PRS Goes Head-To-Head With The Best

...embrace it, given that most players rarely venture far from the tried and true. How then does a company like PRS, with a stellar reputation for electric guitars, get players to give its new acoustics a fair listen? At NAMM, they took a gutsy approach, inviting acoustic virtuosos Ricky Skaggs, Tony McManus, and Martin Simpson to comparison test PRS acoustics alongside a selection of pristine vintage Martins and Gibsons, in front of a room full of dealers, press, and accomplished players.

In between stunning performances and running commentary between all three artists, it became clear that there were no clear winners among the premium instruments on stage, which included a 1929 Martin 00-42, a 1938 Martin 000-38, and a Gibson J-200, and the new PRS Tonare and Angelus acoustics. However, the fact that the new PRS instruments could be considered in the same breath as coveted vintage instruments was a victory in itself. After a rendition of Chet Atkin’s The Claw, Ricky Skaggs commented, “When Paul first approached me about acoustic guitars, I knew he could make one that looked good, and I knew that he could make one that played good, but he’d have to make one that sounded good to really have a grand slam. We experimented with different bridges and tuning keys before arriving at a truly wonderful guitar. This one has great sustain like a piano or a harp, and it just connects to me and my music. It’s a great instrument right now, but give it a few years to really open up and it will be unbelievable! I can’t wait.”

See a video of Ricky Skaggs' performance here.