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1992 Gibson BB King Lucille Maple (Laminate)/Maple (Laminate)

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The late B.B. King is, and will always remain, one of the household names in blues. No less can be said for his guitar, Lucille, or Gibson’s long line of semi-hollow body ES345 guitars of the same name. We have here an excellent member of that long line of excellence: a 1992 Lucille in cherry red with Ebony fretboard and Gibson Humbucker pickups. As per B.B. King’s specifications, this beast of a guitar is made of laminated Maple, with a 3-piece Maple neck and carved Spruce toneblocks for extra sustain. The setup is stellar, and the guitar is in overall mint condition, aside from some light scratches on the pickguard. The classic Gibson Varitone is installed, which attenuates the low frequency spectrum as you cycle up through its settings, yielding a variety of different textures yo can add to your sound. This guitar comes with the original hardshell case.

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New Rainsong SMH Carbon Fiber/Carbon Fiber

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Rainsong constantly impress us with the quality of instruments they produce, from tone to playabiltiy, we love them. This SMH boasts a larger body than we are used to seeing from Rainsong which attributes to the full and boisterous voice. Versatility is the name of the game with this SMH, it handled every style of music we threw at it easily. As ever with Rainsong guitars, the set up is perfect and you can count on it to be perfect where ever you find yourself. From the desert to the snowy Alps, to the stage, This SMH will be the most faithful and reliable of companions.

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1998 Taylor Guitars K65E Koa/Koa

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Taylor guitars have long been known both for their Koa series and their 12 strings. Naturally, the combination of the two would be wonderful. We just got in a lovely 1998 Taylor K65E, nicely opened up and full of powerful sounds. This guitar has a crisp, dry tone, thanks to its all Koa body (and an excellently figured Koa at that), and more projection and sustain than you’ll know what to do with. The trouble with many Jumbo 12 string guitars is their unbalanced sound, but Taylor‘s craftsmanship and eye for good tonewoods has overcome this hurdle: the K65E has a tight, controlled low-end and exhibits good articulation between each string. As a result, this is a much more dynamically voiced 12 string than folks are used to; responding equally well to flatpicking with a lot of drive and to fingerstyle ballads. Its voice ranges from bright when played aggressively to mellow and poignant for softer passages. This guitar comes with the original Taylor hardshell case, and is equipped with a Fishmann preamp.

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2003 Taylor Guitars 914-C East Indian/Engelmann

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Here we have a Taylor 914C in Engelmann Spruce and East Indian Rosewood. This is a beautiful instrument in every way, looks, tone, and playability. Tonally, this 914C is smooth and mellow, balanced from E string to E string. Fingerstyle players will no doubt fall in love with this one as the playability is effortless for the fretting hand and the picking hand. This instrument is a rare beauty to look at with its rich warm brown Rosewood back and sides, Abalone top trim and “Cindy” style inlay pattern. There is nothing not to love about this guitar.

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New Wilborn Orchestra Cocobolo/Sitka

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We hardly had a chance to play this guitar in the shop before someone swooped in and took it home with them. This is Ben Wilborn’s 2015 Orchestra model, his workhorse contender for any and all environments. The articulation is astounding, with a low-end that sings even and clear. The Cocobolo back and sides and Sitka Spruce top create a crisp upper register which doesn’t overpower the instrument’s tone, and the setup is glossy smooth and effortless to play. Wilborn’s addition of a Cocobolo pickguard and headplate complements the Curly Maple bindings very well, and showcases his excellent eye for detail: the fit and finish is flawless! This guitar comes with the original hardshell Superior case.

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2007 Collings D3BaaaA Varnish Brazilian/Adirondack (Red)

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The flatpicker’s dream: a 2007 Collings D3BaaaA. This killer dreadnought is decked out in a gorgeous figured Brazilian Rosewood back and sides and a choice Adirondack Spruce top styled with a dark sunburst. This custom dread comes with Collings’ premium varnish finish, which aside from having a smooth and clean face has the added bonus of being thinner than any other finish, which lets the top and back vibrate more freely and enhances the tone and gives the guitar even more volume. This dread has a warm, woody tone and responds well to an aggressive attack, devouring the immediate sound space with it’s projection. This Collings comes with a McIntyre Feather pickup and the original TKL hard case.

