Wow. That was beautiful. And this is the first time I’ve heard of the PRS Angelus. I’m glad I had the opportunity to hear it. Thank you. The tones and overtones were -exquisite is the only word that comes to mind. You brought all of that out in your demonstration, Chris. Nicely done.
Have a high end Taylor. Great guitar. Have a high end Furch. Great guitar. Having said that, also have a PRS Angelus SE. ALSO a great guitar at its price point. All I have observed is that electric players tend to run to anything new while acoustic players have to be dragged to anything new.
Some PRS Acoustic guitars have an attraction: my Granddaughter liked the birds. I purchased an SE-P20E in powder blue, all mahogany. Very sturdy for a beginner guitar, and great sound. She plays viola, so this worked well. This sounds great, especially with the Brazilian Rosewood. Where's Cooper? Thanks Chris.
PRS confused everybody with their custom shop acoustic guitars, not too many people know the difference between private stock and SE models. Private stock acoustics are basically boutique guitars. Prices are definitely in that range too. I can confirm that private stock PRS can compete with Santa Cruz and Bourgeois.
Hi Chris, I suspect that they repeated Fender’s mistake and filled the dealers’ racks with budget models. Here in the UK I have seen only the budget range sold as Angelus SE and they are not stand out instruments. I have never seen one of those high end PRS acoustics. Custom Martins and Taylors - no problem. At the very least PRS needed to get some out there so buyers could hear them - and have a different name to distinguish them from the budget range. For believers whose worship includes the Angelus there might have some offence too, using it as a marketing name.
Thank you, Chris. Wow! This guitar sounds amazing. The luthiers at PRS are discerning musicians and devoted to the craft. ( I can understand the price after watching Driftwood Guitars' travel from Florida to New York to pick up a Brazilian rosewood bedroom set, that the seller was happy to know would be converted into instruments for beautiful music.) Is the CITES paperwork (registration) included, or would that need to be done? 😍
I think if they had a mid-high range guitar to compete with Martin or Gibson they might sell. Real narrow market when the product is many multiple thousands of dollars.
When PRS started to make electric guitars, he did it at a time when all the big guitar manufacturers were going through all sorts of problems. Both Gibson and Fender were struggling to build good quality products without flaws, despite the fact that most of those guitars were easy to produce (especially the Fenders). I’m not even sure what Gretsch and Guild were doing at the time and Rickenbackers weren’t everybody’s cup of tea and (at least in Europe) hard to get. So Paul Reed Smith stepped in, a small American guitar builder who decided to build a high quality product that was the perfect mix between everything that made the old Fenders so good and everything that made the old Gibsons so good. It wasn’t just the perfect mix, his instruments were high quality pieces and he even took it a step further, he made them stand out, using gorgeous pieces of wood, brilliant finishes, some very clever ideas (without reinventing the wheel) and his guitars WERE flawless. Plus, he had a great endorser in Carlos Santana. So imagine, late seventies, if you wanted to have a good quality guitar your options were limited. You could find yourself a great Gibson or Fender on the 2nd hand market (prices were already going up for the good stuff), you could go to a luthier and hope for the best, or you could buy a PRS. Everything fell into place for PRS. He did get some competition from the Japanese market and from brands that started to produce EVH inspired guitars. But not everybody was a (hair)metal fan and people wanted a good quality all American made product. Compare this to the time when he introduced his range of acoustic guitars. You can get really great acoustic guitars in every price range. I’ve played cheap Guild guitars, Yamahas, Eastmans and many more and some of them are crazy good. Gibson, Martin and Taylor aren’t making bad guitars (although there are people who think they can’t do anything good, but I don’t take them too seriously in all honesty). You can basically get anything you could possibly wish for in almost any price range. There’s not a huge gap to jump into. At its best there might be a niche market somewhere for PRS in the modern day era of acoustic guitars.
Thanks for introducing me to this PRS acoustic. Great sensitive playing as always, Chris. Many of us have dream guitars, and many of those are Taylor, Martin, and Guild … just because. It would be fun to try this in the same room with the classics. Might be a winner.
