Bourgeois Guitars are handcrafted in Lewiston, Maine by master luthier Dana Bourgeois. Dana is known around the world for his superb craftsmanship and also as one of the foremost authorities on the voicing, selection and utilization of fine acoustic tonewoods.
Dana selects and matches the woods for each Bourgeois guitar at the beginning of the production process and, once each acoustic guitar is complete, checks it from top to bottom insuring it is aesthetically perfect and sounds and plays up to the demanding Bourgeois standard. Throughout the production process you can find Dana applying bridges, spraying a sunburst top, buffing the final finish coat, selecting and applying pick guards as well as overseeing the eight other individuals working on the various facets of the guitars being built.
Recorded In-House on a Sony PCM-D50 handheld recorder with no compression or eq.
Bourgeois 0 Classic Italian Spruce and Indian Rosewood
The Bourgeois 0 Classic is a modest guitar with simplified appointments with a classic combination of tonewoods featuring an Itailian Spruce top that is paired with an extraordinary set of Indian Rosewod for the back and sides. Although this guitar has a very versatile tone that sounds great onstage or in the studio the comfort of the 0 body shape makes for the ultimate "Couch Guitar"!
This Bourgeois 0 Classic, with a custom Italian Spruce top, offers great tonal response with suburb balance. Even with a smaller 0 body size the low end is rich and balanced to the clear, distinct, and resonant highs and mids. The 0 Classic is simply and elegantly appointed with a B/W Fiber rosette, Short patterned Squares and diamonds inlay, an Ebony bridge and Fretboard, Ivoroid binding on the body and gold Waverly tuners with Ebony buttons for a classic appearance.
This particular set of Indian Rosewood is one the most unique, both in figuring and color, we have seen yet! With varying shades of red that are very rich and robust, this set of Indian Rosewood not only looks absolutely stunning.. it sounds incredible!
The Benefits of the Adirondack Bracing that Dana uses on all of his guitar can't be ignored, adding not only responsiveness, but a new level of detail and clarity. The Adirondack Bracing helps to stiffen the top, making it that much more powerful with more headroom and overall volume as well as providing a very focused tone that is only complimented by the 0's body size.
Recorded In-House on a Sony PCM-D50 handheld recorder with no compression or eq.
The Very Vintage series guitars from Dana Bourgeois are loaded with tone enhancing features that combine to make stellar instruments with tone that only these combined features can offer. Dana's guitars are already some of the finest made, so when you add some of these special upgrades you are truly in for something very special.
The finish is an oil varnish, which really takes the tone to another level. According to Dana, "The closest thing to the sound of a 70 year old nitrocellulose lacquer finish isn't a new lacquer finish, but a thin oil varnish finish. Properly applied, oil varnish smooths out the "jangly" sound of a new guitar in much the same way that lots of playing seems to accomplish." This makes the guitar sound more "broken in" from the start, not to mention the deep hue the varnish imparts on the finish is simply gorgeous.
Additional features include a 1 3/4" nut width, a Mammoth ivory nut, ebony bridge and pins, and hot hide glue construction.
This Vintage Varnish OM was also built with Adirondack top bracing, as are all of Dana's guitars. The Adirondack bracing was painstakingly made by hand in the old fashioned method with hot hide glue. Hide Glue sets up very hard, like glass, allowing more energy transfer through the bracing. Hot Hide Glue adds responsiveness across the spectrum. This type of glue was used on the early guitars we have all fallen in love with, but later phased out due to the time required to use it, not to mention the mess it makes. The sonic benefits can't be ignored, adding not only responsiveness, but a new level of detail and clarity. The Adirondack Bracing helps to stiffen the top, making it that much more powerful with more headroom and overall volume.
The Adirondack Top on this guitar is surprisingly responsive. The varnish finish, paired with hide glue construction, really lets this guitar vibrate differently. Even with Adi bracing, this guitar responds to the lightest bare fingered attack, making it one of the finest fingerstyle instruments to come through our shop. Those who feel Adirondack is too stiff for their playing should definitely play this guitar... it will change your entire outlook on what this powerful tonewood is capable of. Notes ring with a crisp, rich, clarity and a woodiness from the Mahogany that simply doesn't come through with other finishes... at least not right away! Pure vintage tone is available at your fingertips right now... come by the shop and see for yourself!
Recorded In-House on a Sony PCM-D50 handheld recorder with no compression or eq.
