Next up is a rarity – a Gibson ES-335 Dot P90 model, from the now closed Memphis Tennessee plant, a blend of the ES-335 and the P-90 equipped ES-330.
Built in Scarborough – the eastern part of Toronto – around 1991, this Lado Supra 1 shows off the quality of Joseph Kovacic’s work in building Superstrat style guitars.
The Eastman DM1 Gypsy Jazz Style model demonstrates that acoustic guitars do not only follow the pattern of American designs, particularly Martin and Gibson. Here we’re looking at a brand new Eastman DM1 Gypsy Jazz style guitar, in the ‘Petite Bouche’ or small soundhole style. This is a long scale instrument at 26.38 inches or 670mm, almost an inch longer than a typical Martin, and is a fairly large guitar. Construction features a solid Sitka Spruce top with layered Indian for the back and sides.
The Martin 000-28EC signature model is based on the guitar Eric Clapton used for an historic performance. On 16 January 1992, Eric Clapton performed for a small audience at Bray Film Studios in Windsor England. This iconic performance for the MTV Unplugged TV series would spawn an accompanying album that would become his best selling with 26 million copies worldwide. His guitar of choice was the Martin 000-28.
The Ibanez AZ220A shares many features from the rest of the AZ line, but with two main differences. Most of the AZ line features an alder body but the AZ2202A has an ash body. Ash is a slightly heavier weight wood with a great balance of brightness and warmth and was used on many of the revered Fender guitars from the 1950’s to today. The other main difference on the Ibanez AZ2202A model is that the roasted maple neck has 22 frets rather then 24.
The new Harmony Silhouette offset solidbody electric marks the return of what was at one time of the world’s largest instrument manufacturers. Here we’re looking at a new offset body Harmony Silhouette in a lightly metallic Slate nitrocellulose lacquer finish on the body, while the neck has a natural clear coat. It uses a bolt-on neck construction, with the contoured body built of Alder and the neck of Maple.
The new Harmony Rebel solidbody electric marks the return of what was at one time of the world’s largest instrument manufacturers. Harmony dates back to 1892, was purchased by Sears, Roebuck & Co, in 1916 and were based in Chicago, Illinois. From the 1940s until closing in 1975 Harmony built millions of guitars, mandolins, banjos ukuleles and other instruments in the low, mid and professional ranges. These instruments were sold under a host of brand names including Silvertone, Stella, Harmony and Vogue.
The Taylor Academy A12E is part of the company’s new Academy series of guitars, designed to provide beginners to seasoned players a great playing and sounding instrument at an affordable price point. The Taylor Academy A12E is a compact grand concert sized body which has a tighter waist and smaller lower bout making it a very approachable and easy to handle body size. It has a solid Sitka spruce top and layered Sapele sides and back.
Here’s a rarity and bit of history – a Music Man Sabre Bass, built during 1978 in Fullerton, California by CLF Research for Music Man. CLF stood for Clarence Leo Fender. Music Man was founded in 1974 and in 1975, Leo Fender’s non-compete agreement lapsed and he became president of Music Man. Until 1979, Music Man guitars and basses were built by Leo’s other company, CLF Research. After 1979 and until Music Man folded in 1984, Grover Jackson built the bodies and necks and assembled the instruments.
The Jerry Jones Neptune 12 is now a fairly unusual guitar, based on vintage Danelectro designs, and was one of the best affordable electric 12’s available before Jones closed in 2011. The plant had run since 1981 and in April 2011, Jerry Jones retired and the entire contents of the plant were sold at auction. Danelectro instruments and amplifiers were built from 1946 to 1969, guitars under that name from 1954 and had an unusual construction scheme.
This pre war Martin D28 dates to approximately June 1941 based on its serial number and production totals, and is in good playing condition with – to understate- a very good sound, rich, full, and large amounts of projection. It has had an amount of work done to it over the years. As standard for the pre war Martin D28, the body is a dreadnought with Adirondack Spruce top and bracing, Brazilian Rosewood for the sides, back, and head plate, Mahogany for the body blocks, lining and neck, and Ebony for the fingerboard and bridge.
The Collings C10 Deluxe parlor guitar is a small bodied model, based on instruments that were common before the launch of the dreadnought and jumbo models, which rapidly took over in the 1930s. This type of guitar provides a very balanced tone. The C10 Deluxe pairs a Sitka Spruce top with Indian Rosewood for the sides and back. The neck and body blocks are Honduran Mahogany, with Ebony used for the bridge, bound head plate and bound fingerboard.
The Charvel Pro Mod DK24 HSS 2PT uses Charvel’s modern DK24 platform and includes high end features and buttery smooth playability. Key features of the Charvel Pro Mod DK24 include the caramelized maple neck with a satin hand rubbed urethane finish, sculpted shredders heel cut and rolled fingerboard edges. Anyone looking for a smooth easy playing neck with love this instrument!
The Nash T-63 is an imagining of a 1963 T guitar that’s been heavily used over many years and showing significant finish relic wear. Built in the USA by Bill Nash in his shop in Washington state, Nash guitars offer many options including pickup types, finishes and binding. Here we’re looking at a Nash T-63 in a reliced vintage sunburst, built likely during 2007. This recalls one of the most successful and profound factory modifications of the original Telecaster, the introduction of the Rosewood fingerboard.
The Hofner Club 40 was built from around 1953 until the early 1960’s, distributed by Selmer in the UK and very popular with skiffle groups and players, including both John Lennon and George Harrison. At this time, Hofner guitars were built in Bubenreuth, Bavaria. Bearing similarities to violin bass construction, the Hofner Club 40 features a sealed, hollow body, with a solid Spruce top and Maple for the sides and flat back. The body is bound with black and a white/black purfling layer.
The Gibson Gary Moore Les Paul was built from 2000 to 2002 at Nashville, Tennessee and reflects but doesn’t copy Moore’s 1959 Burst originally used by Peter Green in Fleetwood Mac. Taking a regular Les Paul body and neck, the Gibson Gary Moore model does away with body and neck binding, and has a wiring or magnetic configuration that mimics the ‘out of phase’ tone on Peter Green’s Burst. Green felt that the pickup had been physically reversed, but in reality one of the pickup magnets may have been reversed as a manufacturing error.
We’ve just received a set of brand-new redesigned ’18’ models with pre-war features included, including this C. F. Martin 000-18. The 000-18 is one of Martin’s most successful models after its Dreadnought line, and delivers a full, evenly balanced tone ideal for fingerstyle players.
Here is a stunning jumbo body guitar ideal for stage performance – a Takamine Toby Keith, based on the EF250 he played for many years and is now a signature model. Drawing from classic Jumbo American guitars like the J-200 and F-500, the Takamine Toby Keith pairs a solid Sitka Spruce top with Flamed Maple for the cutaway, 17 inch wide body. The neck is Maple with Ebony used for the bound fingerboard, and Rosewood for the top-loading bridge. The inlays are Mother of Pearl and Abalone, with an Abalone ring at the rosette.
The Taylor 150e model is a 12 string dreadnought body size with a solid Sitka spruce top and layered walnut sides and back. The bass response and volume created from this large body pairs well with the crisp shimmering octave strings and articulate dynamics of the solid Sitka spruce top. For many players the lush octave shimmer of a 12 string dreadnought guitar is a familiar and inspiring sound. However, it is often a secondary instrument behind the player’s trusted six string. The Taylor 150e introduces an affordable 12 string to the 100 series of instruments for players looking to broaden their musical palette.
The Prestige series, including the Ibanez RG5121 Prestige are high quality guitars made in Japan with excellent craftsmanship, components, quality finishes and attention to detail. These models are almost all built at the Fuji-Gen plant. The Ibanez RG5121 Prestige is a double cutaway RG body shape with an African mahogany body. Mahogany is a medium to heavy weight wood with a warm full tone with good sustain.
Known for its strong bass response and power, the Martin D-35 is the workingman’s Dreadnought. It features a East Indian Rosewood three-piece back and a Sitka spruce top. The expressive quarter inch straight bracing gives this guitar its signature strong bass response and power, which has made it a popular choice for players such as Johnny Cash and Seth Avett. The mahogany neck has a bound ebony fingerboard and an easy playing modified low oval neck shape. It’s the guitar of choice for bluegrass and folk music. Perfect for the intermediate and advanced player.
The Taylor GS mini e was released in 2010 and has become so popular that it has spawned many different versions.
Based on the big and bold tone of the popular Grand Symphony body shape, the Taylor GS mini e is comfortably scaled down to be the perfect size for the couch or on the go. The full-bodied tone produced is hard to believe from a guitar of this size.
Here’s a revisit to the one that started the electric bass revolution – the Fender 51 Reissue Precision Bass, here seen as a Made In Japan version dating to around 2010 and carrying the classic butterscotch finish. As Leo Fender began producing amplifiers and electric guitars – both Spanish and Steel types – it became apparent that acoustic basses were not going to keep up, and were harder to play in tune.
The Charvel ProMod DK24 HH is a great, straight ahead guitar with all the essentials for an efficient rock machine and is one of our recent Staff Picks ! Seen here is the Satin Burgundy Mist version, and here is the Sunburst version. Based on the ‘Super Strat’ concept with a pair of humbuckers and two-point, non-locking trem, the Charvel ProMod DK24 combines and alder body with roasted or ‘caramelized’ maple neck for full, clear tone and fairly lightweight.
The Taylor 814ce DLX is a luxurious Grand Auditorium body shape which pairs a Sitka spruce top, Indian rosewood sides and back with Taylor’s patented V-Class bracing to reach new levels of tonal performance. One of Taylor’s most popular shapes, the Grand Auditorium body is a versatile general-purpose guitar. Its width is similar to a dreadnought but with a much curvier shape which changes the response and dynamics. It is equally well suited to fingerstyle or strumming so you can use it for many different styles.
The Martin D-18 is the classic, quintessential bluegrass and fingerstyle guitar. It’s got everything needed – balanced tone with deep lows and sparkling highs, clarity and separation, instant response to pick or finger attack, and volume. Today’s Martin D-18 Dreadnought features a sleek, modern low profile for enhanced playability. The D-18 adds a Sitka spruce top to the mahogany back and sides and along with the forward shifted scalloped bracing produces a sound that is warm, punchy and clear. Perfect for the intermediate and advanced player looking for understated looks and timeless tone.
The Martin D-28 is the Dreadnought by which all others are judged. Constructed of solid East Indian rosewood back and sides, Sitka spruce top and mahogany neck, this instrument has been a favorite of artists from Hank Williams Sr. to Jimmy Page.
Introduced in early 1958, the Gibson ES335 was an immediate hit with most players who had been using full bodied archtop guitars, because it addressed very real issues with increasing stage volumes. It was adopted by players in almost every genre, from country to jazz, R&B to rock. Originally equipped with a stop tailpiece and adjustable tune-o-matic or ABR bridge, in 1965 Gibson switched to a traditional simple trapeze tailpiece, and continued to do so until discontinuing the model in 1981. In the meantime, many guitarists removed the trapeze and had stop tailpieces installed on their ES335s.
The Hollowneck Report Part 1 features National ResoPhonic guitars played by Burke Carroll in contemporary Bluegrass tuning, with Chris Bennett on rhythm.
The Dobro Model 27 and 25 were for a time one of Dobro’s most popular models, though it’s hard to tell which model is which – the designation was based on that year’s price!
Here we’re looking at a what’s likely a Dobro Model 27, though possibly a 25, built during 1934 for Dobro by the Regal company of Chicago, Illinois. The body construction is largely of Birch ply, bound top and back,with likely Poplar for the neck and Walnut for the fingerboard.
Here is a lovely Harrison GB Custom Redwood Burl top thinline archtop, built in Toronto during 2017 and based on a design for the late jazz artist Gary Benson. Douglas Harrison has been building arched top guitars for some years now and his GB Custom has been very popular, with most I have seen being true custom models, with varying tops and hardware configurations.
The body of the Ibanez AAF207 7-String is Maple laminate, as is the case for many professional grade cutaway archtop electrics. On the top, the laminate has an outward layer of Spruce, while it’s Flamed Maple for the sides and back. The neck is a three piece design, with outside layers of Mahogany on a Maple center section, and an Ebony fingerboard with three-piece Abalone and Mother of Pearl position markers. The traditional wooden bridge is Ebony, for both cap and base.
Built from 1968 to 1972, the Gretsch 6071 bass is a thin hollow body bass, using Gretsch’s sealed ElectroTone body and a one Super ‘Tron type bass pickup. It’s closely related to the dual pickup 6073 bass built to 1971, most famously used by Peter Tork with the Monkees. Here we’re looking at an early and largely original Gretsch 6071 bass, built in 1968, its first year of production at the Brooklyn plant. It features a laminate Maple ElectroTone body with faux F-holes.
The Gibson TG-0 tenor guitar was built during two periods and two forms, but was always a relatively simple Mahogany top 4-string acoustic. The first TG-0 was based on the L-0 from 1927 to 1933, and the second based on the LG-0 from 1960 to 1974. Here we’re looking at a second series Gibson TG-0 dating to 1963 at the Kalamazoo plant, and draws directly from the LG-0 model. These guitars use Mahogany for the top, back sides with Spruce bracing, and Mahogany for the neck but a Rosewood fingerboard.
