Rather than follow the designs of the past, Matt and Mander re-examined every portion of the guitar.  They found that placing a guitar’s soundhole in the center of the soundboard eliminates a vital area for vibration and resonance.  To solve this problem, they proceeded to make an acoustic guitar with three soundholes: two at the edges of the waist and one near the tail block.   Moving the soundholes to the edge of the top allowed a larger central portion of the soundboard to vibrate, producing better resonance and sustain. This “three-hole” design was produced in Japan in the early 80’s retailing between $500 and $800.

In 1995, Matt McPherson felt that there was still more opportunity to improve, so he began completely redesigning the McPherson Guitar.  Experimenting with different soundhole locations and bracing patterns led to several technological breakthroughs, including:  

• Non-Adjustable Truss Rod made of high modulus unidirectional carbon fiber and triangulated heel design, which stabilizes the neck and eliminates the need for adjustment. The stiffness and weight of the neck help deliver energy to the bridge of the guitar, resulting in increased vibration of the soundboard.
• Cantilevered Neck design elevates the fretboard above the top, allowing the soundboard to resonate to its fullest potential.
• Overpass-Underpass bracing uses laminated tone woods to achieve a better transfer of energy and sound.
• Offset Soundhole Technology allows vibrations from the bridge to travel directly across a longer unencumbered soundboard, increasing sustain and resonance.

Since 2001, McPherson Guitars has focused on incorporating these revolutionary designs, along with some of the industry’s highest quality standards, from its workshop in Sparta, WI, USA. 

In 2014, McPherson set out to produce the best sounding carbon fiber acoustics possible.  Built with the same design principles as the wood guitars, McPherson carbon fiber guitars are made from materials that are unaffected by normal climate shifts that often affect wood guitars. Fully refined over the years, these carbon fiber guitars have achieved the pinnacle of tone and playability from a non-wood acoustic.

The McPherson name has come to stand for excellence, integrity, and character.

June 14, 2021

C.F. Martin & Co. Appoints New CEO

 Leadership Transition Ensures Growth and Stability for America’s Legendary Guitar Maker

On behalf of the Board of Directors of C.F. Martin & Co., we are happy to announce that Thomas Ripsam has been appointed the company’s new Chief Executive Officer. Effective today, June 14, 2021, Mr. Ripsam succeeds longtime Chairman and CEO, Christian Frederick Martin IV, who assumes the role of Executive Chairman.

 An experienced growth strategist and leader, Thomas has a deep passion for companies with a strong heritage and legacy. He is a trusted advisor and business partner, having guided numerous boards of directors and leadership teams to shape strategies and deliver results. His expertise in strategy development, digital/technology deployment and continuous improvement will ensure the continued growth of the 188-year-old company.

 After 35 years as C.F. Martin & Co. CEO, Chris Martin is stepping into his new leadership role of Executive Chairman. During his time as CEO, Mr. Martin has guided the company through booms and crises, leaving a legacy of growth and manufacturing excellence. This transition comes as the company is experiencing unprecedented demand for its products.

 “First, I want to thank everyone in the music products business for their support during my 35-year career as CEO of my family’s business. What a ride!” said Chris. “I complete my term as NAMM Chairman this July at the show in Nashville, and I have been thinking about retiring for several years, so this felt like the right time. I look forward to transitioning to the role of Executive Chairman of Martin Guitar where I will continue to be a cheerleader for the Martin brand. I am excited to work with Thomas as he gets to know all of us and shares the love we all have for the guitar.”

 Chris Martin hands the reins to Thomas, who, over the course of his 25+ year career, first at Booz Allen & Hamilton, and most recently as a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, took on leadership responsibilities for growing the business, developing service offerings and managing teams. He has worked with consumer goods companies, specialty retailers, technology solutions providers, Fortune 50 companies and family owned businesses, helping to drive profitable growth, enhancing digital capabilities, improving customer experience and engagement, and generating hundreds of millions in incremental value for his clients.

 An avid guitar player, Thomas collects fretted instruments and even took a sabbatical in 2019 to work with a luthier to learn about the process of building acoustic guitars – in the style of Martin. He holds an MBA in Strategy & Finance from Columbia Business School and a BA in Business Administration and Management from Reutlingen University in Germany and Middlesex University in London.

 “I have admired Martin guitars since I was a teenager,” said Thomas. “My first real acoustic was a Martin guitar and it has been a close companion to me since.  Martin has always been an iconic fretted instrument builder and I have a deep appreciation for the company’s continued focus on quality, craftsmanship and innovation, as well as its unique culture and history. I am honored and humbled to join the Martin family and to carry on the legacy of Chris Martin and his predecessors.”

Let us explain!

What Chris is really saying is: The older your Martin gets, the better it’s going to sound.

But why is this? Why is the tone of older Martin guitars more robust than those fresh off the shelf?

One key reason is that the tonewoods will gradually lose moisture as they age. As a result, they become lighter, and more resonant. The timing varies depending on environmental conditions, but it can take upwards of 40 years before the sound of your Martin naturally matures.

In a quest to chase after the sound of Martin’s Golden Era, our research and development engineers wondered, “What if you could speed up the aging process of a guitar?” Through the process of torrefaction, other manufacturers experimented with aging guitars. But it wasn’t enough for Martin to simply age a guitar, we wanted to exactly replicate everything about these vintage instruments. And after years of research and testing, our engineers found a way with our Vintage Tone System (VTS).

The Process

The process of ‘aging’ tonewoods, sometimes referred to as torrefaction, involves baking the wood in a vacuum-sealed kiln. It’s thought that the early Vikings were pioneers of this technique, suspending slabs of wood over an open fire to dry them out prior to using them for boat building.

A lengthy and painstaking undertaking, our research and development department dived deep into the science of torrefaction. High tech, deep scans were taken of a range of pre-war Martins, plus a Ditson Dreadnought from 1919, to examine the cell structure of these instruments’ wood in microscopic detail.

To truly recreate the look and feel of pre-war Martins, the team had to look beyond just the aged wood. They had to study the weathering exhibited by classic Martin guitars, from lacquer cracks to the wear in certain spots from players’ hands and friction from their clothing. It all had to be replicated in order to satisfy discerning eyes and ears. Fortunately, Martin is the only guitar maker in the world with ready access to a collection of finely made instruments dating back over 185 years. So the team blindfolded themselves and meticulously explored every surface and edge of a 1937 D-28 from our museum, documenting the effects of wear and tear with their fingers, as much as with their eyes and ears.

The Results

Armed with this extensive information, Martin is now able to treat wood and gently distress guitars using our own proprietary process, the Vintage Tone System (VTS), that is akin to what decades of a natural aging process would look, feel, sound, and even smell like. Nowadays, we produce most guitars with a mix of technology and hand craftmanship, but our aged Authentic series guitars are 100% hand cut, scraped, sanded, finished, and assembled. Faceoffs with genuine Martin Museum pieces proved that Martin’s Vintage Tone System (VTS) process closely replicates the condition and tonal characteristics of a coveted Golden Era Martin guitar with startling accuracy.

