PRS Tone VS the other maor brands...

Nor do I find my all-koa Taylor or my all-koa PRS overly bright.

That's great to hear, I've always thought they would be overly bright as well. It's interesting how wood can be like that. I've heard Mahogany that's brighter than maple before, really through me off.

Having lived in Hawaii for several years, I'm always partial to Koa. One of the reasons I love my Taylor 710ce is that it is the older model with a Koa rosette on it.

The Godin A6 I'm looking at has a Koa Veneer on it. :)
 
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I've had collings, martins and a boutique dudenbostel. I think collings are a good high end guitar without being too unreasonable and used by a lot of good players. I prefer the collings sound to the Taylor's I've heard and when I bought my Martin hj28 many years ago I a/b against taylors in some "Sam Ash" shop in Manhattan.

Tastes in in acoustic change over the years and there is a lot of variation from wood to wood. Some vocalists still swear gibson j45s make the best sounding g guitars for accompanying vocals.


You you also need to consider size, jumbo, om, 000. A 000 might be a great choice for finger style.

Have a a look at a shop like guitargal They have a huge range with many boutique instruments.

Having said all that my dudenbostel is not withou flaws but on the right day it makes me feel spiritual, and I'm a cynical investment banker by trade.
 
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Here's my answer to the OP:

I'm mainly an electric player and obviously PRS is my favorite brand of electric guitars. When I met Paul in Cincinnati and he signed my 25th Anniversary C22 LTD semi-hollow, he brought one of the acoustics with him to demo. He had a good sized audience at GC, and he told 4 randomly chosen guys to go select the best acoustic they had in the store and bring it back to him. This is a Premium Guitar Center so they have lots of higher end instruments normally. They all brought back Gibsons and Martins, which was their first mistake. LOL I'm mainly a Taylor guy for acoustics.

Paul then demo'd his guitar vs. all the others they brought. All were $4K-$6K guitars. Now I know full well you can "cheat" when doing these demos. These higher end guitars are especially sensitive to how hard you pick, pick angle, pick material, how for from the bridge you pick, etc. I watched CLOSELY and was only 10 feet away. Paul didn't cheat. He'd even point out "I'm going to pick both of them right accross the middle of the sound hole." "Now closer to the bridge, now above the sound hole, now harder, now softer, now with dynamics." etc... and he'd really do his best to do exactly the same thing with all the guitars.

The results? The PRS blew the others away, and every single person there agreed. There were some long time die hard Martin guys there that didn't even hesitate to admit it was "significantly" better than the $5 and $6K Martins. Same for the Gibsons.

However, that was 3 years ago. Since then, Bob and Andy Powers specifically, have revoiced the 800 series and now the 600 series, with the others to follow. I played a Taylor 814 CE right after they redid them, and it was the first guitar I've ever heard that might compete with the PRS I heard. A few months ago, heard a new 615 and it was phenomenal as well. I won't say for sure either was as good, but they are in the ball park. I'd still rate the PRS I heard that day is the best I've ever heard. Why the best? Pretty much everything. It had volume AND dynamics. IT was crystal clear when played normally but also when you really hammered it. Open, PURE high end, tight punchy bottom, fat defined mids... just a glorious thing. IMO, nothing that I've ever heard but the new Taylors is even close.
 
Here's my answer to the OP:

I'm mainly an electric player and obviously PRS is my favorite brand of electric guitars. When I met Paul in Cincinnati and he signed my 25th Anniversary C22 LTD semi-hollow, he brought one of the acoustics with him to demo. He had a good sized audience at GC, and he told 4 randomly chosen guys to go select the best acoustic they had in the store and bring it back to him. This is a Premium Guitar Center so they have lots of higher end instruments normally. They all brought back Gibsons and Martins, which was their first mistake. LOL I'm mainly a Taylor guy for acoustics.