The Ibanez RG655 Prestige was built from 2014 to 2017 as part of the Prestige line, Made in Japan at the Hoshino Gakki Fuji-Gen shops that produce many high end instruments. The Ibanez Prestige line appeared in 1996 and almost always indicates that the instrument was built in Japan to very high quality standards and higher end components. The Ibanez RG series came into being in 1992 with the RG550, itself introduced in 1987 but as part of the Roadstar series.
The PRS S2 Vela is a solid Mahogany set neck, straight ahead guitar somewhat reminiscent of some 1960’s solid bodies but with modern features and PRS versatility. In all original, very good condition, this PRS S2 Vela was built during 2015 at the PRS shop in Stevensville, Maryland. It combines a nicely contoured Mahogany body with a Mahogany set neck and Indian Rosewood fingerboard.
The new Eastman SB56 NGD Gold Top Solidbody honors the traditional “LP” construction concept, with top quality materials, construction and components including stock Lollar pickups. Built using a one-piece Mahogany body under a solid carved Maple cap, and one-piece Mahogany neck with Ebony for the fingerboard and head plate, the Eastman SB56 is intended to look and act like a mid 1950’s gold top P-90 equipped model, and does a great job of it.
This Michael Messer Blues 14-Fret model is designed by Michael Messer with a special alloy, biscuit-cone for well balanced, authentic Delta-Blues tone and great sustain and volume. Messers have a big, chunky, pre-war style neck which is fitted with a modern fully adjustable truss rod.
Here’s a rarity – the Gibson ES 150D, a double cutaway, full depth hollow body archtop electric built around 1972 at the Kalamazoo plant during the Norlin years. Drawing inspiration from the venerable ES-150 model – introduced in 1936 with the ‘Charlie Christian’ pickup and built until 1956 – the Gibson ES-150D is unusual. In 1958, the all-new thinline, semi-hollow ES-335 and 345 were introduced and started the final decline of the popular full depth archtop.
Here we’re looking at a Martin OMC 28E built late in 2006 in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. Like the OM, it pairs a Sitka Spruce top with Indian Rosewood for the sides back and headplate, and also for the bridge and bound fingerboard. The neck and body blocks are Mahogany and Sitka Spruce is used for the bracing.
Here we’re looking at a Gibson Robert Johnson L-1 sunburst guitar, dated to January 11 2005 at the Gibson Acoustics shop in Bozeman, Montana under supervision of master luthier Ren Ferguson. Built like an early 1930’s L-1, this guitar features a scallop-braced Sitka Spruce top, with Mahogany for the sides, back, body blocks and neck. The 12-fret fingerboard and bridge are Ebony on this example.
Here we’re looking at a PRS SC 245 built during 2008 at the PRS shop in Stevensville, Maryland. It’s in very good condition, with only slight wear; the nickel plated metal parts are developing a natural patina. This example is built using a bookmatched, carved Flame Maple top on a contoured Mahogany back and a Mahogany neck bearing an unbound Indian Rosewood fingerboard with Bird inlays. The neck joint is nicely contoured for comfort.
he 1991 PRS CE 24 solidbody uses a basic, straight ahead formula – a Maple neck, with Rosewood fingerboard, bolted to a solid Mahogany body, a trem and a pair of humbucking pickups. Introduced in 1988 and built until 2008, with production resuming in 2016, the PRS CE 24 solidbody is the “Classic Electric” 24 fret model.
Developed from the small body, short scale 12-fret guitars of the early 20th century, the Larrivee P09 Artist Series is an excellent instrument for fingerstyle playing. Built at the Larrivee shop in Oxnard, California, the Larrivee P09 Artist features a Sitka Spruce top paired with Indian Rosewood for the sides, back and head plate. The body binding is Flame Maple. The neck and body blocks are Mahogany, and the bridge and ivoroid-bound, fingerboard are Ebony.
Here’s a new Alastair Miller Spanish T style guitar, built with a reclaimed Spanish Cedar body, African Wenge neck, and sporting a deep forest green finish. While new, this guitar features a ‘reliced’ aesthetic. Miller frequently uses reclaimed woods in his guitars, as seen in his successful ‘Barncaster’ models built using timbers from an old barn at a family property. Here, Spanish Cedar lumber has been reworked into a T-style body.
Here’s something special, a lovely Romantic Era guitar built by Francois Tachet in Mirecourt, northeastern France, during the 1830s or early 1840s. Mirecourt has long been known for making musical instruments and lace; instruments from the area are often referred to as from the Mirecourt School. Louis Panormo was a contemporary, working in London. This Francois Tachet romantic guitar – at approximately 185 years old – is in good working order, and has had some expected service over the decades.
Here is a Douglas Harrison 17 inch Archtop cutaway guitar, built at Harrison’s shop in Toronto, Ontario during 2000. This model is now referred to as a ‘Classic Jazz’ or CJ. This excellent instrument is built in the traditional archtop model, pairing a hand carved, solid Spruce top with a hand carved Flame Maple back.
The Gibson Les Paul Custom 62 Reissue recalls the complete redesign of the Les Paul, triggered in 1961 by poor sales, ironic for a guitar that’s now very highly valued. By 1963, the model was renamed at Les Paul’s request, and Gibson called it the ‘SG’. Like the original, the Les Paul Custom 62 Reissue uses a contoured Mahogany slab body with a Mahogany neck. Like previous Les Paul Custom models, the fingerboard is Ebony instead of Rosewood, and the position markers are Mother of Pearl blocks.
Here we have an Oskar Graf 10-String Classical guitar, built during 2006 in Clarendon Ontario. Graf has been hand building custom, top quality instruments since 1970. It features a Cedar top with Indian Rosewood for the back, sides, headplate and bridge, with Ebony for the fingerboard. The neck and heel are Mahogany, but because of the width of the neck, it is made in three pieces with a narrow center strip.
Gibson has reissued the Les Paul Standard Sunburst in its 1958 form several times, and here’s a nice one that dates to 1988 and carries Tom Holmes pickups. Built in the traditional manner, this Gibson Les Paul Standard Sunburst has a very nicely bookmatched, flame Maple top with a well faded cherry sunburst, now down to a tea-like tint. As usual, the body back and neck are Mahogany, with Indian Rosewood for the bound fingerboard.
The Eastman DT30OM is the second model in Eastman’s new Double Top line, bringing high end classical guitar technology to the steel string world – here in a classic Orchestra Model body design. The double top concept aims to allow a very thin, light and responsive top but with superior strength and stiffness. Here, thin layers of Sitka Spruce are bonded to a honeycomb Nomex core. Nomex is a Kevlar polymer and helps provide significant improvements in stiffness to weight ratios.
Released in a limited run of 1200 instruments during 2013, the Gibson Slash Signature Les Paul sports an AAA-grade flame maple top and a new ‘Rosso Corso’ or Racing Red finish, and of course with the distinctive Slash graphic on the head. Well known for his work with bands like Guns ‘N Roses, Velvet Revolver and many side projects, it’s natural that there would be a Gibson Slash Signature Les Paul.
We’re happy to present the Eastman DT30D Double Top, part of Eastman’s new line of double-top steel string guitars – a technology that till now has mostly been limited to high end classical instruments. The double top concept aims to allow a very thin, light and responsive top but with superior strength and stiffness. Here, thin layers of Sitka Spruce are bonded to a honeycomb Nomex core. Nomex is a Kevlar polymer and helps provide significant improvements in stiffness to weight ratios.
The Michael Messer Blues 28 hews closely to the original 1928 specifications and has the classic wood-bodied resonator guitar sound and feel. This model is built with a 1928-style Mahogany laminate body with F-holes and Mahogany neck, 12 frets to the body, with a spun Aluminum cone and Maple biscuit bridge. The National String Instrument Corporation invented and introduced the first Resophonic guitars in 1927, using a tri-cone, metal body design worked out by John Dopyera and George Beauchamp.
The Boucher Studio Goose SG-52 uses the traditional square shoulder Dreadnought body design pioneered by Martin in the early 20th century, and which has dominated the acoustic guitar world since the 1950s. The very white, locally harvested AAAA grade Adirondack Red Spruce top, using a hand-scalloped forward shifted X brace system is paired with Indian Rosewood to provide warm, full tone. The neck is South American Mahogany, and Ebony is used for the headplate, fingerboard and bridge. Bindings are Maple with Herringbone purfling.
The Boucher Heritage Goose HG-26 is based on the traditional 12 fret, 000 body design, with a slotted peghead to increase string downbearing at the nut without increasing head pitch. This helps add clarity, separation and sustain to open string notes. Here, Boucher has paired the Adirondack Red Spruce with African Bubinga. The neck is Mahogany with Ebony used for the headplate, bridge, and fingerboard.
The Boucher Studio Goose SG-41 uses the OM Hybrid, or Orchestra Model body shape modified to work better with fingerstyle playing. The very white, locally harvested Adirondack Red Spruce top is paired with Brazilian Mahogany to provide clear, crisp tone and immediate response.
The Boucher Studio Goose SG-21 uses the OM Hybrid, or Orchestra Model body shape modified to work better with fingerstyle playing. The very white, locally harvested Adirondack Red Spruce top is paired with African Bubinga to provide clear, crisp tone and immediate response. The neck is Mahogany, and Ebony is used for the headplate, fingerboard and bridge.
The Boucher Richard Bennett signature series model is based on the classic Dreadnought body, pairing an Adirondack Spruce top with Brazilian Mahogany for the body and neck. This combination provides a full tone with crisp sparkling highs and fast response. Decoration on the Richard Bennett model is minimal – it focuses on tone and performance.
Here is a very unusual guitar – a Replica Bigsby 49 Standard, reproducing one of the very few, very first, very influential solidbody electric guitars. Paul Arthur Bigsby was a machinist with a strong interest in motorcycles and, as it turned out, guitars. He built a number of pedal steel guitars, perhaps 50 Spanish style guitars, and designed a now widely used hand vibrato tailpiece for Merle Travis. As well, he replaced the neck on Merle’s Martin, with a much slimmer neck sporting the distinctive Bigsby headstock. This neck aided the Travis style, which involves wrapping the left thumb over the low strings for bass notes.
The G W Barry M Body guitar is a very successful and versatile design based on the classic OM introduced by Martin, with a long scale neck on a 000 sized body. G W Barry has been building for decades starting with years for Jean Larrivee, and his skill at not only building but also voicing is evident in this 23-year old M body cutaway model. This particular guitar was recently rebuilt by Barry, with work including a neck reset with fret dress and a neck-off refinish of the top that included a repair to a top crack.
The Gibson Firebird X was one of Gibson’s efforts to fully modernize the electric guitar. It starts with the basic ‘reverse’ offset chambered body built of Ash, and a set Maple neck with Maple fingerboard. The headstock is a more traditional Gibson layout rather than the ‘Fender-esque’ Firebird design. There are three new Firebird FBX mini-humbucker pickups, a tune-o-matic bridge with stop tailpiece, but from there everything is different.
Sharing many features with the SG-21 and SG-41, the Boucher Studio Goose SG-51 features an Adirondack Spruce top but with Indian Rosewood back and sides. The Studio Goose SG-51 uses the OM Hybrid, or Orchestra Model body shape modified to work better with fingerstyle playing. The very white, locally harvested Adirondack Red Spruce top is paired with Indian Rosewood to provide warm, crisp tone . The neck is South American Mahogany, and Ebony is used for the headplate, fingerboard and bridge. Bindings are Maple with Herringbone purfling.
We’re starting off the day with an interesting Gibson L-0 guitar dating to 1927 that was originally sold through T.E. Bevan and Co. Ltd at Grosvenor House in Calcutta.
Here we have another Martin D-28 Brazilian Rosewood Dreadnought steel string guitar dating to 1969. This was officially the last year that the Martin guitar company used Brazilian Rosewood, though it was found in smaller portions until about 1973 when their last supplies were exhausted. The Dreadnought steel string, as found on guitars like the C F Martin D-28 Brazilian and the rest of their ‘D’ line, has been one of the most successful guitar designs. Used by countless guitarists and on many recordings, the Dreadnought brought banjo-matching volume.
The Martin D-45 has been the top of the line in the Martin Guitar Company’s line of regular production instruments since its initial introduction in 1933, and its re-introduction in 1968.
This instrument is an early Valley Arts Custom Pro, in the 7/8th size and 25.75 inch scale format and with the ultra rare interlocking neck joint, built during 1987 at the expanded Valley Arts shop in North Hollywood, California. As was the case for many other early Valley Arts guitars, this example was originally purchased and used regularly by a top-rank professional guitarist for many studio and performance engagements. All of the wear on this guitar comes from pro use.
Combining influences from several manufacturers, the Charvel Surfcaster 12 chambered electric 12 string was built from 1991 to 1995 by Fuji-Gen in Japan. That plant makes many higher end models for several brands, and quality is very high throughout this guitar. The basic construction of the Charvel Surfcaster 12 uses the proven Fender bolt-on design.
The Airline Folkstar, improved and re-issued by the Eastwood guitar company, brings back the 1950s Valco Folkstar resophonic aesthetic, but with a pair of pickups and a reasonable price. Airline guitars were built by Valco, one of the largest instrument manufacturers in the world, from 1958 to 1868 when the company folded. The original Airline Folkstar used Valco’s Res-O-Glas body construction – fiberglass resin on wood – with a single resonator cone. It was entirely acoustic, and never had pickups
This is a very special Evan Kingma flamenco guitar, with the sides and back from ancient Kauri wood sourced from New Zealand, and by Ancient, we mean thirty to fifty thousand years old. This guitar is numbered as 10, and named ‘Pink Mosque 3’. Evan Kingma is an up and coming Canadian luthier, from a small town in the Niagara Peninsula, but now studying and working full time in Spain with Master Luthier Stephen Hill. In addition to building, he also helps teach at The European Institute of Guitar Making in Granada.
