Art et Lutherie - Americana Naturel EQ

Art & Lutherie Americana Natural EQ - the natural semi-gloss finish hides nothing: the solid Sitka spruce top expresses itself with all the dynamics of an unstained, cold-dry wood, open from the very first hours of playing. The Dreadnought format with its 643 mm pitch stretches the string with a tension that reinforces the attack in rhythmic playing and maintains the clarity of the separation-note in arpeggio.

The laminated mahogany back and sides stabilise the volume without over-colouring the mid-range - the soundboard retains control of the timbre. The mahogany neck transmits vibrations without parasitic damping; the pau ferro fingerboard hardens the gliding surface and gives the attack a bite akin to ebony, without its cost. The 406.4 mm radius flattens the string slightly - clean bending on all 20 frets without finger jamming in the upper position. The bone saddle at the headstock - a dense, non-porous material - improves vibration transfer right from the open string. The 18:1 ratio tuning machines are among the tightest in their class: half a degree of key per notch, so the tuning doesn't drift.

The Presys VT preamp - volume and tone under control - works transparently on the acoustic signal. The .012 string set adds body to the touch without overloading the soundboard. At 2.7 kg, this Canadian dreadnought is easy to handle for long sessions, folk or vocal accompaniment, plugged in or not.