wrc254: Cocobolo Ditson-template
Parlor Guitar
A modern-day recreation of a delightful, but little-known historic
guitar form--the "Grand Concert" model made for the Oliver Ditson music
emporium of Chicago by CF Martin and Co during the late 1920s. True to its original form, it was a
12-fret to the body, 13-1/2 inch parlor-sized guitar with slotted peghead
and a pyramid bridge built in the "Spanish Style." Surprisingly loud
for its size, with a quick-response and a sweet, balanced tone.
$4100.00 plus case and shipping
| Neck | Pattern-grade Honduras
Mahogany, 12 frets to body |
Purflings | Black-white black fiber line around body, sides and back |
| Top | Premium-grade British Columbia Englemann spruce, highly silked. | Bridge | Traditional "spanish-style" pyramid-ends ebony bridge with matching ebony, pearl-dot bridge pins |
| Back/ Sides |
Arrow-straight, picture-perfect Cocobolo back and sides | Tuners | Waverly side-mounts with solid ebony buttons |
| Bindings | Matching cocobolo, lending a formal, classic look to the soundbox | Headpiece Veneer |
Matched Cocobolo rosewood |
| Finger board |
Ebony with white side-dots only (additional markers can be added to suit) | Rosette | First ring: fine bwb lines; Second ring: Paua snail circle bordered with fine bwb lines |
| Back stripe |
Paua snail shell strip inlay | Heelcap | Thai rosewood, paua shell inlay matches back |
| Nut width | 1-7/8 inches | String spacing @ bridge | 2-5/16 inches | Scale length |
25.0 inches | Max. body depth | 4 inches | Max. Body width | 13.5 inches |
wrc268: Thai/Cocobolo 16" Steel-String
An unusual combination of glassy hardwoods, a large soundbox (similar in
size to a Martin 'M' or OOOO) and a wide string array combine to provide a
fingerpicker's instrument with an expanded bass response.
$4000.00 plus case and shipping
| Neck | Pattern-grade Honduras
Mahogany, 14 frets to body |
Purflings | Black and white fiber "rope" on top; fine bwb line around body and back |
| Top | Premium-grade British Columbia/KermodieŽ Englemann/Sitka hybrid | Bridge | Std. belly style bridge made from matching Cocobolo with rosewood bridge pins, each pin with a brass-bordered pearl dot inlay |
| Back/ Sides |
Arrow-straight Thai Rosewood back and Cocobolo sides | Tuners | Waverly with chrome butterbean buttons |
| Bindings | Curly Rock Maple | Headpiece Veneer |
Matched Cocobolo rosewood with Cumpiano logo |
| Finger board |
Rosewood with white side-dots only (additional markers can be added to suit) | Rosette | First ring: fine bwb lines; Second ring: Paua snail circle bordered with fine bwb lines |
| Back stripe |
Paua snail shell inlay | Heelcap | Thai rosewood, matches back |
| Nut width | 1-3/4 inches | String spacing @ bridge | 2-1/4 inches | Scale length |
25.4 inches | Max. body depth | 4-1/8 inches | Max. Body width | 16 inches |
wrc253: Hawaiian Koa Ditson-template
Parlor guitar
Obviously, I love making these: I love how they feel so comfortable against my body, I love their unexpected loudness--but never with the
familiar tinny ring so characteristic of the stiff, over-structured parlor
guitars of the early thirties. The Koa version of this historic model is
especially warm and inviting to play. This size and shape configuration is
so appealing, I'm betting that if I can put enough of these out there, it
will surely start a revival.
$3750.00 plus case and shipping
| Neck | Pattern-grade Honduras
Mahogany, 12 frets to body |
Purflings | Black and white fiber "rope" on top; no other purflings around body and back |
| Top | Premium-grade, pure white British Columbia Englemann Spruce | Bridge | Traditional "spanish-style" pyramid-ends ebony bridge with ebony bridge pins--each pin with a brass-bordered pearl dot inlay |
| Back/ Sides |
Figured Hawaiian Koa | Tuners | Waverly "vintage style" 3-on-a-plate with black acetate buttons |
| Bindings | Curly Rock Maple | Headpiece Veneer |
Matched Hawaiian Koa |
| Finger board |
Ebony with white side-dots only (additional markers can be added to suit) | Rosette | First ring: fine bwb lines; Second ring: Paua snail circle bordered with fine bwb lines |
| Back stripe |
Paua snail shell strip inlay | Heelcap | Curly Rock Maple, matches bindings |
| Nut width | 1-13/16 inches | String spacing @ bridge | 2-5/16 inches | Scale length |
25.0 inches | Max. body depth | 4-1/8 inches | Max. Body width | 13.5 inches |
wrc259: Pau Amarello ("Yellowheart")
OOO-style 15" Steel-String
An ideal finger-style instrument made from a striking, naturally
all-yellow Brazilian hardwood.