Here we have a very nice William Laskin Cedar Top and Indian Rosewood classical guitar, built during 1987 at Laskin’s shop in Toronto. One of the world’s premier guitar builders, William Laskin has been building since the early 1970s and early on, as is the case for many other now prominent builders, worked with Jean Larrivee. He is very well known for his spectacular engraved inlay work.
The Carvin SH550 thinline archtop electric is still available from the successor to Carvin – Kiesel Guitars, run by descendants of Lowell Kiesel, founder of Carvin. Based on a carved Flame Maple top on a chambered Mahogany back with Mahogany neck and Indian Rosewood fingerboard, this is a very nice guitar aimed towards jazz players. This Carvin SH550 dates to around 2003 based on the owner’s recollection. Precise dating information is not available.
Here’s something by definition unusual – a Fender 1969 Stratocaster Rev Headstock Closet Classic, Custom Team built and dated to July 12, 2013. This guitar comes with the original Fender custom order documents – the Dealer Spec Sheet, Shop Floor Traveller sheet, the Certificate of Authenticity and a Limited Edition #107 certificate.
The Kauer Daylighter Express Deluxe is now discontinued but like other Kauer models is not a slavish copy of other designs, but tries to make real improvements. Kauer Guitars are made by Doug Kauer in Elk Grove, CA, with the goal of delivering a well balanced, comfortable instrument with a clear and articulate tone and lots of dynamic range.. His guitars blend design cues from many sources, and work quite well.
The Reaper-6 by Schecter is a workhorse of a performance guitar with sleek lines and custom shop level looks that are certain to stand out!
The first thing you notice on the Schecter R Reaper-6 is the satin charcoal burst on the poplar burl wood top. The unique wood grains provide a slightly different look on each guitar. The super comfortable arm bevel reveals the natural swamp ash body which has a great balance of warmth and treble snap.
This Larson Brothers Maurer 551 dates to the late 1920s and uses an Auditorium sized body, 15 inches wide. As was often the case in the period, there is no serial number and records are scarce, so it is difficult to date exactly. The top is Spruce, the back and sides are Brazilian Rosewood, with a number of old repairs to both. The neck is mahogany, with Ebony used for the fingerboard and bridge. The scale length is a modern 25.6 inches, and the nut width a fairly wide 1.9 inches. The finish base is original but there are a number of touchups and some overspray.
We’ve previously listed this now shopworn Gibson ES Les Paul in Pelham Blue, built during 2016 at the now-closed Memphis plant. Since then, it’s suffered a small bit of finish damage near the pickup selector switch, and we’re offering it at a reduced price. One guitar bumped into another while being replaced on the rack, and the resulting dent broke out a small amount of the Pelham Blue finish.
The Beltona T105 Tricone was one of the early products of Beltona, founded in the UK by Steve Evans and Bill Johnson in 1990. Respectively a luthier and engineer, Evans and Johnson first sought to build instruments for themselves that were, at the time, not readily available in the UK. In 1998, Beltona moved to New Zealand,
We’re excited to share with you, new Michael Messer Blues guitars! These MM latest guitars have a newer finish, and less blue tones than the previous models. This model is designed by Michael Messer with a special alloy, biscuit-cone for well balanced, authentic Delta-Blues tone and great sustain and volume. Messers have a big, chunky, pre-war style neck which is fitted with a modern fully adjustable truss rod.
The Godin Multiac Grand Concert has become a very successful and immensely practical instrument, and is based directly on the Gibson Chet Atkins CE Classical Electric from 1981.
By the early 1980s, Chet Atkins had shifted largely to playing nylon string guitars, but the instruments available at the time were strictly acoustic and not really suited to the realities of touring, and amplified or broadcast stages. On Atkin’s request, Gibson produced two models of a solidbody nylon string guitar, using Mahogany for the neck and a slab body, adding a Spruce top.
Designed with fingerstyle players in mind, the Larrivee LSV-11 features a slightly smaller, cutaway L body with a relatively short 24.8 inch scale length. This early Larrivee LSV-11 example dates to August 11, 2006 and was built at the Larrivee shop in Oxnard, California. It features the cutaway LS body and pairs a Sitka Spruce top with Indian Rosewood for the back and sides, Mahogany for the body blocks, linings and neck, and Ebony for the pyramid-style bridge and ivoroid-bound fingerboard.
The Larrivee OMV-05 combines several influences into one very nice, very responsive guitar ideal for fingerstyle. The cutaway OM body shape and size provides a well rounded, even frequency response and Jean Larrivee’s classical background appears in the 650mm scale length and fairly wide 45mm nut. Now out of production, this Larrivee OMV-05 dates to October 20, 2006 at Larrivee’s shop in Oxnard, California. It features a Sitka Spruce top paired with Central American Mahogany for the sides, back, body blocks, and neck.
Here is a limited edition rarity from 1987 – a Rickenbacker 4003 Tuxedo White Star bass, one of approximately 120 built during that year; some reports say 100 were built. The model 4003 bass was introduced in 1979 to improve the model 4001 and in particular to strengthen the dual truss rods for use with round wound strings. The Rickenbacker 4003 Tuxedo or White Star bass is based closely on the 4003 and was built only during 1987.
The Ibanez RGR652AHBF RG Prestige electric guitar also features a cool reverse headstock with Gotoh locking tuners for excellent tuning stability. The 5 piece maple and walnut neck is the Super Wizard profile from Ibanez with is slim and super-fast. The jumbo frets feel great to play and make big bends and wide vibrato a breeze.
The Takamine DSF48c Santa Fe is now discontinued, but replaced by the TSF48c – the difference is in the installed preamp, while the rest of the guitar is unchanged. Takamine was one of the first companies to market a successful pickup-equipped steel string guitar, and one of their key developments was with the preamp and EQ systems. For a time, it seemed every Country stage had at least one Takamine.
Here’s a lovely Taylor 712 from 1997, before pickups were stock, and it’s a very nice guitar for fingerstyle playing – well rounded with full, evenly balanced tone. The Taylor 712 in this form is no longer available. The 712 is now mostly presented as the Taylor 712 ce, for Cutaway Electric, and most often in 12-fret neck format, with slotted peghead. However, the construction has the same basis in the Grand Concert body, roughly equivalent to a Martin OOO body size. It features a Sitka Spruce top paired with Indian Rosewood for the back and sides, Mahogany for the body blocks, linings and neck, and Ebony for the bridge and bound fingerboard.
The Rainsong H-DR1000LN2T takes the proven standard Dreadnought design, and builds it in a Left Handed model using Carbon Fibre and glass fibre, adding a Fishman Prefix pickup and wrapping it in a Copper Burst finish. Rainsong guitars are built in the USA. Now based in Woodinville, Washington, the company started in Kihei, Maui, Hawaii and builds designs by company founder John Decker.
Built from 1955 to 1969, the Martin D-21 was a bridge between the Mahogany D-18 and the Rosewood D-28 models, with Brazilian Rosewood for the back and sides but without extra binding or decoration. Martin stopped building the D-21 about the same time their stocks of Brazilian Rosewood were exhausted, and demand for the model was not enough to justify shifting it to Indian Rosewood.
Every year at the LA NAMM show I find something unique and wonderful. Mid-East Music specializes in handcrafted historic and ethnic instruments. Unlike other sources I’ve encountered, they understand and service the instruments they sell and control and participate in the manufacture process. Hand made in Pakistan, these instruments are remarkably cleanly built: accurate joinery, clean fit and finish. I was VERY impressed by the overall quality and appearance and the prices are a fraction of what we commonly see in second hand historic Lutes and Baroque guitars.
At last I can offer a completely playable historic Lute and Baroque guitar for a price that “makes sense” to most of my clients who simply want to experiment with this era of music. These instruments are “the real thing” at an affordable price. These instruments even come with lightweight but solidly made hardshell cases !
The Gibson J-45 Slope Shoulder Dreadnought is one of the classic American guitars, built for the working or aspiring musician. It’s not fancy, but delivers exactly what it needs to. Warm and full sounding, this model has long been a favourite for singer-songwriters. The round upper bouts or shoulders differentiate the design from Martin’s square-shoulder ‘D’line, though the first incarnations of that model also had round shoulders.
This is a brand new Collings CJ-35, this one a GSB – sporting a German Spruce top and Sunburst finish! Collings guitars are among the finest available anywhere. The Collings CJ-35 elevates the classic slope-shoulder dreadnought design, pairing a Spruce top with Mahogany for the sides, back and neck, to its apex. These are wonderful instruments, with the best materials available and impeccable build and finish quality.
Finished in a nitrocellulose lacquer Desert Burst sunburst, this Gibson Les Paul Standard was built at Gibson’s Nashville plant and dates to June 12th, 2008. It features a chambered, weight relieved Mahogany body with lightly flamed Maple cap, Mahogany for the asymmetrical-profile neck and Indian Rosewood for the bound fingerboard.
The Gibson ES-125D is a rare version of a pretty common instrument. The entry-level ES-125 was very popular, but had only a P-90 pickup in the neck position until, and for only, 1957. Introduced in 1941 and offered until 1970 with production suspended between 1943 and 1946, the ES-125 was an ideal guitar for many genres.
Here’s a fairly rare sighting– from 1983, an original condition Fender Stratocaster Elite in Sienna sunburst. This model was built only in 1983 and 1984, and introduced a number of new features and hardware pieces. Most visible of the 1983 Fender Stratocaster Elite updates are the short-lived FreeFlyte knife-edge trem, and the pushbutton pickup selectors. New pickups were installed, and the output jack went on the side – in this case, a standard barrel jack.
The Gibson J-50 first appeared alongside the J-45 in 1952 as a pair of slope or round-shouldered dreadnoughts, the J-50 in Natural and the J-45 Sunburst. These models replaced the J-35, built from 1936 to 1942. The two guitars are structurally very similar, but the natural-finish J-50 received multi-layer top binding and better visual grade Spruce tops as there was no tint to hide imperfections. For this reason, the J-50 carried a higher price.
Based on the ‘Super Strat’ concept with a pair of humbuckers and two-point, non-locking trem, the Charvel ProMod DK24 combines and alder body with roasted maple neck for full, clear tone and fairly lightweight. This is a very comfortable guitar to play for long hours. The locking tuners make short work of string changes under pressure.
The Waterloo Jumbo King looks back to the larger guitars of the American 1940’s, delivering more volume and power for larger audiences and radio broadcasts. Using an X-braced Sitka Spruce top paired with Indian Rosewood for the sides, back and fingerboard, the Waterloo Jumbo King WL-JK IR has a 15.75 inch body width and 5 inch depth. The neck is Mahogany, the Rosewood fingerboard unbound, and the bridge is Ebony with a drop-in bone saddle.
Appearing in 1964 as part of a revamp of Fender’s entry level line, the Fender Mustang Dakota Red was the lowest priced model that included a tremolo tailpiece. The Mustang was also available in Blue and White. In 1965, following the sale of Fender to CBS, the Mustang – along with other models – received some immediate rebranding. The serial number plate and the tuning machine casings were stamped with a letter F. On the Mustang, the headstock was also enlarged, a change also applied to the Stratocaster.
The Gibson Les Paul Studio line delivers all the core features of a Les Paul at a lower price, and this is largely achieved by reducing decoration. The body and neck are not bound, and the Maple top is a ‘B’ grade, which is a visual rating (and it should be noted that many historic ‘Gold Top’ models also used Maple of this grade). However, there’s no skimping on the hardware.
Here is a rarity, a Neil Hebert classical guitar built in Montreal during 1986, with Cedar top and Brazilian Rosewood for the back, sides and headplate. Neil Hebert retired some years ago, and was a highly respected builder while active. Unfortunately there isn’t a lot of information available about him, though he does get a mention in the Canadian Encyclopedia under ‘Guitar’.
After our brief break, we’ll start off with a new Bruce Haines classical guitar, using an AAA grade Englemann Spruce top and a lovely Ziricote set for the back and sides. This lovely Bruce Haines classical guitar is built in the traditional Spanish style. The sides and neck integrated via the ‘slipper heel’. With this method, the sides slot into the the heel for unified construction and greater transmission of vibration. The top is AAA grade Engelmann Spruce. The neck and solid, non-kerfed linings are Honduran Mahogany. The body bindings are Ebony with Alaskan Cedar purflings.
Introduced in 2003 and still in production, the Ernie Ball Music Man Bongo 5 HH Bass features active electronics for its pair of humbucking pickups. At its core, the Bongo bass draws from the classic, proven bolt-on designs developed during the early 1950s. However, it is considerably more advanced and available in 4, 5 and 6 string versions, all with 24 frets. These are very versatile, reliable basses with a huge range.
We carry the the Michael Messer Blues Resophonic Guitar in both 14-fret and 12-fret neck versions, the Blues 28 (a wood bodied 12-fret) and the Lightning (a metal bodied, nickel plated 12-fret with lightning frosting). With over thirty years experience of playing, collecting & reviewing resonator guitars, Michael Messer created the most authentic and playable 1930s style resonator guitars at an affordable and realistic price.
The Larrivee OM-40 Legacy model is a tonally well balanced orchestra size flat top with classic appointments. It features a mahogany back and a sitka spruce top. This tone wood combination provides rich midrange warmth and smooth articulation.