Are Martin’s aged guitars worth the price?

Paul Riario from Guitar World visited the Martin factory to compare a brand new D-18 Authentic 1939 with the original D-18 from our museum collection. We think Paul’s reaction speaks for itself. “The voicing…is right there, the feel is there. Even the color, the patina… I mean everything about it is just right.”

As Paul points out, a genuine Depression-Era D-28 will cost you up to $100,000 or more. Comparatively, the street price of the D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged is under $8,000. Paul goes on to say, “Considering the amount of time that goes in to making this,… what you’re getting is a really one of a kind instrument, and no two are alike. So to me that is worth the price.”

The Body

In recent years, more and more players have been drawn to the playing comfort of smaller-bodied guitars. Here at Taylor, we’ve been asked about producing some sort of modern parlor-style guitar or an all-solid-wood GS Mini. It was clear that there was a significant demand for a smaller guitar that offers a comfortable feel without sacrificing tone. But the truth is that, sonically, an all-solid GS Mini won’t produce a dramatically bigger or more complex sound. Instead, you need a guitar with a longer scale length.

Enter the Taylor GT (Grand Theater). With a body that’s slightly bigger than the GS Mini and shallower and shorter than Taylor’s Grand Concert, the GT borrows the basic footprint of our much larger Grand Orchestra shape, but it’s scaled down to dimensions that make it incredibly comfortable to hold and play.

The Neck

Like the scaled-down body, the GT’s player-friendly neck proportions make it one of the easiest-playing necks in the Taylor line. Its scale length of 24-⅛ inches sits between the GS Mini (23-½ inches) and the full-size Grand Concert (24-⅞ inches), with the classic slender Taylor profile that has helped generations of new players feel at home on an acoustic guitar. Players will love the reduced string tension, akin to playing a guitar with a 25-½-inch scale length tuned down a half-step to E-flat. With less tension, the GT feels slinky and relaxed, enabling longer playing sessions without fatigue. The condensed fret spacing also makes it easier to form more complex chords.

To further enhance the GT’s playing feel, we’ve built it with a nut width of 1-22/32 inches, which provides ample string spacing for holding chords and plucking melodies. The GT’s neck width lands between 1-11/16-inch and 1-¾-inch, the sweet spot for ideal playability with this guitar. After all, the GT is about having fun while you play, whether you’re a seasoned acoustic player or just learning your first chords.

Small Frame, Big Sound

We knew that designing a more compact guitar would only inspire players if it could deliver a bold, full-voiced sound. For starters, we chose to craft GT models exclusively with all-solid tonewoods, delivering the kind of vibrant, textured, musically complex tone that you would expect from virtually any other guitar built in our American complex.

Even more exciting is the new interior bracing scheme developed specifically for the GT, which we’re calling C-Class bracing. It’s influenced by many of the tone-boosting properties that have made our V-Class bracing such a game-changer in the acoustic world, enhancing the volume and sustain of the GT for a bigger, richer sound. The difference is its asymmetrical architecture, which helps emphasize the GT’s lower frequencies, producing a surprisingly rich bass response not typically possible from a small body. The result is a focused, sweet and punchy sound that sounds great when plugged in with our ES2 pickup and preamp.

The Models

The Taylor GT debuts with two new models: the GT Urban Ash and its acoustic-electric counterpart, the GTe Urban Ash. These models feature back and sides of responsibly sourced Shamel ash collected from trees scheduled for removal from California municipalities. Both guitars also feature a solid spruce top. The solid ash/spruce pairing produces a rich midrange response flanked by a warm low end and pristine trebles, with a wide dynamic range that responds to both a light touch and an aggressive attack.

Other unique features were selected for tone and aesthetics, including a smoked eucalyptus fretboard, whose visual character and texture resemble rosewood with a tone profile closer to ebony. An ultra-thin, water-based matte finish preserves the GT resonance while adding a slightly raw aesthetic, in which the texture of the ash grain can be felt through the finish. Visual appointments include a rich Urban Sienna stain for the back and sides, along with Pinnacle inlays in Italian acrylic and a three-ring koa rosette. 

Each GT includes a lightweight, yet super-durable AeroCase™ for easy and safe transportation. To keep these models accessible to a wide range of players, they’re priced as the lowest solid-wood guitars in the Taylor line, alongside the American Dream Series, also released this year.

To recap, for several years, prominent environmental groups had been sounding the alarm about Chinese furniture manufacturers ravaging equatorial forests to serve a burgeoning domestic demand for rosewood furniture. They warned that without immediate action, rosewood was on the verge of extinction. CITES responded in late 2016 by listing all 200-plus species of Dalbergia (the scientific name for rosewood) on its "Appendix II," which mandated that every product containing even a smidgeon of rosewood needed a CITES-approved permit to legally cross international borders. These permits were more than just a random sheet of paper; they required full documentation of the chain of custody, from the stump to the finished product, for every piece of rosewood, as well as certification that the wood was secured in accordance with local laws and that all relevant fees and taxes were paid. Absent a fully completed license, customs officials were authorized to confiscate any shipment.

These rules went into effect January 1, 2017, taking both the musical instrument industry and global customs offices by surprise. Overnight, customs officials had to create new forms and procedures to comply with the CITES dictates, while guitar makers, piano makers, and woodwind makers pressed their wood suppliers to secure the necessary documentation. Chaos ensued. In the first quarter of 2017, global trade in guitars and woodwinds declined 50% year over year as manufacturers let instruments pile up in warehouses rather than risk confiscation for failing to comply with rules they didn't fully understand. Prominent orchestras began cancelling tours, worried that priceless violins might be seized because owners couldn't verify the provenance of a century-old rosewood fingerboard.
 
Eventually, larger manufacturers marshaled sufficient manpower to deal with the blizzard of new paperwork. However, added administrative costs often necessitated price increases. Smaller companies were not so fortunate and in many instances abandoned the export market. As one luthier told us, "At $100 per hour, the ten hours required to secure a CITES permit added $1,000 to the cost of one of my guitars. Customers just wouldn't pay it." There were some efforts to use substitute woods. However, rosewood's status as a vital musical raw material isn't an accident: its tonal quality, aesthetic beauty, and superior workability have been conclusively established over a period of centuries.

Fortunately, the industry didn't passively acquiesce. Guitar makers including Fender, Taylor, Martin, and Paul Reed Smith, along with NAMM, CAFIM (the European industry association), and several performer organizations banded together to lobby for relief. They received support from two unexpected allies: Customs offices around the world that had been overwhelmed by permit requests from instrument makers and owners, and rosewood growers in India who had long demonstrated responsible forestry practices. 