Beautiful guitar, good discussion, and beautiful demo. I’d have a hard time spending that much on any guitar anymore, but the tonewoods are used to great effect on that instrument! I’ve seen/heard guitars that were priced a lot higher that didn’t sound that good, IMHO.
My first thought was it’s the same as Taylor electrics and then you said the same thing. The first electric guitar I ever bought was a Taylor SolidBody and I continue to love that guitar.
Sounds lovely. Are people put off by the slightly mini jumbo outline? Which is maybe a less elegant mid sized body shape than a grand auditorium or grand performance.
i was about to order a PRS SE acoustic several times,but that "electric"headstock turned me of each time,it dosen't look like a real acoustic in my opinion,matter of taste of course....the one in the video is awesome :)
Considering one could by a Guild D55 and have enough left over for a American Tele and an amp for the price of this PRS. I know what I would rather have.
I have the PRS SE parlor with mahogany top. It sounds great and has a more normal scale length compared to the GS mini. I will say my dealer (in MD) ordered a bunch of these and I had to go through 3 to find one that didn’t have buzzing from the pickup. So I’m not impressed with their imported product quality control. I’m exclusively an acoustic player but I might get an electric one day and it will probably be a PRS - he started his career in the repair/modification department at my local store so they are arguably the flagship PRS dealer.
I had a PRS Parlor SE for a couple of years and it was OK but for same price range, I prefer Taylor GS mini and Martin Streetmaster Jr. No doubt the Angelus models are beautiful but for that price, I would go for a Martin as I prefer the feel of their necks. I do have 2 PRS electrics and I love.
So many people talk about how good Cort acoustic guitars are. Especially the Golden Passion. Is like to find out what you think about it. I have $1200 to spend on a new guitar and so many people suggest me a Cort Gold rather than a low end Taylor or Martin for that budget
I have a PRS Angulus a60e which costs around 900. I bought it after I purchased a gibson hummingbird (payed around 3300) which I wanted for yeard, but then I didn't feel safe gigging with. I have to say if I would have played the PRS first I wouldn't have bought the Gibson. if the hummingbirds is a 10 the PRS is a solid 9 and for the price you buy 3. The PRS come with a very nice case.
To me it's pretty simple... if it's a "High-End" guitar it must be made in the U.S., Canada, or Europe. The Private Stock was too high, China made stuff was crap, not much offered in-between.
Although a nice design, I personally would not pay $8k for this when I could get a Bedell with papered (Not USA only) Brazilian Rosewood for around $6k. The tone I’ve heard on those is amazing. I have an Angelus A40 SE which for its price is a good playing & sounding guitar.
That's interesting, however I played one (Angelus) a few years ago, Wow,a Very Sweet Sounding acoustic,& I'm a Martin & Yamaha player,& I know about 'high end' acoustics 😮😊😊
I tried one in a shop, it was pretty unimpressive, it was on par with the slightly cheaper Corts and Epiphones that I also tried, just what you'd expect from an Asian made budget guitar, very meh.
IMHO the the reason the Angelus may not have been a hit was not the guitar, it was the advertising. I never heard Bryan Ewald play an Angelus acoustic (he may have, but I never heard it; and I listen to a TON of guitar videos). It felt like PRS was saying, "you know we have some of the best Electric Guitars available, and, by the way, we also have these really nice and expensive acoustic guitars. Really..., we do."
Just wondering, you know John Mayer worked a lot with Martin on their innovative, cutaway acoustic guitar. I'm wondering if Paul from PRS didn't get information somehow and then watched it. That's a lot of money for not such a great guitar.😢
it all comes down to marketing and unsponsored artist who are using it as their daily driver. Only heard of PRS bc of Carlos Santana. He wasn't playing acoustic, so it's lost in the sauce.
