Why do 10s come one SE DGT's but 11s on a Core DGT?

[Mondoslug]

Whachu think?

The SE DGTs come with 10s. I know some have said theirs came with 9s but I believe most of them are coming
with 10s. I put 9.5s on and it's nice, a little slinky but I felt like the G wasn't binding and it was helping the intonation, went back to 10s with a 16 G, it's decent but I guess I want to try 11s although any time I've tried 11s with anything other than an archtop, I usually go back, even down to Eb.

Anyway...why do you think the SE DGTs come with 10s and not 11s? Because they think people buying SEs would prefer 10s. Just asking...

 

[veinbuster]

People buying SE are less likely to want the extra work of 11s for the small difference in tone.

 

[Mondoslug]

People buying SE are less likely to want the extra work of 11s for the small difference in tone.

Yeah, maybe so. Thanks

 

[Markcarl]

I’ve wondered this as well. My 1st PRS guitar was an SE DGT and it came with 10s. Since then I’ve bought two core DGTs and they came with 11s. I haven’t weighed the SE but it feels a little lighter than the cores which are a little over 8 lbs.

I remember hearing Dave Grissom saying sometimes he prefers lighter strings on his lighter guitars and heavier strings on his heavier guitars. Are the SE DGTs typically lighter than their core counterparts? If so, is this the reason the SEs come with 10s?

 

[watelessness]

because SE stands for Student Edition and students have smaller and weaker fingers?

 

[Mondoslug]

I’ve wondered this as well. My 1st PRS guitar was an SE DGT and it came with 10s. Since then I’ve bought two core DGTs and they came with 11s. I haven’t weighed the SE but it feels a little lighter than the cores which are a little over 8 lbs.

I remember hearing Dave Grissom saying sometimes he prefers lighter strings on his lighter guitars and heavier strings on his heavier guitars. Are the SE DGTs typically lighter than their core counterparts? If so, is this the reason the SEs come with 10s?

Interesting about the lighter guitar and lighter strings. I dunno, 11s are manly man, not for everybody. Probably have to try it on this guitar although I'm sure the G will probably get hung up some. Thanks!

because SE stands for Student Edition and students have smaller and weaker fingers?

Heh, I didn't even know what SE stood for...maybe so. Yeah, 11s are a commitment for sure up to pitch.
Thanks y'all!

 

[Mondoslug]

Well I tried 11s on it for a little bit. I could deal with it but it wasn't really set up for it and it would involve a couple of nut slots being tweaked and decided to bail but it's playable. I've been playing a lot of acoustic lately so it wasn't a big deal but...went extreme and tried some 9.5s again and down to 3 springs but a little too wimpy and now back to 4 springs with 10s and a .016 G which seems to be a happy place for me on this guitar...for now.

 

[Mozzi]

Whachu think?

The SE DGTs come with 10s. I know some have said theirs came with 9s but I believe most of them are coming
with 10s. I put 9.5s on and it's nice, a little slinky but I felt like the G wasn't binding and it was helping the intonation, went back to 10s with a 16 G, it's decent but I guess I want to try 11s although any time I've tried 11s with anything other than an archtop, I usually go back, even down to Eb.

Anyway...why do you think the SE DGTs come with 10s and not 11s? Because they think people buying SEs would prefer 10s. Just asking...

SE's are designed for a much wider audience and generally a wider skill level/experience player group. In other words, these are targeting a much larger group of prospective buyers and perhaps think 10's have a higher 'general' appeal/feel - not too stiff/heavy for novices, intermediates and much more 'common' so will feel similar, not harder/heavier.

The Core is a 'Signature' model - a replica of the Guitar Dave Grissom himself uses - and as he plays clinics with Random DGT's the Store has, Each Core is set-up just like his own 'personal' DGT so its no different when he plays the store guitars.

It could also be down to Nut Slotting - the SE's tend to come with 10's so cutting Nut Slots may be automated and would require a slightly different cutter for slightly thicker strings - when its easier to keep the same system for ALL guitars so ALL nuts are the same - its also helps consistency - no wrong nut fitted for example...

Regardless of the reason, its still going to come down to personal taste. If you prefer 10's on a Core, you'll use 10's regardless. They come with PRS strings, but you may prefer Ernie Balls Strings and different brands, gauges and types (Cobalt, coated etc) have different tension too - but they have to have strings on when sold - but not all 10's/11's for example will feel the same anyway...

 

[László]

I recently got a Core DGT. My dealer asked if I wanted it set up with my usual .010s, but I had a hankering to try the guitar the way PRS, Grissom and the Great Gods Of Tone envisioned it. So I asked my dealer (who knows my setups very well after 23 years of doing business) to give it my usual setup with the stock strings.