The Dana Bourgeois Signature Dreadnought features "Signature" Italian Spruce and "Signature" Madagascar RW... this translates into the absolute best examples of each tonewood that can currently be found. The traditional Squares & Diamonds inlay are made unique by cutting them from Certified Fossil Ivory. With finely flamed Curly Koa body binding, Gold Waverly tuners, Bone pins and a premium pickguard you will be hard pressed to find more value and beauty in a single guitar.
Here's what Dana says about Madagascar: "Madagascar rosewood will probably get you closest to the sound of Brazilian, and at a much lower price. Madagascar has much of the same rich overtone range as Brazilian, as well as a slightly "reverby" quality. It's a little heavier than Brazilian, so I have to be careful about selecting the right top and the right neck in order to keep the weight down and not adversely effect its response characteristics. " Since Dana himself still picks every top, back and side for each guitar we build, this isn't a problem with his builds.
The response and balance that this guitar exhibits is nothing short of astonishing. The incredibly straight grained set of Madagascar lives up to every bit of the legend it is known for... and may just be better! When coupled with an Italian Spruce top, there is a significant amount of sweet, crisp, and bright tone. Each note carries with complexity and richness.
There is certainly some magic going on with these DB Signature guitars, and this guitar is one of the best! Order yours now before it's too late and this incredible wood is gone!
Recorded In-House on a Sony PCM-D50 handheld recorder with no compression or eq.
The Dana Bourgeois Signature OM features custom "Signature" Italian Spruce and "Signature" Madagascar RW... this translates into the absolute best examples of each tonewood that can currently be found. The traditional Squares & Diamonds inlay are made unique by cutting them from Certified Fossil Ivory. With finely flamed Curly Koa body binding, Gold Waverly tuners, Bone pins and a premium pickguard you will be hard pressed to find more value and beauty in a single guitar.
Here's what Dana says about Madagascar: "Madagascar rosewood will probably get you closest to the sound of Brazilian, and at a much lower price. Madagascar has much of the same rich overtone range as Brazilian, as well as a slightly "reverby" quality. It's a little heavier than Brazilian, so I have to be careful about selecting the right top and the right neck in order to keep the weight down and not adversely effect its response characteristics. " Since Dana himself still picks every top, back and side for each guitar, this isn't a problem with his builds.
The response and balance that this guitar exhibits is nothing short of astonishing. The incredibly straight grained set of Madagascar lives up to every bit of the legend it is known for... and may just be better! When coupled with an Italian Spruce top, there is a significant amount of sweet, crisp, and bright tone. Each note carries with complexity and richness.
There is certainly some magic going on with these DB Signature guitars, and this OM in particular is incredibly special! Order yours now before it's too late and this incredible wood is gone!
Recorded In-House on a Sony PCM-D50 handheld recorder with no compression or eq.
Bourgeois Vintage Dreadnought Adirondack and Brazilian Rosewood
This Bourgeois Vintage D Custom (Dreadnought) features Brazilian Rosewood back and sides. Brazilian Rosewood is an extremely rare tonewood with deep bass and brilliant trebles that was used on the famous vintage guitars we have all grown to love. An international trade embargo on Brazilian rosewood products guarantees that the relatively few sets remaining in this country will continue to spiral in price as the supply dwindles. Brazilian brings remarkable darkness, depth, and warmth; while exhibiting glorious overtones across the entire tonal spectrum.
As Brazilian Rosewood is in short supply and no one really knows how much will be available in the years to come, this is an instrument that is sure to climb in rarity and value.
The Brazilian Rosewood is complimented by an Adirondack Spruce top. Adirondack is the stiffest of the spruce tonewoods and was used on all of the early guitars we love. After the war, supplies had dwindled and Sitka Spruce became the standard. While a great tonewood in itself, Sitka simply can't reproduce the clarity and lightening fast attack that Adirondack is famous for... not to mention the sheer power it is capable of when you need it.
This Vintage D also features the use of Hot Hide Glue. Hide Glue was the original glue used on the early Martin guitars but has been phased out by many luthiers due to the added time it takes to work with... not to mention it is very messy! Hot Hide glue sets up like glass, offering a more immediate and efficient transfer of energy throughout the top, making the overall guitar more responsive with a clarity of tone that is unmatched.
Recorded In-House on a Sony PCM-D50 handheld recorder with no compression or eq.
The Dana Bourgeois Signature Dreadnought features "Signature" Adirondack and "Signature" Madagascar RW... this translates into the absolute best examples of each tonewood that can currently be found. The traditional Squares & Diamonds inlay are made unique by cutting them from Certified Fossil Ivory. With finely flamed Curly Koa body binding, Gold Waverly tuners, Bone pins and a premium pickguard you will be hard pressed to find more value and beauty in a single guitar.
