Disappointed with NGD, time for another SE?

[SinSir]

The moon is next.

Don't let the other thread hear you say that!

 

[IRG]

Funny, I will have two signature PRS guitars, but I’m actually not all that familiar with either artist. I need to Spotify some DG soon.

 

[shimmilou]

DG is maybe most famous as the guitar player for Billy Mountain goat*.

*(you might know him as Johnny Cougar, or John Cougar, or John Cougar Mellencamp, or John Mellencamp)

 

[garrett]

Funny, I will have two signature PRS guitars, but I’m actually not all that familiar with either artist. I need to Spotify some DG soon.

DG is maybe most famous as the guitar player for Billy Mountain goat*.

*(you might know him as Johnny Cougar, or John Cougar, or John Cougar Mellencamp, or John Mellencamp)

Make sure you listen to Joe Ely Live At Liberty Lunch and Live Chicago 1987. Some of DG's finest playing, IMO. He ran a Standard through a Marshall half stack and it absolutely ripped.

He was also in Storyville in the 90s, which was a great blues rock band.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Congrats @IRG

 

[SinSir]

And this is what I ordered this evening.

Congrats! I played one today and man did it remind me of the good ol days of se of old. Step above some others they had in stock for sure. Solid guitar. Enjoy!

 

[MarcWink]

My recommendation, be patient and save up some more money and spring for a used S2 Standard, 594 Thinline or S2 Custom. The QC on the SE line of late has been severely lacking. It took me two SE Silver Sky's to get one that was playable enough to merit spending a few hours with it giving a going over to correct bad fret work and to get the setup in the right area for my preferred strings (10-52). I also gave a couple other SE Silver Sky's a quick play through while I was at GC a couple weeks ago and I was really underwhelmed with them too.

Having said all that, I did just pick up a 10th Anniversary S2 Custom 24 at the beginning of the year and, wow. What a night and day difference from a QC and initial playability standpoint. Right out of the box, it was every bit as good as my Core guitars and has the bonus of US electronics and pickups so it was also outpacing previous S2 guitars I've owned. Save a few more bucks up so you can raise your budget and get an S2.

 

[Prina]

Congrats! Sounds like most folks are really pleased with the SE DGT.

Looking forward to a happy NDG.

 

[IRG]

My recommendation, be patient and save up some more money and spring for a used S2 Standard, 594 Thinline or S2 Custom. The QC on the SE line of late has been severely lacking. It took me two SE Silver Sky's to get one that was playable enough to merit spending a few hours with it giving a going over to correct bad fret work and to get the setup in the right area for my preferred strings (10-52). I also gave a couple other SE Silver Sky's a quick play through while I was at GC a couple weeks ago and I was really underwhelmed with them too.

Having said all that, I did just pick up a 10th Anniversary S2 Custom 24 at the beginning of the year and, wow. What a night and day difference from a QC and initial playability standpoint. Right out of the box, it was every bit as good as my Core guitars and has the bonus of US electronics and pickups so it was also outpacing previous S2 guitars I've owned. Save a few more bucks up so you can raise your budget and get an S2.

Not a bad idea, and I have been saving a while actually. I've had 2 S2 guitars in the past, the last one a S2 CU24 I should have kept, nothing wrong with it, just had GAS for something else. My most recent PRS is the SS SE, and I thought mine was really good. Initially, the neck felt "rough" but about 5 minutes with some 4000 grit sandpaper and it turned into glass. Then, I decided to make it my own, and dropped a SD Little 59 in the bridge position. I also had my local dealer unblock the trem, give it a little setup as a result, and now it's really quite nice.

Before that, I had a Santana singlecut SE, that was a mistake. Every part of it was gold, well except for the fingerboard lol. Gold sides, back, neck. Too much gold. Could not stay in tune, and I'm pretty sure it was the nut, but I sold it before I could fix it. I just knew I couldn't bond with it, sometimes that happens. I've owned one Core, a Artist grade top CU24, nice guitar, but I don't recall keeping it that long either. But in general, I've not been buying/selling nearly as often as I used to. More patient in my old age.

