On the more conservative looking TX20E, understated black binding lines the edge between the Sitka spruce top and the coffee tones of its mahogany body, as well as along the back edge and fingerboard. Fine mahogany grain shows through the smooth gloss finish, which felt comfortable in my hands on both body and neck. PRS’s signature birds-in-flight fret markers soar along the handsome ebony fretboard. Closed-back tuners sit closely but not uncomfortably on the back of the asymmetrical PRS headstock. Along the neck, the frets are perfectly seated, finished, and polished for a completely unfettered playing experience. Like its relative, the AX20E, the TX20E features traditional steel-string X-style bracing.
Set up in PRS’s Stevensville, Maryland, factory, the TX20E arrived with moderately low action that made the instrument immensely playable across the entire fretboard. The guitar felt well balanced across the strings and up the neck, and the acoustic sound was also even with a distinct bias toward the upper midrange. Strummed chords sounded clear and warm, with pleasing overtones and crystalline resonances floating over a tight, modest low end. Fingerpicked passages revealed the instrument’s sweetness and dynamic sensitivity. Single notes came through true and clear, with a bit of notable zing. There was no low-mid mud to be found; in an ensemble, the TX20E’s mids and highs would cut through easily.
The Fishman GT1 pickup system combines an undersaddle transducer and a soundhole-mounted preamp, with a 9-volt battery box and output jack located about four inches south of the bottom strap button. Amplified, the TX20E manifested glimmering highs and a bottom end that was balanced, if a bit subdued. Palm-muted chords showcased the Tonare’s broad dynamic range. The overtones of strummed and plucked chords sounded heavenly with a smattering of reverb. Overall, the TX20E’s sound featured its forward upper mids and radiant overtone shimmer.