PRS SE Shootout - DGT vs Paul's Guitar vs SAS

[@ArtDonna84]

what an excellent review and comparison of these 3 PRS SE's. Thank you

[@davlavmusic7070]

Glad you liked it!

[@toliskoskinas]

Excellent demo, bravo ! Here's what I hear: The DGT SE remains a tribute to vintage, more open and less gainy tones with a very usable split pickups option. Paul's guitar is a nod to those early PRSs with the hot and mid-focused pickups, perfect for the lead guitarist in a lot of genres. The SAS SE sounds honestly useful for the players who need a Swiss-army knife instrument right away.

[@caincolesr]

Thank you for the video. I have finally decided that I’ll have to buy all three of the dang guitars. UHG

[@iantaylor917]

Really enjoyed this comparison and hearing your thoughts between these models. Well done and helpful!

[@Chimp_No_1]

Really appreciate your honest opinion ! Thank you for sharing !

[@RUSTY-A-L]

Excellent playing and comparison, Paul's guitar for me!

[@СергейЧетвериков-й6ч]

Hello! Thanks for the review. All three guitars are very interesting. They are close in price. They differ slightly in functionality, ergonomics and sound. In this case, everyone can choose what suits them best. I have two PRS SE guitars. This is a guitar similar to the one in the review, the SE Custom 24-08 anniversary edition for the company's 35th anniversary. And a semi-acoustic LP type, model SE Zach Myers. They sound good acoustically and connected. Ergonomic and comfortable when playing them. They look great. Timbreally they complement each other. SE Zach Myers sounds softer due to the presence of cavities. She has a reduced scale and is correspondingly lighter than the full-bodied one, weighing about 3 kg. That's why it ends up in my hands more often. The bridge is rigid, but has adjustable saddles. This helps to tune the instrument correctly. There are, of course, some minor comments regarding the quality of the components. Tuners do not have the highest accuracy. And the tuning is not maintained well enough. On the SE Zach Myers I installed vintage style Gotoh SD90-MG-T-SL lockers. In my opinion, this, among other things, improved the aesthetics of the instrument. For SE Custom 24-08 I purchased locking tuners from PRS. I'm planning a replacement. The tremolo on this guitar also has trouble staying in tune. I installed 5 springs of increased stiffness. And when I play I mostly use bends. If I didn’t have the listed guitars and the Fender AMERICAN PERFORMER HSS Strat, of the three guitars reviewed in your review, I would choose the universal SE SWAMP ASH SPECIAL. You can improve the switching by replacing the three-position switch with a five-position one. And at the same time get more sound options similar to a Stratocaster. Good luck.

[@elevenAD]

good comparison, showed me all i need to know.

[@ryanbirabent-genone9219]

Nice comparison, thanks for putting this together

[@andybunce2000]

Thanks for a good review

[@sgmarshall3]

Great demo!

[@davlavmusic7070]

Thanks!

[@WeldmanJones-gj7dl]

Swamp ash really shone with the lead playing.

[@shawnmcginnis2508]

Hey, great video! Very well done and some nice playing. I haven't checked out the SECE24 yet in person, but I do own a SECU24 and a CE24. I really liked the tones of the SECU24. It was my first PRS and it was the gateway drug for me lol. I now have a CE24 that I had PRS install the 24-08 switching on. Like you, I prefer the mini switches to the push/pull. Anyway, as expected, the CE24 is a snappier sounding CU24. I really enjoy the tone a lot, and I think if you like the sound of the 85/15s pickups, but want a bit more strat vibe in the tones, the CE is a great option. From the videos I've watched, the SECE24 maintains a lot of the vibe of the American CE24. The sound of the 85/15s isn't quite as tight or as full as the American 85/15 pickups, but they dont sound bad or cheap, just slightly different.

[@dcamnc1]

I went paul’s. It felt right as soon as I played it for 30 sec.

[@steveliberty]

I have and really like the DGT SE. I love the slightly chunky neck and the low output pickups. Although the reversed volume pots are a little weird, if I get fed up with them, its an easy mod to swap them to the more natural position. And since I am not a Strat guy, your pref for master volume and 2 tone controls is not a consideration for me.

[@tonechaser7174]

Good video man. So ya I have the Paul’s SE guitar and the thing is absolutely amazing but the tuners are the worst PRS tuners I’ve ever used lol. I had to switch them out and something worth noting is the holes of those tuners don’t line up with the SE lockable tuners which I found out the hard way. Other then that the things my favourite SE guitar but I did have to change the really bad tuners. Great video though man and sub’d and liked !

[@davlavmusic7070]

What tuners did you end up using?

[@robertsguitarsandgear]

Great review, thanks. I have the SAS and I do wish it had a single-only position.

[@matt79hz]

Wonder cost of a rewiring.. possible perhaps ?