I've spent a lot of time with the guitar getting to know it (I like to woodshed for a few weeks with a new one to get a feel for what I can do with it).

Honestly, I love the .011s, though there was a minor adjustment period. This has been a two edged sword, because now the .010s on my other PRS' feel as floppy as rubber bands.

So I'm contemplating having them set up for .011s, or perhaps .0105s.

Incidentally, my hands aren't particularly strong, I even have some nerve damage in my fretting hand, and I play with a light touch. But I STILL prefer the .011s, at least on that guitar.

Go figure.

 

[Mozzi]

I recently got a Core DGT. My dealer asked if I wanted it set up with my usual .010s, but I had a hankering to try the guitar the way PRS, Grissom and the Great Gods Of Tone envisioned it. So I asked my dealer (who knows my setups very well after 23 years of doing business) to give it my usual setup with the stock strings.

I've spent a lot of time with the guitar getting to know it (I like to woodshed for a few weeks with a new one to get a feel for what I can do with it).

Honestly, I love the .011s, though there was a minor adjustment period. This has been a two edged sword, because now the .010s on my other PRS' feel as floppy as rubber bands.

So I'm contemplating having them set up for .011s, or perhaps .0105s.

Incidentally, my hands aren't particularly strong, I even have some nerve damage in my fretting hand, and I play with a light touch. But I STILL prefer the .011s, at least on that guitar.

Go figure.

There is a train of thought that some guitars pick their strings... Some just feel/sound/work better with a certain gauge regardless of what you 'normally' use....

But if you own quite a few guitars and restring them, it's far more convenient to stick with the same gauge and/or brand to bulk buy and its something you are most familiar with...

Some will stick with the same gauge they always have and others will change over time even over a tour if you are playing 'every' night and feeling it in your hands using 'heavy' gauge strings... SRV would drop down several gauges over a tour....

They have to set them up a 'set' way with their strings so that 'anyone' could play it out of the case essentially (at most a tune). It's that 'first' string change that is where you start to customise it from a PRS guitar - to your Guitar essentially - unless you also use the exact same strings PRS use of course - and no doubt 'tweak' the set-up too more for your preference...

But they are only the starting point from Factory and I think the 'best' way to start with exploring what they offer before 'changing' anything too much - even String gauge - but that's me...

At the end of the day, its still a great instrument regardless of whether its at SE level with 10's or Core with 11's, but the 'strings' and/or gauge tend to be personal preference and people will either stick with the gauge it came with or change it to their preferred Gauge/brand/type of string

 

[László]

There is a train of thought that some guitars pick their strings... Some just feel/sound/work better with a certain gauge regardless of what you 'normally' use....

But if you own quite a few guitars and restring them, it's far more convenient to stick with the same gauge and/or brand to bulk buy and its something you are most familiar with...

Some will stick with the same gauge they always have and others will change over time even over a tour if you are playing 'every' night and feeling it in your hands using 'heavy' gauge strings... SRV would drop down several gauges over a tour....

They have to set them up a 'set' way with their strings so that 'anyone' could play it out of the case essentially (at most a tune). It's that 'first' string change that is where you start to customise it from a PRS guitar - to your Guitar essentially - unless you also use the exact same strings PRS use of course - and no doubt 'tweak' the set-up too more for your preference...

But they are only the starting point from Factory and I think the 'best' way to start with exploring what they offer before 'changing' anything too much - even String gauge - but that's me...

At the end of the day, its still a great instrument regardless of whether its at SE level with 10's or Core with 11's, but the 'strings' and/or gauge tend to be personal preference and people will either stick with the gauge it came with or change it to their preferred Gauge/brand/type of string

I agree with everything you're saying here.

 

[Woodrow F Call]

Most people would probably rather play 10s and they will probably sell a lot of the SE DGTs.

In my case, my guitars all get 11s now because the DGT came with 11s. I like them fine.

 

[shinksma]

Same reason the "regular" SEs come with 9s and the core equivalents come with 10s. The SEs are considered by many [who?][citation needed] to be good starter guitars, and inexperienced guitar players often find 10s to be too daunting. So 9s are common.

I played 9s forever (like 25 years), when I was an infrequent bedroom hacker of a guitar player. Ever since I joined my band, I've switched up to 10s on most electrics (11s on piezo-equipped electrics and 12s on acoustic guitars) because I play regularly and my hand & finger tip callouses stay in shape.

I pick up a guitar with 9s on it and play a D chord then I go sharp if I'm not careful.

 

[Mondoslug]

Great replies y'all...thanks for indulging!