COVERREVIEW
GEAR
STORY
tight bass articulation that’s instantly apparent
and candy to your ears.
On initial glance, the SE A30E has a clean
look and appears exclusively acoustic, but
the clever PRS architects hid the electronics
inside the body, thus eliminating a tonecompromising hole cut in the side of the guitar
to mount a control panel, preamp, and battery
compartment. Volume and tone knobs are
tucked away just inside the sound hole, and are
easy to adjust with one finger. Also in the sound
hole is the battery, which is fixed to the heel
and simple to access when you change strings.
The pickup is a PRS-designed under-the-saddle
transducer with a 1/4” output jack doubling as
the strap button on the butt of the guitar.
A playing test using picks of different
thicknesses immediately reveals a myriad of
tonal variation. Harder picks draw warmer and
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DIGITAL EDITION
darker tones, medium a bit less warm, and the
softer is delicate and lean. Heavier picking and
strumming brings out the guitar’s full-bodied
voice, which is great for live performances
when you need it to project. But regardless of
picking device, the guitar maintains note clarity
across the board. Alternate and drop tunings
sound magnificent, as well, as softer finger-style
playing, the latter benefiting immensely when
the guitar is plugged into an amp or P.A.
The 25.35” scale length, which is a little shorter
than most acoustics, contributes to a slightly
looser playing feel (and more comfortable in
my opinion). The guitar held its tuning thanks
to smooth turning PRS machine heads, and
the compensated saddle resolves intonation
issues, which provides sweet-sounding chords
across the entire fingerboard. The SE A30E
comes with a PRS hard-shell case and a limited
lifetime warranty. ■
AUG/SEPT