Bourgeois Custom 50th Anniversary OMC Soloist

Celebrating Dana Bourgeois' remarkable 50th year of guitar building, we proudly present this exquisite limited edition Custom OMC 50th Anniversary Soloist. This exceptional OMC is number 1 of 5 worldwide in its specific configuration. Bourgeois has crafted 25 50th Anniversary Soloists in total, spanning five of Dana's favourite body shapes.

The "Soloist" model's genesis lies in a request from the esteemed guitarist Eric Schoenberg, who envisioned an OM guitar graced with an elegant, understated cutaway. Dana Bourgeois not only built prototypes but also partnered with Schoenberg to establish Schoenberg Guitars. This pivotal collaboration fostered a close working relationship with C.F. Martin, ultimately leading to the co-production of the Schoenberg Soloist - a groundbreaking instrument that became the first cutaway guitar to emerge from Martin's revered Nazareth workshop. Perhaps even more significantly, the original Soloist played a vital role in the resurgence of the once-overlooked OM body style, which now stands as the second most popular steel-string guitar design globally.

While this special anniversary model draws its inspiration from the Soloist's DNA, it embraces the versatile OMC body shape with its distinctive cutaway, catering to players who seek upper fret access without compromising on classic aesthetics. Sharing the same dimensions as a 14-fret OM, this OMC features a longer 25.5" scale length and a comfortable 1 23/32" nut width. This longer scale contributes to a slightly increased string tension and enhanced clarity, particularly for intricate flatpicking or powerful strumming, offering a different feel and response compared to its short-scale OOO counterpart.

Words truly struggle to capture the exceptional quality and sonic prowess of this guitar. Its voice is nothing short of phenomenal, boasting a remarkable bass response, impressive volume, and articulate punch. Visually, it is equally captivating. The soundboard is crafted from exquisitely figured Bearclaw Italian Spruce, protected by a lustrous gloss finish and presented without a pickguard to showcase its natural beauty. The dramatically figured Macassar Ebony graces not only the back and sides but also the headstock veneer, fingerboard, and elegant pyramid bridge, creating a cohesive and undeniably luxurious aesthetic.

Another thing that makes this guitar extra special are the 14k gold 'ghost' square and diamond inlays in the fretboard - a truly unique and luxurious touch that you certainly don't see every day. That same 14k gold is even used for the usually simple slotted triangle inlay on the heel cap, highlighting the exceptional attention to detail. And as a final personal touch, Dana Bourgeois himself signed the guitar's label. You'll find this is quite different from a standard Soloist, which typically has Madagascar Rosewood back and sides, a regular Spruce top, and Abalone inlays instead of this stunning solid gold.

The braces within this guitar were painstakingly hand-carved to precisely fine-tune the top and back. The result is an instrument that is uniquely balanced and possesses a harmonically rich voice, ensuring exceptional sound quality and a lasting legacy of unparalleled craftsmanship for generations to appreciate. As a significant upgrade, this extraordinary guitar features aged torrefied bracing, further enhancing its tonal maturity, responsiveness, and overall sonic character.

This truly stands as one of the most exceptional sounding OM guitars to have graced our shop - a testament to five decades of Dana Bourgeois' unwavering dedication to the art of guitar building.