Recording King pays tribute to Justin Townes Earle with new signature acoustic guitar

Last August, Justin Townes Earle – an acclaimed singer/songwriter and one of Americana/roots music's biggest stars – tragically passed away at the age of 38.

Today, Recording King unveiled a signature acoustic guitar the company had developed with Earle before his passing. 

"We’d been working on this project with Justin since about 2012," said the company's Artist Relations Director, Ashley Atz, in a statement. "He’s such a great songwriter, I think sometimes his guitar playing didn’t get enough attention, but he was a killer guitar player. 

"He could play bass, rhythm and lead on just one instrument, so he needed a guitar that was really dry sounding with really short decay, to make room for the upper register lead-style stuff that he was playing."

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This small-body acoustic is built with a solid Sitka spruce top, Whitewood back and sides, and the company's CrossLap bracing with extra tight tolerances, which – according to Recording King – allow the top to resonate more freely for better projection. The C-shaped maple neck, meanwhile, boasts an Ovangkol fretboard with Harmonella Stencil inlays. 

Inspired by Earle's love of the company's Dirty 30s model, the guitar also features a traditional floating bridge and gold tailpiece.

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Additional touches include Earle's signature on the black headstock, gold tuning machines with tortoise buttons, and tortoise body binding.

The Recording King Justin Townes Earle signature acoustic guitar is available now – in a Satin Tobacco Sunburst finish – for $349. The guitar comes with a trio of Earle signature collector’s cards, each featuring a selection of his lyrics.

For more info on the guitar, stop by Recording King.