The Schecter C-1 Apocalypse model is a fast playing workhorse of a guitar. It features a double cutaway super strat style body with an arched top and a super comfortable set neck with ultra access to the upper frets. The combination of the slim c neck profile, the compound radius of 12” to 16” and stainless steel x- jumbo frets makes big string bends and wide vibrato a breeze. The swamp ash body is light and balances well and looks great with the rust grey finish.
Here we have a Ramirez 1a Long Scale classical guitar built during 1967, during the ‘golden era’ of Jose Ramirez III’s leadership of the Ramirez workshop at Concepcion Jeronima No. 2 in Madrid, Spain. This well-used instrument features a long scale of 664mm or 26.14 inches, intended to provide increased volume and projection for the professional concert performer. With Jose Ramirez III leading the workshop, this Ramirez 1a Long Scale has the initials CLL on the slipper foot. Its construction defines the tradition that countless other builders follow, with the slipper foot join integrating the sides and neck for maximum resonance and response.
The Laskin Flamenco is built using a Sitka Spruce top paired with a Cypress back and side set, and Cedro or Spanish Cedar for the neck, linings, and back bracing. Construction is the traditional Spanish ‘slipper foot’ style – the neck, heel and neck block are one unit, with the sides slotting into the heel. This is in distinct contrast to other methods where the neck and body are built separately, often using a dovetail or mortise and tenon joint. The head plate and binding are Ebony, and the fingerboard is Ebony with Ebony binding. The bridge is Indian Rosewood.
Dmitry Kulakov has brought us one of his newer creations, the DK Cleopatra model featuring his Fibonacci body shape, Sitka Spruce top and Amazon Rosewood for the sides and back. New guitar designs are relatively easy to come up with, but what’s much more difficult is having that design work as a functional and good sounding instrument. The DK Cleopatra succeeds in these regards, resulting in an attractive and visually striking and rather good sounding instrument.
This Harrison GB Spruce top thinline archtop electric in a lovely Amber tint, built during 2008 at Harrison’s shop in Toronto, Canada. The Douglas Harrison GB thinline archtop guitar has proven very popular with jazz guitarists. Designed with – and originally for – the late Gary Benson and built in Toronto, Ontario, the Harrison GB uses a carved solid spruce top on a chambered back. The neck has a compound radius, from 12 to 16 inches.
G W Barry has been building fine steel strings for some time, and this M-body cutaway dates to 1995 at his shop in Toronto. Built with a Sitka Spruce top, Indian Rosewood back sides and headplate, with mahogany for the neck and ebony for the fingerboard and bridge, maple binding and an abalone rosette, this guitar is in very nice condition.
The Miller Barncaster is a take on the classic Tele design appearing in a number of variations. This Alastair Miller Barncaster, Rosewood on Barn board model was created in Alastair Miller’s shop using a barnboard core capped with Indian Rosewood and a Cocobolo neck, and custom wound Miller Pig Farmer pickups. The bridge pickup measures 7.4K ohms, the bridge 8.5K ohms. The other components are also top quality CTS pots with vintage era cap, and Switchcraft jack and switch. The pickguard is lacquered Bakelite.
This Matthew Woodall Archtop uses a fairly traditional cutaway design, with a 17 inch wide body. The top is solid carved Spruce with bound F-holes, and the back is carved, bookmatched Spalted Maple. The sides and neck are also Maple and the body is bound with a faux-tortoise layer. The fingerboard, bridge and tailpiece are Ebony.
This C.F. Martin D28 built during 1969 at the Martin facility in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. In keeping with the time it was built, the Rosewood used for the sides, back and head plate was sourced in Brazil. The top is Sitka Spruce, the neck and body blocks Mahogany, and the fingerboard and bridge are Ebony. Grover Roto-Matic tuners are installed and a new bone saddle and bridge pins have been added. The headstock is the late 1960’s rounded shape, with a relatively slim profile neck. It’s very comfortable to play.
The Larrivee LV19 Special Vine Edition was built only during 2002, in a run of fifty instruments featuring a spectacular engraved ‘tree of life’ vine inlay. Here we’re looking at a Larrivee LV19 Special Vine Edition, dating to September 10, 2002 and built at the then-new Larrivee shop in Oxnard, California. The LV-19 is now a discontinued model, but the “LV” indicated the classically-derived Larrivee body while the “19” denotes a step up from the “09” trim, adding Rosewood binding.
An entirely new model in a unique yet functional shape, the Backline Ronan is a straight ahead rock guitar with just what’s needed. Tim Ronan builds guitars a bit north west of Toronto, and has been developing unique models that put function and durability first. The eponymous Backline Ronan is the result of a number of experiments with angular bodies, looking for a mixture of appearance, comfort, balance and light weight.
Here we have a used Michael Messer Blues 14 in near new condition, at a significant discount from the new price. A rare find as few people trade them back! The original Michael Messer Pod case – soft sided with dense foam – is included. Michael Messer is a well known English guitarist, who has over the years focused on steel and slide guitars. His line of resophonic guitars draws from his decades of experience playing these instruments, and aims towards an affordable but high quality guitar.
The Gretsch Country Club appeared in 1954 as one of Gretsch’s early electric guitars and targeted at the higher end jazz player needing a full size, 17 inch body and solid Spruce top. This model was in production until Gretsch folded in 1981, reappeared between 1995 and 1999 as a US built reissue, and again since 2001 as a pro-line model, Made in Japan by Terada.
Here we are looking at the Thomas Malapanis Classical numbered 26, and dated to 2004. The top is Red Cedar, while the sides, back, headplate and bridge are Cocobolo. The sides are lined with a Cypress or Sycamore facing, not the same as ‘laminate’ woods, a technique pioneered by Jose Ramirez III to help increase clarity, and still used on some higher end Ramirez models.
Here is something new, rare and wonderful – a brand-new Scheerhorn L-Body Flame Maple Squareneck Resophonic Guitar, built under license by National Resophonic Guitars in San Luis Obispo, California. In 1989, Tim Scheerhorn showed Mike Aldridge his first experimental squareneck and by the end of 1990 Scheerhorn guitars were in the hands of many top pro players and Tim already had a long waiting list. The Dobro guitar construction style had stayed static since the 1930s with virtually no design changes.
Fender from time to time delivers Limited Edition models, like this Fender Limited Edition Two Tone Telecaster Thinline with bound Fiesta Red top, white finished back, and Rosewood fingerboard! These were built in small numbers, and are not common to see in catalogs or promotions. In the late 1960, Fender’s hunt for new designs continued and this led to the hiring of German luthier Roger Rossmeisl, who had been responsible for a number of Rickenbacker’s most successful semi-hollow models and the ‘Cresting Wave’ shape.
Here is something unusual – an excellent Bert Kwakkel Flamenco Blanca guitar, built during 2007 at the Kwakkel shop in Gaanderen, the Netherlands. Bert Kwakkel built his first guitar in 1971 and has been building full time since 1979. His instruments are oriented towards the professional Classical or Flamenco guitarist, designed to produce and project enough sound for larger venues.
This F Bass Fretless bass uses three woods – Flamed Maple for the neck, Poplar for the wings, and African Blackwood for the fingerboard. It uses a neck-through construction. For hardware, Schaller tuners are at the head, and a Leo Quan Badass bridge with a riser. Electronics are passive and consist of a Aguilar AG4J-HC pickup in the bridge position, paired with a Hi-A (High-Asymmetry) pickup in the neck position. This bass originally shipped with a Seymour Duncan Jazz pickup in the bridge position.
Introduced in 1954 and intended as a companion to the then-new Les Paul solidbody, the Gibson J160E was one of the first mass production electrified steel string guitars. This model was discontinued in 1979, and is occasionally re-issued. One of the greatest contributors to the success of this model was a 1962 model’s appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, in the hands of one John Lennon. That was The Beatles first US performance, and made all their gear quite popular.
This rare Zemaitis Heart 12 String Superior Plus steel string acoustic guitar is built of Mahogany, with Ebony for the fingerboard and bridge and Rosewood for the headplate. It was built during 1986 at the Zemaitis shop in Chatham, Kent, England. During the 1970s, Tony Zemaitis became one of the most sought after luthiers as English musical royalty discovered his new metal-topped electric guitars. Ron Wood, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, and George Harrison all played Zemaitis models at various times.
Here’s a beauty – a Godin Montreal Premiere Supreme thinline archtop electric, with Flame Maple top and back and Trestle-style Spruce bracing. The Godin Montreal Premiere Supreme is a compact, thin body single cutaway archtop guitar.
Here we have a Rob Allen MB2 Fretless Bass, built with a Walnut topped Mahogany body during 2010 at Allen’s shop in Fillmore, California. Rob Allen designs and builds to his own preferences combining acoustic and electric tonalities. The Allen MB-2 bodies are semi-hollow, and use acoustic style bridges rather than massive metal units. The bridge itself is Rosewood, with a Bone saddle and a built-in Fishman transducer – there is also a volume control on the bridge itself.
This is a wonderful new guitar from the C F Martin Custom Shop – a 1947 D-28 built with Guatemalan rosewood and Sitka spruce top. This guitar was built during 2017 to specifications provided by The Twelfth Fret’s Grant MacNeill during his visit to the Martin facility.
The Roosebeck 5-course Baroque guitar is based on historic instruments, and is built using materials not covered by CITES export restrictions. The top is Spruce, the body and neck are a combination of light-coloured Lacewood and darker Sheesham. Lacewood is a term used for a variety of woods but often Roupala Brasiliensis, while Sheesham is Dalbergia Sissoo, also known as North Indian Rosewood. On some versions of this instrument, Mid-East has used Walnut in place of Sheesham.
This Roosebeck Renaissance lute is a 6 course model, featuring a bowl constructed of 25 fluted Sheesham staves, and with a 600mm scale length. The top is Spruce, while the neck, bowl, nut, bridge, and end pin are built of Sheesham, The peg box is Sheesham and Lacewood. The frets are formed in the traditional manner – tied on – but are nylon line (guitar string) rather than gut.
Here we’re looking at a Santa Cruz D Model, dating to 2010 and in very good condition. Built by at the SCGC shop run by Richard Hoover in Santa Cruz, California, this older Santa Cruz D Model features a Sitka Spruce top (since 2019, it’s been Adirondack Spruce) and Indian Rosewood for the back and sides. The neck is Mahogany, also used for the body blocks and linings, while Ebony is used for the bridge and bound fingerboard. Tuners are open-gear models by Gotoh, patterned after the classic Waverly models.
Coming from the now shuttered Memphis plant in 2015, the Gibson ES Les Paul combined classic Les Paul aesthetics with the immensely successful thinline ES concept. Along with the plant, this model has, as such, been discontinued by Gibson’s new management. The new ES-235 is perhaps its replacement in this class.
The Fender Jazz Bass was launched in 1960 as part of an effort to capture the interest of serious jazz bass players still using upright acoustic instruments. The Jazz Bass was built until 1981, and has since been offered in a wide range of models based on the original concept. Here we’re treated to a Fender Jazz Bass in Olympic White finish, dating to 7 May 1965 and built at the Fender plant in Fullerton, California just after the company’s purchase by CBS.
Gibson first introduced the Les Paul Junior with their 1954 model lineup as their lowest price student model, with one pickup and no frills. It kept that position until 1959, when it was bumped by the Melody Maker. From 1954, the Les Paul Junior had a profile very much like the Les Paul itself – it looked like the Les Paul’s Mahogany back, just without the carved Maple cap. For 1958, Gibson was shifting to double cutaway bodies, reflected in the brand new ES-335, and the Junior also got a double cutaway treatment.
The Yamaha TRB 5 ii is a very solid ‘monster’ bass, upgrading the previous TRB series to a long 35 inch scale length. The line has been built since 1989, and the ‘ii’ series until 2004. This example features a translucent blue finish and gold coloured hardware. The TRB design uses the familiar, reliable bolt-on concept and was first offered as a six-string model. 5 and 4 string versions followed quickly. The comfort-contoured body is Ash, with deep cutaways offering full access to the 3-piece laminated Maple neck. The neck joint is serious, with six bolts.
The Eastman AR810 CE , for Cutaway Electric, is one of the best deals for a traditional arched top guitar with solid carved Spruce top and Maple back, and Venetian cutaway. If you are looking for a decent jazz box, your search may be over. Here we’re looking at an Eastman AR810 CE, built during 2005 at the Eastman plant outside Beijing. These are great instruments, and this one is no exception.
Here we’re looking at a brand new, just introduced Huss and Dalton CM model. It features an Engelmann Spruce top, Indian Rosewood for the sides and back, with Mahogany for the body blocks and neck. The head plate, bridge, and Maple-bound fingerboard are Ebony. Body binding is also Maple. Abalone is used for the rosette and 12th Fret Scroll inlay, and the Huss and Dalton log is Mother of Pearl.
Here we’re looking at an EBMM Classic Stingray 4 bass in very nice condition. Its serial number dates it to March 23rd, 2010, and it was built at the Ernie Ball Music Man plant in San Luis Obispo, California. The body is Ash, and the neck is Maple; the two are connected with a long six-bolt neck joint for rock-solid stability. Controls are simple yet versatile, with an active two band EQ powered by a single standard 9-volt battery.
The Ramirez Elite is a rare piece, hand built at the Ramirez shop in Madrid in very limited quantities with the finest materials and top quality craftsmanship. Based on the Centenario model that commemorated the hundredth anniversary of Ramirez family guitar building, the Elite uses the same quality of materials and ornamentation. As with many other models, the Ramirez Elite is offered with either a German Spruce (A) or Red Cedar top paired with Madagascar Rosewood for the sides, back, head plate and bridge.
