Guitars
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Add to Compare2020 Wilborn Arum, Chittagong/Sitka Spruce
Ready to get your hands on a petite powerhouse? Try on this 2020 Wilborn Arum model for size. Chittagong back and sides pair up with aged Sitka Spruce on top, a subtle multiscale fretboard, offset sound hole plus micro arm bevel. Fantastic fit and finish throughout. The voice is characterized by a quickness and liveliness reminiscent of mahogany, with just a touch of sparkle in the troubles to really make it pop.
Other keywords: wilborn guitar, fan fret, fanned fret, lutherie, luthier, boutique guitar, elevated fingerboard, fingerstyle, 194
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in - 25.4 in Nut Width 1.81 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Chittagong 
Add to CompareBrand New Wilborn Nautilus, Brazilian Rosewood/Adirondack Spruce
This is another incredible example of Ben Wilborn’s not inconsiderable gifts to the world of modern lutherie. His Nautilus model, part of the new Comma Series, features an offset soundhole, twin bevels for creature comfort, a multiscale setup with 25.5” on the bottom and 25” on top—and this custom build has be(e)n upgraded to the max with chocolate-dark Brazilian Rosewood for the body, master grade Adirondack Spruce on top, and a K&K Pure Mini pick with vintage 1/8” output jack. Hands down, this guitar kills.
Other keywords: wilborn guitar, calton, 192, fan fret, fanned fret, lutherie, luthier, boutique guitar, elevated fingerboard, 203, adriondack, fingerstyle, brazilain
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in - 25.5 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.313 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Rosewood - Brazilian 
Add to Compare2020 Wilborn Nautilus, Brazilian Rosewood/Tunnel 14 Redwood
A nearly new Nautilus from our own Ben Wilborn of Reno, Nevada! We’ve loved his guitars for years now; he’s always hard at work pushing the envelope—and these new Comma Series builds are just incredible. This Nautilus comes to us from 2020 with Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, Tunnel 14 Redwood on top, and his understated 25.4-25” multiscale setup and offset “3-D” soundhole. Fit and finish is, as always, glass smooth and flawless throughout. “Glassy” is also how we’d describe the voice: glassy and smooth across the range with delicious definition.
Other keywords: 168, brazilain, tunnel 13, red wood, fingerstyle, offset soundhole, multi scale, multi-scale, fan fret, fanned fret, fan-fret, visesnut
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.063 in - 25.4 in Nut Width 1.813 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Redwood - Tunnel 14, Rosewood - Brazilian 
Add to Compare2020 Wilborn Nautilus, Brazilian Rosewood/Adirondack Spruce
Ben Wilborn’s 2020 Nautilus model comes to us with high expectations—and more than answers the call. Wilborn has gone back to the drawing board and returned with a whole family of new features for his Nautilus. Here, the traditional soundhole has been kiboshed in favor of an upper bout version which acts as an integrated soundport. This allows Ben to brace the top radially and escape the restrictions of the classic X brace system—the result being added power in the bass register, and exquisite clarity and presence for the mids and trebles (oh, the trebles). Additionally, this allows Ben to use a multiscale setup (here 26-25.4” at our request) that better corresponds to the radial bracing pattern. A slim Ryan-style arm bevel and rib bevel, plus dramatic florentine cutaway, round out the suite of creature comforts. Honduran Mahogany neck with a medium-to-slim C profile feels lovely in hand, old growth Adirondack Spruce from Ben’s premium stash on top—and the pièce de résistance: the best set of Brazilian Rosewood for the back and sides from Ben’s personal primo collection.
