This one to me sounds better than many of the top shelf PRS I have heard still not a tone profile I am in love with but it is a lot of guitar for the price point
I pre-ordered this guitar and contemplated having them install the core pick-ups on it, but they are $500. And the more and more people get their hands on this and make videos, I'm hearing, and people are also saying how close the pickups are to the original. It's not even worth the upgrade at this point. PRS is killing it in the last 3 years.
@LytesOut the DGT pickups were originally based on his late 60s 335. That makes them potentially T top pickups, at least in the bridge. Basically a bridge pickup with alnico 5 wound to about 10k. A neck with an alnico ii or iii to prevent the woofiness of a scooped alnico 5 wound to the upper 7ks to low 8ks. The original DGT wiring used a resistor to partially ground the one coil so that it was not the typical 4k under wound split coil when put in the "split" position.
Plus his sound examples are great! In some other channels, you get good information, but the dudes can't play, play something stylistically completely irrelevant for the type of instrument they review or record the sound with the camera mic...
From what I've read, David Grissom took almost 2 years to get the sound he wanted for these pickups. They tried a lot of sets and made changes until he said this is now a guitar he would want to play. These may only be in the DGT and none of the other SE models. I don't know though. He said he wanted an SE that cost under $1000 and he would play on the stage. So far, most people are saying they got it done.
I'm skeptical because of the 's' series pickups, but I trust DG. His prs amps sounds incredible. I know it's expensive, but given the sound over youtube, I'm actually surprised it doesn't cost more.
Wow, that thing sounds great. My biggest complaint with the SE’s & S2’s has always been the pickups. Muddy & way too hot. Those sound excellent & are wound the way I like my humbuckers; ~7.5k neck & ~8.5k bridge. The split sounds are surprisingly good as well. I can’t wait to play one of these.
The problem with the SE is the small frets.... horrible...and the pickups,visibly this one has jumbo frets I refret my se Santana SY and put Seymour Duncan 59,and now it's not the same guitar!!🔥
Hey, I just found this channel and want to say it's great! I've been a guitar player for over 25 years (off and on), and I love playing guitar. But I don't really know much about the technical details of guitars, how to quality check a guitar, or setup the guitar. So stuff like this is so helpful for me, because I realize now that I should pay more attention to that kind of stuff. Thanks for the great work!
I value Phil's advise more than any other youtuber. I bought the DGT SE today and will wait until April 2023 to get it. I have owned SE models since they came out and you can easily see the quality improvement although i will say the very first Tremonti SE (black) i had was a wonderful guitar in its own right. I put USA spec pickups in that guitar and it was a beast. I wish I had kept it for comparison reasons, but we collectors just can't keep them all. Trading is part of the hunt that is addictive and the fresh new feeling of getting a new guitar I always look forward to. Ive made probably 10 Carvin's over the years and still have 3 of them and will never give them up but these SE models are so good I really see no reason to own a core model unless you just have to scratch that itch. PRS has done a great job...cheers to Paul and the gang for keeping the continuous improvement alive. Well done! Can't wait to plug that DGT into my Mark v......
@@SiddharthKarunakaran I did receive it and I will say it’s very much like all the other SE models… plays well, very well constructed, and solid but the best part are the pickups… they sound very good like you paid another $300 for them. Overall you will not get the sensation of a core model… that’s just unattainable at this price but you will get a solid guitar that sounds great. I will also say I will change the knobs to core models and maybe tuners… it doesn’t need anything but that’s just my preference. I never liked the SE knobs but it’s just a knob nothing more. I will also say the electronics take a bit of getting used to as the forward knob is the bridge pickup… that’s different. I give it a B+ overall but considering the price point I would bump that to an A-… change the knobs and tuners and it an A…
@@SiddharthKarunakaran your welcome. Just to add info… I have owned around 15 SE model PRS guitars and enjoyed all of them. I will also say the recent Zach Meyers guitar is well worth a look. The neck on it is fs oh loud and ting liked on the back… very comfortable guitar.
People complaining about the lack of violin carve to the top, those are the things that set the core and SE models apart. The volume control layout is also from Grissom using the bridge pickup most of the time.
Still love The Geeky Stuff - as someone who won't buy unless I try (in my own hands) first, The Geeky stuff helps me to feel more confident about what the instrument/amp/pedal to expect. Thanks Phil!
I like the lower output pickups when using an amp simulator pedal like the Boss GT1000 or the Fractal FM9. I have both. Hot pick ups are meant for direct to amp applications. Single coil and lower out put humbuckers allow the digital pedals to produce more detailed tones. Took me several years of playing on a GT1000 to realize that. The PRS DGT will be a great match up for digital pedals
Great demo. In the geeky part you didn’t mention the pickup heights. I just bought a used SE DGT and the previous owner messed with the setup. So I’m curious as to the factory pickup height settings.
The TCI "S" pickups they put in the SE Paul's guitar and 24-08 are seriously good and are made better with some minor height/pole piece adjustments. These sound awesome as well. I formerly thought the SE pickups were quite bland but yeah they've come a long way, IMO.
