Northwood Studio 00 Vintage Cherry Sunburst 2012 Acoustic Guitar

This is a Northwood Studio 00 acoustic guitar in Vintage Cherry Sunburst finish. Made in Canada in 2012, this guitar comes from the workshop of John McQuarrie- a former employee at Larrivee who set up on his own in 1994. Drawing on a lifetime of love for guitars & his experience working at Larrivee alongside his own luthier & repair business, John has turned Northwood Guitars into a celebrated name amongst those in the know.

Of course featuring an all solid construction, this instrument comprises an Adirondack Spruce top, Honduran Mahogany back & sides, Mahogany neck & 20 fret Ebony fingerboard with matching bridge. The body is double bound in Tortoiseshell, whilst the top is adorned with multi-stripe purfling & a handsome Abalone rosette. The binding continues around the headstock, which itself is overlaid with Rosewood and features an Abalone Northwood logo. A set of Nickel Grover open-geared tuning machines are installed, as well as a K&K Pure Mini undersaddle transducer pickup.

The Mahogany neck plays very well indeed. Carved into what might be described as an even ‘C’ shape, the neck is comfortable in all positions. Moderately thick, there is plenty of substance to the neck without feeling at all cumbersome. This means that chordal playing is just as well catered for as intricate melody lines. The Ebony of the fretboard is luxurious under the fingers, with a nice tight grain pattern and dark appearance the surface is smooth and durable enough to withstand years of playing. The ‘00’ body size is perfect for long playing sessions thanks to its small stature, easily keeping fatigue at bay, whilst the 12th fret neck joint further improves comfort & ease of playability.

The acoustic voice of the instrument is fabulously well balanced thanks to it’s smaller size. There is plenty of warm bass on offer without overpowering the mid and treble response as can be the case with larger body designs. The Honduran Mahogany back and sides add depth and character to the sound, whilst the Adirondack Spruce top provides a bright and clear top end, beautifully colouring each note played on the instrument. The combination of exquisite craftsmanship and fine materials work together to produce a tone which is both traditional and incredibly well-refined. Whilst not producing as much volume as a larger body, there is still plenty of dynamic range on offer, feeling very responsive to the player’s touch. A fabulous instrument that will make its new owner feel exceptionally lucky.