[@robertsguitarsandgear]

Definitely possible, cost would be minimal, just need a schematic to do it properly. If I had more time I would sort that out.@@matt79hz

[@DonStegall]

I had the SAS in Vintage Sunburst .. nice grain on mine .. wasn't thrilled with the satin on the back of the neck .. was starting to get used to it .. considered sanding and oiling the back of the neck leaving the fretboard alone.. the real initial disappointment was inability to have the middle single coil more flexible and better splitting of the humbuckers .. considered a lot of rewiring options up to putting in a third knob with all three being push-pull pots .. it would fit inside, but knob access would be tight .. wasn't feeling well and decided to send it back to AMS .. I think PRS blew the wiring and should have had a blade switch like on the SE Custom 24's, but a 5-way and coil splits for the neck and bridge separately on the knobs .. considering getting the PRS SE Custom 24 in Faded Blue and wiring it as described .. or getting a PRS SE DGT and leaving it stock .. I think a lot of the Swamp Ash Specials will be or already have been returned.

[@matt79hz]

You knew the pick up configuration before you bought it though right ?​@@DonStegall

[@robertsguitarsandgear]

@@DonStegall Thanks. After a few wipes with scotchbrite pad mine is good to go - though not as good as a Fender Player. I might go after mine with wipe-on poly.

[@jerrycook3273]

I have dgt& Paul’s guitar had a core swamp ashe special sold it after fret job my core standard sounds& plays better than both se models under a grand $1000 still a good guitar

[@mikehoehn1475]

All 3 sound good. No weakness any where. The SAS has MOJO, I can't explain why.

[@Sea_Jay]

I'm sorry... I can't unhear "Swamp ass Special" Lol. Great comparison though!

[@davlavmusic7070]

Lol

[@lbarmusic89]

I keep hearing that too... makes me want the guitar even more

[@thermos1978]

It's very hard to choose. Thanks god i have them all

[@davlavmusic7070]

Good solution!

[@richiebohr5421]

Nice video. I have the Gold Top DGT and a SAS. I much prefer the SAS. To me it plays better and sounds much better. I tried a Paul's guitar but I didn't like it better than the other two. PRS finally got that Fendery/Gibson thing they were going after with the SAS. It cops those in between Strat sounds very convincingly (which I love and use all the time) and has the balls of a Gibson. I usually change pickups on these mid range guitars but I dig these. The neck PU in the SAS could use some tweaking and I might eventually replace it but I'm pretty good with it right now. For looks, playability, and overall sound and versatility, the SAS hits it out of the ballpark. Punches way more than what it's price. I personally think it is one of the best guitar deals out there under $1K.

[@davlavmusic7070]

Have you tried the SE CE? I'm wondering how that compares to the SAS...

[@richiebohr5421]

@@davlavmusic7070 I own a Core but I've played the SE version and I thought it was very good. In a blindfold test, I'm pretty sure the only reason I would know the core is because of the finish on the back of the neck. They are both satin but my Core feels smoother than the CE. Not a big fan of the splits on either one though. I think they are masterful on the SAS model and pretty darn good on the DGT. I don't use them at all on the CE. Just my two cents, YMMV, etc. It's all personal preference but to me, the volume drop is too stark on most coil splits including PRS with the exception of the SAS and DGT.

[@davlavmusic7070]

Interesting, especially considering that the pickups in the SAS and CE are the same (I think). But the split tones on the SAS are combo'd worth the middle single, perhaps that makes a difference.

[@bks252]

I bought the Paul’s Guitar and just didn’t like it. I agree the tuners seemed crappy. The pickups were just meh to me. I kept it for about a year and finally just gave up on it and sold it instead of dropping more money swapping parts.

[@mrroye]

On Paul's guitar, lower the pickups 1/2 turn and see how you feel. Try another half turn and see how you like it. That was a great idea changing out the bridge hardware. It is one of the few times I think changing something is actually an UP-GRADE. The swamp ass special is a really a different guitar all together. While Paul's guitar is a version of the 24-08, which is what I have.

[@lamprosagathos9037]

about that bridge on paul's guitar...it actually comes with the usa core model bridge, its not made in indonesia due to costs, so he changed the most expensive hardware on the guitar, and the fixed intonension of that bridge is perfect many people would say

[@archiefury]

I'm surprised you changed the USA fixed intonated bridge which is one of the best features on the SE Paul's guitar. And Paul's guitar is not a version of the 24-08 because a) It has 22 frets, and b) the TCI pickups are quite different to those on the 24-08. I love my SE Paul's guitar and I changed the tuners to Phase III tuners.

[@mrroye]

@@archiefury I said a version(is a version of the 24-08) not a copy. I get it though/

[@maxhighstein]

Thanks for the comparison! I would take exception to your comments about the weight of the the guitars. PRS guitars can vary a good bit within the same model. So weight differences in the examples you have are not necessarily representative of the models as a whole. No?

