I'm a CE player. I owned a core custom 24 for 3 years and sold it because I much preferred the fit/feel/sound of the CE. The pattern thin is my favorite neck profile. You totally nailed it with the CE being able to cover a ton of ground as well. CE for the win in my book!
@@realtruenorth vastly different, yes. The bolt-on is going to give a brighter, "snappier" sound vs. a set neck which is going to be more rounded and warm.
I’m with you on this! The CE24 SMOKES and has a lot more sparkle and chime than any Core PRS I’ve ever owned. I love them all, but the I find myself reaching for my CE constantly. I agree on the pattern thin neck profile as well… just perfect.
@@fernandogarajalde4066 it's not lame. He has good reasons and great tonal differences for each. The neck style differences as well. So if you were to buy one, which would you buy. I would say watch it. Because it would help
I own 5 PRS guitars after dozens and dozens of Les Paul's, Teles & Strats I've owned over the 35 years I've been playing (and still own specimens of each). I can honestly say the quality, workmanship and tone by PRS is second to NONE. The DGT, 594, Custom 24-08 are my faves and I tell you what, the quality on the SE Hollow-body Piezo is OFF THE CHARTS. Don't let the "SE" turn you away. If it was a Core model like my others and cost 2x the price, I'd still rave about it. It's an impeccable instrument
Last fall (just before lockdown), I bought a (used) 2014 SE-Custom semi-hollow; really wasn't sure if I could afford it at the time (hadn't received my 2019 fed return yet) but took the plunge... BEST decision I've ever made (in terms of guitar buying, anyway). The neck is absolutely perfect for me, the weight is fantastic; just blows me away every time I pick it up. I have other guitars to choose from but I always pick up the SE first. If I can ever afford it, I would really like to get a CE. Until that time comes, I'm sooo happy with my SE!
Agreed. I have had two core 24 guitars... still have one, CE 24, PRS SE Chris Robertson, and se 245. I'm not sure about sounds better than the other just different. But if you want a specific sound you have to buy the guitar that will give you that sound. My CE 24 and core 24 don't sound that much alike... so again if you prefer the sound of over particular guitar then you have to buy that specific guitar. My Chris Robertson sounds a lot like my Les Paul... but clearer and brighter. I've never played the DGT .. but I'll bet it sounds great too. My se Chris Robertson I would say sounds and feels as good as any core I've played hands down... even the Asian pickups. It just has a thinner, less bling top than my core... and doesn't have locking tuners.. But at the end of the day is it worth buying a core? If you have money to burn and want a specific tone then I say yes... but buy it used for half the price because PRS lose money fast once you buy it new. I don't think they are worth forking out full price for a core when several SE models sound and play just as good. There are some se models that look and feel cheap though... like some of the new indo or Chinese models...the se 24 for instance. The Korean ones were way better IMO...
I bought a used SE Hollowbody II Piezo. I love most things about it. The frets were not very level so I had a PLEK done and now I can have a low action without fret buzz, the shop that did the PLEK (Charlie Chandler's Guitar Experience in London) also did a much better job of making fret ends perfect than the factory. I have fitted PRS Locking Tuners, I don't rate the regular SE tuners that well. I also think the pots feel cheap, they're not scratchy, but they just don't feel premium, and finally the knobs were also cheap looking and cheap feeling so I've changed those. At some point i'll replace the pots, then it should be absolutely amazing.
Thanks for playing idol. the CE 24 features PRS 85/15 pickups, which Paul designed to have remarkable clarity as well as extended high and low end. This says on the description of CE24. You nailed it
This post is definitely great. This is exactly what I want to see / hear for comparing CE24 and DGT. As you say, Les Paul guys would lean toward to DGT (or the others such as McCarty). But I'm a Strat guy, thus I bought a CE24 and I love it! The neck pattern is pretty thinner than I thought, though. It's more like an Ibanez.
Absolutely it is worth it. I have owned several of their SE lines and all were just fantastic intstuments. No issues whatsoever. But then I had the opportunity to buy a US made core PRS and even I was stunned at the difference. Going from an Epiphone to Gibson is no where near going from an SE to a PRS. This thing does something I have never seen before, and I had to look it up to fully understand it. You have heard the term coil tap? Well, most of the time it's not really a true tap. It's just a split. When you turn it on, it just kills half the humbucker and that's it. You get a lower output "single" coil. This guitar has a true tap. When it's turned on, you drop half the magnets like a split, but you engage additional wiring on the coil that's been left on so you get no loss of volume and becomes almost like a P-90. A really strong single coil pickup. The PRS website says it engages an additional 3000 windings on that half of the pickup. The humbucker was "tapped" at that point and they kept winding that half of the pickup. It is really a game changer. Has any other brand done that? I am sure their have been others, but in my 30 years of playing, I never encountered a true tap like this. PRS core models are no doubt the top of the food chain.