The Larrivee OM-03 is an acoustic guitar from Larrivee’s Recording Series. This model has a solid Sitka Spruce top with Mahogany back and sides. This OM model has a medium body with full scale length, fitting itself to many styles, particularly fingerpicking.
The Gibson L5 was the premiere cutaway archtop for jazz guitarists – in fact it was originally named the Premiere – from its 1939 introduction. Close on its heels, though, the 1949 ES-5 offered three P-90 pickups but was built with laminates instead of solid woods for the body, all to reduce feedback. Here we’re looking at a Gibson L5 built during 1948, and some time later converted to an ES-5 configuration, with three P-90 pickups, but wired as other Gibson models – four controls and a switch – and not the six controls of the ES-5.
Let’s start the week off with a treat – a brand new GW Barry OM Koa steel string, with a Bearclaw Sitka Spruce top and a fantastic tone.
The Gibson L5 S is loosely based on the classic, top of the line Gibson L-5 CES arched top, Cutaway Electric Spanish with a full size acoustic body. That model was played by many serious players, who often are basically forgotten as part of a big band, but have included Wes Montgomery, Scotty Moore, Tuck Andress, Pat Martino, Lee Ritenour, Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, Keith Richards, and Ron Wood.
Here we have a nearly new Furch Rainbow Grand Concert with Alpine Spruce top and Indian Rosewood for the back and sides, built during 2018 in Velké Němčice, south of Brno in the Czech Republic. The Furch Rainbow Grand Concert is a product of the Rainbow series, which allows customers to specify many elements of a guitar by stepping through a ‘guitar configurator’ applet.
The G W Barry Mod C CW is a variation on G.W. Barry’s Concert Model. It has the same body depth and outline but with a quarter inch removed from the entire perimeter — effectively making it a guitar with a 15 1/2 inch wide lower bout. This creates a very comfortable body size, closer to a traditional OM, with a well balanced tone that retains strong bottom end fundamentals.
Here we’re looking at an unusual guitar, the Dobro Model 66s, a wood bodied, single cone resophonic guitar with round sound holes and square neck. Its unique feature is the finish. The guitar was first given a standard Sunburst, then many extra coats of a tinted lacquer, and then that was sandblasted into a ‘French Scroll’ design. This Dobro Model 66s example dates to 1975 and was built at Huntington Beach, California.
Built from 1959 to 1972, the Gibson ES330 is essentially the same as the 1961 ES-230 Epiphone Casino, a double cutaway, fully hollow model with a pair of P-90 pickups. From a short distance, the Gibson ES330 looks very much like the ES-335 models, but there is a key construction difference in the lack of the center block. The body is otherwise similar, with Laminate Maple for the top, back and sides, with Mahogany for the neck and a bound Indian Rosewood fingerboard.
This Frank Gay 8-Course Renaissance Style lute was built at the Gay Guitars shop in Edmonton, Alberta during 1971. Frank Gay was a prominent player and teacher in Edmonton, and clearly also a highly skilled luthier. His guitars were used by many top level Country artists, including Johnny Cash, Webb Pierce, Faron Young and Hank Snow.
The new Fender American Ultra Jazz Bass in seen here in the new Aged Natural finish, with new body contours, stock noiseless pickups, new electronics, biflex truss rod, and a compound radius fingerboard!
New Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster Maple Neck in seen here in the new Plasma Red Burst finish, with new body contours, stock noiseless pickups, new electronics, biflex truss rod, and a compound radius fingerboard! This versatile, state-of-the-art instrument will inspire you to push your playing to new heights.
Presenting the seventh of eleven new models we have received from Fender, here is the new Fender American Ultra Telecaster Rosewood Board in seen here in the new Texas Tea finish, with new body contours, stock noiseless pickups, new electronics, biflex truss rod, and a compound radius fingerboard!
Here we have the fifth of eleven new models we have received from Fender, the new Fender American Ultra Telecaster Maple Neck in seen here in UltraBurst finish, with new body contours, stock noiseless pickups, new electronics, biflex truss rod, and a compound radius fingerboard!
This is exciting – the third of eleven new models we have from Fender, which we can now show you – the new Fender American Ultra Stratocaster Maple Neck dressed in the new Aged Natural finish, with new body contours, stock noiseless pickups, biflex truss rod and a compound radius fingerboard! The American Ultra Stratocaster features a new unique “Modern D” neck profile with Ultra rolled fingerboard edges for hours of playing comfort.
Here is the new Fender American Ultra Stratocaster Maple Neck dressed in the stunning new Cobra Blue finish, with new body contours, stock noiseless pickups, biflex truss rod and a compound radius fingerboard!
This is exciting – the second of eleven new models we have from Fender, the new Fender American Ultra Stratocaster HSS Rosewood – dressed in the new UltraBurst finish. This instrument features new body contours, stock noiseless pickups, biflex truss rod and a compound radius fingerboard!
This is exciting – the first of eleven new models we have from Fender – the new Fender American Ultra Stratocaster HSS in a blazing Plasma Red Burst. Featuring new body contours, stock noiseless pickups, biflex truss rod and a compound radius fingerboard!
The C F Martin D 76 Bicentennial Limited Edition guitar was built during 1975 and 1976 to commemorate the two hundredth anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. The first 200 D 76 Bicentennial models appeared during 1975, with another 1,976 completing the run during 1976. This model is based on the classic D body design, with an Adirondack Spruce top and sides, head plate and three-piece back of Indian Rosewood; the back sections have Herringbone separators. The neck is Mahogany, with Ebony for the fingerboard and bridge.
The Eastman ER2 El Rey is designed to produce a full archtop sound from a smaller, much lighter body – it is only 14 inches across, a bit bigger than a Gibson Les Paul. Otherwise it has a relatively typical archtop construction – solid, hand carved spruce top, solid and hand carved flame maple back, solid flame maple sides and neck, and ebony for the fingerboard, bridge base, and tailpiece cover.
Here we have a new Ibanez AZ2402 Prestige in Ice Blue Metallic – also available in White and Red! This top quality, straightforward guitar uses the best of the best on a proven design. The IBanez AZ2402 is based on a well proven design concept. An Alder body is attached to a Maple neck – in this case, Roasted Maple – and a non-locking trem bridge is installed. At the head, locking tuners with height adjustable posts – the Goto H A P model – help keep things in tune, aided by an oil-impregnated bone nut.
This 2009 Thomas Ribbecke Halfling archtop guitar was built especially for the 2009 Montreal Guitar Show, as an entry into the Red Collection grouping. It’s built with a carved Spruce top, carved Spalted Flame Maple back and matching sides, and Maple neck with an unbound Ebony fingerboard. The neck is a multi-scale with the center of its length being about 26 inches. There’s a large round soundhole on the top located on the upper bass bout next to the fingerboard and Bartolini pickup. Ebony is used for other components including the bridge, pickguard, tailpiece and truss rod cover. Mother of Pearl is used for the headstock Ribbecke and Halfling logos.
This cool Eastman 405E is similar in construction to the Eastman 403CE, the 405 is a non-cutaway archtop with a 16 inch body and a P-90 pickup. Eastman Strings is one of the largest producers of archtop instruments in the world, including violins, cellos and other related instruments. Archtop guitars are a natural fit for them.
Harkening back to the 1920s and 1930s, the Waterloo WL14 LTR leads the Waterloo line, available with ladder or X bracing and a very thin nitrocellulose lacquer Boot Burst finish.
Waterloo guitars aim to reproduce the sound of depression-era instruments, but are built to the highest standards by people who really know and care about their craft. The outcome is probably as good as these designs can be, which is saying something.
This fantastic instrument is pre-sold, but we wanted to share it. It’s a brand new Gibson Clapton Firebird, number 100 of just 100 built to re-create Clapton’s 1964 Firebird I as used in Cream. Gibson introduced the Firebird in 1963, initially using neck-through construction – while the neck section is built of several sections of Mahogany separated by Walnut for stability, it extends the full length of the guitar.
The Taylor 510E is now discontinued, so this is one of the last ‘as new’ examples you’re likely to find. It is built on the classic Spruce top, Mahogany back and side formula that works so well for fingerstyle and flatpicking. Here, it’s paired with a slotted headstock, which increases downbearing at the nut, and hence open string sustain and separation, without increasing head pitch.
The Backline 734 line and in this post, the Backline 734 Birch pairs a hand-carved Birch Maple body with Roasted Maple for the neck and fingerboard, which is fitted with Stainless Steel fretwire. For hardware, Grover Roto-Matic tuners are at the head, with a Tone Pros tune-o-matic style bridge and stop tailpiece set at the body. For electronics, a pair of Seymour Duncan Phat Cat P90 style pickups feed through a 3-way toggle switch and master volume and tone.
The Backline 734 line and in this post, the Backline 734 Mahogany pairs a hand-carved Mahogany body with a Roasted Maple neck and Indian Rosewood fingerboard fitted with Stainless Steel fretwire. For hardware, Grover Roto-Matic tuners are at the head, with a Tone Pros tune-o-matic style bridge and stop tailpiece set at the body.
This Backline 734 line and in this post, the Backline 734 Maple pairs a hand-carved Big Leaf Maple body with Roasted Maple for the neck and fingerboard, which is fitted with Stainless Steel fretwire. For hardware, Grover Roto-Matic tuners are at the head, with a Tone Pros tune-o-matic style bridge and stop tailpiece set at the body. For electronics, a pair of Seymour Duncan Phat Cat P90 style pickups feed through a 3-way toggle switch and master volume and tone. The output jack is on the side, mounted on an oval plate.
The Levin 335 M2 was a very popular guitar in Europe, featuring a carved Spruce top, arched Maple back and a pair of deArmond DynaSonic Pickups – just one on the M1 model. Levin also offered the 335 as a fully acoustic model. Levin Instruments was founded in 1900 by Herman Carlson Levin. Levin was born in Sweden, apprenticed with a furniture maker and moved to the United States in 1887. After some carpentry work, he found a position in a guitar factory in 1888 but after three years started an independent company in New York City.
The Kammerer Scorpius was Jon Kammerer’s original guitar design. Here built with a carved Cherry body and Maple neck with Ebony fingerboard, these are well made instruments.
Jon Kammerer has been building for over twenty years although he is not a household name. Aside from his innovative custom guitar work, his shop is also built to manufacture components, such as necks, for other builders.
The Norfolk Jasmine comes to us from a new company operating from the Cambridge, Ontario area. Based on a popular single cutaway thinline body, the Norfolk Jasmine offers top quality woods and materials in a well built package. The Jasmine uses a chambered Mahogany body with bookmatched flame Maple cap.
Here we haVe a Fender Squier JV 1957 Stratocaster reissue, built during 1982 for Fender Japan by Fuji-Gen Gakki. By the end of the 1970’s Fender, under CBS management, was struggling. Import copies were getting better all the time, which was made very clear to Fender executives touring Japanese factories with a view to doing some production there. At this time, Fender also hired three executives from Yamaha.
Immediately popular particularly with singer-songwriters and carrying a distinctive hand-painted pickguard, the Hummingbird was used on many popular recordings, sometimes to surprising results. For example, The Rolling Stones’ ‘Street Fighting Man’ features a Hummingbird recorded on an overdriven Philips cassette recorder, with Charlie Watts using a portable practice kit. Other recordings, like ‘Angie’, record the Hummingbird more conventionally.
Here’s a lovely Lowden F25 with Cedar and Indian Rosewood built during 2000 at the current Lowden Guitars work shop in Newtownards, Northern Ireland. The F25 is part of Lowden’s Original Series. Lowden Guitars began in 1974 with George Lowden reaching the decision to build professionally. Opening a shop in Groomsport, County Down, Northern Ireland. Orders grew and in 1980 his Swiss distributors sparked a five-year contract to have Lowden guitars built under license by dedicated workers at S.Yairi in Japan as a way of making these models more available.
Here we are looking at a Hofner Gold Label Violin Bass in the 500/1 style during 2015 at the Hofner plant in Hagenau, about 35 km north of Nuremberg, Germany. The iconic violin body is Maple Laminate for feedback rejection, with a zero-fret equipped Maple neck bearing an Indian Rosewood fingerboard. The bridge is Ebony. This is a ‘1962’ style design but with ‘Rugby’ tuners. For electronics, twin “Staple” 511B pickups are installed and spaced normally, at the bridge and neck positions. Controls are classic Hofner, with teacup knobs.
Appearing in 1960 next to the top of the line J-200, the Gibson Hummingbird was Gibson’s first square-shoulder – Martin style – dreadnought guitar.
Built with a body and neck of Mahogany paired with Indian Rosewood for the fingerboard, bridge and head plate, the Martin 000 15M is a punchy, responsive guitar. The Martin ’15’ series indicates that the trim level is fairly low, in particular there is no body or fingerboard binding, and the finish is satin. Mahogany has long been used as an alternative wood for guitar and ukulele tops, and Martin has used it for nearly a century.
Here’s something unusual – a Ramirez Conservatorio Cedar top classical guitar, with ‘Fiddle Edge’ construction, Red Cedar top, Indian Rosewood for the back and sides, and SPR style bracing. The Ramirez Conservatorio Cedar Top Concert Classical guitar represents a major development in classical guitar design from Amalia Ramírez, with unique use of ‘fiddle edge’ construction. The Conservatorio uses the same advanced 8 fan brace pattern as the SPR but a unique system for gluing the top and backs to the rims and no internal linings are used!
