Some Advice Please - Thanks in Advance

[Jimmy3]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the PRS Forum.

Hope you all are enjoying a fantastic weekend.

I've been playing guitar for 2 years now (at age 48) and am looking to purchase my first acoustic. I love performers like Tom Keifer/Cinderella, other hard rockers' unplugged stuff as well as Keith Urban. I'm looking to purchase something in the July time-frame in the range of $500 - $800 and stumbled on many outstanding reviews of PRS instruments. As I'm 5' 7", the Alex Lifeson thin-line model in the link below caught my eye. Was wondering if you'd recommend that vs the AE10. Looks like the Standard and Custom are discontinued???

While my playing is advancing, at this time, I'm just playing at home (hopefully my progress continues and who knows, maybe one day out with friends).

Any input and recommendations on the Lifeson versus the other instruments given my questions and likes would be most appreciated.
http://www.prsguitars.com/sealexlifeson/
Thanks in advance.

Jimmy

 

[Whitecat]

http://prsguitars.com/forum/showthr...Lifeson-amp-AE10E-acoustic-guitar-review-demo

Reasonable tone demos and opinions within...

 

[alantig]

The A10 is a sweet guitar and a major bargain at the price.

But if you can swing one now, Guitar Maverick just posted an SE Standard Angelus in another thread: http://www.guitarmaverick.com/prs-se-angelus-standard/

The PRS SE acoustics are killer guitars.

 

[Jimmy3]

The A10 is a sweet guitar and a major bargain at the price.

But if you can swing one now, Guitar Maverick just posted an SE Standard Angelus in another thread: http://www.guitarmaverick.com/prs-se-angelus-standard/

The PRS SE acoustics are killer guitars.

Thanks for the input. Is the SE Standard Angelus still available or has it been discontinued???

Thank you in advance for the response.

Jimmy

 

[László]

Thanks for the input. Is the SE Standard Angelus still available or has it been discontinued???

Thank you in advance for the response.

Jimmy

It's still in the lineup on the product page, so it's still available.

 

[Jimmy3]

It's still in the lineup on the product page, so it's still available.

So given the availability of the Standard and soon to be Lifeson, assuming I could find a Custom, what do folks here recommend between the 3 of these models (if the price isn't a consideration) . . . again, I love music from Tom Keifer/Cinderella and harder/rock/hair acoustic stuff . .. playing at home for now (maybe out down the road . . . I hope : )

Thanks again!

Jimmy

 

[Boogie]

Availability is a tricky topic and I recommend you contact one of the authorized dealers like Guitar Maverick. I hear the 2015 models are about to be released and real/immediate availability of certain models, like the Angelus Standard, are tight. The one posted in the above link is one of two that were left in the factory as of a week ago. Since I got the other one, I'd hazard a guess that if you want that model at the current pricing, you should make your move. I love mine!

As for which model, I chose based upon tone, pricing and availability. I needed it now, which left two choices...the A10E and the Standard. The A10E has a slight price advantage but the Standard's electronics have many more features. Tonally, I chose the Standard because of the variety of uses I have planned (live in full band, live in duet/trio, recording). It's a little more multifaceted, for a lack of a better term. But then, no. The all mahogany A10E sounds great and I'm a sucker for all 'hog guitars, but this time I went with the traditional setup. Heck, it was a really tough decision to make, and in the future, I might just pick up an A10E, too.

 

[vchizzle]

I think the Angelus Standard is your best bet. The mahogany back/sides deliver a nice punchy midrange and solid low end. The spruce top will give you a little more detail, shimmer and cut if you were in a mix than say, the A10E. If you were primarily playing plugged in/live situation, I might recommend the Lifeson. I don't think many people have played them yet as they're not really out in the market as much yet. Custom might be better if you were doing more fingerpicking stuff, although it's also a nice rock strummer as well. I think the Standard is where it's at though for what you're looking for. It'll have the nicest punch and be loud and proud when you hit those big open chords on the choruses IMO.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Hey, buddy! Welcome aboard.

 

[Jimmy3]

I think the Angelus Standard is your best bet. The mahogany back/sides deliver a nice punchy midrange and solid low end. The spruce top will give you a little more detail, shimmer and cut if you were in a mix than say, the A10E. If you were primarily playing plugged in/live situation, I might recommend the Lifeson. I don't think many people have played them yet as they're not really out in the market as much yet. Custom might be better if you were doing more fingerpicking stuff, although it's also a nice rock strummer as well. I think the Standard is where it's at though for what you're looking for. It'll have the nicest punch and be loud and proud when you hit those big open chords on the choruses IMO.

Thank you so much for the advice . . . really appreciated. With the Keifer/Cinderella stuff I like, it sounds like that's (Standard) definitely the way to go.

Jimmy

 

[László]

Thank you so much for the advice . . . really appreciated. With the Keifer/Cinderella stuff I like, it sounds like that's (Standard) definitely the way to go.

Jimmy

Jimmy, in all honesty the stuff you like would sound fine played on lots of different acoustic guitars. Tom Keifer plays a Gibson round shouldered J-45, a "Southern Jumbo" that's a very traditional and typical Dreadnought acoustic, with a mahogany body and a spruce top. I won't say it's a generic sounding guitar, as they're very nice, but it's not a "specialist" guitar by any means.

You're never going to be stuck with one particular set of tone woods or body style with that kind of music in a million years. It's just not going to matter. Personal choice should prevail and be just fine.

The PRS acoustics are actually "Small Jumbos" in shape, more like Gibson J-200s and J-185s. But any of them would do the job you're looking to do. One thing to note is that the PRS SE acoustics have a slightly narrower nut width, that may make them a little easier to play and strum unless you do a lot of finger style. But we are talking a very tiny difference in any event.

The more expensive USA PRS acoustics have a wider nut width that's 1 3/4". If you do a lot of finger style that may be a good choice. But a lot more dough. I have a PS version, and find the 1 3/4" nut width at the edge of my comfort zone in terms of width because I'm mostly a picker and strummer. I mention this because even after 47 years of playing, there are certain things I'm used to, and certain things I need to work on!