With the recent introduction of the all-myrtlewood Breedlove Concerto, the Oregon-based guitar company became the first large-scale US manufacturer to incorporate this intriguing tonewood in a production line of instruments.
Nothing is more traditional than a dreadnought-sized guitar, but add a slim-neck profile, an elegant Venetian cutaway, and an innovative pickup system that accurately represents the true acoustic nature of the guitar in an amplified setting, and you have the Taylor 410ce-R, a modern acoustic guitar that speaks to a wide spectrum of players.
Fender Guitars, long known for its iconic Strats and Teles, may turn a few heads with the flame-maple-topped, dreadnought-sized T-Bucket 400CE, which is not only good looking, but sounds good and, most importantly, is affordable.
The Guild D-40 has a long history of producing an iconic sound. Much of the desirable tone heard on 1960s folk-revival recordings is compliments of a Guild D-40, which was introduced in 1963.
The CS-Bluegrass-16's sound is nicely split between robust fundamentals and shimmering overtones. It’s everything a fine dreadnought should be—and then some.
With a street price of just under a grand, this Macassar is one of Martin’s least expensive guitars, but it’s not an inferior instrument. A solidly built guitar with a winning personality and Fishman Sonitone electronics, it’s a smart choice for a beginner or a cost-conscious pro.
I am a little snobbish when it comes to instruments, but two new Eastman guitars—the AC–GA1CE and AC–GA2CE—have led me to reappraise my view of lower-priced models.
Some skeptical guitarists might see phrases like “thermally cured” and “hide glue” as mere marketing tools, but there’s no denying that the J-45 Vintage has a full, rich voice with excellent definition and note separation. When I play it in the Carter style, I’m struck both by the depth of the bass notes and the crispness of the chordal accents. When I pick some G runs, I’m taken with the string-to-string balance and the thickness of the single notes.
The first thing you notice when you strum the Blueridge BG-1500ESB Jumbo is the robust warmth of its tone—like a splash of sunlight filtering through tall trees in the Smoky Mountains that give this company its name.
the 914ce is made from a gorgeous selection of tonewoods, all solid—Sitka spruce for the top; Indian rosewood for the back and sides; and ebony for the fretboard, bridge, armrest, headstock overlays, heel cap, bridge pins, and bindings.
The satin finish and slender neck makes for a decidedly modern feel, but it also has a warm, honeyed sound characteristic of the classic 1940s flattop to which it pays tribute.
In late 2013, Keith Richards told the Wall Street Journal how he came up with the right textures for one of the Rolling Stones’ most famous riffs: the intro to “Street Fighting Man.” He’d been experimenting with open tunings, recording his ideas on the fly on an early Philips cassette…
This guitar has a low-end depth and looseness that makes it sound like a larger guitar, with super-low action and a relatively shallow, half-rounded neck.
Gibson's reintroduced J-35 is built in Bozeman, Montana, has all the sonic and aesthetic charm of its ancestor, and is once again priced competitively.