The Gibson Les Paul Junior, introduced in 1954 as a single cutaway, single pickup slab body model was Gibson’s lowest price solidbody until the 1959 Melody Maker. This Gibson Les Paul Junior dates to 1959 at the Gibson plant on Parsons Street, Kalamazoo, Michigan. It is in good playing condition, with no breaks or cracks. The 7th fret dot position marker is missing, but can easily be replaced. The original stop-bridge is in the case, and on the guitar a compensated aftermarket bridge is in place.
During the 1980s popular music made new demands on guitarists, and the ‘SuperStrat’, including the Gibson U2 model, became the go-to design for countless musicians. As the name suggests, the ‘SuperStrat’ concept improves on many aspects of the Stratocaster design – particularly in the range of available vibrato systems and pickup options. Many guitars in this genre use locking vibratos, a mix of high-output single coil and humbucking pickups, and wiring that ranges from very simple to rather complex.
Built at the Gibson Nashville plant, the new Gibson Firebird closely – but not entirely – follows the original construction concepts of the first Firebirds. Most importantly, this is a neck-through design, with the neck and the body built up of a total of five pieces of Mahogany over their length, and four Walnut strips bracketing the center sections. This multi-piece construction is used to provide extra stability over the long section.
Built from 1958 to 1966, the Harmony Meteor H70 thinline archtop electric was mass produced in Chicago, and popular with many amateur and rising musicians – even appearing on Rolling Stones stages in the hands of Keith Richards. The Meteor H70 was also available as the Meteor H71 – the same guitar, but with a Natural finish instead of sunburst. The largest difference between the Meteor H70 and models like the Rocket H54 is the use of Spruce laminate for the top instead of Maple. This choice gives the guitar a more complex, warmer tone than the Maple top models.
The Ted Megas Athena is one of a line of custom archtop guitars built by Ted Megas in Portland, Oregon. Like many other custom builders, Megas was long interested in guitar music, playing in various bands around the United States and working other woodworking jobs as necessary.
Built at the De Jonge shop in Chelsea, Quebec during 2013, this Sergei De Jonge 7-string cutaway fine instrument is in exceptional condition with very little wear. It features a cutaway body with spruce top and Indian Rosewood for the back, sides, bridge and headplate, and an ebony fingerboard on a mahogany neck. The original TKL tweed case is included, and a Small Dog insulated case cover is available for $189. CITIES documentation is included in the case.
Here we’re looking at a Tim Scheerhorn L Body Koa square neck resophonic guitar, signed and dated – in two places! – by Tim Scheerhorn himself. The label, visible through the bass sound hole, lists a build date of 11/22/08, or November 22 2008, and bears Tim Scheerhorn’s signature. Those same pieces of information – the date and the signature – are also hand written on the inside of the back.
Here’s an excellent brand new Douglas Harrison CJ 16 custom archtop guitar, in Spruce and Red Maple with a Lollar Gold Foil pickup! The Harrison CJ 16 is a single-cutaway, 16 inch wide archtop with hand-carved top and back plates, as suggested by the ‘CJ’ for ‘Classic Jazz’ name. Top quality Spruce and Red Maple are used for the body, and a three-piece Maple neck carries a Macassar Ebony fingerboard. The body, neck, headstock and pickguard are bound with Roasted Maple, and the bridge and tailpiece are Macassar Ebony.
Based on a built up, carved top block of Swamp Ash paired with a bolt on Maple neck, the PRS Swamp Ash Special is a straightforward model. A pair of humbuckers bracket a Seymour Duncan Vintage Rail single coil format pickup, with a pickup selector, master volume and push/pull master tone control providing coil tap options. The PRS vintage trem is installed, and at the head there is a set of PRS locking tuners.
Here we have a Richard Model N55, built during 2008 in eastern Quebec, Canada. Richard is Richard Boucher, a cousin of Robin Boucher of Boucher Guitars, and related to Norman Boucher, who built Norman Guitars. This family has a serious interest in guitar building! The Richard Model N55 is based on the classic Dreadnought design, with an Adirondack Spruce top (native to this area of Quebec) and Mahogany for the back, sides, neck, and body blocks.
This National Style 1 Tricone has a 12-fret ‘Spanish’ or round neck and dates to 1929, and was built at the National shop in Los Angeles. All of these guitars had 12-fret necks until 1934, at which point the influence of banjo players migrating to guitar prompted an industry shift to 14-fret necks. This guitar is in good condition and is fully playable – it has just been serviced at The Twelfth Fret Repair Shop, with a neck reset, fret dress, setup, brace repair and new cones.
William Laskin is very well known for the creativity and quality of his inlay work. Here, a stag or buck – a male deer with antlers is depicted between frets 11 and 18, in a mixture of engraved woods and, it appears, ivory for the antlers. This guitar is old enough that small amounts of ivory were still used, and here appears in the nut, saddle, sliding nut components, and the inlaid antlers.
This Rickenbacker 4001S Bass Burgundy Glo dates to February of 1973 and was built, like all other Rics, at Rickenbacker’s facility in Santa Ana, California. It has clearly been played and used as intended, and is bright, resonant and crisp.
The Fender Meteora HH is a new, very cool design from the Fender ‘Alternate Reality’ series, a “limited-edition run of models where multiple Fender design clues are mixed and matched within a single instrument”. This line follows the 2018 ‘Parallel Universe’ series. It can be hard to find a new design that not only works in terms of usability and playability, but also looks good. Fender is definitely delivering on all those fronts with the Fender Meteora HH.
The Gibson J50 Slope Shouldered jumbo model was introduced in 1947 as an ‘upgrade’ to the successful J-45, with a natural finish showing off the higher quality Spruce top. The J-50 was built until 1982, shifting to a square shoulder body design for 1969, and has been reissued from time to time. This is a relatively early Gibson J50, built during 1953 at the Gibson Parsons Street plant in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Built almost exactly like the iconic J45, this J50 uses Adirondack Spruce for the top and top bracing, with Mahogany for the back, sides, neck, body blocks, linings and back bracing.
Here is a rarity, built only during 1957 and in a quantity of less than 30. While the base model is common, the two pickup Gibson ES125 D is not. Introduced in 1946 as the effects of WW2 wound down, demand rose and materials became available again, the Gibson ES-125 was intended as a student model but has been used by many professionals over the decades. The ES-125 line was discontinued in 1970, though after 1960 or so most of the related models had the ‘T’ or Thinline body that was introduced in 1956.
he Gibson J45 Slope Shouldered dreadnought, or Jumbo, was introduced in 1942 to replace the J-35, which had been built since 1936. It has remained in production ever since, and its rich warm tones make it a great match with a singer. Intended as a ‘working man’s guitar’, the Gibson J43 Slope Shouldered model was very similar to the J-35, but for the most part has stiffer, stronger and taller bracing shifted slightly back from the soundhole and a rounded neck profile.
Here’s a brand new model, the Gibson ES235 Gloss thinline arch top, flat back, solid center block electric in translucent Cherry! This is new for 2019 model from Gibson, and it has plenty going for it. Designed and originally built at the now-closed Gibson Memphis plant, this single cutaway, smaller body guitar is built in Nashville, Tennessee. It’s available in Ebony black, Cherry and Sunburst versions.
Flamenco has very deep roots in Spanish culture and there have been many influential Spanish builders of both and Flamenco and Classical guitars. There are two basic types of Flamenco models, Blanca and Negra – light and dark. Flamenco Blanca guitars are typically built using Cypress for the back and sides, a light, brilliant wood while Flamenco Negra instruments often use Palisandro, more commonly known as Rosewood.
Though unequivocally drawn from the classic Les Paul design and in particular the most desirable 1959 models, the Eastman SB59V is not a slavish copy. Many visual differences are clear, including the shapes of the headstock and cutaway. The body is constructed of a carved, Flame maple top laminated to a one-piece Mahogany slab body. A Mahogany neck with a bound Ebony fingerboard is attached via a longish tenon joint. The neck has a vintage style ‘V’ profile.
The Rick Turner Renaissance RB4 Standard is one of three trim levels for three RB versions – with 4, 5 or 6 strings, and fretted or unfretted. These are a chambered design, the Standard with Cedar top, and Walnut for the sides and back. The bridge is Rosewood with Bone saddle. The neck is Maple with Indian Rosewood fingerboard and a faux-tortoise head plate and ‘R’ logo. This example dates to approximately 2000.
Here’s a fantastic deal on a Collings SJ Maple in new, old stock, shop worn condition – steeply reduced from its original price and advertised here with permission from Collings! The Collings SJ is built with a Sitka Spruce top paired with Maple for the sides, back, and neck. The bridge, head plate and bound fingerboard are Ebony, with Mother of Pearl used for the position markers, headstock decoration and Collings logo. The top bracing is Sitka Spruce and the body blocks, linings and back bracing are Mahogany. The nut and saddle are bone.
Here is a rarity – a Gibson Flying V2, one of 157 shipped during 1979, its first and close to last year of production – it was discontinued in 1982!
This Standel DB Original square neck dates to perhaps 1963. As discussed below, production of the DB Original guitars began in 1959, but the Standel company didn’t get involved till 1962. The Standel decal could not have gone on this guitar before 1962, and this arrangement lasted for at most three years. While it’s possible that this guitar was built before the Standel deal took effect, we’re placing it around 1963. Construction is typical Dopyera – the bodies are laminate, because the resonator cone is the sound source.
The Gibson SJN appeared in 1956 as a natural top version of the successful Southern Jumbo, and had the model name ‘Country Western’. In 1962, square shoulders arrived, and the name was lengthened to ‘SJN Country Western’. The model was discontinued in 1978. This example dates to 1964, with the square shoulders and three-point pickguard. The top is Spruce, with mahogany for the back, sides and fingerboard, with Rosewood for the fingerboard and adjustable bridge.
Here is a brand new Douglas Harrison GB Custom with bookmatched, flame Maple top and sunburst finish! Douglas Harrison builds the GB Custom, named after the initial model built for the late Gary Benson, at his shop in Toronto. The GB Custom is a very popular model and shows off Harrison’s skill.
The Epiphone Zephyr Regent is a full body, 17.375 inches wide, built using Maple laminates for the top, back and sides for feedback resistance. The neck is Mahogany with Rosewood for the wooden bridge and bound fingerboard. The position markers are slotted Mother of Pearl blocks, perhaps looking forward to the markers found on the later Epiphone Howard Roberts model.
Here we’re treated to a Bourgeois Vintage D, dating to May 19 2015 and featuring an Adirondack Spruce top paired with Indian Rosewood for the sides and back. The neck is Mahogany, with a Ziricote head plate, and Ebony is used for the bridge and bound fingerboard. Mother of Pearl is used for the Bourgeois headstock inlay and the snowflake position marker sets. The top is enclosed in an old-style Herringbone inlay, and the back has a ‘Zipper’ center strip. Open gear, nickel plated Waverly tuners – made in Bozeman, Montana, not far from the Gibson Acoustic shop – are at the head.
This HCT-500/1 Violin Bass is made in China, but utilizes the original German made Höfner HS11B ‘Staple-Top’ pick-ups with a control panel that includes 2 volume controls, 2 circuit breakers and Rhythm/Solo switches for volume Boost ! (Discontinued)
The Twelfth Fret is very pleased to carry a wide range of quality instruments from Alhambra in Spain, ranging from beginner to professional concert grade. At the beginner level is the Z-Nature. The Alhambra Z-Nature guitar is an instrument for beginners, very good quality and very affordable. In this model, the steps of the manufacturing process have been reduced, as well as its overall cost of production while keeping the recognized quality of Alhambra guitars. In addition, it is important to note that the Alhambra Z-Nature, like the rest of the range of Alhambra instruments, is completely made in Spain.
Here we’re looking at something relatively rare – a Harmony guitar and amp set purchased together around 1960, and from their condition, it looks like they were quickly put away. These two pieces, especially the Harmony H54 guitar, are among the cleanest we’ve seen from that period. The nitrocellulose lacquer finish on Harmony guitars from the 1950s and 1960s was thin, and easily damaged with normal use.
From Toronto Luthier Scott Milligan, is a lovely L-00 steel string built with Engelmann spruce and Indian Rosewood, with a very light satin finish. Scott has been studying under various luthiers in Ontario, including sessions at the Canadian School of Lutherie under Jeremy Nicks, and with Josh House near Goderich. This Scott Milligan L-00 was built recently at the Milligan Guitars shop in Toronto. It features an Engelmann spruce top, Indian Rosewood back, sides and rosette, with Mahogany for the neck and Ebony for the fingerboard, headplate, and bridge.
Based on early 1950’s models, the Gretsch G6120 DSW Chet Atkins model is probably the iconic Gretsch with its G brand in the top and ‘Western’ motif inlays. A fully hollow guitar with tone bars and a soundpost for support, the DSW designation indicates that Dyna Sonic pickups are installed, and the Western decorations are used. The Gretsch 6120 was very popular and influential after its prototypes were presented in 1954 to Chet Atkins, then a rising and very respected guitarist, session player and producer.
The Jon Perry CS is a single cutaway, thinline guitar built in Toronto using a Maple top and back set on a Mahogany core. Jon Perry builds in the south western part of downtown Toronto, and builds three basic styles – the CS series, a chambered solidbody creating the impression of a traditional thinline; the AT series, a small bodied archtop guitar; and the S Series of solidbody guitars, often in a ‘T style’ design. He has run his shop since 2014.
