Bourgeois

“Harkening back to our roots in vintage-inspired design, our Vintage model has for decades been a cornerstone of the Bourgeois brand. With a few changes, we’ve made the all new Vintage Heirloom. Imagine the fullness of East Indian Rosewood, paired with a premium Adirondack Spruce soundboard. Now add authentic prewar appointments and Animal Protein glue. The result will bring you back to the days before the term “vintage” applied to guitars.” – From the Bourgeois Website

As we frequently state around here, the fundamental design elements of the pre-war, holy-grail, vintage guitars have been exhaustively researched and documented by this point, effectively making each a classic “grandma’s biscuits” sort of recipe.  And, of course, any steel string acoustic luthier worth his salt is likely to try his hand at baking this recipe at some point, and many end up fixated on refining their interpretation of the recipe.  Dana Bourgeois is no exception; and, as he is considered one of the pioneers of torrefaction as it applies to guitar building, one could assert that he is one of the foremost guitar bakers operating today. 

Yet, as is always the case when it comes to interpreting a recipe, the original is one thing and the variation or interpretation is another.  In our opinion, for instance, it is quite unrealistic to expect any modern guitar to be a complete analogue of a vintage guitar, as this would require replicating the effect of decades of use in addition to replicating the design.  Along that line, to maintain unwavering blind reverence for the old instruments would be to ignore all of the great advances that modern builders have achieved! 

Indeed, guitars such as this delightful 00 Vintage Heirloom underscore the fact that we truly live in a golden age of acoustic guitar, where the precedent of the great old guitars has been ardently studied and continually refined.  For its size, this 00 has surprisingly bold voice that is appropriately firm and balanced.  Though the notes are clearly defined and with the intended vintage-esque crispiness, one also detects pleasing hints of darkness and color in the background.  This all translates to a very satisfying lyrical nature in an instrument that can be intimate or front and center as needed.  These sonic qualities are mirrored by the tasteful aesthetic treatment.  The soft semi-gloss finish doesn’t immediately demand attention, but the eye cannot help be drawn by the classic combination of a dark sunburst, herringbone purfling, and a beautiful Adirondack top.  Complete with a comfortable modified V neck, this 00 Vintage certainly embodies all that constitutes a modern interpretation of a classic design and will no doubt live up to its reputation as an “Heirloom” guitar.

Condition:

This guitar was very well kept by its previous owner and exhibits no signs of play wear.  EXCEPTIONALLY FINE condition.

• 00-14 Fret Body
• Solid Aged Tone Adirondack Spruce Top
• Pre-War Scalloped Bracing Pattern
• Solid Indian Rosewood Back and Sides
• Grained Ivoroid Body Binding
• Extra Vintage Herringbone Purfling
• Extra Vintage Zig Zag Back Strip
• Extra Vintage Three Ring Rosette
• Semi-Gloss Body Finish
• Sunburst Top Finish
• Mahogany Neck
• Modified V Neck Carve
• Ebony Fingerboard
• Short Pattern Abalone Diamond and Squares Fingerboard Inlay
• Madagascar Rosewood Headstock Veneer
• Mother of Pearl Bourgeois Headstock Logo
• Semi-Gloss Neck Finish
• Ebony “Traditional” Belly Bridge
• Animal Protein Glue Construction
• Relic Nickel Waverly Tuning Machines with Oval Buttons
• Bone Nut and Saddle
• Bone Bridge Pins and Endpin
• Teardrop Faux Tortoiseshell Pickguard
• 1 3/4” Nut Width
• 2 5/16” String Spacing at Bridge
• 25” Scale Length
• Original Pimpled Arched Top Hardshell Case