TRUEFIRE

Online Guitar Lessons

Learn More

Enjoy FREE Live Demos

Book now and discover your dream sound

Schedule Your Demo »

American Music Furniture

5% Off Deal!!

Learn More

NEW Consignment Rates

Trade up discounts and more

Learn More »

FREE Digital Book Download

Sound Investments: A Guitarist’s Guide to Curating a Valuable Collection

Download Now »

New McConnell 16 Inch Brazilian/European Moon Spruce

, , ,

2016 has been an excellent year for Dream Guitars and Jordan McConnell: we’ve just received his latest and greatest SJ with Brazilian Rosewood and European Spruce. The voice is cool, calm, and collected, with inky black depths to the bass and shimmering trebles with a well-defined edge. Every surface is french polished for maximum resonance, except for the oil-finished neck which feels instantly familiar like a smoothly-worn neck from your favorite vintage guitar. The tone lends emotional weight to your compositions, providing extra color and lushness to all arrangements.

Everything is appointed in Snakewood, down to the fretboard and bridge themselves, and the knobs of the Alessi tuners, and the nut, saddle, and bridge pins are made from Fossilized Walrus Ivory. Handling all tunings like the maestro it is, this McConnell is the ultimate instrument for fingerstyle expression, with string to string balance that chimes like a chorus of church bells. Custom-built for one of our clients, this McConnell is already sold, but let us know if you’re interested in commissioning one for yourself.

Other keywords: joran mcconnell, fingerstyle, dadgad, fanfret, fanned fret, multi scale, multi-scale, exclusive

/by

2004 Greven Prairie State Lacewood/Sitka

, , ,

On the long road of playing music, it’s inevitable that one day you’re going to yearn for something different to rekindle your practice and enliven your style. This 2004 Prairie State Jumbo built by John Greven might be that perfect side road to start trekking down–between the swooping curves, gorgeous woods, and thunderous voice, this guitar has a lifetime of exciting tunes to offer. Just look at the Lacewood used for the back and sides! You’ll be hard-pressed to find many guitars with such dramatically-figured wood (this is one of the only sets of Lacewood that John’s been able to get his hands on in his many years in the business), or with Lacewood’s combination of Rosewood richness with a twist of Mahogany-esque dry clarity.

Any lowered tuning under the sun is fair game for this creature; we tried everything down to Cadd9 and the bass notes remained crisp and pronounced. This Jumbo is based on the Larson Brothers’ Prairie State Jumbos (hence the 17″ lower bout), and the shallow sides add extra definition to the voice, making this a prime candidate for fingerstylists (not to mention the 1 13/16″ nut for easy left hand tricks). Ready for a huge voice with impeccable balance? This one’s for you.

/by

2016 McConnell Electric, Wenge/Bearclaw Sitka Spruce

, , ,

We already knew that Jordan McConnell was one of the finest acoustic guitar makers alive, so Dream Guitars was pretty stoked when we found something new show up at our door. Instead of one of his SJs, we found not one but two electric guitars from the man himself–looking dressed up for Sunday dinner with Jordan’s eye for detail and curving headstocks–waiting patiently to be plugged in and cranked up.

This one, s/n E007, was originally built to Paul’s specs, so of course this McConnell has a multiscale fingerboard (26″ on the bass, 25″ on the treble), Wenge neck, back, sides, and trim, Bearclaw Sitka Spruce top, and split McNelly humbuckers. Both guitars feature Jordan’s distinctive neck profile, as well as dual arm and rib bevels. Strung with heavier strings, this electric can cruise down to C or D tunings with ease and the bass notes remain growly and present. With the split coil McNelly pickups, you have a wide range of pickup options to create an entire host of different tones from Rock to Blues, but this baby sounds particularly impressive for fingerstyle Jazz.

Add to that a fancy tailpiece with a hidden mechanism for accessing the string compartment, a Satinwood backstrap on the headstock, and an Ameritage case, and you’ve got one of the classiest rockin’ electrics in your hands. Available now!