Paul then demo'd his guitar vs. all the others they brought. All were $4K-$6K guitars. Now I know full well you can "cheat" when doing these demos. These higher end guitars are especially sensitive to how hard you pick, pick angle, pick material, how for from the bridge you pick, etc. I watched CLOSELY and was only 10 feet away. Paul didn't cheat. He'd even point out "I'm going to pick both of them right accross the middle of the sound hole." "Now closer to the bridge, now above the sound hole, now harder, now softer, now with dynamics." etc... and he'd really do his best to do exactly the same thing with all the guitars.

The results? The PRS blew the others away, and every single person there agreed. There were some long time die hard Martin guys there that didn't even hesitate to admit it was "significantly" better than the $5 and $6K Martins. Same for the Gibsons.

However, that was 3 years ago. Since then, Bob and Andy Powers specifically, have revoiced the 800 series and now the 600 series, with the others to follow. I played a Taylor 814 CE right after they redid them, and it was the first guitar I've ever heard that might compete with the PRS I heard. A few months ago, heard a new 615 and it was phenomenal as well. I won't say for sure either was as good, but they are in the ball park. I'd still rate the PRS I heard that day is the best I've ever heard. Why the best? Pretty much everything. It had volume AND dynamics. IT was crystal clear when played normally but also when you really hammered it. Open, PURE high end, tight punchy bottom, fat defined mids... just a glorious thing. IMO, nothing that I've ever heard but the new Taylors is even close.

It's good to hear the demos in stores, but I'll add that I've lived with PRS USA acoustics now for three years; the first was a Tonare with Cocobolo back and sides and an ebony fretboard; my current one is a maple back and sides PS model with Maple neck and ebony board. Both guitars, Adirondack Spruce. There's really no substitute for living with the thing, recording with it, playing with various ensembles, etc., etc., because you really begin to understand the nuances of the guitar.

I have a lot of respect for the new Taylors, and owned 4-5 of them over the years before the new ones came out.

I had a couple of Collings as well; I like them better than the old or new Taylors.

But we get into tons of subjectivity once we approach guitars at this level, and every player wants something different. My feeling is that it's more a matter of what the player wants to hear, and what the player can relate to, than it is which guitar is somehow "better." They're all good, and all different.

As an example, I greatly prefer the tone of my current PRS acoustic guitar to a Martin. However, a really fine Martin has a unique type of voice, a unique tone. So if that's what the player really, really wants, it's not a bad idea to just buy a Martin!

What turned me off about Taylors wasn't their brightness, etc. There was an undertone on the ones I had - 800 and 900 series Taylors - that is very hard to describe, but was common to all of them. I finally came to the conclusion that it had something to do with the Taylor type of bolt on neck. In any case, it began to bother me.

Interestingly, I didn't find this to be the case with the Collings guitars, that are a different type of bolt-on neck. However, the PRS responds to more subtlety in playing, and I find that I prefer it.

I played higher end Martins for a long time, and though they're a bit old school for some current players, I thought they were actually woodier sounding guitars than my Taylors, and more useful for some things.

Nothing, however, has come close to my PRSes.
 
Sorry guys but it's Larrivee for me.
I got an OM-02 model for roughly £700. It's light, high-quality, tonally amazing, all-wood (USA). Tried some PRS acoustics and while good, nowhere near my Larrivee. Honourable shout to Martin. Taylors are so-so for me (played one great nylon string at one point).
 
Such a subjective topic :D

For instance there is only one Taylor I like (mine, lol!) which is their 710ce Dreadnaught from early 2000-2004. All the other body styles sound way too thin though I love the predictability of Taylor's assembly process. The newer 710's still have the same overall build quality and tone, something seems to have changed in the style and overall experience from my family of 710's.

My favorite finger style was my McPherson Redwood/Rosewood.... hands down the most innovative and tonally perfected experience I've had, but the attack on the Redwood was too quick. I should have bought a Spruce/Rosewood. I have found dollar for dollar the McPherson is the best on the market (keeping in mind I've never played a high end PRS acoustic). I've not enjoyed recordings of PRS' line as much as I'd like to.. except the A10e surprisingly. I'd like to hear a straight rosewood/spruce combo with an ebony fretboard to hear how their tuning and body shape compare. If anyone knows where one exists I'd love to hear it.. It would probably have to be private stock.

