The PRS team has their process dialed in: this 2015 Private Stock Angelus is flawless from tuners to tail, well balanced from bass to treble, and dressed up with primo tonewoods for a sharp aesthetic. Madagascar Rosewood back and sides boast some pretty dramatic figuring, paired with European Spruce on top plus figured Koa bindings and bird position markers. The rosette is their interweaving “three circle” design, also rendered in Koa plus Maple. The top has some lovely bearclaw figuring throughout, which works well against the tight flame of the Koa bindings. The neck has been upgraded with an adjustable truss rod, which certainly sets this one apart, and a wide neck carve that feels great in hand, especially if you want a little more lefthand contact. Under the hood you’ll find a Fishman Matrix pickup system; outside you’ll find this beauty comes wrapped up in a custom Ameritage case.
Other keywords: lutherie, luthier, paul reed smith, a15-1487, fingerstyle, mcmanus
I've had the pleasure of visiting Paul Reed Smith at his shop and his Private Stock stash of wood which is a source of pride for him. And rightfully so. He has some incredible materials and that's what you get when you buy a Private Stock guitar. In addition they are made by a smaller team of their best luthiers. So this Angelus is the best Paul Reed Smith offers. 
The wide neck carve feels right at home for me, and the voice is perfectly balanced across the registers for fingerstyle play. There's frankly also enough headroom for flatpicking work as well. It's just like PRS to build a guitar that excels on all fronts. | Scale Length | 25.25 in |
|---|---|
| Nut Width | 1.75 in |
| String Spacing | 2.188 in |
| Woods | Spruce - European, Rosewood - Madagascar |
The PRS team has their process dialed in: this 2015 Private Stock Angelus is flawless from tuners to tail, well balanced from bass to treble, and dressed up with primo tonewoods for a sharp aesthetic. Madagascar Rosewood back and sides boast some pretty dramatic figuring, paired with European Spruce on top plus figured Koa bindings and bird position markers
I've had the pleasure of visiting Paul Reed Smith at his shop and his Private Stock stash of wood which is a source of pride for him. And rightfully so
The wide neck carve feels right at home for me, and the voice is perfectly balanced across the registers for fingerstyle play. There's frankly also enough headroom for flatpicking work as well 