Nico Moffa Acoustic Mithra, Preowned

CONDITION excellent minus, with a few light body marks and finish scratches, including a more noticeable scratch near the end pin

Several years ago, I asked Nico Moffa if he would consider building a fully hollow version of his stellar semi-hollow Mithra. Nico makes some of the finest archtops anywhere in today's golden age of lutherie, and a hollow body felt like a natural next step in the Mithra's evolution. I love small-body archtops. They are ergonomic and, when they're done this well, eminently usable. Smaller archtops tend to be less prone to feedback, have a more focused amplified tone, and are easy to get around. All of that puts a smile on my face.

When this first Mithra hollow body arrived, it was everything I had hoped for. It sold within days. The truth is, I don't even think it made it onto the site. The good news is that it's back at CR Guitars and looking for a new home.

What strikes me most is how full it sounds acoustically given the smaller body size. That carved red spruce top and flamed maple back really move air. The neck is its own pleasure. Nico has a real gift for shaping necks, and this seductive medium C profile is a perfect example. Nothing fights you. Everything here was meticulously thought out, from that neck to the hand-wound H2 humbucker Nico sets on the top, and it all comes together in one brilliant 14 3/4" archtop.

A word on the condition and finish, because they're connected. This Mithra shows a few light body marks and finish scratches, mostly visible under direct light, plus a more noticeable scratch near the end pin. Nico's finishes are hand-rubbed varnishes, and over time they absorb into the wood like a fine violin, so the guitar only deepens with age.

Moffa guitars have become highly sought after over the last few years. They're hard to get, with a three-year waiting list, and they command high prices that they are well worth. One more thing worth knowing: with the new tariffs in place, a new Moffa coming from overseas now carries a considerable customs fee on top of the price. This one is already here, so that's a cost you don't take on. To have it back on the bench, clean and ready to play, is a real pleasure. Well done, Nico Moffa.

If you'd like to find out more about this item, just call or e-mail me. It would be my pleasure to talk to you about it.

ABOUT MOFFA GUITARS
Nico Moffa's guitars were first noticed when Kurt Rosenwinkel started playing them. Nico comes (in the craftsmanship sense) from the long tradition of Italian violin and cello making. His aim is to give guitars the nobility of those instruments - in their pure acoustic sound, and in their aesthetics as well. He favors minimal elegance - no fretboard dots, no inlays (whether mother of pearl or plastic), and you can see the elegance radiating from the instrument. It’s simply a beautiful object. But beyond that, Nico’s finishes are recipes based on those used for violins, cellos, etc., as he believes that is the best means of allowing the wood to resonate at its best. Further, the colors are natural and obtained from vegetable extracts, which allows for great nuance. Beyond that, the color and the finish are a complete entity - there’s no “paint” involved. Those finishes, in Nico’s opinion, give the instrument a warmth that is more typical of the way instruments used to be made. A pre-industrial look, as it were. The guitars themselves, while crafted following traditional means are anything but that in use.