Art et Lutherie - Roadhouse Naturel EQ

Art & Lutherie Roadhouse Natural EQ - Under the natural semi-gloss finish, the solid Sitka spruce on the top shows its age: this tight-ringed wood produces a dry sound on attack, with harmonics that open up gradually under play rather than on first chord.
The 628.65 mm scale shortens the space between the frets compared to longer formats - the 18 frets can be played without overstretching the wrist, and the slightly slack string tension softens the feel of the pick without the bass fading out. The laminated sapele mahogany back and sides absorb the mid-range frequencies without swelling them: the soundboard alone retains control of the tonal character. The mahogany neck carries the vibrations without filtering them; the pau ferro fingerboard - a hard, tight-grained wood - hardens the bearing surface and gives the attack a bite that synthetic rosewood does not. The 406.4 mm radius flattens the profile just enough so that bends on the high strings don't stall. The 42.8625 mm bone nut transfers the energy of the open string with a density that the plastic systematically absorbs. The 18:1 ratio mechanics lock the tuning notch by notch - a quarter turn of the key per semitone, so nothing slips.
The Presys VT preamp - volume and tone under control - amplifies without colouring. The .012 string set adds body to the attack without overloading the cedar top. Chamber folk, acoustic blues, recording session: this Canadian Roadhouse sounds just as plugged in as it is unplugged.