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2012 Scheerhorn WL-30 Walnut/Walnut

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Tim Scheerhorn‘s resonators are always a blast to play, but this custom build for lapsteel virtuoso Billy Cardine breaks the mold. Tight, responsive, and well-balanced–all made possible by Scheerhorn’s attention to detail and Cardine’s preference for a smaller body, 12-fret neck and all-Walnut construction. Further, this Scheerhorn features a removable lap rest, so you can keep the instrument horizontal even when standing, and the compact body weighs little compared to most other lapsteels. Its acoustic tone is solid, but when you plug an amp into this baby’s Lollar pickup, it can absolutely scream. Click here to see Billy Cardine’s slide virtuoso work. This guitar comes with the original Guardian hardshell case.

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1941 Martin 000-28 Brazilian/Engelmann

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Martin lovers, rejoice! We just landed a sweet old package in the shop: a 1941 Martin 000-28, formerly owned by famed guitarist of Union Station, co-founder of Blue Highway, and accomplished producer of performers like Kenny Chesney: Tim Stafford. This guitar has bucketfuls of tone; it's got tone spilling out of the sound hole the second you pull it out of the case. And what a wonderful sound this Martin makes! The Brazilian Rosewood back and sides and the Engelmann Spruce top have opened up completely, giving the guitar a strong, hearty, mature character. This one's definitely not over the hill yet: it sounds as loud and as strong as someone in their prime. It belts it out, too—and the entire instrument vibrates as you play it; it's an enveloping experience. Lastly, this guitar is over seven decades old, but still has almost surgical articulation. It is, of course, a survivor of a tempestuous 74 years, and it bears the scars of all that blood, sweat, and tears proudly, and doesn't suffer for it acoustically at all. And, to prevent any scars in the future, this Martin comes with a TKL tweed hardshell case.

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Delarue Concert East Indian/Red Cedar

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We are happy to invite another great builder into the shop; this time French luthier Dominique Delarue. A classical builder, Delarue began his woodworking career as a cabinet maker before becoming absorbed by the world of instrument-making in his adult years. Delarue‘s craftsmanship is impeccable, as you can see in the photos below, and he has a great eye for tonewoods (here we have an excellent sample of East Indian Rosewood back and sides and a tight-grained Western Red Cedar top).

The guitar is warm to the touch, and sings with a sweet panoply of overtones. The 2″ (52 mm) nut and Ebony fretboard allow for smooth left hand technique, and the setup allows for a delicate responsiveness: this is a sensitive instrument which reacts to the lightest attack.

This guitar comes with a Hiscox hardshell case.

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2013 Bourgeois AT Mahogany OM Mahogany/Adirondack (Red)

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Straight from four time Grammy Award winner David Holt’s hands to yours! This gorgeous Bourgeois Aged Tone OM was David’s for several years, and now we’re proud to offer it up to you.

Great articulation, great balance, dynamic tone–these are the qualities you look for in a quality instrument. Bourgeois Guitars has taken that to heart, building powerful steel strings with traditional appointments, like this Bourgeois 2013 OM. Mahogany back and sides, when combined with the Adirondack Spruce top, gives the guitar a rich, complex tone and a pianistic separation of notes. The middle registers have that perfect level of overtones, and the low-end is comparable to a Dreadnought, but Bourgeois’s OM shape insures that the instrument’s voice is very balanced. This guitar opens up magnificently with an aggressive attack and takes on an explosive projection when played in Drop D (making it a great candidate for Irish accompaniment). Tight control and a quick response: this is one strong player.

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New Circa Custom 12 Fret 000 Cutaway Panamanian/Palo Escrito/Adirondack (Red)

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Came through the door in the morning and flew right back out again that same afternoon: this newest offering from Mr. John Slobod gave us beautiful music, and disappeared before we had the chance to play it a second time! Decked out with Panamanian Rosewood back and sides and an Adirondack Spruce top, this Custom 12-fret 000 Cutaway packed enough power under the unassuming Spruce hood to practically play itself.

This guitar is love at first sight to any fingerstylist–and believe us, we were crying as it disappeared out the door on its way to its lucky new owner. Come back! Don’t leave so soon!

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1997 Martin D-45VR East Indian/Sitka

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We’ve got a great selection of Martins in the shop these days, and this 1997 D-45 VR fits in perfectly. Featuring Martin’s stylish 45 series appointments, from the snowflake Abalone fretboard inlay to the Abalone trim across the top, back, and sides, the D-45VR looks as sharp as it sounds, with a big, bold tone characteristic of Martin Dreadnoughts. The Indian Rosewood back and sides give the guitar a well-balanced voice, with lots of presence in the middle registers. Flatpickers will love the setup here, and this Dreadnought offers great sustain. The Sitka Spruce top lends a hand in the articulation department, allowing the strings to sing clearly and distinct from one another with lots of warmth–this Sitka Spruce has opened up nicely in the past 18 years. With almost two decades of tone under its belt, this D-45 VR is a strong contender, and is only going to get better. This guitar comes with a Cedar Creek hardshell case.