I have also enjoyed playing Larrivees, Collings, Alvarez, Taks on stage, etc. I think in the end every company is making a pretty high end delivery and overall appeal is wrapped up in what the user needs and enjoys and what the particular luthier or luthiers were able to accomplish with the particular designs, woods, and attention to detail when it was built. Electronics also play a large part in a live and recorded environment. Then their are the particular strings used, amazing how something that small can determine what I think of a particular guitar.

i've not had the chance to play the new Taylors (now living where they Dance With Wolves in Nodak), glad to hear it's been an improvement.
 
Sorry guys but it's Larrivee for me.
I got an OM-02 model for roughly £700. It's light, high-quality, tonally amazing, all-wood (USA). Tried some PRS acoustics and while good, nowhere near my Larrivee. Honourable shout to Martin. Taylors are so-so for me (played one great nylon string at one point).

I knew there was a reason I liked you, other than the Bread song title for a handle!

My Larrivee D-09 is the best acoustic I've ever played. Granted, we're not talking a sample size of 25 or anything, but still. I don't know if I just lucked into a good one or what. I was convinced I was going to get a Martin D-28 (Michael Hedges fan), and I'd been seeing ads for the Larrivees, and I wanted to try one. So I found a shop around me that had some. My wife and I went out, and I must have gone through about 15 different models - no, don't like this, this is okay, let's try this again. Finally narrowed it down to the Larry and another (may have been another Larry - I don't remember). The other one had electronics, the D-09 didn't. I kept saying, I want a pickup in it, but there's something about the sound. I finally smacked my self in the head (figuratively) and said, "Moron - it's about the tone. Get the one that sounds good. Worry about electronics later." To this day (almost 20 years later), when I pick up that guitar, my wife stops and listens. There's just something about it. (And that's the only guitar she voluntarily stops for. Unless Jack Blades is playing something.)

My PRS acoustics are good - real good. I even did an A/B with my SE Angelus Custom. It's close to the Larrivee. In a mix, it might even be an equal. But as a solo instrument? The Larrivee edges it out. The other PRS acoustics I have are voiced differently, so I wouldn't compare them.

Side story to the Larrivee - the year I bought it, I went to a week-long guitar camp. I took the acoustic track because I wanted to get more into acoustic at that time. I got several compliments on the Larrivee's tone. One of the classes was a writing class, and the woman teaching it was a Martin endorser. She asked about the guitar, and asked why I picked it. Blah blah blah tried a bunch blah blah blah compared and eliminated, finally decided on the Larrivee. "Did you try a Martin?" Well, yeah. When I started, I thought I was going to get a Martin. "So why'd you pick this?" It sounded better. "WHAT??? How can you say that?" Uh, because I listened. It had a more open tone, was better balance, and was just a nicer guitar. "How can you say that? How can you claim it's better than a Martin?" Because it was. I've never seen another endorser ever that upset that someone didn't pick the "right" brand.
 
I knew there was a reason I liked you, other than the Bread song title for a handle!

My Larrivee D-09 is the best acoustic I've ever played. Granted, we're not talking a sample size of 25 or anything, but still. I don't know if I just lucked into a good one or what. I was convinced I was going to get a Martin D-28 (Michael Hedges fan), and I'd been seeing ads for the Larrivees, and I wanted to try one. So I found a shop around me that had some. My wife and I went out, and I must have gone through about 15 different models - no, don't like this, this is okay, let's try this again. Finally narrowed it down to the Larry and another (may have been another Larry - I don't remember). The other one had electronics, the D-09 didn't. I kept saying, I want a pickup in it, but there's something about the sound. I finally smacked my self in the head (figuratively) and said, "Moron - it's about the tone. Get the one that sounds good. Worry about electronics later." To this day (almost 20 years later), when I pick up that guitar, my wife stops and listens. There's just something about it. (And that's the only guitar she voluntarily stops for. Unless Jack Blades is playing something.)

