 Iris MS-00 Big guitars will always have a place in acoustic music, their legendary status was etched in stone decades ago. But for many years now, increasingly more guitarists are gravitating towards smaller bodied instruments and that trend has been reflected in the output of guitar manufacturers worldwide. By now we’re all aware of the dreadnoughts place in guitar history; first arriving on the scene in the mid 1930’s and leaving it’s mark first in bluegrass & country music, then in rock and beyond. It’s big, deep body and wide waist pushes out a lot of volume, especially bass, allowing the guitar player to be heard alongside a banjo player, a mandolinist, a singer, or even a horn. Small guitars have been around forever, but for a long time were thought of as a solo instrument or as an accompaniment for a singer. Their softer tone and quieter overall volume didn’t really make sense in a band setting. But as instrument amplification and stage sound-mixing technology has grown, so has the ability to employ a smaller guitar in the mix of several other instruments in a live setting. Why would someone prefer a smaller guitar you ask? For several reasons, not the least of which is the comfort of holding a smaller box and the greater freedom it allows the player to move their arms and hands. With a smaller guitar, you can articulate a little easier, often having more control over the dynamics of the sound, and your shoulder doesn’t hurt after an hour or more of playing. Smaller guitars are usually, but not always, paired with a slightly shorter scale length which contributes to the ease of playing when compared to a dread or jumbo. Luckily, for all those who desire a smaller guitar, there are a litany of amazing choices to be found from almost every builder in the industry. You’ve got the old standby’s like Martin’s 0, 00, 000 in both 12 and 14-fret versions, and with either mahogany or rosewood back & sides. Gibson too, had their L-1, 2, 0 & 00’s, then kept the folkies going with their LG series. Washburn, Guild, Epiphone, Yamaha and a few others made small guitars prior to the 1990’s, but it wasn’t until companies like Santa Cruz, Collings, Breedlove & Goodall started producing ‘boutique’ models that the small body boom really took off. Many of these guitars are based - sometimes directly, sometimes loosely - on a vintage Martin or Gibson design. But it’s in the choice of tone woods, bracing, and the fine artistry of craftsmanship & appointments where these modern builders really show why we’re in a Golden Age of luthiery. A small body guitar can be incredibly versatile in its tone, volume & dynamic range. Picking softly with articulate single note runs and the right guitar will sustain for days. Dig in with big open chords and the notes won’t get muddy and cancel each other out. Volume, clarity and depth of tone are all right there at your fingertips with a well built smaller guitar. We’ve been lucky enough to have some incredible small guitars in our shop over the years. Vintage examples like Martin 0’s & 00’s and Gibson L-00’s from the 1930’s and 40’s, pre-war Washburn parlor guitars, and even small bodied Gibson & Epiphone archtops. But the real memorable ones have been newer builds like the Santa Cruz Firefly, H-13 & 1929 12-frets. Or the Goodall 000’s and Parlor models. Or even the more recent Aberdeen L-00 and Iris MS designs. We’re overflowing with amazing small guitars all the time, and, chances are, your local shop is too so do yourself a favor and pick one up!  Santa Cruz 1929 '00' 50th Anniversary
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