❌SOLD❌ Jack Spira Cittern Australian Blackwood, 2005

This is unusual for us to see – a Jack Spira Cittern of Australian Blackwood, built during 2005 at Spira’s shop in Boolarra, east of Melbourne.

Jack Spira has been building for over 30 years, focusing on steel string guitars in regular, tenor and baritone forms, plus Irish Bouzoukis, Citterns, and Octave Mandolins. He also does repair and custom work, in particular engraved inlays. His work is highly regarded, and popular enough that few make it to the used market in Canada.

This Jack Spira Cittern is a lovely instrument. Blackwood often has a dramatic grain, with some similarities to Hawaiian Koa in terms of colour hues and figure.

It is built using a Sitka Spruce top paired with Australian Blackwood for the back and sides. ‘Rope’ style purfling is used around the top, headstock, the perimeters of the Blackwood panels on the back and in two layers around the soundhole (with a Mother of Pearl layer between the two).

The neck of the Jack Spira Cittern is Mahogany with an unbound Ebony fingerboard, with an Ebony bridge and Indian Rosewood for the head plate and binding. The top features a removable Rose – the lacework covering of the soundhole – allowing the player or a technician to reach inside if needed. A passive pickup system is installed to an end pin jack.

The inlays are Mother of Pearl and Paua or Abalone, combining dots with a Celtic knot pattern at the octave fret, and a spiral at the head stock that forms a stylized ‘S’. 

This Spira Cittern plays well, and has a rich and warm yet sparkling tone, with lots of depth and delivered with a fair amount of volume. It is very well made, and has light wear to the finish – the most significant wear being at the edge of the heel cap, where a strap has often rubbed against it.

A TKL-made Tenor Banjo case is included.