Here's what Dana says about Madagascar: "Madagascar rosewood will probably get you closest to the sound of Brazilian, and at a much lower price. Madagascar has much of the same rich overtone range as Brazilian, as well as a slightly "reverby" quality. It's a little heavier than Brazilian, so I have to be careful about selecting the right top and the right neck in order to keep the weight down and not adversely effect its response characteristics. " Since Dana himself still picks every top, back and side for each guitar we build, this isn't a problem with his builds.
The response and balance that this guitar exhibits is nothing short of astonishing. The incredibly straight grained set of Madagascar lives up to every bit of the legend it is known for... and may just be better! The Adirondack top shows nice wide grain with plentiful bearclaws, making the top even stiffer with more headroom.
There is certainly some magic going on with these DB Signature guitars, and this guitar is one of the best! Order yours now before it's too late and this incredible wood is gone!
Recorded In-House on a Sony PCM-D50 handheld recorder with no compression or eq.
Dana Bourgeois is known around the world for his superb craftsmanship and also as one of the foremost authorities on the voicing, selection and utilization of fine tonewoods. As testimony to these great instruments, they have become a favorite of many professional country and bluegrass players, such as Ricky Skaggs, Bryan Sutton, Sean Watkins, and most recently, we sold a Country Boy to Michael Harris of Apache Relay. If there is one thing Dana Bourgeois knows, it’s building a knockout dreadnought.
The Country Boy is a dependable, tried and true mahogany workhorse. Mahogany has a quick velocity of sound, relatively lightness of weight, and noticeable midrange overtone attenuation. As a result, mahogany guitars are warm, dry, woody, direct, lively, and famously easy to record. This is especially true with this guitar. Each note has commanding presence, yet is balanced and well represented. Chords ring with powerful, driving volume and lead notes are clear, punchy, and distinct.
This Bourgeois Country Boy Deluxe features classic appointments such as ebony fretboard and bridge, wooden rosette, Ziricote binding, and Gold Waverly tuners. In addition to selecting only the finest quartersawn and matched figured mahogany backs and sides, this Country Boy is appointed with a beautiful Adirondack Red Spruce with nice wide grain at the edges. Dana always builds guitars with only the best tonewoods, and this guitar is definitely worthy of the Bourgeois name... in both tone and appearance!
The finish is an oil varnish, which pushes the tone to another level. According to Dana, "The closest thing to the sound of a 70 year old nitrocellulose lacquer finish isn't a new lacquer finish, but a thin oil varnish finish. Properly applied, oil varnish smooths out the "jangly" sound of a new guitar in much the same way that lots of playing seems to accomplish." This makes the guitar sound more "broken in" from the start, not to mention the deep golden hue the varnish imparts on the finish is simply gorgeous.
This Country Boy Deluxe also features the use of Hot Hide Glue. Hide Glue was the original glue used on the early Martin guitars but has been phased out by many luthiers due to the added time it takes to work with... not to mention it is very messy! Hot Hide glue sets up like glass, offering a more immediate and efficient transfer of energy throughout the top, making the overall guitar more responsive with a clarity of tone that is unmatched.
Recorded In-House on a Sony PCM-D50 handheld recorder with no compression or eq.
The Very Vintage series guitars from Dana Bourgeois are loaded with tone enhancing features that combine to make stellar instruments with tone that only these combined features can offer. Dana's guitars are already some of the finest made, so when you add some of these special upgrades you are truly in for something very special.
The finish is an oil varnish, which really takes the tone to another level. According to Dana, "The closest thing to the sound of a 70 year old nitrocellulose lacquer finish isn't a new lacquer finish, but a thin oil varnish finish. Properly applied, oil varnish smooths out the "jangly" sound of a new guitar in much the same way that lots of playing seems to accomplish." This makes the guitar sound more "broken in" from the start, not to mention the deep hue the varnish imparts on the finish is simply gorgeous.
Additional features include a 1 3/4" nut width, a Mammoth ivory nut, ebony bridge and pins, and hot hide glue construction.
This Vintage Varnish Dreadnought was also built with Adirondack top bracing, as are all of Dana's guitars. The Adirondack bracing was painstakingly made by hand in the old fashioned method with hot hide glue. Hide Glue sets up very hard, like glass, allowing more energy transfer through the bracing. Hot Hide Glue adds responsiveness across the spectrum. This type of glue was used on the early guitars we have all fallen in love with, but later phased out due to the time required to use it, not to mention the mess it makes. The sonic benefits can't be ignored, adding not only responsiveness, but a new level of detail and clarity. The Adirondack Bracing helps to stiffen the top, making it that much more powerful with more headroom and overall volume.
The Adirondack Top on this guitar is surprisingly responsive. The varnish finish, paired with hide glue construction, really lets this guitar vibrate differently. Even with Adi bracing, this guitar responds to the lightest bare fingered attack, making it one of the finest fingerstyle instruments to come through our shop. Those who feel Adirondack is too stiff for their playing should definitely play this guitar... it will change your entire outlook on what this powerful tonewood is capable of. Notes ring with a crisp, rich, clarity and a woodiness from the Mahogany that simply doesn't come through with other finishes... at least not right away! Pure vintage tone is available at your fingertips right now... come by the shop and see for yourself!
Recorded In-House on a Sony PCM-D50 handheld recorder with no compression or eq.
While Dana Bourgeois has established a reputation for building fantastic dreadnoughts, his fingerstyle guitars are equally regarded. This amazing custom JOMC practically demands to be played with bare fingers or fingerpicks, but can stand up beautifully to some strumming as well. Even the most discerning player will be pleasantly delighted as to how responsive this guitar is.
JOMC stands for Jumbo OM Cutaway, and is an original body style developed by Dana Bourgeois in the late 80's. In an effort to respond to players' requests for a mid-sized guitar that has the balance and clarity of an OM, but with a bigger presence and volume, the wheels in Dana's head went a turning. The idea was simple: Start with the OM outline, enlarge it a bit, play around with the curves and deepen the sides. The JOMC has a deceptively small feel, but packs a brimming voice with a broad, dynamic range.
This Bourgeois JOMC features a German Spruce top paired with Indian Rosewood back and sides. We love German Spruce here at Artisan because it not only offers a rich and complex tone, but is versatile for many different playing styles. German Spruce offers exceptional stiffness together with low weight making the tops more responsive. We often find German to be a perfect compromise between Sitka and Adirondack, since it responds so well to fingerstyle playing and also holds up to a heavy pick attack.
Recorded In-House on a Sony PCM-D50 handheld recorder with no compression or eq.
Variations of this body style have traditionally graced a variety of guitars including smaller archtops, rhythm workhorses for accompaniment of singers like the Everly Brothers, and more recently, fingerstyle guitars for virtuoso solo performers. Specifically configured to suit the latter, this Bourgeois Small Jumbo combines Adirondack Spruce and Madagascar Rosewood to produce a full, rich tonal palette with a medium-wide 1 23/32" nut and a 25" scale.
The tone produces from this Bourgeois is rich in trebles with a balanced and powerful low end and a strong, punchy midrange. It excels when played fingerstyle and with an Adirondack top, loves to be strummed and flatpicked as well, withstanding moderately heavy playing with ease.
The Small Jumbo features an X-braced back to enhance lower register articulation. In the tradition of fine, handmade fingerstyle guitars, the Small Jumbo body is bound in figured koa. The custom Ziricote headstock is unbound for a classy look. Further appointments include a DB Signature herringbone backstrip and Gold Waverly tuners with luxurious snakewood buttons.
The featured backwood on this Small Jumbo is Madagascar Rosewood. Madagascar resonates evenly responsive across the entire tonal register and provides a crisp, sparkling treble commonly associated with Brazilian Rosewood. Madagascar is also becoming very scarce and this is a fantastic example of what a master luthier such as Dana Bourgeois can do with the wood.
Recorded In-House on a Sony PCM-D50 handheld recorder with no compression or eq.
We are always pleased to have the Bourgeois Small Jumbo model in the shop. Our first custom ordered ones flew off the shelf so we knew we had to have more. This one with a sunburst top does not disappoint!
Variations of this body style have traditionally graced a variety of guitars including smaller archtops, rhythm workhorses for accompaniment of singers like the Everly Brothers, and more recently, fingerstyle guitars for virtuoso solo performers. The Bourgeois SJ has the classic combination of Adirondack Spruce with Mahogany to produce a full, rich tonal palette with a medium-wide 1 23/32" nut and a 25" scale.
The tone produces from this Bourgeois is rich in trebles with a balanced and powerful low end and slightly less midrange. It excels when played fingerstyle and loves to be strummed as well. As always, the build clearly reflects Dana's dedication and impeccable eye for subtle detail. The Small Jumbo fills the gap between the OMs and the dreadnoughts - proving to be one of the most versatile body sizes offered.
