Featured: Nacho Banos Blackguard Tele #0135M
"I have been very fortunate to have built a relationship over the past few years with Nacho Banos. A relationship that results in me being able to offer a very select few for sale through CR Guitars. I do my best to get an early peek at his latest offerings and select one or two that deeply resonate with me; the ones that make my heart race a bit faster. The ones that give me goosebumps. The ones with an extra dose of Nacho's magic recipe.
"Our latest offering, a brand new 2021 Nachocaster, is blowing my mind. This is as close to the real vintage vibe as I have ever played. And not just any vintage Blackguard. A great vintage Blackguard. That means it has all the nuances that take it over the top. Feel, vibe, sound, everything is right about it. Not just technically, but from deep in its heart. This goes far beyond just having a great neck carve or incredible relicing. Nacho uses old school techniques to give each guitar its own distinct personality. This particular instrument feels as though it’s been played for decades and is just dripping with the sweat and soul of the player..." - Craig
Featured: Stephen Marchione Maple OMC Preowned 2018
"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 really 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 that. He both deeply understands the traditions of guitar making, and has the skill and insight from his across-the-spectrum experience to add innovation if the instrument will be better for it..." - Craig
Featured: Sundragon Limited Edition #23/50
"Being a Park/Colby dealer, I was very fortunate to be able to acquire this Sundragon LTD #23 when the run of 50 was originally released in 2019. This Sundragon has never been used and is in mint condition. All the original packing materials, including box, are included. It has THAT sound, THAT vibe, an absolutely impressive and collectable piece of rock and roll history..." - Craig
Featured: Park Little Head 18, 2015
Straight out of a collection, this amp was barely used and is in search of a new home. Most of the other Park amps offered today are recreations of vintage designs. The Park Little Head 18 is something new. While most vintage 18-20 watt tube amps were originally built as lower cost practice amps and cheaper alternatives to professional amps, the Park Little Head 18 is built with the same hand-wired care, high quality parts, tone-full circuit and attention to detail as its bigger brothers. It is capable of beautiful, sparkling clean tones, overdriven blues from a hint of OD to full-blown OD and classic rock tones, all at a level that won’t blow the doors of your bedroom, studio or small club. Don’t let the size or power rating of the Park Little Head fool you; this is a full featured, big tone, professional guitar amplifier with no compromise in the low end.
Featured: Nik Forster Semi Acoustic Archtop Charlie, 2012
"Just out of a collection, a preowned 2012 Nik Forster archtop guitar. "Charlie" (as the model is known) is a uniquely designed, hand-carved hollow body archtop. Nik is a great builder, and this Charlie is beautifully made. Every part of this guitar is imbued with Nik's thinking and execution. I think it's perfect for the archtop player who wants to take a deeper dive into the electric world, as its full-body neck adds electric guitar benefits with classic archtop construction.
"The long flamed maple and ebony neck lays over the carved German spruce top and is seated directly on the Sri Lankan ebony bridge. Nik feels that this design provides the player with the response one would normally find on an electric guitar. The acoustic tone of the smaller body is distinctive yet familiar, and its size and weight provide a really comfortable playing experience. It's a fantastic couch guitar, in addition to its electric capabilities. All the woods are exquisite and the fit and finish is righteous. I really love the neck carve; a perfectly profiled medium C. Like I said, it's a really comfortable playing experience..." - Craig
News:
Behind The Scenes At CR - late 2020
At CR Guitars there is quite a lot of activity that happens behind the scenes, activity (guitars) that you, our Internet viewers, never get to see. That's not say that what's on our site isn't our best stuff; it is, but it doesn't represent everything. You see, part of our 'hand selected' ethic means serving many customers directly, and that means many guitars get ordered directly through us and never make it to our website...
...Read MoreJimmy Page Presents...
The Sundragon, the incredible result of a collaboration between Jimmy Page, Perry Margouleff and Mitch Colby. It is a faithful recreation of the amplifier Jimmy Page used exclusively to create the groundbreaking sounds on Led Zeppelin 1 and other notable recordings. Jimmy's original iconic-sounding amplifier started out life as a Supro Coronado. While on tour with Neil Christian the amplifier fell out of the band's van. Not willing to give up on his beloved Supro, Jimmy had it restored. But the restoration took it to a unpredictably new level. The Sundragon recreates that magic.
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...
...Read MoreFriends 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...
...Read MoreFeatured Videos:
- CR Guitars Features: Collings I-35 LC Custom Faded Cherry
- CR Guitars Features: PRS Private Stock Archtop II with Piezo
- CR Guitars Features: Johan Gustavsson 59 Bluesmaster Limited
- CR Guitars: Unboxing Stephen Marchione Semi Hollow
- CR Guitars Features: Daniel Slaman Sisterhood #6
- James Tyler Psychedelic Vomit
- CR Guitars Features: Yanuziello “ala Frisell” Spruce Top (4K)
- CR Guitars Features: Raymond Kraut Modified Dreadnought
- CR Guitars Features: Lowden S35 WA/RC 2015
- Fryette Aether Amp Part 2 - In the Shop with David Torn
Recent Arrivals:
Nik Forster Semi Acoustic Archtop Charlie, 2012

