Great Acoustics: 2005 Benedetto “Vinodetto” with Wine-Stained Maple
The maple back and sides were stained into a glowing red color using cabernet sauvignon from the owner's winery.
Great Acoustics: Alan Carruth’s “Proper” Harp Guitar
The guitar has an uncommon resonance and complexity, thanks to the harp’s extended arm, soundboard, and back
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Great Acoustics: A Mighty 1949 Epiphone Emperor Archtop
The Emperor pictured here was made in late 1949, and has a carved spruce top, carved maple back, and extensive inlay work befitting such a fancy guitar.
Great Acoustics: A Cutting-Edge 1931 Martin OM-18 Owned by Country Legend Conway Twitty
Twitty was renowned for his voice, his hair, and songs like “It’s Only Make Believe,” but he also had excellent taste in acoustic guitars.
Great Acoustics: A Rare Gibson Bella Voce Guitar Banjo
With its extensively engraved gold-plated hardware, the Bella Voce (along with the equally fancy Florentine model) was the most expensive banjo in the Gibson catalog.
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Great Acoustics: John Denver’s Luxurious 1978 Yamaha L-53
Denver used this ornate, custom Yamaha extensively in concert and on TV (and on his album cover with the Muppets).
Great Acoustics: Reverend Gary Davis’ 1949 Gibson SJ-200 Finds a New Home
The story behind Davis’ SJ-200 is as murky as a Louisiana swamp.
Great Acoustics: The Late Robbie Basho’s Cherished 12-String Guitar Resurfaces
Basho created an alternate universe of mystical, spiritual music using this century-old 12-string of mysterious origin.
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This 2022 Greg Brandt Custom Concert Model Is a Traditional Classical Guitar with Unique Ornamentation
All of the pieces fit together for Brandt when he built this “jigsaw puzzle” guitar.
Great Acoustics: Steve James’ Collings Custom C10 was His Main Steel-String Companion for 30 Years
The 1991 Collings Custom C10 (serial number 524) was James’ main flattop for three decades, and the one he considered his best.
Great Acoustics: 1948 Levin De Luxe Archtop
Levin instruments have been played by many of the finest European guitarists. The 1948 Model 1 De Luxe archtop shown here sat at the very top of the Levin line.
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Great Acoustics: A Loyal Customer Inspires a Bold New Big Hollow Jumbo
When a repeat customer asked Big Hollow Guitars' Bevan Frost to build a large-bodied guitar with unique inlays, the luthier rose to the challenge.
Great Acoustics: A Trio of Hand-Built Instruments from “Retired” Industry Icon Dick Boak
Since his retirement in 2018, former C.F. Martin & Co. mainstay Dick Boak has continued hand-building instruments like this dreadnought-ukulele-small-bodied-guitar trio.
Great Acoustics: Rick Turner’s Personal 2007 Compass Rose Guitar Speaks to His Forward-Thinking Style
Rick Turner created many unique Compass Rose acoustics, but this one—regarded as among his finest—was the luthier’s personal guitar and a showcase of both his bold concepts and skilled execution.
Great Acoustics: George Gruhn’s Exceptionally Rare 1933 Martin 12-Fret D-28
This 1933 Martin 12-fret, slot-head D-28 is George Gruhn's favorite flattop steel-string guitar. Here's why.
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Great Acoustics: This Custom Style 21 Cowardin 000 Celebrates a Decades-Long Friendship
A friend commissioned Jack Cowardin to build an understated 000 acoustic guitar to complement his 1938 Martin 000-18. The result was much more than just wood and metal.
Kenny Hill’s State-of-the-Art Modern Legacy Model Classical Guitar
This 2019 Kenny Hill Modern Legacy classical guitar, the luthier's main guitar for his own playing, is a prime example of his company’s top-tier offerings.
Great Acoustics: Buck Curran’s Long Lost 2009 Sobell Model 1
Singer-songwriter and guitarist Buck Curran’s tale about his 2009 Stefan Sobell Model 1 is more uplifting than some other tales of "the one that got away."
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Great Acoustics: A Pristine 1943 Martin 000-18 with a Fascinating History
This 1943 Martin 000-18 was originally a gift to a Spanish immigrant to Monterey, California, who was a regular performer along the famed Cannery Row.
Great Acoustics: A 2021 Santa Cruz OM Custom with a Storied Past
This Santa Cruz OM Custom was made with several storied tonewoods, including Tunnel 13 redwood; Brazilian rosewood; and figured mahogany sourced from the Tree.
Great Acoustics: 2020 Collings OM3 Alaskan
A visually striking custom OM made from reclaimed old-growth Sitka that spent much of the 20th century floating in Alaskan waters.
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Great Acoustics: Preston Thompson Masterpiece #2 Koi Pond
Dedicated to the shop’s founding luthier and namesake, who died in 2019, the Koi Pond guitar is a stunning piece of art that's meant to be played.
Great Acoustics: John Prine’s 1939 Gibson Super 400N
From the November/December 2020 issue of Acoustic Guitar | By Greg Olwell A few archtops were larger and some were glitzier, but all were trying to top the standard set by the stunning Gibson Super 400. Having an 18-inch lower bout and decorated with Gibson’s most premium appointments and hardware, the Super 400 surpassed the L-5…
Great Acoustics: This 1930 Martin 000-45 Deluxe is a Rare and Opulent Offering
This beautiful, unique 1930 Martin 000-45 Deluxe is possibly the finest example of the early period of the American guitar.
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Great Acoustics: Gurian’s 1973 S3B3H Incorporates Luxurious Nylon-Stringed Guitar Elements
This steel-string incorporates elements from the luthier's nylon-string background, such as the combination of an ebony fretboard and a rosewood bridge.