$4000.00 plus case and shipping
| Neck | Pattern-grade Honduras
Mahogany, 14 frets to body |
Purflings | Black and white fiber "rope" on top; fine bwb line around body |
| Top | Premium-grade British Columbia redcedar | Bridge | Std. belly style bridge made from short-grained Pau Amarello from the same board as back and sides |
| Back/ Sides |
Arrow-straight Brazilian Pau Amarello sliced by the maker from a single plank | Tuners | Schaller mini size with chrome buttons |
| Bindings | Pau Amarello | Headpiece Veneer |
Matched Pau Amarello with Cumpiano logo |
| Finger board |
Ceylon ebony with white side-dots only (additional markers can be added to suit) | Rosette | First ring: fine bwb lines; Second ring: Paua snail circle bordered with fine bwb lines |
| Back stripe |
Paua snail shell inlay | Heelcap | Pau Amarello with paua snail shell inlay, matches back |
| Nut width | 1-3/4 inches | String spacing @ bridge | 2-5/16 inches | Scale length |
25 inches | Max. body depth | 4-1/8 inches | Max. Body width | 15 1/8 inches |
wrc227: Honduras Rosewood
Jumbo-sized (16") Steel-String
A full-bodied guitar, made with picture-perfect rosewoods and a large,
powerful sound.
$3600.00
plus case and shipping
| Neck | Pattern-grade Honduras
Mahogany, 14 frets to body |
Purflings | Black and white fiber "rope" on top; fine bwb line around body |
| Top | Premium-grade British Columbia Englemann spruce w. heavy silking | Bridge | Std. belly style, Ceylon ebony with
pearly-dot, ebony bridge pins in line parallel to sloped saddle |
| Back// Sides |
Honduras Rosewood, personally sawn 25 years ago from a massive 300-lb solid billet. 4 pc. back | Tuners | Chrome Gotoh sealed-body; full-size with chrome buttons |
| Bindings | Curly Norwegian maple | Headpiece Veneer |
Matched Honduran Rosewood with Cumpiano logo |
| Finger board |
Ceylon ebony with white side-dots only (additional markers added to suit) | Rosette | First ring: fine bwb lines; Second ring: Abalone circle bordered with fine bwb lines |
| Back stripe |
Rosewood sapwood figure | Heelcap | Honduras Rosewood, matches back |
| Nut width | 1-11/16 inches | String spacing @ bridge | 2-1/8 inches | Scale length |
25.4 inches | Max. body depth | 4-1/8 inches | Max. Body width | 15-7/8 inches |
wrc206: Honduras Rosewood Deep-Bodied Cutaway Steel String
A smaller cutaway cousin to
wrc227 above, from adjacent rosewood slices from the same flitch; a slightly
wider neck makes it nice for fine fingerpicking.