The Nautilus is a powerhouse with volumes of tone under the hood, appointed with an understated aesthetic that lets the quality of the materials speak for themselves, and it plays like grass-fed butter.Check out Ben walking through his deflection testing method for tops here: https://youtu.be/m5Epr3U0rDw
Here’s a bit from Ben himself:
“The Nautilus in a mid-sized guitar that changes all the rules. The impetus for this design was the idea that in a traditional X-braced guitar with a centrally located soundhole, approximately one-third of the top is rendered inert due to the demands of the structure required to keep the top from collapsing. The Nautilus, by relocating the soundhole to the upper treble bout, frees up a great deal more real estate for vibration, which after all, is how a guitar amplifies sound. Off-set soundholes are nothing new, but all the previous attempts I have seen fail to fully take advantage of this radical realignment. The Nautilus is not an X-braced guitar, but is instead radially braced, with all the braces arranged like spokes on a wheel, from the bridge outward. Whereas the traditional X locks the the bridge area into a relatively inflexible unit, the radial arrangement allows the bridge much more freedom of movement. The result is a tremendous increase in bass response, a warm and sophisticated top end, and overall greater output of volume. Playing this instrument is a revelation of what potential a guitar possesses.
The Nautilus features a number of modern innovations, all of them critically contributing to a thoroughly and thoughtfully designed whole. Not just a mish-mash of contemporary features, but a through-composed suite of interrelated sonic and ergonomic details.”
Other keywords: wilborn guitar, calton, 192, fan fret, fanned fret, lutherie, luthier, boutique guitar, elevated fingerboard
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in - 26 in Nut Width 1.81 in String Spacing 2.313 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Rosewood - Brazilian 
Add to CompareBrand New Wilborn WarHorse Modified Dreadnought, Brazilian Rosewood/Tunnel 14 Redwood
At long last, the mac daddy Wilborn WarHorse has arrived. We commissioned this Mod D from Ben with all the stops on full blast: top shelf Brazilian Rosewood, Tunnel 14 Redwood, Koa arm bevel, soundport, multiscale fretboard (25.4-24.9”)—and sweet, sweet tone. The fit and finish is 100% perfect, and the “DreamHorse” plays oh so smoothly, in both standard tuning and funky altered territory (try C# on for size). The added sustain and bass of the Modified Dreadnought body gives the WarHorse a powerful response that leaps right out of the soundhole (and soundport).
This Wilborn WarHorse is sincerely inspirational. We cannot recommend it highly enough for virtually any style you play.Other keywords: lutherie, luthier, ben wilborn, wilborn guitars, custom guitar, bespoke guitar, florentine cutaway, waverly, visesnut, contemporary fingerstyle, altered tuning, open tuning, fan fret, fanned fret
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.9 in - 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.188 in Woods Redwood - Tunnel 14, Rosewood - Brazilian 
Add to Compare2018 Wilborn Lion, Honduran Mahogany/Sitka Spruce
Hands down, one of our favorite parts of the job: working with builders to craft a guitar specific to a client’s needs. Our latest Lion from Ben Wilborn is just one such collaboration, and we’re happy to announce it came out even better than we hoped. Honduran Mahogany back and sides, Sitka Spruce top, and Ben’s surgical attention to fit and finish all come together in a package that catches your attention right at the start, and runs with it. The voice of this small-bodied gem echoed the precision of its handworked facets to a T: a smooth, easy player with lots of definition for individual notes, and an ability to let all the colors of complex chords ring out. Ben buffs his guitars to a mirror sheen which catches the light easily and holds it. So much so that we found it difficult to play the Lion for any length of time without pausing just to watch how the light played across its curves.
Ben’s guitars have a master’s touch, and it’s an honor for us at Dream Guitars to get to work with him. If you’re interested in commissioning one of Ben’s guitars yourself, give us a shout! We would love to help.Other keywords: lutherie, luthier, custom guitar, bespoke guitar, custom build, finger style, fingerstyle
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.9 in Nut Width 1.72 in String Spacing 2.188 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Mahogany - Honduran 
Add to CompareNew Wilborn Lion Kathy McFarland Evans Memorial Fund, Koa/Redwood
In this Lion, Ben Wilborn offers up a small-bodied guitar whose Koa-and-Redwood frame contains a heady charge of projection, silky overtones, and a warm fundamental. An impressive guitar on looks alone (from the Abalone trim to the dark patina of the Sinker Redwood and Wenge headstock veneer), this Lion hits the right chord for inspiration at the drop off a hat with a delightfully responsive playability thanks to the short scale and Ben’s oval C shape neck. With features like a soundport and Ben’s forward-shifted upper bout for player comfort, this Lion further stands apart from the crowd, but feels intimate and familiar in your hands at the first pluck.
