Gibson has a new player in its rich line of acoustic guitars, with the Gibson Parlor Rosewood EC designed to be a compact cutaway with “a surprising richness and warmth for its size.”
The instrument, which is headlined by a smaller, comfort-first body shape “reminiscent of a streamlined SJ-200” – a guitar adored by Brian May, George Harrison, and Johnny Cash.
Said to be a meticulously crafted instrument – which accounts for its $2,999 price-tag – such an eye for detail is the reason it sounds so deceitfully big.
Naturally-amplifying features include a dovetail neck joint, a radiused top, and traditional scalloped X-bracing, while the employment of L.R. Baggs VTC electronics means the guitar is equipped for “intimate café shows” while also being “ready to ignite a stadium.”
Elsewhere, there’s a gloss nitrocellulose lacquer-finished solid Sitka spruce top, paired with solid rosewood back and sides and accented with multi-ply binding.
Its mahogany neck gets a satin finish and an Advanced Response profile, which has been hand-shaped to nestle snuggly into a player’s palm – Gibson reckons it has the Goldilocks-sponsored ‘just right’ balance between thick and thin profiles here.
Rounding out the tonwewoods is a “smooth-playing” 16” radius rosewood fingerboard, adorned with 19 standard frets and mother-of-pearl parallelogram inlays.
Premium appointments extend to the TUSQ nut, saddle, and bridge pins to aid tuning stability. Its cutaway, moreover, means access to the higher frets is a doddle, making unplugged Yngwie Malmsteen covers easier than ever… if you ever feel the need.
The firm is no doubt shooting for elegance with its looks – a faux-tortoiseshell pickguard is a standout there, while the Rosewood Burst ensures it looks as warm as we’re told it sounds.
All those aspects come together for a guitar that wants to do something a little different, and, like a pre-war Martin, outlive its owners without ever lacking in muster.
“The guitars that we’re seeing every day are people’s dream guitars,” says Gibson Acoustic Brand Manager John Hannigan. “We’re seeing these instruments from start to finish, knowing that people are going to pass these guitars through the generations of their families. The guitars we’re building are heirloom-quality instruments. These guitars will last a lifetime and longer.”
The Parlor Rosewood EC costs a pretty penny at $2,999 but comes with a hardshell case to help soften the blow.
Head to Gibson to learn more.
The release follows what has already proved a busy year for Gibson's acoustic crafters. In March, it dropped its new Acoustic Specials series that brings Parlor EC-like levels of craftsmanship to lower price points – the same month Margo Price's signature J-45 with a twist was launched.
May's signature, meanwhile, is home to a hidden but heartfelt Freddie Mercury tribute so the Queen guitarist can always carry a memory of the singer with him.
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