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2011 Traugott R, Brazilian Rosewood/German Spruce
How can one man manage to pull so much tone and understated beauty out of a few board feet of wood, a dash of bone, and a few frets? Every time a Traugott comes through our doors we ask ourselves this question anew. This 2011 Model R is, frankly, like having a six-string piano in your lap. The voice drips with butter-rich tone, but retains crystalline clarity across all the registers. Pluck the low E string, and your ear can pick apart the infinitude of over- (and under-) tones of the bass response–it’s like Jeff Traugott built an acoustic microscope instead of a guitar so you can hear an otherwise impossible degree of depth, color, and nuance.
The setup on the slim neck is gossamer, svelte as silk, and faster than you’d think. This Traugott R practically plays itself. Of course this guitar also features some of the finest Brazilian Rosewood and German Spruce available to any luthier in the world; we don’t know where Jeff managed to find all this incredible tonewood, but boy are we happy he did! You can ring the bells that are these trebles for days and not get tired. Regardless of tuning, style, picks or fingers, this Traugott performs like an extension of your arm–if your arm was so shapely, agile, and resonant.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.72 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - German, Rosewood - Brazilian 
2011 Matsuda M1, Brazilian/Italian Spruce
It’s because of instruments of this calibre that superlatives were invented in the first place. We just landed this incredible 2011 Matsuda M1 in Brazilian Rosewood and Italian Spruce, and let me tell you—no one builds a guitar like Michi. Not only is every detail executed with immaculate precision for a comprehensive and harmonious visual expression, but the skill with which Michi teases tone out of his tops gives this M1 clean and clear note definition, with just enough color and depth to give individual notes an almost palpable presence in the air. The bass strings, mids, and trebles all play nice with each other; no single register dominates the day. Like so many of Michi’s guitars, this 2011 M1 performs like a well-oiled machine.
Check out the abstract geometric inlays across the headstock, and the arcing purflings inlaid into the top to tie the upper bout together with the rosette. See that suspiciously thumb-shaped indentation on the back of the heel? Gets your left hand that extra bit closer to those uppermost frets. A florentine cutaway seals the deal.
A Matsuda guitar embodies best an expression we find often in our little niche of the instrument world: functional art. Something which stands on its own artistic merits, and does so without compromising an inch for that ultimate ideal: tone.Other keywords: lutherie, luthier, ervin somogyi, somogyi, flattop, steel string, brazilain, michihiro matsuda, fingerstyle
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.2500 in Nut Width 1.7500 in String Spacing 2.3750 in Woods Spruce - Italian, Rosewood - Brazilian 
2014 Bourgeois Tony Rice Tribute, Brazilian Rosewood/Adirondack Spruce
Here’s a little piece of recent Bourgeois history that’s got us all excited: Dana’s 2014 Tony Rice Tribute Dreadnought. With Tony’s permission, Dana built this dreadnought as inspired by Tony’s 1935 D-28 to sell it in a benefit auction to raise money to help support Tony during his illness. Several years later, and now this Bourgeois TR Tribute is available through Dream Guitars. Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, Dana’s Aged Tone Adirondack Spruce on top, enlarged soundhole and drop-in saddle, Waverly tuners, tortoise-style pickguard, herringbone trim.
We were overjoyed to play this guitar. Excellent note clarity from string to string, and a truly effortless setup made this Bourgeois an addictive instrument to play. The middle register appears to have a subtle boost that helps flesh out the voice, and give a bit more color to chords and strumming. Played lightly or hard, the Tony Rice Tribute Dreadnought offers up sustain, clarity, and balance. It’s incredible to find such a masterfully balanced dread, but we’d expect no less from Dana Bourgeois, or indeed any guitar modeled after Tony’s.
