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.
I have a 2014 Core Angelus Artist package, and it’s one of the best acoustics I have ever played and heard, and I’m lucky to have it. Mine is truly one of the last Core level guitars they made, before they went to Private Stock only, prior to SE’s coming to market. I always thought it was a bummer that they stopped making them at the core level, because I would’ve bought another one if they had stayed there. They’re that great of a guitar. At the end of the day, people vote with their wallet about whether something is a hit or not, and at the Core level, it just wasn’t enough of one long term, which is a shame. Remember though, that these guitars were not born at PRS. Steve Fisher out in Utah, is the brainchild behind these guitars, because Paul hired him to start the acoustic division, just like he hired Doug Sewell to start the amplifier division.
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.
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.
@Nyguyfh Yes,while I don't own 1 ( I play & own a Martin & a yamaha FG 830 & the LJX6, when I played the PRS Angenus I was Very Impressed, it had outstanding overtones,very bell-like
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.
A very interesting video and it does look like an amazing guitar. That said, out of curiosity, I checked your website for the price. $7,999.99. While that may be a reasonable price for a Brazilian rosewood guitar, there simply aren't a lot of people who can spend that kind of money on a guitar.
that guitar sounded really good. I enjoy playing my PRS SE P20E parlor guitar. it's very resonant and not heavy/over-braced. nice gig bag -- they even included a spare bridge pin and saddle. I've seen complaints about the tone but it works for me. I have a mom&pop near me that stocks a lot of prs guitars (they have an angelus on display right now).
I just took delivery of an Angelus SE this week- worth the 5 month wait on back order for sure. Tone, detailing, finish are all excellent and yep it has plenty of volume as an acoustic with a great fishman pickup for amped play. Price included a hard shell case bundled so a great deal and a beautiful instrument for a 'budget'. So - nothing negative to say- VERY happy with my new and first ever PRS.
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 like your reviews, on all guitars. Lately the Yamahas have catching my attention. I have had an FG 180 and an FG 150. You've got a dream dream job, playing dream guitars. Best wishes to you.
I have one of the earliest PRS Angelus, with Adirondack top and cocobolo b/s. It has a label inside signed by Steve Fisher who I understand was the luthier hired by Paul Reed Smith to start their acoustic line. It sounds as good as any high end luthier built acoustic I own or have played.
The Private Stock Acoustics are still available . After playing Taylors for 20 years I now have 3 Private Stock PRS acoustics, 2 Angelus and a Tonare Grand, they are absolutely amazing .(Cocobolo, Flamed Mahogany and Pernambuco bodies) They produce toones the Taylors can't replicate. While expensive ($10k+) , in high end acoustics they are fairly priced . The Steve Fisher's have the carbon beam instead of a truss rod and are great for switching open tunings without issue.
I have a 2020 PRS SE AX20E Angelus which is my favorite of all guitars I have with mahogany back and sides and a spruce top. It sounds and plays great and very comfortable as well. PRS QC is outstanding but the neck on this guitar and the sound is why I like it so much. When I was looking for a acoustic guitar I drove for miles to try different ones and as so as this one was in my hand I knew it was the one for me. I would say to anyone just try it.
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.
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.
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? 😍
Lovely playing. I have a fairly humble Angelus SE A55 (model no longer produced) with laminated quilted maple back and sides, that to my mind looks great. It sounds fairly good too, especially plugged in. The action is ok, it plays ok and it stays in tune but it doesn’t match my two Faith acoustics or my Taylor 214ce DLX on playability, both brands’ models having slimmer necks. In summary, it is at least average in nearly all respects but the biggest let down is the gloss neck, which one of these days, I am going to attempt to de-gloss (when I am feeling brave).
Great sounding guitar, I thought I heard Angels singing 😉! Seriously though, I played a private stock Angelus a couple years ago, and I thought it was one of the best acoustic guitars I have ever played. It was pricey and I didn't buy it, but it left quite an impression on me. I hope PRS does continue with the line!
I like them...They have some of the best electric guitar finishes on the market ---however I just can't get down with the bird inlays man.... digging the headstocks though!
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.
I own a P20e. I had to replace the saddle, recut the nut, fret level 6 frets, replace the pick guard ( scratchy noisy sound) tuners are cheap won’t hold tune. Gig bag is nice.
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.
A year ago, I purchased the PRS SE60E, a beautiful blue body, for a little over $1,000. However, it didn't sound pleasing to my ear when I played it, so I sent it to a professional guitar tuner. After 24 hours, the sound was still not satisfying. After 3 months, I bought a $400-ish Yamaha APX600. OMG, it sounds fantastic, and playing YAMAHA is more friendly, comfy, and joyful than PRS. This is a true story.