Over a two-year time frame, and with regular attendance at quarterly CITES gatherings, this coalition prevailed with persistence and a persuasive argument. Their request was simple: Apply strict permitting and licensing rules to unfinished rosewood logs and boards, but allow all finished instruments and accessories to cross borders without any CITES licensing. They argued that musical instruments consumed less than 1% of the global rosewood harvest, that the industry stood foursquare behind all conservation efforts, and that the rosewood rules represented an unnecessary burden without any offsetting benefits. Surprisingly, CITES authorities not only agreed; they took action. The cumbersome licensing regime has been repealed. 

Instruments with rosewood are now free to cross international borders. Unfortunately, the regulatory war isn't over. Environmental groups are challenging the recent rollback, arguing that it sets a dangerous precedent and creates loopholes that can be exploited by unethical furniture makers. We hope that CITES sticks to the new process of requiring licensing for raw materials only. In the meantime, congratulations and thanks to all who successfully backed and prevailed against establishment inertia. The entire musical world owes you a debt of gratitude.    

"I'm thrilled to build guitars and continue this fascinating work I've been pursuing since I was a young boy," said Powers. "It's a genuine pleasure to be able to design the best instruments I can and, within the context of Taylor Guitars, have an opportunity to serve musicians around the world."
    Dedicated to growing the business around a passion for guitar innovation, Taylor and Listug said that as they look to the future, they want to ensure that Taylor's drive to make better guitars is preserved. Powers' talent for guitar design made him their ideal choice to lead Taylor's product development for decades to come.
   "Kurt and I have been the sole owners of Taylor Guitars for decades," said Taylor. "Andy is the best guitar builder I have ever met. If anyone ever deserved to be called 'partner' with me and Kurt, it is Andy. He's vital to our future."
   Since joining Taylor, Powers has delivered a steady stream of musically inspiring innovations to the Taylor line. His designs include: V-Class bracing, a groundbreaking new internal architecture for the acoustic guitar; Builder's Edition models, which boast unique contouring and other exclusive player-friendly features; and the new Grand Pacific body shape, an entirely new flavor of Taylor tone that has broadened the sonic appeal of the company's guitars.
  Listug said Powers would help carry on the same kind of partnership dynamic he found with Taylor. "What's unique about Bob and me, and our partnership, is that one of us is a guitar maker and engineer, and the other is a businessman and sales and marketing person," said Listug. "That combination, and our shared ethics and values, are what has set us apart. Since Bob identified Andy Powers as the person to lead the company's guitar design into the future, we've all witnessed Andy's talents and seen the improvements he's made to our guitars, as well as his advancements to acoustic guitar design. We're proud to have Andy join Bob and me as a partner and shareholder in Taylor Guitars."

Previously, states could only tax sales made by businesses with a physical presence in the state. Now, what they call “Economic Nexus” (economic presence in a state) is enough to trigger a sales tax collection obligation.

Broadly, there are two categories of legislation that states can now adopt and enforce for the purposes of tax collection: “Marketplace Facilitators” and “Economic Nexus.” Hence, when MI retailers sell to Marketplace Facilitator states, Reverb will be responsible for collecting and remitting sales taxes on an MI retailer’s behalf. Also, if an MI retailer sells more than $100,000 per year or engages in 100 or more transactions in a state, through Reverb and/or any other ecommerce site, the MI retailer may need to collect and remit their own sale taxes for Economic Nexus states.

“From the beginning, our goal at Reverb has been to make it easy for anyone to buy and sell musical instruments,” David Kalt, CEO of Reverb.com, told the Music & Sound Retailer. “Many of the retailers who use our site — particularly small, micro and individually owned businesses — see Reverb as an extension of their own tech, sales, customer service and marketing teams. We take that responsibility very seriously. When a change occurs that impacts the industry, we work to help our users in two ways: by educating them on the changes that will impact them and adjusting our own tools and services to assist in any way that we can.”

Reverb is now collecting taxes in Washington state and will be collecting in all Marketplace Facilitator states shortly. Marketplace Facilitator states as of March 1 also include Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Iowa, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Virginia.

“If you are a Reverb seller in a Marketplace Facilitator state where Reverb collects and pays sales tax on your orders, you do not need to collect or remit sales taxes for your Reverb sales,” Reverb stressed. “Reverb will automatically collect sales tax for items purchased in Washington. It will not be possible for you to opt of this collection practice. The upside is that you will not have to take any additional action. There are no charges or fees for Reverb automatically calculating, collecting and remitting sales tax. You will not have to update your sales tax settings in your shop for orders shipped to Marketplace Facilitator states. Those tax settings are used for states/regions where Reverb does not automatically collect sales tax.”

Regarding PayPal-only sellers, if a buyer in Washington state, or other future Marketplace Facilitator states, purchases the order via PayPal, Reverb will supply the MI retailer with the sales tax as a part of your payout. But you should hold on to that sales tax money, because at the end of the month, Reverb will charge you for the sales tax on your monthly statement so that it can remit the tax to the relevant state.

Sales tax practices for states that adhere to Economic Nexus policies are more complicated, Reverb noted.

“The threshold of Economic Nexus is based on a combination of both sales revenue and/or transaction volume. This means that if you sell similar items in different states, you may need to pay sales tax in one but not the others. You’ll need to set up your shop’s Tax Policies to collect sales tax for each state you meet the threshold for. Note that these thresholds are not limited to sales made on Reverb — all sales channels should be taken into account when deciding which states will require you to collect sales tax.”

As for what impact the new tax rules may have, Kalt said the following: “Particularly for small-town musical instrument retailers whose local sales are limited by the total number of available customers in their town, the ability to access customers outside of their state through Reverb is crucial to the success of their business. We don’t foresee these sales tax law changes outweighing the benefits that come with that crucial out-of-state income. In Marketplace Facilitator States, Reverb will handle sales tax collection on behalf of our customers. Economic Nexus States will require additional work, but the majority of our sellers will not meet individual state thresholds and those who do will have Reverb as an added resource as we navigate these changes.”

If you’ve spent any time in the world of acoustic guitars, you’ve probably heard the terms “comfort” and “playability” thrown around like guitar picks after a show. For novices, these descriptions might seem a little vague. Let’s take a minute to clear things up.

What Makes a Guitar “Comfortable”?

When we talk about comfort, generally we’re describing the physical experience of holding and playing a guitar. This begins with the actual size and shape of the guitar, which can affect every other aspect of playing the instrument. A guitar that’s too big for the player can make it hard to get your arm comfortably over the body to play the strings (especially if you play sitting down), leading to fatigue and frustration. You should be able to reach the strings without causing soreness in your arm or shoulder. Fortunately, there are plenty of options out there to mitigate this problem.

Body Size

Back in the ’70s, big-bodied guitars like the wide-waisted dreadnought and the curvy jumbo were common. Nowadays, it’s easier than ever to find guitars with different body dimensions to physically fit your stature. In the mid-’80s, Taylor developed the smaller-body Grand Concert, a lap-friendly guitar that appealed to many fingerstyle players. A decade later, we introduced the Grand Auditorium, featuring a medium-size body that was larger than the Grand Concert but smaller and less boxy than a traditional dreadnought—featuring a more tapered waist than the dread, which allowed it to fit more comfortably in a player’s lap when seated. The Grand Auditorium went on to become our most popular shape. Not only is it comfortable for people of all sizes, but its dimensions also make it a versatile instrument that can handle a variety of playing styles and musical situations.

