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Add to Compare2016 Borghino Shakti Madagascar Rosewood/Italian
What is a musician but one who constantly pushes on against the bleeding edge of sound? What is a luthier but one with that same drive, who challenges convention with their ceaseless experimentation? John McLaughlin (of Shakti fame) is one such musician, just as Mirko Borghino is one such luthier. The brand new Shakti model we have here today stands between these two great men as the very image of experimentation, and the means to achieve it.
McLaughlin’s Indian fusion band from the 1970s, Shakti, offered one of the first tastes of the rich waters spanning the continents of Indian Classical music and Jazz–and at the heart of this group was McLaughlin and the first iteration of this guitar, all scalloped frets and diagonal sympathetic strings. The Borghino Shakti model here is the most recent version, done up in Madagascar Rosewood and Italian Spruce with dual K&K Fantastick undersaddle pickups and a stereo output which allows the player to amplify the regular bridge, the sympathetic strings, or both. The scalloped frets make for a truly featherweight fretting experience (no friction from your fingertips and the fretboard to slow you down), and it’s easy to bend strings far and fast in the fashion of a Sitar. The seven diagonal strings offer complex overtones simply from the energy of the regular strings–but you can pluck or strum these baritone strings as well for a burst of color and volume. Borghino’s attention to detail is surgical: the Abalone trim and rosette are stunning, crisply executed, and the scalloping of the fretboard is smooth and graceful.
For a guitar experience unlike anything else, this feat of lutherie is worth every penny. Losing yourself in your music is unavoidable with your hands on this Shakti.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.13 in Woods Spruce - Italian, Rosewood - Madagascar 
Add to Compare2017 Klein 396 Myrtlewood/Sitka
This is a first for Dream Guitars: a brand new Klein 396! From the two Steves that matter most (Klein & Kauffman, respectively), we have a gorgeous example of contemporary, freethinking lutherie at its razor’s edge. Where to begin? Let’s start with the basics: impressively colorful Myrtlewood for the back, sides, neck, and headstock backstrap; Sitka Spruce top; 25 1/2″ scale, iconic Klein bridge plus individual string saddles, nut integrated into the headstock with a zero fret; distinctive floating and carbon-fiber-reinforced braces.
To discuss the tone of this instrument, let’s first start with one provision: that Klein guitars just don’t sound (or look) like other flattop guitars. Klein & Kauffman have managed to find themselves an honest niche in this already niche market, and this medium-sized 396 confirms that. The trebles have at once a breathy quality and a wide range of response. Which is to say, there’s a dynamic overtone response that comes out in different places across the fretboard, and the upper register itself has great body and poise. That responsiveness is well-mated to the even-keeled middle register and the defined, crisp basses.
While powerful, this Klein 396 is hardly boomy; rather, the overall voice is balanced like only a Klein can be, with equal space for each string and register. It lends itself to lowered tunings, especially spacious arrangements with floating open strings–but let’s be honest, just about anything sounds wonderful on this new Klein. This, friends, is a guitar you need to experience firsthand.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.5 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.13 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Myrtlewood 
Add to Compare2004 Beardsell 4G #74 Quilted Maple/Adirondack
Dynamic as the day is long. We’re talking about a Beardsell flattop guitar that’s equally at home for celtic DADGAD fingerstyle one afternoon, chunky gypsy jazz that evening, and strummed folk songs the next morning. All the while with an oil-slick quick assymetrical neck, dual soundports for music straight to you ear and an extra dose of breathiness, and some gorgeous Quilted Maple and Adirondack Spruce to admire between sets
Beardsell voiced this 2004 4G for excellent balance, and brother did he succeed. The trebles cut well in the mix, sandwiching some punchy mids with a transparent bass response that remains crisp and responsive all the way into C tunings. This 4G has the makings to be a fine studio guitar, but it also makes for a great one for gigs, especially with the L.R. Baggs Lyric pickup.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.78 in String Spacing 2.16 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Maple - Quilted 
Add to Compare2017 DT Modified Dreadnought, Honduran Rosewood/Sitka Spruce
David Taylor’s first Modified Dreadnought, and he knocks it out of the park! The body size first popularized by Ervin Somogyi fits naturally in Taylor’s voicing style–the setup is slinky and fast, but the larger body cavity keeps projection, sustain, and bass response at an optimal balance. Like to play in DADGAD or more exotic tunings? This DT Mod D handles handsomely.