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.
There are a tremendous number of boutique high end luthiers of which Alamo and PRS have never seen or heard. Many acoustic players spending thousands for an instrument will prefer to be identified as supporting such a boutique builder. This is a variable which PRS may have neglected when going down this road. Perception counts.
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 :)
My experience has been that you might find only one or two at GC, and in typical GC fashion they’ve been beat up, and have dead strings. That makes it really hard to tell if it’s a guitar worth purchasing.
That sounds very lush indeed. Had hopes for a minute that it was close rin price to my made in China PRS P20 parlour, but no, definitely nowhere near... ha
I think part of the problem is price levels compared to others. Take the PRS SE line. They have have essentially three models. Parlor, angelus, tonare. Parlor is $500 ish unless on sale, then $800 and above. Wonderful guitars and I love them but I bought a Alvarez Grand Auditorium in Mahogany for $500 because it was just as good but $300 less with LR Baggs system. Taylor, Martin, Alvarez and Yamaha have expanded their lines to have a guitar in almost every $100 increments whereas PRS SE does not. if PRS would offer a Angelus cutaway and Tonare in $500 range that would be a big incentive for people to buy knowing PRS quality control is outstanding but they have yet. Maybe due to all acoustics are made in China and not in Indonesia by Cort. I could be wrong but I think that is the biggest reason PRS acoustics are not more popular. Just look at PRS SE electrics, they have them at $499, $599, $699, $799 etc and they sell. All quality guitars at different price points.
I’m a HUGE PRS fan. I’ve owned over 50 PRS electrics, and still own 6, including a Private Stock. I can tell you EXACTLY why PRS hasn’t become a contender in the acoustic market. They sell SE and Private Stock, but they don’t offer a core model acoustic. If PRS offered their versions of a dreadnought and a triple 0, at a price somewhat comparable to Martin’s Standard series, they’d do well.
PRS absolutely did have Core level Angelus and Tonare models, for about 5 years. I own one of the last core Angelus guitars. When the Core models stopped, it was Private Stock only until they started the SE models.
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'm not really getting your comparison, Keestof. I have a 90's 914C and the Angelus' outline is every bit as beautiful. And as beautiful as the 914 is, and it really is a stunning guitar, the Angelus is nicer looking. Ever since I got the Angelus, the 914 has gotten very little play time.
@@keestoft250 That's my thought, Keestoft. I'll have to put them both out at the same time to really see how they differ. But, I've thought it to be about the same size as a GA. It is a wonderful guitar and I'm glad I was fortunate enough to get not only one, but two of them.
It reminded me of a Lowden the way you tuned and played it. But if I wanted that sound and vibe I'd buy a top end Lowden because it owns that scene. PRS should 'Taylor' their guitar to occupy a space not well covered by other brands. Can't deny it's a good looking quality product, but guitar playing / ownership is an 'emotional deal' that goes beyond quality and aesthetic.
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 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.
It’s a tough cookie to crack into. Most people want a Martin or Gibson for top shelf. Now if you are a professional player or really deep into it you’ll have a luthier make you a guitar.
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'd check out Alvarez. They have a few very nice solid wood options in the $800-$1500 range. If you're not opposed to buying used, you can find some great Alvarez Yairi (Japanese built) guitars. Good luck! ✌️
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."
Most people want an acoustic made by the big acoustic names. If they want a high end guitar sound without the acoustic history, they would go with a an Eastman
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.
Great video Chris! You know the market and how conservative it is. It hates new product even if built in the USA!!! Come on people!! Stop being so reactionary and support your own quality builders.
PRS and Fender's losses are the consumers' gain if they can just open their minds and give something not named Martin, Taylor, Gibson, Guild, Takamine, Alvarez, Ovation, or Yamaha a try. PRS and Fender sound good and are priced to sell at least on the lower end.
Anytime I see a PRS, I must think of Paul how he talks about his guitars. I have no problem about a person talking proudly about what he or she is doing. However his style is for my taste too much. It seems to me that in his view he is the only person understanding how a guitar, amp and nowadays pedals as well are built. Not my cup of tea.
If they kept it simple like Furch and Alvarez approaches acoustic guitars, I think PRS can really dominate. At $8k, there are just so many options out there.
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.
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.
Reminds me of another company 'Yamaha' and everyone wonders why there guitars dont hold a lick of value lol. Maybe because their a jack of all trades a Master of none!!
The market will respond to $3 to $12 hundred dollars. If they can make a great sounding guitar under $3 hun lower end, to mid 5 to 7 hun, and high end $9 to $12 hun they wont have a shop big enough to keep up with inventory!! People cant pay there bills let alone spend enough on a used guitar that you can nearly buy a used car with. A little commonsense go along ways if only these companies would listen!!
