Thinking about a DGT or McCarty

[dangeroso]

I’d be curious to hear the good and the bad about the PRS McCarty and the DGT. One concern that I’ve heard is that they both are a little dark sounding, although it appears that the DGT is less so. Any other things I need to know about either? I’m hoping to get some playing time to check them out this weekend.

Thanks!

[paintguy]

Depends on your needs but it's hard to beat a DGT.

Dual volume controls, larger frets, outstanding pickups, great coil tap sounds... DGT typically has a trem although I almost never use mine and the McCarty usually has a wrapover. DGT has a DGT neck carve that is less wide than a McCarty which sports a wide-fat neck carve.

I believe most would say a DGT, but the narrower neck carve does not agree with all. Another option is a McCarty with DGT pickups if you can find a pair.

Good luck! Try to play a few and compare if possible.

[jetydosa]

Both great guitars. I dont consider either of them dark.

DGT is a bit more versatile, better split sounds, and trem obviously. McCarty has wider and thicker neck which may or may not be your preference.

[scuba200ft]

I think McCarty's are the perfect PRS. Comfy, great scale, great neck, and many are light.

I tried going the DGT route a few times, owned 3, and all three were HEAVY as hell.

Dont know if thats spec'd or not, but there ya go.

[amc]

mccarty's are my favorite guitars from prs.
the thinner dgt neck just doesn't do it for me.

a mccarty with dgt pickups would be a great improvement....................

just my 2 cents, ymmv.

[jetydosa]

I tried going the DGT route a few times, owned 3, and all three were HEAVY as hell.

Dont know if thats spec'd or not, but there ya go.

Nah, Ive owned 2 DGTs that were ~7.5lbs. I saw on Wildwood the other day one that was ~7.3lbs.

[mojoslide]

McCarty's are my favorite guitars. I have two as my only electrics right now. I did just upgrade the pickup in my number one to a Rio Grande BBQ. That's only thing to improve on with a McCarty, the pickups - although for more vintage tones the stock pups are really excellent. I just wanted more low end grunt from the guitar for heavier styles. I like the wide/fat carve the best too.

[itstooloudMike]

If you're typically a Strat kind of guy, and want versatility, with some added Les Paul flavor, you can't beat the DGT. If you're typically a Les Paul guy, and don't want to stray too far from that camp, you will like the McCarty. I've had both, and still have my DGT. I love it!

[Jon C]

I'm in the DGT camp if you can work with the thin neck carve. Not dark at all. Not heavy at all (7.5 lbs IIRC), very versatile. YMMV, I think you'd have to play both to know what works for you.

[romeintmed]

DGT = swiss army knife. Convincing les paul sounds. Tele type split coil on bridge. Strat type split coil on neck.

McCarty = Les paul-esque.

Both are great, but there is a reason that many Nashville session players have a DGT in their arsenal.

I've owned both and prefer the DGT but you can't go wrong with either.

[kleydj13]

I love my McCarty. I put some GFS mean 90's in there and they make me happy.

[joesnewmatch]

Both are great, no question. Feel like a trem? I never liked them until I picked up the DGT. Ever play a gutiar with high 6100 wire, or 11s? Both are on the DGT, and (at least IMHO, as well as others) that makes a big difference in playability and tone. If split tones and versatility is a factor, go with the DGT. Regardless, play both, decide for yourself. My signature line has my vote...

[gtraddict]

I have found them both to be bright as with all PRSi like what most people said. All the McCarty's I have tried and had were maple topped would have like to have the all mahogany version which would more than like suite my needs better.

[muddyboots]

love my stock '95 mccarty and '04 rosewood neck mccarty soapbar standard. i rotate 'em!

[Radagacuca]

i had 2 mccartys that i both sold. compared them to my les paul(s) all the time and preffered the lp tones. have a dgt now that i like quite a bit. it has more of it´s own thing going and is very versatile. i can enjoy my pauls and the dgt for different reasons which is a good thing.
best playing guitar i ever owned too. i LOVE that neck carve!

[rmhomer@btinterne]

I bought a McCarty in the late 90s and sold it after a couple of years. I wanted a guitar that as a Fender player, I could feel more comfortable with than a Les Paul, whilst giving me similar tones. The truth is it sounded way thinner than an LP (neck pick-up was almost Strat-like). If you are worried about one being overly dark, you can buy with confidence. If you want some Gibson-like fatness, don't bother. IMHO, all double-cut maple-topped PRS guitars suffer from too long a scale length and too much maple, giving too much edge and not enough 'fatness'. If you want one for what they do (a Fender/Gibson halfway house) they are superbly built, highly playable guitars.

[lukeII]

I am unaffiliated with the store that did them but its interesting to see the differences between the two given the fact that its the same guy playing through the same amp (no AC booster used for the McC though).

Here is the DGT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if2wM62e1ao

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if2wM62e1ao

and here is the McCarty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYZ5gewi2Hs&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYZ5gewi2Hs&feature=relmfu

I prefer the sound of the McCarty its sounds fatter to my ears. One pieve I have with PRS though is that they should all have two volumes since they are twin humbucker guitars. Tonally it gives much more flexibility and I think Grissom corrected this design fault on his model. I wish PRS made a McCarty with 2 volumes and a tone control though I'd be all over that. I have never thought of PRS Double cuts as being able to out Paul a Les Paul...to me they are more like SG with a fatter tone.

[MT Buckaroo]

Completely agree with Radagacuca (try saying that fast three times) and lukeII. Had a McCarty. Tone was OK, but hated the single Vol single Tone controls in the middle position, no way to dial back the neck pickup for the right blend. Sold it and bought a DGT for the dual Vol control setup, trem and Stratty neck carve a bonus. Love it. It isn't trying to be a Lester. It has its own thing going on. Which is great, because then you can totally justify also having a LP in the stable, lol.