$4200.00 plus case and shipping
| Neck | Pattern-grade Honduras
Mahogany, 14 frets to body |
Purflings | Herringbone marquetry around top; fine white and bwb line around body |
| Top | Premium-grade British Columbia Englemann spruce w. heavy silking | Bridge | Std. belly style, matching Honduras rosewood, with abalone-dot, rosewood bridge pins in line parallel to sloped saddle |
| Back/ Sides |
Honduras Rosewood, personally sawn 25 years ago from a massive 300-lb solid billet. 2 pc. back | Tuners | Deluxe Chrome Gotoh 510 sealed-body; full-size with chrome buttons |
| Bindings | Matching Honduras Rosewood | Headpiece Veneer |
Matched Honduran Rosewood with Cumpiano logo |
| Finger board |
Ceylon ebony with white side-dots only (additional markers can be added to suit) | Rosette | First ring: fine bwb lines; Second ring: Herringbone circle bordered with fine bwb lines |
| Back stripe |
Zig-zag black-white marquetry | Heelcap | Honduras Rosewood, with zig-zag marquetry to match back |
| Nut width | 1-3/4 inches | String spacing @ bridge | 2-1/8 inches | Scale length |
25.4 inches | Max. body depth | 4-1/8 inches | Max. Body width | 15-1/4 inches |
wrc219: Brazilian Ebony OM-style (15") Steel
String Guitar
Stark-looking, uniform, hard black-brown ebony
lends a glassy clarity to a familiar guitar configuration; wider spacing at
bridge is ideal for larger hands
$3500.00 plus case and shipping
| Neck | Pattern-grade Honduras
Mahogany, 14 frets to body |
Purflings | fine bwb line enclosing tinted orange line around top; no purflings around body |
| Top | Premium-grade British Columbia Sitka spruce w. heavy silking and light hazelfichte figure | Bridge | Rectangular Brazilian rosewood, with white-dot, rosewood bridge pins in line parallel to sloped saddle |
| Back/ Sides |
Brazilian "Ebony" (actually a super-dense Rosewood hybrid) | Tuners | Gold Schaller minis with pearloid buttons |
| Bindings | Curly Rock Maple | Headpiece Veneer |
Brazilian Rosewood to match bridge, with Cumpiano logo |
| Finger board |
Ceylon ebony with white side-dots only (additional markers can be added to suit) | Rosette | First ring: fine bwb lines; Second ring: Herringbone circle bordered with fine bwb lines;Third ring: fine bwb lines |
| Back stripe |
Curly Norwegian maple | Heelcap | Curly Rock Maple to match binding |
| Nut width | 1-11/16 inches | String spacing @ bridge | 2-1/4 inches | Scale length |
25.5 inches | Max. body depth | 4-1/4 inches | Max. Body width | 15-1/8 inches |
wrc207: Beeswing
Mahogany, extra-thin-bodied (15") Steel String
Unique "pancake" design for extra lightness and comfort, and a bright, quick
responsive sound. Perfect for a smaller-sized person who likes a full-width
guitar. Stunningly-figured, yet perfectly straight body woods.
| Sold |
$3500.00 plus case and shipping
| Neck | Pattern-grade Honduras
Mahogany, 14 frets to body |
Purflings | Bwb "rope" marquetry around top; no purflings around body |
| Top | Premium-grade, silky Northern Redcedar, stored in shop 15 years. | Bridge |
Std. belly style, Ceylon ebony with abalone-dot, rosewood bridge pins in line parallel to sloped saddle |
| Back/ Sides |
Straight-grained Mahogany with extremely rare, perfectly uniform curl figure called "beeswing" | Tuners | Chrome Schaller minis with pearloid buttons |
| Bindings | Quartered white poplar with crystal figure | Headpiece Veneer |
Beeswing Mahogany to match body, with Cumpiano logo |
| Finger board |
Ceylon ebony with white side-dots only (additional markers can be added to suit) | Rosette | First ring: bold bwb lines; Second ring: Herringbone circle bordered with bold bwb lines |
| Back stripe |
Curly Norwegian maple | Heelcap | Quartered Poplar to match binding |
| Nut width | 1-11/16 inches | String spacing @ bridge | 2-1/8 inches | Scale length |
25.4 inches | Max. body depth | 3-1/4 inches | Max. Body width | 15-1/8 inches |
wrc210:
Fiddleback Maple Jumbo 16" Steel String (12-fret
neck)
Made of the finest
fiddleback Maple, the powerful deep voice of this large 12-fret is ideal for
a singer's accompaniment instrument
| Sold |
$3500.00 plus case and shipping
| Neck | Pattern-grade Honduras
Mahogany, 14 frets to body |
Purflings | Bold bwb lines bordering all plates |
| Top | Premium-grade British Columbia Sitka spruce w. heavy silking. Stored in shop for over 15 years. | Bridge |
Std. belly style, Brazilian Rosewood with abalone-dot, fossilized walrus ivory bridge pins |
| Back/ Sides |
Straight-grained fiddleback Maple, absolutely straight with perfectly uniform curl | Tuners | Chrome Schaller M6 full-size tuners with ebony buttons |
| Bindings | Fiddleback Maple match to back and sides | Headpiece Veneer |
Curly maple to match body, with Cumpiano logo |
| Finger board |
Brazilian Rosewood with white side-dots and a combination of pearl and abalone dot markers on fingerboard face at 3,5,7,9,12,15 and 17 positions | Rosette | Three ring, bold bwb lines with Paua shell center ring. |
| Back stripe |
Paua shell bordered with bold bwb line | Heelcap | Curly Maple to match body and bindings |
| Nut width | 1-13/16 inches | String spacing @ bridge | 2-1/4 inches | Scale length |
25.4 inches | Max. body depth | 4-1/4 inches | Max. Body width | 16-1/8 inches |
wrc226: Para Rosewood steel-string parlor guitar Temporarily unavailable
A replica of the original 1912 Ditson Grand Concert guitar, made from the original Martin template. Remarkably loud, responsive and crystalline sound is the result of its glassy-hard tonewoods.