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.
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..
i was thinking seriously purchase about PRS acoustic about year a go, shape is kinda wierd unbalanced for me eye , also i think that ,,USA only" think is extremly ,,Dick" of ,,Yall"
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.
I have a 2014 Core Angelus Artist package, and it’s one of the best acoustics I have ever played and heard, and I’m lucky to have it. Mine is truly one of the last Core level guitars they made, before they went to Private Stock only, prior to SE’s coming to market. I always thought it was a bummer that they stopped making them at the core level, because I would’ve bought another one if they had stayed there. They’re that great of a guitar. At the end of the day, people vote with their wallet about whether something is a hit or not, and at the Core level, it just wasn’t enough of one long term, which is a shame. Remember though, that these guitars were not born at PRS. Steve Fisher out in Utah, is the brainchild behind these guitars, because Paul hired him to start the acoustic division, just like he hired Doug Sewell to start the amplifier division.
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.
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.
@Nyguyfh Yes,while I don't own 1 ( I play & own a Martin & a yamaha FG 830 & the LJX6, when I played the PRS Angenus I was Very Impressed, it had outstanding overtones,very bell-like
Great video! I have two made in Maryland, Angelus guitars. They are wonderful instruments. One of mine is a Private Stock Brazilian, as well.
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.
A very interesting video and it does look like an amazing guitar. That said, out of curiosity, I checked your website for the price. $7,999.99. While that may be a reasonable price for a Brazilian rosewood guitar, there simply aren't a lot of people who can spend that kind of money on a guitar.
that guitar sounded really good. I enjoy playing my PRS SE P20E parlor guitar. it's very resonant and not heavy/over-braced. nice gig bag -- they even included a spare bridge pin and saddle. I've seen complaints about the tone but it works for me. I have a mom&pop near me that stocks a lot of prs guitars (they have an angelus on display right now).
I just took delivery of an Angelus SE this week- worth the 5 month wait on back order for sure. Tone, detailing, finish are all excellent and yep it has plenty of volume as an acoustic with a great fishman pickup for amped play. Price included a hard shell case bundled so a great deal and a beautiful instrument for a 'budget'. So - nothing negative to say- VERY happy with my new and first ever PRS.
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.
I disagree about the SE series. I own 2 of those and the maple A50E is such a great value and sounds wonderful. Very reverberant and rich sound.
There is only so much room in the premium market for any product.
Just picked up an A60E and all I can say is wow compared to my g series Takamine. I'm in love with it after 1 day of owning it
I like your reviews, on all guitars. Lately the Yamahas have catching my attention. I have had an FG 180 and an FG 150. You've got a dream dream job, playing dream guitars. Best wishes to you.
Went to see the mountain goats a couple of months back and the frontman played a prs se acoustic. Sounded and looked great 🙂
I have one of the earliest PRS Angelus, with Adirondack top and cocobolo b/s. It has a label inside signed by Steve Fisher who I understand was the luthier hired by Paul Reed Smith to start their acoustic line. It sounds as good as any high end luthier built acoustic I own or have played.
The Private Stock Acoustics are still available . After playing Taylors for 20 years I now have 3 Private Stock PRS acoustics, 2 Angelus and a Tonare Grand, they are absolutely amazing .(Cocobolo, Flamed Mahogany and Pernambuco bodies) They produce toones the Taylors can't replicate. While expensive ($10k+) , in high end acoustics they are fairly priced . The Steve Fisher's have the carbon beam instead of a truss rod and are great for switching open tunings without issue.
I have a 2020 PRS SE AX20E Angelus which is my favorite of all guitars I have with mahogany back and sides and a spruce top. It sounds and plays great and very comfortable as well. PRS QC is outstanding but the neck on this guitar and the sound is why I like it so much. When I was looking for a acoustic guitar I drove for miles to try different ones and as so as this one was in my hand I knew it was the one for me. I would say to anyone just try it.
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.
From the demo it sounds as beautiful as any similar high end guitar!
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.
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? 😍
Lovely playing. I have a fairly humble Angelus SE A55 (model no longer produced) with laminated quilted maple back and sides, that to my mind looks great. It sounds fairly good too, especially plugged in. The action is ok, it plays ok and it stays in tune but it doesn’t match my two Faith acoustics or my Taylor 214ce DLX on playability, both brands’ models having slimmer necks. In summary, it is at least average in nearly all respects but the biggest let down is the gloss neck, which one of these days, I am going to attempt to de-gloss (when I am feeling brave).