Here’s an additional demo with our own Al Petteway: https://youtu.be/Morwiyfkskg

Other keywords: joran mcconnell, fingerstyle, dadgad, fanfret, fanned fret, multi scale, multi-scale, exclusive

/by

New Rainsong APSE Al Petteway Special Edition All Carbon FIber Construction

, , , , ,

For many years now Al Petteway has had a working relationship with Rainsong Guitars. They have made some of his preferred instruments for a good while, but it wasn’t until now that they really made a custom guitar to Al’s specifications. When they did, the staff at Rainsong loved the design and tone of the guitar so much that they decided to make a limited run of Al Petteway Limited Edition guitars. Due to the consistently popular demand for this model, Rainsong has now added the instrument to their regular lineup, now referred to as the Al Petteway Special Edition, now upgraded with an L.R. Baggs Anthem undersaddle pickup and internal microphone combo!

We just love this guitar–one of the best Carbon Fiber guitars out there. The tone is sweet and stands up to a wooden guitar in its price range any day. One of the great benefits of carbon fiber construction is the stability, and the unidirectional, linear-spun solid Carbon Fiber top mimics wood fiber. Gone are the days of worrying about humidity or accidentally leaving your instrument in the car on a hot day. This guitar will shirk off all those hazards and play perfectly each and every time!

/by

New Ennis Unibody European Maple/Bearclaw Carpathian

, , ,

We’ve been blessed by another visit from Tony Ennis, bearing several of his UniBody guitars with him for our store! This one’s got that new guitar smell, a mixture of Bearclaw Carpathian Spruce and Flamed European Maple. The combination of these two gorgeous woods yields a voice which has a vigorous projection and surprisingly sweet overtones in the upper register. Allegro pieces sound complex and energetic, but this UniBody also performs beautifully for thoughtful adagio passages with haunting sustain–made even clearer to the player with the addition of a soundport in the upper bout.

Like all of Ennis’s UniBody Classicals, this guitar features an elevated fingerboard for easy access to those upper frets, and has rich, red Padauk binding to set off the medullary rays of the Bearclaw Spruce top. With Tony’s patent removable neck design, this guitar has a long, long life ahead of it, and it already sounds ridiculously opened up!

/by

2008 Lance Kragenbrink OMFS Cedar Cocobolo/Cedar

, , ,

We’ve got a pair of lovely 2008 OMFS guitars from Lance Kragenbrink which were built as sisters, each with Cocobolo Rosewood for the back and sides, but with different top woods. This one is done up with a Cedar top for added warmth and depth, which helps to fill out the middle register of the voice and give this guitar a complex tone. Setup for fingerstyle, this Kragenbrink OMFS has an excellent string-to-string balance with trebles strings adorned with subtle overtones that add a lush color to your arrangements.

This OMFS is in superb condition with essentially no play wear, but has a sweet and opened-up tonality which makes it difficult to put down. We especially love Lance’s use of sapwood in these Cocobolo sets; the vibrant pop of yellow against red is a sight to see. Wrapped up in an Ameritage hardshell case, this Kragenbrink is perfectly safe and sound when not in use!

/by

2012 Kolaya MJ Cocobolo/Engelmann

, , ,

In our shop of fingerstyle guitars, this 2012 Kolaya (Brad Daniels) MJ fits perfectly. With its 16″ lower bout and Cocobolo back and sides, this guitar exhibits deep, rolling bass notes, themselves crisp and well-defined. Fleshed out with a balanced middle register and trebles with a juicy brand of clarity, thanks to the White Spruce top, this MJ is the envy of less well-balanced guitars everywhere.

Fingerstyle arrangements are lush and complex, each string present and articulate–and dropped down to DADGAD and beyond, this Kolaya MJ remains fresh and projective. The C profile neck is gracefully contoured and feels instantly familiar in your left hand, and Daniels‘ contemporary aesthetic lends this guitar a unique, understated sense of style.

/by

2000 Sheppard GC-1 Deluxe, Indian Rosewood/Cedar

, , ,

Wickedly opened up and responsive as a firecracker, this 2000 GC-1 Deluxe from Gerald Sheppard is a hot player at a competitive price. We haven’t heard a Cedar-topped guitar this loud in some time, and the voice still retains the warmth and dynamism typical for Cedar, making this a deadly combination of projection and richness.

