Could this be the best sub-$1,000 guitar around?
Incredible value. Superb playability. Great pickups for this price range. Top quality.
The customized control layout can take time to get used to.
$899
PRS SE DGT
prsguitars.com
It’s amazing how great affordable gear can be these days. But PRS’s imported SE Series combines quality and value in a way very few companies manage. The PRS SE DGT is yet another professional-grade, gig-ready model at a head-turning price. And even among a roster of other SE guitars that offer spectacular quality and playing experience for the money, the SE DGT might just be the company’s best budget-friendly offering yet.
David Grissom, a beast of a guitarist who needs little introduction, has a relationship with PRS dating to the mid-eighties, when he and Paul met at a guitar show. Grissom had already purchased a PRS, but he was a willing sounding board for Paul Reed Smith’s ideas. In 2007 the collaboration led to an official DGT model, which blossomed out of the company’s McCarty model. Today, both the McCarty and DGT are quintessential PRS designs and arguably some of the most recognizable models the company has to offer.
The neck profile, which Grissom says is identical to his own 2010 core version, has a mid-50’s Les Paul feel. It’s full, but not too chunky.
Designing an affordable version of a much-loved, pre-existing high-end model is not easy. And when talking about an $859 version of a $4K instrument, you accept that concessions are made. But knowing how to identify and preserve the essentials of an instrument is a PRS talent, and the SE DGT speaks to their status as masters of the process.
Looks That Thrill
The SE DGT comes in two different finishes: gold top (with moon inlays) and McCarty tobacco sunburst (with bird inlays). The latter finish adorns our review model and it sported a beautiful 2-piece, flame maple veneer that would be at home on a more expensive instrument. The fit and finish on the SE DGT was near immaculate, and the fret work was good as it is on guitars twice the price. Even the pots feel satisfying to the touch.
It was obvious that PRS tried to keep the bones of the SE version as close as possible to the $4k core DGT. Both guitars have mahogany bodies and necks along and the same DGT neck carve. The neck profile, which Grissom says is identical to his own 2010 core version, has a mid-50’s Les Paul feel. It’s full, but not too chunky. The SE version of the PRS patented tremolo is molded metal rather than machined as it is on the core model. Nevertheless, it holds tune even after a wash of aggressive wiggle stick bends. Under the hood, the control cavity is coated with metallic shielding paint and there’s a treble bleed circuit on each volume pot.
Texas-Sized Tones
Grissom’s trademark sounds are generally thick, distorted tones. He’s a blues-rocker through and through. So even many of his clean tones are less pristine than you think. Grissom, in his own estimation, stays on the bridge pickup for about 90 percent of the night when he’s playing his own music. And in several interviews around the release of the SE DGT, Grissom alluded to a very specific recipe for the pickups in his core DGT models, which were the benchmark for the SE variations. Grissom shied away from divulging specifics, but the alnico 2 pickups are very much in the vintage vein. The bridge pickup measures 8.7k ohms and the neck is 7.6k ohms—both comfortably in the low-output range.
The bridge pickup, so essential to Grissom’s sound, is clear and full-throated.
The controls on the SE DGT include volume controls for each pickup and a master push/pull tone knob that triggers the coil-tap function. Each of the pickups utilizes the inner coil in coil-tap mode. Because Grissom relies so heavily on the bridge pickup, the bridge pickup volume control is closest to your hand—the reverse of most guitars with independent volume controls for each pickup. It can take a while to get used to.
The most impressive aspect of the DGT “S” pickup’s performance is the bass response. With the Revv D20 and Bad Cat 15R used here for evaluation, I tend to keep the bass control on both amplifiers at around 5 or 6. But with the SE DGT I kept it closer to 3 to accommodate the pickup’s robust bass. The bridge pickup, so essential to Grissom’s sound, is clear and full-throated. The high end is airy and almost Telecaster-like. And with the right attack I got a tone somewhere between Mark Knopfler and Albert Lee. Pretty cool.
One of the most useful features on the SE DGT is the coil-tap feature. To my ear, the coil-split sounds are more Gretsch-like than Fender-like. And while you hear a slight drop in volume in isolation, it’s nearly unnoticeable at stage volume. The tapped tones are rich and springy. Even better, they keep much of the low end intact and sound beautiful with overdrives.
The Verdict
For just $899 ($849 for the gold top), the PRS SE DGT comes very close to replicating the playing experience of its much more expensive inspiration. The playability is top notch. The pickups sound fantastic. And the SE’s build is a marvel for the money. With the core version of the DGT selling for about $4,000, this PRS SE DGT will be a most welcome option for players with real-world budgets.
PRS SE DGT Demo | First Look
Few musical acts did more to put their fame and fortune to good use than punk rock icon Wayne Kramer. Known for his enduring commitment to activism, especially in justice reform, his life story embodies the defiant, DIY ethos of punk, directly inspiring generations of bands and musicians who followed. Now, fans and fellow musicians alike can attempt to emulate Kramer’s incendiary sound with the new, limited-edition pedal.
Designed before his death in February 2024, Wayne Kramer—together with friend Jimi Dunlop (Dunlop CEO) and Daredevil Pedals owner Johnny Wator —the pedal features artwork from artist and activist Shepard Fairey (Obey Clothing founder). A majority of profits from the sale of the pedal goes directly to Kramer’s charity supporting the rehabilitation of incarcerated people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds.
In honor of his close friend, Tom Morello—the innovative guitarist behind Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, the Nightwatchman, and more—demoed the pedal, showcasing its sound and shining light on Wayne Kramer’s incredible legacy.
