NGD: FBJ DGT w/ IRW neck, Brazzy FB & a question to pros

[polarbipolar]

Hi guys!

First post here. But I admit spending lots of hours on the forum even before registering, especially when making decision on this NGD. It is the coolest community you have here.

So a couple of days ago, I received a real beauty: PRS DGT Wood Library in FBJ with Indian rosewood neck and Brazilian fretboard – my first, but definitely not last, PRS guitar. I believe it was a 2013 limited run for Guitar Sanctuary, but I can’t be sure. I find the looks jaw-dropping, it is definitely the prettiest of my guitars, and the build quality is top notch.

Nevertheless, I have a question: it is my first guitar with RW neck and while the glass-like feel is fantastic (and I REALLY like that DG carve, as I have small hands and mostly play teles, the coil taps btw are the most useful I’ve seen – very convincing), I find that the neck might affect the tone a bit in an adverse way.

So I plugged this baby in and while I liked the faster attack and more low-mid overtones in clean channel (sounds million bucks, really), I found the dirty side ummm… weak and lacking mids and growl, for the lack of a better word. Can this be caused by the RW neck? Should I play with pickup height (cause mine are almost leveled with pickup rings)… Any other suggestions?

P.S. The guitar is strung with 0.11, they look pretty new, though I am not sure how old is the set. And I know what DGT is supposed to sound like. I’m not looking for modern dirty sound. I just feel it lacks that LP roar or something. Would appreciate any suggestions, thanks.

Yeah, check the pics pls, I know you'll like it

 

[shinksma]

Yes, try raising the pickups. If they are level with the rings they are fairly low, IMHO, and getting them closer to the strings will certainly increase signal strength which should provide more "bite".

However, that being said, the IRW necks are well-known (at least, that is the impression I get) for having a different, sweeter, tone than hog or maple - and a mild mid-scoop, as you describe. So that will certainly affect tone. You can address this via any of several types of boost pedals to help get your tone where you want when playing dirty.

Nice score, btw. I'm really starting to come around to the FBJ finish/color!

 

[CantankerousCarl]

That is a beautiful guitar - congratulations.

I don't have any DGT experience, but I do have several 408-equippped PRSes - and one of them is a 408 with a BRW neck and fretboard. Compared to my other 408s, the 408 Brazzy definitely has a smoother, almost flute-like tone, especially with moderate+ gain on the lower notes. My others with mahogany necks definitely have a little more attitude. But the Brazzy just sings, and sustains forever.

So, without hearing your DGT, or having anything to A/B it against, I would say that the RW neck could indeed cause what you are reporting. Can't hurt to play around with the pickup height and see if that helps. Just remember how many turns you go up on each side, in case you want to get back to square 1.

Congratulations BTW and welcome!

 

[alantig]

Congrats, and welcome to Club DGT!

 

[László]

Beautiful guitar.

I've found in the past that a RW neck enhances the dirty tone more than the cleans, so there's that. We're all different. Everyone is into different tones.

Your bridge pickup, especially, seems a bit low if it's level with the pickup rings. And you should put new strings on it while you're at it, since old strings will make a difference in the tone quite obviously.

Finally, it isn't an LP or a PRS Singlecut, so no surprise, it doesn't sound like one. That "roar" you're looking for is caused in part by the additional mass of the body. and other factors, like the two piece bridge. Your guitar has a trem, it's going to sound different from a fixed bridge anchored to the body in 4 places.

Clearly you screwed up big time getting this guitar, and you should send it to me immediately.

Note: Forget Alan's whole "Club this or that" thing. He does that every time someone posts with a guitar or amp model he coincidentally owns. There's no frickin' club. It's merely in Alan's mind, wishful thinking. Heck, I have yet to see so much as a T-shirt, hat or mug, let alone the exclusive golf course and blazer one might expect of a halfway decent club. There's not even a squash court.

 

[jklotz]

You probably already figured this out, but my dgt is a bright guitar. Bright and dirt don't always mix well. When i put dirt on mine, i almost always roll the tone knob back, quite a bit actually. Sounds much better to my ears like that

 

[László]

You probably already figured this out, but my dgt is a bright guitar. Bright and dirt don't always mix well. When i put dirt on mine, i almost always roll the tone knob back, quite a bit actually. Sounds much better to my ears like that

David Grissom does the same thing, by the way. If you look at the video for his signature DG Custom 50 amp, with the gain up, he's got the tone knob rolled off.