Featuring Indian Rosewood for the back and sides and bound in Curly Maple, this Sheppard is easy on the eyes and a blessing to your touch–the play feel is decidedly intimate and comfortable, and the Grand Concert responds well to even a delicate attack. The trebles in particular are chock full of sweet overtones, especially around the fifth and seventh frets, that help fill out the voice. Gone over by our repair staff, this Sheppard is in tip-top playing shape!

Here’s an additional demo with our own Al Petteway: https://youtu.be/bf-buRKrrSw

/by

2012 Kolaya MJ Cocobolo/Western Red Cedar

, , ,

Built as the Cedar-topped twin to Kolaya #31, a Cocobolo-and-White–Spruce MJ, this Kolaya is a powerful example of how Cedar can give a guitar extra warmth in the middle registers while simultaneously fattening the trebles and coloring the bass. Played in standard or dropped into DADGAD, the Kolaya has a pronounced and well-defined bass, and the setup strikes a perfect balance for both fingerstyle and flatpicking approaches.

Need trebles with delicious overtones that hang in the air? The Kolaya MJ is here to help. Need vigorous sustain? Got it! We love Brad Daniels’ aesthetic here, with the spalted woods inlaid into the fretboard extension, and the overall fit and finish is flawless.

/by

2007 Somogyi Modified Dreadnought, Brazilian Rosewood/European Spruce

, , ,

We must be doing something right at Dream Guitars, because we’ve landed another Somogyi Mod D! This 2007 Modified Dreadnought comes to us with a fabulous set of Brazilian Rosewood, chocolate-dark and tantalizing, and a European Spruce top chock full of alternating bands of dark and light growth lines. Ringing in the soundhole is Ervin’s “Patio Stone” rosette (one of the first guitars to feature this style), the stylings of which you can also find inlaid at intervals across the fingerboard.

Somogyi’s Mod D shape was designed with the fingerstylist in mind, one who needed a pronounced, resounding bass that was well balanced with the other registers, and a responsiveness that could be faithfully accessed whether played delicately or with gusto. This Modified Dread has all that and more: with a slinky low setup and Florentine Cutaway, this Somogyi is effortlessly playable. The voice, whether strummed or plucked, is certifiably rich and enveloping, but overall quite focused, so big chords can ring out in all their complexity without any one string outsinging its brothers. Believe us, once you pick this Somogyi up, you won’t want to let it go until we pry it out of your cold, dead hands.

/by

1998 Fibenare 10th Anniversary Basic Jazz Mahogany/5A Maple Burl

, ,

From a Hungary-based company that’s been wracking up heaps of accolades in recent years, this Fibenare Basic Jazz is #3 of 10 that the Fibenare company built for their 10th anniversary–and they spared no expense. The semi-hollow Mahogany body is adorned with a gorgeous Maple Burl veneer on top, and features their proprietary Fibenare ALV-63 humbuckers. These humbuckers are wickedly responsive and light up under a fingerstyle approach to blues, rock, and even jazz.

The C profile neck and slinky low setup make for effortless playability, and the warm, fat low-end response from the humbuckers balances nicely with chiming treble strings. Wrapped up in a unique case that also features some pretty burlwood in the handle, this Fibenare Basic Jazz 10th Anniversary is an excellent addition to your electric repertoire.

/by

2005 Somogyi Jumbo, Brazilian Rosewood/European Spruce

, , ,

There are few names that elicit a response among luthiers and players alike like one man’s: Ervin Somogyi. Having elevated the state of lutherie to heretofore unseen heights, Somogyi enjoys a reputation for building the finest fingerstyle guitars for today’s players, with a lengthy waiting list and a stable of apprentices learning Ervin’s master touches firsthand. Accordingly, this 2005 Somogyi Jumbo represents many of the hallmarks of Somogyi’s style: enormous, enveloping bass notes, a florentine cutaway, delicately ornate carving, wedge-shaped sides for player comfort, French Polished top for maximum resonance. From the swooping lower bout (at 16 1/2″) to Ervin’s graceful crenellation at the peak of the headstock, this Jumbo is the very image of perfection.

The Brazilian Rosewood back and sides are razor-straight grained, and the European Spruce top (adorned by what must have been dozens of hours’ work to carve this celtic knot) is pared to maximum responsiveness, making the voice of this Somogyi dynamic and articulate. Built for fingerstyle in 2005, this Jumbo provides wonderful string-to-string balance, replete with haunting treble overtones, and in 2016 the previous owner commissioned Ervin to revoice the top, making this Jumbo even more articulate and thunderously projective by utilizing the voicing techniques he’s cultivated for his newest instruments.

