Gassing for a PRS DGT and feel the need to fuel the fire

kossofffan

So can I see your DGT and hear the pros and cons please. Thanks for any replies. Oh & Merry Christmas. x

richardhomer

I've never owned a DGT - but I did have a McCarty which it is based on - which was a very nice guitar.

I've played a few DGTs though. The neck feels quite narrow in lower positions - whether this will bother you is a matter of taste. Personally, I don't like the two volume controls either - but for a Les Paul player, it may well suit.

If may be worth trying a McCarty 594 as well - though as this is a newish model, you'd probably have to buy a new one - which is generally best avoided as you lose a fortune on used PRSs should you need to sell.

Strat54

Yes, I've owned two...I'm a huge Grissom fan, and have been since 1990 buying up pretty much everything he's played on...alas the DGT's weren't for me even though I persisted.
Here's the cons I saw;
The early ones before the V12 finish had a dreadful soft nitro finish that seemed very sticky, pretty sure that's why they changed it. I bought one really cheap off a guy who I think thought he'd ruined the finish as it was covered in a cloudy white finish and hundreds of sticky marks....had to by a special nitro cleaner to get it off, most odd. Have plenty of other nitro guitars with no probs. 
The neck heel is huge and as much as I tried to ignore it I couldn't play round it.
The twin vols for a Fender player like me were a pain. The pickups sounded best played full on loud and hard like David meant them to be.
The neck profile wasn't what I was used to on a PRS either, give me a regular please. Had an odd taper.
The problem is that this guitar was developed over 25 years in effect and is one mans particular personal spec.....and none of us play like David. To me this was reflected in its playing, like I'd borrowed another guys hand built guitar....huge frets, big strings, strange neck profile. Pass.
Worth noting that Grissom himself has his own guitars fitted with a tougher teflon nut. I asked him and he said that he destroys the regular PRS nut in three months of playing otherwise! Oh and his frets have a slightly different end profile.

On the positive side the three I had were all really vibrant instruments but quite heavy too...the first was dead on 9lbs, bought it for £1300 with non ten and moons. The dirty one had a ten and birds and that was a steal at £1200.
Go try one, there are a lot of folks who like them.

guitars4you

Over the years I've sold shed loads of PRS Guitars - I don't like the word 'clinical' but if it can be applied to a tone of a guitar, in a good way, then Custom 22 and 24 models tend to be on the clinical side - Less so with hi-gain amp settings, but certainly less organic on clean and classic rock overdriven amp settings - However the DGT, along with the original Modern Eagle and the new 594 models capture more of the old school flavour regarding tone - more soul and passion - It has been nick named 'the players guitar' - So if you want some of that old school 'Koss' flavoured tone, with a slick playing performance, plus awesome attention to detail and build quality then well worth checking out a DGT

TimmyO

I have a goldtop/dots DGT - I bought it used (from a member of the old forum - I forget who, sorry if you're reading :-)  )

I was drawn to it because I'd really liked the McCarty I owned previously, but having spent so much time playing guitars with twin volume controls I was struggling when playing gigs with the band I was in at the time.

The first thing that struck me was the neck and frets. The frets are huge (which is perfect for me - love them jumbos) and the neck has a distinctive profile. In the low positions there is a distinct V-ing and the profile in the shoulders gives an impression of narrowness. It makes low-fret chording and riffing very easy, but I know some people are immediately put off by this.

Further up the neck it rounds out and stays thicker than your average 'modern-C' bland neck. When I was putting together my Warmoth build I looked up dimensions/profiles of DGT necks and Warmoth's offerings - the 59 Roundback they do is closest - so other than the V-ing imagine a nice handful round Gibson style. 

Sounds: the pickups are great, and the much-written-about passive tone network they bury in the windings means that when you split the coils you get a far more usable single-coil-ish sound without massive volume drop than I've found on any splittable hum buckers. 

The Volume, Volume, Tone setup is my favourite but it takes a few playing sessions to get used to the fact that the volume knob closest the bridge (furthest forward) actually controls the rearward/Bridge pickup - but it's second nature now. 

As you can probably tell I think they are close to perfect, and I'd encourage anyone who is initially put off by the neck to just play it for a few days - if your experience is anything like mine it'll soon fit like a glove.

Last point: I think they are insane value for money used. 

markj

Got one, fantastic guitar. Easily the best I've had.

kossofffan

Thanks for your replies, Seems a kind of muted like for the DGT, however I will check one out soon !
<edited to add, the two replies above bounced in before my comment was added>

Still would love to see pictures of the different finishes you have!

PVO_Dave

Big fan of my DGT too, I've had 4 USA PRS guitars, all great, but the DGT has been the only keeper  

I put 10's on, adjusted the action to suit and it's been great since! Love the neck profile and pickups. As mentioned above, the split coil sounds great, very versatile guitar. 

Mines a 10 top Solana burst with birds;
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7509/15712388293_c25f0bf4a6_h.jpg

More pics here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/davewitchalls/albums/72157650392817812

BGG

Here's my two, bloody love them, big frets, amazing neck profile that feels like home, and a superb tonal range.

thomasross20

Those look great. 

I may have been hasty but the one I tried, whilst sounding really amazing, I didn't getting on with the feel of it. Must have been the neck profile.

Fyi that goldtop is the real looker!

Majorscale

Owned two previously. Really great guitars, I like the neck and pickups. I only let them go as my tiny brain couldn't cope with the individual volume pots for the pickups, I prefer a master volume being more a Fender guy.

uncledick

Don't be put off by a nitro finish. My McCarty used to be a bit tacky so I left it on a stand near a North facing window for a couple of months. It's much nicer now. 

JCA2550

Loving my DGT  goldtop pretty sure its a keeper! Volume pots take a bit of getting used to and I reprofiled the lovely chunky frets and restrung  setup for 9s they ship with 11s. My only gripe and  is the black tip of the trem arm. 

Zodiac51

Just the perfect guitar for me, here is some pics of my #2 to fuel the fire
http://imgur.com/xzzHHFs.jpg
http://imgur.com/20hUwna.jpg
http://imgur.com/GQzrpY9.jpg

wellsyboy

Had one of these - superb guitar - nicest neck - only neck carve that is better is the 594 IMHO (purely subjective)

ICBM

I know PRSs divide opinion a lot, but burning them seems a bit extreme...

William Williamson

Zodiac51 said:

Just the perfect guitar for me, here is some pics of my #2 to fuel the fire
http://imgur.com/xzzHHFs.jpg
http://imgur.com/20hUwna.jpg
http://imgur.com/GQzrpY9.jpg

That feeling when the back of someone elses PRS is better than the front of your Gibson  

thomasross20

Zodiac51 said:

Just the perfect guitar for me, here is some pics of my #2 to fuel the fire
http://imgur.com/xzzHHFs.jpg
http://imgur.com/20hUwna.jpg
http://imgur.com/GQzrpY9.jpg

Phwoar!

thomasross20

I find it annoying on the PRS forum the regulars who froth at the mouth over 594s but are so against LPs. 594 is a copy!! I'll still to the customs.. the Vela is cool.. and the upcoming 509 looks good.

Strat54

This later model DGT looks a good deal. I'm sure they'd knock another £100 of this time of year... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PRS-DGT-Dave-Grissom-McCarty-Burst-/332070718944?hash=item4d50f50de0:g:VJsAAOSw5cNYXPHy

jeztone2

I miss my Custom 22 that got stolen in April. It was a wide/fat neck that I'd had refretted with 6100 Fretwire. It had a really heavy body. Like an LP. To me it was perfect. I tried a DGT but didn't like the neck. But they look cool guitars though.