#78, Adirondack and walnut, 14-frets, long scale, with Guardian Vintage Series arched-top hard shell case.
First of all, we love Kent Chasson guitars. They are mind-blowing in so many ways; hey sound like no other wooden flattop we can offer you; they are gorgeous, made with the finest woods, colors chosen for their endearing aesthetic appeal – colors, textures and a use of space that most independent guitar makers can only read about in books. Add to this Chasson’s unique use of a tubular graphite internal bracing structure (it looks like the engine room in the spaceship Enterprise) and the perfection with which all components come together and one can only stand silently in awe of its other-worldly majestic splendor. Kent himself says “The first thing most people notice when they look through the soundhole is a triangular truss of carbon fiber tubes inside the box. This is a strong and lightweight way to help support the neck load. Supporting the neck load with the internal truss allows me to float the fingerboard extension above the top. The upper bout is now much freer to vibrate. With the fingerboard free of the top, it's now possible to adjust the neck angle with the turn of a screw. This allows the player to make seasonal adjustments to the action while leaving the saddle at its optimum height. I recently started using capped kerfed linings (did you know that?). The black veneer cap creates the stiffness of solid linings with less weight. I also laminate my end blocks and drill holes to reduce weight. This creates strong, stable end blocks while removing almost an ounce of mass. Little things add up.” This is a builder that thinks (a lot) about design. And it shows.
This is not your father’s dreadnought (nor is it his father’s). On the Chasson the lower bout measures 15 9/16th”, the waist 10 5/16”, the upper bout 11 3/8th”, the body length is just under 20”, the total length is 40 ¾”, the fingerboard width is 1 11/16th” at the nut and the string spacing at the bridge is 2 1/8”. On a standard dreadnought (now that you asked) the lower bout is 15 5/8”, waist is 10 7/8”, upper bout is 11 ¼”, body length is 20 and the total length is around 40 ¾”. The lines on the Chasson are graceful and elegant. The headstock tapers to a rounded (semi-circular) point; the headplate is highly figured Cocobolo (it says “I can’t believe it’s not Dalbergia Nigra” on the container in which it comes) rosewood and it is inlaid with one of the most stylized and artful letter “C” as you will ever see outside of a wedding invitation. Yes, even the surfboard shaped truss rod cover is matching Cocobolo and so is the bridge and the glossy-edged 14-fret fingerboard. It proffers small single pearl dots on frets 3, 5, 7, 9, with a double dot at 12. The soundhole rosette is burled walnut, the back of neck is Black Walnut and the back and sides are Claro Walnut with a great deal of tiger stripe figure. The binding and heel cap are Leopardwood – one of the most exotic woods we know – it bubbles like the cauldron in Macbeth. The face is, of course, wide-grained and silky smoothAdirondack “Red” spruce - Picea Rubens – “Take another little Picea heart now, baby!” – the wood that’s good, never misunderstood, it’s from the ‘hood, you know you should.
The bass response on this puppy is round and solid – thunderous and throbbing with intensity; the mids and highs are strong and long, sustain seems to ring forever. Chasson guitars set a new standard – it reaches the pinnacle of plectral perfection for which guitarists have, all their lives, yearned. Kent adds (paraphrased, edited): My guitars blend time-honored traditions with state of the art innovation but it's not the traditional hide glue or the contemporary carbon fiber struts that make my guitars special. It's the passion, the training, and the 30 years of experience I bring to this craft. Then add back the hide glue and the carbon fiber. And the wood of course: every piece hand-picked and well –seasoned, much like myself. My guitars are responsive to the player and I am responsive to the people that possess them. It's a great job that I have, and I am grateful to the musicians who enable me to keep building and, together, put more music into the world.
Our Discount Price is $6,180.00 and Our Cash Discount Price is $5,995.00.
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