@@RobertBakerGuitar I'm in love. I grew up playing a strat and have had a tele for a few years. The thing that made me say "wow" the most was the clarity in the pickups and how long they could hold a note.
I was a HH Fender Strat player until I played the CE and I switched to the CE immediately. I would consider it the Super Strat of the PRS line. It has the RG/SoCal vibe in a PRS format. I think if you go into that guitar expecting an 80s shredder then its great. Its versatile in tone but it is really great at pristine cleans and a lot of gain. It is a thin flat neck which is either a plus or a negative. If you want a "super strat" then consider one but it is very different from the rest of the PRS line.
The are both such incredible instruments, the PRS (or guitar in general) you buy is the one that inspires you. I’ve owned one of each core PRS at some point in my life, found my one true love with the SC 594 (p90s). But I am really hoping to add another DGT to complement it. The DGT is the one that got away for me.
Literally anything because they are all great for their price ranges. Personally the CE custom 24 is my be all end all the 85/15 pups sing split and sound clear and articulate in humbucking. The trem is smooth and stays in tune and it's looks classy af
I absolutely love my CE24s. One is a 1993 and the other a 2020. I have definitely wanted to try a DGT, but I realized they have a thicker neck. Not sure I could adjust, personally. I just LOVE the necks on the CE24s. They're just perfect to me.
Surprisingly enough, especially since I've been dying for a DGT myself over the years... I feel the CE held up beautifully here. I liked the DGT most for the highest gain sounds, but really enjoyed the CE overall the most. The DGT has a bit more natural bass in the sound and I feel the CE you could eq it a bit more for more all-around tones. Plus, I AM more of a strat/tele guy, so I guess I see where I enjoy the CE tones a little more here. 🤷♂️
Please give to the “Johnny wants more guitars and it’s all Robert’s fault” fund. The Guitar you buy may be my own. See what you’ve made me do Robert. 😂
@@Madchris8828 its going to be the wedding anniversary of my parents in 2 days... i need to raise money so i can buy a new guitar for me so i could play a song to celebrate! 😂
@@dongonzulman6478 Good point. I have only tried out the SE Custom since Standards are not in the shop. Don't want to buy a guitar online without actually trying it out.
I have S2's, a few CE24's and a few core lines. I am with you on the CE24 and agree, the neck is the biggest con for me if any at all. Cheers and rock on!
I fell in love so hard with a custom 24-08 core I immediately started saving for a Paul’s guitar 10 top. High end prs guitars are nothing short of perfect
I’m a Gibson / Fender fan although a friend of mine has three PRS’s, two high end and an SE too.... They really are awesome playing guitars. I was pretty blown away.
Bought a CE24 whale blue a month ago, after finding in the UK via Reverb. Excellent guitar, still love my Strat, but they have made a really good guitar here. Worth saving for.
Hey RB, so... I'm a Fender guy and I've always kind of seen PRS guitars as like step-dad guitars or like a Doctors Harley Davidson. But, the new CE24 intrigued me. It didn't have that super rolly polly carve and it has a bolt on neck with a supposedly decent coil tap. I ended up getting one today. Scarlet Red. Identical to yours. I have to say... I'm blown away by the feel and playability of this guitar. Not to mention, it didn't break the bank either. My first PRS and I love the sounds I'm getting. I can get quacky strat tones and super modern tones on top of that. I think I'm going to swap the bridge out for a brass Mann-made just to warm it up a little. Watching your videos has slowly warmed me up to the idea of trying one. It was pure chance that I ended up with the same color. I love it tho.
