The grand auditorium body used on the Eastman PCH3 GACE is comfortable and versatile, and takes cues from another very popular brand; until recently, many guitars were based on classic Martin and Gibson designs. It performs well for both fingerstyle and strumming and the solid Sitka spruce top has good dynamics and clarity.
Sitka
Part of the High Performance series introduced for the 2017 model year and currently out of production, the Gibson HP 415 CEX pairs a Sitka Spruce top and Black Walnut for the sides, back, rectangular bridge and fingerboard. The neck is Maple, and the body blocks are Mahogany. As stock, this model carried an L R Baggs Element pickup system, with the controls tucked under the bass edge of the sound hole.
This instrument has sold
MORE →Drawing from a classic 1930s design, the Collings Orchestra Model OM1 is ideal for finger stylists and flatpickers alike. This Collings Orchestra Model OM1 dates to 2008 and is in good condition, with great action and a good neck set. This model is built using the pairing of a Sitka Spruce top with Tropical Mahogany for the sides, back, body blocks and neck, and Ebony for the bridge fingerboard and head plate.
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MORE →The Gibson 1930s L00 Classic is a reproduction of what became a very popular small body guitar introduced in 1932 and built until 1946. At that time, the Dreadnought or Jumbo design was just re-entering the market with Martin’s 1931 D-1, which became the D-18 in 1932. The 1930s L-00 Classic takes its cues from the post-1937 models; prior to that year, the back was not bound.
This instrument has sold
MORE →Here is a new Martin 000-13E Road Series Steel String Guitar, which not only uses a number of sustainable, non-traditional woods, but is also built at Martin’s plant in Navojoa, Sonora Mexico. The Martin Road Series is aimed to be a solid player’s guitar loaded with classic Martin DNA at an affordable price point. The Martin 000-13E is an auditorium sized guitar with a shorter scale length compared to the OM models. This OOO body shape is very comfortable for many players as it features a smaller lower bout and curvy waist. The auditorium body size works really well for fingerstyle playing and light to medium strumming.
Here is a lovely Boucher HG24 M Heritage Goose Parlor 12 Fret Guitar, built with a Torrefied Adirondack Spruce top and Indian Rosewood for the back and sides. Once a dominant guitar design, the Parlor style guitar’s popularity faded along with the banjo and the introduction of Jumbo or Dreadnought body sizes in the early 1930’s. Parlor guitars tend not to be particularly loud, but do offer even, rich tone. As more players become interested in solo finger styles, the Parlor design is becoming more attractive again and builders are offering high-quality takes, such as the Boucher HG54 M.