Here we have a Gibson Les Paul Standard Left Handed model, in gloss black! Dating to 1986, this example is in overall good condition with a few bumps. Production of left handed Gibson Les Paul models has never been extensive, but does date back to the late 1950’s. There are at least three known, surviving left handed Les Paul Standards built between 1958 and 1960, which indicates how few were really made.
Exquisitely proportioned and delivering on the promises of its appearance, the Gibson L7 Archtop was the instrument used by many professional players for several decades.Introduced in 1932 as a mid-level but professional quality, the Gibson L7 was a full size 17 inch archtop guitar and was immediately popular. The last non-cutaway model, like this, was made in 1955. In its cutaway form the L7C, it was built until 1972.
The Taylor 812ce 12 Fret Cutaway Steel String is a very good sounding guitar and demonstrates the added projection and sustain from the new V-Class bracing pattern. Starting from the Grand Concert design, a soft Venetian cutaway is added, and the body is built using a Sitka Spruce top paired with traditional Indian Rosewood for the back and sides. The 12-fret neck is Mahogany, with Ebony used for the headplate, bridge, and bound fingerboard.
The C F Martin D-28 has for many decades been one of the benchmarks for acoustic guitars, and the brand-new Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe brings new features to this venerable design. Originally introduced around 1911 as a large model for the Ditson company, the D-28 reappeared in the 1930s and has been in production ever since. There have been a number of changes over the years – notably, Brazilian Rosewood has not been used since the early 1970’s – but the core design is unchanged.
The very first C. F. Martin 000-18 steel string guitar appeared in 1904 with a Maple body, and was built using Mahogany for the body in small numbers until 1926, when 224 were sold. Annual production stayed in the mid-hundreds until 1972, when 650 were built.The C. F. Martin 000-18 string guitar is closely related to the OM or Orchestra Model. They key difference is scale length; the 000 has a 24.9 inch scale length, and the OM a 25.4 inch scale.
Ramirez 1a flamenco guitars are built in the traditional Spanish style at the ‘home’ workshop. The guitar centers on a ‘slipper foot’ neck to body joint, with the sides fitting into slots cut into the heel block. The body pairs a Spruce top with Cypress back and sides – a very light wood in terms of weight and colouring, also providing a lot of brightness to the tone.
Here’s something new from National Resophonic – the T14 N, 14 fret cutaway Tricone with Bright Nickel Finish has arrived!
The National Triolian 12 features a steel body with walnut burst finish and a single cone. Also available with a 14 fret neck, these guitars produce a full, rich and lush vintage tone.The National String Instrument Corporation patented and produced the first resonator instruments in 1927, responding to the constant need for more volume. The first instruments used three small cones – the classic Tricone design.
This Kolya Panhuyzen Professional Classical Guitar built during 1980 at the Panhuyzen shop in Toronto, Canada. Constructed in the traditional Spanish manner with a true ‘slipper’ heel tying the sides into the block, this guitar features a Sitka Spruce top, Mahogany for the neck, Ebony for the fingerboard, and Indian Rosewood for the sides, back, headplate and bridge. The nut and saddle are bone, and the nickel-plated tuning machines are by Reischel, made in Munich, Germany.
Built in 1980 at his Toronto shop, this William Laskin 7-string classical is in excellent condition, and plays well. Showing a clear influence of his work with Jean Larrivee – Laskin was Larrivee’s first apprentice in 1970 – this guitar features a sharp Florentine cutaway body built with German Spruce and Indian Rosewood, with Mahogany for the neck and Ebony for the bridge and fingerboard. The headplate is also Indian Rosewood.
Built in San Luis Obispo California, the National ResoLectric blends the resophonic and solidbody electric guitar concepts,to great success.Very similar in design to the ResoLectric Revolver, the National Resolectric uses the familiar pairing of a flame Maple top on a Mahogany body that’s routed for the resonator and electric pickups, and a bolt-on flame Maple neck with Rosewood fingerboard. The headplate is a faux pearl covering.
Built in San Luis Obispo California, the National Revolver Resolectric blends the resophonic and solidbody electric guitar concepts,to great success.Very similar in design to the ResoLectric, the National Revolver uses a solid Mahogany body that’s routed for the resonator and electric pickups, and a bolt-on Mahogany neck with Rosewood fingerboard. The headplate is a faux pearl covering.
We’ve received a brand new Beard Deco Phonic Model 27 round neck single cone spider guitar, and here it is, straight from the shipping carton! Deco Phonic is a new series from Beard, aiming to re-create the aesthetics of the 1920’s when resophonic guitars were invented.The Beard Deco Phonic Model 27 is the entry point for the Deco Phonic line, and like the other models is available in both round and square neck versions. Construction reflects Beard’s consistently high quality, and the materials are selected to be fully CITES compliant.
For as long as musicians have been travelling, portability has been an issue. Journey Overhead travel guitars combine a number of unique features, some patented, to deliver a professional quality guitar in an easily transported package. It comes with its own carry-on luggage! At The Twelfth Fret we’ve carried Journey Overhead guitars for several years and they have consistently impressed us. Built using carbon fiber, the guitar is delivered with an airline carry-on size bag, is ready to play in under a minute, and can be packed away again in seconds. Most importantly, tone and playability are not sacrificed to gain this capability.
This Unger archtop – an American Dream model, was built with solid hand-carved German Spruce top, hand carved European Flame Maple back, and Flame Maple for the sides and neck. The body is unbound. The neck carries an unbound Ebony fingerboard, and Ebony is also used for the bridge, tailpiece, and pickguard. Schaller tuners are mounted on the head and a Kent Armstrong pickup is mounted to the top in the neck position, and volume and tone controls are mounted beside the lower part of the the treble F-hole.
The wood body National Reso-Phonic M-1 Cutaway Tricone blends the sound of a tricone with the warmth of wood, and has a lighter weight as a bonus.Outfitted with National’s new-alloy cones and aluminum T-bridge, the National M-1 Cutaway uses a mahogany laminate for the body, with solid mahogany for the neck and ebony for the bound fingerboard. The cover-plate is steel, and is hand-painted to match the colour tone of the top woods.
The National Reso Rocket Steel is one of National’s newly designed single cone guitars, incorporating a redesigned cover plate pattern to complement the distinctive Tricone-style grille work. The Bendaway body has the upper bout cut away for easier access to the higher frets.The Reso Rocket Steel is built with a thin, rubbed steel Bendaway body, paired with a neck made of either Maple or Mahogany and a bound Ebony fingerboard, with Mother of Pearl position markers.
Featuring classic styling with a tight-waisted Auditorium body shape, the Martin 000-28 has solid East Indian rosewood back and sides, a Sitka spruce top, polished gloss finish and a hand-fit dovetail neck joint. This model produces a rich and full-bodied tone, making it the ideal guitar for the intermediate and advanced player.
The wood body National M-1 Tricone, like its close relative the M-1 Cutaway, blends the unmistakable sound of a tricone with the warmth of wood, and has a lighter weight as a bonus.Outfitted with National’s new-alloy cones and aluminum T-bridge, the National M-1 uses a mahogany laminate for the body, with solid mahogany for the neck and ebony for the bound fingerboard. The cover-plate is steel, and is hand-painted to match the colour tone of the top woods.
The National Reso-Phonic Reso Rocket Wood Body is a newly designed single resonator cutaway guitar incorporating a redesigned coverplate pattern to complement the distinctive Tricone-style grille work. The upper bout of the wood body has been modified with a deep cutaway for easier access to the higher frets.The very first versions of this innovative guitar were named the ‘Wocket’ and ultimately became the Reso Rocket WB.
National NRP B Series guitars replicate the classic 1930’s single cone, metal bodied resophonic models, especially the Duolian, and often carry painted finishes on the steel bodies.Steel body National Guitars are the loudest of the National Resophonic family of guitars. Brash, bright and clanky they are the epitome of the classic Delta Blues guitar.
The Alhambra 10 Premier classical has a bracing design that maximizes its volume and projection.Balanced bass, medium and treble sounds and an incredible sound projection, in modern guitar. A sound with a perfect string height, high enough to contribute to the sound, but at the same time with just the right height to be extremely comfortable, which describes a guitar with incredible sound projection and well-balanced bass, medium and treble.
Here we have a wonderful recent Ethan Deutsch Flamenco Blanca guitar, built during 2018 in Seattle, Washington. This outstanding instrument features traditional Flamenco construction, with the goal of being very light and extremely responsive. The top is Engelmann Spruce paired with Cypress for the back and sides. The neck and body blocks are Spanish Cedar (Cedrela Odorata). The fingerboard is Ebony, and the headplate and bridge are Bolivian Rosewood. Bindings are Rosewood.
Alhambra Guitars, in a collaboration with Carlos Piñana, a fabulous young player from Murcia, Spain, have focused on making dramatic improvements to the Flamenco Negra Guitar. The Alhambra 5FP Carlos Piñana Flamenco Guitar and the Alhambra 10FP Carlos Piñana flamenco guitar offers players a fuller, rounder bass response.
The Ramirez Estudio 3 / Studio 3 guitar is the third model and top of the line in the Studio Line from Jose Ramirez guitars. Built with a solid cedar top, solid Indian rosewood back and sides and ebony fretboard. The Estudio 3 / Studio 3 products great volume, body, interplay of tones, balance, roundness and warmth.
The Alhambra Crossover classical CS-LR CW with laminated Rosewood back and sides and a Fishman Prefix pickup option is a lower cost option than the CS-3 CW for the steel string player needing the responsiveness of nylon, with the practicalities of amplification. The Alhambra Crossover CS-LR is an excellent solution to those who are willing to express modern music with a classy touch. With a neck of 48 mm and its fine quality of Cedar top, this instrument has the versatility of giving you a beautiful sound plugged or unplugged.
The Alhambra Z-Nature CW EZ is part of Alhambra’s Student Cutaway line, intended for advancing students who need a cutaway model for modern repertoire, or for players who want the responsiveness of a nylon string guitar with the versatility of a cutaway. The Alhambra 5P is built with quality solid and laminate woods, and here we’re seeing it with a solid Red Cedar top and laminated Mahogany for the sides, back, and solid Rosewood for the headplate and bridge.
The Eastman E10SS evokes the spirit of the classic spruce and mahogany slope shouldered dreadnought guitars popular with countless artists since the late 1930s. This combination of materials and body design delivers a warm, rich tone with plenty of presence and volume. It works very well as an accompaniment to a voice. Starting with the slope-shouldered dreadnought body, the Eastman E10SS pairs an solid Adirondack Spruce top on a solid Mahogany back and side set.
This Alhambra Crossover CS-3 CW E2 is an excellent solution to those who are willing to express modern music with a classy touch. With a neck of 48 mm and its flexibility of fine quality of Cedar top, this instrument has the versatility of giving you a beautiful sound plugged or unplugged. The elegant design of its headstock will allow musicians to display style and project a sound that matches the look of this amazing instrument.
The Ramirez Cut 2 Cut awayguitar offers superior high-quality woods, quite balanced among its tonal range with high stability on its third string. It stands out due to its comfort and how easy it is to change and play with the timbre. Rich in overtones.
The new Alhambra Professional Model is easily one of the most well built, beautiful sounding, and affordable hand made classical guitars on the market. Crafted by the same master builders responsible for Alhambra’s “Luthier” models, the Professional is available with a solid Spruce or Cedar top, solid Indian Rosewood back and sides, Ebony fingerboard, and a High C 20th fret.
Gordon O’Brien and Grant MacNeill look at the Alhambra Linea Profesional concert grade classical guitar.
Beyond the TrueTone name, this is a Kay K537 model, with an arched top and back body made of laminated Maple, a bolt on Maple neck with bound Rosewood fingerboard and brass frets, floating Rosewood bridge, trapeze tailpiece, and Kluson Deluxe single-line tuners. The original pickguard is intact and included.
The Ramírez Cut 1 Classical Guitar – cutaway (formerly Ramirez 2N CWE) , is intended for the working guitarist, requiring portability, flexibility and reinforced volume. It is a well balanced guitar, comfortable and with a bright sound, it has quite varied and defined voices. Rich in overtones. It has trebles with a high sustain ideal to create melodies.
This is a new Beard R Model squareneck resophonic custom built for us, an Export model in flame maple and with the Jerry Douglas pickup factory installed. The Beard R Model custom is based on the classic resophonic guitars of the 1930’s. It uses an open soundwell design on a tighter-waisted body (compared to the dreadnought-based Beard E model) and the flame maple version features outstanding wood sets. The R Models feature Paul Beard’s triple spun Legend cone and an Original #14 spider.
Introduced in 2001, the Dean HardTail is one of the less common Dean models. Not as wild as some of Dean Zelinsky’s designs, the HardTail is a straight ahead but classy guitar. Dean Zelinsky founded his company in 1976 in Chicago, Illinois and began producing guitars using inventive and radical shapes. THese often drew on designs such as the Explorer and Flying V, but only as a starting point; they were much more visually arresting in terms of shapes and finishes. Dean guitars quickly became popular with major acts on the world’s largest stages.
The Paquet Esperanto 18 X-braced top is carved Cedar and the guitar is built to allow the top unrestricted vibration. The soft Maple used for the sides, back and neck are from one tree and have been curing since 1998. The sides are double walled, Maple and Pine, with a thickness reaching nearly 1/2 inch, providing stiffness and support for the top and back.
