Recipe for a great guitar: 1) choose classic tonewoods, 2) dial in the setup for slick playability, and 3) get Bryan Galloup to build it. Our 2012 Borealis is a beast with appointments that stand out from the crowd, and projection to level doors. Indian Rosewood back and sides, Sitka Spruce top, Laskin-style arm bevel, cutaway, and the piéce de resistance: wine glass inlays across the fretboard extension. We’d like to think it’s a Malbec to match the lively and spicy tone.
As we mentioned, the setup has that slick quality to it that guarantees effortless playability, in standard tuning and beyond. 25 1/2 inch scale gives a smidgeon extra bite to the bass, and the 1 3/4 inch nut feels right at home.
When a guitar plays this well, and sings this sweetly, it’s difficult to put it down. Be prepared to annoy friends and family when you start making excuses to slip away and pick up this Galloup Borealis again. Just one more tune, honest!
Other spellings: gallup, boreals, borealus, brian galloup,