SE alex lifeson thinline OR SE A30e rosewood ?

[ali]

hi . im from iran . and we cant find this models in iran . and i must order from other country and recive by post. and then i dont know how is the voice ? the action ? does it sound good ? if anybody has any experience , help me please . and which model is better ???? thanx

 

[PeterK]

I personally liked the A30e better than the Alex Lifeson. A bit deeper sounding with more overtones. Both play really well

 

[Boogie]

I personally liked the A30e better than the Alex Lifeson. A bit deeper sounding with more overtones. Both play really well

Totally agree. However, the playability (action and fret work) will be similar since they both felt fantastic to me. The A30e projected more than the Lifeson, too.

 

[bodia]

I have to side with both previous posts. However, I went with the Lifeson because I'm a huge Rush fan, and I was looking for a "smaller" acoustic. Both were very well made and sounded great though. You can't go wrong with either one.

 

[spoyzer]

I recently added an A30 to my stable of guitars, (Taylor 522 12 fret and Cordoba C7) as I need the unique tonal qualities of rosewood back and sides. So far I'm very pleased with its playability and construction with the exception of plastic bridge pins which have come loose several times and flown.

(I do prefer ebony, boxwood or tusk bridge pins, however I have not found the correct diameter pins for the A30 (not offered on PRS site) and have tried a couple of different brands which were too large in diameter. Something to be said for component standardization.)

That said, I find the A30 a great guitar for the price point!

 

[ali]

I recently added an A30 to my stable of guitars, (Taylor 522 12 fret and Cordoba C7) as I need the unique tonal qualities of rosewood back and sides. So far I'm very pleased with its playability and construction with the exception of plastic bridge pins which have come loose several times and flown.

(I do prefer ebony, boxwood or tusk bridge pins, however I have not found the correct diameter pins for the A30 (not offered on PRS site) and have tried a couple of different brands which were too large in diameter. Something to be said for component standardization.)

That said, I find the A30 a great guitar for the price point!

thnx for you comment . sir im confused a little . there is some big brands like MARTIN AND TAYLOR , this guitar will satisfie me ? if i buy a martin or taylor , even in more price wouldnt be better ? you know it so difficult to buy somethin from other coutry when you are in iran ...

 

[ali]

I personally liked the A30e better than the Alex Lifeson. A bit deeper sounding with more overtones. Both play really well

excuse me . i ask you thi question too ...
im confused a little . there is some big brands like MARTIN AND TAYLOR , this guitar will satisfie me ? if i buy a martin or taylor , even in more price wouldnt be better ? you know when you are in iran ... it so difficult to buy somethin from other coutry. beacuse of this i need help > thnx

 

[ali]

I have to side with both previous posts. However, I went with the Lifeson because I'm a huge Rush fan, and I was looking for a "smaller" acoustic. Both were very well made and sounded great though. You can't go wrong with either one.

excuse me . i ask you this question too ...
im confused a little . there is some big brands like MARTIN AND TAYLOR , this guitar will satisfie me ? if i buy a martin or taylor , even in more price wouldnt be better ? you know when you are in iran ... it so difficult to buy somethin from other coutry. beacuse of this i need help ,
for example MARTIN DRS1 or TAYLOR 214CE or MArtin GPCPA5 . i dont know what should i do ? > thnx

 

[spoyzer]

thnx for you comment . sir im confused a little . there is some big brands like MARTIN AND TAYLOR , this guitar will satisfie me ? if i buy a martin or taylor , even in more price wouldnt be better ? you know it so difficult to buy somethin from other coutry when you are in iran ...

The thing to remember is that each guitar has different qualities and tones offered by construction, woods and bracing. Over the years I have enjoyed high end guitars from Gibson, Taylor, Alvarez Yairi and lesser priced guitars from Yamaha, Godin, Seagull, however my preferences in guitars has little to do with price and more with quality of construction, woods and tone. As you noted it is difficult to assess when buying mail order, but my best advice is to read the reviews of others, buy from a well known and reputable vendor and make sure that you can return the product for a refund or exchange if it does not meet your expectations. Best of luck!

