CR GUITARS - hand selected

Featured: James Tyler Dann Huff Black Classic

"The black finish appointed with gold hardware is just stunning - a classic James Tyler look. The fantastic '59 neck shape and rolled fingerboard edges are truly seductive. As with all of Jim's guitars, the playability is off the charts. This is a guitar that is truly hard to put down. It's an LA Studio Classic on steroids. With the quietness of the upgraded Duncan stacks combined with the Huff series/parallel buttons and Tyler's mid-range boost circuitry, you have an extremely versatile-sounding guitar, perfect for stage or studio...'" - Craig

Featured: Gibson L5CES Crimson Series, 2012

"Just in: a superb 2012 Gibson L5CES in a glorious vintage sunburst finish. The condition is very near mint (I never call a preowned guitar mint, and this one could just about pass for New Old Stock.) This beauty is a fantastic example of Gibson's "Crimson Series" of archtop guitars, which unfortunately are no longer available. Everything about this L5 rings true; the playability (love the neck profile), beauty, weight, and classic electric sound; it is a righteous and coveted electric archtop by the company that started it all. The L-5 is an absolute classic model played by everyone from Wes Montgomery to Scotty Moore to Tuck Andress. And this particular archtop is modern-day Gibson at its best...'" - Craig

Featured: Sadowsky Chuck Loeb LS-13

"Roger Sadowsky hand-crafted Chuck's guitars throughout Chuck's illustrious musical career. The recent model was based on Sadowsky's Broadway line of electric guitars. A finely dialed-in chambered solid body, the Chuck Loeb model was the culmination of years of collaboration between these colleagues and close friends. Every detail of this model is well thought out, from the inspired custom wound humbuckers and switching system - I love the smooth jazz switch!- to the placement of the strap button. Of course, the fit, finish, and wood selection are top-tier; I wouldn't expect anything less from Roger's master craftsmanship and samurai-level quality control...'" - Craig

Featured: Collings I35 Deluxe Quilted Maple, 2007

"I am just knocked out by Collings's electric guitars. Collings has taken familiar design platforms and elevated them to master-built status. They're not reinventing the tried and true; instead, they are making what works work better than just about anyone on the planet. This superb I-35 Deluxe is a perfect example. Every element of this guitar has been tweaked to perfection. Every detail is as it should be, from the stunning maple top to the grained ivoroid control knobs. Collings no longer offers quilt maple tops or Brazilian rosewood fingerboards, but they are present in this beautiful 2007 near-mint guitar...'" - Craig

Featured: Sadowsky NYC Custom Shop S-Style, Koa

"There's magic in this guitar. I've been waiting for a long time for a new Sadowsky electric guitar to grace the shop. Sadowsky has one of the most excellent wood supplies of any builder I know. Just look at this beauty - the front and the back are just spectacular, and Roger went all out on the neck wood, too. It's a quarter sawn master grade roasted flamed maple neck with a premium-figured Brazilian fingerboard. The gold hardware compliments the golden hue of the exceptional koa top and the playability is second to none...'" - Craig

Featured: Collings I35 LC Vintage, Aged Blonde

"Collings has upped their game with their new I35 LC Vintage model guitar. That's a challenging task when the company already has some of the finest ES-style semi-hollows on the market. Immersed in the culture of quality and inspiration that drove Bill Collings, they strive to draw from the very best in every Collings guitar. If there is magic to be found, they leave no stone unturned in their search. So it's no real surprise to me that I'm impressed after playing this new model. And I mean genuinely impressed. Besides being a joy to play (impeccable quality) and hold (ergonomic and lightweight), the sound captures the tone of a fine vintage guitar...'" - Craig

Featured: Julian Gaffney Modified Dreadnaught

"Julian Gaffney builds an exceptional steel string guitar; having one in the shop is an absolute delight. Gaffney's Modified Dreadnought is the largest guitar in this builder's line up — patterned from the same name model designed by his mentor and teacher, Ervin Somogyi. The Mod-D was conceived as a more ergonomic dreadnought. In addition to added comfort, it is engineered to be loud and present with a commanding bass response and thick, full trebles...'" - Craig

Featured: Galloup Borealis, 2005

"Our current offering, a beautiful 2005 Galloup Borealis model, is an elegant and sophisticated guitar, expressively built with only the finest woods and artistry. From the rare "tree-flamed mahogany" (not to be confused with THE TREE) to the Laskin-inspired arm bevel, this is a player's dream; comfortable to hold, lovely to gaze at, with a well-balanced and wonderfully rich tone. The low register speaks with that clear woody mahogany balanced quality, while the upper register rings with an articulate and bell-like chime. The fit and finish are exquisite, and the perfectly carved neck profile makes me smile...'" - Craig

Featured: PRS Dragon III, 1994

"An exquisite PRS Dragon III has made its way into the shop. The PRS Dragon III is a sought-after and beloved rare instrument. This guitar is #21 in the limited series of 100 crafted in 1994. Additionally, it's only one of a handful done in a tortoiseshell finish. Just look at the pictures to see its artistry and craftsmanship. It's near mint, rare, and even has Paul Reed Smith's signature on the backplate...'" - Craig

Featured: Benedetto Custom Benny, 2011

"This Benny is a very special custom guitar created with premium woods, selected and hand carved by Bob Benedetto. It is an absolute joy to play.

