The Goodall Pacific Grand Concert combines beautiful Flamed Maple with Red Cedar for a voice that is very compelling. You get the power of the Maple along with the richness of the Cedar. These tonewoods work great together and this has become a very popular model for Goodall Guitars. This one plays beautifully and is absolutely gorgeous.
We met luthier Martin Keith through maker Joe Veillette who Keith has worked with since 2000. Martin builds modern guitars that intentionally blend high tech materials and techniques with old tradition. This Auriole is a prime example.
At first glance it appears to be an Archtop, but look closer and you’ll see this is a flattop, but a very different kind. Here’s what going on underneath the hood: The top uses a wide spaced fan bracing and the back is radially braced. The neck has a core comprised of a thin carbon fiber layer with a lighter wood in the center making them light and resonant but very strong. The neck action is fully adjustable as well! The design employs a floating bridge/tailpiece arrangement of an archtop to give the Auriole a quick response and strong attack. Visit Martin’s site to see full details of the many design elements of this guitar.
What all this adds up to is…. you guessed it… Tone! Wonderful tone. The voice is different in many good ways. First the separation is superb and the notes fire out of the box with a strong attack. This is a great flatpicking and single line guitar. But the separation also lends itself perfectly to fingerstyle, as you can hear in the sample. Lastly, it’s so strong that it strums up like a dreadnought. All of this plus a fully adjustable neck and zero fret for perfect playability anywhere your music takes you. The Auriole by Martin Keith.
This is the Taylor Custom Baritone 8 String in all-Mahogany. The middle strings are paired with an octave providing a bit of extra brilliance to go with the deep lows. This BT-8 Custom has a lovely sunburst and features a cutaway and the Taylor Expression pickup system. The 27″ scale is a shorter Baritone scale perfect for tuning B to B in the Standard tuning relationship. This guitar is easy to play and offers you a whole new world of tonal possibilities without changing a thing that your fingers are doing!
If you’ve ever dreamt of a vintage Gibson J-200 this 1964 in rare condition is your dream-come-true! Bought new buy a player in New York City who studied with Rev. Gary Davis, this is a single-owner gem. He left this one home when he’d go take lessons from the Reverend, so it’s well cared for indeed. Figured Maple and Spruce, stunning sunburst, crown fret markers, the fancy pickguard and original case. It’s all there! This is premium vintage, no issues at all, just get it home and play, play, play!
This David Flammang EL-35 is a modern guitar that captures the essence of a vintage Gibson small body. The combination of Red Spruce and African Mahogany make this one perfect for blues and ragtime, with authentic feel and tone. From powerful and throaty to sweet and proper this guitar is versatile as well. It is also stunning with its dark sunburst, Ivoroid trim, Madagascar fingerboard and bridge and rope purflings. Just exquisite!
After falling in love with a lovely Parlor Stephen Kinnaird made for us some time ago we custom ordered this little sweetheart, P-1 Parlor Model. Once again it is Amore! Stephen used an extraordinary set of Quilted Spanish Cedar for the body and topped it with Italian Spruce. The neck is lightweight Spanish Cedar and it adorned with Kingwood accents. The result is a superb clear and articulate voice that is very responsive as well. This is one of those guitars you’ll want to keep close so you can grab it every chance you get.
This is a 1982 Kohno Concert model in Indian Rosewood and Spruce. Clear, articulate and powerful just liked you’d expect from Masura Kohno. 30 years time has given this spruce top a gorgeous patina that shows in it’s appearance and it’s voice. You can coax sweet, lingering notes and majestic roar depending on how you attack this fine instrument. Like all Kohnos the playability is superb.
Here is a rare preowned Johan Gustavsson Bluesmaster Custom 59 completely built by the man himself! This 59 is the well known modern blend of the classic Les Paul and Telecaster guitars that defined Rock n’ Roll. This one is the coveted solid body design in Aged Cherry with a beautifully figured Maple top and outfitted with a pair of Throbak SLE 101 LTD MXV pickups complete with coil tap and phase push-pull pots. This is one awesome feeling guitar that is as good as it gets for Rock, Blues, Fusion, anything you want to throw at it!
Here we have a mint condition 2004 Phoenix Mandolins Deluxe Model. Insanely Figured Maple and Adirondack Spruce, strung with medium Thomastik strings for a gorgeous sound with superb playability. Rolfe Gerhardt hand makes these versatile Mandolins for players who want the best. You won’t believe the great feel these have!
From the Phoenix website: “The Deluxe Model was created as the result of requests by professional musicians who want a medium-string mandolin that would excel at all kinds of music but was styled with the clean, elegant appearance of the Neoclassical, and…would include a built-in pickup. To distinguish it from the Neoclassical: the Deluxe is colored with a lightly-sunburst, warm, violin dark-brown under the hybrid varnish; the Grover tuners are gold with custom black parts and buttons; and the fingerboard features the trademarked abalone vine created for the Unicorn Master Models of the 1970s and included on the “Pickin'” fingerboard poster.”
