It’s guitars like this 2005 Tippin Crescendo in Cuban Mahogany and Adirondack Spruce that gets us going in the morning. A livewire of a guitar that practically hums all by itself in the case, this gorgeous piece of luthierin’ by Bill Tippin is a dangerous player. Not only is the setup glassy and smooth, not only do the treble strings cut like a freshly honed knife, not only does it handle picks and fingertips with aplomb—this Crescendo does it all with style. And clarity. And that delicious dry crunch you find in a really good Mahogany-and-Adirondack guitar.

Take it down to altered tuning town, and this Tippin croons like the natives. Flatpicking fiddletunes in standard feels just as easy. Honestly, it’s baffling how much musicality Bill can pack into a single guitar. This is one you won’t want to miss.

Other keywords: mahagony, adi, red spruce, maple, fingerstyle, contemporary guitar

Working with our favorite builders is always a dream come true—and that holds doubly true for Bill Tippin. This latest Al Petteway signature model is a bona fide dream machine with Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, Alpine Moonspruce top, Koa appointments and arm bevel, and the piéce de resistance: a delicate needle & thread inlay on the fretboard extension in an homage to the client’s mother.

In like a lion, and right back out like one too, this Tippin AP Crescendo was a whirlwind to play, and a sumptuous feast for the eyes.

Other keywords: Al Pettaway, AP Signature, signature guitar, french polish

We’ve got another killer in the shop today: a 2007 Tippin Crescendo in immaculate condition. Only the finest straight-grained Brazilian Rosewood is on display here, paired with a Moon Spruce top and Curly Maple bindings. Bill Tippin’s most popular model, the Crescendo has the dimensions of a large-bodied guitar and the articulation of a much smaller one, with none of the drawbacks of either. The Moon Spruce top is perfectly voiced to achieve Tippin’s trademark sparkling highs and strong middle register, which blend seamlesslywith a low-end that is resonant and well-balanced. Articulation and projection are the name of the game here: fingerstylists will love the ease with which arrangements manifest across the Maple-trimmed Ebony fretboard. The tone has a warm richness to it like hot cider on a winter day. Tippin’s fit and finish is flawless: this is a guitar which plays as sinuously as it is constructed. This guitar has been lovingly played and maintained by one owner, but it’s time to pass the torch to the next lucky musician. This guitar comes with the original Calton hardshell case.

If we ever got a guitar from Bill Tippin which didn’t completely blow us away, we might need to hang up our hats and quit the business. Lucky for us (and you), that’s simply not the case: a Tippin guitar is incapable of sounding anything less than stunning. The Crescendo we’ve got here is proof of that. Custom-built for one of our clients, if it’s a feature Bill offers, you’ll find it on this guitar. From the asymetrical swooping soundport and arm rest bevel to Bill’s gorgeous two-piece Honduran Mahogany-and-Ebony carved neck block and Mother-Of-Pearl adorning every surface, this is a guitar which looks as amazing as it plays. Our client requested the best of the best, so Bill used a chocolate-dark set of Brazilian Rosewood for the back and sides and a creamy moon-harvested billet of Swedish Spruce for the top, which when combined produce a voice which has resounding depth, surgically precise seperation between the strings, and trebles with huge presence and unflagging sustain. All of that rich, fearsome tone has been gracefully bound up in an elegant display of Mother-Of-Pearl across the headstock, Ebony fretboard, Blackwood trim, African Blackwood rosette, and bridge pins. Fingerstyle or flatpicked, this Crescendo is more than capable to turn the simplest melody into a lush concerto.

Bill Tippin made us this wonderful custom Staccatto model from old growth Cuban Mahogany any Alpine Spruce. He appointed it will natural wood elements, like the Koa top perfling and 1st fret inlay. So it has an understated beauty and elegance. But he put all the tone in this little beast. It is strong and enchanting sounding. It’s like a 000 stuffed inside a single 0 body. It’s a versatile small body guitar that can cover a lot of styles and it handles fingers and pick both very well. With it’s 24.9″ scale it’s easy to hold and play all day long.

Here is a super clean Tippin DST, 12 Fret Slope Shoulder Dreadnought. This beast is crafted from Mahogany and Adirondack for a vintage tone. It features a 1 3/4″ neck so it suits fingerstyle as well as being a flatpicking cannon. This is a very versatile guitar, very similar to the one Martin Simpson had built for himself some years ago. The voice is clear and bold with strong trebles. This is a great guitar for single line work, strumming and a great fingerstyle guitar for the player wanted a full Dreadnought voice.