This is a work of art that has been rejuvenated by its maker, combining the latter’s latest skills with tonewoods which have opened up immensely in the past decade.

Check out this video of Al playing this Somogyi in DADGAD: www.youtube.com/watch

/by

2012 PRS HB-II Flamed Maple/Flamed Maple

, ,

If ever a guitar was built to rock, this 2012 PRS HB-II is it! With PRS’s highest-quality #10 Flamed Maple for the back and sides and a lustrous black gold sunburst, she looks as gorgeous as she sounds. PRS added their 58/15 Humbuckers with a 3-way toggle pickup selecter to an L.R. Baggs/PRS piezo pickup system, which offers the player a nearly unlimited variety of different tones.

This neck is smooth as butter, and plays just as easily–the overall setup is slinky low and perfectly effortless with frets shiny enough to see your smile in. With the dual outputs, you can mix and match pickups, effects, and amplifiers until the cows come home!

/by

2005 Collings 002HMhG Mahogany/European

, , , ,

This 2005 Collings is an excellent companion to the Trad fingerpicker inside you. With Mahogany and European Spruce, This 002HMhG has a tight, focused voice with an extra touch of warmth from the 12-fret neck that allows for even response across the strings and a hearty projection. In excellent condition, this Collings feels and plays as good as it looks, and has a wider fretboard (1 13/16″ at the nut) for easy fingering on complex chords.

The short scale and 12-fret neck make this Collings into a sweet little package which maintained its focused edge when dropped into open tunings. Looking for a 00 for all your traditional fingerstyle needs? This fits the bill nicely.

/by

2016 Preston Thompson 000-12BA Brazilian/Adirondack (Red)

, , ,

The folks at Preston Thompson Guitars are building some of the finest traditional steel string guitars on the market today. Accordingly, we’re quite excited to be able to offer one of their 000 masterpieces! This brand new, 2016 000-12BA Custom is a beast of a 000, with gorgeous “Shipwreck” Brazilian Rosewood for the back and sides and Adirondack Spruce for the top. Between these awesome tonewoods and the 12-fret neck, this Thompson has a well-balanced voice that’s easily adapted for variety of styles (and tunings).

The treble strings alone are worth the cost of this guitar: sweet, focused, with a pleasing warmth and haunting overtones. We put this 000 through a variety of modes, and were consistently impressed by the even response across all registers, with rich bass notes there to fill out the lush tone.

/by

2015 Franks OM-D Brazilian/Adirondack (Red)

, , ,

Mike Franks has done it again–this 2015 Legend OM-D Deep Body Orchestra Model is a triumph of tone, playability, and, projection. Set up smooth as glass, this OM is a delight to play Bluegrass tunes on, or Texas ballads; a great guitar for the solo Americana singer-songwriter. Flatpicking brings out the rumble in the bass for sure, but the setup accomodates fingerpicking just as easily without losing sustain.

One look at this gorgeous Bearclaw Adirondack Spruce top and you’ll know how this guitar lives up to its “Legend” model designation–and it’s paired with some serious, straight-grained Brazilian Rosewood for the back and sides. The voice is clean and clear and well-balanced for both chord accompaniment and solos that can cut through the mix. Another dynamite guitar from M.J. Franks–this one’s a keeper.

/by

2007 Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Brazilian/Adirondack (Red)

, , ,

Widely regarded as the finest year to be a D-28 at the Martin factory, 1937 has been synonymous with the classic Martin Dreadnought sound ever since. So it should come as no surprise that once Martin got into the game of making spec-for-spec recreations of their original vintage instruments that they’d turn to the 1937 D-28 for inspiration. This is one of the original run of 50 D-28 Authentic 1937 guitars built in 2007 with Brazilian Rosewood–and compared to the later Authentic 1937 version with Madagascar Rosewood, the impact of the Brazilian is profound.