We found that flatpicks, fingertips, and even thumbpicks felt natural and easy on the strings, and Taylor’s balanced voicing allowed us to acentuate different registers as needed without the other strings falling quiet. The Schertler tuners have the sort of smoothness that is the envy of most other open-geared tuners, and the Florentine Cutaway and ornate bridge lend an air of elegance to this Honduran–Rosewood-and-Sitka–Spruce beauty.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.5 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Rosewood - Honduran 
Add to Compare2000 Somogyi Modified Dreadnought, Quilted Mahogany/Sitka Spruce
It’s hard to imagine what the state of contemporary guitar-building would be, if Ervin Somogyi hadn’t decided to take up the chisel and carve a new trajectory for luthiers everywhere. We’re excited to offer another powerful example of his prowess with this 2000 Mod D, featuring quilted Honduran Mahogany back and sides and a Sitka Spruce top. This Mahogany could be easily mistaken for a set from The Tree, so thoroughly figured are the grainlines–and the Sitka has opened up beautifully after over 16 years of music.
As with all of Somogyi’s instruments, all it takes is one strum for this Mod D to fill a room with its sumptuous voice, and it sings particularly well in lowered tunings (try Cadd9 or DADGAD for an experience in rapture), where the low-end really opens up, but maintains a well-defined edge from the Honduran Mahogany. Regardless of the style in which you play, this guitar’s clean tone and pronounced articulation will render even simple arrangements lush and orchestral–there’s practically no ceiling to this Mod D’s projective powers. What’s more, this guitar was sent to Ervin just this year for an evaluation, and while it was in his shop Somogyi also re-voiced the Sitka Spruce top, combining his newest techniques with this guitar’s already fully opened-up voice. As such, this Mod D has the best of both worlds–you’ll want to jump on this one quickly!
Add to Compare2009 Greenfield G1 7-String, Koa/Alpine
Oh, to play a Greenfield guitar. Michael’s work is a testament to the tonal fruits that can be plucked with a dogged determination to experimentation–this 2009 G1 is sweet, indeed. She’s basically a tour of the custom features Greenfield offers: multiscale, 7 strings, elevated fingerboard, arm and rib bevels, pinless bridge, soundport, Spalted Maple and Abalone rosette. Pairing Koa with Lutz Spruce in a smaller body gives this G1 great clarity and a crystalline separation between the strings; and with that extra 7th string, that separation is all the more crucial.
If you’re worried about the fingerboard being too wide or the multiscale challenging, don’t–the playability is smooth enough to spread on your morning toast. This G1 is deceptively comfortable to play. Interested in testing the uncharted tuning waters which that fearsome extra string offers? The sky’s basically the limit; we found that AEADEAE (DADGAD tuned down with an E on the highest string) was an excellent leaping point for more exotic explorations. If you’re even remotely interested, reach out–there aren’t many guitars like this on the market, and none of them are going to be so well-outfitted as this 2009 Greenfield G1 7-String multiscale Baritone.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.75 in - 28.375 in Nut Width 2.125 in String Spacing 2.75 in Woods Spruce - Alpine, Koa 
Add to Compare2014 Somogyi OM, Brazilian Rosewood/European
In what ways will the guitar’s sound change, given a different species of wood for the soundboard? Faced with one of the oldest questions in the business, Ervin Somogyi embarked on a project to build three guitars for a client in an attempt to answer that landmark question. In order to isolate the different tonal properties of Sitka Spruce, European Spruce, and Cedar, Ervin controlled for the other variables by using matching Brazilian Rosewood sets which were sequentially flitch cut from the same log, and using the same neck dimensions and scale length.
Once built, Ervin knew that a musician of a certain calibre would need to bend their ears to The Trinity in order to best glean the differences, if such they were, or their similiarities. Enter: Michael Chapdelaine, the only guitarist to win first place in GFA International Classical Guitar Competition and the National Fingerstyle Championship. Chapdelaine was so enthused by the prospect that he recorded a series of videos and an entire album worth of material highlighting the nuances of The Trinity, titled The Somogyi Incident (but there’s nothing incidental about the rigors of this project).
