Bourgeois Guitars | Custom OOO 50th Anniversary Soloist

Celebrating Dana Bourgeois' remarkable 50th year of guitar building, we proudly present this exquisite limited edition Custom OOO 50th Anniversary Soloist. This exceptional OOO is number 5 of 5 worldwide. Bourgeois have made 25 50th Anniversary Soloists in total, across 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 traditional OOO body shape and showcases the breathtaking beauty of its Macassar Ebony back and sides. In a deliberate departure from the Soloist's cutaway, this OOO design caters to players with more traditional aesthetic preferences. Sharing the same dimensions as a 14-fret OM, the OOO body features a shorter 25" scale length and a comfortable 1 23/32" nut width. This shorter scale subtly brings the nut closer to the player, contributing to a slightly reduced string tension and enhanced playability, particularly for intricate fingerstyle work.

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 that belies its smaller OOO dimensions. 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 OOO guitars to have graced our shop - a testament to five decades of Dana Bourgeois' unwavering dedication to the art of guitar building.