Threading the needle between an 0 and 00, this 0.5 12-fret manages to feel cozy and intimate in your arms at the same time that it belts out some serious projection and velvety mids. Brazilian Rosewood and Italian Spruce pair up for sweet trebles and a crisp bass response. String-to-string balance is dialed in with the fingerstylist in mind; we found country blues picking brought out more crunch in the mids, but with slow pieces the tone smoothed over as though it was a completely different guitar. In a word: dynamic.
Boswell’s lutherie career is firmly rooted in the repair tradition, and it’s quickly evident that this has honed his eye for fit and finish to a surgeon’s precision. The light, vintage pickguard matches the herringbone trim and Ebony belly bridge, and the lines of the slotted headstock are sharp and well-executed. Weighing in at a trim 3lb 13oz, this 0.5 may feel like a featherweight, but there’s some serious muscle at work under the hood. There’s a lot of great 0 and 00 guitars out there, but this 0.5 stands apart from the throng with its smooth response, playability, and elegant aesthetics.