OK—What About “Playability”?

Playability refers to how the guitar’s neck feels in your fretting hand when you play, and how easy it is to fret and pluck the strings. This can be influenced by a variety of factors, including the profile of the neck, the “action” (how high above the fretboard the strings are), the gauge of the strings, the scale length, and the neck angle, among other things. Let’s touch on a couple of these points.

A guitar’s neck profile varies from brand to brand. Neck profile is slimmer than many other guitar brands. This makes it easier to wrap your hand around it to fret notes and form chords. Another distinctive trait of a Taylor neck is comfortably low action, which means players don’t have to apply a lot of pressure to the strings since the strings are fairly close to the fretboard. Between the profile and the action, Taylor necks are considered very playable, and less stress on your fretting hand means you’ll be less susceptible to physical fatigue. Playability is especially important for beginning players—it creates a more inviting and forgiving playing experience.

It’s also important to think about how a guitar is set up. Without getting too technical, this relates to the alignment between the neck and the body, or the neck angle.  Taylor necks feature a patented design that allows us to precisely calibrate the neck angle for an optimized setup. What’s more, the design allows the neck angle to be easily micro-adjusted throughout the course of a guitar’s life by a Taylor-authorized service technician if the guitar ever needs it.  This enables that playability to be maintained as long as you own the guitar. A service technician can also further customize a guitar’s setup for your particular playing preferences.

Ultimately, “comfort” and “playability” are intertwined. The next time you sample and compare guitars in a music store, pay attention to the physical feel of the body and the neck. A guitar that’s comfortable to play will make the experience that much more enjoyable.

GIBSON BRANDS INC. has appointed James "JC" Curleigh as president and chief executive officer. Curleigh joins Gibson from Levi Strauss & Co., where he served as president of the Levi's brand and was a member of its worldwide leadership team. Gibson also announced the appointments of Cesar Gueikian as CMO (chief merchant officer), Kim Mattoon as CFO (chief financial officer), and Christian Schmitz as CPO (chief production officer). The appointments are effective November 1, 2018.

   As the president of the Levi's brand, Curleigh guided strategic shifts, leadership team evolution, and market execution for all brands within the Levi Strauss & Co. portfolio, including Levi's, Dockers, Signature by Levi's Strauss, and DENIZEN by Levi's. Over the years, he has built a reputation as a brand-building expert and has crafted uniquely tailored solutions for a variety of other well-known consumer goods companies, including as president and CEO of KEEN Footwear and Salomon Sports NA.

   A guitar enthusiast who has been a proud owner of both Gibson and Epiphone guitars over the years (including his latest addition, a 1960's Gibson J-45 acoustic), Curleigh holds a bachelor's degree in commerce from St. Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and has furthered his executive education at both Stanford and Harvard. A triple citizen of the USA, Canada, and the U.K., he is also a member of the board of trustees for the Waterkeeper Alliance. Curleigh loves to play music, surf, ski, and travel extensively with his wife and three kids.

   A lifelong guitarist and avid Gibson collector, Gueikian joins the company as the new chief merchant officer after a 20-year career as an entrepreneur and financier, investing in the growth of companies around the world. He has led teams at global investment houses culminating with the founding and successful growth of his own firm. In his role at Gibson, he will focus on product and its evolution, commercial solutions, and connecting fans through marketing strategies to drive profitable growth.

   As CFO, Mattoon will oversee finance, IT, human resources, legal, facilities & security, and customer service, ensuring that the company builds and maintains the financial, human, and other resources necessary to sustain a growth trajectory and invest in the future. Following ten years at PricewaterhouseCoopers and senior management positions at IWC Schaffhausen, Peter Millar, The Body Shop, and most recently global luxury consumer products company Richemont North America, she brings to Gibson deep financial acumen, proven brand-building experience, and an enterprise-wide understanding of strategy and execution.

   As chief production officer, Schmitz will oversee Gibson's U.S. and global production platform, driving best practices in manufacturing, supply chain synergy, and operational excellence. He brings expertise in operations, production, and manufacturing accumulated from his years of experience working with a variety of industries and global brands. Schmitz has been a key member of the transition team at Gibson over the past year, and his operational leadership, experience, and focus on collaboration and teamwork will immediately benefit the company.

   Nat Zilkha, incoming chairman of Gibson's board of directors and representing KKR, Gibson's new majority ownership group, said, "JC's track record speaks for itself. He's a rock star when it comes to understanding consumers and shaping a marketplace, working with retail partners, and building world-class brands. JC, Cesar, Kim, and Christian bring new energy and vision to Gibson, fueled by authentic passion for the company and music. On behalf of Gibson's board of directors, I look forward to partnering with them to help Gibson achieve its strategic vision and forge a successful, bright future for the company and all of its stakeholders."

   Gibson will emerge from bankruptcy protection on November 1, 2018. Upon emergence, KKR will be the majority owner with the controlling interest of the company. KKR is a leading global investment firm that has an extensive track record of successful investments in retail and consumer industries, helping its portfolio companies achieve sustainable long-term growth.

The Builder's Edition 614ce features Taylor's Grand Auditorium body shape, with a torrefied Sitka spruce top, figured Big Leaf maple back and sides, and patented V-Class bracing. Designed for comfort and playability, the 614ce's ergonomic body also sees details like a beveled armrest with beveled body edge treatment and a double-carved cutaway allowing for fluid access to the higher frets without changing hand position.

Taylor also announced that, with the release of the new 300 Series and 400 Series models, its V-Class bracing system is now available across all of the series of guitars made at the company’s factory in El Cajon, California. “This [V-Class bracing] design makes the tonewood pairings extra vibrant,” says Taylor Master Guitar Designer Andy Powers. “You hear a more distinct version of each wood’s sonic flavor.”

The 300 Series models come in 314ce and 324ce variants, with the former featuring a solid Sitka spruce top with solid sapele back and sides and that latter featuring a solid mahogany top with Tasmanian blackwood back and sides.

The 400 Series also boasts two new models, with the 414ce boasting a Sitka spruce top with African ovangkol back and sides, Small Diamond fretboard inlays with an Engraved Diamond peghead inlay, and packed with ES2 electronics. The 414ce-R, meanwhile, pairs solid rosewood with Sitka spruce for a classic, rich and balanced full-spectrum voice.

LOOMING MATURITIES on approximately $500 million in debt have forced Gibson Brands to file for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 1. Under a proposed reorganization plan, the company will liquidate the consumer electronics business it acquired from Philips in June of 2014 and focus its resources on its musical instrument business, which includes the Gibson and Epiphone guitar brands, and the KRK and Stanton audio brands, according to documents filed in a Delaware court. Court filings indicate that 69% of the bond holders have agreed in principle to provide $135 million in debtor-in-possession financing to fund the continuing operation of the musical instrument business during the bankruptcy proceedings.

Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz (left) and President Dave Berryman 

   The proposed reorganization plan wipes out the ownership stake of existing Gibson shareholders, including CEO Henry Juszkiewicz, who held a 36% stake, and President Dave Berryman, who held a 49% stake. However, Berryman will be retained for a one-year period at a salary of $3.35 million to aid in a management transition, and Juszkiewicz will receive $2.1 million to provide consulting services for a year. Juszkiewicz will also receive approximately $1.5 million in profits from the sale of shares in TEAC held by Gibson brands. Juszkiewicz and Berryman will each also receive warrants to purchase a 2.25% interest in the reorganized company over the next five years.

   Court filings indicate that Gibson's core musical instrument and pro audio businesses are financially viable unlike the struggling consumer electronics division, which operates under the Gibson Innovation banner. In the fourth quarter of 2017, the musical instrument business achieved earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of $26 million on revenues of $71 million. By contrast, Gibson Innovations had negative EBITDA of $8 million on revenues of $95 million. Gibson guitar revenues for the 12 months ended January 31, 2018 were $122 million, a 10% increase over the $110 million for the same period a year ago.

   The financial woes of Gibson's consumer electronics business, which sells headphones, speakers, and a range of accessory products, became critical in early 2017. Due to a 25% drop in revenues, the company had its vendor credit lines trimmed by more than $100 million, significantly reducing its ability to secure inventory. Simultaneously, it lacked the cash to pay the steep costs associated with laying off legacy Philips employees in Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Brian Fox, a partner with the law firm Alvarez & Marshall, who serves as chief restructuring officer, explained, "The company was trapped in a vicious cycle where it lacked the liquidity to buy inventory and drive sales, while at the same time it lacked the liquidity to rationalize its workforce to match its diminished operations."

   As finances deteriorated during the course of 2017, Gibson retained investment banker Jefferies Group LLC to develop a reorganization plan. During the course of 2017, Jefferies contacted 57 entities, both financial and strategic, about participating in either a sale or recapitalization of the company. In a court filing, Fox explained, "Financiers who reviewed the company saw the Gibson brand as strong and a great opportunity in the m.i. business. But the challenges of the Gibson Innovation business were too great to commit to a refinancing of the entire company."

   Juskiewicz said of the bankruptcy proceedings, "Importantly, this process will be virtually invisible to customers, all of whom can continue to rely on Gibson to provide unparalleled products and customer service. Over the past 12 months, we have made substantial strides through an operational restructuring. We have sold non-core brands, increased earnings, and reduced working capital demands. The decision to re-focus on our core business, musical instruments, combined with the significant support from our noteholders, we believe will ensure the company's long-term stability and financial health."

814ce DLX V-Class Grand Auditorium - The solid Sitka spruce top and solid Indian rosewood on the 814ce DLX model provide a nice balance of warm mids and crisp treble tones. It has a West African ebony fretboard and tropical mahogany neck. To lower the stress on your strumming/picking arm, Taylor has added a radius-style maple armrest to the body shape. The Adirondack spruce used for the bracing allows the guitar to be very dynamic, really shining when flatpicking and fingerpicking, as well as when strumming at medium strength. A perk of going with the DLX model is that you also get chrome Gotoh tuning machines with a 21:1 ratio. This means your tuning machines will be extremely accurate and precise.

814ce V-Class Grand Auditorium - The 814ce V-Class acoustic, a popular member of the 800 series, also boasts a solid Sitka spruce top and solid Indian rosewood back and sides. This guitar will quickly establish itself as one of the best acoustic guitars for fingerpicking and flatpicking. The dynamic Taylor Expression System® 2 makes it a great choice for a gigging musician. The tuning machines are Taylor’s own nickel tuners with nickel buttons. The headstock features a custom mother-of-pearl appointment that matches the fretboard inlays.

714ce V-Class Grand Auditorium - The 714ce V-Class has a solid Lutz spruce top, which contributes to the impressive volume and projection of this acoustic. The rich tone of the rosewood back and sides helps to round out the sound. The earthy look and feel of this guitar stem from its koa binding and a rosette and top trim made from a herringbone-style Douglas fir and maple. This guitar also features the Taylor Expression System® 2 and Taylor nickel tuners with nickel buttons. The 714ce V-Class acoustic comes in both a Natural finish and Western Sunburst.

614ce V-Class Grand Auditorium - Last but not least, the 614ce V-Class acoustic has a solid torrified maple top and solid figured big leaf maple back and sides. As an homage to the stains used on instruments from the violin family, Taylor has opted for a hand-rubbed Brown Sugar stain that intensifies the figuring of the maple. This guitar has a warm, rich sustain that makes it another great candidate for medium strumming and fingerpicking. The 614ce V-Class model also features the Taylor Expression System® 2, making it a top choice for those who gig or just want to plug their acoustic in.

  Answers to that question are offered up in articles in this issue about two companies that are introducing a new take on the much beloved flat top acoustic. Taylor Guitars has unveiled a new bracing pattern that represents a sharp break with tradition, while the people making Breedlove and Bedell guitars have adopted a new approach to the production process. Taylor's Andy Powers says the new bracing pattern was inspired by a desire to create an instrument better suited for a musical environment populated by electronic instruments and vocalists using Auto-Tune. Tom Bedell contends that a better understanding of the inherent nature of wood led him to rethink long-held assumptions about guitar building. Both are eminently plausible arguments that will be put to a critical test in the months ahead when players make purchasing decisions. 

   However, there's more at work here than just two businesses striving to differentiate their products in the hope of securing market share. This refusal to let the status quo stand speaks to something deep in the human psyche. Maybe it has to do with the perpetual state of discontent that prompts some to never leave well enough alone. There's a sizable amount of ego involved as well: the belief that "I" have a better way is a powerful motivator. Wherever it springs from, it's certainly not a new phenomenon. Consider the story of Adam and Eve. They were given a Paradise--comfort, abundance, and eternal life--but even that wasn't enough to placate their dissatisfaction. They couldn't help themselves and they reached for more. You don't have to be a Fundamentalist to appreciate this insight into human character.

   This human trait will be on prominent display at the NAMM Show where there will be close to 2,000 companies, most of which will be offering "new and improved" products. It's easy to make fun of the public relations hyperbole that surrounds many of these product launches. Is another distortion pedal really going to "change the world"? Will the redesign of a 75-year-old tube amp "determine the definition of great tone for generations to come?" Can the latest piece of software really turn any talentless clod into another Quincy Jones? But if you strip away the over-inflated claims and disregard some of the truly dumb new products, it's hard not to see something wonderful at work here.