[@davlavmusic7070]

Of course there's some variation (although I've not experienced much in the SE models I've tried), but I think it's a data point worth sharing.

[@maxhighstein]

​@@davlavmusic7070 There is a lot of variation actually. If you browse the listings at Sweetwater, which show the weight of each individual instrument, you'll see they can vary by as much as 12 ounces or more.

[@sdcoffeeroaster]

My Pauls SE is 6 1/2 lbs on the money and not neck heavy at all.

[@jimiwills]

No single coils on their own on the swamp :/ (switches neck to single but switches middle direct on the same switch)

[@BrentAdams]

Question.....you mentioned that you felt the Paul's Guitar & the Swamp Ash Special have the same feel on the neck. The Paul's features their Wide/Fat neck profile, and the Swamp Ash Special features their Wide/Thin profile. I haven't tried the DGT, but having SE guitars with the other two profiles... they sure don't seem the same to me. I greatly prefer the Wide/Fat to the Wide/Thin. Do you really honestly think that they feel the same in your hands?

[@davlavmusic7070]

You're right, they are definitely different. I think I was trying to convey that they are both less beefy that the DGT (and definitely less than the 594). Apologies - should have been more precise/clear.

[@BrentAdams]

@@davlavmusic7070 THX!

[@davidcollin1436]

The DG is a vintage 335 shape great ergonomics

[@vittoriobassi9880]

DGT vs Paul's Guitar - neck - 4:31 vs 5:08 - neck (single) - 4:48 vs 5:19

[@astoksesu]

Hi! I really love your videos and it helps learning how to dial in Quad better, but there is a hissing sound in your videos sometimes that I think needs to be addressed, maybe its the mic 🤔

[@davlavmusic7070]

In the vocal audio or guitar audio?

[@okechukwuigbokwe961]

​@@davlavmusic7070 I hear a sort of high-pitched rattling when you play guitar. It happens with all three guitars

[@davlavmusic7070]

Hmm. I'm not hearing that, and the guitar audio is direct from the QC via USB. I'll check into it.

[@mp_95]

I hear it too

[@davlavmusic7070]

OK, I'll dig in and try to figure out what's going on.

[@demokraatti]

What kind of issues Paul’s Guitar’s solid stoptail bridge even can have?

[@davlavmusic7070]

I had trouble getting the guitar to intonate properly.

[@efx245precor3]

DGT wins!

[@JoonKimDMD]

I disagree. That is the only guitar without pretty and shiny birds.

[@efx245precor3]

@@JoonKimDMD it comes with or without pretty birds. :). I like the moons better:). 🌙

[@JoonKimDMD]

@@efx245precor3 but the other two are green and shiny birds. DGT has plain white birds.

[@JoonKimDMD]

Have you thought about getting the SE model but switch the pickups from the non SE model?

[@efx245precor3]

@@JoonKimDMD I have the se model and pu are pretty good but I like your idea

[@NicholasANappiNick]

I have an se and it’s great but that thick ass poly finish is terrible ☹️☹️☹️

[@davidcollin1436]

Get some sandpaper

[@ramirosaenz1145]

Neck of the DGT is like a Les Paul 60s? Or,fatter ?

[@davlavmusic7070]

Honestly, the only LP I've ever owned was a 50s. But my guess would be you'd find the DGT fatter than a 60s.

[@davidcollin1436]

It's like an early 60s 335 shape. Certainly not fat.

[@Maktheblade]

Swamp ass special :D wins

[@2000SkyView]

missing a McCarthy 😂

[@davlavmusic7070]

True. I tried one of those in store when bought the Paul's guitar. Didn't really care for it.

[@aakaashbulani9237]

Why do all the nonsense people don't do a direct comparison like neck after neck of other guitar, why the hell they bring the single coil sound in between..... because they don't have any sense....

[@linvesel]

INteresting that Paul's guitar you have must be defective. It should have a beefier, wider and fatter neck than DGT, not the other way around as you say yours do. And that is reflected in the specs as well. Yours must be a lemon.

[@davlavmusic7070]

Agreed that the measurements on the Pau's guitar are supposed to be slightly larger, but we're talking 32nds of an inch in just a few places. To me it more about the shape of the carve - to me the DGT shape just feels beefier.

[@iancurrie8844]

Looking at the thumbnail: Today, we're going to pretend that these are totally different guitars rather than the same guitar with small changes.

[@davidcollin1436]

If you think they're the same, you obviously know nothing 😂😂😂

[@iancurrie8844]

@@davidcollin1436 They are fundamentally all the same. Just look at them: in the same way all strats are fundamentally the same with some minor changes. All people are fundamentally the same. All the same skeleton and organs. These are fundamentally the same animal.

[@istvanerdos1549]

That distorsion sound is weak.... sorry