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1998 PRS Hollowbody I Archtop Flamed Maple/Flamed Maple

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We’ve got one of the greats in stock today, from Paul Heumiller’s personal collection: a 1998 PRS Hollowbody I Archtop with Quilted Maple top and Mahogany back and sides. Talk about a rockin’ package! Thanks to the McCArthy Archtop Pickups, there’s more tone than you can shake a pick at. The sound is warm and fat, and the glassy polished frets are smooth to play on for hours. We play it through a Humphrey Tube Amp, but this Hollowbody I will blow you away with any setup. Rockers and funkmeisters, listen up: this is a PRS in mint condition, and it won’t be around long. This guitar comes with the original hardshell case.

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1957 Martin D-21 Brazilian/Sitka

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Just when you think you’ve got the vintage Martin sound memorized, there comes a guitar like this 1957 D-21 to turn it on its head. Think of it this way: this D-21 has had 58 years in which to learn how to sound good–and brother, this guitar took notes. The voice that comes screaming out of this Brazilian Rosewood and Sitka Spruce box is true vintage, broken in, opened up, and raring to go. The trebles are crisp and sweet, and the bass rolls like a kettle drum. Flatpickers will have their solos explode across the airwaves with the great projection and sustain, and Traditional-style fingerpickers have a strong, articulate voice in which to express themselves and their favorite arrangements. And this isn’t just your run-of-the-mill Martin from the 50’s–this D-21 has recently had a tune up at the hands of our own Ken Jones, who has restored this guitar to the playing condition of its adolescence.

Ever wonder what gorgeous vintage woods could do with a new pair of legs? Cover many more miles of great music, that’s what. Now, you can rest assured that this D-21 is ready for another 30 years. All that warmth, that punchy growl, the big, loud bark–all of that has been preserved for the next chapter of its life–in your hands. This guitar comes with a Martin molded hardshell case.

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2014 Doc Huff Soprano Wenge, Padouk, Bilinga, Bubinga/Dyed Skin

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For years, Patrick “Doc” Huff has been blazing the trail of innovation with his banjos. Number 227 is a Soprano Banjo, named “Georgina” by Doc’s daughter, and comes fully loaded with everything that makes Doc’s banjos unique. The scalloped and compound radiused fretboard (with bronze frets) gives the player ultimate control over their style: one can at once play “Georgina” like a regular fretted banjo, or play by sliding along the fretboard like a fretless banjo, which results in a smooth, gliding change in pitch. Add to that two of Doc’s other specialties–the “Frailer’s Tension Hoop” (which has a relief notched in the hoop to allow easy frailing) and his “Frailing Platform” (which allows the player to comfortably frail to their heart’s content)–and you find yourself in the presence of a banjo unlike any other. Not one to rest on his laurels, Doc has also built the neck and pot out of a combination of exotic tonewoods: Wenge, Padouk, Bilinga, Bubinga. The resultant tone is warm and full with great sustain for such a small banjo. Lastly, Doc handcarves the heels on each banjo, and this one features his trademark scalloping, which looks organic, like curving roots or a rockface. This banjo comes with an Access softshell case.

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1967 Martin D-28 Brazilian/Sitka

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This is a guitar with all the strength, projection, and vintage tone that only a vintage Martin can provide. The 60’s were a great decade for Martin guitars, and this 1967 D-28 shows it with its Brazilian Rosewood back and sides and Sitka Spruce top. All that premium-grade tonewood, combined with almost 50 years’ of musicmaking, make for a complex and responsive guitar with an expansive middle register and an articulate, tight low-end. There’s no overwhelming boom-chuck here: just an instrument optimally balanced across its registers and coupled with great projection. The Ivoroid and Mother-of-Pearl appointments are simple and matter-of-fact, like the tone; a guitar which is ready to get to work. This D-28 is true vintage: the woods have opened up well, and it has the vintage look of an instrument well-played for hundreds of hours. Plus, we’ve refretted the fretboard and reset the neck, so this D-28 from the end of the sixties (and hence the end of production Brazilian Rosewood Martins) plays like its brand new and is in great shape for another thirty years’ worth of tunes. This guitar comes with a molded Martin Hardshell case.

