Angelus Options

[BenFrantz]

Hi,
First time poster here but I've been around the other non affiliated forums...
I've been wanting an Angelus for a while and I'm looking to get any feedback on woods used. As a longtime player of old Brazilian/Adirondack Martins I know I love the tone of that combo. I live in the middle of nowhere so test driving anything isn't easy. I know a few Brazilian Angelus guitars are floating around but I have no experience with the top woods used (Euro spruce, etc). I am assuming the combos are selected because they work very well together but as we all know they don't hand these guitars out for free and it's a stretch for me to swing it.
Of course, I'd love to have my own PS Angelus done with Brazilian/Adirondack and malachite inlays, etc. but I hesitate to order something without having logged any time on something similar. Any insights out there?

 

[Joseph Hanna]

I believe this is somewhat non-responsive to the intent of your question Ben, but I'll offer it anyway in hopes it'll help. I think the Angelus may indeed be one of, if not the single most, unique sounding acoustic guitars I've personally ever laid hands on. It is as great a departure from a Martin (or any other maker) than I could possibly put into words. I'm also a non-believer in signature sounds of any particular tonewood. I believe that a grand component of any hi-end guitar is more the design and maker than it is rosewood or various and sundry spruces.

All of those ideas combined and by way of friendly suggestion, I'd be very, very wary of assigning any signature tonewood likes and or dislikes you currently hold in your minds-eye to an Angelus. Even if there was some sonic similarities in tonewoods the uniqueness of the PRS design is likely to take that signature somewhere you've not been before. If I'm reading your post correctly you've not yet played a PRS..... It's one of those guitars you simply must play to "get". I'd simply never suggest entertaining any purchase or design choices with one of these guitars without sitting down with one for several hours first.

 

[BenFrantz]

I believe this is somewhat non-responsive to the intent of your question Ben, but I'll offer it anyway in hopes it'll help. I think the Angelus may indeed be one of, if not the single most, unique sounding acoustic guitars I've personally ever laid hands on. It is as great a departure from a Martin (or any other maker) than I could possibly put into words. I'm also a non-believer in signature sounds of any particular tonewood. I believe that a grand component of any hi-end guitar is more the design and maker than it is rosewood or various and sundry spruces.

All of those ideas combined and by way of friendly suggestion, I'd be very, very wary of assigning any signature tonewood likes and or dislikes you currently hold in your minds-eye to an Angelus. Even if there was some sonic similarities in tonewoods the uniqueness of the PRS design is likely to take that signature somewhere you've not been before. If I'm reading your post correctly you've not yet played a PRS..... It's one of those guitars you simply must play to "get". I'd simply never suggest entertaining any purchase or design choices with one of these guitars without sitting down with one for several hours first.

Hi Joseph, agreed. I know from experience that I prefer rosewood over mahogany and when I a/b indian vs. brazilian vs. madagascar guitars of the same model sometimes I hear a difference and sometimes I don't hear as much of one, they are indeed unique. The best solution is for me to get my butt to Canada but I work a lot and it's 6 hours each way. That being said, the draw of an Angelus is getting stronger and I may have to just get in the car one day. I have had fancy brazilian Martins that just didn't do it at all for me so I know Brazilian back and sides don't necessarily make any guitar become the one I have to have...but it doesn't hurt the odds.