[02Singlecut]

I've owned my fair share of McCarty's. When I got my Goldtop Relic DGT back from PRS, I told Kirk McKim about it. We talk gear all the time and he felt the same about the McCarty's that I do. Great guitars but we both had others we liked better! Kirk came thru town on his way up to Canada for Sturgis North and on his flight back to Orlando I told him to take my DGT....play the sh*t outta it and let me know if my ears were hearing the right stuff! After a month or so touring.....The verdict??????

I think the pictures say it all!!! Kirk even traded an early Standard for a TBS DTG of his own!!!

I keep getting text from the road about how sweet my DGT is.....These say it all!!!!! I hope it gets homesick REAL soon!!!

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/281206_10150279683922180_25599307179_7568131_59723 62_n.jpg

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/283174_10150279679902180_25599307179_7568104_71673 16_n.jpg

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Two http://forums.birdsandmoons.com/forum/images/smilies/Dude.gif http://forums.birdsandmoons.com/forum/images/smilies/Dude.gif's up from Pat also!!!

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/282099_2313279194108_1313265761_2679756_6531985_n. jpg

Buy one!!!! :beer

[THebert]

To me, the dgt pickups are *much* better than the mccarty pickups. I could not get the mccarty pickups to balance in that when I set the amp for one pu, the other was off. Not so with the grissoms. Sound much better and balance much better.

[Lemonhand]

I owned a DGT for about 3 years but finally decided to trade it in on a lovely Gibson ES-355 and I couldn't be happier about it. I couldn't get along with the neck carve as I found it was just a little too narrow for my large hands. I was continually pulling the high E string off the fretboard, even on something as basic as a G chord. I also am not a fan of the placement of the pickup selector switch on most PRS guitars as its too far back on the body. The dual volume controls were alright but I found it counter-intuitive to have the bridge volume 'first' and the neck volume in the middle. I hate push/pull pots as well, and I personally never found the split coil sound useful. IMO It absolutely does NOT sound like a Telecaster or a Stratocaster, it sounds like a very good split humbucker. Despite all that I think that the DGT was one of the best sounding guitars I ever owned, its just that the things DG put into his guitar were to his liking, not mine. I've only ever played a McCarty once and didn't like the neck carve or the pickups. If you like or can get past the DGT's signature traits its a fantastic guitar, I just couldn't. If they make one with a wide/thin neck and I switched around the controls to my liking it would be a fantastic guitar. For me!

[Lemonhand]

I owned a DGT for about 3 years but finally decided to trade it in on a lovely Gibson ES-355 and I couldn't be happier about it. I couldn't get along with the neck carve as I found it was just a little too narrow for my large hands. I was continually pulling the high E string off the fretboard, even on something as basic as a G chord. I also am not a fan of the placement of the pickup selector switch on most PRS guitars as its too far back on the body. The dual volume controls were alright but I found it counter-intuitive to have the bridge volume 'first' and the neck volume in the middle. I hate push/pull pots as well, and I personally never found the split coil sound useful. IMO It absolutely does NOT sound like a Telecaster or a Stratocaster, it sounds like a very good split humbucker. Mine also weighed almost 9 pounds, a bit heavy.

Despite all that I think that the DGT was one of the best sounding guitars I ever owned, its just that the things DG put into his guitar were to his liking, not mine. I've only ever played a McCarty once and didn't like the neck carve or the pickups. If you like or can get past the DGT's signature traits its a fantastic guitar, I just couldn't. If they make one with a wide/thin neck and I switched around the controls to my liking it would be a fantastic guitar. For me!

[hawkeye17]

I played a DGT and it was simply amazing. I'd love to have the gold one someday.

[Mike Duncan]

My DGT has been my number one since June '09...perfect guitar!

[Zero G]

I am unaffiliated with the store that did them but its interesting to see the differences between the two given the fact that its the same guy playing through the same amp (no AC booster used for the McC though).

Here is the DGT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if2wM62e1ao

and here is the McCarty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYZ5gewi2Hs&feature=relmfu



TBH, those demos showcase some pretty lifeless tone, moreso the DGT one. Sounds like he's playing through a solid state amp or something.

[jetydosa]

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One of my fav DGT videos.

[dangeroso]

This is the one that got me interested:

gBd4wvR2fgk

[Tone Disciple]

Yeah, the Phil Miller - Guitar Jam Daily demo is a good one.

My vote goes to the DGT as well. Basically a McCarty with with a few upgrades. I currently have a Cu 22 Ltd semi hollow and an original Modern Eagle that are both very nice, but I would still like to get a DGT.

[Zero G]

This is the one that got me interested:

gBd4wvR2fgk

That's what I'm talking about. :dude Anybody think there is a difference in tone with the newer V12 finish? Thinking of getting a DGT, but I'm not sure whether I should get an older used one or one of the newer ones.

[Last Nerve]

I got one incoming this week.
I'll share my thoughts shortly thereafter.
I've been wanting one for quite awhile.

[02Singlecut]

That's what I'm talking about. :dude Anybody think there is a difference in tone with the newer V12 finish? Thinking of getting a DGT, but I'm not sure whether I should get an older used one or one of the newer ones.

The V-12 is very very thin and is a hybrid between poly and nitro. EVERY V-12 finished guitar I've played has been really loud acoustically. It doesn't have that wait to cure stickiness that the all nitro guitars have. It's really a coin toss to me, you can't go wrong with either. ;)

[cosmic_ape]

I'm loving the V12 finish on my new 22. Very resonant indeed.