Renown British guitarist Martin Simpson played this one in
the shop--"Wow!" was his report.
$3200.00 plus case and shipping
| Neck | Pattern-grade Honduras
Mahogany, 12 frets to body |
Purflings | Black and white fiber "rope" on top only |
| Top | Premium-grade British Columbia Sitka spruce w. heavy silking. Stored in shop for over 15 years. | Bridge |
Matching Para rosewood vintage Pyramid bridge with abalone-dot rosewood bridge pins |
| Back/ Sides |
Straight-grained Para rosewood, absolutely straight and uniform in grain and color, back and sides sawn from the same original plank | Tuners | Gold Schaller mini horizontal tuners with ebony buttons (disregard pearl buttons in photo) |
| Bindings | Curly Fiddleback rock maple | Headpiece Veneer |
Brazilian rosewood |
| Finger board |
Ceylon ebony with white side-dots only (additional markers can be added to suit) | Rosette | Two ring: Abalone bordered with fine bwb lines on the inner; fine bwb lines |
| Back stripe |
Variegated, colorful, marquetry backstripe | Heelcap | Curly Maple to match body and bindings |
| Nut width | 1-13/16 inches | String spacing @ bridge | 2-1/8 inches | Scale length |
25.0 inches | Max. body depth | 4-1/8 inches | Max. Body width | 13-1/4 inches |
wrc208:
Brazilian Rosewood
(15") OM-style Guitar
Striking, rare "Black
Brazilian" Rosewood and a special spruce hybrid top with German-spruce
overtones give a classic look and sound to the genre.
$4400.00 plus case and shipping
| Neck | Pattern-grade Honduras
Mahogany, 12 frets to body |
Purflings | Herringbone around top; no purflings elsewhere |
| Top | KermodieŽ spruce soundboard (a Sitka-Englemann-/font> | Bridge |
Std. belly style, Ceylon ebony with abalone-dot, ebony bridge pins in line parallel to sloped saddle |
| Back/ Sides |
"Black Brazilian" rosewood (Dahlbergia Nigra) | Tuners | Gold Schaller mini horizontal tuners with ebony buttons (disregard pearl buttons in photo) |
| Bindings | Curly Norwegian soft maple, very white | Headpiece Veneer |
Brazilian rosewood |
| Finger board |
Ceylon ebony with white side-dots only (additional markers can be added to suit) | Rosette | Two ring: Abalone bordered with fine bwb lines on the inner; fine bwb lines |
| Back stripe |
Herringbone bordered with bold bwb | Heelcap | Curly Maple to match body and bindings |
| Nut width | 1-13/16 inches | String spacing @ bridge | 2-1/8 inches | Scale length |
25.0 inches | Max. body depth | 4-1/8 inches | Max. Body width | 13-1/4 inches |
East Indian Rosewood 12-fret 00-style Guitar (wrc216)
East Indian rosewood back and sides, Honduras mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard, bridge and pins
Flamed maple bindings, abalone soundhole rosette
Englemann Spruce soundboard
$3500.00 plus case
Cocobolo 14-fret OM-Style Steel String Guitar (WRC214)
The back, sides, bridge and peghead veneer from this one were all sawn from the same solid plank of dark, colorful cocobolo, lending an outstanding sense of visual integrity to the instrument. The top is Canadian KermodieŽ spruce, bindings are Norwegian curly maple, neck is pattern-grade Honduras mahogany and the fingerboard is Ceylon ebony. Abalone soundhole rosette.