We’re offering this little beauty in support for the Kathy McFarland Evans Memorial Fund to benefit the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. Kathy Evans was a public school teacher in Albany, California for almost twenty years who recently passed away after a lengthy battle with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Her memorial fund will benefit the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, where several of Kathy’s students have been treated for cancer. 25% of proceeds from this guitar will be donated directly to the memorial fund. You can find out more information here: https://www.crowdrise.com/kathy-mcfarland-evans-memorial-fund.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.875 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.15 in Woods Redwood - Sinker, Koa 
Add to CompareNew Wilborn Bantam East Indian/Adirondack (Red)
Looks like a firecracker, explodes like a cannon. This brand new 2016 Bantam from Ben Wilborn is the answer to every guitarists’ prayer for a small instrument with a larger-than-life voice. Featuring Ben’s taste for jaw-dropping colors, this Bantam has one of the most beautiful sets of Indian Rosewood we’ve ever seen, and the Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard and bridge exhibit a striking contrast of chocolate depths and vanilla-colored sapwood. Add to that an Adirondack Spruce top, Peruvian Walnut neck, and Koa bindings, and you’re looking at the hottest guitar on the block.
The voice of little lion is equally impressive, with a fierce projection and fast response that’ll have you playing in double time in no time at all. As if that wasn’t enough to propel this guitar into stardom, Wilborn also added a soundport, so you’ll always have a personal taste of the flavor of your playing. If this guitar was any finer, you’d have to pay a fee just to play it.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 24.88 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.19 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Rosewood - Indian 
Add to CompareBrand New Wilborn Ellie Belle, Cuban Mahogany/Adirondack Spruce
We wish more guitars sounded as good as this brand new Ellie Belle from Reno-based luthier Ben Wilborn. Part of his new lineup of body styles, this 2016 Ellie Belle is lightweight but rich, and adorned with a sharp sense of style. Cuban Mahogany never sounded so good as here for the back and sides, and Ben applied a light burst to the Adirondack Spruce top to match that gorgeous Mahogany set–with figured Koa bindings dividing them.
The voice is crisp and lightning responsive, holds up beautifully under a flatpick in a way that many similar-sized guitars can’t compete with. Add to that an excellent string-to-string balance and glass-smooth setup, and you’re looking at a dynamic instrument equally at ease for DADGAD fingerstyle arrangements or Bluegrass solos. Wilborn’s fit and finish is surgeon-precise: we challenge you to find an imperfect miter joint or seam anywhere across the body. Heck, you can peek under the hood through the soundport to confirm that even the braces are flawlessly manicured! In the market for a guitar that can do it all? The Ellie Belle from Ben Wilborn.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.19 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Mahogany - Cuban 
Add to CompareNew Wilborn Orchestra Cocobolo/Sitka
We hardly had a chance to play this guitar in the shop before someone swooped in and took it home with them. This is Ben Wilborn’s 2015 Orchestra model, his workhorse contender for any and all environments. The articulation is astounding, with a low-end that sings even and clear. The Cocobolo back and sides and Sitka Spruce top create a crisp upper register which doesn’t overpower the instrument’s tone, and the setup is glossy smooth and effortless to play. Wilborn’s addition of a Cocobolo pickguard and headplate complements the Curly Maple bindings very well, and showcases his excellent eye for detail: the fit and finish is flawless! This guitar comes with the original hardshell Superior case.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.19 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Rosewood - Cocobolo 
Add to CompareNew Wilborn Dreadnought Brazilian/Western Red Cedar
Ben Wilborn has done it again: he’s built a strong, articulate dreadnought which blows any other guitar in the price range right out of the water. Let’s talk specs: Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, Western Red Cedar top, Curly Maple bindings, Wilborn‘s characteristic diamond appointments. You simply can’t find a guitar for $5,000 which has so much going on under the hood–with the excellent craftsmanship of a luthier like Wilborn. The fit and finish is excellent here; smooth as silk.
