The PRS A40E is an astonishing acoustic built on all of what PRS have learned since they started making acoustic guitars back in 2011. Using ovangkol back and sides with a solid Sitka spruce top this is great all rounder guitar that can cover a wide range of styles.
Tonewoods
The A40E uses a tonewood combination of a solid Sitka spruce with ovangkol back and sides. Ovangkol is a similar tonewood to rosewood but doesn’t come with the sustainability issues and CITES import restrictions. Like rosewood, Ovangkol has a broad dynamic range but with slightly more midrange emphasis. This is complemented by the the Sitka spruce top which has a very balanced and consistent tone. It’s this combination of tonewoods that makes the A40E such a versatile guitar.
To get the most out of these woods PRS have used their own X/Classical bracing pattern on the top. This tweak to the bracing pattern results in more flexibility for the top to resonate which at the end of the day means more volume and a more defined, full tone that gets the best out of the locked down ovangkol back and sides.
All PRS SE acoustics have mahogany necks with ebony fretboards for great stability and resonance.
Angelus Body
The Angelus is PRS’s take on a classic cutaway body shape. It’s a comfortable mid-sized body that isn’t so large that it’s unwieldy to play and not so small that you don’t get a full sound when you want to start strumming. You also get great upper fret access thanks to the cutaway for when you want to hit those high notes. Like the tonewoods, this body shape lends itself to a wide variety of playing styles and genres.
Fishman Pickup
Every guitar in the PRS SE Acoustic range comes fitted with a Fishman GT1 pickup. This sits under the saddle of the guitar and feeds off to controls that sit just under the soundhole for quick and seamless changes while playing.
Bone Nut and Saddle
If you follow Paul Reed Smith at all you know his philosophy for building acoustic guitars. That it is a ‘subtractive’ instrument meaning that everything on the guitar isn’t adding more tone, or sustain, it is just subtracting less.
Anything that touches the string has the ability to subtract more sustain or tone from your guitar so they have made sure that these guitars are fitted with bone saddles and nuts for the best possible sound. You won’t find this on many instruments at this kind of price.
PRS Acoustics
Since 2011 PRS have dedicated a large department to not only creating great acoustic guitars but also innovating what we thought possible with the acoustic guitar. By going back and looking at some of the oldest available acoustic guitars to what the best of the best are making today, they have created a few innovations that make an incredible guitar.
From Private Stock to SE every acoustic they make is made with a purpose, nothing is done just because that is what everyone else does. They have thought through every combination of woods, shape, bracing, electronics to come up with what they feel is the best acoustic they can make at a price a lot of people can afford.
Specifications
Body
- Top Wood: Solid Sitka Spruce
- Middle Wood: Ovangkol
- Back Wood: Ovangkol
- Body Shape: Angelus Cutaway
- Body Depth at Neck Block: 3 19/32”
- Body Depth at Tail Block: 4 3/8”
- Bracing: PRS Hybrid “X”/Classical Bracing
- Body Purfling: Tiger Acrylic
- Body Binding: Cream
- Rosette: Tiger Acrylic, Cream/Black
Neck
- Number of Frets: 20
- Scale Length: 25.3”
- Neck Wood: Mahogany
- Neck Shape: Wide Fat
- String Spacing: 2 7/32”
- Fretboard Wood: Ebony
- Fretboard Inlay: Birds
- Fretboard Radius: 11.81″
- Strength/Truss Rod: Adjustable
- Neck Depth At The Nut: 7/8”
- Width of Fretboard at the Body:2 9/32″
- Width of Fretboard at the Nut: 1 11/16″
- Nut: Bone
Hardware
- Bridge Wood: Ebony
- Tuners: PRS-Designed
- Acoustic Saddle: Bone
- Strings: 12-53
- Included Accessories: PRS Hardshell Case
Electronics
- Acoustic Electronics: Fishman GT1

HARDCASE 12"13"TOM COMBO CASE
KLOTZ M1 MIC CABLE XLR-XLR 3M
GIBRALTAR SC-GPHCUT HOLE CUTTER
WARWICK SPW30035B1L BASS MACHINEHEAD LEFT BLACK(BASS SIDE)
FENDER AMERICAN VINTAGE STRATOCASTER®-TELECASTER® TUNING MACHINES NICKEL
MOOER SOLO DISTORTION PEDAL
YAMAHA YBH 621S BARITONE HORN SILVER PLATED
PROTECTION RACKET 9116 DJEMBE BAG
SENNHEISER EW501 SET
MOOER MOD FACTORY MKII MULTI MODULATION
EVANS 13 GENERA G1 COATED TOM HEAD
MEINL FD14BE BENDIR FRAMEDRUM
YAMAHA YUS3S PWH
KLOTZ AY10200 INSERT-CABLE 2M
EVANS 20 EMAD BATTER CLEAR KICK HEAD
EVANS MIN-EMAD TOM AND SNR DAMPERS
STAGG MELODICA 32-KEYS BLUE
EVANS 16 ONYX 2-PLY COATED
EVANS 20 EQ3 RESONANT COATED WHITE
GIBRALTAR SC-GPHP-5W PORT HOLE WHITE
HOHNER MARINE BAND 1896 BB-MAJOR
YAMAHA CG 142S CLASSICAL GUITAR NATURAL SPRUCE SOLID WOOD
EVANS EC2S FROSTED 18 IN.