"Acquired from the original owner - a gigging guitarist - this Benedetto has inspired him for over a decade. This exquisite instrument covers Gibson and Fender tonal territory with its chambered body, tapped dual humbuckers, and middle single coil pickup. Yet it has its own very special voice...'" - Craig

News:

Radack, Master of Design

"Every once in a while, I come across a guitar that is a complete thought, meaning it's on the money right out of the gate. It's not a replica of an existing design, not a guitar built as a builder's conceit or a craftsman's whim. Instead, it's an instrument drawn from a store of knowledge from the builder's skill and player feedback. Add into that mix an inspired design, a sense that there is a niche to fill, and the desire to serve it, and you have the ingredients for something special And then, you hope it all works. Straight to the point, Radack guitars work. Beautifully... - Craig

Friends of CR Guitars: Adam Levy

Adam Levy is widely respected as a "musician’s musician" — with many featured turns to his credit. His memorable solos on Norah Jones' album Come Away with Me are shining examples of his handiwork. His bluesy lines on Tracy Chapman's hit "Give Me One Reason" tell a juicy story, with not a single note wasted. He's a nuanced accompanist as well, as can be heard on Allen Toussaint's recording of "American Tune." He's also featured on recordings by Vulfpeck, Anaïs Mitchell (composer of Hadestown), Meshell Ndegeocello, Ani DiFranco, and Amos Lee...

The Creek Time Machine

The Time Machine we're referring to here is the Creek Time Machine Series, three "new vintage" acoustic guitars that are simply stunning. They are inspired by legenday acoustic guitars, but these are not just vintage replicas. They venture beyond that...

An Introduction To Scott Heatley

Heatley Guitars was founded in 1997 with a very humble loan and a tiny shop. From the beginning the idea was to build high quality guitars in small numbers and it remains that way to this day. The output is kept limited to ensure the quality stays high...

The Yanuziello Milano Series - Interview w/ Joe

Like every artist Joe Yanuziello is always looking for new territory to conquer, the next mountain to climb. Enter the first in a 10 piece Limited Edition Series called the Milano, what Joe considers his next level instrument. It's that great. So great we decided to interview Joe for a feature on his new Milano Series. Joe's insatiable curiosity has taken him off the beaten path to a line of unique guitars that harken back to the European electrics of the early '60s, particularly Italian makers, that over the years have become quite collectible in the vintage market. Read on to find out about the truly remarkable Milano Series...

Friends of CR Guitars: Jostein Gulbrandsen

Jostein Gulbrandsen, who has done many product videos for CR Guitars and is a longtime friend of CR Guitars owner Craig Snyder is originally from Norway. Since 2001 he has been based in New York where he received his master's degree in jazz guitar from the Manhattan School of Music in 2003. Gulbrandsen has played at Kongsberg Jazz Festival, Blue Note, Birdland, BB. Kings, Cornelia Street Cafe, Smalls, Smoke, Blues Alley, The Kennedy Center and many other places. He has toured in Norway and Scotland and also held master classes at Agder College of Music and Hobart and William Smith Colleges...

Recent Arrivals:

Rob Radack Pontiac Hollow Flat Top

Drawing inspiration from his fascination with short-scale and smaller body guitars, Rob made a short-scale instrument that was fully realized, a complete instrument, a guitar that a player would pick up and fall in love with before they even realized it was a short scale...

Collings 02HG, 2014

Small is beautiful, especially in this case. This Collings O2 is a comfortable body size; you want to pick it up and just start playing. Once you do, it's hard to put down...

John Buscarino Tree Of Life

The first thing that will draw you to this fantastic archtop guitar is its inspired beauty and artistry. Luthier John Buscarino and inlay artist Larry Robinson tap into their remarkable skills to create this one-of-a-kind Tree of Life guitar...

Rob Radack Hemi Semi-Hollow

Maxmonte Thames OM, 2019

The Thames model is Max's modernized take on an OM-style instrument. Sonically it's full, rich, and balanced sounding, something to expect from a fine rosewood-body guitar. Still, it also has the open woody quality associated with mahogany acoustics...

Blue Arch Oldie Acoustic Archtop

Krzysztof's Oldie reflects every nuance of your playing. The dynamic range is hyper-extended. If you're a player who uses a lot of dynamics as a part of your technique, you'll be transported. It's so much fun to play an instrument that is so responsive to what you put into it...

Moffa Coraline Semi-Hollow, 2018

As with all of Moffa's guitars, the workmanship is stellar and his sense of old world craftsmanship seeps through the pores of this guitar. It has a wonderful neck, and a very cool design. He really nails modernity with this new Coraline semi hollow guitar...

Stephen Marchione Mahogany Vintage Tremolo

Stephen's store of highly selective materials inspired him to build this Vintage Tremolo guitar. It is crafted with tonewoods not typically seen on S-style guitars, designed to have its own inspiring sonic signature...

Collings CJ45 T

With its solid fundamentals, thick trebles, and balanced bass, this CJ45 T is the perfect acoustic to accompany a singer, for recording or just plain inspiration. This sunburst beauty is Collings' tip of the hat to pre-war Gibsons, and man, did they nail it...

Gibson 60th Anniversary 1960 Standard, 2020

I am highly impressed with this 60th Anniversary Les Paul. I firmly believe that GIbsons are hard to beat when Gibson really puts its heart into it. (You know what I mean.) This minty example is that legendary company at the top of its game...

Otto D’Ambrosio Allegro Girasole, The Sunflower

Otto D'Ambrosio used this guitar as a presentation piece at guitar shows. It is his personal instrument, and it shows off the full range of his lutherie chops from sonics to inlay and metal work...

Grit Laskin Classical Cutaway, 2017 - NEW PRICE

Grit is a gifted luthier, best known for his beautiful and incredibly detailed inlay work. For proof of his lutherie skills, look no further than this guitar. It's superb by any measure. The rare (and nearly un-obtainable) African blackwood sides and back are deep, dark, and rich...

Marchione 20th Anniv Classical, 2010, NEW PRICE

Crafted in 2010, this very special Marchione 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...