NGD: SE Dave Navarro

[The Ratchet]

Just got this very cool black with gold hardware PRS SE Dave Navarro.



After putting it through the paces, here are my thoughts:

It is quite the heavy-tone shredder!! The neck is on the thinner side, and designed for fast play. With 24 frets it is somewhat comparable to a Custom 24, though it feels smaller overall in my hands slightly (both neck and body) than the Custom 24 (USA version).

The fretboard plays smooth and fast, fretwork and intonation seem very good, overall a very good player.

Hardware wise looks GREAT with all the gold, and stays in tune surprisingly well with the non-locking tuners.

For the price, out of the box, it sounds very good. And it plays quite amazing (as stated above).

Electronics is where it fall a tad short IMO, and I will be upgrading there. My issues with the electronics are minor, and include two very stiff/sticky pots (actually difficult to turn, had to check to see if it was rubbing, but is just the pot style/type I guess), and a somewhat clunky 3-pos switch. I'll likely swap these out for smoother versions.

Tonewise - I think it sounds good for rock and/or heavy metal tones. Crystal clean tones were a bit harder to conjure from it. It's definitely got the great playability with the neck/frets/etc but for me - the pickups are a little tame, and I will be placing some much hotter pickups in there, likely something from Bareknuckle BKP.

The closest guitar I have to compare it to is my ESP M-II (that came stock with Seymour Duncans, not the EMG's). However, brand new, the ESP is like 3 times the $$ of the SE Navarro, and even after I swap the pickups, at least twice as much.

So bang for the buck wise, the SE Navarro is a killer deal in looks and playability. With a few tweaks to customize to taste in the pickups department, I think this is one hard rock / heavy metal monster. When I do the pickup swap, I will post an update and some clips.

Couple extra notes: Even though I keep it in a case, it came with a very nice and sturdy maroon-red SE gig bag. Also regarding the black color, it looks like for 2012 and beyond there are no more black SE Navarro's being produced, only white ones from what I understand. So if you're looking for the black, might want to snag one up.

[sergiodeblanc]

Bangin.

[solacematt]

Was this the flat top version of the beveled top version? My friend ended up getting a flat top from Musicians Friend with a coupon a few months ago and is now looking into getting the beveled top. Maybe the controls were just an issue on the one that you got though? Happens sometimes I would think, though it shouldn't. I'm actually waiting for awhile to play a while beveled top version before pulling the trigger myself.

[The Ratchet]

Was this the flat top version of the beveled top version? My friend ended up getting a flat top from Musicians Friend with a coupon a few months ago and is now looking into getting the beveled top. Maybe the controls were just an issue on the one that you got though? Happens sometimes I would think, though it shouldn't. I'm actually waiting for awhile to play a while beveled top version before pulling the trigger myself.

This is the flat top version. From what I understand, once they went to beveled, it was white-only from then on out. For me, doesn't seem to bother at all one way or the other on this, flat vs. beveled.

On the controls, perhaps. I don't have another Navarro to compare it to at the moment. As it's both pots, it's definitely the pot style/design, or maybe it was just this run of pots. It sort of the complete opposite of any of the USA models I have, whereby those pots spin like pin-wheels. I can breath on the volume and spin it lol. (In fact I remember a post on the ole' BaM'r whereby someone was asking how they can stiffen-up the USA pots).

To me somewhere in-between is optimal. But if given a choice, I'd rather the much freer-moving pots in the 'Core' USA line. Who knows though also - maybe Dave Navarro wanted them this way.

And yes if you can find a coupon online, etc. this guitar really ends up being an unbelievable deal.

[slev]

Nice! Congrats. Love NGD. Gold hardware looks cool against the all black.

[dmatthews]

Nice axe!
I would think the pots might loosen up a tad over time.
Good score.
8-)

[veinbuster]

Nice.