PRS Vela

[starkd12]

Anybody have one? There was a lot of talk about them around here when they were first released, but I haven't seen/heard anything about them in a while. I heard great initial reviews, so I guess to those who have one now, are you still happy with it?

I'd love to pick one up, I love the look and the sounds I've heard, but they're a little hard to find. They don't show up used too often, and there's nowhere (near me at least) that has any in stock, so I'd probably be buying online.

Any thoughts on this guitar?

 

[stonevibe]

Got one, love it. Buy one. Simple.

 

[59Bassman]

Played a couple. Lightweight. Love the neck pickup, the bridge pickup I was not sold on. Very cool idea, though.

 

[Whitecat]

Great. Lovely to see a unique design from PRS at a super reasonable made-in-America price point. Do whatever you can to try one...

 

[jasons7]

I got one about 2 weeks ago. I've never owned a PRS but I've wanted a Vela since it debuted. I finally scored a deal on a used one. I liked it the first time I played it but I wasn't blown away (at first) even though I wanted love at first sight. A couple of days later we clicked and she is a keeper. The neck is a really good profile for me. I find all the switch positions/tones usable. The split tone on the bridge HB is the best split tone I've ever had. To be fair, I haven't had that many but my experience has always led me to stay away from coil splits. It does a great chimey clean, it does a great dirty, it can get into Tele territory on the bridge, it can get into Strat Territory on the neck. The HB sounds really good but I wouldn't compare it to Les Paul. The fit and finish is everything you would expect from PRS. Again having never owned one, I'm starting to look at the brand more closely. (Drinking PRS Koolaid I guess) All in all, I'm more than satisfied with mine.

 

[59Bassman]

Nothing wrong with PRS Koolaid. They are one of 3 companies I'd buy from mail order (the American models anyway) and expect an outstanding instrument. The others are Suhr and Anderson. Fender and Gibson are too hit-and-miss to buy without playing first.

Anyway, enjoy that new (used) Vela. I've kind of thought of it as PRS' take on a Tele, much like the Starla was a PRS Sparkle Jet and the Mira (at least the first run) was an SG. Innovative with a nod to heritage.

 

[ieso]

Yeah, killer axe
http://gtroblq.blogspot.com/2015/07/prs-vela-review-paul-reed-smith-s2-vela.html

Still playing mine daily.

 

[Fro68]

Got one, love it. Buy one. Simple.

This.

 

[starkd12]

Consensus seems pretty unanimous. I'll start my hunt.

 

[GenoBluzGtr]

Yeah, killer axe
http://gtroblq.blogspot.com/2015/07/prs-vela-review-paul-reed-smith-s2-vela.html

Still playing mine daily.

Nice review and excellent sound clip of the versatility of this guitar.... most folks would have used 3 different guitars to record something like that.