The Cedar OM, #455, was predictably the warmest of the three, but in addition to that warmth the bass and middle registers had a dark tinge that seemed to color the overall tone with a brooding, emotive force. Not as loud as the other two, #455 nevertheless had an easy projection and sustain. The treble overtones in particular were fat and lingering. The Sitka Spruce OM (#457) was drier than we expected, and that also meant that the bass response had an aggressive bark. The trebles cut very well, and boy would the Sitka top howl if you dug in with a heavier attack! Lastly, the European Spruce OM (#456) also featured a dry tone, but this one erred more on the side of breathy and mellow. While quieter overall when compared to #457, the European Spruce OM offered the best note separation of the three, and we found that the string-to-string balance was the best for fingerstyle arrangements in lowered tunings. The bass response was more focused and defined than the other OMs as well.
The Trinity, The Somogyi Incident, and our own videos stand as a unique opportunity to observe firsthand the particulars of these time-tested tonewoods from one of the world’s finest luthiers. Alas, the Sitka and European Spruce OMs have already found new homes! But the Cedar is still available.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.88 in Nut Width 1.81 in String Spacing 2.19 in Woods Spruce - European, Rosewood - Brazilian 
Add to Compare2006 Wingert EVC Dream Series Brazilian Rosewood/Italian Spruce
In the early 2000s, Kathy Wingert came into a handful of slate-dark sets of Brazilian Rosewood. It didn’t take long for her to reach out to Paul, and soon after Kathy built ten jaw-dropping Dream Series EVCs in collaboration with us. This, #6, is a marvel of playability and design. Picking up this guitar is like hopping on a bike for the first time in years: instantly familiar, and you’re cruising at top speed before you realize it! The neck profile as though shaking hands with your oldest friend.
The voice is clear and handsomely polished, with a string-to-string and fret-to-fret balance dialed in with the fingerstylist in mind. It doesn’t take much to get the Brazilian Rosewood and Italian Spruce singing; even light attack yields impressive projection and sustain. With locking Gotoh tuners, custom rosette by Jimmi Wingert, and a Calton case, this Dream Series EVC is dressed to the nines and looking like a tall drink of water. Get a taste!
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Italian, Rosewood - Brazilian 
Add to Compare2007 McPherson MG-4.5, Brazilian Rosewood/Redwood
With a tight, focused sound and butter-smooth playability, this 2007 McPherson MG-4.5 kicks some serious tail on the acoustic guitar front. The string-to-string balance provides a great canvas for your fingerstyle arrangements, and when you need to lay down some flatpicked tunes or strummed accompaniment this MG-4.5 is more than ready for the task.
We experimented with several different tunings, and in each the strings remained crisp and responsive. Brazilian Rosewood back and sides and a Redwood top, combined with McPherson’s innovative bracing system, make for great depth of tone and an extra dose of warmth across the lower and middle registers. With the L.R. Baggs RTS II undersaddle pickup, this McPherson can easily become your go-to guitar for everything from back porch sessions to mainstage performances.
SOLD Sale! Read moreScale Length 25.5 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.16 in Woods Redwood, Rosewood - Brazilian 
Add to Compare2013 Henderson 000-42 Brazilian/Appalachian
Sweet, responsive, sonorous. Everyone in the shop agrees, that is how this 000-42 from Wayne Henderson can best be described. Henderson’s prodigious gifts at lutherie have yielded a guitar of astounding clarity and dark, somber appointments, one which boasts Brazilian Rosewood back and sides and an Appalachian Spruce top voiced to a gently enveloping timbre. The ink-dark sunburst finish is a match for the complexity and depth of the guitar’s voice, with Abalone and Grained Ivoroid trim for a delicate sparkle of light. In Henderson’s hands, the Brazilian Rosewood and Appalachian Spruce have been reduced to a perfect thickness to produce the rolling, articulate, lush tone that this 000-42 pulls off so well. And what better way to warm up that lushness than a 12-fret neck? The highs are particularly sweet, and the middle register is clean and controlled in a way that fingerstylists yearn for: the balance is precise, and each string rings crystalline. This guitar comes with a Guardian hardshell case.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.13 in Woods Rosewood - Brazilian 
Add to Compare2007 Claxton EM Brazilian/Italian
This 2007 EM from Ed Claxton tastes like the first time you bit into real New York cheesecake: rich as sin and silk-smooth. With Brazilian Rosewood and Italian Spruce, who’d be surprised? Each and every note intonates wonderfully across the fretboard, and the neck profile is gossamer and fast. If you crave a setup that’s buttery and easy, look no further. The bass response has an impressive fundamental, and notes tend to hang in the air for long seconds.