Here we have a mint condition Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120 from 2007. This is the modern version of the classic 6120 Chet Atkins Hollow Body guitar. It features a 16″-wide, 2.5″-deep full hollowbody, rock maple neck, ebony fingerboard with Neo-Classic “thumbnail” inlays, dual High Sensitive Filter’Tron pickups, Grover Rotomatic machine heads, Adjusto-Matic bridge, and Bigsby B6G vibrato tailpiece. The F-Holes are painted so this guitar will not feedback. It sports the Leather belly pad, a zero-fret for easy action and a switchable Mute lever that activates a foam mute for great Rockabilly sounds. Oh What Fun!
Here is a beautiful Bourgeois Soloist, which is an OM Cutaway design. This one features, Dalbergio Mysterioso, which means they think it’s Brazilian but can’t verify it. It sure looks and sounds like to us. The top is European Spruce adding to the power and clarity here. In typical Bourgeois fashion this guitar starts out in the Martin world of tone, but is sweeter, fuller and very pleasing to the ear. It plays very easily as well and has been well kept in excellent condition. If you are after a versatile guitar an OMC is perfect for you and this is a great one.
John McQuarrie builds his Northwood guitars with fine detail and superb tone. This 2009 Northwood OM in Mahogany and Engelmann Spruce is extremely responsive. The voice is warm, yet crisp and articulate. Well suited for Fingerstyle but also a great strummer, this is definitely one of those versatile instruments that can cover alot of ground. Rest assured we are all enjoying this fine guitar while it’s here.
Here is a 1984 Erwin von Gr�ner Concert guitar that has aged beautifully and offers projection and clarity. Gr�ner was a luthier of Violins and Guitars of very high quality. He passed in 2001 but his instruments continue to bring beautiful music into the world. This concert guitar, crafted from Rosewood and Spruce, is strong and clear. Perfect for the player who appreciates an articulate voice.
John Buscarino’s Rhapsody is unique in the guitar world in that it pairs a carved arched back with a flattop. This combination produces voice that blends the energy and attack of a steel string with the clarity and separation of an archtop guitar. This one is Adirondack Red Spruce over rare Plum Pudding Figured Mahogany.
To find a set of this wood big enough to carve a back from is quite rare indeed. Equally special are the Snakewood appointments. The fingerboard, headplate, bridge and bindings are all crafted from Snakewood which is equally rare and stunning. An elegant Ribbon rosette makes the oval sound hole a centerpiece of beauty on this fine Buscarino Rhapsody. There is also a side soundport. You need only listen to the samples by Al Petteway to hear the unique and truly special voice John Buscarino has created in this arched back flat top design. What a guitar…
This is a superb high-end Collings 00-42BaaaA, sporting an amazing set of Brazilian Rosewood with brick red hues and an even grained Adirondack top of the highest quality. These woods most certainly help to create the magical sound of this small wonder from Austin, TX. This small body Collings speak boldly with authoritative trebles and crisp bass response. The short scale makes it both easy to play and to hold and also gives sweetness to the voice. 42 Style abalone adorns the top so it is as handsome as it is inspiring!
This is a top of the line Benedetto Bravo Elite, fully hand carved shallow body 16″ Archtop. At 2 1/2″ deep, the Bravo Elite offers a guitar that’s easy to hold but has that full Benedetto voice and character. The tone is achieved by it being fully carved and hand graduated from premium Curly Maple and Spruce. Finished in a subtle violin burst with all solid Ebony appointments it is also a stunning guitars with simple elegance. We all love the feel of this fine Benedetto, it plays easy and fast.
This is a one-of-a-kind Romero Bluegrass 5 String Banjo that was Jason Romero’s personal banjo. Jason is an amazing banjo picker as well as a prominent builder. From head to toe this one is completely custom. Santos Mahogany is the tonewood selected for it’s wonderful resonance. The rim is made of submerged Maple blocks and the tone ring is a Huber Flathead.
To that Jason Romero added premium Madagascar Rosewood for the Fingerboard, Headplate and Backplate. Each of those surfaces are lovingly inlaid with custom Abalone and M.O.P. designs. Ebony bindings add beautiful contrast and frame the true beauty of this wonderful banjo. The very best attribute however is the tone, strong and proud, but somehow more full and pleasing than most traditional banjos. That is the magic that has made Romero Banjos so highly sought after.
Chris Jenkins and his son Jeremy Jenkins walk to the beat of a different drummer and that’s a good thing. They create unique, funky and fun instruments with tons of vibe and style. This Saddle Pal parlor guitar is a great example. Joe Vitale and Todd Hallawell regularly use theirs and as Todd says “it must have a supercharger in it” because they have such a surprisingly strong voice for a small guitar.
