Art et Lutherie - Roadhouse Faded Black A/E

The Art & Lutherie Roadhouse Faded Black A/E belongs to this category of guitars that don't need to raise their voices to make themselves heard. The Parlor format and 630.936 mm scale create a streamlined, direct silhouette - the kind of body you grab to play for twenty minutes and put down two hours later. The semi-gloss Faded Black finish is of the same ilk: sober, unostentatious, with a deliberate patina that evokes an instrument with a story to tell.

Under the top, solid cedar takes centre stage. Cedar responds quickly, and doesn't need to be warmed up for hours on end to reach its full potential - a feature that counts when you're playing styles with strong dynamics, from taut folk to pure blues. The Canadian wild cherry back and sides add a midrange presence that prevents this type of format from sounding hollow, while keeping the bass under control.

The Silver Leaf maple neck, with its rosewood fingerboard and 406.4 mm (16") radius, is designed for hands that are looking for friction-free movement across the 18 frets. The 43.688mm GraphTech headstock contributes to tuning stability, especially useful when playing at higher frequencies. The 16:1 ratio action does its job with reassuring precision.

On the amplification side, the Fishman A/E transducer and preamp with its two controls - volume and tone - give the Roadhouse real stage autonomy without weighing down the signal. The original A6 LT (.012-.053) strings on board find their balance on this scale, neither too supple nor too resistant for fingerpicking or rhythmic playing. Made in Canada, the Roadhouse is sewn with Art & Lutherie's renowned expertise in North American woods.