NGD: PRS A60E Acoustic

andrewsrea · Thu Jan 30, 2025 9:07 pm

Well, it finally made it!

Final inspected in August 2024 and supposedly only played 3 times (it looked that way - totally mint!). Came with all the original case candy from Sweetwater (except the bag of candy), which included a lower height saddle (which I installed and still need to lower a bit). Made in China.

True to PRS, it is a looker as well as a player. The Ziricote (in the rosewood family) has beautiful strawberry blonde streaks. Ebony fingerboard and bridge. Bone nut and saddles. Abalone appointments, reminiscent of a Martin D-28 with curly maple binding. A solid Sitka spruce top and all the bracing looks clean. It smells like Nitrocellulose, and I am wondering if it isn't the PRS 'Nitro over catalyzed acrylic.' No info available, but I've painted so many guitars in Nitro, I know the smell well (which explains the brain damage).

I am a neck snob, and this neck feels and plays amazing. PRS strings are okay, but not as good as the DR Sunbeams or Rare that I normally use. Electronics are useable. A little bright through a guitar amp, but probably passable through a PA (I'll find out this weekend). I like the sound hole controls - a way better design than my '86 Takamine. Tuners are 18:1 and I suspect the same found on the SE electric guitar line.

The acoustic tone is deep with the reflections one would expect from a rosewood back and sides dreadnaught. The top is not torrefied or ARE. so it will require some ageing and playing to reach full potential. Which if it only gets better, than I am in for a treat!

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BatUtilityBelt · Fri Jan 31, 2025 3:40 am

Beautiful. Happy new guitar day!

toomanycats · Fri Jan 31, 2025 7:14 am

I agree that the neck on a guitar makes or breaks the experience. Other stuff can be changed . . . the action, pickups, electronics . . . but the neck is pretty much baked in and it's got to be good. If that thing plays and sounds as good as it looks you've got a winner.

On an unrelated note, lately I've noticed several posts by members in which the pics get flipped 90 degrees, including some of mine. I'm wondering if there isn't some glitch in the system.

BatUtilityBelt · Fri Jan 31, 2025 10:19 am

toomanycats wrote: ↑Fri Jan 31, 2025 7:14 am On an unrelated note, lately I've noticed several posts by members in which the pics get flipped 90 degrees, including some of mine. I'm wondering if there isn't some glitch in the system.

I think that's just a mismatch of different softwares' interpretations of images, especially cell phones, because they rotate images on demand.

jimbocaster · Fri Jan 31, 2025 2:42 pm

Looks great. I've always wondered about those...Glad you got a good one. Congrats!

andrewsrea · Fri Jan 31, 2025 4:01 pm

toomanycats wrote: ↑Fri Jan 31, 2025 7:14 am On an unrelated note, lately I've noticed several posts by members in which the pics get flipped 90 degrees, including some of mine. I'm wondering if there isn't some glitch in the system.

I am thinking that my photos are almost always presented catawampus when I bring them in and orient correctly when clicked on. Figured that was just part of the AGF experience.

tonebender · Sat Feb 01, 2025 9:18 am

Happy New Acoustic Day!!

I had a parlor model by PRS a few years ago. It was really nice and sounded really good too. My infatuation with parlor guitars ended and I let it go.

andrewsrea · Sun Feb 02, 2025 12:25 pm

tonebender wrote: ↑Sat Feb 01, 2025 9:18 am Happy New Acoustic Day!!

I had a parlor model by PRS a few years ago. It was really nice and sounded really good too. My infatuation with parlor guitars ended and I let it go.

Thanks, Jeff!

Was your parlor acoustic an SE or core?

sabasgr68 · Sun Feb 02, 2025 4:27 pm

Finally!

HNGD!

Glad you like it, so, enjoy!

SamIV · Tue Feb 04, 2025 11:44 am

toomanycats wrote: ↑Fri Jan 31, 2025 7:14 am I agree that the neck on a guitar makes or breaks the experience. Other stuff can be changed . . . the action, pickups, electronics . . . but the neck is pretty much baked in and it's got to be good. If that thing plays and sounds as good as it looks you've got a winner.

On an unrelated note, lately I've noticed several posts by members in which the pics get flipped 90 degrees, including some of mine. I'm wondering if there isn't some glitch in the system.