I've actually got the Paul's guitar so it's a bit different of an animal at 22 frets. However, I've found my lasting contentment lies with the bridge humbucker 2.5 mm from bottom of bass string to top of bobbin and 2mm even on the treble side while adjusting each individual pole piece minus the slugs to 2mm so the output is even all the way across. Neck humbucker sits at 3.5mm from bottom of bass string to top of pickup Bobbin and right at 3mm on the treble side. I've sunk the bass side pole piece into the pickup though so it's distance to the bottom of the bass string is at 4mm The 5th string (A) is between 3.5 and 4mm from top of pole piece to bottom of string and basically once you get to the high E string the distance is down to 3mm. I found great results here sinking the bass pole piece into the body without having to sink the humbucker itself down into the ring. But try out the specs if you so desire. The TCI S pickups change a lot with fairly subtle variations.
It was more important to get the neck humbucker right, for me anyway. The 24-08 will need different adjustments, of course. Both pole pieces for the G string were raised half a mm higher than the others, too.
PRS also just dropped the McCarty 594 SE with the 58/15 S pickups which I think is quite a big release along with an S2 cu24 that has the core pickups and wiring in them. Nice.
The backwards volume controls are a David Grissom mod. He plays almost exclusively on the bridge pickup and want the bridge volume control first as he uses it much more frequently than the neck volume. Good sounding guitar.
It's the only feature that puts me off this guitar a bit. Having said that I tend not to mess around too much while I am playing so I dont think it would be too big of a deal.
I bought my Goldtop almost a year ago and it's my favorite of all my others. I put the locking tuners on but that was just for ease of string changes. It shipped with .010-.046 gauge strings and I've tried those and 9.5's and now I'm at 9's. All sounded great and I'm just trying to find my sweet spot with strings. I finally bought a hard case and did away with the gig bag. I actually like the volume knob setup the way it is. This guitar is 10 out of 10 for me.
The volume controls are wired the same as most Schecters, with the bridge volume closest to the strings. this makes playing swells much easier as most players use the bridge pickup when playing swells. I have seen many You-tubers claim that the controls were wired backwards. Schecter clearly states that this setup is on purpose. I would image PRS does also.
Awesome thorough review. My question is do you and the other major UA-cam reviewers get these sent to you by PRS in the U.S. where they had a chance to do a QA check? Is there going to be a difference between an off the shelf model and what you reviewed. Thanks!
Good review. Looked at one of those but it didn't suit me. Ended up getting a new Player Tele instead. Not trying to take anything away from the PRS SE DGT as I'm sure it's great with it's two humbuckers but I like the single coil pickups in the MIM Tele a bit more and the classic look of a Butterscotch blackguard Tele more so than the Gold Top PRS. Cheers!
The flame maple looks like every other flame SE out there imo. The Gold Top looks great, I've wanted one forever and now that it's available as an SE I love it
I owned a couple of DGT's and had to sell, loved em both. To me it was a great entry point to a PRS instrument coming from playing single coil bolt on guitars primarily. Enjoyed the excellent review. Looking forward to having a DGT once again..
Forgive me if it's already been said. The volume knobs are the way thay are because David Grissom plays 90% on the bridge pickup. He also dose a bit of volume swells and changes. That said, It just make sense that the forward volume knob controls the bridge pickup.
Excellent review as always, really helpful. You can order them in Switzerland for about 1,100 $. And be patient. Rumour has it Paul rows them out himself.
A DGT has been on my must-have list since I first played one around 2011. Bought a Custom 24, so I couldn’t justify another $4.5K. Now I can justify it!
Glad to see they've brought back the moons,I had them on a 2000 Hollowbody 1 Spruce Top, one of the greatest playing guitars I ever had and I've had a lot since 74.
I feel like they had to offer moons on this one bc David Grissom’s personal DGTs have them. Goldtop with moons is what you’ll usually see him playing, going back to his original 1980s McCarty (before the DGT)
It’d be great if more big name manufacturers put stainless frets on guitars in this price range. My next guitar may be a Revstar just for the SS frets.
This guitar is one that has me looking pretty hard at it! The sound test had me right off the bat, it sounded great! I wish they would have left the back of the guitar in a clear finish but that's just me. For the money this is a great all around player!
Had a hard time deciding between the DGT or 594 SE. Went with the DGT. Unfortunately back ordered so not sure when I will get it. Mid February was the estimate when I ordered so we will see. Excited about it though. Went with the burst with the Bird inlays.
Amazing video as always! ❤😄 Ive been saving up for the core DGT for almost a year now, I earn minimum wage so its taking a while. If the SE is good enough, I might end up going with that instead. Also... Am I the only one who finds gold top guitars kind of revolting? Maybe I'm just insane hahah XD
I always tell people my 2016 Tremonti SE is the best bang for buck guitar I have and since then PRS have really upped the ante. The best just got better. Top work PRS.
I have a SE Pauls guitar that I love, two G&L US made ASAT’s ( a blues boy and classic custom) love them as well, but my SE DGT is the BEST playing guitar I have.
Ahhhhh! Heck yeah phill your videos are always excellent and incredibly informative thank you and best of luck and success all 2023! Miss talking movies in your store though!
I have a US DGT and it has the best neck humbucker I’ve ever heard, by a long shot, and I’m normally more of a bridge pickup kind of guy. I heard a lot of the same characteristics in your demo of the SE. the dgt neck pickup sounds soo good with low to medium gain, and more than just the sound it feels so good under your fingers the way it compresses is just phenomenal
On the original version, the middle position volumes are separate and you can roll off the neck just a bit to get that clean chimey spank. I have a 2011 and the pickups are insane and I love it!!! Based on your excellent review. This SE version is incredible for what it is.
@@dubster82 he means instead of being able to turn down the volume on individual pickups ie; for example turn down bridge pickup but the neck pickup is still full on (wide open)...or vice versa, these guitars are wired so that EITHER volume control turns BOTH pickups on or off at the same time...hope this makes sense !
@@dubster82 It's quite easy. When you are in the middle position, both pickups are on. Now the volume pots both work the same. If you close one pot, both pickups get silent. If they are wired independly, then you can make the neck a little quiter then the bridge and vice versa. This can give you nice sounds.
I think you guys are confused, it's wired like a Les Paul, it has two independent volumes. In the middle position you CAN turn down one or the other independently just a bit to blend different tones. It's only when you turn one COMPLETELY off that both volumes cut off.
Hi Phillip! I really appreciate what I call, a campaign to cause the lower price guitars to become a real stickler in the side of these outrages guitar prices on the market. One thing that I have to offer you is a bullet to add to your demonstration that I think would raise the quality bar on these lower end guitars, eg. Eart and others! Where you use the fret wire to demonstrate nut/string height, you should later when you first start to demonstrate the pickup sounds perhaps get a tuner and play each string at the first fret! If you play the D string at the first fret, on your tuner it better be D sharp then the other strings at the first fret should all be exactly 1 half step sharp from open on your tuner. That is a true test in workmanship! I bout an Eart tele and had to slot the nut on all the strings to bring it down to exactly 1 half step. It was close but not spot on. Thank you for your channel and I hope to see you incorporate this in your future presentations!
Just got mine Yesterday in Bangkok, This guitar is amazing, i wanted birds on the neck....but After trying couples PRS custom 24, firebirds,..etc Then the Guy offer me to try this one without any word : bingo ! I just felt in love 🤩
Great review! Thank you so much. So many good things have been written and said about the DGT. Was considering a Player Plus Tele (B-SCOTCH) but came across this little guitar. Sounds like a winner! Decisions......
The specs on PRS site say 1-piece mahogany neck, not 3-piece. If that's true, Grissom insisted on a throwback to the good ol' days of early SEs' neck construction. (The new SE 594's are spec'ed as multi-piece matchsticks.) Also, there've been no G&B baseplates since PRS moved "S" pickup winding to Indonesia.
That was a great video Phil. Im really interested in this because of this review. Love the black and gold and those pickups are peaking my interest. Thanks much
Hi mate, just wanted to say what a fantastic video. I’ve been considering purchasing a DGT gold top se for a while and you’ve just helped me in my decision process.. also first timer viewing your channel so just subscribed, well explained dude.. great stuff. Thanks again from South Wales the UK👍😊🎸👌
You should do as merch a little tool kit for the home guitarist to breakdown his guitar at home and maintain it. Merch sized merch priced! No voltmeter or anything but things like basic tool or neck shapes tool. Anyway! Thanks for the review and congratulations on an awesome job!
Great review, and a significant data point in my decision to buy that very guitar. My first two guitars were a 1966 Gretsch Corvette, a birthday gift for my 14th, then a ’61 Les Paul Std, bought used at a Manhattan pawn shop for $175. Betwixt then and now I’ve owned a few more; bunch of 60s Strats, Les Pauls. Point being, this DGT is up there with the best of them in every respect, and exceeds them in most. I was a bit concerned about that clunky neck joint on most of the PRS models - that ’61 Les Paul spoiled me when it comes to neck joints, but in my hands, it feels just fine. Of course, these days I don’t spend as much time up there as I once did. What first caught my eye about it was how much that gold reminds me of an LP Deluxe I owned for a while. I absolutely hate sparkly gold guitars, and while the DGT doesn’t quite have the green overtone like the old Gibsons, has that same vibe. Of all the guitars I currently own, I’ve replaced pickups in every one, and lots of other parts on most. This is shaping up to be the first guitar on which I plan to replace nothing. (I originally thought I might swap the volume controls so the one closer to the neck controls the neck, but not that I’ve used it for a bit, I’m increasingly inclined to embrace David Grissom’s mindset, and maybe my playing will follow… Finally, after playing it, my wife (51 years) will be getting one for herself as well (but she’ll be going for the sunburst with the birds.) Memory fades, but in my ever hardening brain, the feel and sound are reminiscent of my ‘61LP, but better balanced, and I suspect, way less fragile.
The volume controls are backwards because David Grissom hangs out on the bridge pick up mostly so that’s why the volume control is opposite on the DGT SE. 🤘🏻
Awesome relevant deep dive. Phillip! Answers every single question one might have to the build, sound, etc. Love the no nonsense subjective approach..!!
I was in the Nashville area last week, and Shiloh music had one of each in stock (they also had the Fender FR12 and 10 in stock), and I gave both guitars a try. I liked them both, but spent more time with the gold top. The frets were a bit higher than any of my other guitars, but Grissom likes it that way...and I could get used to it. Also, Dave has the splitting of the pickups at 75%, instead of 50%...so there isn't as much volume loss, and it's not a thin either. Nice. Someone else mentioned that the core model knobs would look better on it (I've seen a pic with them on, and I agree) and I would also do that. I will probably end up getting one of these.
@Philip McKnight the reason the volume controls are that way around is tha David is predominately on the bridge pu Great in depth review Phil ! (This is bvninja Phil have changed my channel name :)
Hi Philip, 1st of all you're great, love your content. 1 question: there was a resistor between the pot first pin to the pot case, usually is to change the pot value, but why they would do that in a HB guitar? Cheers from Italy.
Very impressed with that tremolo performance. Is this common for a 6-screw trem on a PRS? This guitar looks and sounds awesome and I love gold tops. Just a shame about the UK price. Maybe they'll come down after 8 months like the SE Silver Sky.
Looks like what you are measuring at 10.52 is DC resistance, not inductance. The DC resistance is only providing some info on how much wire is on coils. Related to output, but only one of factors.
Couple of things of note, I have 2 older SEs & they both have shielding on the backplates. Might have changed when they changed factories. Also the pickup stickers are very similar to my squier classic vibe tele ones.
I always liked the DGT for its 2 vols, but standard PRS cutaway shape. I didn't like the weight, but the SE looks better on that score. Some times called the PRS for people who don't like PRS. DG was originally a Tele player.
Very good review. Disappointing that the back plates are not recessed, looks very sloppy. Kind of like a Cadillac with hub caps instead of styled wheels.
Great review as always. I have this PRS SE DGT (even same colour). I like it so much, that I'm considering buying the CORE version costing 4 to 5 times more. Would you advice buying the CORE one and what are the differences / similarities between the two, which justify the prices difference?
if they do an SE swamp ash special that would make me REALLY happy. I would say they should do an se CE24 but i feel like they'll never do something like that
It's really just what you become accustomed to. Some like finished, some don't. But it's cheaper not to finish the neck so most budget guitars have unfinished or lightly finished necks. Most of us start on budget guitars so we become use to that feeling. And I use to feel the same way, but now that I've gotten use to finished necks I prefer their feel and I've always preferred their look. We like what feels familiar.
My thoughts exactly. A smooth satin neck is just so much nicer to play. This guitar would be up there as my next purchase but the thought of a sticky neck puts me off. 😒
Phil, thank you so much for that review. I live in TX, though not all that extreme, it’s close to what you experience. I wish you and yours, a Happy New Years…. (power cord A)
The se pickups game has changed to the point, u don't need to change them, if I was the prs team I'd be hella proud. Hats off prs killing like usual.
This one to me sounds better than many of the top shelf PRS I have heard still not a tone profile I am in love with but it is a lot of guitar for the price point
@@stanknugget it's all subjective buddy. Chill out.
I pre-ordered this guitar and contemplated having them install the core pick-ups on it, but they are $500. And the more and more people get their hands on this and make videos, I'm hearing, and people are also saying how close the pickups are to the original. It's not even worth the upgrade at this point. PRS is killing it in the last 3 years.
Anyone know what the difference is between the DGT pickups and the custom 24's 85/15' pickups?
@LytesOut the DGT pickups were originally based on his late 60s 335. That makes them potentially T top pickups, at least in the bridge. Basically a bridge pickup with alnico 5 wound to about 10k. A neck with an alnico ii or iii to prevent the woofiness of a scooped alnico 5 wound to the upper 7ks to low 8ks. The original DGT wiring used a resistor to partially ground the one coil so that it was not the typical 4k under wound split coil when put in the "split" position.
Best guitar review in the business. Straight forward, informative, non-biased. I wish he had time to do these deep dives more regularly.
Plus his sound examples are great!
In some other channels, you get good information, but the dudes can't play, play something stylistically completely irrelevant for the type of instrument they review or record the sound with the camera mic...
the best review is when you have the guitar and play during some years :)
If you still have both guitars, could you do a DGT vs 594?
From what I've read, David Grissom took almost 2 years to get the sound he wanted for these pickups. They tried a lot of sets and made changes until he said this is now a guitar he would want to play. These may only be in the DGT and none of the other SE models. I don't know though. He said he wanted an SE that cost under $1000 and he would play on the stage. So far, most people are saying they got it done.
I'm skeptical because of the 's' series pickups, but I trust DG. His prs amps sounds incredible. I know it's expensive, but given the sound over youtube, I'm actually surprised it doesn't cost more.
@@tonybowen455 Have you heard the TCI "S" pickups Paul designed? Imo they're better than these, which is saying a lot.
I love your deep dives - honest, thorough, and dare I say, entertaining!
I agree, there's something satisfying about it
Man, this and the McCarty 549 SE you highlighted both sound fantastic. I'm pretty blown away by the quality of both of these guitars
Wow, that thing sounds great. My biggest complaint with the SE’s & S2’s has always been the pickups. Muddy & way too hot. Those sound excellent & are wound the way I like my humbuckers; ~7.5k neck & ~8.5k bridge. The split sounds are surprisingly good as well. I can’t wait to play one of these.
The problem with the SE is the small frets.... horrible...and the pickups,visibly this one has jumbo frets
I refret my se Santana SY and put Seymour Duncan 59,and now it's not the same guitar!!🔥
Hey, I just found this channel and want to say it's great! I've been a guitar player for over 25 years (off and on), and I love playing guitar. But I don't really know much about the technical details of guitars, how to quality check a guitar, or setup the guitar. So stuff like this is so helpful for me, because I realize now that I should pay more attention to that kind of stuff. Thanks for the great work!