My PRS acoustics are good - real good. I even did an A/B with my SE Angelus Custom. It's close to the Larrivee. In a mix, it might even be an equal. But as a solo instrument? The Larrivee edges it out. The other PRS acoustics I have are voiced differently, so I wouldn't compare them.

Side story to the Larrivee - the year I bought it, I went to a week-long guitar camp. I took the acoustic track because I wanted to get more into acoustic at that time. I got several compliments on the Larrivee's tone. One of the classes was a writing class, and the woman teaching it was a Martin endorser. She asked about the guitar, and asked why I picked it. Blah blah blah tried a bunch blah blah blah compared and eliminated, finally decided on the Larrivee. "Did you try a Martin?" Well, yeah. When I started, I thought I was going to get a Martin. "So why'd you pick this?" It sounded better. "WHAT??? How can you say that?" Uh, because I listened. It had a more open tone, was better balance, and was just a nicer guitar. "How can you say that? How can you claim it's better than a Martin?" Because it was. I've never seen another endorser ever that upset that someone didn't pick the "right" brand.


Exactly how it should be done!

Before my house burned down my favorite acoustic was and older Artwood series Alvarez. It was on consignment at a shop in Honolulu and after I had played every "nice" guitar in the place without finding anything I picked up this Alvarez just to have something in my hands while I was thinking... one strum was all I needed. Like you said "there was something about the sound". I had many compliments for this $300 consignment. I have no idea what it was even made of, I didn't know anything about wood or tonal properties back then. I knew it was solid top, back, and sides, but that was about it.
 
Just listening to that song by Bread - good stuff! Sorry I hadn't heard it before!

Yep... I always get massive compliments from people when they hear it - I'm talking non-musicians and musicians alike. And whenever a guitarist tries it, they are floored with how light and resonant it is!

I owned a Little Martin (the baby sized one) which was admittedly amazing... very small, you could play like an electric on it - very satisfying, but I wanted a more proper size model so sold that and like you, tried lots of acoustics.
Taylors always felt a bit like they had high action to me and the sound was quite bright. Martins are probably my number 2 fave acoustic brand - they're all built pretty well play like butter if you get the right one and the tone is very nice - definitely "boxier" which really suits fingerstyle but not strummed chords quite as much. Tried a whole bunch of other brands, some really high end ones that I didn't like. Many had too high an action, didn't sound fabulous or felt sticky and rigid. Then a guy in a shop said "why don't you try this Larrivee" - I'd never heard of them before.... it was a dreadnought model. All I can say is that after the first strum I was like "WOW". I don't know if you agree or not but the B string sounds quite hot, a bit like a 12-string might sound. Maybe that sounds silly but it really gave it an edge! The sound is very balanced - I haven't played it live but I hear they need next to no setting up, and it's a perfect mix of the Martin & Taylor sounds, adding its own sparkle. Then I saw this video:


Wow... At the time I didn't want the electric version so I went to some stores and tried this baby out (I don't think they make that model any more, unless I'm mistaken). The OM body shape is great and when I tried it versus a Martin in the shop, the Larrivee won hands down. It was also very loud - it projects very, very well. Sometimes I think about selling as I don't play too much acoustic, and then when I play it again it's like "no way, this is one of the best acoustics I'll ever play". Now I'm looking to fit a pickup. Baggs Lyric sounds the best from what I've heard on YouTube but you have to place so much stuff inside the guitar and it might feed back. M80 looks a good bet - harder to feed back though not as natural sound as from the Lyric and I don't know if I'm keen on having something across the soundhole. Still, battery life is 5x that of the Lyric and there's a battery meter.

I did try one Taylor nylon string acoustic that cost a lot of money and boy was that amazing, I have to admit.

