I love the deep piano-like resonance, sustain and projection of a dreadnaught. These guitars cut right through the mix when played standing up with other musicians. A dreadnaught sounds great when fingerpicked too, but the deep body, shallow waist and relatively narrow neck are not particularly conducive to sitting down and fingerpicking.

 

So I began thinking about the idea of designing a “comfort dread” that would better suit a fingerstyle player. To this end, the guitar offered here has a bevel that provides a comfortable place for the right arm to rest while making the body feel less deep. The neck is 1 ¾-inches at the nut instead of the 1-11/16-inches usually found on dreads. The scale is a bit shorter than most dreads, which reduces the string tension for easier fretting and bending. The action is set lower with a fingerstylist’s less aggressive attack in mind. This, of course, makes the guitar even easier to play.

 

With all these features, you might be wondering why this guitar is priced lower than my standard starting price. The reason is that this is the first arm bevel I have built. And while the bevel functions exactly as I intended, the transition between bevel and binding is not cosmetically perfect. When I accomplish flawless transitions, the arm bevel will be a $400 option instead of a $350 discount. So this guitar is a great deal for the right guitarist. (And I think the curly maple bevel still looks pretty cool.)

​

Specifications

Top: Sitka spruce
Back and sides: Cherry
Neck: Mahogany

Binding, bevel, and heelcap: Curly maple
Fretboard and saddle: Rosewood

Rosette and end wedge: Spalted maple

Headstock: Cherry with spalted maple stripe

Fret markers: Ebony with white fiber border

Tuners: Gotoh 510 Mini
Scale length: 24.9 inches
Nut width: 1 ¾ inches

​

Note: Although no strap pins have been installed on this guitar, they are included in the price and will be installed on purchase. This is in case you prefer to have a pickup with end-pin jack installed. In that case you’ll be charged my cost for the pickup of your choice plus a $75 installation fee.

​

Interested in buying? Contact us: