Can anyone recommend between a PRS DGT 2009 Nitro Goldtop, or a 2013 burst model?

[CakeEater]

I'm in the market to buy one of the above.

I have tried a 2nd hand 2009 Nitro Goldtop that plays beautifully, but there's a first hand 2013 Livingston Lemon that I have my eye on but won't be able to play before I buy.

Should there be any significant differences between these 2 models? I hear PRS are pretty consistent. This is my purchase of a guitar in this price range.

Thanks!

 

[Hopeful Sinner]

A Goldtop DGT is THE DGT....just my opinion, you should so just that.

 

[CakeEater]

I'll certainly keep that in mind!

Otherwise are there any production differences between 1009 and 2013 models?

 

[PRS.Lujan]

I think the only difference would be the finish. 09 nitro and 13 v12 finish

 

[PRS.Lujan]

I just sold an 08 goldtop DGT and am already regretting it

 

[jetydosa]

The 13 will have V12 finish, Phase3 tuners, lampshade knobs, different pup rings, and different fretboard inlays.

Ive owned a ton of DGTs, I tend to favor the 2011+ models but you cant go wrong with any of them. They are consistent, but they do vary in that final ~10% of tone. If youve already played one and you KNOW you dig it, might be the right thing to do to pull the trigger on that one. Or buy both and sell the one you like less.

 

[swede71]

I have a 2010 model and I love it.Biggest problem with earlier models I think is the fretends.They are filed in too much of an angle for that neck.Very easy to slip off neck on both e strings.Paul and David talks about this in the wildwood video.

 

[jfb]

DGT

 

[dprather]

You might notice more volume drop on the earlier DGT's, there were a few resistors added to the tone knob later that help even the output between the humbucker and single-coil modes.

Visually, the pre-V12 models will show wear and scratches more easily, but that is cosmetic and personal preference for what you're looking for.

I had a 2009 my friend talked me out of, I ended up replacing it with a 2013 - I like them both about the same.

We compared a 2008 to a 2009 (I think the 2008 might have been one of the few made for demonstration or something like that, the model came out in 2009 I think?) and they were almost identical, the 2008 had more focus in the low-end where the 2009 was a little more mid-focused. The 2013 is more upper-mid compared to the 2009, slightly nicer cleans (IMHO) and its easier to keep the neck from getting too muddy.

Every tree is different, so you can't assume these differences (other than the wiring) are indicative of that year's DGT models. Grissom came to town a few months ago and used two, they definitely had different 'voicings' in clarity and focus.

I'd guess you can get either and be very satisfied, you're not going to be 'getting the wrong choice' either way.

It's not the best picture, but these are the 2009 & 2013 referred to.