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1995 Deering Gabriella 5-String Banjo, Brazilian Rosewood
It’s fitting that a shop like ours, which deals with Somogyis and McConnells, and Traugotts all day, would come across a banjo worthy enough to pass muster among the guitar world’s greatest builders. Enter: our 1995 Deering Gabriella, owned by banjo maestro and “banjoholic” Mary Z Cox. This model is the pinnacle (read: to date, only 15 ever made) of Deering’s catalog, and this example from 1995 goes one step further than even its rarified siblings in that it features a Brazilian Rosewood resonator and neck. Gold hardware abounds, right down to the tuners and tailpiece, and both the resonator and neck are trimmed out in both Abalone and Ivoroid. The fingerboard is wrapped in Mother-of-Pearl, with vine-and-leaf inlays across frets 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, and 21. The headstock is also inlaid with MOP, a tangle of vines surrounding the Deering logo and the (you guessed it: MOP) truss rod cover. The back of the resonator features a wreath of raised MOP-and-Maple vines, and just above that you’ll find an intricately carved heel with yet more twisting leaves and vines.
The sheer number of hours that went into this Deering Gabriella baffles the mind. It feels like holding a craftperson’s entire career in your hands when you play it. A banjo for the record books.Check out this demo with our own Billy Presnell: https://youtu.be/VFhcOVRpAiE
If you’d like to hear Mary’s recording of “Ponce de Leon” on her Florida Banjo record with the Gabriella, check it out here: https://www.maryzcox.com/florida_banjo/
Here’s a demo with Mary in our recording studio and this Gabriella: https://youtu.be/EXvtuJa-M0I
Want a taste of local banjo phenom Derek Vaden at the helm of this Gabriella? Check it out: https://youtu.be/-F2Q1zx583A
Here’s an additional demo with our very own Allen Shadd at the wheel! https://youtu.be/N1KplaB25ao
Other keywords: Mary Z Cox, bluegrass, banjo inlay, Deering banjo, Gabriella banjo, craft, craftsmanship
SOLD Read moreScale Length 26.1250 in Nut Width 1.2810 in String Spacing 1.6875 in Woods Skin - Fiber, Rosewood - Brazilian 
2005 Franklin OM, Indian Rosewood/Sitka Spruce
With a lively and opened up guitar in your hands, it feels like the sky’s the limit for what you can do, right? This 2005 Franklin OM fits that description to a T. From the soft V neck and slightly wider nut (1 13/16”), to the herringbone trim and gold Gotoh open gear tuners, this Franklin is as easy on the hands as it is on the eyes. It’s in excellent shape, with hardly a mark on her, and that’s especially impressive considering it’s almost 14 years old. This beauty comes in Indian Rosewood and Sitka Spruce, and is a steal of a deal if you’re looking for that Franklin tone without breaking the bank on a Brazilian Rosewood guitar. The top features a rear-shifted X brace, non-scalloped braces throughout, and an aged toner look that’s right at home in a vintage arsenal. This is an OM that lives up to its workhorse heritage, responding well to both picks and fingertips, and dips into altered tuning territory. We found it help tune well with the use of a capo, and the overall lightweight build (3lbs 14oz) meant we never got tired of playing this handsome Franklin.
Other keywords: nick kukich, orchestra model, IR, east indian rosewood, fingerstyle
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4000 in Nut Width 1.8100 in String Spacing 2.3750 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Rosewood - Indian 
2010 Matsuda M1, Koa/Italian Spruce
A guitar from Michi Matsuda is the best of both worlds: contemporary aesthetics dovetailed with impeccable tone. We’re proud to offer this 2010 M1 with a set of Koa unlike anything we’ve ever quite seen before, and a tight-grained Italian Spruce top with Wenge-and-Abalone rosette. This one is gorgeous, lightweight (4lb 7oz), and the setup is slinky and smooth to boot. Michi’s heel has a thumb slot carved into it that helps the left hand get up and over to those dusty top shelf frets. The voice has a sweet, opened-up tone that’s you only find after a guitar’s had some time to stretch its wings.
This Matsuda M1 has definitely found its voice, and it’s one that’s smooth, easy, and well balanced. The bass and mids have a drier, crisper fundamental than the Brazilian M1s we’ve seen, and we think that’s a pretty exciting way to stand out. It doesn’t take much effort to get a lot of volume and sustain out of this Matsuda. Michi’s works of acoustic art are in a class all their own—and this one’s making straight A’s.
Other keywords: michihiro mastura, somogyi, ervin somogyi, finger style, fingerpicking, finger picking, gotoh
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.2500 in Nut Width 1.7500 in String Spacing 2.2500 in Woods Spruce - Italian, Koa 
2018 Bailey PRJ-7 Signature, Cocobolo/Sitka Spruce
Here’s a lovely treat built by Mark Bailey for one of contemporary fingerstyle’s most famous faces, the one and only Preston Reed. Mark and Preston live just a few miles apart, and Mark’s been repairing Preston’s guitars, in addition to designing two signature models with him, for some time now. This is Mark’s PRJ-7 Jumbo, with Mexican Cocobolo back and sides, Sitka Spruce on top, and a multi-source pickup system combining a K&K Pure Mini with a Fishman rare earth humbucker/mic combo. Tying these two elements together makes for an incredibly lush and articulate amplified tone, and acoustically this Bailey is delightfully energetic, responsive, and loud.
For percussive styles, this Bailey is an instant fit, but it also performs perfectly for a variety of techniques and genres. The neck has a slim, quick profile and slender nut width at 1 11/16”, keeping that left hand relaxed and agile. We appreciated the extra definition and presence of the bass response, which at the same time avoids overpowering the voice. Big chord shapes and double tapping runs both come out clear and crisp.
Trimmed in a novel inlay material, Heathergems from Preston and Mark’s own native Scotland, this Bailey Preston Reed Signature cuts a fine figure in striking greens and purples and tans. Whatever our fingers threw at this guitar, it ate it all up with relish.Please note, this is Preston’s personal guitar, and therefore with us only in a demonstration capacity. If you’re interested in getting one for yourself, give us a shout! We’re more than happy to get the ball rolling for your own Preston Reed Signature from Mark Bailey.
Check out our interview with Preston here, where he and Paul discuss this gorgeous instrument in detail: https://youtu.be/j4ScEAG0o9M
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4000 in Nut Width 1.7200 in String Spacing 2.1250 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Rosewood - Cocobolo 
2013 Martin D-21 Gruhn Custom Shop, Madagascar/Adirondack Spruce
Sometimes it’s hard to stand out in the Martin crowd, but with a Custom Shop like this 2013 D-21 spec’d out by George Gruhn we’d say it’s as easy as breathing. Incidentally, that’s also how we’d like to describe the experience of playing this like-new D-21. The setup is slinky and smooth, and responsive enough for fingerpicking when you want to add a different flavor to your playing. Madagascar Rosewood back and sides, Adirondack Spruce, and a Spanish Cedar neck outfitted with a true-to-vintage T-bar reinforcement. Flamed Koa bindings and Waverly tuners complete the picture, and hide glue construction keeps this Dreadnought as resonant as possible.
For a guitar in such pristine condition, it’s got quite the opened up voice. We found that the clarity of individual notes, and the articulation between strings and registers, was precise enough to give extra definition to big chords and lead work alike. This Custom Shop D-21 cuts right through the mix, but it plays well with others thanks to a smooth, balanced tone and projection.Other keywords: CF Martin, C.F. Martin, dreadnaught, dread, flatpick, gruhn’s, maddie roseewood, adrondack, adriondack, adirondak, custom guitar
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4000 in Nut Width 1.7500 in String Spacing 2.3130 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Rosewood - Madagascar 
2017 Buendia OM, Madagascar Rosewood/German Spruce
Everything about this guitar feels natural and intimate. Practically new, this 2017 Buendia has virtually no play wear, boasts chocolatey Madagascar Rosewood back and sides with German Spruce on top, and Leo’s art deco style headstock for an elegant capstone. The 25 inch scale is easy on the hands, and Leo’s Honduran Mahogany neck is carved with a slightly shallow C profile that fit everyone who picked up this OM for a demo.
The voice is classic Buendia: smooth bass response, great string-to-string balance, and that sweet spot between warmth and clarity that makes for rich, defined notes. Additionally, this OM is outfitted with a ruddy Amazon Rosewood bridge, nitrocellulose finish, and Hoffee flight case for maximum protection.
Leo’s guitars don’t come up for sale too often; this is not one to miss.Other keywords: ervin somogyi, somogyi, fingerstyle, finger style, fingerpicking, orchestra model maddie rosewood, mahagony, leonardo buendia, oakland
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.7500 in String Spacing 2.1875 in Woods Spruce - German, Rosewood - Madagascar 
2014 Lowden O-35x 40th Anniversary, Brazilian Rosewood/Redwood
What better way to celebrate four decades in the lutherie business than a limited run of your highest-calibre guitars? George Lowden’s 40th Anniversary guitars come in a range of body shapes, but each has its special designation as an anniversary guitar, and each and every one has been built without compromise, and with heritage-grade tonewoods. The Brazilian Rosewood back and sides on this O-35x feature an electrifying grain pattern that caught our eye right out the gate. Lowden then paired that with a Redwood top for warmth and color, and Koa bindings and arm bevel to tie it together.
This is Lowden’s biggest box, which gives extra authority and presence to the voice, not to mention increased projection and sustain. George’s GL standard neck profile is a generously curved C, and when paired with a 25 5/8” scale length and 1 3/4” nut makes for an easy playing guitar that soaks up lowered tunings like bread does butter. This is a unique breed of flattop that responds well to both picks and fingers; the dynamic range allows for both aggressive and light attacks without compromising note clarity and definition.
Lowden’s 40th Anniversary O-35x sounds as good as it feels, and it feels as good as it looks. The complete picture.Other keywords: fingerstyle, finger style, flatpicking, ireland, irish, made in ireland, anniversary guitar, brazilain, brw, bra, O35x, 0-35x, 035x
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.6250 in Nut Width 1.7500 in String Spacing 2.1880 in Woods Redwood, Rosewood - Brazilian 
2007 Matsuda M1, Brazilian Rosewood/Italian Spruce
But rarely do we find such consistent harmony between a builder’s visual and auditory aesthetics. But then, Michi Matsuda is that rare luthier. This M1 comes to us from 2007, in Brazilian Rosewood and Italian Spruce, with free arcing purflings and Spalted Maple accents on top. The Brazilian back and sides are rich and dark, with enough wildness to the grain to be eye-catching, but straight enough to be stable and true. Back on top, see how Michi sandwiched Ebony and Rosewood together for a two-layer bridge. We’re not sure of the last time a bridge design struck us as so contemporary, and so approachable at the same time.
Michi carves a swooping thumb rest out of the neck heel to get your left hand a bit closer to the fretboard extension, and the deep florentine cutaway helps even more. Such visual elegance is paired with lush, liquid trebles and surgical clarity in the bass and mids. Even a gentle touch yields up delicious, sweetly sustaining notes, and the setup is butter-smooth and equally tasty.
This Matsuda M1 is simply phenomenal.Other keywords: lutherie, ervin somogyi, somogyi, fingerstyle, flattop, brazilain, gotoh, scalloped nut
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.2500 in Nut Width 1.7500 in String Spacing 2.2500 in Woods Spruce - Italian, Rosewood - Brazilian 
1944 Gibson LG-2 Banner, All-Mahogany
Banner Gibson, anyone? We’ve got a lovely 1944 Gibson LG-2, all Mahogany, available now. Gorgeous burst, finish checking in true vintage style, and a thunderclap voice that’s two parts Mahogany crunch and two parts Mahogany rumble. Our repair shop has gone over it with their fine-tooth luthier’s comb and given it a clean bill of health after refretting the fretboard, and it’s got an L.R. Baggs Lyric pickup for onstage work, and a Calton case (plus padded case cover) for the road. The original tuners are included with the case, and there are fully functional replacements currently installed for convenient tuning.
