Bourgeois

Dana Bourgeois is without question one of the most widely-respected acoustic guitar builders of the modern era.  Apart from the recognition he has achieved as a builder, Dana is known as one of the early pioneers and champions of torrefaction. In the following years, torrefaction has become a now common process in our industry, whereby wood is super-heated in a vacuum to a crystallized state that is consistent with the physical nature of the naturally-aged woods of vintage instruments. (NOTE: We are always quick to mention that torrefaction doesn’t replicate the effect of decades of exercising a top through active use, but we do find that it very effectively replicates the drier response and enhanced projection of fundamentals typical of the best vintage instruments.) Being cognizant of the tonal quality and concomitant market appeal of the pre-WWII/wartime golden era vintage guitars (i.e., those built between 1920 – 1945), Bourgeois has clearly paid homage to the pre-war Martin small body guitars in his Vintage 00 model, both in terms of specifications and voicing. Accordingly, the Vintage 00 offers the player a very appealing firm note foundation, a rich tonal palette, and a confident overall presence. Yet, unlike the Martins upon which it is based, one detects a more refined, and overall balanced voicing in the Vintage 00, which translates to a greater degree of articulation in the instrument.  Subsequently, this unique blend of vintage inspiration and modern refinement would undoubtedly stoke the creative fires of any 00 enthusiast.

Thanks to some cool upgrades in the form of its Aged Tone (torrefied) Adirondack top, 1 3/4” nut width, and the wider string spacing at the bridge, this Vintage 00 straddles the line between more recent and vintage features. For instance, the Indian rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia) used for the back sides on this instrument is more consistent with modern Martin Style 28 specs. Compared to Madagascar or Brazilian, the response of Indian rosewood is less glassy and direct to a degree; yet, as expected of rosewood varietals in general, Indian rosewood offers a harmonically-saturated, rich, and colorful sonic texture that is very well-mated with any spruce. Combined with the enhanced dynamic range and top end clarity associated with Adirondack spruce, the result is a powerful and lush voice that retains a good deal of clarity, despite its smaller size. As mentioned above, this particular guitar also boasts additional nut width and, more significantly, greater string spacing at the bridge at 2 5/16” (old-time pickers will rejoice!). With the application of the optional Aged Tone process to the top factored in, this Vintage 00 makes for a very impressive and well-rounded small body guitar with a healthy dose of vintage vibe for the player to exploit.


Condition

Overall, this Vintage 00 has been very well-kept. However, there are a few points of cosmetic wear to note, particularly with respect to the top, where there are several shallow cuffs and dents.  Most of this wear is concentrated on the lower bout, including the most significant and deepest ding, which measures approximately 10mm x 3mm and is situated midway between the treble-side bridge foot and the edge of the lower bout.  Other notable top wear includes: a longer, but very shallow scuff on the treble-side lower bout; a dent on the bass side lower bout, and a small cluster of very minor impressions around the soundhole on the treble side.  All of this would be considered “honest wear,” but it is there nonetheless.  Apart from this top wear the rest of the body is very clean, but we do note some minor scuffing/impressions on the back of the neck in the first positions.  There are otherwise no structural issues or repairs to note. VERY GOOD Condition.

• 14-Fret 00 Body
• Aged-Tone (Torrefied) Adirondack Spruce Top
• Torrefied Spruce Scalloped X–Bracing
• Indian Rosewood Back & Sides
• Grained Ivoroid Body Binding
• HerringboneTop Purfling
• Black/White Fiber Rosette
• Zipper Backstrip
• Aged Tone High-Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer Body Finish
• Mahogany Neck
• Modified V Neck Contour
• Ebony Fingerboard
• Short Pattern Abalone Slotted Diamond and Squares Fingerboard Inlay
• Black Fingerboard Binding
• Ziricote Peghead Veneer
• Mother of Pearl Bourgeois Logo
• Satin Neck Finish
• Ebony Traditional Bridge
• Faux Tortoise Pickguard
• Ivoroid Bridge Pins
• Bone Drop-In Saddle
• Bone Nut
• Nickel Waverly Tuners
• 25” Scale Length
• 1 3/4” Nut Width
• 2 5/16” String Spacing at Bridge
• Original Pimpled AVS Double Arched Hard Case