Imagine an acoustic guitar that never needs setting up. An instrument that delivers the same optimised playability whenever you open the case. A neck with consistent action and intonation, whether you’re playing a winter club show or a summer festival. No wonder that for hardened acoustic musicians, frustrated by changing environmental conditions playing havoc with their instruments, Furch’s new CNR System® Active neck joint has been hailed as a game-changer.
Since 1981, Furch has produced some of the world’s finest acoustic guitars from its headquarters in the Czech Republic. The luthier’s core values of craftsmanship and innovation are evident in groundbreaking features spanning from its resonance-enhancing finishes to proprietary individual soundboard voicings. But the newly designed CNR System® Active neck joint is perhaps Furch’s boldest concept yet and a true industry milestone.
“The beauty of the CNR System® Active lies in its ability to address two major challenges faced by acoustic guitar players,” explains CEO Petr Furch. “First, it allows players to set up their guitar in seconds, eliminating the need for costly, time-consuming and risky neck resets. Second, it automatically maintains your preferred setup condition, even in varying environments such as summer or winter indoor climates. With the CNR System® Active, your guitar will always feel and play exactly the way you want.”
Furch’s original CNR System® of 2016 already solved one major issue, mitigating the damaging string tension inherent in an acoustic guitar by reinforcing the neck with a two-way adjustable truss rod embedded in a carbon fibre casing, alongside an L-shaped alloy heel structure (the ‘L’ is now 60mm longer and 45 per cent stronger in the new CNR System® Active for enhanced neck stability and string tension transfer).
Over 68,000 guitars were produced using the first-generation design, and the updated version builds on this legacy, incorporating extensive data gathered from user feedback and long-term observation of the original system’s behaviour.
But the trump card of this new technology is its elimination of a second age-old problem. “With the CNR System® Active,” says Petr, “our team focused on addressing the other half of the equation, the top itself, which naturally expands and contracts due to humidity.”
Rather than employ excess soundboard bracing – and compromise the instrument’s resonance – the CNR System® Active takes an entirely fresh approach. The cross-section diagram above shows the solid wood expansion element in the neck heel joint. Uniquely, this expands and contracts in sync with the natural movement of the soundboard, reacting in real-time to the environment you’re performing in.
With the CNR System® Active, your guitar will always feel and play exactly the way you want
“The type of wood, its position, length, grain orientation, and the humidity level at the time of installation are all meticulously controlled to allow it to expand and contract in response to humidity changes, mirroring the natural expansion and contraction of the soundboard,” explains Petr. “This movement is then transferred to automatically adjust the neck angle, ensuring consistent string action. So players no longer need to worry about fluctuating playability due to weather changes.”
Meanwhile, Furch’s rigorous testing confirms sound quality is unaffected. “We naturally had concerns about how the system might impact the sound,” says Petr.
“Introducing an expansion gap behind the heel could theoretically affect resonance. However, the tension of the strings and the transfer of acoustic waves primarily occur in the upper part of the neck. We ensured that resonance is channelled effectively through this area, particularly beneath the fretboard.”
In day-to-day use, the CNR System® Active delivers optimised playability with no need for setup. But when you first take ownership of a new Furch acoustic, you’ll naturally want to personalise the instrument to your playing style.
Fortunately, with the luthier’s new technology shipping on all guitars with serial number 126,202 and above, the process has never been easier, with a string‑action adjustment screw letting players minutely tweak and tailor playability using a standard Allen key (no saddle sanding required).
“Customers can either adjust the action themselves to suit their preferences once the guitar arrives,” says Petr, “or specify their desired action to the retailer, who can set it up quickly and easily prior to shipping. This gives customers greater confidence in buying their first Furch guitar online.”
The concept is mindblowing – but does it work? The effusive reaction from the acoustic scene speaks volumes, while the real-world value of the CNR System® Active was neatly summed up by the events at NAMM 2025.
With a freak temperature drop to 16°C (60°F) and a plunge in humidity to just 18 per cent – for reference, acoustic guitars should be stored at between 45 per cent and 65 per cent humidity – neighbouring exhibitors saw their instruments warp and crack. Yet the Furch acoustic guitars featuring the new CNR System® Active held firm.
As Petr notes with satisfaction: “It’s one thing to design and test new technology in a controlled environment, but the real test comes when that technology is exposed to the unpredictable chaos of the real world…”
1. Redesigned heel-to-fingerboard structure improves neck heel stability and transfers string tension to the expansive element and adjustment screw. Its length and rigidity ensure optimal neck geometry and excellent playability
2. Eccentric screw secures solid lateral position of the neck
3. Two-way adjustable truss rod allows for precise adjustments of your neck relief
4. Carbon fibre truss rod casing keeps your neck relief smooth over long periods, even in tough conditions
5. Expansion gap accommodates neck angle movement due to humidity changes
6. Expansive element is the heart of CNR System® Active, responding to ambient humidity by expanding or contracting to maintain consistent neck performance
7. String action adjustment screw allows fine-tuning of your string action for personalised playability
