Hi,
Was hoping to ask the collective mindset on this forum how they might compare a PRS DG30 amp head to any other amp (head or combo)? What make or model does the DG30 most closely imitate? If possible to answer, why do you select this model? What configs should one be aware of regards the DG30? Lastly, what type speakers are included in the accompanying PRS 2x12 cab?
As a reference, Dave in several YT videos states that he prefers tweed-style amps that reside in "the brown sound" region. If this is of any help, how might you describe tweed amps (either vintage or modern) that you've found are close to the DG30, in terms of tone and sound?
Thanks for your responses in advance.
Good Question!
So here's the deal: Grissom liked some of the stuff his vintage Tweed Deluxe was doing, some of the stuff his vintage AC30 was doing, and how the tone controls altered the sound on his vintage Hiwatt.
He likes an amp that works without pedals, but he also likes an amp that works well with boosts and lower gain overdrives, and he runs all of his effects into the front of his amps, no effects loop.
Doug Sewell's goal was to satisfy all of those preferences with one amp, which became the DG30. More on that later.
The cab is made of pine, is ported in the rear with grille cloth covering the ports for a reason that's not cosmetic, and has V-30s. Grissom said the last speakers he was seriously considering were V-30s but he and Doug tested every speaker on the market at the time, and thought the V-30s actually sounded best, so that's what the cab comes with.
The warm character of the pine cab definitely tames the V-30s. Grissom stated in an interview that the grille cloth slightly softens the tone, both front and rear, the way an old Basketweave Marshall's grille cloth does.
I should mention that the pine cab with the ports is a great match for the V30s, though Doug Sewell told me a few years ago at a PRS event that he though the Celestion Alnico Cream 90s would be an interesting choice as well.
If you listen to Grissom's "Learning to Fly," it's all the DG30 and cab. That's exactly what the amp sounds like to me with the gain up at about 2:00.
The amp has a top cut knob like an old AC30. Combined with the treble and presence controls, you have a lot of control over your high frequencies to make them less pronounced. However, I run my cut control very low. I like treble.
There's a switch on the amp for Boost and Normal modes, and in Boost the amp is a beast. In normal mode, it's more of a recording amp, and that's how I run it in my studio - most of the time. However, the amp smokes in its Boost mode and there are plenty of times I record with it in that mode.
Grissom runs his Master Volume wide open. But it also sounds good with the Master at lower levels, and there's something to be aware of: It's a pre-phase inverter Master, and therefore the tone and gain controls have an effect on how the Master works. It's not like a post-phase inverter Master as you'd find on most amps. You have to turn the knobs a little bit when you use the Master.
If you lower the gain, it's got a very vintage, Tweed-like, clean tone. Raise the gain, and you're somewhere between Tweed and overdriven Brit amp territory. The amp is designed to respond very well to the guitar volume control, like a vintage amp.
I go with the DG30 for my Americana style tracks, or for bluesier styles. If you play mostly Metal, well...not the droid you're looking for.
The amp is "faster" in terms of responding to pick attack than a vintage Marshall, the HXDA or a Mesa. But it's got more bottom end than an AC30, and is easier to use in the studio than a Hiwatt.
The amp is 90% hand-wired on Military-Spec circuit boards. I believe there's a PCB for the power supply, but check with PRS. Doug Sewell told me that amp takes more time to build, and is more complex to make, than any of the old PRS CAD amps, or anything else they make.
The DG30 uses EL84 M tubes. These are not the same as EL84s, they're military tubes that can handle higher voltages, and last a lot longer than typical EL84s. Mine came with an NOS set of Russian military tubes that are still going strong after 9 years, and as you know, that's an
incredibly long time for an EL84. I bought a spare NOS set when the amp was new, and so far haven't needed to install them. It's possible I'll be dead before I need to, but dammit, I'm ready!!
However, if you use standard EL84s, they'll melt. The amp has two fans, and they're necessary. However, I find the fans quiet enough for recording. Also, in terms of noise, the amp has excellent ground planes, and any noise you hear won't be from the amp, it'll be from associated gear. It's a VERY well thought-out, beautiful sounding amp, right down to the prevention of noise.
Here's a track I did a few years ago that I've posted a billion times, done with my DG30. I start with a 594 Soapbar, and halfway through switch to a standard 594 humbucker model. I used a smidgen of boost pedal (just to color the tone a tiny bit, the pedal was at unity gain) with the amp about 2/3 open, gain at 1:00, in normal mode:
So, why'd I buy the amp?
I think it sounds good and works well for a lot of the things I play. On my ad projects it's paid for itself many times over. So, totally worth the dough.