Wonderful playing
Loved that arrangement!
Great sounding guitar, I thought I heard Angels singing 😉! Seriously though, I played a private stock Angelus a couple years ago, and I thought it was one of the best acoustic guitars I have ever played. It was pricey and I didn't buy it, but it left quite an impression on me. I hope PRS does continue with the line!
Beautiful demo! A wonderful instrument. Thank you, Chris!
I love my Tonare SE. It’s a high quality build and has the sound quality of a Martin and Taylor.
I like them...They have some of the best electric guitar finishes on the market ---however I just can't get down with the bird inlays man.... digging the headstocks though!
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.
Sweet sounding. It has the look as well. Thanks for the lesson.
Loved your playing, man. Thanks.
Beautiful guitar. It is always a joy to hear you play!
I own a P20e. I had to replace the saddle, recut the nut, fret level 6 frets, replace the pick guard ( scratchy noisy sound) tuners are cheap won’t hold tune. Gig bag is nice.
Sounds beautiful! Well done. 👍
Great demo. I enjoyed your playing. It does have a wonderful sound
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.
Brilliant performance on that guitar Chris! It felt like that music came from your heart, well done man! Guitar is cool though too)
Amazing tone
Nice job, Chris
Please do bring some HEX guitar.. Like D350g, else GA series..
A year ago, I purchased the PRS SE60E, a beautiful blue body, for a little over $1,000. However, it didn't sound pleasing to my ear when I played it, so I sent it to a professional guitar tuner. After 24 hours, the sound was still not satisfying. After 3 months, I bought a $400-ish Yamaha APX600. OMG, it sounds fantastic, and playing YAMAHA is more friendly, comfy, and joyful than PRS. This is a true story.
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.
Beautiful sound, great playing. What song is tht in the demo???
There are a tremendous number of boutique high end luthiers of which Alamo and PRS have never seen or heard. Many acoustic players spending thousands for an instrument will prefer to be identified as supporting such a boutique builder. This is a variable which PRS may have neglected when going down this road. Perception counts.
Interesting. Apart from their parlour range I didn't know they even made acoustic guitars. 🧐
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 :)
My experience has been that you might find only one or two at GC, and in typical GC fashion they’ve been beat up, and have dead strings. That makes it really hard to tell if it’s a guitar worth purchasing.
Thanks for sharing that brought out the best in you lovely sound
That sounds very lush indeed. Had hopes for a minute that it was close rin price to my made in China PRS P20 parlour, but no, definitely nowhere near... ha
I think part of the problem is price levels compared to others. Take the PRS SE line. They have have essentially three models. Parlor, angelus, tonare. Parlor is $500 ish unless on sale, then $800 and above. Wonderful guitars and I love them but I bought a Alvarez Grand Auditorium in Mahogany for $500 because it was just as good but $300 less with LR Baggs system. Taylor, Martin, Alvarez and Yamaha have expanded their lines to have a guitar in almost every $100 increments whereas PRS SE does not. if PRS would offer a Angelus cutaway and Tonare in $500 range that would be a big incentive for people to buy knowing PRS quality control is outstanding but they have yet. Maybe due to all acoustics are made in China and not in Indonesia by Cort. I could be wrong but I think that is the biggest reason PRS acoustics are not more popular. Just look at PRS SE electrics, they have them at $499, $599, $699, $799 etc and they sell. All quality guitars at different price points.
I’m a HUGE PRS fan. I’ve owned over 50 PRS electrics, and still own 6, including a Private Stock. I can tell you EXACTLY why PRS hasn’t become a contender in the acoustic market. They sell SE and Private Stock, but they don’t offer a core model acoustic. If PRS offered their versions of a dreadnought and a triple 0, at a price somewhat comparable to Martin’s Standard series, they’d do well.
PRS absolutely did have Core level Angelus and Tonare models, for about 5 years. I own one of the last core Angelus guitars. When the Core models stopped, it was Private Stock only until they started the SE models.
Great Guitar! Beautiful playing!
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'm not really getting your comparison, Keestof. I have a 90's 914C and the Angelus' outline is every bit as beautiful. And as beautiful as the 914 is, and it really is a stunning guitar, the Angelus is nicer looking.
Ever since I got the Angelus, the 914 has gotten very little play time.
@@rosewoodsteel6656fair enough, maybe it's the effect of watching TH-cam on a small screen. It's close in shape to the Taylor GA then?
@@keestoft250 That's my thought, Keestoft. I'll have to put them both out at the same time to really see how they differ. But, I've thought it to be about the same size as a GA. It is a wonderful guitar and I'm glad I was fortunate enough to get not only one, but two of them.