Eric Clapton did this to get his "woman tone."

Here's the deal, really - if you want good clean tones from a humbucker, you want a bright humbucker. But if you want good high gain tones, you need to actually USE the tone control. That's what it's there for.

Tradition!

 

[geese_com]

Awesome guitar! Also, Kemper users unite!

 

[alantig]

There's not even a squash court.

There is so! It used to be a tennis court, but I did three jumping jacks, and now it's a squashed court.

Besides, you said you didn't want to be involved in any courts any more. so there.

 

[prsrocker1988]

Very nice.

 

[jklotz]

David Grissom does the same thing, by the way. If you look at the video for his signature DG Custom 50 amp, with the gain up, he's got the tone knob rolled off.

Eric Clapton did this to get his "woman tone."

Here's the deal, really - if you want good clean tones from a humbucker, you want a bright humbucker. But if you want good high gain tones, you need to actually USE the tone control. That's what it's there for.

Tradition!

Damn, and here I was thinking I had come up with something original

Seriously though, that's why the DGT works so well for me. I like the brightness, as more than half of what I do is clean. IMHO, I'd prefer to have bright, because I can always roll the treble off, but I can't add it in if it's not there. From my experience, when you try to add it in with an amp or pedals, it's not the same. It sounds harsh and ear piercing. Dark pickups have never made sense to me for that reason.

 

[kingsleyd]

Beautiful guitar.

+1. Always loved faded blue jean, since it appeared on the first Modern Eagles.

I've found in the past that a RW neck enhances the dirty tone more than the cleans, so there's that. We're all different. Everyone is into different tones.

Again: +1. I have several rosewood-neck guitars (various species, as well) and the thing they all have in common is that they add some texture to the sound that I find works really well for more distorted tones.

Finally, it isn't an LP or a PRS Singlecut, so no surprise, it doesn't sound like one. That "roar" you're looking for is caused in part by the additional mass of the body. and other factors, like the two piece bridge. Your guitar has a trem, it's going to sound different from a fixed bridge anchored to the body in 4 places.

Again: +1, although I would argue that it's more the additional body-to-neck contact than the mass per se in a singlecut guitar that contributes to the low-frequency response hump that is characteristic of guitars built that way. I'd also point out that it's a vibrato not a "trem," although that misnomer has become such a firmly-established thing in some people's minds that the actual meaning of the words tremolo and vibrato have become completely lost, at least to guitar players.

As for the sound of the bridge pickup, I've owned several DGTs over the years. My experience is that the the bridge pickup is an intensely midrange-heavy pickup, at least in humbucking mode, which is influenced to some extent by the sound of the chassis (the guitar independent of the pickups) as we've pointed out already but it's still "honky" relative to some of the recent vintage-style PRS humbuckers, such as the 57/08 and 59/09 models. I find I have to dial in the amp and any dirt pedals I use a little differently than I do if I'm playing a vintage Les Paul style guitar. And yeah, with any sort of gain or fuzz, the tone control is your friend!

Good luck with the new guitar. It can take a while to figure out exactly how to dial in a new and different guitar to your gear and playing style. (and to dial in your ears to the sound of a new and different guitar!)

 

[László]

I'd also point out that it's a vibrato not a "trem," although that misnomer has become such a firmly-established thing in some people's minds that the actual meaning of the words tremolo and vibrato have become completely lost, at least to guitar players.

So true, and you won't get an argument from me. However, the guitar is called the DGT....David Grissom Trem....

Just sayin'.

There is so! It used to be a tennis court, but I did three jumping jacks, and now it's a squashed court.

Besides, you said you didn't want to be involved in any courts any more. so there.

I dunno, man, but I do appreciate the kind words about my member.

 

[vchizzle]

Beautiful guitar, congrats! I'd definitely raise that bridge pickup to start with.

 

[G-Man]

I think the CE club attire is more like a motley true shirt than a blazer!

