Please note: due to changes in regulations and constant design developments, we sometimes need to change details such as binding and inlay materials.
The standard Falstaff is our most popular model amongst professional players, and with this guitar we have pushed the materials and details as far as we can without making the guitar "flashy". It was built to be the centre piece of our display at this year’s Ullapool Guitar Festival, to attract attention and demonstrate the materials and skills we have available. But this year's festival has been cancelled. So, the guitar is for sale.
The back and sides are Brazilian Rosewood, of the highest quality I have ever seen. It's perfectly quarter sawn, very dense, almost black in places, with areas of "landscape" grain pattern showing through, and the wood "rings" like Big Ben when tapped. It's also worth noting that the original pieces were huge, cut from a large log that was sold to me by a retired cabinet maker. We know what is required to obtain proper documentation from the CITES authorities, so everything is proper and legal, and the guitar will have its "papers".
As usual with dark woods, it's hard to photograph, so I've asked Mike English to show the back in some slightly "enhanced" pictures, but in real life, it really does look like this. I don’t know of any other maker who has access to such unique material.
The soundboard is Master Grade Alpine spruce, with Bearclaw figuring, the stiffest European Spruce and whitest wood we have ever used, it’s not the typical "exhibition" grain pattern, it is certainly beautiful, but selected purely for its tonal qualities.
The bindings are Snakewood, framed by delicate red and black lines against the dark Rosewood. I don't know of a better way to show off these spectacular materials.
The neck is three sections of the finest, quarter sawn, very old Mahogany, again with delicate red and black lines. The headstock is veneered with Snakewood and fitted with Gold Gotoh 510 tuners. The 45mm Ebony fingerboard has Abalone diamond inlays.
I think the best word to use is "glorious", in sound and appearance. You can see the pictures here.
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