Atkin J43 Reserve - aged sunburst

Carefully handcrafted in England in small quantities,the ATKIN J43 Reserve is an exceptional steel-string acoustic guitar. It is a “Round Shoulders” Dreadnought with a short scale length (24.7/8") whose visual identity and tonal character are undeniably and authentically vintage.

Its meticulously crafted all-solid-wood construction features rare woods reserved for high-end models: a roasted Adirondack spruce top, a Madagascar rosewood back and sides, “pre-war scalloped” bracing, a mahogany neck, and a Honduran rosewood fingerboard and bridge.
Abundant in the 1930s—a period during which it was notably used to craft the soundboards of Martin guitars—"Red Spruce" or "Adirondack" spruce (Picea rubens) enjoys immense popularity. Denser than common spruce, Adirondack spruce possesses exceptional responsiveness. It also has the rare quality of maintaining its clarity even when played with intense force.
Madagascar rosewood possesses acoustic and visual characteristics similar to those of the iconic Brazilian rosewood. Its clear highs, explosive mids, and rich, well-defined lows are universally praised by even the most discerning musicians. For environmental reasons (the species is becoming increasingly scarce) and legal reasons (many dealers are unable to verify the origin of their stock), it has become extremely difficult to find instruments crafted from this wood.
In addition to giving the wood an elegant patina, the roasting (“roasted” or “baked”) process improves the stability, sustain, clarity, and resonance of the instrument, while protecting it from temperature fluctuations, humidity, and mold.

The Atkin J43 Reserve guitar is therefore a very special acoustic instrument. Rich, warm, dynamic, and subtle, it is clear that its “whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” A truly inspiring instrument.