Just edit the photo in your phone. Could be a just tiny bit , and does not matter how you edit, then save it. Post it here and it will be right side up.

peskypesky1 · Tue Feb 04, 2025 12:50 pm

HNGD!!!

I've never played a PRS acoustic. Hell, I've only played maybe two PRS electrics!

andrewsrea · Tue Feb 04, 2025 1:00 pm

peskypesky1 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 04, 2025 12:50 pm HNGD!!!

I've never played a PRS acoustic. Hell, I've only played maybe two PRS electrics!

Thank you!

I couldn't find a store in 100 miles who kept PRS acoustics in stock, to try before I bought. I simply purchased on guitar specs, reviews and my 33-year experience with owning PRS guitars. Then I hoped for the best.

It was new condition and nice when it arrived. It had a lower bone bridge that I lowered to a 2.2mm (6th String) and 1.9mm (1st string) height, making it a breeze to play the 12-gauge strings and still kept out of ring and buzz territory. I also plan on rolling the fretboard edges a little. I can also tell the top needs to age to go from 'fantastic' to 'outstanding' tone wise. PRS seasons their wood, but does not torrefy the SE models like they do for wood library models, from what I could ascertain.

So, a little assembly and aging required to make it compete with a $6K instrument.

dante001x · Tue Feb 04, 2025 6:19 pm

The Ziricote back is gorgeous, and it sounds like the setup is already on point. Bet once it’s had some time to open up, the tone will be next-level.

Tiga · Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:54 pm

Congratulations on a sweet acoustic! My daughter has a PRS acoustic - the P20E Parlor (in pink of course) and it's really nice.

I haven't touched my acoustic a long while - might be time to get it out LOL.

andrewsrea · Wed Feb 05, 2025 3:19 pm

Tiga wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:54 pm Congratulations on a sweet acoustic! My daughter has a PRS acoustic - the P20E Parlor (in pink of course) and it's really nice.

I haven't touched my acoustic a long while - might be time to get it out LOL.

From 1990's to 2015, I may have picked up my acoustic 30 times. It has been ramping up since then, but especially in the past 4 months.

tonebender · Wed Feb 05, 2025 7:45 pm

The only time I play an electric is at rehearsal and gigs with the band. I use the acoustic with the band too, on anywhere from 5-10 songs depending on the set list. Last year the band did 16 shows (I think) and I did 14 acoustic shows. So, on balance I would say I play the acoustic over 50% of the time for shows and exclusively around the house. I cannot remember the last time I fired up an amp at home and played an electric.

I use Martin Extra Light acoustic strings (10s) and Ernie Ball 9s on electrics.

andrewsrea · Fri Feb 07, 2025 9:46 am

tonebender wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2025 7:45 pm I use Martin Extra Light acoustic strings (10s) and Ernie Ball 9s on electrics.

I used 10's on my acoustic for 20 years and then moved up to 11's two years ago, then 12's last August. I've settled in on DR Sunbeams (80/20 Bronze, round core), however the PRS has DR Rare (80/20 Bronze hex core) to which, I like the original PRS strings a bit better for that guitar. Which is strange, as I don't like coated strings. The Sunbeams sustain the best and have the balance I want.

For electric and with rare exception, I play 9's which feel like toys now that I am playing more acoustic. Typically play DR Tite Fit and Pure Blues. I have two guitars with flat wound Thomastick-Infield's.

tonebender · Sat Feb 08, 2025 8:16 am

I used DR's for years and bought them by the case. Then I had a case show up that had corrosion on the unwound strings. I was going through a lot of strings back then. I thought it was a anomaly and it was not that bad so I used them up. The next case was even worse. I through them out. I contacted DR and was told, "Yeah, we had some issues and sorry about your luck." They offered me nothing to make me whole and seemed bothered that I was contacting them. I love their strings but not that much. I started using Ernie Balls and never looked back.

andrewsrea · Sun Feb 09, 2025 10:19 am

tonebender wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2025 8:16 am I used DR's for years and bought them by the case. Then I had a case show up that had corrosion on the unwound strings. I was going through a lot of strings back then. I thought it was a anomaly and it was not that bad so I used them up. The next case was even worse. I through them out. I contacted DR and was told, "Yeah, we had some issues and sorry about your luck." They offered me nothing to make me whole and seemed bothered that I was contacting them. I love their strings but not that much. I started using Ernie Balls and never looked back.

I recall also a time where the plain strings had random spots of corrosion, over an otherwise pristine string.