People still think the dollar today is the same dollar as 40 years ago A house that was 200 grand 20 years ago, now costs 1 million. Inflation is killing the middle class. Ask your government to stop printing money like wallpaper
It's expensive, but I have no doubt it'll be worth it for the prs customer who wants a top of the line acoustic. Those guitars sell very well from other brands 🤷🏼♂️
PRS Problem with their acoustic offering is in their mascot - Paul himself. You have a company like PRS where Paul is all over the internet, touting tonewoods, how PRS methodology and business is better than everyone else. That already puts some guitar players off. Then they introduce acoustics with (mostly) laminated back and sides that are between $700-$900? With confusing names and numbering? You have the Yamaha FG800, Seagull S6, Taylor GS. What PRS is offering is not related to their rhetoric. If they launched an overseas but all solid in the $1000-$1400 I think they would have been more successful.
Yes, I can't take much of Paul Reed Smith, he's he's too full of himself. He annoyed me when he was doing a presentation with the great acoustic Player, Tony McManus, who had a high end PRS signature guitar made for him. In the presentation he grabbed an SE budget model and made Tony play it, of course, Tony, who has played some of the best boutique guitars in the world, had to pretend it was a good guitar, but it was just an awkward and cringey sales attempt, with Reed Smith spruiking how good it was, which I thought was disrespectful of a Player of McManus status..
Wow. That was beautiful. And this is the first time I’ve heard of the PRS Angelus. I’m glad I had the opportunity to hear it. Thank you. The tones and overtones were -exquisite is the only word that comes to mind. You brought all of that out in your demonstration, Chris. Nicely done.
Have a high end Taylor. Great guitar. Have a high end Furch. Great guitar. Having said that, also have a PRS Angelus SE. ALSO a great guitar at its price point. All I have observed is that electric players tend to run to anything new while acoustic players have to be dragged to anything new.
Some PRS Acoustic guitars have an attraction: my Granddaughter liked the birds. I purchased an SE-P20E in powder blue, all mahogany. Very sturdy for a beginner guitar, and great sound. She plays viola, so this worked well. This sounds great, especially with the Brazilian Rosewood. Where's Cooper? Thanks Chris.
PRS confused everybody with their custom shop acoustic guitars, not too many people know the difference between private stock and SE models. Private stock acoustics are basically boutique guitars. Prices are definitely in that range too. I can confirm that private stock PRS can compete with Santa Cruz and Bourgeois.
Great video! I have two made in Maryland, Angelus guitars. They are wonderful instruments. One of mine is a Private Stock Brazilian, as well.
From the demo it sounds as beautiful as any similar high end guitar!
There is only so much room in the premium market for any product.
Went to see the mountain goats a couple of months back and the frontman played a prs se acoustic. Sounded and looked great 🙂
Hi Chris,
I suspect that they repeated Fender’s mistake and filled the dealers’ racks with budget models. Here in the UK I have seen only the budget range sold as Angelus SE and they are not stand out instruments. I have never seen one of those high end PRS acoustics. Custom Martins and Taylors - no problem. At the very least PRS needed to get some out there so buyers could hear them - and have a different name to distinguish them from the budget range. For believers whose worship includes the Angelus there might have some offence too, using it as a marketing name.
I think you are correct. Well said.
Thank you, Chris. Wow! This guitar sounds amazing. The luthiers at PRS are discerning musicians and devoted to the craft. ( I can understand the price after watching Driftwood Guitars' travel from Florida to New York to pick up a Brazilian rosewood bedroom set, that the seller was happy to know would be converted into instruments for beautiful music.) Is the CITES paperwork (registration) included, or would that need to be done? 😍
I think if they had a mid-high range guitar to compete with Martin or Gibson they might sell. Real narrow market when the product is many multiple thousands of dollars.
Wonderful playing
Loved that arrangement!
When PRS started to make electric guitars, he did it at a time when all the big guitar manufacturers were going through all sorts of problems. Both Gibson and Fender were struggling to build good quality products without flaws, despite the fact that most of those guitars were easy to produce (especially the Fenders). I’m not even sure what Gretsch and Guild were doing at the time and Rickenbackers weren’t everybody’s cup of tea and (at least in Europe) hard to get. So Paul Reed Smith stepped in, a small American guitar builder who decided to build a high quality product that was the perfect mix between everything that made the old Fenders so good and everything that made the old Gibsons so good. It wasn’t just the perfect mix, his instruments were high quality pieces and he even took it a step further, he made them stand out, using gorgeous pieces of wood, brilliant finishes, some very clever ideas (without reinventing the wheel) and his guitars WERE flawless. Plus, he had a great endorser in Carlos Santana.