Just out of a collection, a preowned 2012 Nik Forster archtop guitar. "Charlie" (as the model is known) is a uniquely designed, hand-carved hollow body archtop. Nik is a great builder, and this Charlie is beautifully made. Every part of this guitar is imbued with Nik's thinking and execution...
Brad Nickerson Custom FC3 Circa 2000

Tonally the FC3 is rich and throaty sounding. It has a really beautiful tone. Perhaps the greatest accolade one can give it is that it reminds very much of a Linda Manzer 6 with with its mid range presence and wonderful note definition...
Benedetto Custom Manhattan S1847, 2009

The guitar was built for a fine player and collector who obviously has discriminating tastes. Only the best European woods were used. The floral sound holes are a Robert Benedetto classic design, a signature of Bob's subtle elegance...
D’Ambrosio Allegro Archtop, 2012

This 16" Allegro was built in 2012 with old European maple and spruce, the type of woods used in fine violins and cellos. The body is bound with cocobolo, then finished with a sweet amber tint that accents the reddish hues in the binding...
Victor Baker Model 18 Archtop, 2013

Not many builders have the courage to tackle the design and attitude of a classic 18". But here in the shop, right now, is a wonderful statement of wood, strings and magic by the fine builder Victor Baker. Though it is "big" it is actually lighter and more ergonomic that a Super 4...
Fender Custom Shop Bob Bain Tele, 2017

Straight out of a collection, with Certificate Of Authenticity and case candy - near mint condition. Bob Bain was a first-call guy back when LA was the center of the universe for TV, film and record work. And the guitar he used as his main instrument, was, unsurprisingly, a '50s Tele...
Mirko Borghino Miraggio 7

We currently have Mirko's Miraggio 7 model in the shop and are deeply impressed by this 7 string archtop. The craftsmanship is absolutely impeccable with a beautiful modern esthetic that even appeals to the traditionalist...
Fender Custom Shop Telecaster

Just arrived! One beautiful preowned "1953" Fender Custom Shop Tele in a lush Closet Classic aged cherry sunburst finish. Built with very light weight ash, this Tele is resonant and very comfortable to play. We particularly like its 7.25" radius U shaped neck...
Daniel Slaman Jazz Pauletta

Daniel Slaman's new solid body electric model, the Pauletta, is a wonderfully bold statement; no punches pulled here. Slaman set out to create an archtop sounding electric that was feedback resistant, rich and woody sounding, and inspiring to play...
Sadowsky LS-15

Based on Sadowsky's well-known and loved SS-15 model, the LS15 offers a longer scale (25 1/2"), two PAF style pickups and 16 frets to the body. Like the SS-15 the 1 3/4" body depth makes this a very comfortable archtop to navigate...