 

[g.wizz]

[/QUOTE]

My favorite combination FBJ top and IRW neck with Ebony board (avatar)
you got a killer axe enjoy it in good health.

 

[polarbipolar]

Now, thanks a lot for all the answers guys. The were all helpful to a different extent
Got all weekend tinkering with setup and decided to start from the beginning: restrung with 10s, reset everything to my liking and now I absolutely love this guitar. Nevertheless, I still have to admit it sounds nothing like all DGTs in the youtube videos (all with hog necks).
In the videos it seems like DGTs are typically expected to have mid-dark sounding PAF tone, especially in the neck position, contributing to that vintage vibe, while my guitar is just bright, very bright indeed, but not in a bad, harsh way, but in a good tele way. What I mean is I compared it to my R0 and with the same amp settings (all knobs on noon) I could get the similar tone to R0 on DGT only with the tone rolled off to about 4, which I find quite strange. It is not bad though, as I find that tone knob is extremely useful in DGT (unlike crappy ones on Gibsons which just kill all the treble the same moment you touch it). The cool side is that I really fell in love with coil taps on this guitar - they do sound like a huge tele! And I think they would not be so authentic if the guitar was not so bright.

The balance of the pickups is just GREAT! The separate volume knobs indeed make a lot of difference (again unlike Gibson ones). It's a killer guitar I've got

However, that being said, the IRW necks are well-known (at least, that is the impression I get) for having a different, sweeter, tone than hog or maple - and a mild mid-scoop, as you describe. So that will certainly affect tone. You can address this via any of several types of boost pedals to help get your tone where you want when playing dirty.

You know, I found that mid-scoop might not be the case. Now I think that RW does not actually scoop the mids but more accentuates high and low registers, so the mids might seem faded, but as you roll back the tone - they are definitely there.

You probably already figured this out, but my dgt is a bright guitar. Bright and dirt don't always mix well. When i put dirt on mine, i almost always roll the tone knob back, quite a bit actually. Sounds much better to my ears like that

Ditto on that! Mine is very bright for a humbucker guitar too. And I decided that I like it.

David Grissom does the same thing, by the way. If you look at the video for his signature DG Custom 50 amp, with the gain up, he's got the tone knob rolled off.
Eric Clapton did this to get his "woman tone."

There is no way I can get Clapton's "woman tone" from my DGT. With tone rolled off to 0, it sounds like a typical SG rolled off to 7 or smth.

Awesome guitar! Also, Kemper users unite!

Cheers, mate. The Kemper is awesome :rock:

Good luck with the new guitar. It can take a while to figure out exactly how to dial in a new and different guitar to your gear and playing style. (and to dial in your ears to the sound of a new and different guitar!)

Ah, thanks. Anyway, it is a pleasant and satisfying experience, so I think I'll cope with that.

 

[polarbipolar]

Note: Forget Alan's whole "Club this or that" thing. He does that every time someone posts with a guitar or amp model he coincidentally owns. There's no frickin' club. It's merely in Alan's mind, wishful thinking. Heck, I have yet to see so much as a T-shirt, hat or mug, let alone the exclusive golf course and blazer one might expect of a halfway decent club. There's not even a squash court.

You mean not even a club sandwich?

That is a beautiful guitar - congratulations.
I don't have any DGT experience, but I do have several 408-equippped PRSes - and one of them is a 408 with a BRW neck and fretboard. Compared to my other 408s, the 408 Brazzy definitely has a smoother, almost flute-like tone, especially with moderate+ gain on the lower notes. My others with mahogany necks definitely have a little more attitude. But the Brazzy just sings, and sustains forever.

Carl, I see you have a 2013 XPRS 408 Semi-Hollow. How do you like it? How is it defferent to the other 408s you have? There's not a a whole bunch of info on this run on the internet.
I was on the brink of pulling the trigger on one, but got a DGT instead. I really like the concept of 408s, but want something more special with more "air", so I thought semi-hollow might be a good choice.

 

[IceCreMan]

Mmmmmm.... rosewood neck. I like it. I like it alot.

 

[Danerada]

HOLY CRAP!!!!

I love it!

And yeah, what everyone else has said.