs. They were awful. Haha.
the pick up switch is in the wring place for you, and maybe others, but it's a signature guitar, so I guess that's the prefererence of David Grissom... you buy a guitar with his name on it and that's what you get I suppose.
Sounds like your spring balance may be out, and I'm sure Peach's basic setup is good. That nut probably still needs some more work.
I know that people tune in to hear John solo, but when I’m thinking about a guitar that might replace a Strat for gigging, it’s more important how it functions for playing rhythm.
Question do you feel guitar overall lacks some bottom end warm tones I have one listen to playback videos that’s what I noticed.
Sounds like the nut is at fault slightly pinching along with non locking tuners and general friction. It only got a wee bit out and most can play around it but still frustrating. The frets are tall and that’s what’s specced it’s no malmsteen strat but being light when fretting is where it’s at but…. David Grissom himself uses heavy strings so it’s harder to press them out of tune if they’re 13’s as that’s what the core model is designed to have… screw the spring retainer in some more go up a gauge, lube the nut and take a file to it if needed. Check the tuners aren’t lose obvs… great playing as always btw. Any chance of some Steve lukather breakdowns and tones?
Yeah I’ve got a major problem with it: it’s not offered in lefty. Prs doesn’t seem to like lefties at all, and mainly only offer cheap, foreign made guitars as an offering.
Can't beat q Floyd Rose double lock. Once the strings are stretched, you're good to go. Block it and it is more stable than a hard tail if you don't like wiggle sticks
I've never been successful with whammy bars; they always throw the guitar out of tune (for me). I just stopped being a whammy guy and had my Strat locked down - been happy ever since. I've got other guitars with tremolos - but they do not get much use in a live setting.
BTW beautiful opening jam, so impressive!
I think almost any guitar that has been in a hot car for a few hours and then brought inside into an sir conditioned space will have tuning instability while it acclimates to the changes in temperature and humidity. So its probably not an issue with this model.
Its interesting how Prs marketing with silver sky se, dgt se, have hooked yt reviewers . I wonder if they had done this with the Santana se it would be more popular? That didnt work. What do you think?
Have you ever used a VegaTrem?
SE locking tuners. $90. I have the Goldtop and I kept the push pull but only for neck and put a push push on neck volume. I don’t care what guitar it is you always have to modify it to your liking. The trem is flat on body for drop D. I don’t understand what you are saying.
Hey what strap do u use on that guitar it’s really nice, thanks
The tuning trick I never knew about. Thanks. I have two SE 24s and I put the locking tuners. Great guitars.
How is this dgt se compared to silver sky se?
This one of Yamaha Revstar RSS02T for an electric guitar beginner?
9:57 and on.
Yeah baby.
Sharp or not…
Replacing the stock nut with Graphtech is a good step. I did it for my LTD and when I looked at it I thought, it looks and feels pretty much identical but I was wrong. What really surprised me was it actually improved the tone and sustain.
What size knobs are those? Looking to replace the ones on mine too.
graphite the nut slots, check for any binding at the trem?
just can't get into PRS, I appreciate what they are, just not for me.
Just got used as new on for 550 pounds. Result. Don’t think I’ll bother with the trem.
What gauge strings were you using?