So imagine, late seventies, if you wanted to have a good quality guitar your options were limited. You could find yourself a great Gibson or Fender on the 2nd hand market (prices were already going up for the good stuff), you could go to a luthier and hope for the best, or you could buy a PRS.
Everything fell into place for PRS. He did get some competition from the Japanese market and from brands that started to produce EVH inspired guitars. But not everybody was a (hair)metal fan and people wanted a good quality all American made product.
Compare this to the time when he introduced his range of acoustic guitars. You can get really great acoustic guitars in every price range. I’ve played cheap Guild guitars, Yamahas, Eastmans and many more and some of them are crazy good. Gibson, Martin and Taylor aren’t making bad guitars (although there are people who think they can’t do anything good, but I don’t take them too seriously in all honesty). You can basically get anything you could possibly wish for in almost any price range. There’s not a huge gap to jump into. At its best there might be a niche market somewhere for PRS in the modern day era of acoustic guitars.
Thanks for introducing me to this PRS acoustic. Great sensitive playing as always, Chris. Many of us have dream guitars, and many of those are Taylor, Martin, and Guild … just because. It would be fun to try this in the same room with the classics. Might be a winner.
Beautiful guitar, good discussion, and beautiful demo. I’d have a hard time spending that much on any guitar anymore, but the tonewoods are used to great effect on that instrument! I’ve seen/heard guitars that were priced a lot higher that didn’t sound that good, IMHO.
My first thought was it’s the same as Taylor electrics and then you said the same thing. The first electric guitar I ever bought was a Taylor SolidBody and I continue to love that guitar.
Sounds lovely. Are people put off by the slightly mini jumbo outline? Which is maybe a less elegant mid sized body shape than a grand auditorium or grand performance.
Please do bring some HEX guitar.. Like D350g, else GA series..
i was about to order a PRS SE acoustic several times,but that "electric"headstock turned me of each time,it dosen't look like a real acoustic in my opinion,matter of taste of course....the one in the video is awesome :)
Considering one could by a Guild D55 and have enough left over for a American Tele and an amp for the price of this PRS. I know what I would rather have.
Brilliant performance on that guitar Chris! It felt like that music came from your heart, well done man! Guitar is cool though too)
I have a 25th anni Tonare Grand with "The Tree" and it sounds incredible.😘
It does sound good, I'll admit. But geez, $8k? For that kind of money, I'm not getting PRS. I'm getting Collings, Santa Cruz, Boucher, Lowden...
But not with BRZ. Please don't forget that.
I have the PRS SE parlor with mahogany top. It sounds great and has a more normal scale length compared to the GS mini. I will say my dealer (in MD) ordered a bunch of these and I had to go through 3 to find one that didn’t have buzzing from the pickup. So I’m not impressed with their imported product quality control. I’m exclusively an acoustic player but I might get an electric one day and it will probably be a PRS - he started his career in the repair/modification department at my local store so they are arguably the flagship PRS dealer.
Thanks for sharing that brought out the best in you lovely sound
I had a PRS Parlor SE for a couple of years and it was OK but for same price range, I prefer Taylor GS mini and Martin Streetmaster Jr. No doubt the Angelus models are beautiful but for that price, I would go for a Martin as I prefer the feel of their necks. I do have 2 PRS electrics and I love.
Great demo. I enjoyed your playing. It does have a wonderful sound
So many people talk about how good Cort acoustic guitars are. Especially the Golden Passion. Is like to find out what you think about it. I have $1200 to spend on a new guitar and so many people suggest me a Cort Gold rather than a low end Taylor or Martin for that budget
I have a PRS Angulus a60e which costs around 900. I bought it after I purchased a gibson hummingbird (payed around 3300) which I wanted for yeard, but then I didn't feel safe gigging with.
