One of the finest sets of quartersawn Brazilian rosewood that you'll see on a modern guitar paired with an Adirondack top for the look of an old 'bone...in short, an unforgettable guitar. Keith Sewell owns the sister guitar to this one, one of three exceptional instruments made from a valuable billet of old growth Brazilian. An extremely loud, powerful instrument, this dreadnought excels as a flatpicking jam guitar. The bass is rich and full, mids are punchy, and the trebles are round and clear. While the expected overtones of Brazilian are present, the projection and clarity of the tone take this guitar away from the category of Goodall-like "lap pianos" and into the revered status of the banjo killer. Several of the signature elements of the Rockbridge approach to guitars are featured here - low action from the maker with a high saddle to create a sharp break angle and to ensure that the saddle can be lowered many times before a neck reset is needed, along with the "semi-gloss" neck that has recently become a popular option: Brian and Randall start with a gloss neck, then take the shine and stickiness away wherever your left hand touches to give a vintage vibe and a faster feel.
This is a new old stock guitar with a bit of a story. It was completed in December of 2006. A client purchased the guitar in mid-2007, but to our dismay, this beautiful instrument was damaged by the U.S. Postal Service en route to the client who had purchased it. The guitar sustained a minor crack to the back on the lower bout, very close to the edge of the guitar. After a lengthy insurance battle, the USPS refused to cover repairs. While waiting for resolution, I could take no action on repairs. Consequently, the guitar was used as a demo instrument over several months and sustained very light playwear swirls on the pickguard. In December of 2007, Brian and Randall at Rockbridge totally repaired and reconditioned the guitar. The crack was minor enough that it did not require cleating and it is now invisible. As the repair disturbed the back finish, Brian and Randall elected to completely recondition the guitar by refinishing the back and sides with their newest finish formulation...and it looks great! I also had the guys at Rockbridge make the neck slightly less meaty than their normal profile, so the guitar is definitely ready to go on all counts.
If ordered today, this guitar would be at least $6200, including the original $1000 upgrade for this memorable Brazilian set (with the current Brazilian situation, the upgrade would be even higher if a similar quality set was available). The price has been reduced to reflect the circumstances...but please do understand that this guitar is a new, fully warrantied instrument that shows no evidence of a repair. Here's a fine instrument that's been sitting silent far too long - make this heirloom-quality guitar yours today!
