If you’ve been searching for the tone of a vintage guitar, then by all means, buy a vintage guitar. They can be had. You’ll need to baby it and do a lot of maintenance, but heck, it'll be just what you want. Granted, some of them are spectacular instruments but tell me....why does your new guitar need to be an old guitar?

Since the X bracing method of flat top guitar construction was invented in the early 1800's there haven’t been many paradigm improvements in the design. Yes, there are some variations on the theme, such as Kashi, but the basic premise of a backbone with intersecting structural members is a pretty good idea. Nature provides the perfect example, just look at a leaf from a tree.

There is always room for other design innovations though, so every Freeborn model guitar has the hybrid headstock.

At first glance most people see my hybrid headstock and say “what’s up with that” Then they get in the drivers seat and very quickly see why. From the players perspective all the tuning keys are facing you for easy access--mid song, set, or session. Plus, combined with my custom BeauGuard, they look entirely unique. Another Freeborn feature is the oval soundhole (why be round when you can be oval?) and a funky variation on the moustache bridge:

Wood selection is another dark world steeped in voodoo. “Combine the shimmering overtones of "x" top with the fundamentals of "y" back and sides and you’ll end up with "z" perfect tone…blah, blah, blah....” A guitar is a combination of way too many organic properties to be able to put any blueprint prediction on it. Much more important is that the builder has an intimate understanding of the specific materials he or she is working with and how to best achieve the desired outcome. There is science and there is art and then there is the marriage of the two. If you know how to apply this knowledge, you'll get a really good guitar every time. Then sometimes there's magic, and you get a great one.

I take my 30 plus years of woodworking experience, throw out what I think are conventions for the sake of conventions, respect the proven traditions that work and try to do it in a unique and attractive way. If you're not a vintage kind of person, maybe it's time for a modern guitar or at the very least, a fun and creative one.

So, without further ado, here is the lineup:

Freeborn Freestyle Steel String Flat Top Guitar

Sit down with one for a bit and it will all make sense.The body volume of the Freestyle is only slightly less than a Dreadnaught (it fits in a D case), but the centerline of the lower bout is shifted south so you don’t have the feeling of a big guitar under your arm. The result is an instrument with a big sound, but a small-body feel. The standard equipment bevel arm rest also adds to the comfort. The sound is a little tighter than a D, so it works equally well as a fingerstyle or flat picked guitar.

 

This Freeborn Freestyle model includes: Western Red Cedar soundboard Quilted Big Leaf Maple back and sides Mahogany neck Rosewood fingerboard and Serpentine bridge Bevel armrest Hybrid head stock BeauGuard binding

Another take on the Freeborn Freestyle

 

This Freeborn Freestyle model includes: Lutz Spruce soundboard Cocobolo Rosewood back and sides Sapele neck Ebony fingerboard and Serpentine bridge Bevel armrest Hybrid headstock Custom BeauGuard pickguard, binding and head stock

The Po'Boy

Old fashioned meets Newfangled!

Say hello to the Po’boy small bodied blues guitar. Based on the pre-war instruments that were the cornerstone of the “blues sound” these guitars know how to howl at the moon. Under the hood they’re built and braced much the same as early Gibsons, rough sawmarks and all. But on the outside I’ve given them a contemporary oval sound hole, totally cool BeauGuard pickguard and my unique and very ergonomic hybrid headstock. Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks!

 

The Quatre

Based on the Martin 0000 or M series instruments, this guitar has a big sound but isn’t boomy or flabby. The slightly more shallow body depth gives it a quick response. Coupled with a slightly thicker top and light bracing, the sustain doesn’t suffer. This instrument behaves beautifully either finger- or flatpicked. The standard body wood is Sapele and top is Lutz Spruce. Hybrid headstock is standard, and all the usual upgrades are available.