A number of guitar giants played this guitar for the 2014 auction, so do follow the links below to check out Bryan Sutton, Chris Eldridge, and others putting it through its paces!Courtney Hartman: https://youtu.be/O6d1VmdePg8
Jonathan Brown: https://youtu.be/9qIwySx3RtU
Scott Fore: https://youtu.be/MEw-rQertO4
Chris Eldridge: https://youtu.be/pdr-D0Z4fe8
Dana Bourgeois: https://youtu.be/dhcDwiZCSVM
Bryan Sutton: https://youtu.be/I8gyVGx52s4SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4000 in Nut Width 1.7190 in String Spacing 2.1880 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Rosewood - Brazilian 
2013 Collings OM2h, Koa/Engelmann Spruce
Well how’s that for a tall drink of water on a hot summer’s day? We’ve landed a minty 2013 Collings OM2H that’s equal parts gorgeous and gregarious. Flamed Koa back and sides are paired with an Engelmann Spruce top for a crisp bass and midrange response, firecracker trebles, and an energetically-charged voice from fret 1 to 20. The soft V neck is a breeze to play, the Waverly tuners look great without adding unnecessary mass to the headstock, and it’s wrapped up in a green-lined Collings TKL case, perfectly snug.
It’s a joy to see such a well cared-for Collings with a crisp and responsive voice like this OM2H. The fit and finish are, as expected, flawless. The perfect deal.Other keywords: bill collings, orchestra model, fingerstyle, fingerpicking, 0m, englemann, engleman, herringbone
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4000 in Nut Width 1.7500 in String Spacing 2.1880 in Woods Spruce - Engelmann, Koa 
Brand New Buscarino Cabaret, Malaysian Blackwood/Cedar
Beautiful, much? Our latest Buscarino Cabaret was custom built for one of our clients, and we’re happy to say that John more than delivered on every count. These crossover nylon string guitars are some of our all-time favorites, and this one comes to us with a hand carved Malaysian Blackwood back, Cedar top, and Koa bindings throughout. Oval soundhole with an all-wood rosette, hand-carved Fleur de Lis soundport, Brazilian Rosewood bridge—and on.
This Cabaret crossover is built with player comfort at the forefront. The short, 630mm scale fingerboard comes with a 30” radius to feel more like a steel string, and John installed stainless steel frets to maximize the lifespan of this effortless setup. 48mm at the nut, 57mm at the saddle, smooth-operating Sloan tuners with Snakewood knobs, an undersaddle pickup, and Venetian Cutaway as the cherry on top.
Even brand new, this Buscarino has immense clarity and note definition. We love how easily it plays, and the amount of projection that John’s teased out of this nylon string guitar is impressive, even by steel string standards. We cannot recommend the Buscarino Cabaret more highly. If you’re interested in getting one for yourself, give us a shout! We’re happy to help.SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.8750 in String Spacing 2.2500 in Woods Cedar - Western Red, Blackwood - Malaysian 
2015 Ã…strand Ã…-OM, Madagascar/Swiss Spruce
The voice of this Åstrand Å-OM is a far smoother spread than butter off the shelf, and richer too. Ted’s lutherie handiwork yields fabulously articulate and balanced instruments, and this 2015 Å-OM is no exception. We love how the tonal palette transitioned smoothly between velvety and clear and back again as we tried out various attacks and tunings. Individual notes seem to have a smooth, rounded flavor to them that hangs in the air around you.
This Åstrand is a fantastic fingerstyle guitar. Madagascar Rosewood back and sides, Swiss Spruce top, and a short scale fretboard (25 inches) for warmth, on top of a 14-fret neck for sustain and volume. Gold EVO frets won’t need any dressing for a long time to come, and the inclusion of a soundport in the upper bout guarantees the player will have enough “me in the monitor” when playing in busy places. A K&K Pure Mini is installed on the bridge plate, here with a volume knob added just under the lip of the soundhole.
Yes, it sounds this good in person. Yes, it plays like a dream. Yes, it comes in a Hiscox flight case. Any more questions? Give us a shout!Other keywords: luthier, Stockholm, waverly, slotted tuners, slot head, burl rosette
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.8750 in String Spacing 2.2500 in Woods Spruce - Swiss, Rosewood - Madagascar 
2008 Laskin “Blue Notes,” Brazilian/Sitka Spruce
Grit Laskin’s work occupies a singular niche in the guitar world with his elaborate, bespoke inlay projects and ergonomic innovations. This petite 12-fret steel string from 2008 is Grit’s The Blue Notes, and comes to us with dramatically grained Brazilian Rosewood and Sitka Spruce, florentine cutaway, soundport, arm and rib bevels. We commissioned this guitar from Grit for one of our longtime clients. If you have a copy of Grand Complications (and if you don’t, why, snag one toot suite!), you’ll find a more extensive treatment of Grit’s process with this very guitar on pages 58 and 173, as well as 49 other Laskins.
Number one, a guitar has to sound good. In this, Grit delivers every time. The smaller air chamber and 12-fret neck combine for a clear balance between warmth and note definition, and playability is smooth and easy. We have recreated the artist’s statement here to best explain the scene sprawling across the headstock and fingerboard of The Blue Notes.
“The inlay art on this small Brazilian Rosewood cutaway steel-string is entitled The Blue Notes. This design is my riff on the theme of “Dream Guitars.”
Thinking about the theme—guitars, dreams, music—led me to the idea of young senses, the sensibilities of children in other words, being more open to their creative expression than many busy adults.
In the scene, viewed from above, we see shadowed adults hurriedly walking by, across the fingerboard, oblivious to the music around them (represented by the red notes, emerging from the soundhole). In one instance the music is destroyed, crushed underfoot.
The young sisters however see/hear/feel the music the adults miss—for them, represented by sky-blue notes. The music is not only sensed by them, but flows through them, hence the engraving that blends their skyward looking images with the notation
The background material is Tahitian Blacklip shell in laminate form. This is meant to represent the random grayness of the street.
The red notes are Red Coral stone; the blue are clear Torquoise.”Other keywords: inlay, inlay art, engraved inlay, artist, guitar art, art guitar, william laskin, lutherie, luthier
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.5000 in Nut Width 1.7500 in String Spacing 2.1880 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Rosewood - Brazilian 
2014 Greven 0-12-28 Vintage, Brazilian/Adirondack Spruce
From the man who has single-handedly built thousands of guitars, we’ve got a vintage-style gem in the shop now that stands out from the crowd. This 2014 0-12-28 Vintage is a parlor built after John’s 1935 style, which includes hide glue, tucked braces, unstained Mahogany neck and V profile, and pyramid bridge. The back and sides are referred to as “Barn Beam” Brazilian Rosewood, and on top there’s surprisingly tight-grained Adirondack Spruce. This guitar features the very last of Greven’s ultra fine herringbone around the top, and Grained Ivoroid bindings complete the picture against the zigzag backstrip and vintage-tinted finish. Finally, this Greven 0 comes in a custom Cedar Creek case wrapped in a faux ostrich exterior (which, like John’s micro herringbone, is no longer available).
This 0-12-28 delivers when it comes time to put finger to string. The balance between registers is consistent along the neck, with the 12-fret neck join granting extra warmth and color to the mids and trebles. We loved playing this Greven in open tunings, but it handles standard tuning with aplumb for blues, rags, and beyond. This beau only weighs 3lbs 10oz! You hardly notice it’s in your lap.
An easy playing Greven that looks and feels like the real prewar deal? This 0-12-28 Vintage, to a T.
Other keywords: grevn, grevan, luthier, lutherie, fingerstyle, vintage guitar, vintage style, adriondack, brazilain
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in Nut Width 1.7500 in String Spacing 2.2500 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Rosewood - Brazilian 
2008 Sheppard Madrigal GC, Amazon/German Spruce
Neck deep in the guitar world for years, Gerald Sheppard has honed both his eyes and ears to pick out the best tonewood possible, and to appoint his instruments in fine style. This 2008 Madrigal Grand Concert comes to us with Amazon Rosewood back and sides (straight-grained and chocolate-dark), German Spruce on top, Koa bindings, and Blue Paua Abalone trim. Gold Gotoh 510 tuners are smooth operators, and between the posts you’ll find a carefully cut rose inlaid into the headstock. Fossilized Walrus Ivory nut and saddle, Venetian Cutaway, and delicate red body purflings complete the picture.
This Sheppard has had 10 years to open up, and to our ears it hasn’t wasted a single day. Extra pop in the middle register, coupled with crisp trebles, makes for a focused voice that projects clarity, and a tinge of warmth with a soft attack.Other keywords: lutherie, luthier, fingerstyle, amazonian rosewood, fossil ivory
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4000 in Nut Width 1.7500 in String Spacing 2.2500 in Woods Spruce - German, Rosewood - Amazon 
Brand New Heinonen SJ, Bubinga/Sinker Redwood
We’re more than excited to announce our latest partnership with builder Drew Heinonen—and what better way to cut the ribbon to this enterprise than with a brand new 2018 SJ in Bubinga and Sinker Redwood? Bedecked with MOP and Paua Abalone trim and a 42-style treatment across the fretboard, our first Heinonen proves that good looks can get you pretty far in life, but what about that tone? With an aesthetic sympathetic to Jim Olson’s own, it’s not a stretch to expect a similar flavor to the voice as well, which is exactly what we’re here to report.
The name of the game here is clarity. That, and balance. And dynamism. This Heinonen SJ offers a colorful tone palette that works well for a wide range of styles, and we found this guitar soaked up a heavy attack as easily as a gentler touch without topping out. There’s a touch of the Olson smoothness here, but a different brand of energetic response that’s all Drew’s own. The smooth contour of the C profile neck felt like glass in our hands. Speaking of glass, the UV-cured Cardinal finish Drew uses is here buffed to a mirror sheen that’s velvet smooth to the touch.
The experience of playing this Heinonen SJ is one characterized by easy playability, responsiveness, and an expansive dynamic range.Other keywords: james olson, dana bourgeois, bourgeois guitars, olson guitars, t. drew heinonen, fingerstyle, cedar creek, gotoh tuners
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4000 in Nut Width 1.7500 in String Spacing 2.3130 in Woods Redwood - Sinker, Bubinga 
1998 Kim Walker Jumbo, American Maple/German Spruce
Better by far to start your day with a Kim Walker guitar than with coffee. The latter will wake you up, sure, but the former provides a degree of excitement and satisfaction that’ll last a lot longer than a simple caffiene kick. Case in point: this 1998 Kim Walker Jumbo. The last flattop to ever receive Kim’s “Excel” archtop appointments and headstock, Flamed Maple back and sides, German Spruce on top, and about 130% the amount of clarity and projection we’ve come to expect from a Walker. Seriously one of the loudest guitars we’ve had in the shop, and that without losing any clarity and warmth.
Inspirational? In a word. Slim neck profile makes for a slick playability, and it’s in refreshingly pristine shape to boot.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4000 in Nut Width 1.6800 in String Spacing 2.1550 in Woods Spruce - German, Maple - Figured 
Brand New Mountain Song Odalisque, Tasmanian Blackwood/Adirondack Spruce
Ken Jones’ latest brand new Odalisque packs several guitars’ worth of tone into one trim, 12-fret package. Tasmanian Blackwood back and sides, a pale set of Adirondack Spruce on top, twinned arm and rib bevels, oval soundhole–as usual, the works–and they work together so well. It’s always a pleasure to have a Mountain Song guitar in the shop (even if it’s just for an afternoon for photos and recording before sending it on to its happy new owner). We are grateful to continue to offer Ken’s excellent fingerstyle instruments, and for the myriad of repairs he and his team handle for us. These instruments cut no corners, and this Odalisque in particular offers an impressive blend of warmth in the lower mids and clarity in the bass and trebles.
