Singlecut Archtop

[Dusty Chalk]

As far as I know, the production Hollowbody, Archtop, SC-J and JA-15 models are all built in the same manner (no carved-in bracing. The PS Singlecut Archtop is the only model we've offered with the built-in bracing.

First of all, thank you for following up with that information.

Would you please verify that about the SC-J? I'm pretty sure it's fully carved as well, like a clam shell, but I will admit, I got this second hand (from Larry of Angry Larry fame), and this was before you all came out with the Singlecut Archtop (either one, the spruce top one or the GotM maple top one), so it doesn't really make sense to me that he would describe that carving process -- with the bracing carved in -- unless it were the case. I would try and take pictures of the inside, but my photogra-fu are several orders of magnitude beneath yours, so I'd just embarass myself.

I'm asking because I kind of want my eventual private stock to be a 7-string singlecut archtop -- and the enormous bout on the SC-J just seems perfectly appropriate for to resonate even the lower strings, and carved-in bracing would provide the stability necessary for the additional tension.

 

[PeterK]

I don't have any real hands-on experience with this guitar since it isn't a production model. but, what questions do you have? I can certainly find out some info for you.

My main questions are will the guitar feed back at gigging volumes? I'm definitely planning on gigging with this and I'm worried that it will feed back easily since the top is so loose. I wouldn't run this through a high gain amp. I would probably use it with a super reverb or a twin at the most with a nice boost or light overdrive pedal

My second question is will it handle other genres besides jazz? I would not consider myself a jazz guitarist at all but I would love to use this guitar for blues, R and B, soul, and country. I know PRS guitars are usually very versatile but I just want to make sure before I pull the trigger on one.

I really appreciate it that you're to find out more info for me

 

[PeterK]

First of all, thank you for following up with that information.

Would you please verify that about the SC-J? I'm pretty sure it's fully carved as well, like a clam shell, but I will admit, I got this second hand (from Larry of Angry Larry fame), and this was before you all came out with the Singlecut Archtop (either one, the spruce top one or the GotM maple top one), so it doesn't really make sense to me that he would describe that carving process -- with the bracing carved in -- unless it were the case. I would try and take pictures of the inside, but my photogra-fu are several orders of magnitude beneath yours, so I'd just embarass myself.

I'm asking because I kind of want my eventual private stock to be a 7-string singlecut archtop -- and the enormous bout on the SC-J just seems perfectly appropriate for to resonate even the lower strings, and carved-in bracing would provide the stability necessary for the additional tension.

Oh you know Larry Urie?? Great guy, one of my good friends

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Oh you know Larry Urie?? Great guy, one of my good friends

No, not really, just met him a couple times at Chuck's.

 

[Shawn@PRS]

My main questions are will the guitar feed back at gigging volumes? I'm definitely planning on gigging with this and I'm worried that it will feed back easily since the top is so loose. I wouldn't run this through a high gain amp. I would probably use it with a super reverb or a twin at the most with a nice boost or light overdrive pedal

My second question is will it handle other genres besides jazz? I would not consider myself a jazz guitarist at all but I would love to use this guitar for blues, R and B, soul, and country. I know PRS guitars are usually very versatile but I just want to make sure before I pull the trigger on one.

I really appreciate it that you're to find out more info for me

The Singlecut Archtop has a top that is more loosely braced than a PRS Hollowbody, but the SC Archtop would have a top more rigidly braced than a PRS acoustics. Feedback issues would probably fall somewhere in between as well. I think it could certainly handle some light overdrive.

 

[PeterK]

The Singlecut Archtop has a top that is more loosely braced than a PRS Hollowbody, but the SC Archtop would have a top more rigidly braced than a PRS acoustics. Feedback issues would probably fall somewhere in between as well. I think it could certainly handle some light overdrive.

Ok, that sounds good. But in terms of volume, how loud do you think I could go until it starts to feedback?