Oh and I was mistaken. The Larrivee I got was made in Canada (before they opened the California factory). All-wood and a Martin-beater for £700 because the name isn't so well known - unbelievable value.
 
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What electrics for your acoustic did you get in the end, by the way?

Listen to the unplugged (second half of the video) Larrivee above - sounds better than the piezo amplified version. That's why I'd love something like the Lyric. No battery monitor though.
 
Just listening to that song by Bread - good stuff! Sorry I hadn't heard it before!

Yep... I always get massive compliments from people when they hear it - I'm talking non-musicians and musicians alike. And whenever a guitarist tries it, they are floored with how light and resonant it is!

I owned a Little Martin (the baby sized one) which was admittedly amazing... very small, you could play like an electric on it - very satisfying, but I wanted a more proper size model so sold that and like you, tried lots of acoustics.
Taylors always felt a bit like they had high action to me and the sound was quite bright. Martins are probably my number 2 fave acoustic brand - they're all built pretty well play like butter if you get the right one and the tone is very nice - definitely "boxier" which really suits fingerstyle but not strummed chords quite as much. Tried a whole bunch of other brands, some really high end ones that I didn't like. Many had too high an action, didn't sound fabulous or felt sticky and rigid. Then a guy in a shop said "why don't you try this Larrivee" - I'd never heard of them before.... it was a dreadnought model. All I can say is that after the first strum I was like "WOW". I don't know if you agree or not but the B string sounds quite hot, a bit like a 12-string might sound. Maybe that sounds silly but it really gave it an edge! The sound is very balanced - I haven't played it live but I hear they need next to no setting up, and it's a perfect mix of the Martin & Taylor sounds, adding its own sparkle. Then I saw this video:


Wow... At the time I didn't want the electric version so I went to some stores and tried this baby out (I don't think they make that model any more, unless I'm mistaken). The OM body shape is great and when I tried it versus a Martin in the shop, the Larrivee won hands down. It was also very loud - it projects very, very well. Sometimes I think about selling as I don't play too much acoustic, and then when I play it again it's like "no way, this is one of the best acoustics I'll ever play". Now I'm looking to fit a pickup. Baggs Lyric sounds the best from what I've heard on YouTube but you have to place so much stuff inside the guitar and it might feed back. M80 looks a good bet - harder to feed back though not as natural sound as from the Lyric and I don't know if I'm keen on having something across the soundhole. Still, battery life is 5x that of the Lyric and there's a battery meter.

I did try one Taylor nylon string acoustic that cost a lot of money and boy was that amazing, I have to admit.

Oh and I was mistaken. The Larrivee I got was made in Canada (before they opened the California factory). All-wood and a Martin-beater for £700 because the name isn't so well known - unbelievable value.

This doesn't compare to an LSV-11 which is bettered by my TG.
 
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This doesn't compare to an LSV-11 which is bettered by my TG.

Have you got clips (yours or others) of the TG (and LSV-11 while you're at it)? Would love to see/hear.
I think the LSV-11 isn't satin? I don't like sticky guitars unfortunately.
EDIT - had a listen on YouTube - sounds pretty good but for £4k considering my Larrivee was £700 + hardcase.. Also listened to the LSV-11 which sounds great. Hard to judge if not playing them yourself.
 
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My wife (who knows virtually nothing about guitars) bought me a new acoustic for our 25th anniversary. I have no idea how or why she selected this model (probably price), but she got me one of the Martin X models. These are the ones made of HPL, stratabond and richlite, with only the top being good ole wood.

I was surprised by how much i liked it. Everyone i've let play it is surprised when i tell them afterwards. So i forgive her for not getting the SE Lifeson. :p
 
I dunno, guys, I had two top-line Larrivee acoustics, and while they were superb guitars, and I like them more than the Taylors I had, they wouldn't stand comparison to either of my USA PRS acoustics in any way. The difference in tone, projection, volume and complexity/detail is so night and day that I'm going to figure that you must be referring to SE models.