Everything about this guitar is period correct, down to the butterbean style tuner knobs. Here’s a short list: forward shifted and hand-scalloped Adirondack Spruce braces, bone nut and saddle, aging toner in the finish to reproduce that vintage yellow, “barrel and heel” neck profile (C at the nut, becoming a soft V at the heel), Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, Adirondack Sprue top, herringbone trim and zigzag back strip. Set up to be the loudest Dreadnought you can imagine, this D-28 Authentic 1937 has an enormous voice, epic sustain, and profoundly rich basses with bell-like trebles. A few minutes with this guitar, and you can tell why the originals are so exceedingly valuable.

/by

2008 Lance Kragenbrink OMFS Spruce Cocobolo/Engelmann

, , ,

We’ve got a pair of lovely 2008 OMFS guitars from Lance Kragenbrink which were built as sisters, each with Cocobolo Rosewood for the back and sides, but with different top woods. This one is done up with an Engelmann Spruce top for projection and sustain–and brother, does the Engelmann deliver. With flatpicks, this Kragenbrink roars!

The trebles are fat and juicy, and are backed up by a present and articulate middle register that gives definition to your compositions. This OMFS is in superb condition with essentially no play wear, but has a sweet and opened-up tonality which makes it difficult to put down. We especially love Lance’s use of sapwood in these Cocobolo sets; the vibrant pop of yellow against red is a sight to see. Wrapped up in an Ameritage hardshell case, this Kragenbrink is perfectly safe and sound when not in use!

/by

2009 Kraut OM, Brazilian Rosewood/German Spruce

, , ,

A 2009 OM from Ray Kraut? Yes, please! This one is among the finest fingerstyle guitars on the market. The voice is equal parts cannon and serenade, with rich, rolling basses that fill out the tone and a flawless string-to-string balance that keeps the voice even and articulate for both aggressive and delicate attacks. The Brazilian Rosewood of the back, sides, fretboard, and bridge is gorgeous, not to mention the German Spruce top–a quick peek in the soundhole reveals how Ray is able to make such a loud and projective guitar: both the back and top are delicately braced with a series of Xs that maximize both plates’ ability to vibrate as freely as possible. The effect is two-fold: first, the projection and sustain are fearsome, and second, the middle register has a fully-developed warmth and presence that gives the overall voice a complex and expressive character.

With such dynamic bracing, wide saddle and scalloped nut, this Kraut fits firmly in the contemporary fingerstyle guitar camp, and the addition of the pinless bridge is a further improvement to Ray’s unified aesthetic ideal for his designs. Take it from us: this is a guitar worth playing.

Here’s an additional demo with our own Al Petteway: https://youtu.be/jDWqHfYt79w

/by

2016 Pellerin Jumbo Sunburst Birdseye Maple/Engelmann

, , ,

Cannon, anyone? We rarely find a guitar that delivers so completely. This 2016 Pellerin Jumbo is a sheer force of nature: huge voice, sustain, note-for-note clarity, and style. We had to set a timer whenever we sat down to play this beast, or we’d completely lose track of time and there goes the day! It handles flatpicks like it born to be strummed, but when you bring your fingerstyle chops to bear this Pellerin does anything but disappoint.
Birdseye Maple back and sides, Engelmann Spruce top, and Michel’s Art Deco brand of sunburst all over the place—this Jumbo soaks into your bones, and you won’t want to let go.

Here’s an additional demo with our own Al Petteway at the wheel: https://youtu.be/R5ckAjXQt-g

Other keywords: michel pellerin, finger style, lutherie, luthier, shade top, englemann, birds eye maple

/by

2005 Beauregard OMC, Brazilian Rosewood/German Spruce

, , ,

Playing this guitar is bliss. Mario Beauregard is undoubtedly one of the finest luthiers working today for fingerstyle players. His instruments are the trifecta of playability, projection, and clarity. This 2005 OM is all that and more, from the beautiful Brazilian Rosewood back and sides and German Spruce top to the glassy  setup. Regardless of tuning or attack, fingerstyle or flatpicked, this Beauregard offers up a velvet-rich response. Bass notes are enveloping, and treble overtones hang in the air for long seconds. The tone remains balanced at all times, even if played with an aggressive attack, and pours its sweet honey over your every note. This Beauregard could mean the end of your collection: it’s capable of anything, so why would you ever want to play anything else?