STAGG BONGO STAND
ROLAND PSB7-230EU POWER ADAPTOR
ROLAND EC10 ELECTRONIC CAJON
HOHNER BRAVO II 60 BLACK SILENT KEY
HOHNER BRAVO II 48 DARK BLUE SILENT KEY
K&M 14335 TENOR SAX STAND JAZZ
K&M 210/2 MICROPHONE STAND BLACK
ERNIE BALL EARTHWOOD MEDIUM 13-56
AUDIO-TECHNICA ATH-M50X CLOSED-BACK HEADPHONES
DADDARIO KAPLAN AMO KA310 4/4M VIOLIN SET MEDIUM
GIBRALTAR 4 IN. BLACK PORT HOLE RINGS
AKG WMS40 MINI DUAL VOCAL & INSTRUMENT SET ISM2/3
YAMAHA C40 CLASSICAL GUITAR NATURAL
AKG WMS40 MINI SINGLE VOCAL SET ISM1
MEINL WOOD KALIMBA SMALL
YAMAHA YFL-412 FLUTE
PROTECTION RACKET SUR18 SURDO CASE
STAGG UC-30 CONCERT UKE MAHOGANY WITH BAG
YAMAHA YCL 450 Bb GRENADILLA CLARINET
ERNIE BALL FINGER PICK
MEINL SNARECRAFT CAJON 80 BALTIC
MEINL MAKE YOUR OWN CAJON
PROSS KÕLAPLAAT F2
DADDARIO ACCESSORIES AMERICAN STAGE PW-AMSM-10
BOSS MS-3 EFFECTS SWITCHER
DADDARIO ACCESSORIES 25LK03 KISS STRAP
EVANS 13 ONYX 2-PLY COATED
MEINL MCPTS PERCUSSION TABLE
LARSEN VIOLIN STRINGS VIRTUOSO
GOLDON 10225 BASS XYLOPHONE EXTENSION BOX FOR 10220
EVANS 10 GENERA G2 COATED TOM HEAD
IK MULTIMEDIA IRIG MIC
FENDER PURE VINTAGE 63 PRECISION BASS PICKUPS SET
MEINL PADJ1MF 10 INCH DJEMBE PHARAOHS FIBER SKIN HEAD
YAMAHA HPH-100 WHITE
DADDARIO EJ15 PHOSPHOR BRONZE
YAMAHA PM3X SILENT BRASS MUTE FOR FRENCH HORN, MUTE ONLY
K&M ADJUSTABLE STUDIO NEAR-FIELD MONITOR STAND BLACK
AKG PERCEPTION 170
IBANEZ GSR200B-WNF ELECTRIC BASS WALNUT FLAT
HOHNER SPECIAL-20 CLASSIC E-MAJOR
AUDIENT EVO SP8 8 CHANNEL SMART PREAMP WITH AD/DA
MEINL 8 INCH DJEMBE PHARAOHS FIBER SKIN HEAD
K&M 14350 TENOR SAX STAND SAXXY
AHEAD STICK TIP 5AS
KLOTZ USB 3.1 CABLE PLUG A - PLUG C BLACK 1M
YAMAHA B3E TC3 TRANSACOUSTIC PIANO POLISHED EBONY
TAYLOR 814CE 