Nor did the Larrivees really compete with the Collings guitars I had at around the same time. Even the Collings were cannons in comparison to the Larrivees, and I think the PRS USA acoustics are more amazing sounding than even the Collings. That's saying a lot, since Collings guitars are pretty damn cool.

I haven't lived with a PRS SE acoustic, so I'd have to reserve judgment on that comparison. But if you're comparing USA Larrivees to USA PRSes, which is the only fair comparison, there really is no contest.

In all honesty, to post a preference for a Larrivee and a PRS acoustic here, I think it'd be important to specify what exactly you're comparing.

I'm one hundred percent sure that anyone listening to a US PRS acoustic vs a Larrivee would be mighty blown away with the PRS, even if personal preference led one to the Larrivee for other reasons.
 
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I dunno, guys, I had two top-line Larrivee acoustics, and while they were superb guitars, and I like them more than the Taylors I had, they wouldn't stand comparison to either of my USA PRS acoustics in any way. The difference in tone, projection, volume and complexity/detail is so night and day that I'm going to figure that you must be referring to SE models.

Nor did the Larrivees really compete with the Collings guitars I had at around the same time. Even the Collings were cannons in comparison to the Larrivees, and I think the PRS USA acoustics are more amazing sounding than even the Collings. That's saying a lot, since Collings guitars are pretty damn cool.

I haven't lived with a PRS SE acoustic, so I'd have to reserve judgment on that comparison. But if you're comparing USA Larrivees to USA PRSes, which is the only fair comparison, there really is no contest.

In all honesty, to post a preference for a Larrivee and a PRS acoustic here, I think it'd be important to specify what exactly you're comparing.

I'm one hundred percent sure that anyone listening to a US PRS acoustic vs a Larrivee would be mighty blown away with the PRS, even if personal preference led one to the Larrivee for other reasons.


Good point. I'm curious if you've ever played a McPherson?

I have yet to personally play a PRS Maryland made acoustic but most of the demos I hear have made the models I have listened to seem somewhat too forward, almost too precise compared to what I am normally looking for. Either the wood combo or something else. It is a similar difference to why I prefer a 710ce Taylor to the 810. All amazing instruments though, and I don't play any of them well enough to be worthy of the craftsmanship at this level.

I'm hoping PRS brings a Spruce / Rosewood combo to the SE or a new S2 range, my favorite PRS (at least in the videos I've watched) seem to be the Martin Simpson Private Stock.

~C
 
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I'm talking about a Canadian Larrivee vs. SEs. And I've said before, the SE Angelus Custom is fairly close, but they're all different sizes and styles, so a straight-up comparison isn't fair. I do have an acoustic track played on the Larrivee and the PRS SE Angelus Custom on my soundcloud page.

I've never really played a US PRS acoustic - I don't have Les's money (or ears, or experience, or charm, or looks, or...)! I've heard them played by players much better than me, so that hardly makes for a fair comparison.
 
I'm talking about a Canadian Larrivee vs. SEs. And I've said before, the SE Angelus Custom is fairly close, but they're all different sizes and styles, so a straight-up comparison isn't fair. I do have an acoustic track played on the Larrivee and the PRS SE Angelus Custom on my soundcloud page.

I've never really played a US PRS acoustic - I don't have Les's money (or ears, or experience, or charm, or looks, or...)! I've heard them played by players much better than me, so that hardly makes for a fair comparison.

Hah! I haven't had money since I got a studio! It's a black hole for dollars! I'll take the compliment on the charm and looks though! ;)
 
Good posts!
To be honest I haven't tried a USA PRS acoustic but the SEs I tried have been big, heavy and dripped in syrup. What I like about Larrivee are the satin models that are so light and resonant. There's a chime to them like there's a bit of 12-string in there and although I've not gigged one, I hear they need next to no tweaking regarding EQ etc. 'd like to try a USA PRS acoustic but can't see it happening any time soon (I'm in Scotland).
 
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