Want one for yourself? Give us a shout! We’re more than happy to facilitate.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4000 in Nut Width 1.7500 in String Spacing 2.2500 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Blackwood - Tasmanian 
Brand New RM Anderson #3 Plus Banjo
Master engraver and banjo builder Bob (RM) Anderson swung by the other day to drop off his two latest creations. This is his #3 Plus model, brand new Curly Maple neck and hardware on a Tubaphone pot with calf skin head. Gotoh Planetary-style tuners, fossilized Walrus Ivory nut, and Bob’s signature shell inlays painstakingly engraved. A mixture of Snail and Abalone sprawls from the headstock down to the final, 24th fret. Up close, you can see Bob’s incredible attention to every infinitesimal detail. Each inlay is hand engraved in a variety of geometric shapes; some of the shading is so subtle you can’t even tell it’s individual hatch marks until you’re right up against it. Add to that an intricately carved neck heel, and the picture of a bespoke old time banjo is complete.
Bob Anderson’s banjos are works of art equally for the eyes and the ears.Other keywords: R.M. Anderson, RM Anderson, old-time
2012 Muiderman The Wave, Brazilian/Cedar Double Top
Who knew Cedar could be so loud? Kevin Muiderman, apparently. This 2012 Muiderman Wave has a double Cedar top, Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, and enough volume and sustain to rattle the windows on the entire block. This model was originally developed for Martin Simpson, and features a slight body taper (the bass side is a bit narrower than the treble side) with the fretboard tapered in the opposite direction to keep your left hand comfortable. Additionally, Kevin installed an arm bevel and soundport, as well as gold EVO frets and a Florentine Cutaway.
This is the sort of guitar that goes from 0 to 100 with even a light touch. Kevin’s double top technique and use of composite braces makes for explosive projection and note clarity. You’ll be able to pick out each note in crisp detail. The neck carve is a smooth C shape, and the nut comes in at 1 11/16” for quick left hand work.
This Muiderman Wave is packing some serious heat.
Other keywords: brazilain, double-top, gotoh, koa bindings, pinless bridge
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4000 in Nut Width 1.6800 in String Spacing 2.2500 in Woods Cedar, Rosewood - Brazilian 
2010 Greenfield C2 Classical, Maple/Alpine Spruce
We don’t know many luthiers who work harder to hone their craft than Michael Greenfield of Montreal, Quebec. We also don’t know many luthiers who are able to build nylon string guitars at the same level as their steels—again, Michael stands apart. Here we’ve got an agile and responsive 2010 Classical C2 with Flamed Maple back and sides, and a cream-white Alpine Spruce top. The elevated fingerboard and Florentine Cutaway come together for easy access all the way to those dusty upper frets (and Michael’s “swoosh” heelcap helps your left hand snug up a little closer for better access, too), and Michael’s trademark arm bevel keeps player comfort at a maximum.
The back is slightly arched, giving the body a little more air to breathe, and that really comes out in the crisp trebles. The Padauk 12-hole bridge in the Gilbert style combines a more efficient tie block with an attractive aesthetic. Gilbert tuners, 1 7/8” nut, 651mm scale, and 2 1/4” saddle spacing. This beauty is in superb condition, hardly a scratch to be found. The neck is slightly slimmer than your standard classical, making this guitar an easy player. To make the deal even more enticing, this Greenfield C2 has a K&K undersaddle FanTaStick installed as well for when it’s time to take to the stage. And all of this comes wrapped up in an Accord case that’s super light, and just as strong.
Other keywords: nylon-string, classical guitar, classical music, fingerstyle, lutherie, canada
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.6250 in Nut Width 1.8750 in String Spacing 2.2500 in Woods Spruce - Alpine, Maple - Figured