   From one year to the next, the strident claims of "revolutionary," "innovative," and "unprecedented," don't always square with the reality of incremental product improvements. There will be a lot of great stuff on display in Anaheim this year, but it's not as if last year's product offering was so woefully inadequate. Over time, though, these incremental improvements, driven by human restlessness, really add up and enhance the human experience.

   Our memories tend to be short. What is initially hailed as a great innovation quickly becomes seen as commonplace and eventually is taken for granted as a basic necessity, like air. Or broadband, once viewed as a marvel, but now considered a basic human right. Within the music industry, extremely functional guitars for $200, 64-note polyphonic keyboards for about the same price, and a multi-track recording app for $4.99 are just a few of the products that not too long ago inspired wonder and awe but are now greeted with a yawn. This quest for improvement has been evident in the distribution channel as well. While it's commonplace to bemoan the margin compression that has taken place at retail, it's really just a reflection of improved efficiencies, moving goods into the hands of the public.

   Just as Adam and Eve's discontent came with some adverse consequences, there are also downsides to the contemporary quest for continual improvement. More precisely, it creates a pretty unforgiving environment for those who fail to keep up. Much has been written about the need to manage change in a rapidly evolving world and the dire consequences of getting passed by. But for the moment, we'll put those musings aside to celebrate the ingenuity that underpins the tremendous array of products on display in Anaheim. The world would be a lot less interesting without it.

The trouble is, volume and sustain exist on a spectrum together. Both traits are defined in large part by the guitar’s soundboard, or its top. When a string is struck, the vibration energy is transferred into the top wood, which is primarily responsible for pushing the sound that we hear from the guitar. Beneath the top is the bracing, which helps to shape the guitar’s voice by defining how the top vibrates. Traditionally, luthiers have used bracing to adjust the flexibility and stiffness of the top, looking for the sweet spot that produces the best possible blend of volume and sustain.

Because of the mechanics of wave physics, these are opposed qualities—when you boost one, you usually diminish the other. Here’s how volume and sustain work and why the structure of the guitar affects their interaction.

Volume

In simple acoustic guitar terms, volume is a product of the guitar’s vibration. In the case of acoustic guitars, most, but not all, of that vibration comes from the guitar’s top. The top must be flexible enough to vibrate freely, but strong enough to maintain the structure of the guitar.

Volume increases happen when the string’s vibration energy travels through a flexible material like a guitar top. Other instruments use surfaces that are even more flexible, such as the drum head on a banjo. However, since the surface of a banjo is so soft, the energy from the string’s vibration is almost immediately absorbed. It dissipates quickly, and the notes disappears with little to no sustain. That’s where rigidity comes into play.

Sustain

Sustain is a deceptively simple term used to describe a complex idea when it comes to building guitars. In short, sustain refers to the length of time a note audibly resonates. It’s also similar to volume in that sustain is a function of the guitar’s structure. However, sustain comes from rigidity rather than flexibility.

In order for a note to sustain past its initial attack, the string must continue to vibrate and push sound waves into the guitar body. For that to happen, the material of the instrument must be dense and rigid enough that it doesn’t begin to vibrate along with the string. When that energy is allowed to transfer into the top and body woods of the guitar, the string loses vibration, and the note fades.

That’s why you’ll hear such amazing sustain from heavy, dense instruments. For example, the Les Paul electric guitar is known for its incredible sustain largely because its heavy, solid wood body doesn’t absorb the vibration of the strings. All that energy and movement remains in the strings, allowing you to hold that note for what feels like forever. However, the string produces almost no volume in this case. That’s why electric guitars require amplification in order to be heard.

Read more about how guitars are voiced through bracing and tonewoods

Limited edition cutaway Grand Auditorium featuring Cocobolo back and sides, Sitka Spruce top, and Performance bracing with relief rout. Other unique details include a shaded edgeburst (entire guitar) and 6-mil gloss finish body. Otherwise, 900 Series specifications apply: abalone/pearl Ascension fretboard inlays, West African ebony binding and beveled armrest, single ring paua rosette with koa/ebony purfling, koa/pau edge trim (top, fretboard extension), koa purfling (top, back, sides, fretboard, peghead), Gotoh gold tuners, and Expression System® 2 electronics. Includes a Limited Edition label and ships in a Taylor deluxe hardshell case.

K24ce

Limited edition cutaway Grand Auditorium featuring Koa top, back (3-piece) and sides. The 12-fret model has a 24-7/8” scale length (solid peghead); the 14-fret has a 25.5” scale length. Additional details include Performance bracing with relief rout, koa/boxwood Ocean Vine fretboard/peghead/bridge inlay, figured maple binding (body, fretboard, heel cap, peghead), figured maple rosette (fishbone-style pattern), gloss-finish body with shaded edgeburst (entire guitar), Taylor nickel tuners, and Expression System® 2 electronics. Includes a Limited Edition label and ships in a Taylor deluxe hardshell case.

Call 310.246.1933 to order

Designing a custom acoustic instrument with the Custom Sound Studio team in Bend, OR is an amazing experience for guitar enthusiasts. Imagine walking into the private design space and having an entire day to learn about all of the custom options, body shapes and details which go into a custom instrument - then working with the design team to pick out all of the specific tonewoods and distinct elements to make your dream instrument. While this process is considered the ultimate treat by some, it can also be somewhat overwhelming for the 1st time designer. But worry not, our experienced team loves working with new designers and will patiently walk you through the entire process. To offer some additional insight into the design process, we recently interviewed our top Sound Studio designer, Erika Mohr, for an inside look at what a custom guitar buyer needs to consider.

Body Shape

The body shape is a very important aspect of the build. We offer a variety of body shapes, such as dreadnought, concert, parlor, auditorium and jumbo. Each body shape is responsible for producing unique tonal complexities. To learn more, check out these body shape videos from our Custom Sound Studio Website.

Top Wood
It is argued that upward os 80% of the tonal property of an acoustic guitar comes from the top.  The top serves as the soundboard for the movement of the strings and produces sounds dependent on the wood type used.  Wood choices range from softer woods such as Redwood and Western Red Cedar that lend themselves well to a softer touches and fingerstyle playing to stiffer woods such as Adirondack Spruce and Bear Claw Sitka Spruce that stand up to an aggressive playing style and project into the audience. View examples of the various tonewoods.

Back and Side Wood

Back & Side woods are instrumental in providing tonal characteristics of the guitar such as  bass and treble character of the instrument.  A wood such as Maple lends a treble character to the guitar and produces a note to note clarity that makes it desired for recording.  On the other end of the spectrum, woods in the Rosewood family such as East Indian Rosewood, Brazilian Rosewood and Cocobolo are heralded for their strong bass response.  The spectrum of back and sides woods are varied in their looks and sound properties and offer something for everyone. View examples of the various tonewoods.