 

[shinksma]

My main questions are will the guitar feed back at gigging volumes? I'm definitely planning on gigging with this and I'm worried that it will feed back easily since the top is so loose. I wouldn't run this through a high gain amp. I would probably use it with a super reverb or a twin at the most with a nice boost or light overdrive pedal

My second question is will it handle other genres besides jazz? I would not consider myself a jazz guitarist at all but I would love to use this guitar for blues, R and B, soul, and country. I know PRS guitars are usually very versatile but I just want to make sure before I pull the trigger on one.

I really appreciate it that you're to find out more info for me

I can't answer for this particular guitar, but I have a JA-15, which is similar, I suppose.

My JA-15 can get quite loud with my HXDA before feeding back, and it is a reasonably controllable feedback, stepping away or turning will diminish it nicely. I must admit I have not tried to replicate what most folks would call gigging volumes yet, but of course that depends on what you define as gigging volumes: if you have a thoughtful drummer or a big stage, it is possible that my 30W HXDA would be sufficient (maybe through a PA for FOH), but if I need to use my 100W Archon to keep up with a loud nearby drummer (clean channel, say, with some added dirt from pedals), I'm not sure how loud I could get. Maybe I should try tonight, if I get a chance before/after band practice - get my percussionist/drummer wife on the drum kit, and fire up the Archon...

 

[shinksma]

OK, so I did some back-to-back-to-back comparisons last night while warming up for practice. I played my JA-15, P245SH, RL Vela SH, and Spruce HB. I used the middle pickup selector position (combining bridge and neck). I would sometimes switch to the bridge just to see what would happen.

Plugged into HXDA direct, HX and DA gain knobs and Master Vol at 3 o'clock, everything else at noon/12:30 o'clock.

The JA-15 fed-back like you wouldn't believe. Even standing 10 or 15 feet away - the low end resonance would just immediately engage - closer in the squealing feedback would take over. It got controllable and nice if the HX and DA gains were rolled back to noon or lower, as long as I wasn't too close.

The P245SH and Vela SH sounded really awesome - the feedback was controllable and had good tone if I was closer in, and stepping away it would stop eventually.

The Spruce HB was somewhere in between - a little out of control even 10 or 15 feet away, and quite squealy closer in.

So I do not recommend something like a JA-15 for higher-volume higher-gain environments. I suspect for typical blues-band gigging volume it would be very hard to manage.

 

[dogrocketp]

I've played archtops for years, they are the only non-PRS guitars I'll touch. With an archtop, where you stand in relation to the amp is everything. I have a Guild X-170 that can pound out the volume if I stand in the right spot. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the neck or the intonation of a PRS. It's still a very nice guitar. My other archtops are deeper, and don't handle volume nearly as well. A spruce top doesn not get as loud as a maple or laminate top before feeding back, but you get a little more acoustic tone. The deeper the guitar, the more it'll feed back, because there's more resonance (vibration) in the sound chamber (body cavity). They will always be my first love, just not on most gigs.

 

[jcha008]

The carved bracing is so awesome. These guitars are great!

 

[PeterK]

OK, so I did some back-to-back-to-back comparisons last night while warming up for practice. I played my JA-15, P245SH, RL Vela SH, and Spruce HB. I used the middle pickup selector position (combining bridge and neck). I would sometimes switch to the bridge just to see what would happen.

Plugged into HXDA direct, HX and DA gain knobs and Master Vol at 3 o'clock, everything else at noon/12:30 o'clock.

The JA-15 fed-back like you wouldn't believe. Even standing 10 or 15 feet away - the low end resonance would just immediately engage - closer in the squealing feedback would take over. It got controllable and nice if the HX and DA gains were rolled back to noon or lower, as long as I wasn't too close.

The P245SH and Vela SH sounded really awesome - the feedback was controllable and had good tone if I was closer in, and stepping away it would stop eventually.

The Spruce HB was somewhere in between - a little out of control even 10 or 15 feet away, and quite squealy closer in.

So I do not recommend something like a JA-15 for higher-volume higher-gain environments. I suspect for typical blues-band gigging volume it would be very hard to manage.

Hey man, thank you so much for checking that out and letting me know. Yeah...that might be troublesome to deal with. I had my heart set on an archtop for a while but if it's not going to be manageable live or over a loud enough drummer...This new HB594 however or maybe an acoustic...

But, thank you again. I really appreciate it