Angelus

[Joseph Hanna]

It's great to have a place to discuss PRS acoustics! I've had my Angelus since November and it's simply the best acoustic I've ever encountered. I'm just getting to the break in point and a couple of things are still slightly unresolved. The latest PRS web site specs list the Angelus and Tonare as now coming with an adjustable truss rod. The signature series still lists the non-adjustable carbon fiber "strength rod".

I've struggled slightly finding the right string gauge but finally settled on mediums. I was slightly concerned with using mediums since of course we're in slightly uncharted waters with this carbon strength rod so I called PRS to get an opinion. They were firmly in the "we don't see why not" camp when asked about using medium strings. That made me a wee bit un-easy as of course I "don't see why not either" but then again I didn't design the guitar. I pressed a bit more (just one more phone call) and finally got what felt like a frustrated form letter from someone at PRS to my dealer that said we here by guarantee that medium strings are ok and if not we will fix the guitar under warranty.

I'm not bitchin' mind you. I love this guitar and it's simply the best I've ever encountered. I'll have it till I move on from this world Still I'd like to be a tad more informed about the do's and don't's of an expensive investment that's charting new territories ie: a carbon-fibre strength rod.

I guess at this point I'd ask a) what strings you guys are using? and b) what do you make of PRS suddenly posting the Angelus and Tonare are now coming with adjustable truss rods??

 

[László]

I have a Tonare with the carbon fiber rod. It's the best acoustic I've ever owned.

My guitar shipped with a "bluegrass" set by D'Addario, medium bottoms, light gauge tops. If the guitar can take the medium gauge bottoms, it can easily and certainly take the higher strings in medium gauge with zero problems.

PRS sells a set made for their instruments in the medium bottoms/light tops configuration now in their store.

As to carbon fiber, I wouldn't worry about it at ALL. First, the waters are most certainly NOT "uncharted;" Modulus has been making carbon fiber necks and neck reinforcement rods for maybe 20 years, and nothing goes wrong with them. So have other manufacturers, most notably for basses which have far heavier gauge strings and much heavier string pull.

I've had carbon fiber reinforced basses with strings as heavy as telephone wires, and they were just fine. It's a much stronger material than just about anything else they could have put in the guitar. If PRS has changed to an adjustable rod on their production run, I'm guessing it's not because the carbon fiber is a problem, but because players might have requested it so they can customize the action on their guitars.

As an FYI, the weak spot on an acoustic isn't the neck, it's the bridge. I would also note that Martin made acoustics without any truss rod at all, right through at least the 70s-80s, and they often came with medium strings, and even heavy gauge was ok on most models.

 

[Bernardini]

i had the luck of try several angelus (carbon fiber) before buy..and the action was very different between them, i choosed the best for me and is the best acoustic i own...but i must say that not have a adjustable truss rod was a issue at first, but, the guitar is straight...and i hope that for many years....

 

[Daniel]

Les is right. You're not going to have a neck issue with heavier strings in normal ranges. Carbon composites are very stiff, rigid materials. Their resistance to flex under load is the main reason they are used in racecar construction. I was told customer requests (to ease setup tweaks) is the reason PRS began offering an adjustable rod in the acoustics but Paul still prefers the carbon strength rod. BTW, you can adjust the action on carbon rod equiped guitars, you just do it at the nut and bridge.

 

[francric]

What are you guys using to clean/polish your acoustics?

 

[László]

What are you guys using to clean/polish your acoustics?

Damp microfiber cloth like these followed up immediately with a clean, dry one:

http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/micro+fiber+speed+shine+cloths+set+of+3.do?sortby=ourPicks

Scratch-free cleaning. Never had scratches that needed to be polished out.