In the world of fine lutherie, Jeff Traugott’s name is spoken with reverence. This guitar delivers everything you’d expect from that immaculate reputation: a crisp, balanced tone with a German Spruce top and sensuous, understated appointments. Incredibly sensitive to your touch, the richly figured and bookmatched Brazilian Rosewood back and sides underscore a tight response and sustain in Fingerstyle arrangements. It excels when played in Dropped Tunings like DADGAD, where the low-end really wakes up and balances nicely the bells in the upper register to create a lush, colorful sound without overpowering the highs. This Traugott R stands headstock and shoulders above its peers.

Here we have a fine example of Jeff Traugott‘s large-bodied BK model in Brazilian Rosewood and European Spruce. This beauty is customized with a long, 27″ scale length and a fifteenth-fret body join, which places the bridge in an ideal location on the top, and provides the guitar body with maximum air excursion, and hence, terrific volume and power. This configuration gives the player tons of flexibility in tuning and string choice — it can be used either in standard tuning, alternate tunings (DADGAD for example), or even as a baritone tuned C to c for example. And as with all Traugott guitars, the tone is heavenly, with all the crisp, articulate bass and shimmering highs one expects from the workshop of Jeff Traugott.

I remember seeing William Coulter playing this Traugott BK Guitar on stage the first time and being mesmerized but the extraordinary clarity and beauty of the tone of this Traugott BK. William recorded numerous albums with it including Celtic Sessions, The Crooked Road and Song for our Ancestors. Jeff Traugott crafted this stunning instrument for William using premium figured Koa and his trademark German Spruce top which he voiced to perfection. After years in the hands of a master player like William, this guitar is extremely alive and responsive. It has amazing clarity and articulation and a wonderful history that makes it a very special Traugott guitar.

What more can we say about the Traugott’s that come through here? Jeff is at the top of his game, and we all find his instruments a revelation to play. This “spoiler” is no exception. It offers wonderfully understated and elegant aesthetics, top notch feel and playability, wonderful balance up and down the neck, sparkling highs, rich mids, a clear and ringing bass that you feel in your chest, and sustain out the gazoo. Each note, whether lower or upper register, rings with self-assurance. Did I mention the sustain out the gazoo! This versatile instrument would bring great joy to fingerstylists and strummers alike. Oh, to hear this guitar in ten years…

We have had the pleasure of handing many a Traugott to customers in our shop and watching their jaws hit the floor as they realize why Jeff has made such a name for himself. There are very few guitars that possess the clarity, separation and beauty of note that a Traugott does. Every string is tonally substantial and complete, melodies are a joy and leap of the treble strings while the bass is as round and warm as they come. This 00 is a very special both because it’s rare to find this body shape but also because of its amazingly sweet voice. The Brazilian set is outstanding with straight grain and deep red hues and the trademark Traugott German Spruce top has a lovely patina both visually and tonally. Built in 2001 this guitar is now fully alive and shows you what mature Spruce can do. This is indeed a Dream Guitar.

The Model R is Jeff’s most popular, no doubt this is due to the incredible balance and pure voice. Jeff has a real eye for selecting stunning, top grade woods and this guitar has an amazing Brazilian Rosewood body and a stunning Master Grade German Top that has a lovely patina and abundant silking. This one is like new and features a wider 2 3/8″ string spacing at the saddle for those players that like extra room for the right hand. It also includes the trademark Honey Beige Calton Flight Case. If you are seeking a guitar with greater clarity, pure tone and articulation than anything you’ve played, a Traugott may be for you.