SE Alex Lifeson Thinline Acoustic!

This looks awesome!

However, one question:

The back and sides will be made of Dao wood - how will the construction differ from the way PRS uses mahogany or rosewood? The SE Angelus Custom specs say it has a "solid rosewood" back, whereas the regular SE Angelus has a "mahogany" back - no mention of solid. The Lifeson SE does not mention solid back either.

Just wondering whether the use of ply is a factor either way...
 
This looks awesome!

However, one question:

The back and sides will be made of Dao wood - how will the construction differ from the way PRS uses mahogany or rosewood? The SE Angelus Custom specs say it has a "solid rosewood" back, whereas the regular SE Angelus has a "mahogany" back - no mention of solid. The Lifeson SE does not mention solid back either.

Just wondering whether the use of ply is a factor either way...

It depends on the construction. My daughter has a taylor gs mini which is a ply back and sides and a 7/8 size to boot. That guitar just sings like nothing I have heard before. It really is amazing what is possible. Generally speaking if the word solid is not there it is ply in most cases.

That said, ply is stronger and doesn't have humidity issues.
 
I have an SE Angelus Std, but the shallow body is so tempting - Dao looks great.

Does this say SE Angelus on the headstock? Also, no built-in tuner?

Oh I really like the dark binding. Only thing that's a bit too in your face for me about the Angelus.
 
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No built-in tuner because the tone and volume controls are in the sound hole. I have an acoustic with that configuration, and I prefer the controls mounted on the upper bout, like the regular SE Angelus. So that's a little disappointing. Maybe they can't fit the standard battery compartment/controls/tuner assembly into the bout because of the thinner body.

I dunno, I may skip this for now and just get an SE Angelus Custom... (EDIT: yes, I will have to find some remaining stock from last year, or a used copy)

EDIT: I checked the Core Lifeson guitar specs, and it also has soundhole volume and tone controls. So at least they are consistent there...
 
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I watched the video again and there is a brief shot of the controls in the sound hole. I'd want see it close up, but it's not a deal breaker for me.

I wonder what the UK release date is? Curious to know how long I have decide what bugs me more: White binding on the SE Angelus or no tuner on the SE Alex Lifeson.
 
OK, so where's the battery compartment? I can't see it in any of the pics/videos so far. Is it buried in the sound hole?
 
I watched the video again and there is a brief shot of the controls in the sound hole. I'd want see it close up, but it's not a deal breaker for me.

I wonder what the UK release date is? Curious to know how long I have decide what bugs me more: White binding on the SE Angelus or no tuner on the SE Alex Lifeson.


Ignore the UK release date and find someone in the USA who will ship it to you. Over here they are going to be sold for £889.00 (or just over $1300). It's a total rip off. The US price is the equivilent of £537.00. Even with international shipping and customs fees, you will still get it for around £150-£200 cheaper.
 
OK, so where's the battery compartment? I can't see it in any of the pics/videos so far. Is it buried in the sound hole?

Yeah good point. Surely they wouldn't put it somewhere as inaccessible as the sound hole? It's bad enough when your pick falls in there.

Ignore the UK release date and find someone in the USA who will ship it to you. Over here they are going to be sold for £889.00 (or just over $1300). It's a total rip off. The US price is the equivilent of £537.00. Even with international shipping and customs fees, you will still get it for around £150-£200 cheaper.

£889? Pfft, they can forget that. I don't dislike white binding that much.
 
several of the soundhole pickups that I have seen the battery gets velcro'd to the neck brace. Battery life is 100-200 hours of play time so it's not like you are in there all that often.
 
several of the soundhole pickups that I have seen the battery gets velcro'd to the neck brace. Battery life is 100-200 hours of play time so it's not like you are in there all that often.
I'm not really au fait with acoustic electronics.... Does this mean the strings need to come off to check the battery? I only occasionally plug my SE Angelus in, but I still pop the battery out to check that's it's still in good condition. That would be a pain on this new one it seems?
 
I'm not really au fait with acoustic electronics.... Does this mean the strings need to come off to check the battery? I only occasionally plug my SE Angelus in, but I still pop the battery out to check that's it's still in good condition. That would be a pain on this new one it seems?

Usually you can loosen off the strings enough to squeeze your hand in there, depending on the size of your hand and where it is located, of course. Since this won't have locking tuners you should actually have a bit more string play to loosen than if it did have locking tuners...

You don't need to check the battery - it will let you know when it isn't happy right away - either the volume fades or you start to get a nice fuzzy distortion sound. Surprised the regular SE Angelus doesn't have a batt test pushbutton and LED, though - all the other battery-compartment piezo-powered pickup acoustics I have seen have that...

EDIT: I do see a batt check LED on the SE Angelus. So you shouldn't need to take out the battery to test it...
 
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This looks like an amazing acoustic for something out of the SE stable! I own and religiously play a Private Stock Angelus and - based on what I saw and heard in the YouTube video - would seriously consider this guitar as my next acoustic.

Wonder what retail will be here in SA..
 
I played this today in my local guitar shop. I thought it had a lovely sound and build quality was excellent.
Is a guitar I would want but not at the current price here in the UK.

The thing is, it is in my opinion no better built than my 2012 SE Angelus Standard (the original one without electronics) which I just love, in fact the bird inlays on my SE look less plastic than those on the Lifeson, and that cost me £340 with hard case new not long after they came out because there was not a big uptake over here at the £500 mark they were originally pitched at.

£800 is crazy money in my opinion and I think UK dealers will struggle to sell these at that price. I am going to hold off till the inevitable price drop.
 
theres also now a review on guitarists magazine youtube channel, doesn't do it for me either
 
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