Tone Report Weekly Issue 162 | Page 42

Paul Reed Smith guitars have traditionally been pretty short on hipster allure , with a much stronger following among ( blues ) lawyers , doctors , stockbrokers , and other wealthy collectors of top-shelf instruments . The company established itself with a noexpenses-spared approach to its craft , which , while resulting in some impeccable guitars , also left out the young , hip , and perpetually poor alt rockers . PRS has made great strides in rectifying this situation in the last few years , and in 2015 released its first affordable offset design , the S2 Vela , which Tone Report ’ s own Phillip Dodge described as looking like “ a Gretsch Corvette and a Fender Jazzmaster got together after hours .” The Vela is geared towards classic tones and a broken-in feel , with a tappable PRS Starla humbucker in the bridge position , and a Dynasonicesque Type D pickup in the neck . It ’ s also made in the U . S . and sells for 1299 dollars brand new , putting it within reach of the upwardly mobile urban hipster who ’ s sick of the Jazzmaster scene .

PRS S2 VELA

Paul Reed Smith guitars have traditionally been pretty short on hipster allure , with a much stronger following among ( blues ) lawyers , doctors , stockbrokers , and other wealthy collectors of top-shelf instruments . The company established itself with a noexpenses-spared approach to its craft , which , while resulting in some impeccable guitars , also left out the young , hip , and perpetually poor alt rockers . PRS has made great strides in rectifying this situation in the last few years , and in 2015 released its first affordable offset design , the S2 Vela , which Tone Report ’ s own Phillip Dodge described as looking like “ a Gretsch Corvette and a Fender Jazzmaster got together after hours .” The Vela is geared towards classic tones and a broken-in feel , with a tappable PRS Starla humbucker in the bridge position , and a Dynasonicesque Type D pickup in the neck . It ’ s also made in the U . S . and sells for 1299 dollars brand new , putting it within reach of the upwardly mobile urban hipster who ’ s sick of the Jazzmaster scene .
42 TONE TALK // Through Being Cool 5 Offset Guitars For Non-Hipsters