
U.S.-made electronics and PRS’s most unique body profile make this all-American S2 a feast of tones at a great price.
Many sonic surprises. Great versatility. Excellent build quality
The pickup selector switch might be in a slightly awkward position for some players.
$2,029
PRS S2 Vela
prsguitars.com
Since its introduction in 2013, PRS’s S2 range has worked to bridge the gap between the company’s most affordable and most expensive guitars. PRS’s cost-savings strategy for the S2 was simple. The company fitted U.S.-made bodies and necks, built using the more streamlined manufacturing processes of PRS’s Stevensville 2 facility, with Asia-made electronics from the SE line.
But with the introduction of the 2024 S2s, PRS made a critical change to that formula. Now, the S2s use the same homegrown pickups and electronics featured in PRS’s Core lineup, which, depending on your perspective, makes the new S2s more like entry-level Core guitars rather than instruments situated a whole rung down the status ladder. The U.S.-made electronics mean a price bump from older S2s that averages around $300. But in the case of the pretty S2 Vela reviewed here, that adds up to slightly more than $2K, which among American-made solidbodies represents a fairly competitive price.
Less Flash From the Birds
Among PRS purists, at least, the offset Vela has always been a bit underappreciated. The new S2 version is a lovely guitar, though. It’s built around a solid mahogany body and set mahogany neck with a rosewood fretboard, and the asymmetrically beveled shape provides forearm comfort and helps set the Vela apart from more slab-like offset designs. Though the asymmetrical double-cutaway and horns echo classic PRS looks, there’s also something a bit SG-like about the overall result. It’s impressively lightweight, too, at just less than 7 pounds. Our review guitar came with a gloss finish that PRS calls scarlet sunburst, but four other gloss options are available, or you can save yourself about 300 bucks and opt for a satin-finish version.
The neck is carved to PRS’s “pattern regular” shape, a comfortably rounded medium-depth “C,” with a width of 1 21/32" across the nut and 22 medium-jumbo frets. The scale length is 25". Synthetic bird inlays grace the unbound fretboard, but the rest of the cosmetics are elegantly austere, which helps reduce the price, but will also appeal to players that like the PRS profile but care less for the flash.
“One of the cool things about this model is that it doesn’t sound quite like anything else.”
The S2 Vela’s pickup complement includes a U.S.-made DS-01 humbucker in the bridge position and a Narrowfield humbucker in the neck spot. This configuration differs from earlier S2 Velas, which used a DeArmond-style Type-D single-coil in the neck position. Wiring and switching use the same components as Core models. In addition to the 3-way toggle, there’s a push-pull pot on the tone control that splits the coils of the DS-01. This feature employs elements of the popular DGT wiring, which uses a resistor between the push-pull switch and ground, so part of the “dumped” coil output remains to fatten the signal and tone.
Hardware includes a set of PRS Low-Mass locking tuners at one end, and the relatively new plate-style non-vibrato bridge at the other. The bridge employs slots for top-loading the strings, and two 3-string brass saddles, each milled and angled for compensation and adjusted with two intonation screws per saddle for further fine-tuning. The setup is effective. The Vela rings like a bell when played unplugged, and intonation is perfect right out of the included gigbag. The setup also made the S2 Vela an easy player across the whole neck—a PRS hallmark, most would agree.
Vicious Vela-ciraptor
Paired with black-panel Fenders, Marshall-style heads, and a Fractal FM9 modeler, the S2 Vela is very versatile despite some distinctly retro sonic leanings. One of the cool things about this model is that it doesn’t sound quite like anything else. If you need sonic archetypes for reference you could consider the DS-01 a blend of the Gretsch Filter’Tron and the PAF-style Gibson humbucker, while the Narrowfield sounds a bit like a low-wind P-90 crossed with a Stratocaster pickup. Together they add up to a very original palette and plentiful options. This is a guitar that can do a little of everything and just about anything a gigging player would need on a given night.
