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G.W. Barry Concert Cutaway : Bearclaw Sitka & Flamed Brazilian Rosewood

As a luthier, more often than not, your sound evolves very slowly over the course of your career ... so slowly, that it is sometimes difficult to notice. But every once in a while a new building concept solidifies in one instrument and your tone jumps to a new level. This is one of those guitars.

G.W. Barry has of course been creating some of the best flattop guitars in North America for twenty-five years now, which for me, makes it even more surprising that this talented guitar builder could take it up yet another notch!

When David Martin was recording the audio file for this instrument, he remarked that the attack transient on the bass register seemed a bit tighter and the low note fundamentals seemed to have a slightly more solid sound. When we relayed this to the builder, Gordon explained that this is the first instrument he has applied a new technique for fitting his bridge plate ... and that it gave exactly the effect he had predicted!

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Of course the fact that Mr. Barry pulled out some of his private stash of premium tonewoods cannnot have hurt the sound of this instrument. This guitar not only features one of nicest Bearclaw figured Sitka spruce tops I have ever seen, but it also showcases a premium Paua shell abalone soundhole rosette, a flawless one-piece tropical mahogany neck, a burnished ebony bridge and a dramatically flamed set of Brazilian rosewood back & sides!

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Link to an mp3 of David Martin playing this instrument

Link to the David Martin web page

Link to info regarding our audio files

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Specifications
G.W. Barry Concert Cutaway : Bearclaw Sitka & Flamed Brazilian Rosewood

* 1 3/4" wide bone nut
* radiused ebony fingerboard
* ebony fingerboard binding with side dots
* 65 cm (approx. 25.5") scale length
* Brazilian rosewood peghead overlay
* one piece tropical mahogany neck
* hand fit dovetail with bolt
* medium elliptical neck profile
* adjustable truss rod
* precision Gotoh 510 mini tuners with Black/Chrome plating
* Master Grade Bearclaw Sitka spruce top
* Adirondack spruce top bracing
* dramatically figured Brazilian rosewood back & sides
* 16" lower bout dimension
* 4 1/8" deep sides at end pin area
* side port
* burnished ebony bridge has 2 3/16" string spacing
* polished bone saddle is compensated for correct intonation
* bone bridge pins
* deluxe arched top & bottom hardshell case is plush lined