Thanks Rob, The DGT does have a different tone to it compared to the CE24, but its not "better" or "worse", its just a different tone. They both sound GREAT. Those DGT's are great guitars for sure, id be plenty happy to own one. I've wanted a Core Faded Whale Blue 24 for YEARS, but knew i could never afford it. After watching pretty much all your videos on your CE after you got it, i had no idea the CE's were that much more affordable AND had the CORE Pickups, that got me VERY excited. Managed to order myself a CE24 SH!!! SUPER Excited. Supposed to arrive in June. I went with a CE24 Semi Hollow in Matteo Blue, so same kind of finish as your DGT Core, LOVE it, very beautiful and very "PRS" looking. I hope it comes in good shape and as good as everyone says they are. The wait till June is killing me. I did manage to get a great deal on a pre-order and saved about $600-700 off the standard retail price, which is fantastic, made it so i could get a hard case for it. I plan on swapping the SE Bridge out of it and putting in a John Mann NOS bridge, at that point, aside from the bolt on, it should be pretty much a Core model at that point. Sorry for the ramble, but yeah, thank you for your videos on your CE, they were very helpful. And i always enjoy your playing too!!!
The answer to this is - YES I haven’t owned a CE but between owning Core, S2, and SE... PRS guitars never disappoint. It’s the only guitar company I’ve been extremely happy with. I may be slight biased but they’re amazing guitars! If you haven’t tried one, give it a shot!
I dig your channel. Anyway, I am fortunate to own an SE Santana single-cut, an SE Custom 24, and a (John Mayer) Silver Sky.. They are all fantastic guitars and different from each other. The SE models are definitely more affordable, and honestly a better "value" based on price, but the quality and sound of the Silver Sky are hard to beat. Never owned a CE or DGT, so I cannot compare.
I have a Wood Library faded whale blue DGT with a Korina neck and Cocobola board. It’s a stunning guitar visually, tonally and the playability is excellent. It just feels so good in the hands. I have a slew of guitars but this one is easily in the top 5 and a keeper. My son will thank me one day! He’s cutting his teeth on a Squire mini right now💪🏼
I have been looking for a reason to get a DGT for a long while now, but seriously I think the most important thing I heard here was that you’re a Key Marcello and Europe fan. They were the first rock concert I went to, and hold a very dear place in my heart. Lovely rendition of the ‘superstitious’ solo, great job!
I hear more fundamental and low mids from the DGT, the guitar sounds bigger and fuller in everyway. The CE has a much clearer, thinner voice with the steel saddles and trem block w bolt on neck. The CEs harmonics seemed to stay "above the string" and we're much more excited in the higher treble. I could see a use for both instruments. Overall I def preferred the DGTs sound but in a band mix the CE may actually be more desirable. I would consider different pickups, wiring (pots and caps) and possibly the Core trem block and tuners on the CE to push it slightly towards the DGT tone though. Both guitars really sound great.
I am a CE player but recently picked up a swamp ash special SE and i absolutely love this guitar. The cleans in my ears are better and my two dirty channels sound great and I could play this guitar all night at our shows. Speaking of CE24, I am waiting for the SE version to arrive at my door next week. I wanted a comparison and I cant find one locally
I have played SEs, CEs, S2s, and one Core. I can honestly say PRS does not make a bad guitar. Different, but not bad. If you add a PRS to your collection, chances are good that it will slowly edge out your other guitars. In the three weeks I've owned a McCarty 594 Thinline, I have sold my Les Paul and Telecaster.
I have a PRS SE Custom 24 that I love and sounds great and also a PRS SE 277 Baritone that is incredibly useful. For my needs, those two guitars work great. That’s not an argument for getting a pricier instrument if that’s what you want.
I think they both sound great, but like you say they both have their own character. The CE definitely has more of that bolt on twang, but the DGT just seems to be a little richer, a bit more depth. For me though, i'd be afraid to play anything as expensive as a DGT or Core for fear for damaging it. Maybe just about be ok spending CE money. Probably be most comfortable buying an SE with upgraded pickups though!
If you have to ask 'which'? The Answer is BOTH. I think its worth going for the Core IF you can and why I own 7 - but the reality is they are ALL fantastic instruments in their Price range. If you can't justify spending more to get an S2 or CE, then the SE's are great...
I just got my second PRS. You can’t go wrong with whichever one you get. So get the one you can afford and that catches your eye! They are two of my favorite guitars and of course I still love my first love which is my Tele!
The tones of the CE24 sound to my ear much like an SG, whereas the DGT has a thicker tone similar to an LP. I'd say that if you want the PRS features matched up to the Gibby tone profile, that's where you have to decide.
Nice comparison video. Even though I'm an archtop player and these aren't my thing, I really like your videos. Clean, the DGT sounds really nice, full and complex compared to the CE, and I don't like too much snap, so DGT wins big imho.
My CE24 is great, changed it from a Standard 24 Satin. I have replaced the tremelo block with an FU Tone brass block. Also, different pick ups on CE24 to the Standard 24 anyway. I just preferred the clearer and brighter sound.