Other keywords: LG2, LG 2, gibson banner, banner years, ’44, sunburst, flight case
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.8750 in Nut Width 1.7500 in String Spacing 2.1500 in Woods Mahogany, Mahogany 
2009 Greenfield Black Cherry Archtop, Bigleaf Maple/European Spruce
The cherry on top really makes the dessert. This Black Cherry archtop from famed Montreal luthier Michael Greenfield was originally commissioned by Jacques-André Dupont for his Red Guitar Collection in 2009. As such, Michael gave this 17 inch archtop, built with a Super 400 in mind, a sienna red sunburst over the Bigleaf Maple back and sides and European Spruce top. Michael enlisted the enviable skills of inlay maestro Larry Robinson for the pinup girl and cherry inlays along the fretboard and headstock (inspired by a pinup girl-clad gum display rack Michael spied at a local restaurant). A Kent Armstrong Alnico 3 pickup is mounted to the Ebony pickguard, custom built for this guitar to match the fretboard radius and tighter string spacing.
Of tone, this Greenfield’s flavor avoids the saccharine maraschino cherry altogether, instead favoring the dark, complex palette of the morello cherry. Michael’s F holes have a wider aperture than the traditional L-5, so there’s a snappier and crisper response than the Gibson grandaddies. A slim 1 23/32” nut harkens back to the feel of a Super 400 and keeps the strings within easy reach of the player’s left hand for complex jazz chords and solo runs.
It’s safe to say, there’s not another Greenfield, let alone archtop, quite like the Black Cherry. Snag this delicious fruit while you can.Other keywords: lutherie, l5, big leaf maple, western bigleaf maple. naple, jazz box, gotoh
Here’s a link to Michael discussing this guitar with Premier Guitar at the 2009 Montreal Guitar Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W3WzCDVZ30
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4000 in Nut Width 1.7200 in String Spacing 2.063 in Woods Spruce - European, Maple - Bigleaf 
2003 Schoenberg ES-Soloist, Honduran/Italian Alpine Spruce
This 2003 Schoenberg ES-Soloist comes from Bruce Sexauer, replete with Honduran Rosewood (dalbergia tucurensis, according to Bruce) back and sides, an Italian Alpine Spruce top, and Snakewood bindings for style. This Honduran Rosewood is beautifully straight-grained and quartersawn, and pairs well with the aged amber tint of the Alpine Spruce top. Together with Bruce’s lutherie chops, these coalesce into a well-oiled fingerstyle machine. Notes have excellent definition and color, with the treble strings having a particularly full and present timbre, and work well with a balanced bass and mid range response for an even-keeled playing experience.
Hefting this Soloist, you’ll be surprised to find such a featherweight instrument in your hands. This beautiful OM weighs only 3.5lbs. Waverly butterbean tuners help keep the weight down, but it’s really Bruce’s voicing and build style that make this Soloist so agile. The Italian Alpine Spruce top responds so well for both aggressive and lighter attacks, we found it difficult to find a style of fingerpicking that didn’t gel with it at the drop of a hat.
Long story short, this Schoenberg is fabulous. It feels easy, plays effortlessly, and has an immense tonal palette for the player to pick and choose from. The kind of guitar you simply don’t get tired of.Other keywords: eric schoenberg, es-soloist, orchestra model, finger style, finger picking, 25.4, tkl
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4000 in Nut Width 1.7800 in String Spacing 2.3750 in Woods Spruce - Italian, Rosewood - Honduran 
2018 Somogyi OM, Brazilian Rosewood/European Spruce
It’s perfect, really. This 2018 Somogyi OM comes to us as close to new as you can get without the wait list. Ervin’s Brazilian Rosewood stash still has a few quarter sawn gems that hearken back to prewar days, like the set used here. Chocolate-dark, straight and stable. Ervin paired that with a warm European Spruce top, bound it together with Brazilian Rosewood, and ringed in the soundhole with one of his segmented marquetry rosettes. The iconic Somogyi bridge also comes from Brazilian Rosewood, and the 14-fret Mahogany neck has a short, 24.9 inch scale for easy playability.
This Somogyi is a dream guitar, plain and simple. We know you hear that a lot, but there’s something about this OM that feels different, and sound different, than just about anything else. Ervin’s penchant for clarity, bass response, and sustain is here in full strength.