Champion fingerstylist Todd Hallawell sent us this quote, “When someone recently asked me if I would recommend a Saddle Pal to anyone looking for a parlor guitar, I was at a temporary loss for words. I never think of my Saddle Pal as a parlor guitar. I just think of it as a great guitar, regardless of its diminutive size. So, yeah, I guess the answer is obvious. If someone wants a small bodied guitar, order a Saddle Pal. There may be a better guitar of this size somewhere, but I haven’t seen it yet.”
They went all out with this beauty! Highly figured Waterfall Bubinga and Engelmann Spruce for power and clarity. The shell shaped rosette sits on a shoulder of Waterfall Bubinga and is bordered with Blue-Green Malachite. Working in concert with the rosette are two soundports on the driver’s side for a full voice to the player. In addition to all this they took the time to add perfling to the interior of the guitar just to make it truly special. The Jenkins Saddle Pal also makes a great travel guitar as it’s only 38.5″ in length and features a fully adjustable action that can be modified under tension. Never be without a great sounding and great playing guitar again!
The Oracle design by Sheldon Schwartz is one of the most exciting and original we’ve seen. This beauty in Brazilian Rosewood and highly figured Bearclaw Sitka Spruce incorporates a wide array of elements including triple offset soundholes, carbon fibre-reinforced lattice-braced soundboard, double walled side construction, carbon fibre reinforced “X” braced back and a 26 inch scale. Additional features include a beveled cutaway, the bent wood style arm rest, a 5pc laminated neck with 24 frets, a rear access panel.
Now for the sound… listen close and you can probably hear it wherever you are. This is one loud and strong guitar! The Oracle speaks like a Piano, with big, clear notes and tremendous bass response. The offset soundholes insure the player gets an earful and what you’ll hear is a joyful noise! Light players will be rewarded with big sound and heavy handed players have met their match. The Oracle by Sheldon Schwartz is simply remarkable!
We’ve got another powerful offering from the golden past of Kevin Ryan’s workshop today: a custom Mission Grand Concert from 1998 in African Blackwood and Sitka Spruce. The warmth and color imparted by this dynamite pair suits the GC body perfectly for a voice at ease with flatpicked solos or lush fingerstyle arrangements. We’re talking about an extremely versatile instrument, folks, driven hard or with a gentler touch this Ryan sings!
Ringing in the rosette is something unexpected for Ryan guitars; not the usual Abalone but rare and glittering Brown Lip Pearl! In DADGAD, DADFAD, Open G or Standard, this Mission Grand Concert delivers rich bass notes and round, shimmery trebles that envelop the player. And when not in use this Ryan is supremely protected by its Calton flight case.
Here’s an additional demo of this beautiful Ryan Mission GC, played by our own Al Petteway: https://youtu.be/s6DWZgb9gUc
Other keywords: lutherie, luthier, guitar building, fingerpicking
Mario Beauregard’s MB model semi-hollow guitar set the guitar world on fire a few years back. Everyone who lays eyes on one just falls in love. But when you play one you really understand. What a feel! The neck shape seems just perfect and the setup is immaculate. Mario’s build quality is second to none and the MB design incorporates rounded sides that not only look amazing but make this guitar a joy to hold. The P90 pickups scream but also know how to behave, so from blues to rock to jazz you can do it all in style on this Beauregard MB from 2008.
Here’s an additional demo with our own Al Petteway: https://youtu.be/d2una6tsVAg
This 2006 Vines Bella Grande features rich sounding Cocobolo Rosewood and a silky Carpathian Spruce top which give it a very warm, lush voice. Slightly wider nut and saddle make this a great fingerstyle guitar, plenty of room for complex fingerings. Tony Vines is no longer building so this is a great chance to get one his wonderful instruments. He built in the style of Kevin Ryan, so fans of Ryan guitars will love this Vines as well.
This a vintage Alan Chapman Concert guitar in Indian Rosewood and Spruce. This is a Concert model of high quality with superb tone. Classic woods include Indian Rosewood and a lovely tight grained Spruce top. The rosette is sublime and elegant. This Chapman guitar recorded very well and has impressed us here at the shop.
For our limited edition Dream Series from Charlie Hoffman we worked with him to refine this Concert body shape to give it more elegant curves. The result is a stunning body shape that is more rounded and elegant. The key element of this Dream Series is rare old growth Brazilian Rosewood renowned for it’s clarity, warmth and power. The set on this one is stunning! Be sure to look at the photos. This one is topped with Italian Spruce so it offers great versatility and lovely overtones. Hoffman guitars are always super easy to play and built to last for years.
