7/14/2023 0 Comments Paige capo![]() (See “Taylor Guitars Discovers a New Sustainable Tonewood in Its Own Backyard” at .) Now the company is featuring urban ironbark-a hardwood from the eucalyptus family described as being somewhat like rosewood and ebony-in its formerly all-mahogany 500 series. It’s not exactly a rarity on an acoustic guitar, but when was the last time you saw an acoustic with a maple top, back, and sides? With the American Dream AD27e Flametop ($2,199), a member of Taylor’s affordable new series made at its California shop, the maker did just that, and we were impressed by the guitar’s midrange and high-end response and inspiring amplified sounds.Ī couple of years ago, Taylor made a splash by beginning to use urban ash-wood salvaged from municipalities in Southern California-in select models. Maple grows abundantly and sustainably in North America. Guitar makers like Taylor-which has gone as far as to purchase a legal ebony mill in Cameroon, and participate in initiatives to reforest koa in Hawaii, among many other positive endeavors-have been putting much thought and energy into using sustainable tonewoods while also working with good alternatives. The guitar industry has for years been facing dwindling supplies of precious tonewoods rosewood, mahogany, and ebony are becoming more difficult to source at high quality and in abundant quantities. More important, it boasts a versatile voice and smooth playability. This distinctive-looking guitar boasts elaborate vine inlays on its rosewood fretboard, starting at the first fret and extending into the rosette-not the sort of high-end detailing that you would expect on a guitar at this price point. On the other hand, an L-00-sized guitar is hard to beat for its balance of comfort and tone, and we thought that the Eastman E20OOSS/v ($1,869), with its varnish finish-a tone-enhancing option seldom seen these days on production guitars-and Adirondack spruce top delivered the sweetness and vintage warmth that fingerstylists and flatpickers crave from these 14-fretters.Įven more affordable, Luna’s Vineyard Koa Bevel Folk($699) boasts a comfortable, compact body, somewhere between a grand auditorium and parlor in size, with an ergonomic bevel on the lower bass bout. ![]() AG got its hands on two excellent, vintage-inspired examples with decidedly different voices but similarly good designs and execution.Ī slope-shouldered dreadnought is a thing of beauty, and with a thermo-cured spruce top on a sapele body, onboard electronics, and a stylish slotted headstock, the 12-fret Takamine CRN-TS1 ($1,849) has a big sound to match its vintage look. ![]() While we were taken as much with the guitar’s sound and feel as its appearance and build quality, we were similarly wowed by the Modern Deluxe 012-28, with a much less eye-popping price tag of $4,399.Īt the same time, some relatively inexpensive guitars have been receiving the sort of primo specs and appointments that were not too long ago seen only on high-end instruments, and 2022 proved no exception to this encouraging trend. Last year saw the introduction of a handful of new models in this series, including the most opulent member yet, the Modern Deluxe D-45 ($10,499 street), with its European flamed maple binding and extensive inlay work, including an intricate classic torch design on the headstock. has been adding instruments to its Modern Deluxe series, updating classic designs by merging vintage-approved specs-like torrefied soundboards and dovetail neck joints secured with natural protein glue-with state-of-the-art details such as Liquidmetal bridge pins and carbon fiber bridge plates. There have been many more new gear releases in the past 12 months than we can cover comprehensively, so we’ll focus on some of this year’s highlights, grouped into several noteworthy trends.įor the last several years, C.F. Through it all, makers continue to produce exciting instruments at every price. Whether at a large music retailer or a small boutique, the shorthand explanation for the occasional difficulty in finding a new guitar (and a bonkers used market) is “supply chain.” But rising material costs and shortages of components aren’t dampening the powerful desire to play. Excitement remains exceptionally high for acoustic guitars, and manufacturers are challenged to meet demand, even years after production shutdowns. From gigs at cafes and places of worship to big tours, musicians are back out there, singing songs and playing guitar with fresh zeal. With many venues reopening after two years of hibernation and the return of playing opportunities, there’s been a feeling of exhilaration around live music. Greg Olwell and Adam Perlmutter December 18, 2022
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