In full humbucking mode, the bridge pickup can send overdriven sounds to soaring lead-tone heights. And while there’s arguably a brighter, more biting edge here than some traditional humbuckers express, it’s not harsh or shrill. Tame the distortion at your amp or gain pedal and you can use the DS-01 for thick tones ranging from fat cleans to crunch, each in their own distinctive color. In single-coil mode, too, the DS-01 doesn’t obviously reference any specific tone template. Brighter and lighter than the full-humbucking tone, it’s also a little scooped and even slightly out-of-phase sounding, even though it isn’t out of phase. It serves all kinds of jangly, chimey styles well, and truly shimmers through modulation and reverb effects.
The Narrowfield pickup, meanwhile, is well-suited to the neck position, delivering the warm feel of a vintage humbucker without the dull or muddy response that is often a trade-off. It adds a touch of extra cut to the bluesy leads and mellow rhythm work that you’d usually use a neck pickup for, but with an appealing richness and depth that are, again, very much their own.
The Verdict
Whether you need Telecaster twang, throaty Strat-like blues tones, grinding garage-rock crunch, or something more distinct, the S2 Vela is game. It’s well-rounded and impressively well-made, and the styling and sound are simultaneously fresh and retro-leaning in ways that can and should broaden PRS’s appeal. Together, the lightweight mahogany body, plate-style bridge with brass saddles, and DS-01 and Narrowfield pickups produce resolutely different tones within the PRS family and among many solidbody standard bearers. And it achieves these ends with gusto, flare, and value that make it a very appealing option.
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Lutefish, the real-time music collaboration device and platform, is excited to announce a suite of new features designed to simplify setup, streamline collaboration, and offer more flexible subscription options for Lutefish Stream users. These latest updates, Audio Presets, Automatic Session Recall, Improved Scheduling with Contact Visibility, and a new Yearly Subscription Plan, are all about making it easier than ever for musicians to jam together, no matter where they’re based.
Save Time and Stay in the Flow with Audio Presets & Session Recall
Musicians can now save and reuse their exact audio settings, reducing setup time and ensuring every session sounds exactly as they want.
- Automatic Session Recall: When users leave a session, their current audio levels are automatically saved and restored when they rejoin.
- User-Defined Audio Presets: Each user can create and name up to five custom presets, like “Band Practice,” “Studio Mic Setup,” or “Quick Jam,” making it effortless to jump back in with the perfect sound.
“These tools are all about saving time and hassle,” said Patrick Finn, Business Manager at Lutefish. “Musicians want to make music, not spend time rebalancing levels every session. With presets and recall, we’re giving them time back and helping them sound their best, every time.”
Smarter Scheduling and Contact Visibility
The latest update to Lutefish also made it easier to find collaborators and book sessions. Users can now:- View all their contacts at a glance when scheduling a session.
- Instantly identify which contacts own a Lutefish Stream device—so they will always know who’s ready to jam.
Go Yearly and Save 20%
Lutefish now offers a Yearly Subscription Plan, providing users with the same great access as the monthly plan at a 20% discount.
This option is now available within the Lutefish app and web platform, and current monthly users are eligible for a discount with an upgrade to a yearly subscription.
Lutefish’s mission has always been to empower musicians to connect and collaborate without boundaries. With these new updates, Lutefish Stream continues to break down barriers—whether you’re jamming with a friend across town or collaborating with a bandmate 500 miles away.
For more information and to start jamming today, visitlutefish.com.
Few musical acts did more to put their fame and fortune to good use than punk rock icon Wayne Kramer. Known for his enduring commitment to activism, especially in justice reform, his life story embodies the defiant, DIY ethos of punk, directly inspiring generations of bands and musicians who followed. Now, fans and fellow musicians alike can attempt to emulate Kramer’s incendiary sound with the new, limited-edition pedal.
Designed before his death in February 2024, Wayne Kramer—together with friend Jimi Dunlop (Dunlop CEO) and Daredevil Pedals owner Johnny Wator —the pedal features artwork from artist and activist Shepard Fairey (Obey Clothing founder). A majority of profits from the sale of the pedal goes directly to Kramer’s charity supporting the rehabilitation of incarcerated people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds.