Finish

Many custom guitars are finished with a clear coat of finish that highlights the  figure, color and grain of the fine tonewoods used.  Also available to enhance appearance of the guitar are a selection of opaque to transparent bursts and stains.  Some color finishes are subtle and serve to highlight the natural character of the wood such as an aged toner top.  This transparent stain serves to warm up the golden hues of spruce top to mimic the aging process of a guitar top.  It also pulls out the striking cross-striations of Bear Claw Sitka Spruce.  Other color work in the form of bursts can range from subtle banded bursts to more dramatic teardrop burst.  The color options are endless.

Binding  Package

The binding serves to create clean zones of distinction between the top, back and sides woods and offer a decorative and structural element to the guitar design.  The looks range from simple black plastic to exotic wood binding such as Bloodwood or Koa binding.  Purfling on the top back and sides help sharpen the zones of transition between the wood.  Purfling can be as simple as black/white/black lines to much more complex and noticeable Abalone purfling or Herringbone marquetry.
 
Inlay

Inlay is a way to deeply personalize an instrument.  Choose a standard inlay that expresses your style ranging from the simple and clean Offset dots position markers to the more intricate stylings of a River of Life inlay.  Collaborate with our inlay design team to design your own unique inlay.  The final custom design may spring from an abstract conversation that is interpreted to the fingerboard canvas to a inlay based off of a concrete drawing or photo.  The use of various inlay materials help bring the inlay alive with color and movement.  The materials range from iridescent shell: Abalone, Mother of Pearl, Sea Snail to the bright colors of reconstituted stone: Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Coral, and Agate to name but a few of the options available.

Give us a call when you are ready to build that special guitar. We are the top custom shop dealers for every brand we carry, so you are in good hands.

High Action - Very high action/string height will cause a string to be stretched too much as it is fretted. When string height is too high, chords and notes can sound out of tune A properly set up will correc this

Excessive Neck Relief - A neck with far too much relief (bowing in the neck) not only shortens the distance between the nut and saddle, it raises the string's distance from the frets. Correct this by djusting the truss rod.

Leaning Saddle - The saddle should sit firmly in the bridge. A loose saddle can lean forward, shortening the string's length and sharpening the intonation. Correct this by replace the saddle for proper fit.

Worn Saddle Crown - Deep notches in the saddle may change the string's length. Replace or re-surface the saddle.

Fret Wear - Frets that are badly grooved or have flat crowns will also throw off intonation as the string's length is changed. Worn frets can be leveled and re-crowned to remove the grooves. Severely worn frets may require replacement.

Fret Height - Instruments with very tall fret wire can play incredibly sharp if the string is fretted hard. Using an electronic tuner fret a note and watch the tuner as you apply more or less pressure to the string to view the effects. If the fret crown is very tall, fret leveling and re-crowning can reduce it's height.

String Quality & Gauge - String quality has really only been an issue for my clients when purchasing no name strings from auction sites. While seemingly cost effective some are notorious for bad intonation. When re-stringing an instrument that has been properly set up it is important to use the same string gauge. Saddle compensation, neck relief and action have all been set for a particular string gauge. Increasing the tension of the strings can cause sharper intonation. If the instrument played in tune before and no changes have been made to the instrument you may wish to change strings first.

Saddle Placement - The string is always resting in the nut's slot and on the saddle's crown. Changing the position of the saddle or nut will therefore change the length of the string. A string that is too long will cause the intonation to be flat at the 12th fret. A string that is too short will cause the intonation to be sharp at the 12th fret. The saddle's crown may need compensation or, in more severe cases, the bridge saddle slot may need to be moved.

Fret Spacing - This is generally seen on inexpensive imported instruments and some vintage pieces with hand slotted fretboard's. To correct this would require fingerboard replacement.

Playing Technique - Some players have a rather powerful fretting technique in which they place excessive pressure on the strings when fretting. If the instrument happens to have fairly tall frets the combination often results in sharp intonation. To illustrate, use an electronic tuner and play a note using varying fretting pressure. The tuner will show you how your pressure effects the note.

All-graphite construction and Projection Tuned Layering(TM) mean great sound. Projection Tuned Layering was developed by RainSong to ensure that all RainSongs have the crystal detail, warmth and volume of the classic carbon sound. In conventional guitars, acoustic volume is limited by the weight of bracing. Also, bracing provides only local, non-uniform stiffness, resulting in varying amounts of undesirable overtones and some deadening of tone and detail. RainSong's all-graphite construction and Projection Tuned Layering remove the need for bracing by providing uniform stiffness across the soundboard. RainSongs are made entirely without braces for greater acoustic volume and clean, detailed tone.

Pure carbon tone is an utterly unique sound. It is clear, rich and resonant, similar to a piano, with a treble that rings with crystalline clarity and a bass that is warm without being muddy. And, because of Projection Tuned Layering's uniform stiffness, the RainSong acoustic sound is impeccably balanced and very, VERY loud. Once you have heard the classic carbon sound you'll recognize it anywhere, as distinctive as anything on earth.

Impervious to Humidity and Temperature changes the inherent strength of graphite means a guitar that can survive travel and changes in the environment, while the stability of graphite means a guitar that will stay in tune, evidenced by the fact that all RainSongs are shipped from the factory tuned to concert pitch. The all-graphite soundboard will not belly, sink, or crack and the all-graphite neck will not warp with changes in climate. Light in weight, with a proportioned balance that makes it comfortable to cradle or stand with, RainSong is the ultimate combination of workhorse and racehorse for the professional musician.

Performance Shape-Cast™ necks are unique in design, with a feel that is at once comfortable and different, RainSong necks are thin and easy to play. Performance Shape Casting™, a process invented by RainSong, allows necks and fretboards to be cast simultaneously as a single graphite matrix. Tolerances can be maintained with RainSong necks that are unheard of with more conventional neck shaping methods. Performance Shape Casting also ensures that fretslots are accurately positioned for flawless intonation with no dead spots. As a result, action can be set low for fast, buzz-free playing. Finally, extreme strength and stiffness and tight tolerances of Performance Shape Casting means that RainSong necks will never twist, warp, bow or need any adjustment whatsoever. Some RainSong necks feature truss rods only to allow customization of the neck relief to individual preferences.

High-tech bonding materials RainSong uses the same technology in bonding its bridges and necks that is used in making planes, rockets and satellite equipment. Stronger than the bonds of any wood glue or off-the-shelf epoxy, the RainSong high-tech materials and techniques combine for a smoother passage of energy from string to soundboard, for greater detail, a broader dynamic range and cleaner tone.

Beautiful appearance RainSong believes that graphite is not something to cover up. That's why RainSongs are finished clear, to expose all the shimmering three-dimensional beauty and distinction of graphite's weave. RainSong has developed the best possible finish for protection and appearance without dampening sound. Layer after layer of clear UV protective finish is applied, sanded and buffed until only the thinnest mirrored surface remains. A carefully book-matched back of graphite weave, perfectly inlayed custom shark fret-markers and rosette give RainSong a striking and refined look. Top-of-the-line hardware balances the composition in cool chrome.