 

[bodia]

excuse me . i ask you this question too ...
im confused a little . there is some big brands like MARTIN AND TAYLOR , this guitar will satisfie me ? if i buy a martin or taylor , even in more price wouldnt be better ? you know when you are in iran ... it so difficult to buy somethin from other coutry. beacuse of this i need help ,
for example MARTIN DRS1 or TAYLOR 214CE or MArtin GPCPA5 . i dont know what should i do ? > thnx

Sorry dude, I can't really answer your question. The Lifeson is a great guitar. I'd say worth more than what t is priced at. I have no experience with the Martin, or Taylor that you mention. Both are quality brands though. Good luck in your quest.

 

[Duffy]

I recently added an A30 to my stable of guitars, (Taylor 522 12 fret and Cordoba C7) as I need the unique tonal qualities of rosewood back and sides. So far I'm very pleased with its playability and construction with the exception of plastic bridge pins which have come loose several times and flown.

(I do prefer ebony, boxwood or tusk bridge pins, however I have not found the correct diameter pins for the A30 (not offered on PRS site) and have tried a couple of different brands which were too large in diameter. Something to be said for component standardization.)

That said, I find the A30 a great guitar for the price point!

How does it sound, relatively? Loud, soft, bright, strong bass, etc.?

 

[shinksma]

How does it sound, relatively? Loud, soft, bright, strong bass, etc.?

I don't have an A30, per se, I have the previous model, the SE Angelus Custom. Same construction, except I believe the A30 has laminate sides instead of the solid sides the older model has.

The rosewood gives it a nice tone, very warm and sparkly - the way I've come to describe it is that is has a nice mid-range cut, sort of opposite what mahogany does. (Which is why I bought a second guitar completely different from the Angelus Custom to get a brighter/punchier tone for certain applications.)

It is loud enough when playing chords, but not boomy. Very nice sound plugged in, great sound recorded in the studio.

I can get lost in the mix when playing leads if we play truly unplugged (thus my other guitar - it is louder/punchier for single note stuff).

It plays very nicely - I like the ebony fretboard, smooth, a little "quicker" for me compared to rosewood.

And I like the neck profile - 1 21/32" is a really nice size for my hands. Some folks may prefer a wider neck, the more traditional/typical 1 3/4" of other major brands (although they offer thinner necks too, especially on the lower cost models).

 

[Boogie]

I also love the neck carve. Very comfortable, which is handy for 4 hour gigs. The SE acoustics are a wonderful value.

 

[Duffy]

I don't have an A30, per se, I have the previous model, the SE Angelus Custom. Same construction, except I believe the A30 has laminate sides instead of the solid sides the older model has.

The rosewood gives it a nice tone, very warm and sparkly - the way I've come to describe it is that is has a nice mid-range cut, sort of opposite what mahogany does. (Which is why I bought a second guitar completely different from the Angelus Custom to get a brighter/punchier tone for certain applications.)

It is loud enough when playing chords, but not boomy. Very nice sound plugged in, great sound recorded in the studio.

I can get lost in the mix when playing leads if we play truly unplugged (thus my other guitar - it is louder/punchier for single note stuff).

It plays very nicely - I like the ebony fretboard, smooth, a little "quicker" for me compared to rosewood.

And I like the neck profile - 1 21/32" is a really nice size for my hands. Some folks may prefer a wider neck, the more traditional/typical 1 3/4" of other major brands (although they offer thinner necks too, especially on the lower cost models).

That sounds like a great guitar.

 

[shinksma]

That sounds like a great guitar.

It is! Really nice tone. And the neck feels just like a PRS electric with WF neck to me, so I don't feel like I've picked up a completely different instrument.