I value Phil's advise more than any other youtuber. I bought the DGT SE today and will wait until April 2023 to get it. I have owned SE models since they came out and you can easily see the quality improvement although i will say the very first Tremonti SE (black) i had was a wonderful guitar in its own right. I put USA spec pickups in that guitar and it was a beast. I wish I had kept it for comparison reasons, but we collectors just can't keep them all. Trading is part of the hunt that is addictive and the fresh new feeling of getting a new guitar I always look forward to. Ive made probably 10 Carvin's over the years and still have 3 of them and will never give them up but these SE models are so good I really see no reason to own a core model unless you just have to scratch that itch. PRS has done a great job...cheers to Paul and the gang for keeping the continuous improvement alive. Well done! Can't wait to plug that DGT into my Mark v......
Did you receive the guitar? How is it?
@@SiddharthKarunakaran I did receive it and I will say it’s very much like all the other SE models… plays well, very well constructed, and solid but the best part are the pickups… they sound very good like you paid another $300 for them. Overall you will not get the sensation of a core model… that’s just unattainable at this price but you will get a solid guitar that sounds great. I will also say I will change the knobs to core models and maybe tuners… it doesn’t need anything but that’s just my preference. I never liked the SE knobs but it’s just a knob nothing more. I will also say the electronics take a bit of getting used to as the forward knob is the bridge pickup… that’s different. I give it a B+ overall but considering the price point I would bump that to an A-… change the knobs and tuners and it an A…
@@dcaudio1 Thanks so much for your detailed response.
@@SiddharthKarunakaran your welcome. Just to add info… I have owned around 15 SE model PRS guitars and enjoyed all of them. I will also say the recent Zach Meyers guitar is well worth a look. The neck on it is fs oh loud and ting liked on the back… very comfortable guitar.
People complaining about the lack of violin carve to the top, those are the things that set the core and SE models apart. The volume control layout is also from Grissom using the bridge pickup most of the time.
Still love The Geeky Stuff - as someone who won't buy unless I try (in my own hands) first, The Geeky stuff helps me to feel more confident about what the instrument/amp/pedal to expect. Thanks Phil!
Phil, I love that you show how to evaluate a guitar in all of your videos. Thank you!
I like the lower output pickups when using an amp simulator pedal like the Boss GT1000 or the Fractal FM9. I have both. Hot pick ups are meant for direct to amp applications. Single coil and lower out put humbuckers allow the digital pedals to produce more detailed tones. Took me several years of playing on a GT1000 to realize that. The PRS DGT will be a great match up for digital pedals
Gotta be honest, that guitar sounds fantastic! I've been kind of cold towards prs for whatever reason, but this has me as prs curious..
Great demo. In the geeky part you didn’t mention the pickup heights. I just bought a used SE DGT and the previous owner messed with the setup. So I’m curious as to the factory pickup height settings.
The TCI "S" pickups they put in the SE Paul's guitar and 24-08 are seriously good and are made better with some minor height/pole piece adjustments. These sound awesome as well. I formerly thought the SE pickups were quite bland but yeah they've come a long way, IMO.
What adjustments did you make? I have a 24-08, just curious.
I have the same pickups in my Se 35th anniversary and absolutely agree with you. Very clear and open sounding pickups
@MikeDubs94 @@justinclarkphotos same here, do tell!
I've actually got the Paul's guitar so it's a bit different of an animal at 22 frets. However, I've found my lasting contentment lies with the bridge humbucker 2.5 mm from bottom of bass string to top of bobbin and 2mm even on the treble side while adjusting each individual pole piece minus the slugs to 2mm so the output is even all the way across.
Neck humbucker sits at 3.5mm from bottom of bass string to top of pickup Bobbin and right at 3mm on the treble side. I've sunk the bass side pole piece into the pickup though so it's distance to the bottom of the bass string is at 4mm
The 5th string (A) is between 3.5 and 4mm from top of pole piece to bottom of string and basically once you get to the high E string the distance is down to 3mm.
I found great results here sinking the bass pole piece into the body without having to sink the humbucker itself down into the ring. But try out the specs if you so desire. The TCI S pickups change a lot with fairly subtle variations.
It was more important to get the neck humbucker right, for me anyway. The 24-08 will need different adjustments, of course. Both pole pieces for the G string were raised half a mm higher than the others, too.
Gotta say man.... This demo is flawless. You do this soooo well
PRS also just dropped the McCarty 594 SE with the 58/15 S pickups which I think is quite a big release along with an S2 cu24 that has the core pickups and wiring in them. Nice.
The backwards volume controls are a David Grissom mod. He plays almost exclusively on the bridge pickup and want the bridge volume control first as he uses it much more frequently than the neck volume. Good sounding guitar.
It's the only feature that puts me off this guitar a bit. Having said that I tend not to mess around too much while I am playing so I dont think it would be too big of a deal.
@@fretbuzz59 our I could buy a different model that isn’t switched. They are not in stock anywhere that I’ve seen so I’m still thinking about it.