I have to say if I would have played the PRS first I wouldn't have bought the Gibson. if the hummingbirds is a 10 the PRS is a solid 9 and for the price you buy 3. The PRS come with a very nice case.
Nice job, Chris
They definitely have a unique look lol the same problem as every other PRS
Amazing tone
To me it's pretty simple... if it's a "High-End" guitar it must be made in the U.S., Canada, or Europe. The Private Stock was too high, China made stuff was crap, not much offered in-between.
Although a nice design, I personally would not pay $8k for this when I could get a Bedell with papered (Not USA only) Brazilian Rosewood for around $6k. The tone I’ve heard on those is amazing. I have an Angelus A40 SE which for its price is a good playing & sounding guitar.
My issue with the Angelus line is the necks are super thick and fat. Very different feel for most people.
I have only heard bad things about the cheaper prs acoustics.
That's interesting, however I played one (Angelus) a few years ago, Wow,a Very Sweet Sounding acoustic,& I'm a Martin & Yamaha player,& I know about 'high end' acoustics 😮😊😊
I tried one in a shop, it was pretty unimpressive, it was on par with the slightly cheaper Corts and Epiphones that I also tried, just what you'd expect from an Asian made budget guitar, very meh.
IMHO the the reason the Angelus may not have been a hit was not the guitar, it was the advertising. I never heard Bryan Ewald play an Angelus acoustic (he may have, but I never heard it; and I listen to a TON of guitar videos). It felt like PRS was saying, "you know we have some of the best Electric Guitars available, and, by the way, we also have these really nice and expensive acoustic guitars. Really..., we do."
My bad. I searched for Bryan Ewald playing PRS acoustics. I found several. So, I guess I have no clue why they haven't taken off.
Just wondering, you know John Mayer worked a lot with Martin on their innovative, cutaway acoustic guitar. I'm wondering if Paul from PRS didn't get information somehow and then watched it. That's a lot of money for not such a great guitar.😢
Sounds pretty good....but never really liked anything from PRS.
it all comes down to marketing and unsponsored artist who are using it as their daily driver. Only heard of PRS bc of Carlos Santana. He wasn't playing acoustic, so it's lost in the sauce.
Didn't Martin Simpson have a PRS signature acoustic?
@@doglover31418 don't know who that is.
Shamless money grab. $8k for this is insane.
That's what boutique guitars cost today. 20 grand for top grade acoustic guitar is the price.
People still think the dollar today is the same dollar as 40 years ago
A house that was 200 grand 20 years ago, now costs 1 million. Inflation is killing the middle class. Ask your government to stop printing money like wallpaper
It's expensive, but I have no doubt it'll be worth it for the prs customer who wants a top of the line acoustic. Those guitars sell very well from other brands 🤷🏼♂️
Good thing there is no sham.
brazilian rosewood is scarce
Who wants to risk $5000+ on something new when there are many proven $5000+ guitars with pedigree?
PRS Problem with their acoustic offering is in their mascot - Paul himself. You have a company like PRS where Paul is all over the internet, touting tonewoods, how PRS methodology and business is better than everyone else. That already puts some guitar players off. Then they introduce acoustics with (mostly) laminated back and sides that are between $700-$900? With confusing names and numbering? You have the Yamaha FG800, Seagull S6, Taylor GS. What PRS is offering is not related to their rhetoric. If they launched an overseas but all solid in the $1000-$1400 I think they would have been more successful.
Yes, I can't take much of Paul Reed Smith, he's he's too full of himself.
He annoyed me when he was doing a presentation with the great acoustic Player, Tony McManus, who had a high end PRS signature guitar made for him.
In the presentation he grabbed an SE budget model and made Tony play it, of course, Tony, who has played some of the best boutique guitars in the world, had to pretend it was a good guitar, but it was just an awkward and cringey sales attempt, with Reed Smith spruiking how good it was, which I thought was disrespectful of a Player of McManus status..