In honor of his close friend, Tom Morello—the innovative guitarist behind Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, the Nightwatchman, and more—demoed the pedal, showcasing its sound and shining light on Wayne Kramer’s incredible legacy.
Tom Morello Introduces MC5 Wayne Kramer-Inspired Pedal For Charity: MXR Jail Guitar Doors Drive
"What they've tried to bake into the MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive distortion pedal is not just Wayne's sound but Wayne's attitude, and the grit and the rawness of Detroit and of the MC5," said Morello, one of Kramer’s best friends, during his demo of the pedal. "This is the guitar pedal that was used on the song 'Heavy Lifting' that I recorded with Wayne for the last MC5 record.
"Named after the late rocker's charity—which provides instruments and art workshops to incarcerated individuals as rehabilitation tools—the MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive pedal aims to capture all of the high-voltage energy of Wayne Kramer's sound. It features two uniquely voiced gain circuits cascaded together with a singular pot controlling both the output level of each circuit and the overall saturation level of the distortion.
Music makers looking to capture Kramer’s raw, fiery sound can pick up the new MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive pedal, exclusively on Reverb via The Official MXR Jail Guitar Doors Drive Reverb Shop for $199, here: https://reverb.com/shop/the-official-mxr-jail-guitar-doors-reverb-shop.
Kiesel Guitars has introduced their newest solid body electric guitar: the Kyber.
With its modern performance specs and competitive pricing, the Kyber is Kiesel's most forward-thinking design yet, engineered for comfort, quick playing, and precision with every note.
Introducing the Kiesel Kyber Guitar
- Engineered with a lightweight body to reduce fatigue during long performances without sacrificing tone. Six-string Kybers, configured with the standard woods and a fixed bridge, weigh in at 6 pounds or under on average
- Unique shape made for ergonomic comfort in any playing position and enhanced classical position
- The Kyber features Kiesel's most extreme arm contour and a uniquely shaped body that enhances classical position support while still excelling in standard position.
- The new minimalist yet aggressive headstock pairs perfectly with the body's sleek lines, giving the Kyber a balanced, modern silhouette.
- Hidden strap buttons mounted on rear for excellent balance while giving a clean, ultra-modern look to the front
- Lower horn cutaway design for maximum access to the upper frets
- Sculpted neck heel for seamless playing
- Available in 6 or 7 strings, fixed or tremolo in both standard and multiscale configurations Choose between fixed bridges, tremolos, or multiscale configurations for your perfect setup.
Pricing for the Kyber starts at $1599 and will vary depending on options and features. Learn more about Kiesel’s new Kyber model at kieselguitars.com
The Sunset is a fully analog, zero latency bass amplifier simulator. It features a ¼” input, XLR and ¼” outputs, gain and volume controls and extensive equalization. It’s intended to replace your bass amp both live and in the studio.
If you need a full sounding amp simulator with a lot of EQ, the Sunset is for you. It features a five band equalizer with Treble, Bass, Parametric Midrange (with frequency and level controls), Resonance (for ultra lows), and Presence (for ultra highs). All are carefully tuned for bass guitar. But don’t let that hold you back if you’re a keyboard player. Pianos and synthesizers sound great with the Sunset!
The Sunset includes Gain and master Volume controls which allow you to add compression and classic tube amp growl. It has both ¼” phone and balanced XLR outputs - which lets you use it as a high quality active direct box. Finally, the Sunset features zero latency all analog circuitry – important for the instrument most responsible for the band’s groove.
Introducing the Sunset Bass Amp Simulator
- Zero Latency bass amp simulator.
- Go direct into the PA or DAW.
- Five Band EQ:
- Treble and Bass controls.
- Parametric midrange with level and frequency controls.
- Presence control for extreme highs.
- Resonance control for extreme lows.
- Gain control to add compression and harmonics.
- Master Volume.
- XLR and 1/4" outputs.
- Full bypass.
- 9VDC, 200mA.
Artwork by Aaron Cheney
MAP price: $210 USD ($299 CAD).