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1996 Martin D-45 200th Anniversary 85 of 200 East Indian/Sitka

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Martin Guitars decided to pull out all the stops for their 200th anniversary in 1996 by building 200 guitars to rigorous specifications. 91 of those 200 were built from Brazilian Rosewood, and 109 were built with East Indian Rosewood sets for the back and sides. Though the D-45 we have here is of the latter category, the rich, enveloping tone of this guitar sounds like it’s actually made from Brazilian. Martin Guitars employed master grade Sitka Spruce for the top, giving this guitar a huge, open sound that responds brilliantly to a flatpicking approach. All registers are absolutely clear and balanced; each note is harmonious. Martin’s forward scalloped bracing system provides exceptional projection while preserving the dynamism of the tone, and the instrument weilds a voice with is commanding without being overwhelming. This D-45 is the pinnacle of dreadnought construction, and these 200th Anniversary D-45s in particular demonstrate how function can coexist with regal Abalone appointments to both sound, and look, mesmerizing. This guitar comes with a Cedar Creek hardshell case.

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1995 Martin D-35 30th Anniversay 123 of 207 East Indian/Spruce

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Every couple of decades, Martin Guitars pull out all the stops for a limited run of anniversary guitars. The 1995 30th Anniversary D-35 we have here showcases some of Martin’s finest features, from the etched gold Martin tuners and matching 3-piece headstock veneer and guitar back of East Indian Rosewood and Brazilian Rosewood to the legendary warm, rich voice for which the D-35 is known. With a tight-grained Spruce top, this is a Dreadnought that absolutely blasts–the projection is big and fat, and notes ring out with great sustain. This guitar performs wonderfully for flatpickers, with all the bark you could hope for. To top it all off, the Ebony fretboard features MOP dots and a “1965-1995” inlay at the penultimate fret in honor of its 30th Anniversary designation. This guitar comes with the original hardshell Martin molded case and a Martin undersaddle pickup.

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2003 Santa Cruz D East Indian/Sitka

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Oh, to play a Dreadnought that hits that sweet, sweet line between loud strummer and articulate fingerpicker–it's like a dream come true. Well, dream no further! This 2003 Santa Cruz is just such a Dreadnought. Decked out in East Indian Rosewood and Sitka Spruce and braced with Santa Cruz Guitar Company's modified radiused bracing system, this Tony Rice Signature Model performs at its best regardless of application. For the fingerstylist who also enjoys a light to medium attack with a pick, this Dreadnought's worth checking out. The craftsmen under Richard Hoover have carved a neck with a slim profile and a perfect setup that's effortless to fret, making this a surprisingly light guitar for all its projection. The low end is clear and articulate, and the middle registers are even and balanced. Following their aesthetic of traditional appointments, this Tony Rice Signature Model has Grained Ivoroid bindings and Herringbone trim. Dynamic and versatile, you won't find many guitars that perform so well in so many environments.

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2015 Micheletti Peregrine Brazilian Rosewood/Adirondack Spruce

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We love it when a parlor size guitar strikes it rich! This 2015 Micheletti Peregrine packs an expansive voice into a trim package that’s characterized by round trebles, lots of color and dynamism in the bass, and a lively responsiveness that can quickly fill the room if you’re not careful. Brazilian Rosewood back and sides (seriously gorgeous example of this rarest of tonewoods), Adirondack Spruce on top for extra stiffness and power, and then luthier Rick Micheletti finished it off with a 12-fret neck to warm up those trebles for a round, fat sound.
The Peregrine is trimmed out in Abalone from head to toe, and features individual saddles for each string, so dialing in your perfect setup is easy as pie. This Micheletti comes wrapped up in a Hoffee flight case, and is more than ready to go anywhere, at any time.

Here’s an additional demo with our own Al Petteway: https://youtu.be/43NY3I2JsR0

Other keywords: lutherie, fingerstyle, parlour, 0, 00, 12 fret, brazilain

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2012 Brondel A2 Brazilian/Adirondack (Red)

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When a luthier finds an excellent set of Brazilian Rosewood and treats it as lovingly as Laurent Brondel has here, the guitar born from that care and craftsmanship will stand apart, even from other Brazilian Rosewood guitars. The 2012 Brondel A2 we have here is just such an instrument. Make a list of everything you want out of a guitar, and this 000 will probably satisfy every item. There’s sustain for days with that Brazilian Rosewood, and an incredibly complex, deep, warm tone from the body size and Adirondack Spruce top. There’s the perfect setup for flatpicking, and the sensitivity for fingerstyle. There’s an explosive responsiveness and strong, articulate tonal palette across all registers. There’s sweet, balanced overtones in the low-end, and powerful projection. And finally, there’s Brondel’s very well-executed Sunburst Finish. Brondel’s attention to detail is incedible: purfling lines are graceful and handmade, Gabon Ebony bridge is asymmetrically carved, back braces are capped with Brazilian Rosewood. At this price, there really aren’t any other guitars which can compare. This guitar comes with an Ameritage hardshell case.