The Ramirez Estudio 1 / Studio 1 classical guitar has a simple construction, which is ideal to those who want to start the adventure of playing the guitar. It has powerful bass tones and is comfortable enough to start learning to play on.
Here’s a cool new bass from Fender’s Player Series – the Fender Player Jaguar Bass. It’s built in Corona, Mexico and is affordably priced new take on a P-J bass with an offset body!
This new design starts with proven principles that deliver reliability and tonal versatility. A one-piece Maple neck is paired with an offset Alder body, and a P-J pickup set – that’s a Precision Bass style pickup, with a Jazz Bass bridge pickup with individual volume and master tone controls- handles the electronics. A fully adjustable Fender bridge and open-gear tuners complete the hardware.
The Alhambra 10fp Flamenco guitar is our top level Alhambra Flamenco Negra instrument. Built with superior grade solid German Spruce top and solid Palisandro or Indian Rosewood back and sides, mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard and bridge, the Alhambra 10fp has a somewhat warmer tone with the low action characteristic of flamenco guitars.
This new bracing style increases dynamic response, sustain and volume and improving harmonic agreement. What ‘Harmonic Agreement’ means is that this bracing helps bring the harmonic overtones produced by various notes into line, causing chords to sound more in tune. Overall the revised Taylor 314ce V-class Grand Auditorium uses the same proven design formula – a solid Sitka Spruce top paired with solid Sapele back and sides, Mahogany for the neck and body blocks, and Ebony for the bridge, headplate, and bound fingerboard.
The Epiphone Granada E444T is much like the Gibson ES-125T, and was built in the Gibson Kalamazoo plant from 1962 to 1970. A non-cutaway thinline archtop, the Granada E444T has a large plastic plate that mounts the controls and a Melody Maker style single coil pickup. The sunburst nitrocellulose lacquer finish has faded nicely, and there is natural checking around the instrument. There are a few small dings and scratches on the back, but otherwise it is in good condition.
Built around 1932, this SS Stewart flat top acoustic guitar was one of thousands made in Chicago as players moved away from banjos and towards guitars. The venerable SS Stewart brand started before the turn of the century as a premiere banjo maker. Following Stewart’s death, the brand changed hands and by the 1930s was built by Chicago Musical Instruments, who also made Harmony and Kay guitars.
One of the most recognizable and distinctive guitars in the world, the RG is a true Ibanez original. It’s been making its mark on rock n’ roll history for over three decades and continues to evolve and grow as an industry leader. The Ibanez RGA1X6FM — a solid body specifically built to handle the heaviest, most physically demanding music you can conjure up.
Hot-rodded for unparalleled performance, versatile sound and exquisite style, the Charvel San Dimas Pro-Mod Style 1 guitar is packed with classic playability and innovative design elements that have made Charvel a legendary name in high-performance guitars.
The Ramirez 4 NE – Estudio 3 Model Guitarras de Estudio is the top ‘production’ model from Ramírez. Based on the of the 1990s model E series guitars, developed from designs conceived by Jose Ramírez III, Amalia Ramírez created the NE models as an affordably priced, all-solid-wood instrument for the serious student of classical guitar. This instrument features all solid wood construction, an asymmetrical six top-strut fan brace pattern, a unique custom soundhole mosaic rosette and custom Ramírez label. The headstock shape is the standard modern pattern associated with Ramírez guitars.
The Ramirez Estudio 2 / Studio 2 is built with a solid cedar top, solid Indian rosewood back and sides and ebony fretboard. A great guitar for advanced students and professionals looking for the legendary Ramirez sound. The Ramirez Studio 2 Classical guitar is a high-class and well-balanced guitar. It has a good sustain that allows it to sing easily and with a wide variety of overtones.
Built from 1932 to 1971, the Gibson L-50 was a straightforward, non-cutaway archtop guitar with few frills, and until 1935 was most often a round-hole archtop. It is built using a 16 inch wide arched Maple laminate back and arched solid Spruce top, braced with parallel tone bars and bound top and back. The neck is Mahogany with a bound Rosewood fingerboard. The headstock bears a Gibson decal and Kluson Deluxe strip tuners.
The Alhambra 3f Flamenco guitar is the perfect entry level Flamenco instrument. Built with a solid German Spruce top and laminated Sycamore back and sides, mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard and bridge, the Alhambra 3f has the bright tone and low action characteristic of flamenco guitars.
The Gretsch ’59 Silver Jet is a very cool guitar, with all the late-50’s trappings – Bigsby, TV Jones Classic Filter’Tron based pickups, and a standout silver sparkle finish! The Gretsch Jet is an under-rated guitar, but has appeared on many hit recordings. Chet Atkins used one on many classic recordings, and the first few Beatles albums feature George Harrison with his Jet.
The Fender Strat-Tele Hybrid was the first instrument from the new limited edition Parallel Universe collection, melding together the best parts of two or more guitars. This great guitar uses a slightly modified Ash Telecaster body – adding comfort conours – and adds a Strat type Maple neck, and Strat type hardware.
The Alhambra 5P CW ZE5 is part of the Alhambra’s Conservatory line, intended for semi-professional players and advanced students who need a cutaway model. Here, we’re seeing a 5P CW ZE5, the Z meaning Left Handed and with a Fishman Prefix Blend dual source pickup system!
The Alhambra 5P CW ZE2 is part of the Alhambra’s Conservatory line, intended for semi-professional players and advanced students who need a cutaway model. Here, we’re seeing a 5P CW ZE2, the Z meaning Left Handed and with a Fishman Prefix Pro Blend pickup system!
This Martin D-18 dates to 1965, and based on the serial number ranking, possibly in late May or June. Martin built 7,404 guitars that year, and this was the 3,069th. It is in overall good condition, and has had a number of necessary repairs over the years. It has had its neck reset, as almost any guitar of this age would require, the pickguard has been reglued, and the top has a cleated crack from the bridge to the tailpiece.
The Guitarra del Tiempo was created to commemorate one hundred forty years of peerless Ramirez design and construction. This guitar features a newly-designed enhanced top-brace system that delivers articulate noting and full-bodied tone. The Ramírez Guitarra del Tiempo’s ample volume and reactive dynamics will satisfy the most demanding guitarist.
The National Style O 14-fret model dates back to the early days of Resophonic guitars, as banjo players migrated to guitar and wanted access to more fret. The 14-fret to the body Style O was introduced in 1935 by the National Stringed Instrument Corporation. It came with either the Traditional Sieve pattern cover plate or the newly introduced Chicken Foot cover plate. in 1935 this guitar had a slotted headstock with a decal.
The Taylor 914ce V-Class is a spectacular guitar, delivering top shelf performance in a beautifully crafted package. Pairing Sitka Spruce with Indian Rosewood for the sides and back, and Mahogany with Ebony for the bound fingerboard, headplate and body binding, the Taylor 914ce V-Class also sports the new Ascension inlay pattern, plus soundhole and body outlines, in a Paua and Mother of Pearl. For added comfort, the lower bass bout features a Laskin-style armrest, using Ebony.
Here we have a Gibson L-48 Archtop built during 1952 at the historic Parsons Street plant in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Its tuners and tailpiece have been replaced, and it has a newer hard shell case, but otherwise it is in original condition with no sign of repairs. The top is solid Spruce, possibly Adirondack, with Mahogany sides and an arched laminate Maple back
The new Gretsch G5622T Electromatic® Center Block Double-Cut with Bigsby® in a Georgia Green metallic finish, sporting Super Hilo’Tron™ pickups features a chambered spruce center block for dynamic resonance, high gain power and lightweight comfort. As part of the Electromatic line, the Gretsch G5622T is built in Korea by Samick, with great results. The build quality, fit and finish and fretwork are all top notch.
The Alhambra Menguel y Margarit Series C Concert Classical Guitar, built by master luthiers Jose Menguel and Javier Margarit, feature lattice braced tops and French Polish finish, with the highest quality materials used throughout. Two versions are offered by The Twelfth Fret, with Red Cedar or European Spruce for the top. The Alhambra site lists only the Cedar version. Lattice bracing is a relatively recent development, allowing greater stiffness from a thinner, highly responsive top.
The new 2019 Gibson Les Paul Standard features the popular asymmetrical Slim Taper neck profile with Ultra-Modern weight relief for increased comfort and playability. Impeccable looks are highlighted by the powerful tonewood combination of mahogany back and carved maple AAA figured top.
The Alhambra 7P CW Cutaway Classical is Alhambra’s 7P advanced Student Model fitted with with a cutaway and Fishman Prefix Premium Blender system. This model’s full name is officially 7 P CW E (x), where the (x) is a number representing exactly which Fishman pickup system is installed. Currently, the numbers for pickup systems have been 2, 3 and 5. This is a level 7 guitar, with Rosewood back and sides – represented by the P for the Spanish word for Rosewood, Palisandro.
This Collings OM1 A Julian Lage signature model, using the A for Adirondack Spruce top option, is an exceptional guitar and was the last collaboration by Bill Collings before his death in 2017. Based on Lange’s original 1939 000-18, the Collings OM1-JL uses traditional materials – spruce top, mahogany back, sides and neck, and ebony for the fingerboard, headplate and bridge. The nut and saddle are bone. The tuners are by Waverly, and work very well. On this guitar, the neck is carved to match Lange’s.
The Alhambra 5P uses traditional Spanish construction methods, tying the body and neck together. This model features full body and scale size, Cedar or Spruce top, Laminate Rosewood back, sides, solid Rosewood bridge and headplate, an Ebony-reinforced Mahogany neck with Ebony for the fingerboard. The use of laminate Rosewood for the back and sides increases stability for the guitar in the situations a student will encounter, without sacrificing much tone.
The Collings D2H square-shouldered 14-fret dreadnought is the based on most popular steel-string acoustic guitar body shape in the world. The Collings version combines impeccable craftsmanship, great looks and a tone tailor suited for hard strummers and bluegrass flatpickers. Collings build quality is exceptional – it’s hard to imagine how much better built or finished an instrument could be.
This new model Gibson Modern Double Cut Standard, draws from the earlier double cut designs that other brands successfully copied – is built at the Gibson shop in Nashville, Tennessee. The traditional elements are all here – the mahogany body and neck, the body with a carved figured maple cap, the neck with a bound rosewood fingerboard and pearloid trapezoidal markers, ’57 Classic humbucking pickups with tune-o-matic bridge and stop tailpiece, and Grover Roto-Matic tuners.
The Mahogany-bodied National ResoRocket WB combines the lovely sonority of a wooden body in a Bendaway single-cone instrument to create a unique National guitar.
The Alhambra model 7P classical guitar is probably our most popular model for the serious student of the classical idiom. With its all solid wood construction, this instrument will develop and grow with you as your skills, technique and repertoire expand. The solid bookmatched spruce top on this instrument gives excellent note definition and interesting overtone series while the rosewood back and sides impart a warm foundation for the note fundamental and a golden overall tonality.
The Gibson Firebird Studio 2017 T is a new version of the ‘reverse’ body Firebird, using set neck construction and standard humbucking pickups. Available in Pelham Blue and Vintage Burst, this is a great alternative to an SG. The first Firebirds appeared in 1963 in the ‘Reverse’ body shape – referring to the lower, treble cutaway ‘horn’ being longer than the usual bass side, and with neck-through construction.
The Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder with Floyd Rose is a purpose built guitar – shredding! It’s got everything that a shredding guitar basically needs, hot pickups, full access to the frets, and a locking trem system. Based on the long proven, reliable and incredibly durable bolt together combination of maple neck and mahogany body, Floyd Rose locking trem system, the Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder sports a ‘Lambo Orange’ lightly metallic finish.
The Gibson ES-335TD – Two pickup, Double cutaway – was a hit from its appearance in the late 1950. In one stroke it combined the best of solidbody and archtop guitars in a classy package.
The GS Mini-e Koa is built for tone, playability, portability, and durability. The top is solid Koa, but the sides and back are a 3-layer Koa laminate with a Poplar core, and this will help keep it stable in the varied temperature and humidity conditions guitars of this type are often subjected to. The neck is Sapele, with Ebony for the fingerboard and bridge, and the headstock has an overlay of Copaifera wood.
The Alhambra 7fc Flamenco guitar is our mid-level Alhambra Flamenco instrument. Built in the traditional manner with a solid German Spruce top and solid Cypress back and sides, mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard and bridge, the Alhambra 7fc has the bright tone and low action characteristic of flamenco guitars. Golpeadors, or tap plates, are installed as stock. This is a full scale instrument, with a 650m or 25.6 inch scale length and 52mm or 2.04 inch nut width.
The “Del Tiempo” Guitar celebrates 135 years of the historic “Casa Ramírez” established by José Ramírez I – in 1882; currently enjoying its fifth generation of Ramirez family ownership. Designed by Maestro-Luthier Amalia Ramírez, the Del Tiempo is a continuation of the esteemed 130 Años model. Typical of all Ramirez guitars, the classic “Spanish sound” is immediately apparent; full bass response, plenty of volume and warm, sensitive trebles with good balance through the entire range.
The Alhambra 10fc Flamenco guitar is our top-level Alhambra Flamenco Blanca instrument. Built in the traditional manner with superior grade solid German Spruce top and solid Cypress back and sides, mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard and bridge, the Alhambra 10fc has the bright tone and low action characteristic of flamenco guitars. Golpeadores, or tap plates, are installed as stock. This is a professional flamenco guitar for those looking for the maximum quality at a reasonable price. Guided by traditional design concepts.