This guitar is amazingly light, and it practically begs for you to play fast passages with it. The soundport is excellent for getting automatic feedback, and the Western Red Cedar top warms up the low-end of this dreadnought, so the tone is incredibly balanced. Wilborn‘s aesthetic choices, from the wooden pickguard to a scalloped bridge (which is gorgeous and comfortable for the palm, for a rest or for damping), are in a word: elegant. This guitar comes with an original Superior hardshell case.
Here’s a demo with our favorite guitarist on the mount, Al Petteway: https://youtu.be/mu8imQN7Fns.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.19 in Woods Cedar - Western Red, Rosewood - Brazilian 
Add to CompareNew Wilborn OM Cocobolo/Bearclaw Sitka
We are constantly impressed by the quality of builders that are out on the scene right now, even the builders we are just finding out about. That is the case with Ben Wilborn, this is the first instrument we have had from Ben and it is thoroughly amazing. The build quality on this Orchestra model is outstanding, hold this guitar for only a minute and you can tell it was built by a professional who is passionate about his work. What’s more amazing is the quality of voice Ben achieved on this guitar, it is so full and mature you would think this was a decades old guitar, it truly is astounding!
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.19 in Woods Spruce - Sitka, Rosewood - Cocobolo 
Add to Compare2023 Wilborn Nautilus Tasmanian Blackwood/Carpathian Spruce
Ben Wilborn’s guitars never disappoint, this Nautilus model dressed in Tasmanian Blackwood and Carpathian Spruce is no exception. We truly feel that Ben has perfected the offset soundhole design. Everything that you come to expect from that type of build, powerful growling bass, low mid definition, without compromising the upper mids and treble timbres. This guitar is clean in every sense of the word. So much so it sold before we even got a chance to list it.
Other keywords/misspellings: Luthier, lutherie, evo frets, calton , multiscale,
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25 in - 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.313 in Woods Spruce - Carpathian, Blackwood - Tasmanian 
Add to Compare2012 Laurie Williams Signature Model, Premium Whitebait Kauri/Kauri
New Zealand’s Laurie Williams utilizes gorgeous and unique tonewoods from his native land to build exquisite modern instruments—and here we’ve got the cream of that exclusive crop. The back and sides on this 2012 Signature Model are Laurie’s coveted “Whitebait” Premium Kauri, some of the most dynamically figured tonewood on the planet (to rival even The Tree Mahogany). This wood is so called “Whitebait” for its similarity to the lightshow to behold when a school of whitebait fish shimmer beneath the surface: the Kauri shines and glows with incredible depth and chatoyance. You can lose yourself in those depths. The top is also Kauri, and boasts a hand-carved rosette of intricate vines. Twin arm and rib bevels, venetian cutaway, and Gotoh 510 tuners complete the package of a true collector guitar. The voice is equally clear and colorful, with fat trebles that put out sweet overtones to really fill it out.
Other keywords: fingerstyle, exotic wood, tone wood, 12170, white bait, figured wood
Add to Compare2011 Laurie Williams Classical, Ancient Kauri/Paraoanui
New Zealand’s Laurie Williams utilizes gorgeous and unique tonewoods from his native land to build exquisite modern instruments like this Classical from 2011. The top is Sinker Paraoanui, specifically from a log uncovered by a flood near Laurie’s shop which he believes is nearly 100 years old; the body is a set of Ancient Kauri harvested from peat swamps in New Zealand’s North Island estimated to be between 3,000 and 45,000 years old! The neck is salvaged Totara, another NZ domestic.
This Classical comes with a bevy of modern innovations for playability: Ryan-style arm bevel plus venetian cutaway, EVO frets, and a gently radiused fretboard to boot.Other keywords: andy jurik, fingerstyle, nylon string, exotic wood, tone wood, 11154
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 2.06 in String Spacing 2.375 in Woods Paraoanui, Kauri