PRS Satin S2 Vela Semi-Hollow Review

An Incredibly Versatile Guitar From PRS

This guitar is absolutely amazing. It sounds like the perfect mixture of a Gretsch, a Tele, and a Strat all in one while providing the excellent tonal quality that PRS is known for. Honestly this could be my only guitar and I would be perfectly happy with it.

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Both...Creamy (and) Crunchy

Here's the whole package. A guitar from PRS built right here in the USA, and overflowing with vintage-like tones, superior craftsmanship, and righteous playability!! You get all of that, had a very affordable price point. I was really not expecting this Vela to change the way I looked at the whole S2 line of instruments. This is really a working man's guitar. It is SUPER comfortable… read more to play and offers a wide variety of soundscapes (& coil tapping). Did I mention how beautiful it is? Well you can see that for yourself in the pictures. Smooth satin neck & body give it that neo classic vibe, too! Do yourself a favor, and pick one of these semi hollowbodies up as soon as you can. I can't imagine you'll regret it, and you KNOW you deserve it.

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Excellent guitar

This was the most comfortable electric guitar I've ever handled. Weight, minimal satin finish (no stickiness), body shape and neck. Frets were rounded and smooth. No flaws on the body, at all. Locking tuners and a bridge that made it easy to set string action. My problem with it was that I've suffered some hearing loss, especially on the low end, and that made this instrument a… read more bit too jangly sounding on my "bad days." I really wanted to keep it but had to return, which Sweetwater handled quickly and without questioning, at a minimal return shipping charge.

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GREAT

This was my first PRS and they are the best within the price range

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My new #1

As a musician and a songwriter/artist, I like instruments that are awesome for both functionality and inspiration. Functionality: 1) This guitar is very light (I'm guessing around 6 lbs), making it easy for me to play for hours standing up without my shoulder aching. 2) Every pickup combination is usable; the bridge humbucker has that low-wound chimey Gretschy vibe that crunches… read more very nicely with some overdrive (and has no problem going high-gain with the right amp/pedals), the split bridge position apes a pretty good Tele tone thanks in part to the brass saddles, the neck is lush yet articulate and punchy at the same time (can ape a decent Strat tone), and the middle positions are clear and full. In other words, it's surprisingly versatile, and I think could reasonably pull off just about any genre short of metal. Inspiration: Here's where things really matter to me. I have no use for a Swiss Army knife that doesn't compel me to create great music — and that's just what this guitar does. 1) It looks cool. 2) Unlike something with 15 pickup combinations, this has the psychological effect of feeling a bit limiting. As the adage goes, limitation breeds creativity. 3) The neck pickup is so ridiculously tasty, I can't help but noodle for hours, and find myself creating cool things. What more can you ask from a guitar?! It's my new #1.

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Smooth PRS Bite

I was stunned at how well this Vela was built. I am over the moon with the quality, feel, and sound this instrument delivers. There is humbucker crunch, single coil clarity and split coil sting that cuts nicely through a mix. My satin McCarty-Burst oozes vintage cool, but it plays like a modern machine. Hey…just GET ONE already!! You'll adore it (like I do).

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Vintage tone/PRS excellence

The craftsmanship on this guitar is exemplary. The sound and feel are a unique & exhilarating mix of vintage warmth and contemporary precision. Obviously PRS is about as good as it gets…so it's not meant with any disrespect when I cautiously say that the aesthetics with their American models are a little too glossy and modern looking for ((my)) tastes. This Vela line has a great… read more mixture of old school looks and new age playability. Not to mention…they're pretty darn affordable!!

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A clear winner.

A winning design, executed very well and priced great. A winning design: You might have noticed that it's hard to find a guitar where the neck pickup and the bridge pickup each sound amazing, while also working well together in the middle pickup-selector position. All to often the neck pickup is too muddy (many humbucker type examples) or else the bridge pickup is too weak… read more and thin. Give me a guitar with a fantastic clear neck pickup tone (some Stratocasters) and a driving yet versatile bridge pickup tone. That is what the Vela offers. Neck pickup sounds fall between a strat and a P90 (but closer to a strat). The bridge pickup is pleasing and overdrives extremely well; it retains string clarity when driven yet also cleans up nicely. The pickups together offer a fantastic tone similar to a gretsch or a less bright telecaster. The bridge pickup when coil split is decent but I'm hardly ever a fan of coil splits. There is not a bad tone to be had in this guitar. The feel of the neck is a nice in-between size that will offend nobody. The offset waist makes seated playing easier. The overall low weight and great balance are amazingly comfy. Executed well: I bought the satin version because a shiny guitar isn't worth an extra $ in my opinion. Satin necks are just easier to play (less sticky) as well. The build is flawless. Could not be better. Stays fully in tune from top to bottom. Rock solid. Great Price: I have to admit this might be the perfect guitar for me. I always wanted a guitar with a neck pickup tone of a strat and a bridge pickup tone of a 335. This guitar is that dream, and the price knocks it out of the park.

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Worth every penny

​Sounds just like the reviews​ describe it​​ (read 'em). ​Light (just over 6 lbs) and comfortable, easy to play (25" scale length + 10" neck radius is an excellent match). Body design is excellent (contours, cutaways); construction was immaculate, parts are top-grade, intonation was flawless. Personally, I love simple: one volume, one tone (with a completely usable sweep,… read more unlike some guitars). The setup and packaging from SW was​ excellent​​: the guitar arrived in perfect condition (no dings or dents, no rough edges to the fret work, etc.). Getting a MIA PRS with this level of workmanship and materials for this price is a steal.

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Uniquely Voiced and Beautifully Crafted

I had wanted a "sister" guitar to the PRS S2 Hollow that I had purchased from Sweetwater about 6 years ago. I love these guitars, and the S2 line is built right here in America. This guitar is wonderful. One reason for the semi-hollows for me is the weight. This one cannot be much over 6 lbs. for sure. The voicing is unique between the two pickups, and there is a bit more "spank"… read more than conventional humbuckers. But you can get most any sound you want with some tweaking here and there. Although this is my first guitar without a "high-gloss" finish, the grain is beautiful on this guitar, and I'm still not sure how they create this finish! If you order this, you will NOT be disappointed.

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My S2 Standard

TOTALLY 5 STARS!!!!!!!!!I will not change ONE thing on mine, I have many PRS, but this baby is my Scream Machine!! You CANNOT beat the sound, quality, or value this guitar is, I sold a Custom 22 for it!!!!!!! What does THAT tell you!

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