The Small Jumbo features an X-braced top to enhance lower register articulation. Further appointments include a gorgeous sunburst that was applied by Dana himself, with a firestripe pickguard that complements the color of the top perfectly, and nickel plated Waverly tuners with Ivoroid buttons to further enhance the timeless look of this guitar.
The unique body size, measuring 15 3/8 across the lower bout, is quite comfortable to play. Your right arm wraps comfortably around the body without any discomfort or extra reach. The scale measures in at 25, and is a perfect length for this guitar. Fretting is a quite effortless task, especially when bending strings. This guitar would shine for a songwriter in need of a versatile workhorse that gives an edge above the competition. It is also perfectly suited to fingerstyle or strumming, without missing a beat. Read More »
Recorded In-House on a Sony PCM-D50 handheld recorder with no compression or eq.
Bourgeois Guitars uses only the finest master grade tone woods available, and every set of wood used on Bourgeois' guitars is meticulously chosen by the experienced hands of Dana Bourgeois personally. Every once in a while they receive a shipment of wood that is of extraordinary tap tone quality, whether it be a set of spruce, rosewood, or even figured mahogany of exponential beauty, ideal age, weight and stiffness, and tonal qualities that far surpass their normally high expectations. Dana sets these extraordinary tone woods aside so that they can be paired appropriately with other tone woods of equal quality to build a very special guitar, these guitars are referred to as his "Luthier's Choice Custom Series".
Here is what Dana had to say about The Luthier's Choice Custom series - "Though I've been building for quite some time now, I'd like to think my best guitars are still in front of me. The Luthier's Choice Custom series offers an opportunity to expand my creative horizons, unencumbered by everyday constraints. I'm looking forward to making a few really spectacular guitars, not to mention having a lot of fun."
Showcasing Dana's incredible craftsmanship with superb tone woods these guitars have a real personal feel that elegantly displays Dana's love of fine woods and his personal sense of visual style. This particular "Luthier's Choice Custom" or "LCC" features an Adirondack Top that is one of his finest pieces of private reserve Adirondack that has come through our doors. Paired with a set of Brazilian Rosewood that was hand picked to compliment the red spruce, this instrument has the looks and feel of "old soul"!
Brazilian Rosewood has become significantly more rare in the past several years, and provides the deep bass and brilliant trebles that was used on the famous pre-war vintage guitars we have all grown to love. An international embargo on trade on Brazilian rosewood products guarantees that the relatively few number of sets remaining in this country will continue to spiral in price as the supply dwindles.
This Bourgeois Vintage D was also built with Adirondack bracing, as are all of Dana's guitars. The Adirondack bracing was painstakingly glued by hand in the old fashioned assembly method with hot hide glue. Unlike modern day man-made polymer glues, Hide Glue sets up very hard, like glass, allowing more efficient energy transfer through the bracing. Hot Hide Glue adds increased string responsive & a broader, more articulate tonal spectrum. For centuries this type of assembly method was used on guitars, but phased out in daily production applications due to the time required to use it, (not to mention the challenging work environment it creates). The sonic benefits can't be ignored, adding not only responsiveness, but a new level of detail and clarity. The Adirondack Bracing helps also to stiffen the top, making it more powerful, with added volume (or as we guitarists say "more headroom").
The finish is a thin oil based varnish, which pushes the tone to another level. According to Dana, "The closest thing to the sound of a 70 year old nitrocellulose lacquer finish isn't a new lacquer finish, but a thin oil varnish finish. Properly applied, oil varnish smooths out the "jangly" sound of a new guitar in much the same way that lots of playing seems to accomplish." This makes the guitar sound more "broken in" from the start, not to mention the deep golden hue the varnish imparts on the finish is simply gorgeous.
Adding to the vintage vibe, this guitar features a cut through saddle, the first we have seen on any Bourgeois guitar. Historically, cut through saddles were used on vintage Martins, Guilds, and even early Gibson models. Additional features include a 1 23/32" nut width, Mammoth Ivory bridge pins, and a Master Grade Mahogany neck.
This guitar possesses everything we love about our favorite Vintage Guitars, however in Dana's masterful hands, he has transformed the ordinary into the extraordinary. The Varnish has added another dimension to the sound, further contributing to the "old soul" feel of this one. The highs are a bit mellower than a new guitar with a lacquer finish. The guitar is incredibly responsive, balnced and even sounds great played with bare fingers. The clarity and definition we find on all of Dana's guitars is right there... Add the vintage like appearance, appointments and feel of this guitar and you have something nearly impossible to put down.
Here is a video from the 2012 Namm Show from Premier Guitar. You can see Dana talk about this guitar in particular at 2:20.
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