Great plugged in sound. Electronics are not an afterthought at RainSong; they are an integral and important part of the RainSong experience. Because graphite is a natural enhancer of electrical energy, the all-graphite construction of RainSong works wonders with pickups. Plug a RainSong in and the world stands on its head; all the subtle richness of the classic carbon sound is amplified into a unique bloom of harmonics and tone.

Expert fret job and set up All fret jobs and set ups are done individually by expert luthiers at RainSong's Woodinville factory. The frets are top quality nickel alloy for low wear and great looks. And, because RainSong necks are so stable, action can be exceptionally low for easy and comfortable playing.

When Taylor set out to redesign its Jumbo guitar, one of the underlying goals was to capture everything that people love about a big-voiced instrument, while also expanding its versatility to appeal to broader mix of players. The result was an entirely new body shape, the Grand Orchestra (GO), and it breaks the mold in terms of the playability and tonal personality of a big-bodied guitar. Below are three reasons it earned “Best Acoustic Guitar” honors from The Music & Sound Retailer magazine.

It’s Taylor’s most dynamic voice.

Between the body’s voluptuous dimensions and proprietary bracing, the GO’s tonal response is bold, rich and complex, with sustain for days. If you’re a bluegrass player or flatpicker with a strong attack, the GO unleashes plenty of low-end power. If you’re a solo player or singer-songwriter, the GO offers a lush wall of sound with a strong low end and lots of clear tonal detail, giving you an expressive musical palette to tap into.

It’s incredibly balanced.

A lot of bigger guitars deliver plenty of low end without much on top. As a result, the lack of tonal uniformity limits the playing experience. The GO responds with a wonderfully linear, balanced tone from bottom to top, and from one end of the fretboard to the other. Even the treble notes sound rich and round, and they won’t get swallowed up by the bass notes. The uniformity of character gives players more consistency, and as a result, more tonal control. You won’t have to play around the limitations of the instrument.

It’s surprisingly responsive.

Another shortcoming of most bigger guitars is that they require a lot of energy from the player to set the top in motion. Not the GO. Thanks to its unique bracing scheme, it responds well to a delicate touch, making it one of the most responsive and fingerstyle-friendly big guitars you’ll ever play.

Breedlove

As one of the few Breedlove Distinctive dealers, we have access to the absolute best that this boutiqe builder has to offer which translates to some amazing guitars in stock. We also have a great selection of standard US made models as well as those affordable imports so keep an eye on our Breedlove section. it's updated daily!

Eastman Guitars and Mandolins

We have been quite pleased with the amazing guitars Eastman has been sending us including the E15SS, and E10SS customs they built for us. This year they added the new 00 Series which has been a huge hit. Keep an eye on our Eastman section for regular inventory updates. As you will see we have the largest selection in stock and we always feature actua photos of the guitars.

Taylor

We have been one of Taylors top dealers since we added the brand to our lineup and we have no plans to slow down. Their design team, headed by master Luthier Andy Powers has been quite busy in 2014, just look at our Taylor section and you will see the new revoiced 800 series guitars and some prototypes of things to come.

Martin

2014 was our biggest year yet with Martin and we have no plans to slow down. As with Taylor, it is quickly becoming apparant that when you are thinking Custom Shop there is no better place than LA Guitar Sales. Not only do we have the best selection of Custom Martins on hand, but are also the best place to order your one off custom. With our extensive expereince we will guide you through the process and ake sure you get the right custom for you.

RainSong

Easily the finest carbon fiber guitar you can buy, Rainsong continues impress folks who never thought they would own anything buy wood guitars. Besides the amazing tone, these guitars can go where no wood guitar should be taken. We are Rainsong top dealer with the best selection on hand, we invite you stop in the store or call us to see if one of these guitars is right for you.

Pre-owned guitars

As most of you know we built LA Guitar Sales on used guitar sales and we have not forgotten our roots. We will continue to offer top dollar for trade ins and the best place for folks to consign their guitars so expect to see some amazing pre owned guitars in our used section.

Facebook!

Our Facebook page is where you will hear about new arrivals, specials and giveaways so don't forget to Like our page.

As humidity increases, moisture content of wood goes up rapidly, causing it to expand and swell. A gradual increase in humidity won’t generally do permanent damage to your instrument. When very high humidity is combined with high temperature, glue joints could possibly become weakened and may even open slightly. If your guitar is exposed to high temperature or humidity for any length of time, the glue under the bridge could weaken causing the bridge to pull off.

Rapid changes in local humidity are what you want to guard against. If, for instance, you place your guitar near a source of dry heat, the humidity around it will drop much faster than it would naturally, although a sudden dry spell can have the same effect. If the moisture content of wood is forced down in a hurry, portions of it shrink faster than others, causing cracks and open joints. Don’t set your instrument next to a source of heat or hang it on a wall where it will dry out. At all costs, avoid hanging your guitar on an outside wall during winter months. The wall will be cooler than the inside air. The result is a conflict between the temperature of the top and back, with potential damage as a result.

Should the guitar be exposed to freezing temperatures, let it warm to room temperature while still in its case. This lets it come up to room temperature more slowly, decreasing the possibility of wood and finish cracks.

Caution should be taken if you choose to use a humidifier to combat low humidity. Moisture in direct contact with the guitar could cause damage, as can the rubber or vinyl parts of a humidifier.

Guitar bracing serves two functions, it strengthens the guitar, and it will "color" the tone. High quality acoustic guitars primarily use high density spruce, with the grain aligned vertically. The high strength to weight ratio means that the braces can be "scalloped", or lightened. The lighter weight scalloped braces allow the soundboard to vibrate more freely, which gives the guitar a fuller, warmer, more resonant tone, but it can give up some "headroom", clarity at high volume.

Definitions of the Guitar's Interior Parts

X-Brace: This is the main brace which forms an X pattern just below the sound hole. The degree of the X shape contributes to the balance between treble and bass tones, a lesser degree raises the treble, and a wider splay increases the bass.

Soundhole: The sound hole's size also contributes to the tone. The larger the sound hole the more treble.

Neck Block: Sometimes called the top block. This is where the neck fits into, either by tenons or screws.

Tail Block: sometimes called the bottom block. The main purpose is for strength at the bottom of the guitar, and for tail pin support.

Lining: The lining's main purpose is to widen the gluing area for the attachment of the soundboard and the back to the sides. Most lining has many small saw cuts to facilitate bending and is called kerfed lining.

Tone Bars: They strengthen the lower section of the guitar body (lower bout), and to balance the treble and bass tones.

Treble Braces: These strengthen the top and increase the treble.

Cross Strut: The cross strut strengthens the top under the fretboard. It's thick due to the high tension the neck exerts on the top in this area.

Soundboard: This is the main vibrating plate of an acoustic guitar, and produces most of the sound.

Bridge Plate: This strengthens the area under the bridge, and provides a hard surface so the ball ends of the strings don't wear through the relatively soft top.

Side Bracing: These can be found on small shop guitars. They add stregthe to the sides and can enhance tone.

Enjoy!