@@fretbuzz59 yeah I it’s not rocket science to change them. I really wish I could find them in stock to try. Not sure I want the 594 or the DGT
I bought my Goldtop almost a year ago and it's my favorite of all my others. I put the locking tuners on but that was just for ease of string changes. It shipped with .010-.046 gauge strings and I've tried those and 9.5's and now I'm at 9's. All sounded great and I'm just trying to find my sweet spot with strings. I finally bought a hard case and did away with the gig bag. I actually like the volume knob setup the way it is. This guitar is 10 out of 10 for me.
The volume controls are wired the same as most Schecters, with the bridge volume closest to the strings. this makes playing swells much easier as most players use the bridge pickup when playing swells. I have seen many You-tubers claim that the controls were wired backwards. Schecter clearly states that this setup is on purpose. I would image PRS does also.
Awesome thorough review. My question is do you and the other major UA-cam reviewers get these sent to you by PRS in the U.S. where they had a chance to do a QA check? Is there going to be a difference between an off the shelf model and what you reviewed. Thanks!
Good review. Looked at one of those but it didn't suit me. Ended up getting a new Player Tele instead. Not trying to take anything away from the PRS SE DGT as I'm sure it's great with it's two humbuckers but I like the single coil pickups in the MIM Tele a bit more and the classic look of a Butterscotch blackguard Tele more so than the Gold Top PRS. Cheers!
The world needs more companies like PRS.
Thorough, honest and fair review Phil. Well done. Low output pickups are my jam. It’s where great tones live.🎸🇺🇸
Could you do a best of for under 1k. Maybe with a Revstar this and some others?
I have an se model and a PRS core model and to be honest I like playing the SE more than the core .
The flame maple looks like every other flame SE out there imo. The Gold Top looks great, I've wanted one forever and now that it's available as an SE I love it
I owned a couple of DGT's and had to sell, loved em both. To me it was a great entry point to a PRS instrument coming from playing single coil bolt on guitars primarily. Enjoyed the excellent review. Looking forward to having a DGT once again..
I was impressed with the sustain of those pickups, very nice. Great review.
Can’t believe how good this guitar sounds ❤ PRS is knocking out of the park continuously!!!
I have one of the first core DGT models. Great guitars. Looking forward to get one of these SE versions.
Forgive me if it's already been said. The volume knobs are the way thay are because David Grissom plays 90% on the bridge pickup. He also dose a bit of volume swells and changes. That said, It just make sense that the forward volume knob controls the bridge pickup.
Excellent review as always, really helpful. You can order them in Switzerland for about 1,100 $. And be patient. Rumour has it Paul rows them out himself.
I do not care about marketing, I care about the opinion of you Phillip. Your evaluation is always sincere and objective.
Diggin the new setup, Phil! Please share what the guitar to YOUR far left over your left shoulder is on the next friday show, please!?
I was wondering about that guitar as well.
Great demo, Phil. This is a super tempting offering from PRS, and seems like a good deal all things considered.
A DGT has been on my must-have list since I first played one around 2011. Bought a Custom 24, so I couldn’t justify another $4.5K.
Now I can justify it!
Glad to see they've brought back the moons,I had them on a 2000 Hollowbody 1 Spruce Top, one of the greatest playing guitars I ever had and I've had a lot since 74.
I feel like they had to offer moons on this one bc David Grissom’s personal DGTs have them. Goldtop with moons is what you’ll usually see him playing, going back to his original 1980s McCarty (before the DGT)
Man this is becoming my favorite UA-cam channel so much good info let’s get him to a million subscribers he deserves it!!
Definitely need to upgrade those knobs ;)
It’d be great if more big name manufacturers put stainless frets on guitars in this price range.
My next guitar may be a Revstar just for the SS frets.
This guitar is one that has me looking pretty hard at it! The sound test had me right off the bat, it sounded great! I wish they would have left the back of the guitar in a clear finish but that's just me. For the money this is a great all around player!
Had a hard time deciding between the DGT or 594 SE. Went with the DGT. Unfortunately back ordered so not sure when I will get it. Mid February was the estimate when I ordered so we will see. Excited about it though. Went with the burst with the Bird inlays.
Amazing video as always! ❤😄
Ive been saving up for the core DGT for almost a year now, I earn minimum wage so its taking a while. If the SE is good enough, I might end up going with that instead.
Also... Am I the only one who finds gold top guitars kind of revolting? Maybe I'm just insane hahah XD
I always tell people my 2016 Tremonti SE is the best bang for buck guitar I have and since then PRS have really upped the ante. The best just got better. Top work PRS.
Wow, that trem test was almost enough for me to want this guitar. Very cool video!
Great demo Phil. Great playing too. Thanks for keeping th volume settings the same between HB and SC.
absolutely great job > thanx a lot...
warm greetings from a german musician > this will most likely be my next guitar
It’d be great if you had a core to go head to head to compare pickups and such. This sounds great!
I have a SE Pauls guitar that I love, two G&L US made ASAT’s ( a blues boy and classic custom) love them as well, but my SE DGT is the BEST playing guitar I have.
Great review. What is the tool called that you use to measure how deep the nut is cut?
Ahhhhh! Heck yeah phill your videos are always excellent and incredibly informative thank you and best of luck and success all 2023! Miss talking movies in your store though!
