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: Gibson Byrdland Crimson Series 2013
"Personal story. I first fell in love with Gibson Byrdlands in the '60s when my guitar teacher, Mike Warren, gave me lessons on the one he owned. (Mike, by the way, was a superb guitarist who later moved to California and had an illustrious career playing and conducting for top shelf recording artists.) Mike was also instrumental in introducing me to the studio scene. When I visited him in the early '70s, having studied with Pat Martino, I was intent on pursuing a jazz guitarist's life. Right up until the moment I hung out with Mike at a recording session. I absolutely fell in love with that world and my goal from that moment on was to learn whatever I needed to move through the studio ranks.
"Back to Mike's Byrdland. I really loved that guitar. While it took a minute to get accustomed to its unique scale length, I found the instrument both totally inspiring and wonderfully playable. Byrdlands allow me to reach beyond my normal jazz vocabulary and capture a more soulful part of myself. The shorter scale length lets me use heavier gauge strings, and allows more expression because of its reduced string tension. The tone is fat and sweet but with the added flexibility to even dial in your rock personality. Personally, I think everyone should have one..." - Craig
Featured: Fender Custom Shop Bob Bain Tele, 2017
"Having a strong background as a session guitarist, I am really partial to the guitars that session players relied on as their tools of choice to get the job done. Bob Bain, though before my time, was a mainstay-go-to-first-call guy back when LA was the center of the universe for TV, film and record work. Bob's credits are impressive and many of his guitar sounds and music have become iconic. And the guitar he used as his main instrument, was, unsurprisingly, a Tele. Any not just any off the shelf Tele. It was a '50s Tele that was modded with a humbucker neck pickup and Bigsby tailpiece. Basically, it was a guitar that could handle any call and be pretty much be the one guitar that could do anything.
"After spending time with this masterfully built instrument, I can honestly tell you that this is the real deal. It's not just a nod to a fine player or an exercise of craftsmanship by the Fender Custom Shop master builder. The playability, sounds and versatility are top notch and truly impressive. Straight out of a collection, with Certificate Of Authenticity and case candy - near mint condition..." - 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: Benedetto Custom Manhattan S1847, 2009
"I've known Robert Benedetto for many years, and have owned and enjoyed several of his superb instruments. Benedetto is one of the true masters of archtop guitar lutherie. In fact, he literally wrote the book on how to build an archtop guitar. His influence in the guitar world is wide, deep, and legendary among artists and builders alike. Countless great guitarists have played and loved his instruments. To many archtop aficionados, he's "the man." Icing on the cake is that he, along with his wife Cindy, are wonderful and caring human beings, always tuned into the needs and desires of their artists.
"I am so pleased to have this very special Custom Manhattan in the shop. It's not only off the charts beautiful, but it just might have one of the best acoustic sounds of any Benedetto I've ever played. That makes sense. Bob was deeply involved in building it. Bob did the lion's share of important work (like tap tuning) on this guitar...." - Craig
Featured: Ulrich Teuffel Niwa Prodigy, Preowned 2019
"Straight out of a collection this stunning Teuffel Niwa Prodigy is back in our shop in search of a new home. Excellent condition. The original write-up is below.
"Ulrich Teuffel deeply believes that a guitar's design should add to a player's creativity by not imposing a mindset on what a guitar "should" sound like, or predispose the player or audience to expect any particular style of music. While there are some who prefer more traditional designs, and those who adore Teuffel's instruments, both sides agree: there's no argument over his incredible craftsmanship and dedication to pure excellence. It's important to note that Teuffel's designs are created to a purpose - to be incredibly ergonomic - and to remove any barrier between the player and the creation of music. While the Niwa is well known among aficionados of Teuffel's work, this is a very special instrument. This particular Niwa Prodigy was crafted for, and featured at, the 2019 NAMM show. Stepping back from his typical matte finish, Ulrich has put the wood front and center..." - Craig
Featured: 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. Crafted with lightweight resonant tone woods by one of our finest builders, the Pauletta offers the modern jazz player a truly honest alternative to a hollow body guitar.
"It is one of the finest jazz solid bodies I have ever played. The custom Charlie Christian design pickup along with the handmade 250 style tailpiece add a sonic quality that I haven't experienced in other solid body electrics. The sound is immediate and present with a warmth and brilliance that is addictive. I'm sure Les Paul himself would have loved this guitar. Make no mistake, the Pauletta is breath of fresh air for the contemporary guitarist..." - 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:
Ribbecke Custom Monterey, 2008

What makes this Ribbecke so rare - and so compelling an instrument - is its wood. In Tom's own words, the wood for the sides and back is "unobtanium"; a rare stash of big leaf maple Tom was able to acquire from a cello builder...
Anderson Crowdster, Circa 2003

This 2003 example is in excellent condition and provides the player a lush electrified acoustic tone without the fuss. Just plug into your favorite amp, PA or DAW and you're in the zone both sonically and creatively. Anderson and LR Baggs really tuned in the pickup and electronic system...
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...
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...
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...