NGD times two. Core & SE DGT's

[Jbyrd78]

I told myself when I bought that Goldtop Singlecut last month, that I was done buying guitars for awhile, but...I just added PRS's 6&7 to the guitar collection. Originally I bought the SE DGT b/c I got a 4th of July discount, and I should of stopped there. Well, while waiting for the fireworks show to begin last Tuesday, I got bored and started surfing Reverb, and the DGT Core was right there on my home page, and it was a no brainer since it was on my 2023 goals list I made at the end of 2022. The Core showed up Monday while I was at work, and I just opened the case this morning, so I won't be able to test drive that until later today. I played the SE this past Sunday, and I'm really impressed with the tone, but I'm really disappointed with the quality control. As you can see in the pics I provided. The neck pickup is tilted up b/c the neck pickup route got routed incorrectly, which means I'm going to have to get in there with a dremel and shave some of the heel off right at the end of the fretboard. It looks like they already tried to correct it before they shipped it, and they didn't have any luck.
PRS DGT's

https://imgur.com/a/XJJhaSt

 

[Lewguitar]

I'm really disappointed with the quality control. As you can see in the pics I provided.
PRS DGT's

https://imgur.com/a/XJJhaSt

Cant see anything in the pics you provided except a guitar case and a big box.

Nice case though.

 

[Jbyrd78]

Cant see anything in the pics you provided except a guitar case and a big box.

Nice case though.

There is arrows on the side of the imgur window.

 

[dmatthews]

Cant see anything in the pics you provided except a guitar case and a big box.

Nice case though.

If you click on the picture it takes you to the album in imgur.

 

[bodia]

Happy NGDx2! Love them both. Sucks about the pickup routing, though.

 

[jmsmusic]

Yikes, it looks like there is a spate of QC issues related to PRS SEs now. I have lots of issues with my maple SS.

 

[Broseph]

I experienced this issue when I upgrade some SEs to covered pickups. The pickup routing and how the pickup rings align can be a major pain. I too dremeled some away to make the pickup orient properly. Nobody can notice from the outside. But it was very frustrating.

 

[Jbyrd78]

Happy NGDx2! Love them both. Sucks about the pickup routing, though.

Thank's and yeah it does. Hopefully I have better luck with these 59/09's I'm going to attempt to install.

Yikes, it looks like there is a spate of QC issues related to PRS SEs now. I have lots of issues with my maple SS.

I wonder if these issues are arising due to try to meet the demand in a timely manner

I experienced this issue when I upgrade some SEs to covered pickups. The pickup routing and how the pickup rings align can be a major pain. I too dremeled some away to make the pickup orient properly. Nobody can notice from the outside. But it was very frustrating.

I have a set of 59/09 squabbin's that I'm going to try and install before I break out the dremel and start shaving areas out. It just sucks, you would think a $1k guitar regardless of where it's built, would come from the factory with these kind of quality control issues.

 

[toothace]

Sweet pair! Killer top on the SE!


Sweet tops!!

 

[Jbyrd78]

I finally had some time later this afternoon to take both guitars for a test drive.

I ended up running both guitars into a DigiTech Drop, into a tubescreamer then into my H&K TriAmp MK II and 4x12 cab w/ a MXR 10 band eq in the effects loop on the TriAmp.
- The SE is strung up with 10-50 D'Addario's
- The Core still has the stock 11-49's on it.
Both guitars were in standard tuning and the pickups on both guitars were setup to the same height specs:
-Bridge pickup 3/32" low E & 1/16" on the high E
- Neck pickup 3/32" on both sides

The verdict:
You can't go wrong with either guitar... and yes, both guitars will chug if you set your EQ correctly lol.

The Core pickups sound more vintage than the SE pickups, and also have a tighter bass response in both pickups, the bridge pickup has a more pronounced bass response and the mids in both pickups to me also sound slightly more scooped. Something else to note, while using the drop pedal, both guitars still sounded great even when tuned down to drop B.
Keep in mind, that, these differences in sound could be from the 11-49 strings it's strungs with, and the higher quality pots that are installed on the Core guitar. I'm sure if you upgraded the electronics in the SE model and messed around with the pickup height, the differences would be so subtle, that in a blind test you wouldn't be able to tell a difference.
Other than that, If you can't afford and actual Core model, don't feel like you are missing out on anything, just upgrade the SE with some Core parts & better electronics and call it good.
I will be keeping both guitars. The SE is going to get a set of 59/09's and some 10-52's installed, so I can rock out in drop C#

 

[xxxadixxx]

Congrats on the awesome purchases. A gold top DGT is pretty high on my list of next guitars. Everyone raves about the model and subtle improvements over the base McCarty. Both of yours look fantastic. Enjoy!

