New Echizen R2 Madagascar/Bearclaw European

Playing one of Ryohei Echizen’s guitars is like picking up your favorite book: each time, you feel the same rush of excitement you felt when you first opened the cover. These guitars sing with an almost elemental force, all lightning-strike response with a muscular fundamental and a silk-smooth setup. Here we have a new R2 with Madagascar Rosewood and Bearclaw European Spruce, and folks, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a finer example of either tonewood. Bent into the elegant and timeless curves of his R2, their song is precision-balanced and ferociously articulate; a fingerstylist’s dream.

Further, Echizen’s craftsmanship is almost as astounding as the quality of his voicing: French Polished body, understated Madasgascar Rosewood rosette, Boblen tuners Jescar EVO frets, hide glue, you name it, he’s done it. Despite the fact that he’s only been building by himself for a short period of time after his apprenticeship with Sergei de Jonge in Chelsea, Canada, Echizen’s guitars already possess the presence and confidence of our contemporary masters’ instruments.