This 2018 Somogyi is a rare and precious guitar, and we can’t stress enough how beautiful it is with this guitar under your hands.Other keywords: lutherie, luthier, contemporary guitar, responsive guitar, orchestra model, brazilain, euro spruce, fingerstyle
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.9000 in Nut Width 1.7500 in String Spacing 2.2500 in Woods Spruce - European, Rosewood - Brazilian 
New Dammann Mandocello Guitar, Osage Orange/Sitka Spruce
The folks at Dammann Stringed Instruments have leaned into the challenge of modernizing the mandolin family. With numerous ergonomic and playability innovations, these instruments play easily, and offer clarity and depth of tone. We recently landed our first Dammann Mandocello, here in a Jumbo guitar body, and already we’re impressed. Locally sourced Osage Orange back and sides, Sitka Spruce top, and a Cherry neck to keep things interesting. This beauty has 10 strings, and can be tuned from C to E, making this playable with the first eight strings as an octave mandolin, or the bottom eight strings as a mandocello.
They’ve also engineered an adjustable neck angle, so there’s no fear of a neck reset to keep the setup where you need it, and a short 24.5 inch scale for easy fretting and intonation. A small soundport in the upper bout gives the player a bit more “me in the monitors,” and Dammann’s shop-made piezo pickup delivers faithfully acoustic flavor to your amplified endeavors. With the fifth C course, you’ve got an ferociously dynamic tonal palette at your fingertips. Traditional fiddle tunes are a blast to pick out on this Dammann, but there’s also latitude for complex chords, new voicings to accompany your songs, and all the color and sustain a Jumbo guitar body provides.
Something altogether new, this Dammann Guitar Mandocello feels natural in your hands, and is the best choice for expanding your tonal horizons.Other keywords: guitar-bodied mandocello, damann, damman, 10-string, pin bridge, gotoh
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.5630 in Nut Width 1.7500 in String Spacing 2 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Osage Orange 
2013 Fischer Concerto, Cocobolo/Lutz Spruce
A beautiful thing. Here Steve Fischer pairs Cocobolo and Lutz Spruce with a fingerstyle fretboard and L.R. Baggs Anthem pickup in his Concerto body: the result is elegance and power. The setup is velvet smooth, and the way notes roll out of the soundhole you’d think there was a matching velvet carpet on the inside. Individual notes in the bass and mid ranges have an extra dose of definition, keeping complex chords articulate, while the trebles cut through with a cool and crisp response.
A fingerstyle guitar needs to have a voice dialed in for clarity and dynamic response. A guitar for fingers needs to have a specific brand of sustain, where notes retain definition as they decay, where overtones accompany, rather than overcharge. This 2013 Fischer Concerto threads the needle for each of these requirements. It’s with guitars like these that we’re reminded of just how much beauty a single luthier’s touch can bring to raw Spruce and Rosewood. This is not one you’ll want to miss.Other keywords: lutherie, finger style, fingerpick, fingerpicking, dadgad, altered tuning, open tuning, gotoh, venetian cutaway
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.2500 in Nut Width 1.8750 in String Spacing 2.3750 in Woods Spruce - Lutz, Rosewood - Cocobolo 
2016 Baranik Meridian Concert, African Blackwood/Colorado Blue Spruce
We love a smooth sailing guitar. One that plays easily, offers an even blend of clarity and color, and responds to a soft touch as easily as a harder hand. The sort of guitar which satisfies, pacifies, just feels good. After only a few moments with this 2016 Baranik Meridian, and we knew we were in the right place. This is a fabulous fingerstyle instrument with a dark set of African Blackwood for the back and sides, and a Colorado Blue Spruce top with Manchinga trim and Mike’s “Southwest Blue” appointment package.
Prefer lower action? Mike’s neck angle is fully adjustable with a hex wrench. Looking for a unique aesthetic to stand out from the crowd? This guitar sports sparkling blue inlays, Manchinga, Black Palm, Wenge, and Koa. Not to mention this guitar won’t be needing a fret job for a long time, thanks to gold EVO frets. Throw in a soundport for good measure, and a Cedar Creek case for safety, and there you have it: clean, smooth, beautiful: the Baranik Meridian.Other keywords: michael baranik, meridian concert, abw, machinga, adjustable neck angle, florentine cutaway
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.2500 in Nut Width 1.7500 in String Spacing 2.2500 in Woods Spruce - Colorado Blue, Blackwood - African