 

[RossF]

So last week after what I thought was much deliberation and research, I got a new guitar, a Charvel SoCal Mod San Dimas HSS M HT (no pickguard, HSS pickups from Seymour Duncan), maple neck and a hard tail, no Floyd Rose). It's not a PRS, and you may be wondering why I'm posting it here.

It is likely either a SoCal Pro Mod or San Dimas Pro Mod. If it has no pickguard from the factory it is probably a San Dimas.

I have a San Dimas and a DK 24 which comprise two of the five guitars I actually play. Even though I own over 20, most sit in their case. The others I play are my two PRS and a lonely EBMM Axis.

I wish PRS made a "shredder". I would buy one in a heartbeat. I love my Charvels, but every time I pick up one of my PRS, I wish the Charvels had the same "feel".

 

[IRG]

The DGT SE has arrived, pics tomorrow, sorry. But, I did get to plug her in and play a little bit. Wow. Super impressed so far. Frets are wonderful, nut seems to be cut well as tuning is pretty good so far, time will tell. Pickups are really good, again super impressed. Not sure I will use the single coil split as much as I have on some others but it’s fine. Neck is full feeling, you notice it after a few minutes. Reminds me of the pattern regular on my S2 CU24, full feeling but comfortable. The finish is great. Haven’t seen any flaws. I thought that back and sides were black but they aren’t, just really darkly tinted. Under light you can see the grain. I’d prefer a lighter shade for sure, but that’s just me. That’s it for the moment. Can’t wait to play it more this coming week, definitely a happier NGD today lol.

 

[IRG]

Finally, a couple of pics. Really liking this guitar a lot. Probably the happiest I've been with a new PRS purchase, and that includes a Core Artist grade, and a couple of S2 models too. It just feels and plays and sounds like it costs a lot more if that makes sense. Second pic is paired up with my SS SE which has the SD Little 59 in the bridge. I actually wish the 59 had a bit more output, feels nearly identical to the stock pickup, but it does shine when gain/fuzz/distortion is being used.

 

[bodia]

Finally, a couple of pics. Really liking this guitar a lot. Probably the happiest I've been with a new PRS purchase, and that includes a Core Artist grade, and a couple of S2 models too. It just feels and plays and sounds like it costs a lot more if that makes sense. Second pic is paired up with my SS SE which has the SD Little 59 in the bridge. I actually wish the 59 had a bit more output, feels nearly identical to the stock pickup, but it does shine when gain/fuzz/distortion is being used.

Looks awesome

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

Very nice!

It’s a chunky neck for sure. Easily the biggest neck I have, but it’s extremely comfortable and I have average sized hands / fingers.

 

[thewesdavis]

I found with the Charvel stop tail, for some reason I was really missing the tremolo - I don't dive bomb, but like a little vibrato from time to time. I prefer a single coil tone in the neck, but with gain I need a humbucker in the bridge. Gain comes from pedals, also got an Empress Heavy Menace for dirt, and this pedal rips. $1k max budget. So I think it comes down to the DGT SE vs. CU24SE. Thoughts?

If you want to entertain a little "outside of the box thinking" I'd say try to find a used Mira or Starla S2 (or a standard or vela S2) - if you don't like it stock, the pickguard will make it super easy to get a single coil in the neck.

 

[thewesdavis]

I have a San Dimas and a DK 24 which comprise two of the five guitars I actually play. Even though I own over 20, most sit in their case. The others I play are my two PRS and a lonely EBMM Axis.

I miss my EBMM Axis Sport

 

[Guithartic]

And this is what I ordered this evening.

Post photos when it comes or SW's photos.

 

[Smolder]

Interesting… the only fret sprout I’ve experienced is with maple necks on Fenders. I live west of Denver with 15% humidity… no humidifiers. Most of my recent guitars have come from Memphis or Maryland, often by way of Indiana. Pretty humid by comparison.