Tom Morello Introduces MC5 Wayne Kramer-Inspired Pedal For Charity: MXR Jail Guitar Doors Drive
"What they've tried to bake into the MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive distortion pedal is not just Wayne's sound but Wayne's attitude, and the grit and the rawness of Detroit and of the MC5," said Morello, one of Kramer’s best friends, during his demo of the pedal. "This is the guitar pedal that was used on the song 'Heavy Lifting' that I recorded with Wayne for the last MC5 record.
"Named after the late rocker's charity—which provides instruments and art workshops to incarcerated individuals as rehabilitation tools—the MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive pedal aims to capture all of the high-voltage energy of Wayne Kramer's sound. It features two uniquely voiced gain circuits cascaded together with a singular pot controlling both the output level of each circuit and the overall saturation level of the distortion.
Music makers looking to capture Kramer’s raw, fiery sound can pick up the new MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive pedal, exclusively on Reverb via The Official MXR Jail Guitar Doors Drive Reverb Shop for $199, here: https://reverb.com/shop/the-official-mxr-jail-guitar-doors-reverb-shop.
PG contributor Tom Butwin reveals his favorite songwriting secret weapon: the partial capo. Watch how the Shubb C7 and C8 can simulate alternate tunings without retuning your guitar—and spark fresh creative ideas instantly.
Shubb C8b Partial Capo for Drop-D Tuning - Brass
The C8 covers five of the six strings, leaving either the low E or high E string open, depending on how it's positioned.
- Standard setup: Placed on the 2nd fret while leaving the low E string open, it simulates Drop D-style sounds—except you're still in standard tuning (key of E). You get that big, droning bass feel without retuning.
- Reverse setup: Flipping the capo allows the high E string to ring, giving you shimmering drones and new melodic options across familiar chord shapes.
- A flexible tool that lets you simulate alternate tunings and create rich sonic textures—all while keeping your guitar in standard tuning.
Shubb C7b Partial Capo for DADGAD Tuning - Brass
The C7 covers three of the six strings—either D, G, and B or A, D, and G—depending on how it's flipped.
- Typical setup (D, G, B): Creates an open A chord shape at the 2nd fret without needing your fingers. This frees you up for new voicings and droning notes in the key of A.
- Reversed setup (A, D, G): Gets you close to a DADGAD-style tuning vibe, but still keeps you in standard tuning—great for modal, spacious textures often found in folk or cinematic guitar parts.
Use it alone or stack it with the C8 for wild, layered effects and truly out-of-the-box inspiration.
PRS Guitars celebrates 40 years with the limited edition McCarty SC56. Featuring vintage-inspired design and modern innovations, this single-cutaway guitar pays tribute to Ted McCarty and his impact on the industry. With only 400 pieces available, this instrument is a must-have for collectors and performers alike.
PRS Guitars today announced the 40th Anniversary McCarty SC56 Limited Edition. With a classic PRS single-cutaway body shape and carefully chosen specifications, the McCarty SC56 is both a tribute to tradition and a reliable tool for the modern performer. Only 400 pieces will be made.
“The SC56, signifying Singlecut and 1956, model is our most recent tribute to my late mentor Ted McCarty and his impact on the guitar industry. We started with our take on a classic late ‘50s singlecut body. 1956 marks the year that Ted first had guitars made with his newly coined 'humbucker' pickups. It also happens to be the year I was born. Bringing vintage design into the modern era, we loaded this model with our McCarty III pickups, meticulously designed to deliver warm, clear, vintage tone with exceptional note separation and dynamics,” said PRS Guitars Founder & Managing General Partner, Paul Reed Smith.
Anchored by a maple top and mahogany back, the 24.594” scale length and 22-fret Pattern Vintage neck work with Phase III non-locking tuners and PRS two-piece bridge to promote its musical sustain. The PRS McCarty III pickups are controlled by a simple layout — two volume controls, two tone controls, and a three-way toggle on the upper bout.
Single-cutaway guitars are known to be heavier than their double-cutaway counterparts. The McCarty SC56 Limited Edition design incorporates weight-relief, decreasing the weight of the guitar by about 2/3 of a pound, while maintaining several points of attachment between the guitar top and back to eliminate the “hollow” sound of the cavities and promote tone transfer.
With appointments like binding on the fretboard, classic bird inlays, and a vintage-inspired nitrocellulose finish, the 40th Anniversary McCarty SC56 Limited Edition blends heritage and innovation into a timeless instrument.
PRS Guitars continues its schedule of launching new products each month in 2025.
For more information, please visit prsguitars.com.
40th Anniversary McCarty SC56 Limited Edition | Demo | PRS Guitars - YouTube
The Future Impact V4 is an incredibly versatile pedal with an exceptional range of sounds. In addition to producing synthesizer sounds such as basses, leads and pads, it can function as an octaver, chorus, flanger, phaser, distortion, envelope filter, traditional wah-wah, tremolo, reverb, etc., and even has a built-in tuner. It can potentially replace an entire pedalboard of dedicated single-effect pedals.
The very powerful signal processor of the Future Impact V4 is able to replicate the various oscillator, filter, amplifier and envelope generator blocks found in classic synthesizers. In addition, it contains signal processing blocks more traditionally used for processing the sound of an instrument such as a harmonizer block and audio effects such as chorus, distortion and EQ. These architectures complement each other in a very flexible way.
Setting the standard for the bass guitar synth pedals since 2015, together with an enthusiastic community and long line of great artists, the Future Impact V4 is the guitar synth platform for the next decade.