 

[Jbyrd78]

Congrats on the awesome purchases. A gold top DGT is pretty high on my list of next guitars. Everyone raves about the model and subtle improvements over the base McCarty. Both of yours look fantastic. Enjoy!

Thank you I appreciate it.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Double congratulations.

 

[Jbyrd78]

Double congratulations.

Thank you good sir!

 

[aphantomvaper]

Those are both stellar! The Gold is always eye catching. Congrats!!

 

[Markcarl]

I finally had some time later this afternoon to take both guitars for a test drive.

I ended up running both guitars into a DigiTech Drop, into a tubescreamer then into my H&K TriAmp MK II and 4x12 cab w/ a MXR 10 band eq in the effects loop on the TriAmp.
- The SE is strung up with 10-50 D'Addario's
- The Core still has the stock 11-49's on it.
Both guitars were in standard tuning and the pickups on both guitars were setup to the same height specs:
-Bridge pickup 3/32" low E & 1/16" on the high E
- Neck pickup 3/32" on both sides

The verdict:
You can't go wrong with either guitar... and yes, both guitars will chug if you set your EQ correctly lol.

The Core pickups sound more vintage than the SE pickups, and also have a tighter bass response in both pickups, the bridge pickup has a more pronounced bass response and the mids in both pickups to me also sound slightly more scooped. Something else to note, while using the drop pedal, both guitars still sounded great even when tuned down to drop B.
Keep in mind, that, these differences in sound could be from the 11-49 strings it's strungs with, and the higher quality pots that are installed on the Core guitar. I'm sure if you upgraded the electronics in the SE model and messed around with the pickup height, the differences would be so subtle, that in a blind test you wouldn't be able to tell a difference.
Other than that, If you can't afford and actual Core model, don't feel like you are missing out on anything, just upgrade the SE with some Core parts & better electronics and call it good.
I will be keeping both guitars. The SE is going to get a set of 59/09's and some 10-52's installed, so I can rock out in drop C#

I bought a used Core Custom 24 around 10 years ago as a Christmas gift for my son. We spotted the guitar at a Guitar Center and ended up buying it. That guitar is one of the best playing / looking / sounding guitars I’ve ever played. I’ve never owned a PRS and have wanted one for a while. I recently got a tobacco sunburst DGT SE. I’m really enjoying the guitar. It compares really nicely to my other 2 electrics - a 76 Les Paul, and an 80’s Fender Stratocaster that was made in Japan. I’m playing my electric guitars through an Axe-Fx iii. I like the DGT SE so much I’m now planning on getting a core DGT. I have no plans on selling the DGT SE.

 

[GADonis]

Yikes, it looks like there is a spate of QC issues related to PRS SEs now. I have lots of issues with my maple SS.

I've been waiting for a local shop to get in some SE DGTs. I asked the other day about them and he mentioned that he hadn't gotten any in because a whole shipment was rejected by PRS due to quality issues.

 

[Moondog Wily]

Very nice scores! Congrats and congrats!! Classic stuff there!!!

 

[László]

Both guitars are beautiful - a shame about the pickup tilt, something that never should have passed muster - but seems you have a handle on how to best correct it.

 

[Markcarl]

I bought a used Core Custom 24 around 10 years ago as a Christmas gift for my son. We spotted the guitar at a Guitar Center and ended up buying it. That guitar is one of the best playing / looking / sounding guitars I’ve ever played. I’ve never owned a PRS and have wanted one for a while. I recently got a tobacco sunburst DGT SE. I’m really enjoying the guitar. It compares really nicely to my other 2 electrics - a 76 Les Paul, and an 80’s Fender Stratocaster that was made in Japan. I’m playing my electric guitars through an Axe-Fx iii. I like the DGT SE so much I’m now planning on getting a core DGT. I have no plans on selling the DGT SE.

I got a core DGT after purchasing the SE DGT. They’re both fantastic guitars. I do prefer the core model but the SE is fantastic as well. Here are some pics of the two guitars:

Untitled by Mark Carleton, on Flickr

Untitled by Mark Carleton, on Flickr