The DGT pickups are very dynamic sounding, there's lots of nuance and depth however the CE sounds amazing also. I found that very evident listening on Sony extra bass earbuds.
DGT for the win. But, I'm bias as I have a Wood Library DGT. The P/Us, neck carve, frets, tone, and precision are just incredible. I know everyone raves about the bridge P/U, but the neck P/U far outshines the bridge (IMHO). And, this is from a Gibson fanboy who owns several Historics. The PRS DGT is in another universe compared to Gibson Custom Shops.
I owned a Core Mira Wide Neck with Ghost Bird inlays. It had individual toggles for coil splitting(I agree with Robert about the best coil splitting tones.) Overall: only 5lbs! Individual toggles for splitting and strat style pickup selection w/two excellent PRS Mira humbuckers provide a ton of tones. Locking tuners and compensated tailpiece provided solid tuning. PRS unknowingly made the worlds best Gibson Les Paul Double Cut & SG, I sold it and they dont make them new or at that price anymore.
I wanted to do a blindfold challenge. I moved to a different tab on my browser, so all I got was what I can hear. Clean, the DGT wins. Distortion, I honestly could not tell a difference.
CE to me is surprising. I didn’t expect that much spank from it, yeah I know it’s a bolt-on neck but I never put much stock into that. That’s what I would pick but in a semi-hollow version.
Here is something I notice on a lot of RU-vidrs channels.... the guys will have a modest day job (or music is their job) , modest house, a modest older car (that's paid for).... but in their music room is literally tens of thousands of dollars of musical gear. How is this possible? Does one of the big box stores have some kick ass payment options that I'm not aware of?
Probably 10-20 yrs of trading gear and simply good jobs with reasonable disposable income... and that’s what they like to spend their leisure money on. All the Dr, lawyer & dentist noise is so boring now. It’s no different to cars or anything else expensive in life. Where this a will there’s a way... 🙂 Plus yes they’re probably good repeat customers of some dealers, getting good discounts and perhaps even interest free on the remaining balances. Shop around, get friendly with multiple dealers and challenge them to match each other on discounts. You’ll soon see (in the US at least) that 15-20% off a top shelf guitar isn’t so rare. But also remember a good guitar is a good guitar whether it cost $$ or $$$$$$ and expensive doesn’t automatically mean it’s good. 👍
I just dropped the deposit on a 2021 SE Zach Myers as I wanted to try a semi-hollow and I get the bonus of trying a PRS as well. Robert - you should see if you can get your hands on one as it has the "wide-fat" neck on it in a satin finish and a 10" radius on the fretboard. It may have that shape and hand feel you like from the DGT. (or at least closer) Other than that - I like the way the ZM does not have as much neck heel poking out like some PRS's. Is 24.75" scale - which is my preference. And it just seems beautifully made for the price. Frets were gorgeous, the veneer has some depth to it, it actually has veneer on the headstock etc. The only things I may do to it are locking tuners (Gotoh do a straight swap) and maybe a Tusq nut. I'll see how I feel about the pickups - some like the 245S, others don't. Will see how it sounds when I try and play what I want through my rig.
I just bought a CE. I prefer guitars that can do older-style country, folk, rock and blues. Clean sounds are essential. Add a compressor and a delay and an ocassional overdrive, and I'm happy. I love the neck. It's a lot like my 2016 Am Prof Telecasters. Great review! The DGT has a nice tone with heavier overdrive sounds.
I own PRS guitars from the SE, S2, CE, and Core series. I think they're all very well built and sound great, but there's just some extra magic in the Core and CE guitars. I personally am of the opinion (please don't flame my opinion) the US pickups are made with superior materials which affect the tone and provide more clarity than their import counterparts. The US tuners also feel better than the imports
Can’t go wrong with any PRS. Have at 91 ce and lovvvveee it. Always get positive compliments about my tone at gigs. There’s a couple clips on RU-vid of it through a H&K triamp at The Norva with my old band AEL.
Whichever you can afford dude .. I’ve recently got the 2019 standard 24 as it’s not stupidly pricey. It was £430 second hand and that was the most I could afford 🤷🏻 I’ve not tried the expensive ones but this standard is very nice to play , well made and sounds great with the coil split etc so it’s all good until I can get a high end one 🤓 thx for your work Mr B 🤘
Agreed, CE is best PRS value of any models, where you get Core quality pickups and a nice top carve, at S2 prices. Had an EG-2 once and PRS bolt-ons are great.