The PRS SE AX20E has a layered Mahogany body to go along with the solid Spruce top, as does the TX20E. The bracing inside is traditional ‘X’ style, designed to let the timber vibrate and resonate in a controlled way for great, punchy tone. Under the hood, the A40E, like all PRS acoustics, deviates from traditional steel-string bracing. Instead of common X-bracing, the top is supported by hybrid pattern bracing which fuses X-bracing and classical-inspired fan-bracing concepts. It’s a system that PRS says was partly inspired by a particularly robust-sounding Torres guitar from the late 19 th century. The perfect all-rounder electro-acoustic - meticulously designed and crafted by the experienced luthiers at PRS Guitars, the SE A40E offers a sublime playing experience thanks to a select offering of tonewoods and innovative construction methods - delivering breathtaking volume without sacrificing any delicate details.

This results in a really versatile sound with a strong midrange and some bright overtones that you may not get with a wood like Mahogany. First off, the Angelus, which is a medium-sized Grand Concert model with a Venetian-style ‘Angelus’ cutaway. The mid-sized body should work perfectly for most players: it’s big enough to move some air and produce a mature tone, yet not so big that it’s a chore to get the right arm around. By contrast, the Tonare Grand has a larger, non-cutaway body tha tis designed for an altogether bigger sound. Singer-songwriters and fans of strumming will certainly enjoy the deep, loud, projecting voice of the Tonare Grand! The A40E has this bracing, and is made with a layered Ovangkol body. Ovangkol is similar to Rosewood but with slightly more in the mids and a brighter top end. As a result, this guitar really sparkles and cuts through a mix!Credit subject to status and affordability. Terms & Conditions Apply. Guitar Guitar Limited is a credit broker and is Authorised

Judging from the two PRS SE models Ben has looked at so far, the company has certainly pulled out all the stops with its acoustics. Watch the video and hear for yourself what must be one of the best guitars you can currently get for this sort of money. Earlier this year, Acoustic Review reviewed one of PRS’s well received new(ish) electro-acoustics, the SE T50. It was good – very good, especially so for the money. Word in the guitar business is that PRS has decided to make a redoubled bid for the affordable mid-market acoustic scene and the result, this new generation Korean built SEs launched for 2018 bears that out. Certainly, both the earlier T50 we reviewed and the SEA40e we were sent for our second recently bear witness to that – this was also another very well built and set-up instrument. These are the first two words we’d associate with PRS acoustic guitars, followed closely by ‘beauty’. PRS Hybrid 'X'/Classical Bracing - Utilizing an innovative design that allows the top to vibrate freely, this hybrid bracing system ensures detailed clarity and acoustic projection. The PRS SE A50Eand T50E have a gorgeous layered Flame Maple body, with some beautiful finishes to amply show off the figuring. These are great looking guitars, with abalone birds, purfling and rosette inlay work adding some quiet opulence to proceedings.PRS have evolved the traditional "X" design and incorporated a fan style bracing behind the bridge, this creates a round sweet tone that projects beautifully from the guitar. Sonically, we are relatively different ground here: the layered flame Maple adds a brightness and zing that really characterises the instrument. This is met by the hybrid bracing and body shape to provide a sound that is clear and crisp but still balanced. The SE A20E is noticeably resonant, with a strong midrange and clear highs. And although the low end is slightly less audible, you can still sense its presence underneath the more impressive mid-to-high frequency ranges. As would be expected for an instrument of its size, the guitar has good projection and volume. It rings out enthusiastically when strummed; the notes are clear and pronounced, with good string separation in chords, giving way to satisfying overtones. For those familiar with the way Paul Reed Smith approaches guitar making, you’ll be aware that his philosophy is all about the instrument being ‘subtractive’, meaning that everything on the guitar isn’t adding more tone, or sustain, it is just subtracting less. In essence, that means that anything that touches the strings has the ability to subtract more sustain or tone from your guitar.

In the early 1990s, Paul Reed Smith teamed up with luthier Dana Bourgeois to work on acoustic guitar designs. The effort resulted in a handful of new steel-strings, but these instruments apparently didn’t satisfy what Smith wanted from an acoustic guitar, and they never went into production. Anything that touches the string has the ability to subtract more sustain or tone from your guitar so they have made sure that these guitars are fitted with bone saddles and nuts for the best possible sound. You won’t find this on many instruments at this kind of price. PRS Acoustics The Flame Maple adds lots of presence to the slightly larger Tonare Grand style, making the T50E model a wonderfully percussive, satisfying instrument to write songs on. A55E & T55E In interviews, Mr PRS speaks of putting 6.0 in with the goal of getting 5.8 out. To that end, PRS guitars are fitted with high-quality, tonally responsive materials for the best possible sound. We’d suggest that, even at this modest price point, the SE T40E adheres to that ethos, and is well worth a test drive soon.At the base of the T40E, just below the strap button, is the housing for the nine-volt battery, which will need changing every 100 hours or so. Should that moment arrive while on stage, the battery compartment’s location means changing can take place while standing with a strap. It’s a pet hate of ours when guitars need to be taken off, and the strap removed, just to change a battery. The A55E and T55E have abalone purfing, birds and rosette detailing, making this the most obviously eye-catching of the range. Having said that, it is still reasonably low-key and tasteful: after all, most of the surfaces here are Spruce, Ebony, Mahogany or Maple! Anything that touches the string has the ability to subtract more sustain or tone from your guitar so they have made sure that these guitars are fitted with Bone saddles and nuts for the best possible sound. You won’t find this on many instruments at this kind of price. It’s obvious from the off that these are excellently made guitars. The design, construction and inlay work are all high-level, regardless of price, and the guitars all ship with hard shell cases, adding confidence to the integrity of the instrument. Soncially, we are in similar ground to the A50E and T50E, respectively: the Maple adds a layer of sparkle to the overall ‘production’ of sound, and this is well suited to the design and bracing.

The Angelus is PRS’s more modern style cutaway acoustic guitar body that has been part of the SE line for a few years now. Refined over years of making these guitars this is the best the Angelus has ever looked or sounded for this price. As I got to know the guitar a little better, I detected a real sweetness in its midrange-oriented voice. These are all highly satisfying instruments with firm, resonant voices and plenty of charm. Despite being broadly similar, they do all hold their own tonal surprises, so it is worth having a play on a few before totally making your mind up. Overall, the A40E was really impressive. As lower-cost import lines go, PRS’ SE brand has always been a little different in that it has its own identify, instead of simply serving as a platform for entry-level versions of U.S.-made instruments. The guitar I tested was a fine example. Every detail, line, joint, fret end, and nut edge was right. Impressions—Second and BeyondThis may seem an odd statement about a guitar as nice looking as the SE A40E Angelus, especially from a brand with the bona fides of PRS Guitars, but it took me a week or so to realize that my generally favorable first impression of this Chinese-built acoustic-electric was actually giving it short shrift. Probably more than any instrument I’ve tested in years, the SE A40E revealed its true potential gradually.