When we dropped this EM into DADGAD and CGCGAD, the voice remained crisp and focused. While you can put any guitar in C tunings, sure, but only one in a great many sounds just as clear and responds as well as though it were in standard. Honestly, we can’t find any fault with this Claxton–even the case rocks (it’s a Calton).
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.78 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods xx, Rosewood - Brazilian 
Add to CompareNew Sifel Creek 15.5 Inch Cutaway Madagascar/Sitka
Mike Byle’s Sifel Creek Guitars have been cooking up splendid guitars for years now, and recently sent us two beauties which he’s had in his shop as show models for a few years now. This, his 15.5″ Cutaway, is done up in a pretty set of Madagascar Rosewood for the back and sides and a Sitka Spruce top with some gorgeous alternating color across the grain. Set up for a nimble left hand, this guitar plays like milk chocolate tastes: absolutely smooth.
Dynamically voiced by Byle, the responsiveness of the 15.5″ Cutaway manages to strike a balance between a delicate touch and a more aggressive attack, meaning that soft passages sound full-figured and delicate but when you need to dig in for some extra snap (say, for a Funk-Blues bass line), the voice cranks up to volume 11 with ease. Craving overtones in your trebles? These unwound strings are adorned with a subtle array of overtones which blossom a moment after the fundamental response.
You’ll be hard-pressed to find another guitar so exquisitely balanced. Although this guitar was built in 2010, it’s enjoyed a posh existence in Mike’s shop, and as such is still a brand new guitar (plus a few years of opening up).
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.5 in Nut Width 1.78 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods xx, Rosewood - Madagascar 
Add to CompareNew Ivanov Manouche Blanche European Maple/Swiss
Light as a feather this 2016 Manouche Blanche may be, but there’s more meat to these strings than you can shake a pick at. Brand new and set up by the man himself, Dontcho Ivanov, this Gypsy Jazz guitar plays effortlessly and can crank up the volume without missing a beat, letting those sparkly trebles ring out! And Maple is the name of the game here, folks: European Maple back, sides, and neck all the way to Canadian Maple for the fingerboard and bindings. A ghost-pale set of Swiss Spruce for the top, Boblen Custom Ivory Case, and Swiss handmade Miller brass tuners–“this is a gorgeous guitar” is an understatement.
There just aren’t too many Gypsy Jazz guitars out there of this calibre; snag this Manouche Blanche soon before it slips away!
SOLD Read moreScale Length 26.25 in Nut Width 1.81 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods xx, Maple - European 
Add to Compare2014 Rubio Custom Nylon Archtop African Blackwood/German Spruce
Sawdust from Spruce and Cedar has been in the Rubio family’s blood for generations. With German Vazquez, the blood runs thick: under his hands traditional materials and techniques dovetail into gorgeous instruments for both the eye and the ear. This 2014 Custom Nylon Archtop Crossover is a powerful example of that prowess at work–African Blackwood and German Spruce offer depth and clarity, and the custom C profile neck, with its 14 frets to the body and Venetian Cutaway, is pillow-soft and accessible for the left hand.
For the player craving an artisan-quality crossover nylon, this Rubio is perfect. The play feel of the custom neck will be familiar to any steel string player, just as the rich clarity of the bass strings will be familiar to any classical player. The best of both worlds bound up in one guitar! Rubio french polished the entire guitar for maximum resonance and installed a Fishman Matrix Infinity pickup (with volume and tone controls) to guarantee that you’ll never have to put this guitar down, regardless if you’re at home or on stage.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.59 in Nut Width 1.88 in String Spacing 2.22 in Woods xx, Blackwood - African 
Add to Compare2009 Kelday OM Brazilian/Cedar
Consistency of tone and even response: this 2009 Kelday OM has both in spades. Bringing together some gorgeous Brazilian Rosewood and Cedar, William Kelday offers us powerful proof that the OM-size guitar is still an amazing instrument. Fingerstyle or flatpicks, this Kelday feels familiar and easy with a 25.4″ scale and 1 13/16″ nut for deft left hand work.
The trebles have this quick, crisp response that livens up the entire voice, and the woody warmth of the bass and middle registers can be found in a variety of tunings–only so many guitars sound really good in C tunings, and this Kelday is definitely one! We’d recommend this guitar for pretty much any guitarist, but especially for the player who likes to switch between tunings, fingers, and picks without having to carry a trunk full of instrument cases around.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.81 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods xx, Rosewood - Brazilian