Really wish they recessed the cover plates for all models
I have a US DGT and it has the best neck humbucker I’ve ever heard, by a long shot, and I’m normally more of a bridge pickup kind of guy. I heard a lot of the same characteristics in your demo of the SE. the dgt neck pickup sounds soo good with low to medium gain, and more than just the sound it feels so good under your fingers the way it compresses is just phenomenal
Neck position at 22 frets vs 24 does make a difference
Wow, that sock thing to check the fret ends is brilliant. At least in regards to a video review 👍🏽
It's funny how the rear covers aren't recessed. Considering it would add like a minute to the cnc program.
On the original version, the middle position volumes are separate and you can roll off the neck just a bit to get that clean chimey spank. I have a 2011 and the pickups are insane and I love it!!! Based on your excellent review. This SE version is incredible for what it is.
I would want this, and would change it that way.
Can you clarify what you mean?
@@dubster82 he means instead of being able to turn down the volume on individual pickups ie; for example turn down bridge pickup but the neck pickup is still full on (wide open)...or vice versa, these guitars are wired so that EITHER volume control turns BOTH pickups on or off at the same time...hope this makes sense !
@@dubster82 It's quite easy. When you are in the middle position, both pickups are on. Now the volume pots both work the same. If you close one pot, both pickups get silent. If they are wired independly, then you can make the neck a little quiter then the bridge and vice versa. This can give you nice sounds.
I think you guys are confused, it's wired like a Les Paul, it has two independent volumes. In the middle position you CAN turn down one or the other independently just a bit to blend different tones. It's only when you turn one COMPLETELY off that both volumes cut off.
Hi Phillip! I really appreciate what I call, a campaign to cause the lower price guitars to become a real stickler in the side of these outrages guitar prices on the market. One thing that I have to offer you is a bullet to add to your demonstration that I think would raise the quality bar on these lower end guitars, eg. Eart and others! Where you use the fret wire to demonstrate nut/string height, you should later when you first start to demonstrate the pickup sounds perhaps get a tuner and play each string at the first fret! If you play the D string at the first fret, on your tuner it better be D sharp then the other strings at the first fret should all be exactly 1 half step sharp from open on your tuner. That is a true test in workmanship! I bout an Eart tele and had to slot the nut on all the strings to bring it down to exactly 1 half step. It was close but not spot on. Thank you for your channel and I hope to see you incorporate this in your future presentations!
Just got mine Yesterday in Bangkok,
This guitar is amazing, i wanted birds on the neck....but After trying couples PRS custom 24, firebirds,..etc
Then the Guy offer me to try this one without any word : bingo ! I just felt in love 🤩
Great review! Your playing is soooo good and the guitar sounded great in every setting! Thanks for the awesome content, Phil!
Great video as usual Phil. I already pre-ordered it. Thanks for the demo.
Great review! Thank you so much. So many good things have been written and said about the DGT. Was considering a Player Plus Tele (B-SCOTCH) but came across this little guitar. Sounds like a winner! Decisions......
The only upgrade I'd do immediately would be locking tuners, and once I wear down those frets, a stainless steel refret. Well done PRS!
All I have ever done to an SE is PRS locking tuners, FU Brass block, and complete the fret dressing. They are solid as any after that.
The specs on PRS site say 1-piece mahogany neck, not 3-piece. If that's true, Grissom insisted on a throwback to the good ol' days of early SEs' neck construction. (The new SE 594's are spec'ed as multi-piece matchsticks.) Also, there've been no G&B baseplates since PRS moved "S" pickup winding to Indonesia.
That was a great video Phil. Im really interested in this because of this review. Love the black and gold and those pickups are peaking my interest. Thanks much
I have no interest in buying the DGT SE, but I still really enjoyed Phil's review of this guitar. Great work!
Hi mate, just wanted to say what a fantastic video. I’ve been considering purchasing a DGT gold top se for a while and you’ve just helped me in my decision process.. also first timer viewing your channel so just subscribed, well explained dude.. great stuff. Thanks again from South Wales the UK👍😊🎸👌
Phillip you bring a very professional breakdown to the people. What a service! Thank you!
You should do as merch a little tool kit for the home guitarist to breakdown his guitar at home and maintain it. Merch sized merch priced! No voltmeter or anything but things like basic tool or neck shapes tool. Anyway! Thanks for the review and congratulations on an awesome job!
Thank you for the comment and for being a subscriber!
Phillip … fantastic review , no nonsense and very informative… I have one on order, very excited for its arrival!!!
Great review, and a significant data point in my decision to buy that very guitar. My first two guitars were a 1966 Gretsch Corvette, a birthday gift for my 14th, then a ’61 Les Paul Std, bought used at a Manhattan pawn shop for $175. Betwixt then and now I’ve owned a few more; bunch of 60s Strats, Les Pauls. Point being, this DGT is up there with the best of them in every respect, and exceeds them in most. I was a bit concerned about that clunky neck joint on most of the PRS models - that ’61 Les Paul spoiled me when it comes to neck joints, but in my hands, it feels just fine. Of course, these days I don’t spend as much time up there as I once did. What first caught my eye about it was how much that gold reminds me of an LP Deluxe I owned for a while. I absolutely hate sparkly gold guitars, and while the DGT doesn’t quite have the green overtone like the old Gibsons, has that same vibe. Of all the guitars I currently own, I’ve replaced pickups in every one, and lots of other parts on most. This is shaping up to be the first guitar on which I plan to replace nothing. (I originally thought I might swap the volume controls so the one closer to the neck controls the neck, but not that I’ve used it for a bit, I’m increasingly inclined to embrace David Grissom’s mindset, and maybe my playing will follow… Finally, after playing it, my wife (51 years) will be getting one for herself as well (but she’ll be going for the sunburst with the birds.) Memory fades, but in my ever hardening brain, the feel and sound are reminiscent of my ‘61LP, but better balanced, and I suspect, way less fragile.