$5200 plus case
The following in-the-whites were purchased, finished and sold
wrc217: Brazilian Rosewood Concert-size (14")
Steel String Guitar
A "classic" steel string, classical
guitar size and made with premium classic woods:
Brazilian rosewood and German Silver Spruce
| Sold |
$4800.00 plus case and shipping
| Neck | Pattern-grade Honduras
Mahogany, 14 frets to body |
Purflings | Black and white fiber "rope" |
| Top | Master-grade German Silver Spruce with light hazelfichte figure | Bridge | Pyramid-style, Ceylon ebony with
pearly-dot, ebony bridge pins |
| Back/ Sides |
Old growth Brazilian Rosewood | Tuners | Gold Waverlys with ebony buttons |
| Bindings | Curly Norwegian maple | Headpiece Veneer |
Matched Brazilian Rosewood with Cumpiano logo |
| Finger board |
Ceylon ebony with single reverse tri-leaf pearl inlay centered at 3rd position, white side-dots | Rosette | First ring: fine bwb lines; Second ring: Herringbone circle bordered with fine bwb lines |
| Back stripe |
Abalone strip inlay | Heelcap | Brazilian Rosewood, matches back |
| Nut width | 1- 3/4 inches | String spacing @ bridge | 2-5/16 inches | Scale length |
25 inches | Max. body depth | 4-1/8 inches | Max. Body width | 14-1/8 inches |
wrc204:Kingwood OM-style Guitar
Picture-perfect
Kingwood and a German spruce top combine for a loud, clear, silky voice
| Sold |
$4500.00 plus case and shipping
| Neck | Pattern-grade Honduras
Mahogany, 14 frets to body |
Purflings | Black and white fiber "rope" |
| Top | Bavarian Silver Spruce purchased 30 years ago | Bridge | Ceylon ebony with pearly-dot, antler horn bridge pins |
| Back/ Sides |
picture-perfect Kingwood (dahlbergia retusa) | Tuners | Schaller minis with ebony buttons |
| Bindings | White celluloid--one of the very few wrc's bound like this. | Headpiece Veneer |
Matching Kingwood rosewood with Cumpiano logo |
| Finger board |
Ceylon ebony, white side-dots | Rosette | First ring: fine bwb lines; Second ring: Herringbone circle bordered with fine bwb lines; Third ring: fine bwb lines |
| Back stripe |
Paua snail shell strip inlay | Heelcap | White celluloid |
| Nut width | 1- 3/4 inches | String spacing @ bridge | 2-5/16 inches | Scale length |
25 inches | Max. body depth | 4-1/8 inches | Max. Body width | 14-1/8 inches |
Cocobolo Rosewood Concert
Steel String Guitar
00-size 14-fret neck;
Back, sides, fingerboard, peghead veneer and bridge
cut from single plank of Cocobolo rosewood
Original cocobolo sapwood body and fingerboard
bindings, heelcap and back centerseam
$3500.00 plus casee
| Sold |
Hawaiian Koa Ditson-template Parlor Guitar (wrc225)
Made from original 1912 Ditson Grand Concert template (courtesy Dick Boak, Martin Guitars)
Hawaiian Koa back and sides, Honduras mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard. Flamed maple bindings
Sitka Spruce soundboard
$3200.00 plus case
| Sold |
Mid 2007, a young Britisher visiting my town of Northampton walked into my shop, was taken with the sound and the unusual shape and bought it. Below we see the Ditson recreation just before it took off to England.
Macassar Ebony OM-style Guitar (wrc220)
| Sold |
Back, sides, fingerboard, headstock and bridge from same original plank of Macassar ebony
Curly Maple bindings, ebony bridge pins
Pacific redcedar soundboard
$3800.00 plus case
East Indian Rosewood Jumbo Twelve-String Guitar
Unique "pancake" design for under-arm comfort and focused 12-string tone. Loud, powerful, penetrating. East Indian Rosewood back and sides, Honduras mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard
; Maple bindings. Englemann soundboard$3500.00 plus case
| Sold |
The unusual "thin twelve" was purchased by a
Barbadan pilot. This is what it looked like just before it was shipped:
