Instruments
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Add to Compare2013 Rein RJN-5C, Indian Rosewood/Lutz Spruce
Tom Rein is a guitarbuilding powerhouse. And this 2013 RJN-5C is a real, true, and incredibly expressive instrument. Straight-grained Indian Rosewood back and sides paired with a Lutz Spruce top, Tom’s adjustable neck angle (flick of a wrist with an allen key, and the action is precisely where you want it!)—french polished top for maximum resonance, a Fishman Matrix pickup for onstage work. This is Tom’s big-bodied Model 5, with an expansive lower bout for powerful bass and projection. We can pull out crisp trebles with minimal effort; take this Rein down to C territory and it remains powerful and precise.
Played in and opened up, this 2013 RJN-5C is oh so ready to keep the music going.Other keywords: lutherie, luthier, guitar building, rein guitars, tom rein, thomas rein, fingerpicking, fingerstyle
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Lutz, Rosewood - Indian 
Add to Compare2012 Rein R1-12, Mahogany/Adirondack Spruce
This is, frankly, a fabulous instrument. Our 2012 R1-12 from Tom Rein is proof that a big voice doesn’t have to come from a big guitar: this petite 12 fretter has a hearty voice with a clean fundamental and crisp trebles. We love the clarity of this Rein, all across the fretboard and/or capo’d. Straightforward Mahogany & Adirondack Spruce body in French Polish with some marks to prove it’s been played in, 24.9” scale with a medium chunky C neck. We enjoyed fingerpicking as much as flatpicking on this little wonder, which is not something we often find with smaller guitars, but it’s just another way in which this Rein R1-12 stands apart from the crowd.
If you’re looking for a small bodied guitar punching far above its weight class, this 2012 Rein will fit the bill handsomely.Other keywords: lutherie, luthier, guitar building, rein guitars, tom rein, thomas rein,00, fingerstyle, 12 fret, waverly
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.9 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Mahogany 
Add to CompareNew Rein RJN-5C, Cocobolo/European Spruce
The voice is equal parts silkiness and sonority: our latest Rein RJN-5C is a phenomenal guitar. We love the balance from string to string, the cool trebles and crisp bass, the way fingerstyle feels so natural and easy across the fretboard. It’s got a voice that’s mature beyond its years, and we can’t imagine how beautifully it will continue to open up over time. Cocobolo back and sides, European Spruce top, and Thomas Rein’s proprietary adjustable neck design to keep the setup exactly where you want it. Gotoh tuners upgraded with Snakewood buttons, a French Polished top for maximum resonance (and Catalyzed Urethane elsewhere for durability), Burl Maple rosette ringed in with green herringbone Tom based on an Antonio Torres design, EVO frets for longevity and a Florentine Cutaway for total fretboard access—this Rein is the complete package, and it has a deep and dynamic range to offer for whatever style of music you happen to be playing at the time. We’re proud to offer this brand new RJN-5C; it’s guitars like these that make our job so worthwhile.
Other keywords: lutherie, luthier, tom rein, cedar creek, finger style, fingerpicking, french polishSOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - European, Rosewood - Cocobolo 
Add to CompareNew Rein Concert Classical, Indian Rosewood/Cedar
Our latest Concert Classical from Thomas Rein comes to us in high style, with forest-grown Indian Rosewood and a tight-grained Red Cedar top. The Rosewood was processed in Germany in the 1960s before it was sold to Joseph Wallo in Arlington, Virginia, who then sold it to Rein in the 1990s when he closed up shop. Accordingly, this brand of Indian Rosewood proceeds the era of plantation-grown Rosewood, and as a result of having been “wild” harvested, it looks (and sounds) quite different from the Indian Rosewood found predominantly in the guitar world today.
The resonance and clarity of this Classical are delightful, especially for a brand new guitar. Extra warmth in the bass and miss fleshes out the voice, and the treble strings provide a crisp flavor to the top end. The Cedar top is French Polished for maximum resonance, and the rest of the instrument is finished in Catalyzed Urethane for durability. Ringing in the soundhole is a custom mosaic rosette, and Tom added premium Gotoh tuners to the headstock for a touch of smooth-operating elegance. The Spanish Cedar neck has a full, D profile that’s glass-smooth—as is the setup on top—and everything comes wrapped up in a TKL hardshell case for safe keeping.Other keywords: lutherie, luthier, classical guitar, nylon string, nylon-string, fingerstyle
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.625 in Nut Width 2.063 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Cedar, Rosewood - Indian 
Add to Compare2014 Rein RJN-3 Cocobolo/Italian Spruce
These days, innovation is the name of the game when it comes to modern lutherie. Tom Rein’s approach to guitar building yields resonant instruments that are sturdily engineered to last for years. The inevitable heart surgery of the flattop—the neck reset—is here bypassed altogether with Tom’s RJN neck joint. This fully adjustable neck angle can be tweaked while the instrument is at full tension, enabling you to dial in the setup in seconds without shaving down the saddle and compromising the break angle of the strings from the bridge. This with a well-rounded C neck carve, Cocobolo back and sides, and Italian Spruce on top, make our 2014 Rein RJN-3 an incredibly robust build that’s responsive to even a delicate touch. The top is french polished to be as resonant as possible, and that lends an extra ounce of projection to the RJN-3. These trebles cut clean as a well-honed chef’s knife. The string-to-string balance lends itself to fingerstyle, but there’s enough heft to the body for flatpicking and strumming work as well.
If you’re looking for a guitar that’s going to last, last, and keep on lasting—our 2014 Rein RJN-3 is the ticket to the long game.
Other keywords: thomas rein, rnj, rjn3, luthier
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Italian, Rosewood - Cocobolo 
Add to CompareNew Rein RJN-3C Malaysian Blackwood/European Moon
We count our lucky stars when a fingerstyle guitar of this calibre comes into our store. Hot off the presses from St. Louis builder Thomas Rein, we have a brand new, 2016 RJN-3C that’s packing some serious heat with its combination of Malaysian Blackwood and European Moon Spruce. In light of increasing restrictions on Brazilian Rosewood trade, many builders are turning to alternatives like Malaysian Blackwood–and we couldn’t be happier. Check out the photos; the back and sides are gorgeous, with inky back bands to offset the chocolate grain pattern. Tonally, the Malaysian Blackwood gives this RJN-3C great depth of tone and a profound sonority that’s balanced perfectly with glassy treble notes that seem to swell after the initial attack.
Rein’s use of European Moon Spruce, moreover, gives this guitar a smooth and balanced voice with a pianistic separation of notes. Featuring Rein’s proprietary RJN, or Rein Adjustable Neck joint, the player can quickly and safely modify the angle of the neck by adjusting a set screw in the heelblock inside the guitar, making this an instrument that will continue to perform flawlessly for many years to come. All of that is to say–this RJN-3C is an outstanding fingerstyle guitar that’s built to last.
Add to CompareNew Rein RJN-3C Cocobolo/European
We have a commitment here at Dream Guitars: to find the perfect guitar for each player who comes to us looking for an instrument to inspire them–and this brand new 2015 Rein RJN-3C might be the perfect guitar for just about anyone out there. Thomas Rein has been building excellent acoustic instruments since the 1970s, ranging from Classical to Lutes to Steel Strings, and has incorporated a series of unique design features to overcome many of the maladies of wooden-bodied instruments: tops with too much belly, bridges pulling up, necks needing multiple resets. His solutions include, and are exhibited here, an alternative top-bracing system which employs a curved brace across the lower bout below the bridge where tone bars traditionally reside, and a fully (and easily) adjustable neck.Innovations aside, this RJN-3C showcases some of the best characteristics of the finest fingerstyle guitars. With Cocobolo Rosewood back and sides for richness and depth, and a European Spruce top French Polished to be as light as possible for clarity and attack, this guitar both whispers and shouts with equal aplomb. Rein has given this guitar Maple and Nigerian Rosewood purflings and a superb glossy finish, imparting a glassy smoothness to the neck which dovetails perfectly with the slinky low action to allow for speed and clarity. But the dream continues! There’s also a swooping Florentine Cutaway for easy access to upper frets, and a smaller body which is infinitely comfortable to hold and to play.As crisp as frosty breath on an icy morning, this RJN-3C from Tom Rein has an incredible potential for fingerstylists of all walks, capable of explosive crescendo and delicate ballad. It handles Blues-Jazz to fit Lyle Lovett, percussive taps, or Celtic fingerstyle arrangements with the same level-headedness of a beautiful machine–this guitar is a professional.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - European, Rosewood - Cocobolo 
Add to CompareNew Rein Crossover Classical Honduran Rosewood/Lutz
When Thomas Rein lays his hands on the right set of wood, he knows exactly what to do: build a beautiful, resonant guitar. With this 2015 Crossover Classical, that’s exactly what he did. In pairing Honduran Rosewood with a Lutz Spruce top, Rein has created a guitar capable of singing bright and energetic in one passage, somber and thoughtful the next. In order to maximize the thinness, and hence resonance, of the Lutz Spruce, Rein French Polished the top, and used a stronger catalyzed urethane for the rest of the guitar, which is more susceptible to dings and scrapes over time.
When played, this Crossover Classical has a clean, clear voice, like sunlight refracted through a glass of water. The trebles have great body and focus, while the low-end is easy and rolling, and thanks to Rein’s excellent fit and finish, the guitar plays effortlessly. The great fountain of potential energy which is the body is made possible by Rein’s finely-honed technique in voicing the Lutz Spruce top and creating a very lightweight body from the Honduran Rosewood back and sides. You could play this Crossover Classical for hours and never get tired; its voice is so clean and sustained. This guitar comes with the original TKL hardshell case.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.59 in Nut Width 1.88 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Lutz, Rosewood - Honduran 
Add to CompareNew Rein RJN-3C Cocobolo/Lutz
We have heard of Thomas Rein for some time now, we have even had a guitar or two of his in the shop and we loved them, but this guitar is a beast of a different kind. Thomas was showing this instrument at the 2015 Memphis guitar show, and of all the spectacular guitars that we saw and played there, this RJN-3C was our absolute favorite. The tone of this instrument is incredible, it is open like a century old guitar, but with the crispness and sparkle associated with modern guitar. It is mind blowing. Thomas chose great woods for this one, the Lutz Spruce top and Cocobolo back and sides combine exceptionally well, contributing to that special sound Thomas has achieved.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Lutz, Rosewood - Cocobolo 
Add to Compare2017 Retrograde Guitars Corralitos, Flame Maple Laminate
We’re more than happy to announce our latest partnership with Glenn Nichols’ Retrograde Guitars, restoration maestro and electric guitar experimenteur! The curves of his Corralitos model are velvet smooth in hand-rubbed varnish and a dark burst, with McNelly Bliss humbuckers and wedge-adjustable bridge—and we haven’t started in on the tone yet, or the playability. Electric guitars don’t often come with such flawless fit-n-finish and appointments, but Nichols spared not one iota of attention in designing and executing this marvelously light electric to cover a wide range of musical territories.
Handmade McNelly Bliss humbuckers based on old PAFs, 1950s style wiring to maximize vintage flair, and Emerson pots for good measure. The body is finished with an oil varnish recipe originally designed for the Spruce masts of ships to maximize flexibility and durability; the neck is spirit varnished, feels warm and smooth to the touch. These choices came from Glenn’s myriad years honing his finish craft at Santa Cruz, Kenny Hill, and more recently with Bill Tippin. Spanish Cedar neck, blocking, and kerfing relieves the guitar of extra bulk (this electric weights in at a scant 5lbs 8oz), and the lively acoustic response of Nichols’ laminated Maple body translates delectably into the pickup tone. This Corralitos is your guide and constant companion for everything across the electric horizon.
If you want to read more about Glenn Nichols and his work, check out our latest conversation here: https://www.dreamguitars.com/dream-familys-newest-sons-glenn-nichols-corralitos/.
Common misspellings: glen nichols, glenn nichals, glenn nickles, glenn nikols, coralitos, corallitos, corrallitos, corrallittos, coralittos
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.688 in String Spacing 2.125 in Woods Maple - Laminate, Maple - Laminate (back) 
Add to Compare1979 Manuel Reyes Flamenco, Cypress/Spruce
This Flamenco is a special treat. Built in 1979 by the world famous Manuel Reyes, this beauty has been well loved and played in, with a classic quick response and attack. Cypress back and sides paired with Spruce top and 657mm scale, clear tap plates. Weighs in right at three pounds, the Reyes is light and agile in hand. Our 1979 Manuel Reyes Flamenco comes in a solid Mark Leaf flight case.
Other keywords: flamenca, blanca, cypress, manual reyes, classical, david stevenson, vintage guitar
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.875 in Nut Width 2.125 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce, Cypress 
Add to Compare2014 Ribbecke “Imagine” Halfling Pin Bridge Archtop, Indian Rosewood/Cedar
Bring to mind the video of John Lennon and Yoko Ono for “Imagine.” You know the one: it begins with the two walking along a misty path, and before long John is sitting at an all-white piano in an all-white room of an all-white country estate singing one of their most famous songs. Tom Ribbecke took this alabaster image to heart when he first conceived of this particular Halfling pin bridge archop project.
Indian Rosewood back and sides are paired with a three-piece Maple neck Cedar top which are both painted a creamy white. Simple Ebony bindings and trim delineate Rosewood from Spruce, and the Ebony pickguard and bridge set off the milky expanse of Ribbecke’s Halfling top plate—bass-side flat, treble-side arched—and the offset soundhole balances out the image. Beneath the hood lies a B-Band 22r UST pickup with volume control mounted inside the soundhole and terminates in the end pin jack. A 1 3/4” nut and 25.4” scale feel right at home on the gently curved C profile neck, and the setup is dialed in for slinky playability.
The voice is round, focused, and warm at the edges, with hints of punchiness in the bass. It’s not quite a flattop for brashness, and it’s not all the way an archtop for woof, but it blends the two in such a way that individual notes are three-dimensional and distinct, and they have a habit of hanging in the air. It’s easy to spend a long time exploring the tonal (to say nothing of the visual) nuances of Ribbecke’s unique top voicing techniques and the ability of his pin bridge archtops to provide a unique flavor to a wide range of genres and playing styles.
Here’s an additional demo with Al Petteway: https://youtu.be/sXXxoe8VWgw
Check out a riff with Paul here: https://youtu.be/KwRx7szuvYg
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.78 in String Spacing 2.19 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Rosewood - Indian 
Add to Compare2009 Ribbecke Testadura, Maple/Brazilian Rosewood/Sitka Spruce
Here’s the perfect juxtaposition of fat, juicy tone and a lightweight semi-hollow build. Tom Ribbecke’s Testadura (Italian for “hard head”) model is a satin-smooth operator with fit-n-finish flawlessness to match the power and dynamism of twin Tom Holmes humbuckers. This beauty was built in 2009 and has been well-cared for since then (hardly any marks!); carved Bigleaf Maple back with Brazilian Rosewood sides and a carved Sitka Spruce top, gold hardware with Koa appointments. A tung oiled neck for maximum lefthand glide, this one feels like wellworn jeans under your palm. All wrapped up in a custom Calton case for safe keeping for those trying times when you can’t be playing—fair warning, this Ribbecke will compromise your ability to make time for much else; it’s hard to put down for any length of time.
Other keywords: electric guitar, jazz, rock guitar, gibson, gotoh, double cutaway, tom ribbecke guitars
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.625 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.05 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Maple - Bigleaf 
Add to CompareNew Ribbecke Compliant Rim 15 Inch, Bigleaf Maple/Cedar
Tom Ribbecke needs no introduction here; the work is proof positive. We’ve landed a brand new 15 inch archtop with Tom’s latest compliant rim feature that’s a breeze to play and offers a warm balanced response both acoustically and amplified. Bigleaf Maple back and sides with a Red Cedar top, Koa bindings, and a tasty red Nitro finish. Floating Bartolini pickup with volume and tone knobs under the pickguard, and Tom’s offset soundhole which enhances the bass response and really lets the Cedar top/ compliant rim sing.
Other keywords: cedar creek, electric guitar, jazz, rock guitar, gibson, gotoh, tom ribbecke guitars
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.625 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.125 in Woods Cedar - Western Red, Maple - Bigleaf 
Add to CompareBrand New Ribbecke Gold Top Testadura, Ebony & Maple/Sitka Spruce
As Tom Ribbecke approaches retirement (not just yet!), we’re excited to see that he’s 100% on top of his game, and building the best pieces of his career. This new Testadura Gold Top cements his reputation for innovation, tone, and playability—in a strikingly beautiful package. For this 15 inch semi-hollow/hollow body, Tom paired Ebony sides with an air-dried, cello grade Bigleaf Maple back and Sitka Spruce on top. Koa bindings throughout, 24 3/4” scale and a comfortable 1 3/4” nut plus glossy neck and effortless playability with a compound radiused fretboard from 12 to 15. Golden Age PAF reproductions with a three-way switch, stop tailpiece, and Ebony pickguard for an extra touch of elegance (note the Koa-bound F holes, too). A work of functional art, indeed. And this Testadura is so, so functional.
Other keywords: cedar creek, electric guitar, jazz, rock guitar, gibson, gotoh, double cutaway, tom ribbecke guitars
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.75 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.125 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Maple