Take Two - NGD - SE DGT McCarty Burst Goodness

[theDeepender]

The replacement for the SE DGT I had to return arrived today and thankfully it’s a winner!!!

The store I bought it from promised to give it some extra TLC on the fretwork and they didn’t disappoint. Frets are silky smooth and the fret ends are much, much smoother feeling than the butchery seen on the last guitar. Certainly no gouges out of the fretboard this time, so a bit of a dream to play.

One negative: The nut slots are cut a little too low. Not so bad I have to get it sorted immediately but it will need looking at. Seems to hold tuning well though, so there’s that.

Not the fanciest veneer top I’ve seen, especially when next to the Bernie but it is still nice. I particularly like the fact the back and headstock are not as dark as on some of the others I’ve seen. In fact, under the right light it appears a darkish reddy brown with the wood grain clearly visible. Nice!

Apart from the nut the build quality and finish is flawless. A good example of what the Indonesian factory can do when they up their QC.

But most important of all it sounds great and plays great which is what matters the most!

Oh, you want pics…?

20240425_183549 by MikeGBlues, on Flickr

20240425_183642 by MikeGBlues, on Flickr

20240425_184057 by MikeGBlues, on Flickr

Nice

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

I have to say the veneer top on the McCarty Sunburst is more miss than hit. Mine looks terrible head one but decent from one angle or the other!

Mine looks a little better in person than the photos. Tried to get a nicer pic in daylight today but it didn’t look any better than the pics already taken. The Bernie looks good at any angle in pics and in person.

It was one of the nicer examples of the dozen or so they had pictured. Some tops are so plain the only good reason to have a veneer would be to hide the 3 piece maple cap.

One thing I was looking for was a more graduated burst. Some had a very hard darker edge that seemed too thick. This one blends nicely.

 

[Scooterjohn]

The replacement for the SE DGT I had to return arrived today and thankfully it’s a winner!!!

The store I bought it from promised to give it some extra TLC on the fretwork and they didn’t disappoint. Frets are silky smooth and the fret ends are much, much smoother feeling than the butchery seen on the last guitar. Certainly no gouges out of the fretboard this time, so a bit of a dream to play.

One negative: The nut slots are cut a little too low. Not so bad I have to get it sorted immediately but it will need looking at. Seems to hold tuning well though, so there’s that.

Not the fanciest veneer top I’ve seen, especially when next to the Bernie but it is still nice. I particularly like the fact the back and headstock are not as dark as on some of the others I’ve seen. In fact, under the right light it appears a darkish reddy brown with the wood grain clearly visible. Nice!

Apart from the nut the build quality and finish is flawless. A good example of what the Indonesian factory can do when they up their QC.

But most important of all it sounds great and plays great which is what matters the most!

Oh, you want pics…?

20240425_183549 by MikeGBlues, on Flickr

20240425_183642 by MikeGBlues, on Flickr

20240425_184057 by MikeGBlues, on Flickr

Glad you got a proper replacement. The flametop I tried in Nashville had a real nice veneer on it. I didn't think to take a pic of it though, and my wife didn't either.

One thing I like about these new SE's, is that they really downplay the SE aspect with the size and location of the SE lettering, compared to earlier SE's.

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

Glad you got a proper replacement. The flametop I tried in Nashville had a real nice veneer on it. I didn't think to take a pic of it though, and my wife didn't either.

One thing I like about these new SE's, is that they really downplay the SE aspect with the size and location of the SE lettering, compared to earlier SE's.

I like the PRS signature. Looks more classy.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Glad you got a proper replacement. The flametop I tried in Nashville had a real nice veneer on it. I didn't think to take a pic of it though, and my wife didn't either.

One thing I like about these new SE's, is that they really downplay the SE aspect with the size and location of the SE lettering, compared to earlier SE's.

When I see a big azz SE on the headstock now I know it’s one of the ones I want.

 

[László]

Looks awesome and perfect for the vibe, Mike!

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

When I see a big azz SE on the headstock now I know it’s one of the ones I want.

Even if it’s blue?

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

Looks awesome and perfect for the vibe, Mike!

Wish I had a bigger room to display them in. Already out of the living room and hidden away. Way to many close calls with an over-energetic 8 year old!

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Even if it’s blue?

I wouldn’t even think twice about buying a used blue flat topped SECU24 for $350, it’d just happen.

 

[Moondog Wily]

Awesome the second time worked out! Rock it!! Congrats!!!

 

[Markcarl]

The replacement for the SE DGT I had to return arrived today and thankfully it’s a winner!!!

The store I bought it from promised to give it some extra TLC on the fretwork and they didn’t disappoint. Frets are silky smooth and the fret ends are much, much smoother feeling than the butchery seen on the last guitar. Certainly no gouges out of the fretboard this time, so a bit of a dream to play.

One negative: The nut slots are cut a little too low. Not so bad I have to get it sorted immediately but it will need looking at. Seems to hold tuning well though, so there’s that.

Not the fanciest veneer top I’ve seen, especially when next to the Bernie but it is still nice. I particularly like the fact the back and headstock are not as dark as on some of the others I’ve seen. In fact, under the right light it appears a darkish reddy brown with the wood grain clearly visible. Nice!

Apart from the nut the build quality and finish is flawless. A good example of what the Indonesian factory can do when they up their QC.

But most important of all it sounds great and plays great which is what matters the most!

Oh, you want pics…?

20240425_183549 by MikeGBlues, on Flickr

20240425_183642 by MikeGBlues, on Flickr

20240425_184057 by MikeGBlues, on Flickr

Simply stunning! Congratulations! I love my DGT and 594 guitars too. They play and sound fantastic and inspire me to play!

 

[László]

Wish I had a bigger room to display them in. Already out of the living room and hidden away. Way to many close calls with an over-energetic 8 year old!

Mike, you know me...I keep them cased when not in use (I'm more of an 'artwork-and-acoustical-treatment-on-studio-walls-instead-of-guitars' guy), but I guess the sad truth is that then I wind up with the cases on display!

 

[Scooterjohn]

I like the PRS signature. Looks more classy.

I agree.

 

[d^rren]

I love that self-bound fretboard. Very subtle, but nice and clean.

I wonder how many of the current crop of models have transitioned to the self-bound fretboard instead of the slot-and-fill approach. From a production point of view, it certainly makes more sense to make them all the same way. But it also makes me wonder if part of the problem with the fret sprout and poor fretwork we're hearing about on recent production might also be to do with adopting this new construction method that they haven't quite dialled in yet. Fretboards could be made on a completely separate line, and they might have newer workers whose work is not quite up to the usual standard.