I'm not big on PRS guitars, but this has caught my eye. Gold top with moons. Just can't get over the headstock shape. Still looking to try one out.
The volume controls are backwards because David Grissom hangs out on the bridge pick up mostly so that’s why the volume control is opposite on the DGT SE. 🤘🏻
Awesome relevant deep dive. Phillip! Answers every single question one might have to the build, sound, etc. Love the no nonsense subjective approach..!!
Thank you for the in-depth review of the set-up and the electronics! Wow! Brilliant!
I hope you also get a chance to review the new prs mccarty SE too, especially when you've done the s2, it'd be an amazing comparison!
1:40 I missed this before. It's so crazy if the neck feels the same as the core. I def have to try to play one of these.
When the big announcement from PRS was pedals I wrote PRS. And begged for a DGT SE….now it’s here. Just preordered a gold top….
I was in the Nashville area last week, and Shiloh music had one of each in stock (they also had the Fender FR12 and 10 in stock), and I gave both guitars a try. I liked them both, but spent more time with the gold top. The frets were a bit higher than any of my other guitars, but Grissom likes it that way...and I could get used to it. Also, Dave has the splitting of the pickups at 75%, instead of 50%...so there isn't as much volume loss, and it's not a thin either. Nice.
Someone else mentioned that the core model knobs would look better on it (I've seen a pic with them on, and I agree) and I would also do that.
I will probably end up getting one of these.
@Philip McKnight the reason the volume controls are that way around is tha David is predominately on the bridge pu
Great in depth review Phil ! (This is bvninja Phil have changed my channel name :)
Hi Philip, 1st of all you're great, love your content. 1 question: there was a resistor between the pot first pin to the pot case, usually is to change the pot value, but why they would do that in a HB guitar? Cheers from Italy.
Very impressed with that tremolo performance. Is this common for a 6-screw trem on a PRS?
This guitar looks and sounds awesome and I love gold tops. Just a shame about the UK price. Maybe they'll come down after 8 months like the SE Silver Sky.
Looks like what you are measuring at 10.52 is DC resistance, not inductance. The DC resistance is only providing some info on how much wire is on coils. Related to output, but only one of factors.
Dave said he lives on the bridge pick up So the volume knob was put there to make it easier to do volume swells.
Couple of things of note, I have 2 older SEs & they both have shielding on the backplates. Might have changed when they changed factories.
Also the pickup stickers are very similar to my squier classic vibe tele ones.
I always liked the DGT for its 2 vols, but standard PRS cutaway shape. I didn't like the weight, but the SE looks better on that score. Some times called the PRS for people who don't like PRS. DG was originally a Tele player.
Very good review. Disappointing that the back plates are not recessed, looks very sloppy. Kind of like a Cadillac with hub caps instead of styled wheels.
Thanks for the post and nice to increase my guitar understanding.
Awesome review and it looks like you have done some refreshing of the studio !
Great review as always. I have this PRS SE DGT (even same colour). I like it so much, that I'm considering buying the CORE version costing 4 to 5 times more. Would you advice buying the CORE one and what are the differences / similarities between the two, which justify the prices difference?
I really like this guitar. I think I may buy one. The price is great for this instrument.
Man, this is tempting. Is this as "it does everything" as it sounds?
I've been thinking about buying this guitar. Gonna pull the trigger now. Thanks, man!
Waiting for the SEe 594 deep dive.
if they do an SE swamp ash special that would make me REALLY happy. I would say they should do an se CE24 but i feel like they'll never do something like that
exactly my thoughts! bolt on neck and everything :)
Agree
Dude I think they’ve read your comment.
I will never understand why a guitar manufacture would think its a good idea to paint the back of the neck.
Yep, I’m right there with you Wes!
It's really just what you become accustomed to. Some like finished, some don't. But it's cheaper not to finish the neck so most budget guitars have unfinished or lightly finished necks. Most of us start on budget guitars so we become use to that feeling. And I use to feel the same way, but now that I've gotten use to finished necks I prefer their feel and I've always preferred their look. We like what feels familiar.
Hides crap
My thoughts exactly. A smooth satin neck is just so much nicer to play. This guitar would be up there as my next purchase but the thought of a sticky neck puts me off. 😒
@Deion Sandals That doesn’t even make sense
This guitar sounds aces. The coil split on bridge is funk incarnate.
I will order one.....but only when PRS offers it in their Dark Cherryburst finish.
Phil, thank you so much for that review. I live in TX, though not all that extreme, it’s close to what you experience. I wish you and yours, a Happy New Years…. (power cord A)
I love gold top guitars I have a Hamer Xt double cutaway Les Paul junior style it's light but sounds phat I will love to have this Dgt Se model PRS