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2014 Muiderman Kottke Prototype J16 Narra/Double Sitka

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We’ve got a special creature from Kevin Muiderman today: a prototype Jumbo-size guitar used on tour by fingerstyle legend Leo Kottke. Muiderman’s J16 model underwent some modification to meet Kottke’s evolving needs. After performing with this instrument, Kottke decided that Muiderman guitars have sufficient projection that he could opt for a slightly smaller body size and still have the power his style demands. For this guitar, which would cost $9,100 if ordered new, Muiderman substituted his ordinarily radiused Sitka Spruce double-top for a flat one, which was then oil-finished, as per Kottke’s request, like the open gear tuners and the wider nut and saddle. Muiderman is one of a tiny number of steel-string builders utilizing the highly labor-intensive double-top construction methods which have recently had such impact on classical guitar designs. The Narra used for the back and sides gives the guitar its strong middle register presence. Tonally, the instrument has a crisp, dry voice with lots of projection. There’s an amazing amount of separation across the registers, the kind that fingerstylists dream about. Also, because the double top results in amazing responsiveness to touch, it’s a guitar that makes rhythm playing shine, giving amazingly full expression to each palm mute, string choke, bend, vibrato, etc. The low-end is articulate and controlled, and Kottke requested that there be two end pin slots, to allow for two pickups to be used simultaneously. At present, there is a K&K undersaddle pickup installed.

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2011 Sexauer FT-0-C Bigleaf Maple/Italian

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Bruce Sexauer–a luthier completely at home with parlor-sized guitars. We have one of his FT-0-C “Companion Size” guitars in the shop today, with Bigleaf Maple back and sides and an Italian Spruce top. If you’re at all interested in fingerstyle guitar, this is one to check out. The setup is perfect for Traditional Blues tunes, with a sweet, snappy tone and lots of volume, but the slightly longer neck (13 frets to the body) gives the strings a bit more play and warms up the tone. The highs are clean and bell-like, but don’t dominate the instrument.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find another parlor in this price range that has the responsiveness and balanced tone that this 2011 FT-0-C exudes. This guitar is in excellent condition and comes with the original Hoffee hardshell case.

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2015 Kostal Modified Dreadnought, Brazilian Rosewood/German Spruce

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Two words come to mind when you play a guitar from Jason Kostal’s Queen Creek, Arizona shop: depth, and clarity. Unlatch the case, place the harmony of wood and steel in your lap, and witness the majesty. Dream Guitars has been lucky enough to host several of Jason’s instruments in their shop, and today we have a 2015 Modified Dreadnoughtthat fully lives up to Jason’s impeccable reputation. This Modified Dreadnought combines the cavernous, resounding low-end of a Dreadnought with an upper register that is agile and expressive. Across these and all registers in between, the tonal palette is expansive, full of color and scope, such that all notes ring clearly–and will continue resoundingly for some time. Kostal’s picked out a sultry, dark chocolate set of Brazilian Rosewood for the back and sides, which help give the Mod D its dark, complex voice. Flatpickers seeking a tight, controlled response will be very happy with this guitar, and fingerstylists will cherish how balanced the registers are relative to one another. Kostal has included a Florentine cutaway for an edgy appearance and unrestricted access to the entire fretboard, a Manzer Wedge for comfortable playing, and Gotoh 510 Tuners with Ebony knobs for style and reliable tuning. When you consider his unique “Stained Glass” rosette and end graft, and his swooping segmented Brazilian Rosewood headstock veneer, you know you have a rare treat in your hands. This guitar plays as elegant as it looks–the German Spruce top combines silky grain and creamy color with endless sustain and haunting overtones.

Jason is a builder who stands by his work for all time, so any future Kostal owner, whether buying new or used, can purchase with the assurance that this is a lifetime guitar, one to treasure and play for many years to come, backed by the maker himself.

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Showroom (by appointment only):

108 Monticello Road, Suite 400,
Weaverville NC, 28787

Store Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-4pm EST

Contact Us
Make an Appointment

ABOUT

COMMUNITY

POLICIES

EDUCATION