PRS SE P20E

review
PRS SE P20E & TAYLOR GTE URBAN ASH
102
GUITARIST JANUARY 2021
First impressions of the sound are as
good as our reaction to the design. There’s
plenty of volume – more than you’d expect,
in fact – with the basses and trebles evenly
represented. Both fingerstyle and chord
work are effortless, thanks to the low action,
generous nut width and the palm-friendly
feel of the neck. Fretting and neck binding
are, again, exemplary – everything we’d
expect from PRS’s SE instruments.
When amplified via our trusty AER
Compact 60, the Fishman GT1 does its thing
as you’d expect and reproduces the acoustic
vibe of the P20E faithfully while allowing
you to EQ things to taste. Want a bit of gritty
blues? Then walk this way. If it’s sensitive
fingerstyle ballads you had in mind, no
problem. We’re seriously impressed.
Taylor GTe Urban Ash
Taylor’s entry into pint-size pluckery moves
us away from the parlour-sized end of the
spectrum and up to what Taylor refers to
as Grand Theater territory. Technically
speaking, the GTe is, in Taylor’s own
The top is solid mahogany, whereas
the back and sides are, we suspect, a hog-
topped laminate. Nevertheless, we know
roughly what to expect from all-mahogany
instruments – mellowness and warmth
but with a definite bite when played hard.
Traditionally good for playing a bit of Delta
blues if you’re so inclined, but it’s capable of
addressing most musical styles you care to
throw at it.
As we’ve found many times in the past
when reviewing instruments hailing from
China, build quality really is excellent.
Considering the price, you’re getting
something seriously attractive on a sub-
£500 ticket. The combo of herringbone
and white binding has been expertly done,
as have the other decorative refinements
onboard. With an ebony fingerboard,
20 frets and PRS’s Wide Fat neck shape,
the P20E is open for serious business –
and a Fishman GT1 pickup means that
it’s not shy of performing on stage either.
Controls for the aforementioned are hidden
away unobtrusively inside the bass side
of the soundhole where they’re under
the fingers but otherwise anonymous, as
far as the overall appearance of the guitar
is concerned.
Vintage-style butterbean tuners adorn
the headstock and tuning seems absolutely
stable. We only had to tune once and didn’t
have to touch that side of things again for all
of the time it took to write this review.
THE RIVALS
If the smaller-bodied acoustic is your idea
of a strummer’s bliss, the marketplace
is positively awash with models that will
suit your needs. For starters, how about
checking out Vintage’s Viator range?
Although designated as travel guitars,
they fit the brief of smaller body with a
lively sound. The VTR800PB-USB (£349)
has antiqued good looks plus a Fishman
Sonitone preamp for those plugged-in
moments, and even a USB output to help
out with all those recording projects
you’ve been putting off for ages.
Then there’s the Baby Taylor (circa
£350 depending on model), which is
available in various guises and body
wood combos, and you should check out
Martin’s Dreadnought Junior, for example,
the DJR-10E (£637) – loads of toneful heft
for a little ’un.
Moving upscale, Lowden’s Wee range
delivers the goods, with the cedar-topped
WL-25 (£2,890) and its stablemates
packed with performance power. Martin’s
mahogany-topped 0-15M (£1,499) should
be included here, too, and a quick Google
search will reveal that companies such
as Faith, Washburn, Guild and Seagull all
have entries in the compact acoustic race
and so exploration is well advised.
Taylor’s GTe is a
fun instrument with
serious ambitions,
standing tall among
acoustic big hitters
4. The jack output is
situated on the lower
reaches of the body
below the strap button,
with an easy-change
battery compartment
3. Controls for the PRS
SE P20E reside just
inside the bass edge of
the guitar’s soundhole,
within easy reach during
live performance
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GIT467.rev_taylor_prs.indd 102 26/11/2020 20:43