New PRS S2 Vela HHT

matt_sefton

Spotted these new PRS S2 Vela’s today with 2 humbuckers and a trem. Always liked the look of the Vela and this new one ticks a lot of boxes for me. I have too many PRS guitars (3) but I’m very tempted. Although I don’t mind the birds I wish you could get one with moons. £1789.00 for a US made guitar isn’t bad in today’s ridiculous market. Then again “USA made” will doubtless put a lot of people off too.

https://youtu.be/knfPVUke36U?si=MkhsiO68ofJ5ng73

mrkb

Saw that and thought “why don’t you do a moons version”. Love my current basic spec Vela.

fretmeister

I love the shape but it diminishes the quirks of the original one for me. I'd like one because of those quirks. This has been vanilla'd a bit.

Chimpankie

I always thought they should do a studio style HSS Vela with a trem… this is nearly there! I’ve had a 2016 Vela and a 2024, both were excellent guitars. I’m glad this model has stuck around in the line up after so many of the S2 models have been dropped (Satin Singlecut, Starla, original Mira).

StefB

Chimpankie said:

I always thought they should do a studio style HSS Vela with a trem… this is nearly there! I’ve had a 2016 Vela and a 2024, both were excellent guitars. I’m glad this model has stuck around in the line up after so many of the S2 models have been dropped (Satin Singlecut, Starla, original Mira).

I suppose the oddly discontinued while selling well S2 Studio is the nearest you’d get to an HSS Vela short of them actually releasing one. 

Philly_Q

It's not very different from an S2 Standard 22, unless you really want the body shape or those specific pickups.

matt_sefton

Philly_Q said:

It's not very different from an S2 Standard 22, unless you really want the body shape or those specific pickups.

It’s the body shape that appeals to me. I’ve never had an offset. I also feel like I could mod the shit out of it.

Philly_Q

On the other PRS thread about Ed Sheeran's new baritone, somebody mentioned Vernon Reid's Vela model.  I wish I'd bought one of those in gold, and changed the scratchplate.  The Floyd made it that bit more different.

matt_sefton

Philly_Q said:

On the other PRS thread about Ed Sheeran's new baritone, somebody mentioned Vernon Reid's Vela model.  I wish I'd bought one of those in gold, and changed the scratchplate.  The Floyd made it that bit more different.

Yes, I loved that too.

Loobs

PRS still attempting to corner the alt-rock market? 

Chimpankie

Philly_Q said:

On the other PRS thread about Ed Sheeran's new baritone, somebody mentioned Vernon Reid's Vela model.  I wish I'd bought one of those in gold, and changed the scratchplate.  The Floyd made it that bit more different.

I thought about getting one and changing the scratch plate too but also vaguely remember reading it wasn’t a particularly good Floyd model (I know nothing about Floyd’s) and I also would have wanted to change the pickups as I don’t like the HFS pickups… at which point, I realised I’d be spending too much. 

Philly_Q said:

It's not very different from an S2 Standard 22, unless you really want the body shape or those specific pickups.

For me, the body shape is a big part of the charm.

UnclePsychosis

If the pickups are the same as the ones in the original ("core") Starla then they make it a lot more interesting - they've got something going on which is different to your average humbucker. 

Philly_Q

Chimpankie said:

Philly_Q said:

On the other PRS thread about Ed Sheeran's new baritone, somebody mentioned Vernon Reid's Vela model.  I wish I'd bought one of those in gold, and changed the scratchplate.  The Floyd made it that bit more different.

I thought about getting one and changing the scratch plate too but also vaguely remember reading it wasn’t a particularly good Floyd model (I know nothing about Floyd’s) and I also would have wanted to change the pickups as I don’t like the HFS pickups… at which point, I realised I’d be spending too much. 

Just looking that up, as I didn't know... it was a Floyd Rose 1000 Series, which is generally considered good quality.  It's made in the Far East (rather than Germany like the Floyd Rose Original), but to virtually identical specs with a hardened steel baseplate, etc.   The poorer quality version, apparently, is the Floyd Rose Special. 

Chimpankie

Philly_Q said:

Chimpankie said:

Philly_Q said:

On the other PRS thread about Ed Sheeran's new baritone, somebody mentioned Vernon Reid's Vela model.  I wish I'd bought one of those in gold, and changed the scratchplate.  The Floyd made it that bit more different.

I thought about getting one and changing the scratch plate too but also vaguely remember reading it wasn’t a particularly good Floyd model (I know nothing about Floyd’s) and I also would have wanted to change the pickups as I don’t like the HFS pickups… at which point, I realised I’d be spending too much. 

Just looking that up, as I didn't know... it was a Floyd Rose 1000 Series, which is generally considered good quality.  It's made in the Far East (rather than Germany like the Floyd Rose Original), but to virtually identical specs with a hardened steel baseplate, etc.   The poorer quality version, apparently, is the Floyd Rose Special. 

Ah fair enough - my Floyd knowledge is close to zero! Only ever owned one guitar with one, and that lasted three months 

Whitecat

The pickups were the most interesting thing about the original one - no longer having something Dynasonic-y in the neck spoils it for me. This is now just another 25” dual humbucker guitar. 

grungebob

The original vela was/is a fantastic guitar. 

The original Starla bridge pickup with the type D in the neck coupled with the bridge is what made it a breath of fresh air. 

This seems a bit meh. 

rlw

As many others have said, what's the point?  The original was weird enough to be interesting and a great guitar too, but you needed to need one.

matt_sefton

rlw said:

As many others have said, what's the point?  The original was weird enough to be interesting and a great guitar too, but you needed to need one.

You could really say “what’s the point?” about 99.9% of all new guitar releases. The point for me is that I liked the Vela but prefer guitars with trems so I’m pleased they added one.

Musicman20

Loobs said:

PRS still attempting to corner the alt-rock market? 

I think they will always struggle, if I'm honest.

They really don't suit that scene, and I can't describe why. The fact that they now have an Ed Sheeran model will probably push people further away.

There have been a few PRS models I have been tempted with, then I hear them or hear an interview with Paul and I'm put off again.

matt_sefton

Musicman20 

There have been a few PRS models I have been tempted with, then I hear them or hear an interview with Paul and I'm put off again.

Paul doesn’t come free with every PRS guitar you know! It’s not like he’s permanently sitting in the corner of your room while you’re playing, lecturing you on the improved tone achieved by his new shaped machine heads ;-)
At least he’s an actual luthier in charge of a guitar company who can walk on to the shop floor and build a guitar himself and not a corporate finance executive who likes hanging out with rockstars like the woefully embarrassing César Gueikian at Gibson.

Greatape

matt_sefton said:

Musicman20 

There have been a few PRS models I have been tempted with, then I hear them or hear an interview with Paul and I'm put off again.

Paul doesn’t come free with every PRS guitar you know! It’s not like he’s permanently sitting in the corner of your room while you’re playing, lecturing you on the improved tone achieved by his new shaped machine heads ;-)
At least he’s an actual luthier in charge of a guitar company who can walk on to the shop floor and build a guitar himself and not a corporate finance executive who likes hanging out with rockstars like the woefully embarrassing César Gueikian at Gibson.

Ah yes, he of the corporate-approved leather jacket. Utterly ridiculous.