That guitar has a beautiful sound, in all ranges.
It reminded me of a Lowden the way you tuned and played it. But if I wanted that sound and vibe I'd buy a top end Lowden because it owns that scene. PRS should 'Taylor' their guitar to occupy a space not well covered by other brands. Can't deny it's a good looking quality product, but guitar playing / ownership is an 'emotional deal' that goes beyond quality and aesthetic.
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.
lol that's what I'm thinking. It's $8k used.
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.
Go on reverb and see the difference in price between their American made and their SE Asian made. That will answer the question pretty quick.
It’s a tough cookie to crack into. Most people want a Martin or Gibson for top shelf. Now if you are a professional player or really deep into it you’ll have a luthier make you a guitar.
I guess if they used some kind of flame top or pretty colour s at a affordable price they could find a niche market
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'd check out Alvarez. They have a few very nice solid wood options in the $800-$1500 range. If you're not opposed to buying used, you can find some great Alvarez Yairi (Japanese built) guitars. Good luck! ✌️
Beautiful instrument.
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.
Holy shit that thing sounds magical!
Most people want an acoustic made by the big acoustic names. If they want a high end guitar sound without the acoustic history, they would go with a an Eastman
The PRS acoustic I purchased sounds okay when plugged into an amp, but the sound is dead unplugged.
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 guess is the Bedell, if it was decked out like the PRS, would cost way more than the $6999 the basic model is selling for.
Had a PRS Angelus. Neck was too chunky, as you called it. It had beautiful tone, but I moved on.
Great video Chris! You know the market and how conservative it is. It hates new product even if built in the USA!!! Come on people!! Stop being so reactionary and support your own quality builders.
PRS and Fender's losses are the consumers' gain if they can just open their minds and give something not named Martin, Taylor, Gibson, Guild, Takamine, Alvarez, Ovation, or Yamaha a try. PRS and Fender sound good and are priced to sell at least on the lower end.
With an 8k budget I’d go boutique definitely not a mainstream brand
I just hate that most SE acoustics do not come with a satin neck.
Anytime I see a PRS, I must think of Paul how he talks about his guitars. I have no problem about a person talking proudly about what he or she is doing. However his style is for my taste too much. It seems to me that in his view he is the only person understanding how a guitar, amp and nowadays pedals as well are built. Not my cup of tea.
If they kept it simple like Furch and Alvarez approaches acoustic guitars, I think PRS can really dominate. At $8k, there are just so many options out there.
It's great to be a part of what's going on today, isn't it? We have so many choices and there are so many great guitar makers out there.
My issue with the Angelus line is the necks are super thick and fat. Very different feel for most people.
This is a top quality guitar.
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...
Yup
What did the customer went for in exchange to this guitar? Just curious…
The headstock looks awful on the SE models. They should have the same type headstock as the Private Stock, those are gorgeous.
They definitely have a unique look lol the same problem as every other PRS
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.
Il problema delle PRS di fascia alta è solo uno: il prezzo; con 20000 € ci stanno 4 Taylor di fascia alta
Im NEVER paying that much money for a guitar! Its just too much! May be justifiable, but not to me!
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.
Reminds me of another company 'Yamaha' and everyone wonders why there guitars dont hold a lick of value lol. Maybe because their a jack of all trades a Master of none!!
Could get a Boucher for similar money. So, no.
The market will respond to $3 to $12 hundred dollars. If they can make a great sounding guitar under $3 hun lower end, to mid 5 to 7 hun, and high end $9 to $12 hun they wont have a shop big enough to keep up with inventory!! People cant pay there bills let alone spend enough on a used guitar that you can nearly buy a used car with. A little commonsense go along ways if only these companies would listen!!
Good players make anything sound good. I’m sure I can make that thing sound like it’s not worth a hundred bucks.
I’d have one if they were $2-3k
Sounds pretty good....but never really liked anything from PRS.
Who wants to risk $5000+ on something new when there are many proven $5000+ guitars with pedigree?
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.
@@doglover31418 yes
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..
Just too much cheddar for what you get, IMHO
Price gouging is now backfiring people are getting out of the hobby in general
i was thinking seriously purchase about PRS acoustic about year a go, shape is kinda wierd unbalanced for me eye , also i think that ,,USA only" think is extremly ,,Dick" of ,,Yall"
Cutaways on acoustics don’t do it for me.
I'll tell you why these failed. They're just way too expensive !!!!!!!!
Martin Simpson plays a PRS acoustic. That tells you immediately how good they are...
Tony McManus too
Visually PRS acoustics aren’t doing anything unique or interesting, and sonically they don’t deliver for the price.