Here’s an additional demo with our own Al Petteway: https://youtu.be/tBi9V3vJ748

Other keywords: lutherie, luthier, finger style, antoine dufour,  contemporary fingerstyle, guitarbuilding, canada, florentine cutaway, abalone, maple, gotoh

/by

1989 Manzer White Rose East Indian/Sitka Spruce

, , ,

We’ve been fortunate enough to auction of three guitars in support of hurricane relief, but we an still help out a lot more. We’re going to keep the momentum going by auctioning a fourth guitar! This time we’ve got a different kind of guitar altogether up for bid: our 1989 “White Rose” from Linda Manzer! This guitar is being offered in an online auction to provide aid to those affected. 25% of the final bid will go to this fundraiser as a tax-deductible donation: http://unidosporpuertorico.com/en/. This guitar was originally $9,995, but we’re starting the bidding at only $5,995. Please email your bids to [email protected]. In the order that we receive bids, we will update the current price above. Bids within the U.S., please. The auction will close at 12pm EST Sunday, 10/29/17. Once the donation is finalized, we will ship you the guitar for free! Thank you for helping out!

Whenever Linda Manzer is involved, you know the instrument in question is going to have an interesting story. This white beauty, naturally, carries an impressive history within its’ pearly body. In 1989 Linda was commissioned to build this guitar for a man’s lover, and it was to have no black anywhere on the guitar. Instead, The OM was to be white and red (hence Indian Rosewood for the back, sides, bridge, and fingerboard) with a Sitka Spruce top. Unfortunately, by the time Linda finished applying the last coats of white paint and let the lacquer cure, the man’s lover had left him. From there, this White Rose, as we’ve taken to calling it, has travelled the globe for several decades, until landing here at Dream Guitars.

Built with a woman’s hands in mind, this OM has a narrow neck (1 5/8″ at the nut), and feels very comfortable for anyone with smaller hands. The voice is spectacularly balanced, with a meaty middle register that really rings out with a flatpick. With age, the white paint has reacted with the oils in the Indian Rosewood to create orange-brown streaking across the sides and headstock–a unique manifestation of the vintage process!

/by

2016 Ennis Unibody Padauk/Redwood

, , , ,

Tony’s been cooking up some gorgeous Classicals in his home shop in Walhalla, South Carolina–this brand new 2016 Unibody is an excellent example of what happens when the rich basses of Padauk back and sides meet the warmth and balance of a Redwood top. What a voice! Sonorous as church bells with the urgency of a thunderstorm on the horizon, this Ennis Unibody offers up profound depths with the lightest touch.

The treble strings practically vibrate with potential energy, and before you know it the entire guitar is alive in your hands and producing an absorbing array of tones. Playing this guitar is like being behind the wheel of an entire orchestra. With the soundport, elevated fingerboard, and fully adjustable bolt-on neck, this Unibody is a formidable contender in the world Classical guitars.

/by

1993 Schoenberg Soloist OMC Brazilian/Spruce

, , ,

One of Eric Schoenberg’s earlier collaborations with T.J. Thompson and Martin, this 1993 Soloist OMC is a firebomb fingerstyle guitar: crisp trebles and a glassy setup with a low profile soft-V neck. With some gorgeous Brazilian Rosewood for the back and sides (with sapwood colors the envy of Cocobolo) and Adirondack Spruce fo the top, this Soloist has the right calibre munitions to drive its fat, juicy trebles right through the mix.

Played with a flatpick or just nails, the tight, focused voice soars, wel-balanced and clear. These fine tonewoods have had plenty of time to open up, and brother have they–there’s plenty of that quick response and instant projection that only come with age.

/by

Find Your Dream Guitar

Looking for your next guitar? Join our DreamCatcher™. We’ll do our best to find it for you quickly…

FIND AN INSTRUMENT

CONNECT WITH US

ABOUT

COMMUNITY

POLICIES

EDUCATION

Showroom (by appointment only):

108 Monticello Road, Suite 400,
Weaverville NC, 28787

Store Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-4pm EST

Contact Us
Make an Appointment

CONNECT WITH US

Showroom (by appointment only):

108 Monticello Road, Suite 400,
Weaverville NC, 28787

Store Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-4pm EST

Contact Us
Make an Appointment

ABOUT

COMMUNITY

POLICIES

EDUCATION