McCollum D Honduran Mahogany/Adirondack (Red)

The list of people who could build a Dreadnought like this one–combining the thunderous projection traditionally associated with these guitars with a surgically-precise articulation and balanced voice–is a short one, indeed, with names like Ervin Somogyi and Wayne Henderson at the top of the list. Right there next to them stood Lance McCollum. This particular Dreadnought comes to us as an instrument with no faults, and no excuses: it’s here to make music. The back and sides? Honduran Mahogany from “The Tree,” of course–with waving grain that shimmers as though alive in the light. There’s more: Adirondack Spruce for the top, Lance’s understated but original Abalone-and-wood rosette, a three-ply Mahogany neck with a center seam right through the heel.

For the flatpicker, this McCollum makes dreams come true, rendering everything from Bluegrass to Blues to Swing chords in rich, vibrant color. With crisp trebles and a bottom end with more thud and hustle than you can shake a pick at, this Dreadnought makes even flubbed notes sound great. When you’re satisfied that every strum yields new, enveloping tones, put the pick aside and try this Dread on for fingerpicking size. Lowered to DADGAD or beyond, the bass strings remain crisp and present, and thanks to Lance’s use of a longer scale length, you’ll never need worry about losing that well-defined edge, either. The string-to-string articulation is so strong that even simple fingerstyle arrangements sound proud, orchestral. From top to bottom, inside and out, this Dreadnought might be one of our favorites so far this year.