Featured: Stephen Marchione OMC African Ebony, 2017

"Stephen Marchione is a luthier in the truest sense of the word. What I mean by that is that he makes exceptional stringed instruments across the spectrum - archtops, solid-body electrics, semi-hollow electrics, flamenco and classical guitars, steel strings, and violins.

"That's why I am thrilled to have one of his stunning acoustics in the shop, the Marchione OMC. Stephen says that it's the synthesis of more than 25 years of professional guitar making, and it is. But I think there's more to it than simply years of experience. He profoundly understands the traditions of guitar making and, at the same time, has the skill and insight from his across-the-spectrum experience to add innovation if the instrument can be made better for it...'" - Craig

Featured: Sadowsky Jim Hall, 2004

"Simply put, Roger Sadowsky's Jim Hall model archtop is one of my favorite jazz guitars on the market today. I am a bit emotionally vested in this model, having been involved with its evolution. Over the years that Roger was working on its creation, I had the good fortune to play almost every iteration and prototype and had the open ears of Roger, who was willing to listen to my feedback and suggestions. The result is a classic jazz guitar that, in my opinion, is able to stand alongside any laminate archtop guitar made today.

It is a guitar that speaks perfection in every way, from the fit and finish, to its selection of woods, to its wonderful liquid jazz tones. It is a guitar designed for the working musician, yet I feel it is worthy of being in any elite guitar collection - and that’s particularly true of this 2004 Jim Hall...'" - Craig

Featured: Ken Parker La Gioconda Archtop, 2015

"There may be no more brilliant a luthier working today than Ken Parker. I've known Ken since I played his very first archtop some 40 years ago. He is maybe the most courageous builder I know. His creativity is evident from his early Parker Electric Fly to his commitment to bringing the archtop into the modern playing world. The hours and hours of guitar chats we have had could fill a book, and what has always impressed me is his relentless quest for excellence and invention, leaving no stone unturned to build a better guitar. His deep knowledge of all things guitar is encyclopedic. I suspect that if you gave him a box of pencils, a brick, and a hubcap, he would somehow be able to coax something inspiring from them. He's a one-of-a-kind explorer in what a guitar can be.

"Built in 2015, the Parker "La Gioconda" is a stellar example of his superb work. Yes, it has the pianistic range of tone and playability of Parker's best work, but it is not an incremental improvement on existing archtop designs. It's totally its own thing - at its heart, it's an acoustic guitar...'" - Craig

Featured: Marchione 20th Anniversary Classical, 2010

"Just when I thought I had reveled in the full range of exceptional Marchione builds, here I am with a fine example of his most traditional instrument, the Marchione 20th Anniversary Classical. Crafted in 2010, it has matured like a fine wine, which has deepened its soulfulness. The artistry is superb, of course; it's a Marchione - and the playability is equally sublime. What quickly drew my attention is the wide dynamic range crafted within this guitar. Positioning your right hand close to the fingerboard brings out sweet, warm musical passages while drawing your hand back towards the bridge draws out the brighter high end and its explosive dynamics. It's a joy to have such tonal range at your fingertips...'" - Craig

Featured: Gibson 1969 Crest Gold

"I grew up in a music store in the '60's during the golden age of guitars. In addition to owning the store, my father was a bandleader and an accomplished jazz accordion player. (Yes, there is such thing.) I spent every moment I could there, all my senses alive listening to professional musicians playing shiny new Fender, Gibson and Gretsch guitars.  

"While other kids were reading about Spiderman, I had my head buried in guitar catalogs (the 1966 Gibson is my all-time favorite). Many guitars stood out to me. Their pictures are imprinted in my memory. One of my favorites was the 1969 Gibson Crest "Gold." So I wasn't surprised to be as excited as I am to have one of these rare birds in the shop. And it may be the most stunning Crest I've seen. Its tone is rich, warm and resonant. The neck profile has a classic Gibson archtop feel with a full 1 11/16" nut width, unlike period 335s. It is just wonderfully playable considering this models fifteenth fret body/neck joint...'" - Craig

Featured: Scott Heatley “Ruby the Parisienne”

"Here we have the first official listing of Scott Heatley's energy-charged work - Ruby the Parisienne. This guitar is visually striking; the ruby-red sparkle is an eye-opener. Sparkle finishes have to be artfully applied to add depth and beauty, not just flash. Scott nails it here with the rich and elegant quality of his work. Everywhere I look, this guitar has something that catches my eye - the handmade knobs, the oversized block inlays, a cool retro-style headstock that winks to the past. And the sound is as exceptional as its beauty. I'm a big fan of Wolftone P90s (they are Johan Gustavsson's go-to), and they kill in this Parisienne. Sonically it is smooth and balanced, woody and rich with an organic personality that can get real nasty with a flip of the switch; it would pair well with just about any genre of music. This guitar's playability is righteous, with a beautiful medium/large neck profile and fine fretwork. Every aspect of Ruby has been thought out and executed in an inspired and masterful way...'" - Craig

Featured: Collings OM3 G SS Cut, 2018

"Out of a collection and originally purchased from us this OM3 is as sweet as it was when it originally left the shop. And, it has the original Collings traditional handcrafted case. (Collings no longer makes these cases so it is a rather big deal to get one). Since we originally sold this gem we are sharing the original POV:

"Here at CR Guitars, I have always tried to offer a smaller collection of hand-selected guitars with a strong point of view. So with that in mind I tasked my friends at Collings to build an OM model that would put a big smile on my face. After several months of waiting it's here… and I'm smiling… big time! The Collings OM3 SS Cutaway is everything I hoped it would be (and more). My mission was to have a "CR Guitars" model Collings that would satisfy my all around acoustic needs, in much the same way my remarkable Manzer acoustic has fulfilled this essential role for 25 years. That meant first and foremost it had so be a superb sounding instrument. Beyond that, it had to be a guitar that was able to cover many musical styles. It needed to make fingerstyle style players light up as much as it would delight multi stylists. It should make Eric Clapton happy as well as Pat Metheny...'" - Craig

Featured: Gibson Gary Rossington SG Les Paul Signature, 2003

"The Gibson SG is a very cultish guitar. People who love SGs really adore them. To me it's a Gibson made for a Strat player. In fact, it was Gibson's very first contoured solid body guitar, replacing the Les Paul as the premier Gibson solid body, and for a couple of years, was even called a Les Paul. It was originally conceived as a Fender Stratocaster challenger. For the players who bonded with the model it was manna from heaven, players like Derek Trucks, Frank Marino, Tony Iommi, Angus Young and, of course, the legendary Gary Rossington (a founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Freebird fame).

"Our current offering is a 2003 Gibson Gary Rossington SG Les Paul '61, an exacting replica of Gary’s famous '61 SG Les Paul aged by none other than the legendary Tom Murphy. And it is good...I mean really good. Every nuance, from its perfect neck shape to the added brilliance of its Maestro tailpiece is just right..." - Craig